Saturday, November 7, 2015 8:00am-4:00pm

YOUR GATEWAY TO A WORLD OF INSIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE
Saturday, November 7, 2015
8:00am-4:00pm
Hosted by
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
NYWICI FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Linda Descano
NYWICI Foundation
VP/CO-CHAIRS, HIGH SCHOOL
OUTREACH
Jacqueline Dolly
Marketing & Communications
Consultant
IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT
Judith Harrison
Senior Vice President,
Staffing and Diversity & Inclusion,
Weber Shandwick
Isabelle Miner
Development Coordinator,
Mass Market Events
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Gail Griffin
General Manager & VP, Digital,
Barron’s, Dow Jones
VP/CO-CHAIRS, MENTORING
Bonnie Blake
President
Bonnie Blake & Company Inc.
TREASURER
Cheryl Surana
President
The Brooklyn Cookie Company, LLC
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Danielle Dardashti
VP, Branded Content
Tribune Publishing
SECRETARY
Stacy Martinet
Chief Marketing Officer
Mashable
VP/CO-CHAIRS, SCHOLARSHIPS
Kara Iaconis
VP, Sales & Marketing
BBC Worldwide
Linda Krebs
Founder & CEO
LKPR, Inc.
VP/CO-CHAIRS, COMMUNICATIONS
Rachel Bowie
Editor
PureWow
Stephanie Guzman
Assistant Account Executive
Ketchum
VP/CO-CHAIRS, SCHOLAR
RELATIONS
Saundra Thomas
Vice-President, Community Affairs
WABC-TV
Taylor Trudon
Life Lead
MTV
VP/CO-CHAIRS, STRATEGIC
ALLIANCES
Karen Karpowich
CEO
St. George's Society of New York
VP/CO-CHAIRS, DEVELOPMENT
Ellen Archer
Managing Director, Golden Seeds
Founding Partner, Path2 LLC
Francine Ryan
President & CMO
The Ryan Group
Sheryl Victor Levy
Senior Director, Digital Strategy,
Phil & Co.
Founder, Savvy Strategy
VP/CO-CHAIRS, STUDENT AFFAIRS
Lori Greene
Senior Partner, Director of Content
Maxus Global
Brittany Hennessy
Associate Director,
Social Strategy and Influence
Horizon Media
Megan Hess
Associate Editor
Mashable
VP/CO-CHAIRS, YOUNG
PROFESSIONALS
Julie Hochheiser Ilkovich
Managing Partner & President,
Editorial Operations
Masthead Media
Many thanks to the New York
Women in Communications
Foundation Student
Communications Career
Conference Committee:
STUDENT AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
VP/CO-CHAIRS
Lori Greene and
Brittany Hennessy
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Justine Re
Conference Chair
Student Affairs Committee
Brooke Sassman
Secretary
Student Affairs Committee
Taylor Sassman
Editor-in-Chief
NYWICInext Blog
Amanda Morris,
Managing Editor
NYWICInext Blog
Stephanie Bartz
Katelyn Gualtieri
Lauren Hard
Heidi Huerta
Bridget Jackson
Laurie Joseph
Susan King
Alex Osten
Lauren Ryan
Elisa Tang
Hilarey Wojtowicz
Antoinette Miller
Recruiter, Talent Acquisition
HBO
VP/CO-CHAIRS EMPOWERMENT
GRANT
Janet Warren Dugo
President, Warren Dugo Media, Inc.
Publisher, Staten Island Business Trends
Stephanie Scott
CEO & Communicator-in-Chief
First and Last PR
2
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
Dear Student/Young Professional,
Welcome to the 2015 New York Women in Communications Foundation Student Communications
Career Conference!
On behalf of the Student Affairs Committee and our entire Foundation Board, we are proud to
offer you rare access to the movers and shakers behind some of the most iconic brands in the
communications industry. The accomplished professionals you will meet today are among the
most successful, celebrated and dedicated individuals in the business.
The conference is your gateway to a world of insight and knowledge that would otherwise take
years of trial-and-error experience to gather. It’s your big chance to learn from the experts. You’ll
find out about how they started, how they navigated their way through the business, the challenges
they faced and the combination of skills, knowledge and attitude it takes to remain at the top of
their professions.
This year, we are so excited to add new panels that really reflect the changing landscape of
communications. We’ve set up the day so the first shift of panels focuses on an industry in broader
strokes, like PR or broadcasting – while the second shift focuses on a specific niche, like fashion
or entertainment. Finally, you’ll close your day with more general career advice, like secrets to the
job search or tips for starting a business. There’s something for everyone, no matter what realm of
communications you hope to pursue – or even if you’re still figuring that out.
Take full advantage of all today has to offer. Ask questions, solicit advice, collect business cards,
network, and then... Follow-up, stay in touch and start building your career toolkit.
We also encourage you to maintain the career momentum that starts today by signing up for a
Student Membership to New York Women in Communications. For only $95 per year, you can access
a wealth of information, events and professionals that will help you steer a course toward your
communications career. You can sign up online at www.nywici.org.
Finally, check out the New York Women in Communications Foundation Scholarships. Last year
we awarded more than $100,000 to high school, undergraduate and graduate students. Additional
information is enclosed in your conference program.
We’re delighted that you’ve chosen to spend your Saturday with us. We know it will be a productive
and rewarding day for you. If you’d like to stay in touch or learn more about NYWICI, please send an
email to us at the addresses below.
With heartfelt enthusiasm and best wishes,
Brittany Hennessy
Lori Greene
Justine Re
Co-Chair Co-ChairCo-Chair
[email protected]@gmail.com [email protected]
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
3
YOUR GATEWAY TO A WORLD OF INSIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE
8:00 am
Onsite Registration Opens (lobby level)
8:30 am
Breakfast | Event Kickoff and Icebreaker
8:45 am
Welcome Address — Linda Descano New York Women in Communications
Foundation President | @lindadescano
9:05 am
Breakfast Keynote — Amy Odell, Editor, Cosmopolitan.com
and Author, Tales From The Back Row | @amyodell
10:15-11:15 am
BREAKOUT SESSION 1
4
Conversations
About Content
Moderator: Lori Greene, Senior Partner, Content Director, Maxus Global | @lorip1025
Georgia Galanoudis, Managing Director, Imprint | @Imprint_Georgia
Jayde Lovell, Co-Host and Producer, The Young Turks Network on YouTube | @jaydelovell
Taylor Trudon, Life Lead, MTV | @taylortrudon
Tiffany Winter, Senior Director Strategic Partnerships,
Mindshare Entertainment | @1tiffanywinter
Television & Radio
Broadcasting
Moderator: Katie Corrado, Anchor/Reporter, FOX 61 | @KatieMCorrado
Jayde Donovan, Morning Co-host,
Todd and Jayde in the Morning on WPLJ-FM 95.5 | @jaydedonovan
Stephanie Makowski, Associate Producer, The Dr. Oz Show
Jennifer “Jen Bk” Le, Digital TV Host and Social Media Manager, HOT 97 | @ThatsJenBklyn
Carol Wilkinson, Reporter and Substitute News Anchor, News 12 Networks
PR, Advertising &
Marketing
Moderator: Melissa Finney, Advertising Partnerships, Flipboard Inc. | @damesandbroads
Lauren Marie Kehe, Director of Ad Sales Marketing, Pivot TV | @lmkehe
Kym Lewis, Partner Manager, Pinterest | @kymlewis418
Jessica Kleiman, Author, Be Your Own Best Publicist | @jessicakleiman
Marisa K. Redwood, Principal, Buzz Brand Marketing | @marisaking
11:30am-12:30 pm
BREAKOUT SESSION 2
Moderator: Stefanie Cedro Mohr, Assistant Vice President, Integrated Marketing
Communications, PR & Social Media, L’Oréal Paris at L’Oréal | @stefcedromohr8
Shannon Duffy, Product Development Coordinator, Kohl’s
Lauren Larkin, Vice President, Beauty, Alison Brod Public Relations | @laurenmlarkin
Vanessa Santos, Head of Partnerships, Observer Media | @LaVidaGlamour
Fashion
& Beauty
Geneva S. Thomas, Consulting Marketing Manager at InStyle
and Founder and Editor of Jawbreaker.nyc | @GenevaSThomas
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
11:30 am-12:30 pmBREAKOUT SESSION 2 continued
Lifestyle &
Entertainment
Moderator: Kenetta Bailey, CMO Brand Strategist, Consultant | @Kenetta
Amy Andrieux, Global Editor & Communications Project Manager,
Red Bull Studios | @missaimstar
Cristina Gibson, Chief of Staff & Director of Brand, Fly BLADE | @CristinaGibson
Laura Lane, Correspondent and Writer, PEOPLE and PEOPLE.com | @LauraLane__
Gia Peppers, Associate Editor, ESSENCEFest.com | @GiaPeppers
Non-Profits &
Social Good
Moderator: Pam Hacker, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, HBO | @pamhacker212
Courtney Dubin, Senior Youth Engagement and Digital Advisor, GENYOUth Foundation | @courtneydubin
Jennifer Lindenauer, Head of Marketing/Communications, Upworthy | @jennlindy
Lori Peterzell, Senior Director Corporate Engagement, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation | @lorip3
