Women at the Helm 2015
RACHEL EINBUND
Principal Attorney at the Law Office of Rachel Einbund, Esq.
The passage of the Marriage Equality Act in 2011 marked the end of one battle, and the beginning of many others. Rachel Einbund understood that from the start, and it's what led her to create her own legal practice, focusing on marriage-based green cards, work visas, domestic abuse victims and family-based immigration, to name but a few of her many specialties. Einbund, a graduate of NYU and New York Law School, prides herself on taking clients from all over, and on her belief in religious, political, gender and sexual freedom. In addition to running her own firm, she mentors law students; holds free workshops on the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) immigration policy; writes about immigration issues on her firm's blog, The LORE Review; and does pro-bono work for minors and unique cases. (She’s registered as a marriage officiant, too, as if all that weren't enough to keep her busy.) For her dedication to the law and our community, Einbund has received numerous honors: Just this year, the National LGBT Bar Association named her one of America's best LGBT lawyers under 40 and The International Women's Leadership Association called her a Woman of Outstanding Leadership. We here at GO simply call her "amazing."
Meet 16 dynamos who are true models of success
ASHLEY CUSTER AND KRISTIN HECKLER
Co-Owners, Uprooted
You’ve heard of food trucks, right? Well, how about a truck that sells flowers? Ashley Custer and Kristin Heckler are the proud proprietors of Uprooted Flower Truck, the first truck of its kind in New York City. In addition to being a unique and convenient idea, Uprooted is also good for the environment: The truck utilizes less electricity and water than a regular flower shop, and produces fewer wasted flowers because there is less inventory. “I never noticed flowers much until I met Ashley,” says Heckler. “I always say she taught me to stop and smell the roses, literally. When we moved to New York and Ashley was bringing home flowers from higher-end shops than the grocery stores I was used to, I learned that flowers are more complex than I could have imagined. I love looking closely at the spectrum of color, touching the different textures and watching as blooms open over several days. I came to love getting leftover flowers from her shop, and as the idea for the truck evolved, I learned more and more about how to take care of them. Now, I love processing shipments and can’t wait to see what new blooms we have! I never thought I would care so much, but having flowers around really does make you happier!”
