SCHool Magazine Features

Recent graduates, nominated by members of the SCH community, open up about their found success, gratitude, and desire to do good.

Amidst the bustling world of aspiring professionals, a select group of recent SCH alumni are steadily carving their paths to success. Each of these individuals, no more than 16 years out of SCH, was nominated as someone who, according to our mission, “leads a life characterized by thoughtfulness, integrity, and a quest to effect positive change” by a member of the SCH community. Their stories, though marked by what some may call setbacks, have been fueled by a found interest, a passion to make a difference, and a healthy dose of resilience. 

These are their stories at a moment in time when they have found success through their professional endeavors, in part thanks to SCH. Where they will go next is undetermined, but after reading these profiles we think you’ll agree: These alumni will be aiming high.

“The lessons I learned about the power of sisterhood have stayed with me."

NATALIE BROWNE HOLMES ’08
Director of Community and Social Impact, Topicals

Harnessing the strength of community is Natalie Browne Holmes’ superpower. Drawing on her experience as a community manager at Google where she oversaw a pilot program between Google Code Next and three Harlem partner organizations, she has grown what she calls a “vibrant community” of brand ambassadors, creators, and loyalists as the director of Community and Social Impact at Topicals, “the fastest growing skincare company at Sephora.”

The mission-driven brand’s goal, says Browne Holmes, is “to transform how people feel about their skin by offering science-backed products for chronic skin conditions and advocating for mental health.” She has not only grown the community by 80 percent but also built a social impact strategy which included launching the inaugural Mental Health Fund that has donated $50,000 to five Black and femalefounded mental health organizations. She and her colleagues collaborate with ambassadors to create content that generates engagement and ultimately connects consumers with the company. “It's been truly rewarding to connect my background in local community development from my previous roles at Google and at nonprofits to this work aimed at achieving our business goals,” she says.

Browne Holmes, Class of 2008, also sees the value in working with and empowering a diverse audience, which she’s able to do in her current position.

“Working in the beauty industry has been a whole new adventure for me, and I'm absolutely loving it,” she says. “What makes it even more incredible is the unique opportunity to work with a wonderfully diverse audience, primarily of young women who look like me, and it's been amazing to connect and create in-person and virtual spaces for them. Furthermore, my role involves working with our community to remind them that perfect skin doesn’t exist and give people the freedom to confidently wear their skin in all stages, it's amazing!” This form of empowerment was fostered, she says, as a girl at Springside.

“The lessons I learned about the power of sisterhood have stayed with me,” says Browne Holmes. “These close bonds serve as a constant reminder of the value of friendship and have led me to be very passionate about building and nurturing communities.”

Read more of these profiles in our print edition, here.