Aunni Y
Andrea L. Young, CEO and designer of AYD, also known as “Aunni”, is a marketing consultant, industrial engineer, educator, professional model, makeup artist, and designer. In the fashion, beauty, and apparel world, Aunni’s modeling, makeup artistry, and design expertise ranges from runway, hair shows, theatre make up, luxury cosmetics, retail cosmetic sales, costume design, semi-formal/bridal/prom dress design, alterations, and dance performance. Aunni holds an MBA in Marketing from Capella University with a focus in luxury products, and a BS in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. Aunni is currently pursuing an MFA in Fashion Design at the Academy of Art University.
Aunni’s recent marketing projects includes building sponsorships for the 2010 Miss Black USA National Scholarship Pageant, hosting pageant competition activities, and serving as point of contact for high profile and celebrity judges, guests, and attendees. Extended marketing activities also include preparing and distributing press releases, coordinating and securing media for print, web, and broadcast publications. As a dance artist and volunteer, Aunni has also coordinated media participation for modern dance and ballet organization events. Aunni’s event planning expertise extends back to the Watts 2000 reunion, a 2-year project that culminated in Washington, DC, promoted family fun, family lineage education, fine dining, arts performance, and tourism.
Aunni, also a social reporter for The Washington Afro American Newspaper, has reported high profile and community events including BET Women’s Health Symposium, Miss Black USA National Scholarship Pageant, WPGC 95.5 FM Radio’s “Family First”, Miss DC Black America pageant, Miss DC USA pageant, Howard University Alumni Fashion Show, and the Essence-Bloomingdales Spring 2010 fashion show. She has also reported on various community, church, and black history events including the pre-launch of the Pastor Bill Russell and Sheila Stewart-Russell’s International Worship Center, the 2010 “Keeper of the Community Award Celebration, and the Choral Arts Society 22 Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Aunni regularly interviews celebrities including Debra Cox, Mya, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, Amerie, Brian McNight, Que (formerly of Day 26), Darrell Green, Grammy nominee Chrystylez Bacon, also military professionals and community advocates. Aunni’s articles have been published in the Sophisticated Settings, Arts, and Community sections of the Washington, DC and Baltimore Afro, on her own website, Aunni Y Design : AYD, referenced in miscellaneous blogs.
As an engineering education consultant, Aunni coordinates outreach and recruitment activities for TransTech Academy at Cardozo Senior High School. She conducts marketing activities to promote the Academy, recruit students, increase awareness in the STEM community and extend relationships with other sectors of engineering including non-profit organizations. Aunni coordinates in-house events, establishes partnerships with other schools, reviews applications, and makes acceptance recommendations. Aunni has successfully increased the number of students who attend the Academy with students who have been positively affected by STEM exposure and show results through awards and STEM achievement. She also creates annual outreach and recruitment reports to measure effectiveness, growth patterns, and identify trends.
As a former educator, Aunni has built sponsorship, developed membership, coordinated travel, and advised high school pre-engineering competition students for the National Society of Black Engineers Jr. (NSBE Jr.) chapter at C.H. Flowers High School for 4 years - preparing students for national and winning recognition in the 2007 Try-Math-A-Lon World Competition along with other awards and scholarship recognition. Her technology background and professional experience includes working as a logistics manager, analyst, and consultant for organizations such as Department of Navy, Booz Allen & Hamilton, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and Constellation Energy.
