Photo: Ivy Nevares
Ivy Nevares was born in Mexico City and has since lived in 11 cities across Mexico, the United States and South Korea. Her time in Korea, however, would play a more defining role. Seoul, bustling and exploding with cultural diversity, provided the space for a first awakening at sixteen—her experiences inspiring a deeper search to understand herself and the world around her.
In 1995, Ivy returned to Mexico to attend the Technological Institute of Monterrey (ITESM), where she earned a B.A. in International Relations with concentrations in Literature, Writing and Foreign Languages. During her senior year, she worked as attaché and interpreter for Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the State of the World Forum for Emerging Leaders. Moved by Archbishop Tutu’s humanitarian leadership, she began exploring avenues to bring about life-affirming societal change.
In 2000, Ivy moved to New York City to work with the principal U.S. division of PEN International—the world’s oldest human rights and international literary organization. As PEN America’s Freedom to Write Program Coordinator, she coordinated advocacy campaigns exposing the plight of imprisoned and persecuted writers around the world.
Two years later, Ivy came across Executive Success Programs (ESP), joining the company first as a Professional Coach and shortly after as its International Communications Specialist.
From 2002 to 2017, Ivy worked with ESP as a Writer, Editor and Publishing Art Director. In addition to managing the company’s communications, curriculum and collateral writing projects, she devoted time to developing other writers and editors. She also developed unique tools for use in critical information processing and analysis, as well as news media analysis.
As a further expression of her interests, Ivy is an accomplished performer, choreographer and instructor of various dance forms. She began classical ballet training and performances at the age of four with the late Bellas Artes prima ballerina Laura Urdapilleta. In college, she diversified within the art form, additionally training in Flamenco, Argentinean Tango, Ori Tahiti (Tahitian dance), Hawaiian and Middle Eastern Belly Dance. In 2004, she became an instructor and choreographer of Flamenco, Tribal Fusion Belly Dance and Ori Tahiti in New York’s Capital District. Three years later, she founded Nataraja Center for Movement Arts in Clifton Park, New York.
Since July 2005, Ivy wrote and published over 50 articles on science, philosophy and ethics in the Mexican scientific journal, Conocimiento (Knowledge). A special edition of the journal was dedicated entirely to these literary creations a year later. The following year, she headed the publication of these articles as books, including Odin and the Sphinx (2008) with a foreword by former Ambassador and Permanent Representative for Mexico to UNESCO Dr. Luis Eugenio Todd and The Sphinx and Thelxiepeia (2009) featuring a foreword by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
From 2016 to 2018, she worked with The Knife Media, a media analysis company that examined the bias in today's news, presenting readers distinctions in ways that could promote both critical thinking and unbiased journalism. There, she held the roles of Senior Editor, Lead Media Analyst and Writer.
Between 2018 and 2020, Ivy researched, wrote and e-published “El Cajón Abierto,” a biography of a prominent Mexican entrepreneurial family in the United States. The book, based on the patriarch’s account, takes readers through the trials and triumphs of four generations dedicated to the family business as they traversed two neighboring cultures. She has since continued to do freelance writing and editing for select clients.
In April 2019, Ivy joined Royal Caribbean International as its Senior Technical Writer and Database Designer for Food & Beverage—she was later promoted to Lead, F&B Tech Communications. The company leads the world’s largest F&B operation at sea with over 25,000 culinary, restaurant and bar crew members. In this role, she managed the department’s internal communications to the fleet, designed and maintained its first intranet site, and wrote and edited hundreds of fleetwide menus, SOPs and other technical documentation. She also designed and maintained the company’s first-ever menu database, servicing over 500 venues on 26 ships worldwide. Its impact was such that it was replicated by Royal Caribbean’s sister brand, Celebrity Cruises.
Within her first six months of employment, Ivy earned Royal Caribbean Group’s “Captain’s Award” for writing, editing and art directing the hardcover book and e-book “A Taste of History,” celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary and F&B’s role throughout. When it was published in November 2019, the book became the highest-performing social media post among Royal Caribbean’s loyalty audience with 8.3 million impressions worldwide. Ivy also brought her graphic design skills to bear by contributing over 60 original menu designs for new and existing restaurant concepts. One of those menus, crafted for the fleet’s first Southern restaurant, got the nod from actor Jamie Foxx and some of his 14 million Instagram followers.
In September 2022, Ivy moved to the Washington, D.C. area to join the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. The USPS OIG’s mission is overseeing the integrity and efficiency of the nation’s postal system by guarding against waste, fraud and abuse—objectives she values deeply. As the lead writer and editor, she helps shape the oversight agency’s communications strategy and is responsible for leading its external communications, as well as supporting the Inspector General’s written communications. She also provides support to the OIG’s Government Relations department.
Ivy is thriving in this fresh and engaging work environment, surrounded by incredibly talented, hardworking people doing impactful and meaningful work. Fulfilling her long aspiration to work and live in the D.C. area—with its rich and storied history—provides her with a constant source of remembrance and inspiration.