User:Maryfbe/sandbox/Karleen Roy

Karleen Roy is an event producer and founder and CEO of The Vanity Group. The company produces customized events, and her clients include Sean Combs, Cardi B, Migos, the late Kobe Bryant, Rick Ross. She collaborates and produces events for such companies as Atlantic Records, Netflix, Esteé Lauder, Motown Records, among others.

Early Life
Roy was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but moved to Memphis, Tennessee when she was nine. At eighteen, she entered Howard University in Washington, DC planning to become a dermatologist. Upon graduation Roy moved to New York City, New York and changed her career course.

“I came to New York in a U-Haul van and slept on a friend’s couch for months and then begged my parents to help me get an apartment. So, I think that, that was a pinnacle point in my career because I came to New York unknowing and that has followed me along my way. I could have been like, ‘you know what, I’m just going to work at someone’s nine to five because it was safe and it pays my bills.’ I knew that there was a bigger picture.

Career
After graduating from Howard University she began an internship at Def Jam Records, then became an assistant to Ne-Yo before working at Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings. During that time, she volunteered at the hip hop artist company, Violator Management in the evenings. Eventually, she became senior executive assistant to Sean Combs at Bad Boy Entertainment.

As Combs’ executive assistant, she orchestrated various activities and events, establishing relationships with key entertainment people and various brands. Roy told Ebony magazine that she “made the impossible happen for the mogul every day.”

After six years with Bad Boy, Roy founded The Vanity Group, in 2013.

The Vanity Group produces events for clients including Sean Combs, Rick Ross, Cardi B, Migos, the late Kobe Bryant, Idris Elba, Ne-Yo, Zac Posen, Fabolous, Adrienne Bailon, Common, Atlantic Records, Def Jam, Cîroc Vodka, Justin Bieber, Nike, Warner Music Group and YouTube, and others.

In 2020, Roy launched an e-learning online platform called The Event Academy, an education resource for event professionals to improve their skills.

Roy has offered advice on event planning in publications GQ, Black Enterprise, Essence, Forbes, Refinery29, among others.

Selected Events
Since Roy formed The Vanity Group, she and her company have created many events. For Rick Ross’ 40th birthday in 2016, she oversaw a crew of 70 to prepare the rapper’s 109-room Atlanta estate for about 500 guests. She brought in white horses, had a bowling alley renovated, and prepared gifts of Belaire sparkling wine magnums.

Roy arranged the 2017 Paris wedding of singer/actress, Adrienne Bailon to Israel Houghton. The ballroom ceremony was photographed by Mon Conte e Fées, and Roy collaborated with the bride on finding her Walter Mendez gown.

In 2018, Roy oversaw a staff of about 40 people when she presented a baby shower for Cardi B and husband Offset in Atlanta, Georgia. The Bronx-themed event featured a recreation of the rapper’s Bronx neighborhood complete with subway car replicas, a bodega, and the hip hop group, Orchestra Noi.

The first annual Grit Before the Gram in Los Angeles was conceived and implemented by Roy in January 2020. The event honored black women of the music industry, and took place before the Grammy Awards. The women recognized were Beyoncé publicist Yvette Noel-Schure who received the Bridge Award; Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer Nija Charles who was given the Spotlight Award; as well as video director and choreographer Laurieann Gibson; Motown Records president Ethiopia Habtemariam; Roc Nation co-president Shari Bryant; Atlantic Records Executive Vice President of urban promotion Juliette Jones; Interscope Records head of media strategy Cara Donatto; Quality Control Music’s Simone Mitchell; Compound Entertainment marketing executive Afrika Lander; and LL Cool J Inc. COO Claudine Joseph.