I minored in Religious Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, and my interest in people of faith has carried over into my journalistic work. While at the Wilmington Star-News, I often worked with faith reporter Amanda Greene on stories on the topic, including a piece on expressions of the Holy Spirit. I also spent time with cloistered nuns in Arequipa, Peru for a multimedia story for Sister Cities International. And while working in China for Special Olympics International, I was able to travel to Tibet and visit several monasteries and temples.

Rae's friend Ashley was her maid of honor and helped her prep before the ceremony.

Her "something old" was a family ring.

St. Phillips the Apostle Church in Saddle Brook, NJ

Will's sisters (center) were two of Rae's four bridesmaids.

We headed down the road to Saddle River County Park for portraits -- such a pretty location!

Rae's shoes were bright blue!

First dance at Pantagi Renaissance in Scotch Plains, NJ

Rae's parents

This lucky guy caught the garter.

Rae and Will are so adorable - I'm so happy I got to document their wedding!

Check out my wedding photography site at www.KateLordWeddings.com and like my Facebook page for more photos from other wedding sessions!

I had a fantastic time shooting this year’s line-up for GIRLS WHO ROCK, a benefit concert for She’s the First. Proceeds from the event, headlined by JoJo, went to sponsor girls in Uganda at one of She’s the First’s partner schools, Arlington Academy of Hope. The event was held at Gramercy Theater on June 10.

JoJo brought down the house with her hits “Leave (Get Out)” and “Too Little Too Late.” She also debuted the title track from her upcoming album, “Jumping Trains.” Eddy brought Southern Rock to New York, while Nina Sky, who enlisted days before the concert via Twitter, had a huge following in their hometown.

At left, KimberlyNichole kicks off the concert in style and with high energy.

Below, Nikki Jean performs songs she co-wrote with Bob Dylan, Carole King and Burt Bacharach, from her upcoming album, “Pennies in a Jar.”

Eddy

John Wanda of Arlington Academy of Hope, the school where the girls sponsored will attend, speaks about the difference GIRLS WHO ROCK will make in the girls' lives.

Data the Robot and roboticist Heather Knight

Nina Sky

Nina Sky

Nina Sky

Audience participation

JoJo

JoJo

JoJo

In January, I shot stills and video of Starfish One by One, a mentorship program in Guatemala for Mayan girls. Starfish is one of the beneficiaries of She’s the First, a non-profit that raises awareness about the need for better girls education world-wide. I act as She’s the First’s official photographer, and this documentary piece is the result of spending time with Francisca and her family in their home. Below is a blog post I wrote for Living Philanthropic about my experience shooting for Starfish and She’s the First:

I’ve been working with She’s the First since the beginning, but nothing has touched me so much as when I volunteered to go to Guatemala with our STF360 series to produce a documentary piece for one of our partner organizations. Starfish One by One provides scholarship funds and mentoring for indigenous Mayan girls.

During my week visiting Guatemala with executive director Christen Brandt and researcher Maisy Page, we were welcomed into several homes to meet the families of girls in the program. I spent most of my time with 18-year-old Francisca Chiviliu Quinac. In October, Francisca will be the first person in her family to graduate high school. Amid studying and attending her weekly mentoring sessions, Francisca helps her mother and little sister Brenda complete many chores around the house, from making 70 tortillas three times a day by hand to harvesting corn in the family’s yard to washing clothes by hand.

Speaking with Francisca made me realize the impact of Starfish One by One and the eight other organizations She’s the First supports. Her work ethic and outlook on life are truly inspirational. I can’t express the significance an education has had on Francisca; she explains best herself in the video. But it’s amazing to know that the work I do with She’s the First helps other girls to succeed as Francisca has.

I hope that her story inspires others to become sponsors as it did for Christen, Maisy and me. After meeting Francisca and many other girls in the program, we decided to co-sponsor a girl (photo at right). It’s so exciting to receive updates about Ana Teresa’s progress and to know that we are truly making a difference in one person’s life. For fun ideas to sponsor a girl with your friends, visit She’s the First’s fundraising tips page.

I was asked by Starfish One by One to document one girl in particular – 18-year-old Francisca Chiviliu Quinac. In October, Francisca will be the first person in her family to graduate high school. Amid studying and attending her weekly mentoring sessions, Francisca helps her mother and little sister Brenda complete many chores around the house, from making 70 tortillas three times a day by hand to harvesting corn in the family’s yard to washing clothes by hand. I’ve included a few preview photos from the project below, but will be producing a short photo/video documentary about her to be completed in the coming weeks — come back to check it out!