Mary Pryor, Digital and Content Development Lead, Samsung & Black Tech Week | @msmarypryor
12:45 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Lunch Address and Intro to Keynote by Linda Descano,
New York Women in Communications Foundation President | @lindadescano
1:05 pm Lunch Keynote — Paula Rizzo, Emmy-award winning video producer, Senior Health
Producer at Fox News Channel & Author, Listful Thinking | @ListProducer
2:15-3:15 pm
BREAKOUT SESSION 3
Entrepreneurship
101
Moderator: Liz Kressel, Entrepreneur/Digital Strategist, Lizard Media | @lizkressel
Emily Blumenthal, Founder, Handbag Designer 101, the Independent
Handbag Designer Awards & the HBDNetwork | @HandbagDesigner
Lori Cheek, Founder/CEO, Cheekd | @loricheeknyc
Janna Meyrowitz, Co-Founder, StyleHouse PR | @ StyleHousePR
Tiffany Pham, Founder & CEO, MOGUL | @tifftpham
Jillian Ressler, Co-Founder, spruceandco.com | @spruceandco
Secrets to a
Successful
Job Search
Moderator: Judith Harrison, Sr. V.P., Staffing and Diversity & Inclusion,
Weber Shandwick | @villageny
Lori Dernavich, Growth Stage Leadership Advisor, LoriDernavich | @LoriDernavich
Michelle Corbett, Mgr. DMI Talent Acquisitions, L’Oreal | @Mich_Dish
Melissa Gentile, Sr. Manager Talent Acquisition Specialist, Maxus Global | @bklyngal81
Agnes Peña-Rosen, Vice President, People & Culture, Chartbeat
Building Your
Personal Brand
Moderator: Brittany Hennessy, Associate Director, Social Strategy & Influence,
Horizon Media Inc. | @2Legit2Britt
Dina Deleasa-Gonsar, Founder, DishItGirl.com | @DishItGirl
Kayleigh Harrington, Talent Coordinator, Socialyte | @Kayleigh_H
Bianca Jade, Founder, Mizzfit.com | @Mizzfit_Bianca
Jacqueline M. Peros, CPBS, Founder, JMP Branding | @jmpbranding
3:30-4:30 pm
CLOSING PANEL SESSION
Spotlight on NYWICI
Scholarship Winners
Moderator: Megan Hess, Associate Editor, Mashable | @mhess4
Lauren Hard, News Assistant, The New York Times | @laurenhard
Bridget Jackson, Staff Associate, Kellen | @bridge_jackson
Alexandra Osten, Account Manager, Nielsen | @amosten93
Marisch Perera, News Associate, FOX 5 | @MarischPerera
Elisa Tang, Production Associate, TODAY Show | @_ElisaTang
4:30 pm
Raffle
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
5
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Keynote Speakers
AMY ODELL
Editor, Cosmopolitan.com and Author
@amyodell
Amy Odell is the editor of
Cosmopolitan.com, the largest
community of millennial women on
the Internet. She was named to the
post in September 2013 and oversees
all of Cosmopolitan’s digital presence,
including editorial content, social
media, and original video production.
Odell is responsible for expanding the website’s
editorial to include a wide range of feminist, political,
and LGBTQ topics alongside celebrity news, and
relationship and style coverage. Under her leadership,
Cosmopolitan.com has more than doubled traffic to
reach over 34 million monthly unique visitors, and the
brand’s social media following has increased threefold
to nine million. As a result, Cosmo was recognized as
the “hottest magazine in digital” on the 2014 Adweek
Hot List.
In 2015, Odell was named to Forbes’ list of “30 Under
30” in media and featured in Adweek as a “New
Publisher,” one of 15 young innovators who will change
the magazine business. In 2014, Odell was selected
to Crain’s New York Business prestigious “40 Under
40” list, and included in the Business of Fashion 500,
a professional index of people shaping the global
fashion industry.
Prior to Cosmopolitan.com, Odell was an editor at
BuzzFeed from 2012 through 2013 and is credited
with the launch of two women’s verticals for the viral
news site, BuzzFeed Fashion and BuzzFeed Shift.
Odell began her journalism career in 2007 as a party
reporter for New York magazine, where she ultimately
became the founding blogger of the magazine’s
fashion blog, The Cut, in 2008.
Odell is a graduate of New York University and lives in
Tribeca with her husband and very sassy cat.
PAULA RIZZO
@ListProducer
Emmy-award winning video producer, Senior Health
Producer at Fox News Channel & Author, Listful Thinking
Paula Rizzo is an Emmy-award
winning video producer with nearly
15 years experience at local and
national news outlets in New York
City. She has worked in live television
and produces content for the web.
She started her career as a news
writer at a small TV station on Long
Island (WLNY) where she covered 9/11, local politics
and all news of the day.
Paula served as copy editor and producer at WPIX
-News at 10. It was here where she won an Emmy
award for her role in producing a 1-hour newscast
that was deemed Best Newscast. She also produced
6
several pre-game shows for the New York Mets during
that time.
From there Paula went on to work at WCBS as an
associate producer for their 5pm newscast. She also
served as production director for Vidicom, a company
that produces sponsored content.
For the past 8 1/2 years, Paula has been instrumental
in launching and running FoxNewsHealth.com, which
provides health news not only for the website but also
for all the Fox affiliates around the country and Fox
News Channel. She is the senior producer on that team
overseeing other producers and editors.
In addition, Paula is the founder of the productivity
site ListProducer.com and author of Listful Thinking:
Using Lists to be More Productive, Highly Successful
and Less Stressed.
Paula has been featured on TV, print, radio and web
including on Better TV, FoxNews.com, FoxBusiness.
com, FastCompany.com, Oprah.com, Dr. Oz’s The
Good Life magazine, Health.com, Martha Stewart’s
Whole Living magazine, Woman’s Day, Bridal Guide
and Business Insider to name a few.
Shift 1 — Conversations About Content:
Print, Web & Social
MODERATOR: LORI GREENE
@lorip1025
Senior Partner, Content Director, Maxus Global
Lori Greene is a proven multiplatform content executive highly
proficient in all aspects of media
including social, video, mobile,
television, digital and print. She is
the Senior Partner Director of
Content for media agency Maxus,
teaches digital content strategies as
well as social media at NYU and various prestigious
educational institutions, and is the Vice President
of Student Affairs at New York Women in
Communications. In prior roles, she brought digital
content and marketing strategy to the International
Institute for Learning, executed a full global digital
rebrand of WOBI, created thought leadership content
for Time Inc., increased traffic 100% and won Best
Cable Website at BBC America Digital, developed
Court TV’s first ever mobile campaign, and created a
new strategic vision that led to record-breaking traffic
and a slew of awards at both Biography and History
channels including a Top Ten Website of the Year
award. As a television producer, she worked for Travel
Channel, Food Network and Lifetime. In addition, she
summited Mount Kilimanjaro, ran the New York City
marathon, visited over 110 countries, and interviewed
Calvin Klein, Julia Child, the climatologist at the
epicenter of the climate change debate and an
infamous political prisoner inside a Peruvian jail.
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 1 — Conversations About Content:
Print, Web & Social continued
GEORGIA GALANOUDIS
Managing Director, Imprint
@Imprint_Georgia
Georgia is currently Managing
Director at Imprint, a Sullivan content
lab. She has been managing contentdriven marketing programs for clients
since 1997. As Executive Director
running custom content divisions at
both Time Inc. and Meredith Corp.
and as Managing Director at MXM,
Georgia has driven the strategy and execution of a
myriad of integrated programs for such clients as
Proctor & Gamble, Walmart and Bank of America.
Georgia brings her knowledge of Consumer Insights,
Branded Content Strategy, Digital, Social, Mobile
and CRM to help clients develop innovative ways
to engage with their core customers and drive
business goals.
JAYDE LOVELL
Co-Host and Producer,
The Young Turks Network on YouTube
@jaydelovell
Jayde Lovell is a Co-Host and
Producer on The Young Turks
Network – the world’s largest online
news network – and host of the
science show, ScIQ. Jayde is also
Director of the Explainer TV for the
New York Hall of Science, and a
‘ScienceMuse’ for AOL’s Cambio.
Lovell holds a degree in neuroscience, and has
produced videos for organizations such as NASA,
Coca Cola, Scientific American, and Rolls Royce
Engineering. She has been featured in EducationWeek,
Fortune, Men’s Health, BuzzFeed and Mashable. Lovell
is currently in development for her pilot TV show
‘The Club’ (a teen drama centered around the lives
of student engineers), in conjunction with Roberto
Orci (Transformers, Scorpion, Star Trek) and The
MacGyver Foundation.
