JOAN LUNDEN'S BEST ADVICE

You can do it all. That's what the former Good Morning America co-host had to say to NYC's women of CRE at this year's Women of Valor Tea at The Waldorf Astoria. Step 1: Try.
Broadcast icon Joan Lunden, honorary chair of the 10th annual tea, says she entered the broadcast industry in '73 and made it big—while raising seven kids, including two pairs of twins. When a family friend suggested she give the biz a try way back when, she was told by others that audiences wouldn't accept hearing the news from a woman's voice. Still, she cold-called the local NBC affiliate to ask for an audition. That simple step—trying—is the most important thing she's ever done, she says.
Joan calls Fox 5's Ernie Anastos (whom we snapped with Prudential Douglas Elliman chair Faith Hope Consolo and St. Francis Food Pantries & Shelters' Father Francis Gasparik) a longtime family friend after they worked together for years at ABC Eyewitness News. Faith chaired the tea and says 300 attended to benefit one food pantry in that first year. This year, almost 1,000 can-do NYC CRE women (and some male supporters) came out to support St. Francis'22 facilities, which now serve 1.2 million meals a year. Faith, who thanked God for take-out and restaurants for providing her meals, also had some Third Commandment-violating words to describe the current economy. Fortunately Father Francis is a forgiving man.
We also snapped Faith's colleague Arthur Maglio with Arlene Isaacs and JBCStyle's David Votano. Arlene once wrote a New York Post column on professionalism, so she knows that the correct attire for afternoon tea includes a hat. The trio were on hand to celebrate the award recipients, women who definitely have taken Joan's advice: ConEd's Frances Resheske, Haworth's Ellen Canny Goldberg, Columbia University Medical Center's Michelle Cooper, CBRE's Tina Vasan, Paramount Group's Cynthia Boyea, Wells Fargo Insurance Services' Christine Chipurnoi, Bon Aviv Investments'Diane DeChiaro, Marcus & Millichap's Karen Dome, and JFK&M Consulting Group's Cindy Feinberg.
Katy Perry take note: The Mt. Carmel Holy Rosary Violins will give you a run for your money performing "Firework." Until now, we didn't know afternoon tea also involves a dance party.

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