About Us
Women of Culture is a social enterprise that creates art-based experiences, trips, workshops and private group events that help professionals, travelers and private groups connect more meaningfully with the arts while also showcasing the power and necessity of all creative forms of expression.
Our intergenerational membership-based community helps women in the New York area learn about and experience the many facets of the city's rich cultural landscape while also connecting more deeply with one another.
Our private group experiences and travel offerings help corporate teams, tourists, families and friends connect to their innate creativity and experience the art world at its best in destinations including LA, Boston, Miami and Paris.
The Sisterhood of Discovery is a women’s circle for personal growth and social change. It is designed to reinforce our company values of curiosity, empathy and discovery and to help participants connect to themselves and one another on a deeper level, employing guided meditations, journaling and carefully curated conversations to foster increased solidarity and support among attendees.
Founder
Alexandra Harper launched Women of Culture in 2016 as a way to connect women through art, conversation, and meaningful shared experiences. Since founding the organization, she has grown its community to more than 5,000 members across New York City and Los Angeles and has hosted hundreds of events that foster connection, cultural engagement, and dialogue.
Under Alexandra’s leadership, Women of Culture has partnered with and hosted events at leading institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim, the Getty Museum, LACMA, and Pérez Art Museum Miami and many, many more. In 2025, she and her work were featured on Good Morning America.
Driven by a deep belief in the power of the arts to build empathy and community, Alexandra creates experiences that bring women together in ways that are culturally enriching, socially impactful, and deeply connective. Her mission is to build a more connected, equitable, and empathetic world by elevating the role of both women and the arts.
Team
Syeda Dur e Shehwar
Event & Marketing Manager
Syeda Dur-e-Shehwar is an Event and Marketing professional specializing in cultural programming, community engagement, and digital strategy. At Women of Culture, she leads end-to-end event execution while driving audience growth through targeted marketing, social media, and partnerships. Her work focuses on creating impactful, community-driven experiences that make the arts more accessible and engaging. She brings strong expertise in content creation, campaign strategy, and audience engagement.
Ferrell Crawley
Social Media & Marketing Assistant
Ferrell Crawley is a painter who recently graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Painting and a minor in Museum and Gallery Practices. The core of her practice is communication and organization. As an artist, she has a unique perspective that allows her to see the importance of both the artists and the organizations that support them. Her priority is supporting artists and creating learning opportunities for those interested in art. She currently works as the Gallery Assistant at a New York City art gallery and with Women of Culture as the Social Media and Marketing assistant.
Art-Full Advisory Committee
Shakira Polite
Brand & Culture Advisor
Shakira Polite is a cultural anthropologist and strategist based in New York, working at the intersection of branding, advertising, and ethnographic research. She brings extensive experience collaborating with global brands and cultural institutions, using cultural insight to shape impactful strategies and experiences. At Women of Culture, she advises on strategy, community growth, and programming while helping create inclusive, engaging cultural experiences. Her work is rooted in making art and culture more accessible, social, and community-driven.
Terrisa Chen
Business Development & Strategic Growth
Terrisa Chen is a strategist working at the intersection of brand development, fashion retail, and cultural experiences. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in translating creative vision into sustainable business strategies, driving growth through partnerships, positioning, and experiential initiatives. As a former founder of a NYC-based multi-brand boutique, she brings an entrepreneurial approach to brand building and community engagement. At Women of Culture, she contributes to strategic growth, revenue development, and the evolution of curated cultural experiences.
Elizabeth Doyle
Member and Ambassador
Elizabeth Doyle is a strategic manager and leader with over a decade of experience driving data-informed growth across complex organizations. Her work focuses on translating high-level goals into measurable outcomes through strategy, analytics, and cross-functional collaboration. As a Member and Ambassador at Women of Culture, she supports community engagement and contributes to expanding the organization’s network and impact.
Collaborators & Guest Speakers
Bernadine Franco
Bernadine Franco is an Art historian, Educator, Writer, and Speaker who empowers the female perspective defined through works of art. Learn more at beyondthepaint.net and follow her on IG: @beyondthepaintwbernadine
Julie Zhu
Julie Zhuis an award-winning marketing strategist based in NYC. She's a marketing advisor and guest speaker at Women of Culture. Follow her marketing insights at @marketingwithjulie
Janelle Diethelm
Janelle Diethelm is the Founder of the Curious Art Historian, a free online resource where anyone can learn about art history. She holds a Master's in the History & Business of Art & Collecting from the University of Warwick and has worked at well-known art institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Christie's.
Merrily Kerr
Merrily Kerr is an art critic and writer based in New York. For over thirteen years Merrily has crafted personalized tours of cultural discovery in New York's galleries and museums. Merrily's daily social media and blog posts highlight the best art the city has to offer. Learn more about Merrily and follow her on IG: @newyorkarttours
Lauren Ebin
Lauren Ebin has been working in museums in NYC and overseas since 1998, both on the curatorial side and as a museum educator. As an archaeologist and art historian with an M.A. and Master of Philosophy degrees in Art History and Archaeology, Lauren has spent more than ten field seasons excavating all over the world. In her leisure time, Lauren is an accomplished swing dancer.
Hall W. Rockefeller
Hall W. Rockefeller is an Art Historian and theFounder of Less than Half, an art criticism website covering the solo shows and goings-on of women artists in New York City.