TAYLOR TRUDON
Life Lead, MTV
@taylortrudon
Taylor Trudon is the Life Lead at MTV
News. Previously, she was senior
editor of Young Voices at The
Huffington Post, where she provided
a platform for thousands of talented
teens and millennials to talk about
what’s really happening in their
lives — socially, academically and
culturally. Taylor is passionate about communitybuilding, advocating for young voices and using
social media as a catalyst for starting conversations.
As a 2015 TEDxTeen speaker, she spoke about the
power of the written word and how to amplify your
story in today’s technology saturated world. Taylor
studied journalism and women’s studies at the
University of Connecticut, during which she was a
two-time New York Women in Communications, Inc.
Scholarship recipient. She currently serves as co-chair
of Scholar Relations on the NYWICI Foundation Board
and is a volunteer journalist fellow for the News
Literacy Project, a national educational program
that teaches middle and high school students how
to navigate media in the digital age. She was named
one of the Most Influential Young Women of 2015 by
Teen Vogue.
TIFFANY WINTER
@1tiffanywinter
Senior Director Strategic Partnerships,
Mindshare Entertainment
Tiffany Winter is the Head of Strategy
& Partnerships for Mindshare
Entertainment in North America.
Over her seven years at the agency,
she has worked on a wide array of
award-winning content programs
across client categories – from auto
to ice cream, from beauty to
telecoms. Tiffany began her career as a WPP
Marketing Fellowship. Her first year was spent as a
Brand Consultant in London at The Brand Union. She
then went to Buenos Aires to work as a Strategic
Planner at the creative hot shop, Santo. Her final year
of the program brought her to New York to work in
media at Mindshare. Prior to the Fellowship, Tiffany
gained a Masters Degree in French and Spanish at
Oxford University. Beyond work, Tiffany is the CoFounder of an app called NOTED Places that helps
travelers to remember recommendations on the best
plays to eat, stay and play around the world. She
spends her life exploring the world and has been to
over 30 different countries in the past six years.
Shift 1 — On Air:
Television & Radio Broadcasting
MODERATOR: KATIE CORRADO
Anchor/Reporter, FOX 61
@KatieMCorrado
Katie Corrado is the weekend
evening anchor and a reporter at
FOX 61 in Hartford, Connecticut.
Since joining FOX 61 in 2014, Katie
has covered the inauguration of
Governor Dannel Malloy, the Valhalla
Metro North accident and the
Blizzard of 2015, which included live
coverage on FOX News. Prior to working in Connecticut,
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
continued
7
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 1 — On Air:
Television & Radio Broadcasting continued
Katie was an anchor/reporter at the NBC/CBS affiliates
in Syracuse, New York. While there, she reported live
during Hurricane Sandy and several of Syracuse’s
famous snow storms, and covered visits from
President Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton and the
Dalai Lama. Katie graduated with honors from
Fordham University in the Bronx, where she majored
in communication and media studies. She anchored
the Fordham Nightly News for three years and
interned with FOX 5, CBS News and WABC. Katie’s
work has been recognized by the New York State
Associated Press Broadcaster’s Association and the
Syracuse Press Club. She is a three time NYWICI
scholarship recipient and has been active in the
organization since high school.
JAYDE DONOVAN
@jaydedonovan Morning Co-host, Todd and Jayde in the Morning on
WPLJ-FM 95.5
Jayde moved to NYC in 2014 to
partner with Todd Pettengill and
launch the morning radio show “Todd
& Jayde in the Morning” on New
York’s 955 PLJ. Formerly, she hosted
a morning show in Tampa “Mornings
with Jayde” on 101.5 WPOI. In 2011,
Jayde worked as a correspondent for
“Access Hollywood” and Co­Host of Bravo’s “Love
Calling.” Jayde has filled in for Kelly Ripa as co­host on
“LIVE With Regis & Kelly” with Regis Philbin in 2010.
Jayde lives in Manhattan with her boyfriend,
his 8 year ­old son, and their 2 year­old daughter.
JENNIFER “JEN BK” LE
@ThatsJenBklyn
Digital TV Host and
Editorial/Social Media Manager, HOT97
Jennifer Lé, also known as Jen
Boogie or JENBKLYN (Jen From BK),
grew up in Brooklyn, NY and, as a
child, always had her eye on the
entertainment world.
She has interned for big companies
in the industry like Bad Boy
Entertainment before landing a job
at NYC radio station, HOT 97, where she’s been for the
past seven years. Jennifer has worked her way up from
intern to assistant producer, to Digital Producer, filling
in for on-­air talent, and now she’s the Editor in Chief of
HOT97.com, Social Media Manager of HOT 97 and an
on­air personality
clothing line, media work, and now, a digital platform
for all women through www.weloveladiesfirst.com
which was birthed from her HOT 97 web series which
she created called “Ladies First.”
STEPHANIE MAKOWSKI
Associate Producer, The Dr. Oz Show
A Rutgers University graduate with
a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism &
Media Studies. Stephanie currently is
the Associate Producer at the Emmy
award-winning Dr. Oz Show. This is
her 5th year at the show. On a more
personal note, Stephanie loves
Broadway and anything Disney
related. Life is short, and so is she!
CAROL WILKINSON
Reporter and Substitute News Anchor,
News 12 Networks
Carol Wilkinson is a proud New York
City native, born and raised in
Harlem. She attended the prestigious
High School of Performing Arts in
Manhattan, before leaving the city to
pursue her college degree at Howard
University in Washington, D.C. The
daughter of a New York City public
school teacher, Carol earned her Bachelor’s Degree in
English and Secondary Education. However, a career
in teaching was not in the cards for her. Carol entered
the television news business as a News Producer in
Atlanta, Georgia, snagging her first on air job one year
later as a Reporter and Anchor. Through the years, her
career moves have taken her to dozens of cities,
including Cleveland, Ohio, Washington, D.C., Las
Vegas, Nevada and her hometown of New York City.
Carol currently works as a General Assignment
Reporter and Substitute Anchor at News 12
Westchester, and is a member of a number of
organizations including The National Association of
Black Journalists, New York Women in Communications,
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the New York
Journal League. Carol is always on the lookout for
new career opportunities, and is anxious to move
back to New York City.
Jennifer’s entrepreneurial spirit has also led her to
create numerous projects for her brand, including a
8
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WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 1 — Public Relations,
Advertising & Marketing
MODERATOR: MELISSA FINNEY @damesandbroads
Advertising Partnerships, Flipboard Inc.
Melissa Finney is an accomplished
online advertising sales leader with
13+ years of experience in digital
publishing, native ad experiences,
branded entertainment and content
creation.
She currently works in Advertising
Partnerships at Flipboard Inc. and
has previously worked as a Regional Sales Manager,
Northeast at SAY Media, Senior Account Executive
at Zillow.com, Senior Account Executive at The
Economist, Digital Sales Manager at Court TV and
Inside Sales Executive at ESPN.com.
JESSICA KLEIMAN @jessicakleiman | @bestpublicist
Author, Be Your Own Best Publicist:
How to Use PR Techniques to Get Noticed,
Hired and Rewarded at Work
Jessica Kleiman is a branding and
communications executive who has
led PR and corporate communications
efforts at companies such as
SANDOW, Hearst Magazines and
The Knot (now XO Group) over the
past 20 years. She currently serves as
chief communications officer of New
York Women in Communications (NYWICI), having
helped lead the organization’s rebranding initiative,
and has been on the board for the past three years.
She also is an advisory board member for Rising Tide
Partners, a professional training and development
company, and is co-author of Be Your Own Best
Publicist: How to Use PR Techniques to Get Noticed,
Hired and Rewarded at Work. Kleiman teaches and
speaks on personal branding at various conferences,
universities and corporations.
LAUREN MARIE KEHE Director of Ad Sales Marketing, Pivot TV
@lmkehe
Lauren Marie Kehe is the Director of
Ad Sales Marketing at Pivot, a new
cable channel from Participant Media
that creates content and social action
campaigns to engage the conscious
consumer. At Pivot, Lauren acts as
the bridge between Ad Sales,
Marketing, and Programming to
create engaging branded entertainment and
marketing programs for brands. With over 10 years
experience in the media, Lauren most recently spent
four years in NBCUniversal’s cross-property
Ad Sales Marketing team developing creative solutions
for advertisers across NBCU’s 90+ brands and screens.
Lauren began her career at an independent radio
station in upstate New York wearing many hats—
promotions, operations, and voice talent. She then
joined a small market research firm in North Carolina
working with radio stations to build their brands.
Lauren is a graduate of Cornell University and holds an
M.A. from NYU’s Media, Culture, and Communication
program. A pop culture fanatic, comedy nerd and a
passionate public radio supporter, Lauren will often
escape the city and head home to the Finger Lakes
on sunny weekends.
