Onika Richards, founder of 718 Elevate, is a publicist, strategist, and award-winning documentary filmmaker with over 7 years of experience in the industry. Born and raised in the melting pot of Brooklyn, New York, it was no surprise that community and the arts became important to her. With the diversity the city offered and the city hustle in her blood, she became passionate about finding ways to amplify stories and voices.
 

After graduating from Ithaca College in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in documentary film, she decided to take her love for helping others tell their stories through a camera lens to helping people share their stories through visibility from the media.
 

She spent 5 years at legacy company Condé Nast - the parent company of Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Pitchfork, etc. holding positions as a celebrity talent booker and then as a creative strategist. During her stint at the company, she developed a deep understanding of the media landscape, creative video development, and talent trends by working across each brand. Before Condé Nast, Onika was a public relations assistant at JFPR where she supported the personal publicity of celebrity talent. 

 

When she is off the clock, Onika enjoys watching documentaries and reality TV, trying new restaurants, empowering the youth in her community, traveling, and spending quality time with her one-year-old daughter.