I also had the opportunity to meet some of the other girls in the program and their mothers at their homes, and to attend a few of the mentoring programs. You can read more about my trip with She’s the First on our blog and more about Starfish One by One on their website.

Francisca Chiviliu Quinac (right), 18, and her sister Brenda Leticia, 14, prepare dinner in their home in Santiago, Guatemala.

Freshly laundered items on the Quinac's line.

Francisca hand washes the family's laundry in their front yard.

Francisca pulls the kernels off freshly picked corn from her family's garden. The family dries the corn and takes it to the local mill. They use the resulting meal to make tortillas for the family.

Francisca laughs as she works on embroidery outside her home.

The Quinac family women: Brenda and Francisca live with their mother, Nicolasa Quinac Tacaxoy (center), and their father and brothers.

Francisca in her classroom. She will graduate high school in October.

Francisca will be the first in her family to graduate high school.

Starfish One by One operates on both sides of Lake Atitlan.

Ana Teresa Julujuj, 13, poses at her home in San Isidro, Guatemala. She's starting the 7th grade and is further along in her education than anyone else in her family. Full disclosure: I am sponsoring her education, along with my She's the First colleagues Christen Brandt and Maisy Page.

The farmland that surrounds Ana Teresa's home.

Mayra, 16, and her mother at their home in Buena Vista, Guatemala. Mayra's mother is 35 years old and has 8 children. She has been strongly influenced by the family planning aspect of her daughter's mentorship with Starfish One by One and she and her husband are considering family planning for the future.

Florinda, 17, and her mother. Florinda is the 3rd oldest in her family of nine children, but will be the first person in her family to graduate high school. Florinda's mother is very proud of her and pushes for her progress because she doesn't want her to have the same situation she had where she was unable to attend school. She is illiterate.

Florinda's mother with one of her younger children.

Lake Atitlan, the largest lake in Guatemala, is surrounded by three volcanoes. The communities in the area have been deeply affected by eruptions and mudslides.

Irma Josefina Ajcalon Cota demonstrates traditional weaving during a Starfish One by One mentoring session.

Irma demonstrates traditional Mayan weaving on a backstrap loom.

Irma demonstrates the backstrap loom, a traditional form of Mayan weaving.

Irma demonstrates the backstrap loom, a traditional form of Mayan weaving.

Elena Mendoza Ajtujal, 14, works on her beadwork during a Starfish One by One mentoring session.

Claudia Nimacachi Lopez laughs with her friends while she weaves a huipil (traditional Mayan blouse) during a Starfish mentoring session. She said it will take her about a month to complete.

Claudia Nimacachi Lopez laughs with her friends while she weaves a huipil (traditional Mayan blouse) during a Starfish mentoring session. She said it will take her about a month to complete.

Girls from the Starfish One by One "pioneer group" (the first mentoring group the organization put together) laugh and show one another the weavings on which they are working.

The market in Antigua, Guatemala.

Thread NY met up with designer Mara Hoffman in her studio, where she chatted with us about the latest trends in prints and how they help her reveal the narratives in her collections.

This piece originally aired on NBCNewYork.com, NY Nonstop and NBC in Taxi.

Thread NY is NBCNewYork.com’s fashion blog, and in preparation for Spring 2010, I was able to shoot stills behind the scenes at several shows in the city.

Designer Jeremy Scott discusses his return to New York Fashion Week and his inspiration for Fall 2010: fashion itself.

This piece originally aired on NBCNewYork.com/Thread, NY Nonstop, and NBC in Taxi.

Launch WhiteCityStories.org.

Twenty-three nuns live a cloistered life behind the walls of Santa Catalina Monastery in the heart of Arequipa, Peru. These nuns of the Dominican Order spend their days divided between prayer and religious labors, including making the host for the Basilica Cathedral and creating handicrafts. While the oldest active nun, Sister Consuelo de Jesus, has been a member of the cloister for 61 years and the youngest novice, Sister Heidi Marjorie, has lived with the order for a mere three months, both women have devoted their lives to God through service and prayer.

WhiteCityStories.org was built in partnership with Charlotte Sister Cities and UNC-Chapel Hill to educate North Carolinians about the lives of their Peruvian counterparts . I had the opportunity to travel to Peru’s second largest city and work with multimedia producer Andrea Ballocchi, who produced the audio in this piece, to tell the story of two of the monastery’s nuns. Radio and multimedia producer Nick Vidinsky produced the English voice-overs.

The site was chosen as one of Time Magazine’s 50 Best Web Sites of 2007.