KYM LEWIS
Partner Manager, Pinterest
@kymlewis418
Kym Lewis is a Partner Manager on
the East Coast team at Pinterest
where she works with some of the
company’s largest brand partners.
In her role, Kym is responsible for
working with marketers to help
build their Pinterest strategy both
organically and through paid media
solutions. Prior to joining Pinterest, she managed WPP
North America at Videology, oversaw East Coast sales
at ClearSaleing, an eBay Inc. company, and has been
in ad tech for over a decade in New York City. Kym
graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor’s
of Arts in Spanish and Communication Studies.
MARISA K. REDWOOD
Principal, Buzz Brand Marketing
@marisaking
Marisa King-Redwood is the Principal
at Buzz Brand Marketing, a marketing
and communications firm that
specializes in building brand equity.
In this role, Marisa leverages her
relationships to provide effective
solutions for businesses and brands
to increase productivity and their
public presence. Clients include everyone from
corporate executives to athletes to politicians, authors,
entertainers and consumer brands. Prior to Buzz,
Marisa held roles in entertainment including positions
at Viacom ranging from marketing and publicity to
human resources. In addition, she has contributed to
marketing campaigns for top brands, enabling them to
better reach their target markets. Marisa is Executive
Director of The King Foundation for Excellence, an
organization created in honor of her late father to
provide opportunities for people to advance their
education and improve their quality of life.
This is accomplished with scholarships and awards,
mentoring as well as community outreach. Most
recently, in early 2015, Marisa joined forces to create
Women Who Crush It, a movement to highlight
women making an extraordinary impact in professional
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
continued
9
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 1 — Public Relations,
Advertising & Marketing continued
industries & on a social level in various walks of life.
She’s also been named one of Atlanta’s Women
of Power & Influence by The Atlantan Magazine in
2014, in 2009 received the President’s Corporate
Entrepreneur of the year award from the Professional’s
Network Organization and was included in the 2007
40 Under Forty list presented by The Network Journal
Magazine. Marisa is also a proud mother of three and
resides with her children, husband and dog in
Westchester County N.Y.
Shift 2 — Fashion & Beauty
MODERATOR: @stefcedromohr8
STEFANIE CEDRO MOHR
Assistant Vice President, Integrated Marketing
Communications, PR and Social Media,
L’Oréal Paris at L’Oréal
Stefanie Mohr is currently the
Assistant Vice President of Brand
Communications at L’Oréal Paris,
a role she has held since joining
L’Oréal USA in 2014. In her position,
she oversees integrated brand
communication strategy, including
public relations and social media, for
L’Oréal Paris’ hair care and hair color categories and
brand-sponsored events.
Prior to joining L’Oréal Paris, Stefanie served as
Director of Public Relations for Glamour at Condé
Nast where she directed public relations strategy
for all arms of the Glamour brand including editorial,
advertising, marketing and digital. Stefanie worked
in Target’s New York office on the development and
execution of communications efforts pertaining to
fashion, beauty, entertainment, brand reputation and
community relations. She also cultivated content
for Target’s digital properties, led executive media
training, and represented the brand on TV as a
company spokeswoman.
Before joining Target, Stefanie spent eight years at
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. as Director of Global
Corporate Communications, where she supervised
the global communications strategy for The Breast
Cancer Awareness 20th Anniversary Campaign.
Stefanie also served on the global communications
and events teams for the Origins, Jo Malone and
Estée Lauder brands, managing international and
domestic campaigns, and also launching brands
overseas. Additionally, she has worked at Polo Ralph
Lauren in the creative department, at NBC Universal
on the broadcast news production team, and as a
professional actress at a variety of theatres throughout
10
the country and on television. She received an M.B.A.,
Communications from Fordham Graduate School of
Business.
SHANNON DUFFY
Product Development Coordinator, Kohls
After graduating college in under
four years, with her BFA in Fashion
Merchandising and a business/
marketing minor, Shannon began her
career at Kohl’s NY Design Office as a
Product Development Specialist,
working on the Food Network and
Bobby Flay kitchen textiles and table
linens team, where she assisted in the launch of a new
core kitchen program. After two and a half years on
the team, and after launching a successful seasonal
business, she was promoted to Product Development
Coordinator for the Utility bedding team, where she
owned all development for Chaps pillows and mattress
pads, as well as Jennifer Lopez seasonal fur throws.
After only three months, she was moved to the
Fashion bedding and sheets team, where she now
manages all Chaps development. Shannon works
very closely with the Ralph Lauren team on concepts,
designs, and development and own all the sourcing
and negotiating. She is currently in the process of
launching an entirely new core program under the
Chaps brand, which is a separate entity from the
Chaps bedding collections that exist today.
Shannon is also a new-hire trainer, a “subject matter
expert” in three of Kohl’s core systems and a “change
advocate” for when the company starts transitioning
from one major system to the next. Outside of work,
she spends her free time learning American Sign
Language, doing yoga, binge-watching her favorite
TV shows and hiking with her friends and dog.
LAUREN LARKIN
@laurenmlarkin
Vice President, Beauty, Alison Brod Public Relations
Lauren Larkin serves as Vice
President in the Beauty Division
at Alison Brod Public Relations,
where she is responsible for
the conceptualization and
implementation of integrated
communications programs for
brands including L’Oréal Paris,
Kerastase, bliss spa, Guthy Renker and more. Prior
to joining the team at ABPR, Lauren worked on a
variety of mass and prestige skincare, cosmetics,
hair care and fragrance accounts, with extensive
experience in strategic planning, media relations
and event production.
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 2 — Fashion & Beauty continued
Shift 2 — Non-Profit & Social Good
VANESSA SANTOS
@LaVidaGlamour
Head of Partnerships, Observer Media
MODERATOR: PAM HACKER
@pamhacker212
Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, HBO
With over 10 years of marketing,
business development and retail
experience, Vanessa Santos is head
of brand partnerships and luxury
director for Observer Media, leader
in the luxury publishing space.
Additionally, Vanessa is Blogger in
chief of La Vida Glamour, a bi-lingual
lifestyle and personal style blog. Previously, Vanessa
was director of business development at Gilt Groupe,
where she developed first to market campaigns across
North America. Passionate about business and fashion,
Vanessa is entrenched in working with emerging talent
in the world of fashion, business and technology. Born
and raised in NYC, Vanessa has worked her way up the
corporate ladder and has launched award-winning
experiential partnerships. A self-declared feminist,
Vanessa hopes to work with brands and leaders to
work on improving the wage disparity for women in
the workforce.
Pam Hacker is director, Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR), for Home
Box Office, Inc., and is responsible for
driving the company’s philanthropic,
pro-social, employee and community
engagement initiatives with a focus
on education to identify and nurture
the next generation of creative
storytellers. She joined the team in May 2015.
GENEVA S THOMAS
@GenevaSThomas
Consulting Marketing Manager, InStyle and
Founder and Editor of Jawbreaker.nyc
Prior to HBO, Pam was the publicity director,
Community Outreach, at Sesame Street. In her
role, Pam was responsible for overseeing the
public relations strategy and implementation for
company-wide community outreach initiatives such
as incarceration, military families, eating heathy on
a budget and emergency preparedness.
Geneva is a style and pop culture
journalist, digital marketer and TV
personality in New York City. The
founder and editor of Jawbreaker.
nyc, a mobile news startup for
millennial it girls, Geneva is also the
principal and managing director of
the 1530 Agency, a New York Citybased digital marketing startup. Geneva studied and
worked in Paris, London, Scotland, and South Africa,
ultimately earning a Master’s in journalism and fashion
history from New York University. A former editor
at Ebony and frequent contributor to Vogue Italia,
the digital media dynamo has given her take on
entertainment news and the best in style for various
media outlets including The Huffington Post, Essence,
NBC News, and BET, among other outlets. But it’s
Geneva’s work behind the scenes shaping some of
the world’s hottest brands like InStyle, Topshop,
Macy’s, Viacom, BBC, and pharmaceutical giant
Abbott Humira, that separates her from the pack.
Active in the Manhattan community, Geneva dedicates
herself to causes related to women’s empowerment
and education all while loving life in the best city
on earth.
Hacker supports the team to develop and define
HBO’s corporate and social responsibility mission.
Her team is responsible for giving efforts with
philanthropic partners, including non-profit
organizations enhancing HBO’s presence within
the communities in which the company does business
and connecting the company’s philanthropy to the
themes reflected in the network’s programming.
Within HBO, her team also engages their employees
in the company’s philanthropic endeavors through
such programs as “youth mentoring,” non-profit
volunteer activities, and community outreach efforts.
Pam earned a Bachelor of Science from the University
of Maryland and resides in New York City with her
husband Gary, and their nine year-old twin girls,
Julia and Rebecca.
