Wednesday, April 30, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Whether you want to start your own podcast or are already an experienced podcaster, this session will help you get started, craft compelling content, plan strategic marketing, and grow your audience.

 

Learn how to develop engaging episodes using Adobe Podcast, design eye-catching cover art, and implement proven strategies to expand your reach.

This session is ideal for people who want to learn how a podcast can help boost their marketing reach as well as for podcasters who want to take their projects to the next level.

What You’ll Learn:

• Craft Engaging Content – Structure episodes that captivate listeners and build a loyal audience.
• Enhance Audio Quality – Use AI-powered tools to improve sound clarity and production value.
• Design Standout Cover Art – Create professional visuals that make your podcast stand out.
• Boost Your Podcast’s Reach – Leverage social media, SEO, and strategic partnerships.
• Monetize & Scale – Explore revenue streams and sustainable growth strategies.

Join us for expert guidance and a live Q&A to get your podcast noticed and thriving! Plus, apply what you learn at this event right away with a 30-day free trial to Adobe Podcast. 

Speakers:

Arielle Nissenblatt loves listening to and helping people make podcasts. She writes a podcast recommendation newsletter, EarBuds Podcast Collective, hosts a few podcasts about the podcast industry, and is on the board of governors at The Podcast Academy. She is a community ambassador for Adobe Podcast and has a goal of connecting creators with tools that help them get the job done. 

Harmony Jiroudek leads customer education and community for Adobe Podcast, bringing extensive experience in audio and video products, e-learning, and creative technology. With a strong background in developing educational programs and resources, she specializes in empowering creators to maximize their potential through innovative tools and solutions. Her work focuses on building connections and fostering engagement within the creative community while ensuring customers have the knowledge and support they need to succeed.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Monday, May 12, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free (Zoom)

Join WMG Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jane Wesman for a virtual New Member Social, a fun and informal way for members to connect and get to know each other. You’ll have a chance to tell us about yourself and why you joined WMG. And you'll learn about upcoming programs and benefits. Meet the other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors, who make WMG such an extraordinary organization.

This social is open to WMG members who have joined within the past year—and to other members who want to learn more about what WMG has to offer.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

/event-6166530

Thursday, May 15, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Tsion Cafe in Harlem, 763 St Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10031

$45 for WMG members; $55 for non-members

Join us for a memorable evening of networking, culture, and cuisine at Tsion Cafe, the popular Harlem restaurant of chef and author Beejhy Barhany. In celebration of her new cookbook, Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond, Beejhy invites WMG members and friends to experience the flavors and traditions of Ethiopian and Israeli cuisine. She will be joined by literary agent Sally Ekus, Knopf senior editor Tom Pold, and writer and cookbook collaborator Elisa Ung for a discussion about bringing this unique cookbook to life.

Guests will enjoy:

• A plant-based buffet dinner featuring dishes inspired by Gursha

• A signature cocktail crafted from a recipe in the book

• A panel discussion on the making of Gursha with Beejhy Barhany, Sally Ekus, Tom Pold, and moderator Elisa Ung

• A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony led by Beejhy Barhany

• Dessert, book sales, and a signing with the author

This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow food lovers, gain insight into cookbook publishing, and learn about the culture and traditions of the Ethiopian Jewish community. All are welcome!

Speakers:

Beejhy Barhany is the founding owner and executive chef of Tsion Cafe, an Ethiopian and Israeli restaurant in Harlem’s historic Sugar Hill neighborhood. She is the author of Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond, ​​a cookbook featuring more than one hundred accessible and healthy recipes, stories, and traditions from the intersection of the African and Jewish diasporas. Beejhy was born in Ethiopia, raised mostly in Israel, and moved to New York in 2001. In 2003, she founded BINA Cultural Foundation, a cultural organization dedicated to the empowerment of the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) community within the United States. She is a frequent cooking teacher and speaker at Jewish cultural events in the New York area. She lives with her husband and two children in Harlem. 

Sally Ekus is a Senior Literary Agent at JVNLA where she spearheads The Ekus Group, a boutique culinary division specializing in cookbook and lifestyle titles. She represents a wide range of culinary, health, wellness, and lifestyle talent, from first-time cookbook authors to chefs, restaurant owners, professional food writers, bloggers, online creators, and journalists. On the non-culinary side, Sally represents books about caregiving and parenting, and is expanding into select other non-fiction genres. From concept to contract, she has brokered over 300 book deals with top publishers. Sally hosts an online community called How to be a Cookbook Author and writes the Not So Secret Agent newsletter. She is a mom, taco lover, and improvisor.

