Jamie Lee Kendall

Icons of Change

Icons of Change International Awards 2026  Jamie Lee Kendall Former Vice President, Colliers Former Vice President, JLL Former Vice President, Vornado Realty Trust  Former Vice President, Phi Beta Kappa Association of New York  SDG Focus: Goal 5 – Gender Equality   Changemaker for Women’s Empowerment, Ethical Leadership Development, Strategic Philanthropy, and Multi-Sector Influence in Media, Fashion, and Business (United States)  Jamie Lee Kendall is a dynamic, high-achieving multidisciplinary leader whose career seamlessly integrates elite commercial real estate transactions, international modeling and acting, strategic media engagement, and sustained philanthropic impact. A Vanderbilt University alumna who graduated both Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude, she exemplifies exceptional intellectual rigor combined with executive acumen and creative influence.  In commercial real estate, Jamie rapidly ascended to Vice President roles at globally renowned firms including Vornado Realty Trust in Manhattan, JLL, and Colliers. At Vornado, she executed 68 high-profile retail deals totaling 382,000 SF, including record-breaking flagship leases on Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, and Times Square — such as the M.A.C. Cosmetics flagship (highest rent ever paid on Fifth Avenue at the time) and the global Sunglass Hut flagship in Times Square. She later managed over $735 million in lease transaction volume and led multifamily investment sales teams that closed 49 deals worth more than $443 million in just 1.5 years.  Transitioning into the fashion and entertainment industries, Jamie was discovered by an LA casting director and quickly established herself as a sought-after model and actress. She served as Social Media Director, Publicist, Buyer, Stylist, and in-house model for the prestigious Hollywood luxury brand West Coast Leather for over four years. Her modeling portfolio includes seven features in MAXIM Magazine (across MAXIM AUS and MAXIM NZ), selection as one of the “Women of the World” for the 2024 MAXIM Australia Calendar, runway appearances at LA and Silicon Valley Fashion Weeks, and numerous international editorials and covers. She has also appeared in a PayPal commercial and on South Korean television.  As a red carpet interviewer and reporter for Cyber Defense TV, Jamie leverages her platform to amplify critical conversations at the intersection of technology, security, and society.  Throughout her career, Jamie has maintained a strong commitment to volunteerism and community impact. She has served 12 times as a model host for Babes in Toyland Charity, blending high fashion with meaningful fundraising. As Vice President and Membership Committee Chair of the Phi Beta Kappa Association of New York, she revitalized the organization’s recruitment and retention strategies, achieving record membership growth and financial surges, while launching the successful “Books for Babies” philanthropic initiative with Lenox Hill Hospital’s pediatric ward.

Transcript

00:00Hi, my name is Jamie Lee Kendall. I'm a model, host, and red carpet reporter for Cyber Defense TV.

00:06I'm honored and humbled to be the recipient of an Icons of Change Award for 2026.

00:11This award honors leadership, volunteer work, and change makers in the community.

00:16It's also in line with the United Nations 2026 goal of sustainable development.

00:21The committee giving out the award asked me to talk a little bit about my background,

00:26but I wouldn't be able to talk about my achievements without first recognizing the industries, companies,

00:33and charity groups that I worked so closely together with over the past few years,

00:38which I believe led me to receive this prestigious award.

00:43First is my background in commercial real estate, where I learned a little bit about sustainable development.

00:50Next is my job at the fashion brand West Coast Leather, where under the leadership of designer Skip Paz,

00:56I learned about what it means to run and operate a sustainable fashion company.

01:02Next is my volunteer work with the charity Babes in Toyland, which produces high-end charity fashion shows and charity

01:09events.

01:10I don't do the volunteer work that I do to be recognized, and neither do the other people that do

01:15it with me,

01:16but I want to thank you and tell you that it is a very welcome surprise to be recognized.

01:22If there is one message that I have for your audience, it is to encourage volunteerism and to try and

01:28make it fun.

01:29That is what I have learned about both work and service.

01:31If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.

01:35I think that that mentality can be applied to service work, so go out there and have fun.

01:40Fashion is fun. It's not serious. The Babes in Toyland charity is fun.

01:45Find something that you love to do and go all in.

01:48You'll find a community and a network, and you'll just keep going back and making friends like I did.

01:54It will snowball before you know it, and doors will start to open for you,

01:59because you did things for other people, and it feels good, so thanks again.

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