Alexia Winfield Created the Columbus Book Project to Reveal and Explore the City

Interview by Steph Greegor

Name: Alexia Winfield
Age: 31
Profession: Founder + Creative Director, Columbus Book Project and HR Manager, JPMorgan Chase
Neighborhood: Olde Towne East
One-word description: Courageous
Quote: “I love not having to be in a car.” -Speaking on all the walkable neighborhoods in Columbus.
Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

With a beautiful mane of wavy, black hair, Alexia Winfield is a striking beauty against the landscape of our burgeoning city. At just 31-years-old, Winfield has already made her mark on Columbus with the innovative “Columbus Book Project,” as its founder and creative inspiration.

“I felt like, ‘I wish I had something like this when I moved here,’” said Winfield of the project that began in 2010 and now features both a “Reveal” book and “Explore” book, both of which celebrate and highlight art, fashion, food, people, and community in Central Ohio. “It’s something that celebrates our city. Something they can flip through. A coffee table book.”

Winfield, who finished her college degree at Florida A&M University, curated the book based on experiences she’s had in Columbus as a brand-new young professional in an unknown city.

“If you bring us here, you have to help us navigate the city,” said Winfield, a transplant from Florida, recruit by JP Morgan Chase. She designed the book with fellow creatives to help newbies to the city learn what’s hot and what’s hidden.

“I didn’t want to present just the traditional spots in Columbus,” said Winfield, a Wild Goose Creative board member. “I wanted to showcase places that aren’t obvious, too, but have tremendous quality.”

That’s the same thing Winfield does in her day job as an H.R. Manager for JPMorgan Chase.

“We help employees be happy at work,” said Winfield. “It’s working to shift the culture to empower people to bring their whole selves to work. It’s inclusive. It’s an overall win. I’m passionate about the work I do here.”

She’s also passionate about her Olde Towne East neighborhood.

“I like the character of the neighborhood; the home, the history. I love talking to people who have been in the neighborhood for a while,” she said. “I love seeing the infrastructure in some of the original architecture. Just seeing the original homes and the type of nostalgia that the neighborhood brings.”

And when friends and family come to visit, Winfield said the itinerary in this restaurant-loving city is really quite simple: “We’re going to eat.”

“I’m a foodie. I just love food, so I will take them to Hangover Easy for breakfast or Katalina’s. I’m going to take them to a local spot with local goodness,” she said, adding Basil Italia in Victorian Village as a favorite. “Then I’ll probably take them to German Village and walk around, explore. I love not having to be in a car.”

Alexia was named to our annual list of 52 Young Professionals You Should Know in Columbus – one for every week in the year!
Meet the entire “Class of 2018” »