How Jasmine Pittman Became One of the Creative Strategists Helping Shape Culture Behind the Scenes

From preparing keynote speakers and executing New York Fashion Week shows to supporting activations at Essence Festival of Culture, Jasmine Pittman has built a career where strategy, creativity, and execution come together to help ideas—and the people behind them—leave a lasting impact.

When audiences applaud a keynote speaker, cameras flash at New York Fashion Week or a major brand activation unfolds seamlessly at Essence Festival of Culture, few people stop to consider everything—and everyone—it took to create the moment.

Jasmine Pittman knows that side of the story well.

“I consider myself to be a creative consultant that focuses on strategy, partnerships, communications, special projects and events,” Pittman says. “In my role I am sometimes a stylist, a social media manager, an event and logistics manager, and sometimes even a speech editor. It truly depends on the day, which I appreciate because I am never bored in my role.”

There is no typical week.

One day may begin at 5 a.m. as she prepares a client to speak at Fortune. Another may be devoted to developing strategies and partnerships. Other assignments have taken her into fashion, luxury hospitality, social media, event production and styling.

“I truly thrive in environments where the day-to-day doesn’t look the same,” she says. “I guess I have my ADHD to thank for that.”

It is a career that has allowed Pittman to combine skills that might otherwise exist in separate job descriptions; and one she says she entered largely by chance.

An Unexpected Entry Into the Work

In 2023, Pittman attended a mentorship event where she met a senior advisor from the company hosting it. Pittman shared her goals and explained that she was transitioning away from government consulting.

There wasn’t an opportunity available.

The advisor told her they would stay in touch.

“When I hear that I usually don’t take it seriously,” Pittman admits.

But in April 2024, she heard from her again.

Pittman was contracted to execute logistics for the company’s retreat, despite having never done it before.

“It was a learning experience, but the rest was history.”

Another opportunity arrived a few months later... on her birthday.

On August 15, a friend called to wish Pittman a happy birthday. As the two caught up, her friend asked what she had been doing. Pittman explained that she was cold-pitching fashion brands to work New York Fashion Week.

That friend happened to be a seasoned NYFW producer and connected Pittman with a team.

She has been executing New York Fashion Week shows with the team ever since.

The opportunity aligned with something Pittman had enjoyed long before she had a title for it: making things happen.

“I’ve worked behind the scenes for events since high school, and I always loved to be a part of making something come to life,” she says. “From inception to execution, I always feel most fulfilled knowing I played a pivotal role in executing something great.”

That doesn’t mean Pittman intends to remain exclusively behind the curtain.

“But the Leo in me is not opposed to being in front of the camera, on stage moderating a panel, or even hosting events,” she says. “All in due time.”

The Golden Question: What Does Jasmine Pittman Actually Do?

Ask Pittman to describe exactly what she does and she’ll tell you: “This is the golden question!”

She has settled on creative consultant focused on special projects and events, but her experience stretches across multiple corners of the creative industry.

She enjoys talking strategy and building events just as much as executing them on the ground. She styles. She works production for New York Fashion Week. She creates social media content for clients.

Before this chapter of her career, Pittman was a social media manager for luxury properties including Baccarat Hotel and 1 Hotel Central Park.

Her words have appeared in Vogue, and she has a styling credit in Time magazine.

“I love the versatility of my skillset and opportunity to tap into many facets in the creative industry,” she says.

Her résumé reflects that range. Pittman earned her bachelor’s degree from Weber State University, where she studied communications and multimedia journalism. In 2025, the university named her an Outstanding Young Alumni. Her résumé also lists a 2023 Director’s Award for Internal Communications and Employee Engagement Excellence from the National Cancer Institute.

But much of the work she does today can’t be understood through credentials alone.

It requires trust.

The Work the Audience Never Sees

The public experiences polished moments. Pittman experiences everything required to create them.

For Pittman, working closely with clients begins with understanding them.

“I always believe in learning the client and operating with discretion,” she says. “First and foremost, you must build a relationship that has trust embedded in the foundation.”

That can mean being reliable, arriving on time, anticipating needs, thinking strategically and remaining agile enough to change course when circumstances demand it.

