Atoosa Rubenstein

Atoosa Rubenstein (born Atoosa Behnegar in Tehran, Iran in 1972) was the editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine. She was also the founding editor of CosmoGIRL!. She is currently the founder of Big Momma Productions, Inc. and Atoosa.com.

Background

Her father, Mansoor Behnegar, a colonel in the Iranian air force, moved the family to Queens, New York when she was three. They later relocated to Malverne, Long Island.

As an undergraduate student at Barnard College, Rubenstein became a public relations intern at Lang Communications, the company that bought Sassy magazine. Though she loved the magazine industry, she had to work at Carvel and retail stores to pay her bills. Rubenstein had to drop out of her sorority and take night classes to take part in her second internship, which led to a position in the editorial department of American Health magazine. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority at Barnard College.

Columbia University honored Rubenstein in 2004 by naming her one of the top 250 alumni through the ages. She was also recognized by the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York as a Woman of Distinction. Rubenstein has been featured in Crain's New York Business “40 Under 40” and Folio's “30 Under 30.” In addition to her professional work, she is a member of The Candie’s Foundation Board of Directors, which helps educate...
Read More