Tom Pold is a senior editor at Alfred A. Knopf, where he acquires and edits cookbook and food narratives for Knopf Cooks, as well as handles backlist titles for Knopf Cooks Classics, like Julia Child, Marcella Hazan, Edna Lewis and Madhur Jaffrey.  

Moderator: 

Elisa Ung, an award-winning writer and former restaurant critic, was honored to partner with Beejhy Barhany on the writing of Gursha. She has more than 20 years of professional storytelling experience and a passion for telling stories of immigration, food, dining, and mental health. She is the co-author of Mango and Peppercorns (Chronicle Books, 2021), a memoir by Tung Nguyen, Katherine Manning, and Lyn Nguyen (a Vietnamese refugee, her American hostess, and the daughter they raised together), which won the 2022 IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) award for Literary or Historical Food Writing. Her recent collaborations also include the New York Times bestseller The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook by Monique Volz and the Audible Original Be Well: A Guide to Better Mental Health for All by psychiatrist Dr. Jessica Clemons. She is a former food critic and dining columnist for the Bergen Record and Northjersey.com and a former state government reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 48 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 48 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.

• Within 48 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, May 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET

Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Cerf-Lane Room

$15 for WMG members, $20 for non-members

5:30 - 6:30: Wine, cheese & networking
6:30 - 7:30: Program

In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, WMG invites you to join us for an exceptional panel featuring distinguished AANHPI literary voices. This event celebrates the rich cultural tapestry and diverse perspectives that AANHPI authors bring to their work.

Experience an evening of meaningful conversation as our accomplished panelists share their creative journeys, cultural influences, and the inspirations behind their award-winning books. This special event offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of identity, belonging, and artistic expression through the lens of these remarkable storytellers. Their creativity will inspire you to claim your voice and harness your narrative power to tell your own story. 

This celebration of AANHPI literary excellence includes time for community connection and networking. Refreshments will be served. WMG members and non-members are welcome.

Moderator to be announced shortly

Panelists:

Katie Kitamura’s most recent novel is Audition. She is also the author of Intimacies, one of The New York Times’ 10 Best Books of 2021 and one of Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2021. It was longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and was a finalist for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize. In France, it won the Prix Litteraire Lucien Barriere, was a finalist for the Grand Prix de l’Heroine, and was longlisted for the Prix Fragonard. Her third novel, A Separation, was a finalist for the Premio von Rezzori and a New York Times Notable Book. Her two previous novels, Gone To The Forest and The Longshot, were both finalists for the New York Public Library’s Young Lions Fiction Award. Her work has been translated into 22 languages and is being adapted for film and television. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, a Cullman Center Fellowship, as well as fellowships from the Lannan, Santa Maddalena, and Jan Michalski foundations. Katie has written for publications including The New York Times Book Review, The Guardian, Granta, BOMB, Triple Canopy, and Frieze. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.

Photo credit: Clayton Cubitt

Megha Majumdar is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel A Burning, which was nominated for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize, and the American Library Association's Andrew Carnegie Medal. It was named one of the best books of the year by media including The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, The Atlantic, Vogue, and TIME Magazine. Her work has been supported by the Whiting, Civitella Ranieri, and Hawthornden foundations. Born and raised in Kolkata, India, she now lives in New York. Her new novel, A Guardian and a Thief, will be published by Knopf in 2026.

Photo credit: Marco Giugliarelli for the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, 2024

Hyeseung Song is a first-generation Korean American painter and the author of Docile: Memoirs of a Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl. Docile has been called a "savagely beautiful memoir" by David Henry Hwang, a "revelation" by Chloé Cooper Jones and was named a "Best Book" by Apple and “Most Anticipated” by Electric Literature, BookRiot and more. Raised in Texas, Song studied philosophy at Princeton and Harvard Universities, and painting at the Grand Central Atelier in New York City. A two-time Greenshields award winner, TedX speaker, and resident artist of the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico, the Vermont Studio Center and the Alfred and Trafford Klots International Program, Song has also taught at the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is at work on her first novel. Song lives in Brooklyn and upstate New York. 

