Traci Rhynie’s name is written in lights

Long before she became an executive producer working with global brands, Traci Rhynie’s earliest memories of Jamaica were shaped by a childhood she did not immediately embrace.

“I did not like being in the country. It was different for me,” she recalled with a laugh, remembering life among farm animals and an outdoor lifestyle that was far removed from what she knew.

At the time, rural St James did not feel like a place she belonged to. It felt unfamiliar, slow, and distant from the life she understood as a child.

Yet that same environment would later become the foundation of the discipline and resilience that define her today.

Now 33, the New York-based executive producer works at the centre of global creative production, helping bring ambitious ideas to life for brands such as Netflix, Nike, Spotify, Estée Lauder, Tom Ford, and Victoria Beckham.

Rhynie spent much of her childhood in the care of relatives while her parents worked overseas. Life was shared among cousins, aunts, and neighbours, where family ties were strong. Eventually, Rhynie joined her parents in the United States, a transition she describes as bittersweet. Like many immigrant children, she had to learn how to navigate a new culture while holding tightly to her Jamaican identity.

That experience, she says, helped shape the confidence that would later carry her into an unexpected career path.

Ironically, the industry that now defines her success was never part of the plan.

After enrolling at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York to study fashion merchandising, Rhynie discovered a passion for creating experiences rather than just studying fashion itself. Event production and experiential marketing quickly became her focus.

What began as curiosity evolved into a career built around transforming ideas into immersive, large-scale productions.

Over the past decade, she has led projects across fashion, beauty, and entertainment, with her work featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Essence, People Magazine and The New York Times.

Even with that success, she remains grounded in disbelief about how far her path has taken her.

“For a girl coming from Jamaica, this is absolutely insane,” she said.

But just as her career began to accelerate, life shifted dramatically.

At 25, Rhynie was diagnosed with Stage 2B Hodgkin’s lymphoma after months of medical testing following the discovery of a lump on her neck.

“I remember when they told me, I was, like, no way God is going to put me through this thing,” Rhynie shared.

What followed were surgeries, chemotherapy, and long periods of uncertainty that forced her to confront fear in its most direct form.

Still, even in that season, she found something steady to hold on to.

“God had me, man. That's all faith,” she said, remembering the harrowing experience.

Her time in treatment also changed how she saw the world. Surrounded by other patients, including children fighting their own battles, her perspective began to shift.

“It wasn't just me going through this. It was seeing other people go through it and seeing kids go through this,” she shared.

Rather than breaking her, the experience reshaped her sense of purpose. She stopped asking why it was happening and began asking how she could use it.

Years later, she describes herself as cancer-free and deeply changed by the experience.

Today, Rhynie works as an executive producer, director, and business development leader, creating immersive experiences for global audiences while advocating for greater representation in industries where immigrants and people of colour remain underrepresented.

Despite her achievements, she remains anchored in the values she learned early in life.

“Treat people with respect, and be grateful for every single opportunity you have in your life,” she said.

That philosophy continues to guide her through some of the most competitive creative spaces in the world.

For her, success is not only about recognition but about impact — opening doors, shifting narratives, and making space for others to follow.

Her message to young Jamaicans is simple and direct.

“Go for your dreams no matter what age you are. Don't let anyone stop you from accomplishing those dreams,” she encouraged.