COURTNEY DUBIN @courtneydubin
Senior Youth Engagement and Digital Advisor,
GENYOUth
Courtney Dubin, Senior Youth
Engagement and Digital Advisor
for GENYOUth, is an educational
consultant with over 15 years’
experience in education, media
and design. Courtney leads youth
engagement and digital efforts
at GENYOUth where she helped
develop and runs the social entrepreneurship program,
AdVenture Capital, for thousands of would-be student
entrepreneurs, along with the websites for AdVenture
Capital, and the largest in-school health and wellness
program in the country, Fuel Up to Play 60. Courtney
started her career in media and entertainment working
at William Morris Agency, A&E, Discovery Communications,
and FOX News, where she helped launch the FOX
Business Network and FOXBusiness.com. She’s been a
continued
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
11
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 2 — Non-Profit & Social Good continued
featured panelist at SXSWedu, and written for sites
including the Presidential Youth Fitness Program and
the Huffington Post. She also serves on the Board of
Directors of Curious on Hudson.
JENNIFER LINDENAUER
@jennlindy
Head of Marketing/Communications, Upworthy
Jennifer Lindenauer has spent
her career developing and
running strategic marketing and communications campaigns for
businesses and organizations in
the public interest. She currently
runs marketing and communications
at Upworthy, a media company that
tells shareable stories with a social impact. Previously,
Lindenauer was SVP Marketing & Communications for
the Guardian, where she introduced the brand to the
American market and managed efforts in support of
revenue and reader growth as well as internal and
external communications. Before joining the Guardian,
Lindenauer worked as SVP at Fenton Communications,
the largest global social change communications firm.
Prior to Fenton, Lindenauer was the Communications
Director for MoveOn.org.
Jennifer got her start in politics working for state,
local and national campaigns in Washington state,
Colorado, Michigan and Washington DC.
LORI PETERZELL
Senior Director of Corporate Engagement,
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF)
@lorip3
Lori Peterzell is currently the Senior
Director of Corporate Engagement
at the Greater York Chapter of the
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF).
Lori is charged with spearheading
the development and implementation
of innovative and high-value
partnerships and promotions
attracting corporate supporters on a local, regional,
and national level. Additionally, she is developing
opportunities to increase awareness and engagement
on behalf of the Foundation’s fundraising goals to
control and ultimately cure cystic fibrosis (CF). Since
joining the Foundation earlier this year, Lori has
engaged numerous new brands across various
industries. Lori is a veteran award-winning television &
entertainment marketing executive who played a key
role in launching some of cable TV’s biggest hit series
including “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” “Storage
Wars,” “Bates Motel” and “Duck Dynasty,” the number
one unscripted series in cable television history. Lori
held a number of consumer marketing positions at the
A&E Network, most recently Vice President, of Brand
Strategy & Consumer Marketing where she led the
12
social and paid media, partnership, and experiential
marketing for the network and its original programming
content across various platforms. Under her leadership,
A&E was transformed into a top cable network. As
a testament to her leadership and influence in the
industry, in 2007, Lori became a Betsy Magness fellow
and in 2014 was honored as an inductee to the Jericho
High School Hall of Fame.
Prior to joining A+E Networks, she held marketing
and creative positions at Bravo and graduated from
Rochester Institute of Technology. Her son Lance is
named after her sister Lisa, who lost her battle to CF
when she was only 15 years old.
MARY PRYOR
@msmarypryor
Digital and Content Development Lead,
Samsung & Black Tech Week
Mary Pryor is a passionate and vocal
media expert currently based in New
York. Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Mary received exposure to automotive
design, electrical engineering, music,
digital arts and marketing at an early
age. Today she is a powerful and
accomplished Digital Specialist who
has worked for major brands such as Sony Music
Group, Viacom, Attention PR, City Parks Foundation,
Mirrorball, Uptown Magazine, Black Enterprise, and
MusicWorld. Having realized there was a pressing need
for agencies that catered to culturally rich and niche
audiences through digital and social marketing
integration, Mary founded her own consulting and
digital marketing consulting firms, WeFancy (2008)
and UrbanSocialista (2011). She is currently working
for VaynerMedia, a social media agency founded by
the outspoken thought leader Gary Vaynerchuk, an
opportunity that allows her to stay current on the
media landscape. Mary’s goal is to provide online
branding and digital trend-forecasting for the general
market by empowering communities through the
utilization of digital tools.
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 2 — Lifestyle & Entertainment
MODERATOR: KENETTA BAILEY
CMO Brand Strategist, Consultant
@Kenetta
Currently, Kenetta Bailey is an
adjunct lecturer at the University
of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School,
teaching Business and Crisis
Communication courses to graduate
students. Additionally, Kenetta
consults with start up as well as
Fortune 500 companies in content
strategies, marketing, and social and digital media.
Kenetta served as Chief Marketing Officer for TV One,
where she led all marketing, digital, social, and
advertising efforts for the cable television network.
Specifically, Kenetta was responsible for brand
strategy development, including creative, media,
digital and social strategies, maximizing advertising
and promotional investments, and re-branding the
network. She served in this capacity for two years.
During her tenure, TV One achieved its highest
historical network and series ratings, brand awareness
scores, web traffic and social engagement. Prior to
TV One, Kenetta headed marketing for AMC
Network’s, WE tv. As SVP of Marketing, she launched
some of WE tv’s most successful campaigns, led the
network through positioning and rebranding efforts,
and was instrumental in launching a new weddingfocused digital network. Kenetta spent five years in
the music industry as well, serving as Vice President
of Strategic Marketing at the RCA Records Label and
Sony BMG. There, Kenetta led digital media and other
branded partnerships for artists including Christina
Aguilera, The Dave Matthews Band, Elvis and Tyrese.
Earlier in her career, she held marketing positions at
the Pepsi-Cola Company and Kraft Foods, where she
managed brands, drove consumer affinity, developed
new products and led partnership and promotional
initiatives with retailers,music artists and sports
leagues. Kenetta holds a MBA, and a master’s and
bachelor’s degree in journalism – all from
Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
AMY ANDRIEUX
@missaimstar
Global Editor & Communications Project Manager,
Red Bull Studios
Amy J. Andrieux is a respected
media executive at the forefront
of the media landscape with over
10 years of experience creating
dynamic, integrated programming
and promotional campaigns for
print, web, mobile and video, and
delivering them to targeted
audiences around the world. Having long conquered
editorial strategy and the business of media, Amy has
retained top posts such as Publisher/Managing Editor
at TRACE magazine (US, UK, France), Senior Producer
at MTV, General Manager/Executive Editor at The
Source magazine, Editorial Director at MTV World, and
most recently, Vice President of Multimedia Content
and Strategy at Ketchum Digital. As a lifestyle
journalist, Amy has conducted several interviews with
notables across the worlds of music, fashion, film and
the arts, including Rem Koolhaas, Kobe Bryant, Patricia
Field, Pharrell Williams, Queen Latifah, Spike Lee,
Bethann Hardison, Shepard Fairey, Outkast, Edwidge
Danticat, Wangechi Mutu, Larry Clark, Os Gemeos,
Jamel Shabazz, among many others. Her essays have
been featured in Transculturalism: How the World is
Coming Together (Powerhouse Books, 2003) and Ten
Years of Trace (Booth Clibborn, 2006). Amy has also
been featured as a Freestyle Friday judge on BET’s 106
and Park; as a model in Marc Baptiste’s celebrated
books, Intimate and Beautiful 2; and has made a
number of appearances on Centric’s Keeping Up with
the Joneses among other top rated programs. She has
been a frequent contributor to Trace TV and called
upon by CNN, CW Network, Geraldo at Large, MTV’s
Sucker Free Summit, Channel 4 UK, TRACE TV and
Hot 97’s Street Soldiers for her perspective on topical
stories. Amy’s clients have included MasterCard,
Gillette, Fedex, Nissan, Catherine Malandrino, DD172,
Leblon, Navan, Absolut, Moet & Chandon, with
additional work on special branded programs
with Chevy, L’Oréal, Intel, Levi’s, Adidas, NPR, and
many others.
Amy is also the Founder/Editorial Director of the
Webby-nominated cultural destination, TheStarklife.
com (set to relaunch in Fall 2015), and contributes
to Huffington Post with her monthly column about
being 30-something, Saturn’s Return. Currently
she can be found traveling as the Global Editor and
Communications Project Manager for Red Bull Studios,
or at home in Brooklyn spending most of her time with
her cat Cleo (aka Claw Money).
CRISTINA GIBSON
@CristinaGibson
Chief of Staff & Director of Brand, Fly BLADE
Cristina Gibson got her start at E!,
where she wrote the Hollywood Party
Girl column and contributed to E!
