Less than two hours away from Blair’s bucolic hills and countryside lies one of the world’s busiest, most sought-after destinations, New York City. While ambitious individuals from every field are drawn to live in the Big Apple, it holds particular allure for those with an eye for fashion and beauty, given its history and reputation as a leading force in the game. On Tuesday, October 21, Roberto Felipe ’03, co-founder and CEO of Sonsie Skin, joined the Society of Skeptics to talk about his life after Blair and how he managed to become a prominent leader in one of the most competitive industries and cities in the world.

Nearly two decades after his graduation from the hilltop, Mr. Felipe looks forward to offering insight into his career and how he got to where he is today–co-founder and CEO of a leading skincare brand, board member to renowned associations such as the Orphaned Starfish Foundation and an advisor to organizations like the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital.

“I’ve never been afraid of making a change even if, at the time, it felt radical,” starts Mr. Felipe in a pre-event interview. “I’ve trusted myself more than anything and that means sometimes being comfortable with delayed gratification.”

After graduating from Blair in 2003, the former student-athlete went on to earn his bachelor of science degree in finance from the New York University. Although he built a strong foundation in finance, holding a range of various entry-level to mid-career positions, there was never any doubt that fashion and beauty were the industries he wanted to pursue a career in. That period of “delayed gratification,” as he calls it, ultimately led him to jobs as a business development executive vice president for GenCanna and marketing partner at Cad Media before finding his way to Sonsie Skin Inc. 

“Life is a marathon, not a race. It’s important to push forward despite what might seem like initial setbacks. Trust in yourself and your values and that has a compounding effect,” shares the alum.

Looking back on how his journey started, he reminisces about his time at Blair and credits many of his former experiences as the catalyst for getting him to where he stands today. When he is not juggling his co-founder responsibilities and time as a mentor, he invests energy and resources into philanthropic endeavors such as the Orphaned Starfish Foundation (OSF), which empowers orphans, survivors of abuse and trafficking, indigenous children, at-risk youth, and refugees through technology and education programs. 

Ahead of his Skeptics talk, Mr. Felipe says he especially looks forward to speaking to future alums about what he recognizes as a critical moment in time. “We’re seeing on a geopolitical level, this generation has the power to create mass change and needs to understand the importance of the role they play in this. Most will leave Blair, but what role will they play in their immediate communities? How can they inspire their peers for the better?”

For him, the ability to incorporate philanthropy into his daily life and businesses has been instrumental in creating change even as he, himself, continues to define his own path.

History of Skeptics
 
The Society of Skeptics was established as a forum for students and faculty to discuss and debate important global issues; it has grown to become one of the premier high school lecture series in the United States. Each week, speakers from the political, social, scientific, economic and literary arenas share their unique perspectives with students, who are encouraged to engage with presenters, asking questions and debating points of view.

The program, which is funded in part by the Class of 1968 Society of Skeptics Endowment Fund, is an outgrowth of the Blair International Society, begun in 1937. Forty years later, former history department chair Elliott Trommald, PhD, Hon. ’65, established the modern Skeptics program as a regular forum for student discussion and debate; history teacher Martin Miller, PhD, took over in the mid-1980s and molded the program into a weekly lecture series, one that has since continued without interruption. Under the tutelage of Dr. Miller and his successor, history department chair Jason Beck, Skeptics has featured a wide variety of speakers who are thought-provoking, engaging, accomplished in their respective fields and often controversial. For a listing of upcoming Skeptics programs, please visit Blair’s website.