Spotlight: Terri Camberlango, Model Businesswoman

by Madison Rutherford | Photography by Melissa Valladares

Terri Camberlango took the scenic route to a career in creative talent management. She signed with a modeling agency at age 14, a life-changing opportunity that eventually took her out of her native Phoenix. While working in San Francisco, she encountered another formative fork in the road: late chef Anthony Bourdain’s seminal memoir Kitchen Confidential, which prompted her to step away from modeling and return to the Valley to enroll at storied culinary academy Le Cordon Bleu. After launching her food career and taking time off to raise her two daughters, Camberlango returned to the industry with a fresh perspective. She now represents nearly 300 models, actors, influencers, and hair and makeup artists through her Arcadia firm, The Agency Arizona. “We’re all women in our office, and we’re all former models, so we understand that side of it,” she says. “To see these individuals thriving in life, and to be some small part of that is really rewarding.”

What are some misconceptions about the industry?

That it’s dramatic or gossipy or salacious… It’s really just about the wins for the talent. It’s fun laying out books, working on projects and seeing film come in, but it’s about what’s going to get that talent to the next level and maximize their opportunities. We want you to use this industry for your benefit. If it gives you the opportunity to travel or make money to help with college funds… utilize it. It’s still a business, so we ask that you take it seriously on that level, but we’re also understanding of the big picture. 

How has modeling changed since you started? Has social media played a role?

The industry has changed so much, as we have as a society and the world at large… It’s just about putting in the energy to stay ahead of things, and it’s cool to see where that’s gone. It’s nice to see it’s no longer just about a beautiful face. Personality is now such a major component, that value add of bringing something cool and interesting to the table. It’s so much more layered and multidimensional. 

What is your biggest piece of advice for new talent?

There’s going to be so much rejection in this industry. Honestly, sometimes they just want the blonde versus a brunette or a redhead. You cannot take it personally. On the business side of things, there’s going to be, just as in life, ebbs and flows. Just persevering through it all, I think, is the biggest takeaway. We all get knocked in the face. You’ve got to just keep going. 

Any similarities between the kitchen and the runway?

It’s the branding and marketing. It’s the creative aspect. It’s the keeping calm and carrying on. In culinary school, you can’t wear makeup or nail polish, and you are getting spit in the face. When I worked in the restaurant industry, I would have towels thrown at my head. There are aspects of this industry that aren’t glamorous… I just love learning and growing and I love creative things. To me, there are so many correlations because business is about connection. 

What is something that has remained constant throughout each chapter of your life? 

I think the throughline is the passion, the creativity, the connection to people and betterment. I continue to want to be better in all aspects of life, and the opportunity now is to have a hand in that for others. Starting out as a young model with nerves and learning how to navigate the industry, it was bravery, but it was also naïveté… now, I can do it from the lens of, ‘Here’s what I lacked when I was that age.’ In this next chapter, I want to build that even more.