It also means learning how to read a room.

“Internally I may be stressed, but externally I am presenting as calm and assertive, which in turn keeps my client calm and focused,” she says. “There will always be snafus that clients will never see.”

Once, Pittman was supporting a client scheduled to speak on a panel that didn’t have a moderator until the last moment.

“Was I stressed? Of course!” she recalls.

She maintained a calm demeanor and only mentioned the problem when asked.

Those unseen moments are part of the job.

So are the people making them possible.

Pittman is quick to emphasize that she isn’t doing it alone.

“A lot of strategic and logistical conversations are had. I suppose you can consider it the sausage-making process,” she says. “It’s not just me though, there’s a team of folks who make all of these amazing events and experiences come together. Executive assistants, publicists, event coordinators, MUAs, you name it. It truly takes a village.”

Working Alongside Jotaka Eaddy

Pittman also points to what she has learned while working with Jotaka Eaddy.

“Jotaka is a powerhouse, and to work with someone who cares deeply about the state of democracy is incredible,” Pittman says.

Just as important to Pittman is Eaddy’s willingness to provide feedback... and Pittman’s willingness to use it.

“I’ve learned from her, and when she provides feedback I actually apply it to my work,” she says. “Jotaka does an excellent job with providing input, and I am grateful for that.”

Pittman says she can see the difference in herself.

“I can attest to the growth I’ve seen in myself since 2024, and I am excited to watch how my skills continue to evolve and grow.”

She is equally clear about the reputation she wants her work to establish.

“I work hard and I proudly stand by my work,” she says.

Making the Moment Happen at Essence Festival

Pittman’s recent work at Essence Festival of Culture offered a glimpse into just how many moving pieces can sit behind a successful activation.

She was on the ground supporting two activations for an international beauty brand.

“From inception to execution, our team ensured the events not only ran smoothly, but that the goals for each event were met,” she says.

Those goals begin well before an event opens its doors.

Pittman says teams may have varying KPIs that strategists identify in advance, helping determine both their approach and what successful execution should ultimately look like.

Preparing an individual client requires another layer of detail.

Pittman coordinates with the host event team to gather information. She studies briefing documents, reviews venue maps, determines how she’ll advance the client, makes sure talking points are solid and printed when necessary, creates a day-of social media plan and can assist with styling.

Then there are the fires that inevitably need to be put out.

Through it all, Pittman says one responsibility remains particularly important: making sure the client feels “confident, prepared, and ready for a great event.”

After the Essence activations were complete, attendees approached her with congratulations.

“Their kind words fueled me to keep pursuing this work,” Pittman says. “And of course if the client is happy, I’m happy!”

Influence Starts Before the Logo

Working in brand strategy has also shaped Pittman’s perspective on what influence actually requires.

For entrepreneurs who believe branding begins with a logo, color palette or other visual element, Pittman starts somewhere much more personal.

“It all starts with you,” she says. “Who are you? What are your morals and what do you stand for?”

Clarity about those questions, she believes, creates the foundation for building a community that identifies with what someone represents.

“It is truly imperative to be clear and consistent, and if you can maintain that authentically, along with showing the strength of your work, you’re in a position to thrive.”

One of the biggest mistakes she sees founders make is trying to appeal to everyone.

“You can market towards swaths of audiences, but if it’s not a genuine or viable connection, it is unlikely to be a successful connection,” Pittman says. “Know your why, identify and learn your audience, and execute.”

When someone comes to her wanting to establish themselves as a thought leader, Pittman doesn’t begin with pitching.

She begins with an audit.

“Always start with an audit,” she says. “A thorough understanding of your client is key.”

She researches the client, examines what has and hasn’t been working and identifies the problems that need to be addressed.

If the goal is more speaking engagements, that may mean tightening pitches. If the objective is social media growth, it can mean reviewing strategy, content and analytics to determine where opportunities exist.

“As your consultant I’m thinking in both present tense and in the long term.”

She applies a similarly straightforward standard when determining which opportunities she accepts herself: alignment.

“Does this specific project resonate with me? Do I feel morally aligned or conflicted? Do I have the capacity?”