News. Since then, she was an editor
at Life & Style Weekly and went on to
write and report for InStyle, Travel +
Leisure, Fox News, Yahoo! Travel,
SheKnows, AOL and many more. She
most recently became Chief of Staff and Director of
Brand at BLADE, the first digitally powered short
distance aviation company in NYC.
Cristina graduated from Loyola Marymount University
sum cumma laude and currently resides in Manhattan.
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
13
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 2 — Lifestyle & Entertainment continued
LAURA LANE
Correspondent and Writer,
PEOPLE and PEOPLE.com
@LauraLane__
Laura Lane is a People magazine
writer and hosts the Scoop web
series on People.com. Laura co­
authored the book This Is Why You’re
Single, which will be released
December 8, 2015 with Adams Media.
The book is based on her comedy
sketch show “This Is Why You’re
Single,” which opened with sold­out shows at The
People’s Improv Theater and Under Saint Marks
Theater and was written about in the Wall Street
Journal, New York Magazine and the New York Daily
News. She also hosts the “This Is Why You’re Single”
podcast, which hit iTunes top 10 comedy podcast
rankings the first week of its debut.
Laura has written for ESPN, Esquire, Vanity Fair,
People and Men’s Fitness, and held editor positions at
OK! Weekly, In Touch Weekly and Life & Style Weekly,
where she interviewed everyone from Kim Kardashian
to Elton John and covered events ranging from Barack
Obama’s inaugurations to New York Fashion Week.
Laura authored Esquire’s Oral History Of Baywatch,
spent two days on the set of the Entourage movie
party yacht and wrote and photographed for Vanity
Fair’s World Cup blog.
GIA PEPPERS
Associate Editor, ESSENCEFest.com
@GiaPeppers
For the past year, Gia Peppers has
interviewed celebrities, artists, and
fans alike to add to the daily and
ever­changing narrative of today’s
pop culture. The 24­year-old
Washington DC native started
freelancing for websites like Enstars,
VibeVixen, theGrio, Juicy Mag (print),
and more while she worked a day job in the field of
advertising. During that time she interviewed everyone
from Sevyn Streeter, Mack Wilds, Kandi Burruss to
Chrisette Michele.
Now, as a Senior Reporter/Video Content Director
at Enstars.com, she interviews, books, edits,
produces, acts as talent for various entertainment
news segments, red carpet coverage, and exclusive
interviews. As the young, start­up site expands,
Peppers plays an instrumental role in the development
of the original content for Enstars and its sister­
site, Sportsworldnews.com, as she directs and edits
segments like “Baseball Buzz” and “Sports Mundo.”
1:00 pm: Lunch Address and Intro to Keynote by
Linda Descano, New York Women in Communications
Foundation President
14
1:05 pm: Lunch Keynote — Paula RIzzo, Emmy-award
winning video producer, Senior Health Producer at
Fox News Channel & Author, Listful Thinking
2:15-3:15 PM: BREAKOUT SESSION 3:
Shift 3 — Entrepreneurship 101
MODERATOR: LIZ KRESSEL
@lizkressel
Entrepreneur/Digital Strategist, Lizard Media
Liz Kressel delivers agile, multiplatform solutions that get results.
Liz has been delivering digital
expertise to major corporations on
content and commerce, as well as
recommending operational
improvements. Today, as founder of
Lizard Media, Liz optimizes
messaging, increases digital monetization, streamlines
operations, develops global expansion strategies, and
strengthens the foundations of top tier organizations.
Clients of her results-driven digital media consulting
practice include Fortune 100 brands in media, tech
and consumer products: A+E Television Networks,
Green Mountain Coffee/Keurig, Showtime Networks,
MTV Networks, TIAA-CREF, Moneygram International,
among others. Building a digital lifestyle brand from
scratch called Collectors Quest, Liz secured a milliondollar partnership with A+E Television Networks
delivering custom content and selling out inventory for
live TV sales orchestrated through second-screen
interaction. Liz holds an MBA in Finance from New
York University and a BA in Economics from Brandeis
University. She has also served on several non-profit
Boards; running sold-out leadership events as a
long-time board member for Women in Cable
Telecommunications (WICT) and now heading the
New York Women in Communications (NYWICI)
Programming Committee, focusing on leadership and
technology events.
EMILY BLUMENTHAL
@HandbagDesigner
Founder, Handbag Designer 101, the Independent
Handbag Designer Awards & the HBDNetwork
Emily Blumenthal, the Independent
Handbag Designer Awards going into
its tenth year, and author of Handbag
Designer 101: Everything You Need to
Know About Designing, Making, and
Marketing Handbags, is a trend/
source expert and understands the
insatiable appetite for emerging and
undiscovered designers. She found a gap in the
oversaturated handbag market for independent
handbag designs, and discovered “it” bag designers
such as Katherine Kwei, Aimee Kestenberg, and Maria
Lamanna. Her book has sold more than 25,000 copies
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
continued
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 3 — Entrepreneurship 101 continued
worldwide. Emily is a professor at the Fashion Institute
of Technology, teaching entrepreneurship, and is the
first female hire for its Business Department. Emily
launched her own handbag line, Yasmena and the
Yazzy Bag, while pursuing her MBA in international
marketing management at Fordham University and
after working ten years in media for CNN International
and Cartoon Network Moscow. Currently, she is
launching a program with the shopping channel,
EVINE Live, taking a collective unknown designers,
reimagining their best handbags and bring them to
88 million homes for an affordable price point. Her
dedication has prompted collaborations between
emerging talent and brands like Swarovski, Trina Turk,
Mary Kay Cosmetics, Timberland, Kate Spade, Carlos
Falchi, Kenneth Cole, the Jones Group, Guess? and
vitaminwater, as well as Henri Bendel, Saks Fifth
Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s. Emily is known as the
“Handbag Fairy Godmother” who brings unknown
brands to the forefront while being featured multiple
times in InStyle magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, the
Associated Press, CBS’s The Early Show, Today, Fox
Business News, the EFE (the fourth-largest Spanish
news agency), The New York Times, Forbes.com, and
many others.
LORI CHEEK
Founder/CEO, Cheekd
@loricheeknyc
Lori Cheek — Architect turned
Entrepreneur, Founder and CEO of
Cheekd — a mobile dating app that
makes missed connections obsolete.
Lori, a Shark Tank Veteran, was
recently listed as “The Digital Dating
Disruptor” and “One of the Top 10
CEOs to Watch.” A University of
Kentucky Architectural Graduate, Lori is no longer
building structures. She’s now building relationships.
JANNA MEYROWITZ
Co-Founder, Style House PR
@ StyleHousePR
Janna Meyrowitz Turner is the
founder of Style House PR, a
boutique lifestyle public relations
firm specializing in fashion, beauty
and other consumer products.
Throughout her 10+ years in the
industry, Janna has fostered
relationships with some of the most
influential people in lifestyle media. She has also
developed a unique and inspired communication style
that lends itself to publicity writing and is fueled by
her vast knowledge of the consumer lifestyle industry.
Janna currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband,
Ethan, and their son, Harley.
TIFFANY PHAM
Founder & CEO, MOGUL
@tifftpham
Tiffany Pham is the Founder & CEO
of MOGUL, an award-winning
worldwide platform connecting
women to trending content, including
stories, products, and jobs that are
personalized to their interests.
MOGUL was named one of the Top
NYC Startups to Watch in 2015 by
Entrepreneur Magazine, named one of the Best
Websites for Finding Top Talent by Inc. Magazine, one
of the Top Websites for Marketing Your Company
Online by Forbes, and has been honored and
recognized by Bustle and Harvard Business School.
Tiffany was named one of Forbes “30 Under 30” in
Media, Business Insider “30 Most Important Women
Under 30” in Technology, ELLE Magazine “30 Women
Under 30 Who Are Changing the World,” and also the
Recipient of the Cadillac “IVY Innovator” Award.
Previously Director of Business Development at CBS,
Tiffany handled strategic initiatives and partnerships
for more than 150 digital properties for CBS TV
stations and radio stations across 29 US markets. she
received the 2013 CBS Digital Media “All-Star” Award.
Tiffany additionally served as Head of Marketing for
the Beijing International Screenwriting Competition,
the Board of Directors for No Limits Media, Board of
Trustees for Provincetown Film Society, the Interactive
& Technology Committee for WNET New York Public
Media, and the Business Committee for the New
York City Ballet for the past 6 years. Tiffany is also an
Advisor to YCombinator startup BuzzStarter.
Tiffany is the co-author of the book From Business
Strategy to Information Technology Roadmap: A
Practical Guide for Executives and Board Members
(published by CRC Press). She is a graduate of Yale
University and Harvard Business School.
JILLIAN RESSLER
Co-Founder, spruceandco.com
@spruceandco
Jillian Ressler was born in Los
Angeles and graduated from Brown
University in 2010. After graduating,
Jillian joined Teach for America and
taught lower elementary school in
Los Angeles. She continued on to
Harvard Business School where she
founded her business Spruce & Co
with a classmate. Jillian graduated from HBS in 2015.
