GEM MURRAY


... is a designer on a mission. Her experience in creative strategy, event production, advocacy, and research is grounded in building equity and sustaining community, wherever she goes. (Often, she is found somewhere within or in-between the fashion and art world, working with artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and nonprofit organizations.)

Gem is currently at the Fashion Institute of Technology leading communications and supporting alumni programs through signature events and experiences. 

Prior to this, Gem has worked in the nonprofit and higher education space to create mission-based brand and marketing strategies at the University of Pennsylvania and AmeriCorps VISTA. 

Gem serves as a board advisor for Closely Crafted, an organization that seeks to reinvigorate American craft in fashion. Gem is a proud member of the New York Fashion Workforce Development Coalition.

In her free time, she is either blowing through rolls of film or perfecting her bagel recipe. She lives in Brooklyn with her gray tuxedo cat Kit.
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WORK SAMPLE


Alumni WeekendFashion Institute of Technology




CREATIVE STRATEGY
EVENT PRODUCTION
 Alumni Weekend was the first-ever reunion weekend for the Fashion Institute of Technology, driving intergenerational, national alumni engagement, with alumni traveling in from other countries, and even an alum from FIT’s first-ever graduating class. The weekend brought alumni back into the FIT community for a weekend of creative workshops, elegant evenings, and mentorship and/or networking opportunities. 

Alumni Weekend was recognized by the State University of New York with a 2025 Award for Excellence in Strategy and will be presented to the Council for Administrators in Education at the national conference in February 2026.


Alumni BazaarFashion Institute of Technology

CREATIVE DIRECTION
EVENT PRODUCTION
 Produced a curated an outdoor market featuring alumni vendors that showcase creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation during FIT Alumni Weekend. This event was produced in partnership with the student-run boutique, The Style Shop, and the Merchandising Society, which give students hands-on experience in fashion retail, merchandising, sales, and marketing.


Diving in to the ArchivesFashion Institute of Technology

CREATIVE DIRECTION
 Drawing on the rich history and archives of fashion using FIT’s Special Collections and College Archives unit, I have led creative marketing production and visual direction of Alumni Weekend. Interweaving meaningful touchpoints, such as creating take-home souvenir postcards, or leading an interactive yearbook archives workshop allowed alumni to develop stronger connections to FIT and bond with peers across the years.



LA Summer SocialLos Angeles FIT alumni network

EVENT PRODUCTION + MARKETING
Life After VISTA is a one-day professional development conference held at the University of Pennsylvania, near the conclusion of the PHENND Fellowship program, a program that mentors students to become leaders in community, public service, and education. As the lead producer, I organized panels, mock interview sessions, and managed event marketing.


Life After VISTAUniversity of Pennsylvania

EVENT PRODUCTION
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 
Life After VISTA is a one-day professional development conference held at the University of Pennsylvania, near the conclusion of the PHENND Fellowship program, a program that mentors students to become leaders in community, public service, and education. As the lead producer, I organized panels, mock interview sessions, and managed event marketing.
NYFWDC Jobs BulletinNew York Fashion Workforce Development Coalition

ADVOCACY
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTEvolving from organic efforts to share opportunities within the limited reach of our own personal networks, the NYFWDC Jobs Bulletin was created in recognition of the need for greater pay transparency and relationship building between employers and skilled craftspeople seeking work, particularly among immigrants, mothers returning to work, and residents that speak English as a second language.



Borderless AlliesInternational Aid / Public Health


MARKETING + DESIGN DIRECTION
PUBLIC RELATIONSBorderless Allies was a grassroots project with global reach: the volunteer-run operation delivered 220 care packages and over 25,000 masks to countries across the globe. I developed the foundational branding guide as well as communications and marketing materials used to solicit donations and form partnerships with key organizations to facilitate distribution during a period of severe transportation delays.



Skills Swap SocialAdvancement of Women Entrepreneurs


MARKETING + DESIGN DIRECTION
For the Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs, I led marketing strategy and communications design through print and social media. The concept and creative direction for Skills Swap Social was inspired by the university’s tagline to “Think and Do.” 

*Event was unfortunately postponed due to pandemic restrictions.


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