And she has learned that declining an opportunity can be just as important as accepting one.

“One piece of advice I remind myself of is that it is okay to say no,” she says. “Sometimes it’s necessary.”

What She Has Learned Standing Beside Influential Black Women

Supporting someone else’s vision can be rewarding. Pittman also knows it can be exhausting.

She protects her own creativity by finding pockets of time to recharge, whether that means sleeping, spending time with friends, hiking, having a picnic or taking on creative passion projects.

But working beside influential women has also given her a close view of what leadership can demand.

“I’ve learned that it can be incredibly exhausting,” Pittman says. “It is daunting work, especially while being a Black woman on national stages. The internet can be ruthless.”

What has struck her is the camaraderie she has witnessed among Black women leaders.

“There is an understanding that only they have in particular rooms,” she says. “I’ve observed their shared support for one another, especially when facing the brunt of scrutiny. The way these leaders pour into each other is special to witness.”

That support matters to Pittman because she understands what it can mean in her own life.

“Support can be the difference between continuing your work for another day, or giving up entirely,” she says. “Sometimes support can truly pull someone forward, when self-doubt kicks in. When anxiety is high.”

Her own support system, she says, is strong and unwavering.

“And I think everyone needs and deserves that.”

A Culture Builder Who Is Always Looking Around the Room

Ask Pittman what being a culture builder means, and her answer isn’t centered on herself.

“It means I take pride and honor in bringing people together.”

Recently, she attended Imani Ellis’ Culture Cafe, a traveling networking event that brought together founders, creators and other professionals.

Pittman was networking for herself, but she was also thinking about people who weren’t there.

She began identifying potential opportunities for friends and fellow creatives who couldn’t be in the room.

That effort has since contributed to another first: Pittman is now planning to execute her first Washington, D.C., Fashion Week with a DMV-based brand.

“I’m so excited!” she says.

It is another example of the way Pittman thinks about opportunity: not simply as access for herself, but as something that can extend outward.

Keep Going

Pittman’s résumé today may tell a story of communications, major events, luxury brands and fashion.

She tells the story differently.

“If I can do it, so can you,” Pittman says. “It sounds cliché, but listen. If my upbringing had any indication, I shouldn’t be here. But still, we rise.”

Her advice doesn’t pretend ambition is effortless.

“Take breaks when you need them. And then KEEP GOING.”

She has been confused.

Frustrated.

“OVER IT.”

Her response is decidedly human.

“So I cry it out, take a nap, vent to friends. And then I get back to it.”

Then comes the question she believes dreamers eventually have to ask themselves:

“How badly do you want this dream?”

“The work will eventually speak for itself.”

Everything I Do Is Bigger Than Me

For now, Pittman is continuing to expand her knowledge of the industries where she wants to work.

She recently received an LVMH certification, where she says her studies included the LVMH ecosystem and how multimillion-dollar brands create and maintain iconic branding. She plans to use that education as she continues to grow in the creative space.

This fall brings more.

She plans to work shows during both Washington, D.C., and New York Fashion Week and support clients during the Congressional Black Caucus, along with projects she isn’t yet able to share.

But when Pittman talks about what she ultimately wants her career to mean, she doesn’t begin with Fashion Week, a magazine credit, a stage or a brand.

She begins with family.

“Everything I do is bigger than me.”

“I do this for my niece and nephews. I do this for my siblings, my parents. I do this for the family that is no longer here, but that I know are incredibly proud of me.”

And when all the activations are over, the stages have been cleared and the next project has begun, Pittman knows what she hopes remains.

“Simply put, I would love to leave a legacy that shows my commitment to elevating Black culture, to helping Black women shine, and to create experiences that create long-lasting memories.”

She knows firsthand what it means to have people pouring into her, too.

“I have an incredible group of family and friends who encourage me each and every day,” Pittman says. “Without them, I would not be here, doing this work, living this life.”

Then, fittingly for a woman whose story is so deeply connected to helping other people shine, she closes by turning the attention away from herself one more time.

“I am eternally grateful for their support. I love y’all SO deep. Thank you.”

Take a look into Jasmine's world by following along on Instagram @dearjasmarie.