She now resides in New York City and is building her
consumer goods startup, trying to Spruce up every
device in Manhattan.
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
15
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 3 — Secrets To A Successful Job Search
MODERATOR: JUDITH HARRISON@villageny
Sr. V.P., Staffing and Diversity & Inclusion,
Weber Shandwick
Judith Harrison is Senior Vice
President, Staffing and Diversity &
Inclusion at Weber Shandwick. She
drives programs designed to build a
multicultural workforce that values
different backgrounds and leverages
varying perspectives to bring the
best strategic thinking and creativity
to clients. Judith develops strategic plans, drives the
sharing of best practices across the US and globally,
partners with diversity & inclusion leadership
development and professional organizations to
increase awareness of Weber Shandwick’s commitment
to diversity, and leads innovative talent outreach
initiatives to build a strong pipeline of potential staff.
Prior to joining Weber Shandwick in 2006, Judith
served as senior vice president of human resources at
Ruder Finn, leading the agency’s global recruiting and
retention initiatives. She began her career in recruiting
as vice president of the Fry Group, which provides
executive search services to public relations firms and
client-side constituencies. Her background also
includes public relations and marketing
communications positions at Burson-Marsteller, Arthur
Young (now Ernst & Young), CBS and Media General.
Judith has provided communications counseling for
organizations including Random House, the Italian
Trade Commission and the International Art of Jazz.
Judith served the public relations firms industry’s
trade group, the Council of Public Relations Firms,
as chairwoman of its HR Roundtable for three
years. She has been a guest lecturer in career
management in public relations at NYU School of
Continuing Education and has been a panelist at
career seminars sponsored by the Public Relations
Society of America, the International Association
of Business Communicators, New York Women in
Communications, the National and New York chapter
of the Black Public Relations Society and the National
Association of Market Developers. She has been
listed in Who’s Who of American Women, Who’s
Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. She
was awarded the 2011 STAR Award from New York
Women’s Agenda and was named as one of Savoy’s
Top Influential Women in Corporate America in 2012
and 2014. Judith serves on the board of ColorComm,
is vice president of the PRSA Foundation, and is
on the advisory board of the Ron Brown Scholar
Program, which provides scholarships and leadership
opportunities for young African Americans of
outstanding promise.
16
LORI DERNAVICH
@LoriDernavich
Growth Stage Leadership Advisor, LoriDernavich
Lori Dernavich is a Growth Stage
Leadership Advisor to CEOs and
startups, because the skills needed
to start a company are very different
from the leadership skills needed to
scale it. Prior to founding her
business in 2002, Lori served as a
senior recruiter for Winter Wyman
in Boston’s thriving high tech industry, traveled
extensively as a corporate leadership coach for
the UNICCO Services Company, and was a
psychotherapist. With a degree in Food Chemistry
and a Masters in Counseling Psychology, Lori’s
background gives her an in-depth understanding
of a wide variety of personalities, functions and
industries. She has been featured in Investors’
Business Daily, U.S.News & World Report, Crain’s NY,
CFO Magazine and ForbesWoman, and has appeared
as a leadership expert on FOX News. Lori is sought
after for speaking engagements and workshops on
succeeding as a startup CEO, hiring great people and
engaging your workforce.
MICHELLE CORBETT @Mich_Dish
Manager, Talent Development, L’Oréal USA
Michelle Corbett currently has
responsibility over junior level talent
development and strategic initiatives
for L’Oréal USA’s global marketing
and brand innovation teams. In her
nearly four years at L’Oréal she has
also worked in a recruitment capacity
for marketing and digital teams. She
began her career at a communications consulting firm
and understands the importance of “telling your story.”
She has a passion for mentoring and for de-mystifying
the job search process and is thrilled to work with
NYWICI in this capacity. Throughout her life she has
found ways to feed this passion both in and outside of
work whether creating and leading an internship
program, volunteering as an alumni advisor and
admissions interviewer, or being the go to person for
resume critique and insights. Michelle even mentors
aspiring home cooks through the step-by-step recipes
and photos of her blog, MichDish.
MELISSA GENTILE @bklyngal81
Sr. Talent Acquisition Specialist at Maxus Global
Melissa Gentile is a Sr. Talent
Acquisition Specialist at Maxus
Global, a GroupM company, where
she handles all of the recruiting
across the media agency. Melissa
received her BA in Political Science
and Criminal Justice from American
University, Washington, DC, and her
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 3 — Secrets To A Successful Job Search
continued
MA in Human Resource Management from
Marymount University Arlington, VA. For the past
10 years, Melissa has served as an HR professional
across various industries to include Government
contractors, medical facilities and most recently
the advertising world. An avid New York sports fan,
Melissa resides in Brooklyn, N.Y.
AGNES PENA ROSEN
Vice President People and Culture, Chartbeat
Agnes Pena Rosen has spent the last
few years working with entrepreneurs
including Court TV, Vault.com, The
Blaze Inc. and now Chartbeat.com
where optimism, partnership, and
collaboration are key to successful
business outcomes. Creating and
curating workplace practices that
acknowledge the unique needs of the company, drive
business objectives, and thus compliment and
strengthen the qualities that make entrepreneurial
environments so rich with creativity and drive is vital.
Shift 3 — Building Your Personal Brand
MODERATOR: BRITTANY HENNESSY @2Legit2Britt Associate Director, Social Strategy & Influence,
Horizon Media Inc.
Brittany Hennessy is a
communications professional with
a strong background in journalism,
social media, branding, event
production, talent management
and hospitality.
She currently serves as the
Associate Director of Social Strategy
& Influence at Horizon Media, where she has led
successful influencer campaigns for Travel Channel,
SPIKE, David’s Bridal, StarKist, STX Films and more.
A strong believer in female empowerment, Brittany
is currently the Vice-President of Student Affairs for
New York Women In Communications, Inc. and has
served as the Brand Director for Lucille Roberts Gyms
and the Social Media Manager for Advertising Women
of New York.
Brittany has spoken at the 2013 and 2014 Columbia
Scholastic Press Association Fall Journalism
Conferences, served as a panelist during the
2013 New York Women In Communications, Inc.
Student Communications Career Conference and
co-produced the 2014 and 2015 New York Women In
Communications, Inc. Student Communications Career
Conference. She has also co-produced the 2014 and
2015 NYWICI Ladies Who Laugh charity fundraiser
and taught three digital salons for NYWICI: Optimizing
Your Facebook Fan Page, WordPress for Business 101
and WordPress for Business 20.
She is happily married to Alexander H. Hennessy, J.D.
and they live in Westchester, NY with their newborn
son.
DINA DELEASA-GONSAR
Founder, DishItGirl.com
@DishItGirl
Dina Deleasa-Gonsar, food blogger
also known as “Dish It Girl,” has been
seen alongside her family on E!
Network’s “Married to Jonas.”
In the food world, Dina’s formal
training came first and foremost
from her mom and grandmother.
Along the way she has picked up
techniques from various cooking programs from the
Institute of Culinary Education and the Ninety Acres
Culinary Center. Through her heavily followed blog,
Dina hopes to share her original recipe and restaurant
adventures. She’s been known to slip on some fancy
high heels and enjoy fine dining followed by a frantic
chasing of a near by food truck with a classic beignet.
Wherever she ends up on her food journey, she wants
you to follow along for the entertainment. For all of
Dina Deleasa­Gonsar’s recipes and adventures visit
www.dishitgirl.com.
KAYLEIGH HARRINGTON
Talent Coordinator, Socialyte
@Kayleigh_H
Kayleigh Harrington is a part of the
talent management team at Socialyte
(Socialyte.co) where she connects
influencers with companies to create
branded digital content that inspires
engagement. Previously, she
developed the influencer marketing
program, digital and social strategy
for luxury hospitality group LDV Hospitality and their
international restaurant portfolio: Scarpetta, American
Cut, Queen of The Night, Dolce Italian and more.
Previous positions have included strategy consulting
at Redscout, product development at Jaguar Land
Rover, and working with Rachel Zoe’s clothing line.
Kayleigh graduated from the University of Virginia’s
McIntire School of Commerce and she is currently
launching a website called Cohabitationers.com,
exploring the ups and downs of living with others.
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
17
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 3 — Building Your Personal Brand
continued
BIANCA JADE
Founder, Mizzfit.com
@Mizzfit_Bianca
Bianca Jade — best known as
MizzFIT — is a Latin-American born
Cornell University graduate living in
New York City who is a leading figure
in the movement to promote female
empowerment. “Fashion feels better
on a body you love and treat right,”
she says to encourage women to get
moving. As the country’s foremost fitness style and
trend expert, Bianca has made a name for herself
intertwining the worlds of fitness and fashion, and is
considered a dependable authority on women’s
wellness in the media. She founded Mizzfit.com in
2009, a destination for women to get motivated to
work out through fashion trends. The site’s popularity
quickly turned Bianca into a sought out on-air
personality to lend her expertise on both regional and
national television news programs including NBC’s The
Today Show, CBS’ Live From the Couch, Daily Dose
with Jillian Michaels, and Pix11 Morning News, on which
she frequently contributes fitness segments. Bianca
had so much fun working on camera that she has since
become a TV host and Lifestyle Correspondent for
entertainment networks and morning shows.
