Meet Andrea DiCastro

Andrea DiCastro is the Head of Product for ARTA Shipping. She is a speaker at our May networking event with Bevi in NYC. 

You can find Andrea on Twitter and Instagram at @acdm. 

How (and when) did you get into your current field or company?I have been in the practice of product development since the dawn of the internet age (1996) but I have been working digital product development in the art industry since 2012 as a digital consultant for Sotheby’s. After  5 years of being an independent consultant I joined the startup ARTA Shipping as the Head of Product. Changing focus on the selling of Art to streamlining and transformation of how art is shipped.

What does a typical day look like for you?
[I’m] not sure I have a typical day but most days start around  5:15 am and if my husband or general life would allow, I would be asleep at 9:30. Most days involve exercise first thing in morning, dog time, cooking, creative thinking,   product research & design work, and enjoying time with my husband.

What is the favorite part of your day?
Morning.  I am my most focused and productive before most people are up and moving … It’s also when I get some of my best/creative ideas for solutions.

What excites you about working in your industry?
Shipping and logistics of fine art is not the sexy part of the art business but it is one of the biggest pain points for both the sellers and buyers of art; in my opinion [this] really holds the industry back in increasing the participation of the broader audience in owning and living with fine art.  I am fascinated with creating efficiency and seeing how we can improve an industry using some of the best practices that are common in other industries. I also love the complexity it takes to move art around the globe– it is far more complicated than most people can imagine.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!

This advice was given to me from a close collaborator when I was working as a consultant. I was leading an enormous project where I was taking on too many roles (product lead, tech lead, creative lead, QA analyst, project manager, etc.) which almost killed me. I have the ability to play many roles if needed, but there is a big downside when playing too many roles in a project.

What is your favorite part about being a woman in STEAM?
It’s just great to see so many women embracing STEAM and not shying away from it. For once I see a larger support network for women which I hope only grows deeper and stronger.

What other women inspire you?
I am inspired by any woman who helps support and nurture other women’s growth and dreams. The ones people all know:

• Angela Merkel – powerhouse.
• Amal Clooney – on point, she speaks for those with no voice and shuns with class the silly media who are more obsessed with her marriage and what she wears than being outraged about the atrocities she speaks about.  
• Gabby Gifford  – the strength this woman has. Awe inspiring!
• The Women of Hidden Figures: Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson – the preservation these women had to demand recognition and push their intelligence. Amazing amazing women; I’m so glad their story has finally been told.

For those women most won’t know but who are very important to me:

• My original Power Women group with the ringleader Pearl Collings – these women push and support me to be my better self … especially when I want to throw the towel in and hid out in the mountains.
• Rachel Jacobs – unfortunately we lost her in 2015 in the Philadelphia train accident. She was the first woman I would say I was a mentor for when she was beginning her career. So smart, so giving … the world is definitely a lesser place without her in it.

What is something that most people don’t know about you?
If you know me I am pretty much an open book, but when people get to (really) know me they are generally surprised that I am a morning person and I do not drink coffee or in general most anything with caffeine. Also, most people are really surprised to find out I grew up in Oklahoma and never once in my youthful dreams ever wanted to live in NYC.  I have now called NYC home for close to 17 years.

What do you geek out about?

• Dogs especially pit bulls, but any puppy or baby animal will just make me forget about everything else
• Art … all kinds of art the weirder the better, street art
• Books, reading, crime thrillers
• Current TV obsession: Animal Planet’s The Zoo
• Fitness – I’ve been active all my life but in the last 4 months I have picked up Crossfit and I just fell in love with it
• Skiing, the mountains and in general being active outside
• Gardening … love my plants big or small; seeing things grow … had an awesome herb and vegetable garden last summer
• Travel – anywhere and everywhere