Boldly Beautiful: Real Women, Real Looks

Join us for an inspiring evening that celebrates beauty in all its forms—real, approachable, and empowering. At “Boldly Beautiful: Real Women, Real Looks,” we’ll hear from local business consultant Gary Ryan, who will share her thoughts and experience with beauty trends that keep real women in mind. Then, professional makeup artist Diane Sessoms will take the spotlight with a live demonstration, showing you how to enhance your natural features with practical techniques you can use every day.

Gary Ryan is a business and community leader who most recently served as President and CEO of the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. A creative and strategic leader with a track record of growth at best-in-class arts organizations, Ryan held leadership positions at the Katonah Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Opera, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and BRAVO! Vail prior to her five year tenure at Virginia MOCA. In 2024, Gary founded MGR Consulting to provide strategic leadership to creative organizations, and currently serves as the consulting COO for Rouge: Theater Reinvented.

A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Kellogg School of Business, Gary began her career learning the fundamentals of brand strategy at Unilever and applying them at Time Inc., a division of Time Warner, at which she helped develop and launch the Real Simple brand.

Diane Sessoms is a licensed, celebrity makeup artist known for her transformative artistry and impeccable eye for detail. With a career that began as an educator for a global cosmetic company for over 25 years, then employed at the luxury beauty house Dior, Diane quickly rose through the ranks, earning recognition for her ability to enhance natural beauty while creating stunning, camera-ready looks.

Her portfolio includes high-profile photo shoots, commercial and film sets, and red-carpet appearances, where she consistently delivers polished, professional results under pressure. Diane’s passion for beauty and dedication to her craft have also made her a sought-after bridal makeup specialist, known for making brides feel radiant and confident on their most important day.

Whether working with celebrities, models, or everyday clients, Diane brings a calm, professional presence and a deep understanding of makeup techniques tailored to every skin tone, age, and event.

Whether you’re looking to refresh your routine or simply reconnect with your confidence, this is a night you won’t want to miss!

Featured Speaker: Gary Ryan and Diane Sessoms

Featured Non-Profit: Rouge VA

As always, we're featuring local businesses as sponsors, vendors, swag bag promo & with giveaways at this event! If you'd like info on getting your brand featured to our network, email bGFkaWVzbGlmZXN0eWxlbmV0d29ya3ZiIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20=

Also check out other Arts events in Virginia Beach, Workshops in Virginia Beach, Fine Arts events in Virginia Beach.