JACQUELINE M. PEROS
CPBS, Founder, JMP Branding
@jmpbranding
Jacqueline Peros is one of the few
personal branding experts who
specializes in communications for
women in technology. Her services
are designed to encompass all
aspects of professional brand
management. She worked across a
range of corporations and young
startups, honing messages and procedures for
businesses to succeed in today’s rapidly changing
markets. As a certified Reach Personal Branding
Strategist, Social Branding Analyst, Keynote Speaker
and Fashion Institute Instructor, she provides clients
and audiences alike, a competitive edge through
training and consulting in communications and the
importance of what she calls “your digital dress code.”
Jacqueline’s ultimate goal is to bring personal
branding to the masses and in particular, undeserved
women who have a desire to explore opportunities
in the technology industry. Through volunteer work,
she provides nonprofit organizations such as Grace
Institute (Special Advisory Board Member) interactive
workshops on how to prepare and leverage the right
career opportunities.
18
Shift 4 — Spotlight on
NYWICI Scholarship Winners
MODERATOR: MEGAN HESS
Associate Editor, Mashable
@mhess4
Megan Hess is an associate editor
at Mashable, where she edits and
develops stories across each of the
site’s verticals and publishes content
to the site’s front pages and various
Twitter accounts. Previously, she was
the digital editor at Scholastic Parent
& Child magazine. Megan also
founded and runs an award-winning career blog,
NoJoeSchmo.com, and serves on the boards of New
York Women in Communication and the New York City
chapter of the Online News Association. She also
dabbles in Mandarin Chinese.
LAUREN HARD
News Assistant, The New York Times
@laurenhard Lauren is a News Assistant at The
New York Times. Earlier this year, she
received her Master of Science from
The Columbia Graduate School of
Journalism. During her graduate
studies, she interned at The Today
Show and MSNBC. Lauren previously
worked for Time Warner Cable News
NY1 as a news assistant, where she ran around the five
boroughs working to report stories. Previously, Lauren
worked as a web producer at PIX 11 News and News 12
New Jersey. Lauren has always been incredibly
curious, and in the days before Google, her mom took
her to a library reference section to find out what the
indent below your nose is called (it is a philtrum in
case you were wondering). She earned her
undergraduate broadcast journalism degree from
Temple University in Philadelphia.
ELISA TANG
Production Associate, TODAY show
@_ElisaTang Elisa Tang is a proud member of New
York Women in Communications, and
a 2014 Scholarship Recipient. She
currently works as a Production
Associate at NBC’s Today Show,
where she started working after she
graduated from Hofstra University in
May 2015. She has a passion for
storytelling, and her dream job is to produce content
for a digital news source. Some of her favorite
experiences in her career so far have been attending
the NYWICI Matrix Awards, receiving a Gracie Award,
and meeting fellow young professionals in the
industry.
Tweet during today’s program @nywici #nywiciSCC15
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHIES
Shift 4 — Spotlight on
NYWICI Scholarship Winners continued
BRIDGET JACKSON
Staff Associate, Kellen
was recently featured in Variety’s ‘110 Students to
Watch in Entertainment’ and continues to strive in the
world of entertainment.
@bridge_jackson Bridget currently works at Kellen
Company as a staff associate for the
College Media Association (CMA)
and the American Society of
Journalist and Authors (ASJA).
In her role she is responsible for
internal membership communication
and assists in planning three large
national conventions a year, along with various
workshops and regular meetings.
Bridget is a recent graduate of the State University of
New York (SUNY) at Oswego with a bachelors degree
in public relations. She was a member of the College
Honors program and graduated magna cum laude.
During her college years, Bridget held six internships
across various industries including social media
management, recruitment, higher education career
services and public relations. As a campus tour guide
and intern in the SUNY Oswego admissions office,
Bridget developed a passion and understanding for
higher education. Bridget served as Vice President and
President of Oswego Public Relations Student Society
of America (PRSSA), increasing overall membership
by 200 percent since 2011. During her college breaks,
Bridget served as a Service Team Leader at Wegmans
Food Markets in Buffalo New York, entrusting her with
management and operations of the entire store during
early morning and evening hours.
ALEXANDRA OSTEN
Account Manager, Nielsen
@amosten93
Alexandra Osten is an Account
Manager at Nielsen on the Local
TV side of the business. Alexandra
recently graduated from Pace
University where she earned a BBA
in Arts & Entertainment Management
and Global Marketing. While there,
she completed more than twelve
internships at organizations such as NBC Universal
(New Group Corporate Communication, PR, Today
Show), Universal Pictures (Marketing and Publicity),
CNN (Communications, Social Media Management),
HAVAS Worldwide (Brand Development), CBS
(Production), and several more. Academically,
Alexandra graduated magna cum laude and was
chosen to be the 2015 commencement speaker at
Madison Square Garden. Alexandra was the 2014
New York Women in Communications Scholarship
Recipient for the Ruth Whitney Award from
GLAMOUR, and since then has continued to
do big things in the entertainment industry. Alexandra
MARISCH PERERA
News Associate, FOX 5
@MarischPerera Marisch Perera is a News Associate at
FOX 5 News. She recently graduated
from Pace University with a Bachelor
of Arts in Communication Studies.
As a first generation South Asian
American college student, education
has played a vital role in her career.
While an undergraduate student, she
successfully completed various internships at major
television networks including CBS, CNN, NBC and NY1
News. Additionally, she served as an On-Camera
Reporter for MTA’s Transit News.
Since 2012, Marisch has been involved with the New
York Women in Communications as a 2X scholarship
winner. She served on the Student Affairs committee
and volunteered at the annual Student Career
Conference. Marisch also served as a Scholarship
Ambassador and Co-Director of Events for the
High School Outreach committee. Additionally, she
has contributed stories to the online student blog,
nywiciNEXT.
Upcoming Events
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS HAPPY HOUR
Schmooze, nibble and listen up!
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 at 6:00 pm
COFFEE & CONVERSATIONS
Come join NYWICI for a morning of networking
at our next Coffee & Conversations event.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 8:00 am
Monday, April 25th, 2016
at the Waldorf Astoria
Student Communications Career Conference | November 7, 2015 | nywici.org
19
IN-KIND SUPPORT
We thank the following companies for their generous support of the
2015 Student Communications Career Conference event:
OUR HOST
GOODIE BAG ITEMS
HBO | MOGUL | Mashable | Seventeen | Condé Nast | NY1
RAFFLE ITEMS
Avon | Arbonne | Tashi Rose Boutique | The Dean’s List
Meet the Class of 2015 NYWICI SCHOLARS
“It’s a joy to be able to say that the New York Women in Communications Foundation supported my education.
The women involved were so supportive and welcoming. It truly felt like they opened their arms to all of us
who won scholarship awards.” —Kristen Carter, 2004 Scholarship Winner
Elena DeLuccia, Ithaca College | Amanda Morris, New York University, Carlozzi Family Scholarship | Naomi Ducat, Queens College, CUNY, Judy Corman
Memorial Scholarship from Scholastic | Leticia Moya, Southern Vermont College, Esperanza Scholarship | Salihah Evans, JR Masterman High School, Roz
Relin Scholarship | Cindy Nguyen, Pace University, Ruth Whitney Scholarship from Glamour Magazine | Erika Evleth, Syracuse University | Meg Omecene,
Ohio University | Nicole Gartner, Quinnipiac University, Ann Liguori Scholarship | Kia Robinson, Hampton University, Meredith Corporation Scholarship |
Aziza Kibibi McGill Ayinde, Essex County Community College | Taylor Sassman, Rutgers University, Hearst Scholarship | Kendal Nicole Lambert, Stockton
University, New York Women in Communications Alumna Award of Excellence Scholarship | Casey Silvestri, SUNY New Paltz | Ariel Litovsky, Syracuse
University | Leigh Anne Tiffany, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism | Julia Livesey, The College of New Jersey | Joanna Ventour, City
College of New York, Interpublic Group Scholarship
To become a member or to view our events calendar, visit: nywici.org
Join us on these social networks:
New York Women in Communications Foundation, the philanthropic arm of New York Women in Communications, Inc., cultivates leaders in our field
by providing financial support, opportunities for professional development and mentoring, and exposure to a diverse community of communications
professionals. We are the largest foundation for women’s communications scholarships in the New York–New Jersey–Connecticut–Pennsylvania region.
355 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017 | 212.297.2133