Vicky Masi
Vicky is an educator, researcher, and program designer with over two decades of experience working across higher education, K–12 systems, and community-based initiatives. She specializes in applied, community-based learning models that help students and organizations grow, adapt, and thrive.
Born, raised, and educated in New York’s Southern Tier, Vicky is deeply committed to regional revitalization and youth empowerment. She holds a doctoral degree in Information Management from Syracuse University, where her research focused on how people perceive and act on opportunities in their environments - a lens that continues to shape her work at the intersection of learning, innovation, and equity.
Vicky is currently leading the development of a youth-centered community initiative that brings together food, creativity, and hands-on learning to prepare students for life beyond the classroom. She also runs Astralis Consulting, which provides education and career consulting through online individual sessions and group classes. Her work supports students, individuals, educators, and organizations in designing learning experiences that are purpose-driven, inclusive, and ready for what comes next.
Youth-powered. Community-rooted. Future-focused.
The Hive Collective is an eatery, creative studio, and youth learning lab currently in development and designed to help students grow, create, and launch meaningful futures.
Grounded in applied, community-based learning, the Hive offers high school students meaningful work experience, opportunities to explore their personal interests, and real-world support to help them build futures rooted in purpose - not just credentials. Students engage with local mentors and contribute to a space where food, creativity, and community connection come together.
The project will operate in New York’s Southern Tier and is currently in the development phase, with funding proposals underway and community partnerships in progress.
Led by educator and researcher Dr. Vicky Masi, The Hive Collective builds on decades of experience in learning design, youth development, and regional transformation - and is part of a broader effort to reimagine applied learning, workforce readiness, and local investment for the next generation.
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The Hive Collective Project