Photo credit: Jack Sorokin

Qian Julie Wang is the New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Country: A Memoir of An Undocumented Childhood, which was named a best book of 2021 by the New York Times, President Obama, NPR, Newsweek, and more. A graduate of Yale Law School and Swarthmore College, Qian Julie is also managing partner of Gottlieb & Wang LLP, a firm dedicated to advancing educational civil rights for marginalized populations. She lives in Brooklyn with her family.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

This is a ⚡️WMG Power Hour️⚡️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 48 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 48 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.

• Within 48 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

PAST EVENTS

Tuesday, April 22, 12:00-1:15 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

This discussion explores how digital newsletters on platforms like Substack and others have transformed the media landscape, creating new opportunities for independent journalists and content creators. Our panelists will examine the factors driving this shift—from declining trust in traditional media to new subscription models that allow direct creator-audience relationships. We'll discuss the economic viability of newsletter-based journalism, the challenges of building sustainable audiences, and what this trend means for the future of news, commentary, and specialized content. Join us for insights on how these nimble, focused publications are redefining what it means to be a journalist in the digital age.

Moderator: 

Founder of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations, Kathleen Schmidt, is a strategist who applies her in-depth experience in all aspects of the industry, including as a publicist, literary agent, acquisitions editor, and ghostwriter, to every project she takes on. Her career encompasses 30 years of creating and directing impactful and strategic global media, marketing, and branding campaigns for politicians, A-List celebrities, athletes, and high-profile personalities. To date, she has worked on 50 New York Times bestsellers, and her clients have continuously appeared in top-tier national print, broadcast, and radio outlets such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Vogue, ELLE, Financial Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Sirius XM.

Moderator: 

Founder of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations, Kathleen Schmidt, is a strategist who applies her in-depth experience in all aspects of the industry, including as a publicist, literary agent, acquisitions editor, and ghostwriter, to every project she takes on. Her career encompasses 30 years of creating and directing impactful and strategic global media, marketing, and branding campaigns for politicians, A-List celebrities, athletes, and high-profile personalities. To date, she has worked on 50 New York Times bestsellers, and her clients have continuously appeared in top-tier national print, broadcast, and radio outlets such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Vogue, ELLE, Financial Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Sirius XM.

 

Panelists:

Marisa Kabas is a Brooklyn-based independent writer and reporter. After watching the journalism infrastructure crumble over the last decade, she decided that she needed to have a place where she could share her work and thoughts no matter what. Thus, her newsletter and website, The Handbasket, was born. She has deeply covered former Congressman George Santos, the police raid on a small Kansas newspaper, and Elon Musk’s antisemitism.

Jo Piazza is a bestselling author, podcast creator, and award-winning journalist. Jo is the national and international bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance, We Are Not Like Them, You Were Always Mine, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, The Knockoff, and How to Be Married. Her work has been published in ten languages in twelve countries, and four books have been adapted for film and television. Jo's podcasts have garnered over twenty-five million downloads and regularly top podcast charts. Her new book, Everyone is Lying to You, will be published by Dutton in July. Her newsletter, Over the Influence, can be found on Substack.

Leigh Stein makes fun of what the internet is doing to us. She is the author of six books, including the critically acclaimed satirical novel Self Care and a gothic novel titled If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You, forthcoming from Ballantine in 2025. She has written culture pieces and personal essays for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker online, Airmail, Allure, ELLE, BuzzFeed, The Cut, Salon, and Slate. Her newsletter, Attention Economy, can be found on Substack.

Kat Tenbarge is an award-winning independent journalist. She writes Spitfire News, a newsletter covering internet culture, politics, and media. Much of her reporting focuses on gender, violence, and pop culture. Kat has broken major stories containing sexual assault and harassment allegations against influencers and celebrities. She covers AI and the growing impact of nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes, as well as social media smear campaigns against abuse victims. Before founding Spitfire News, Kat worked as a tech and culture reporter at NBC News. Before that, she was a senior digital culture reporter at Business Insider.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Thursday, April 17, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Grae Wellness, 89 5th Avenue (between 16th & 17th Streets), Suite 808, New York

$30 WMG members; $39 for non-members

Join Michelle Garside, author, speaker, and co-founder of Soul Camp Creative, for a transformational evening to celebrate the evolution of your professional identity, honoring where you stand today and the growth that awaits you.

This event provides the opportunity to reflect on your current strengths, embrace your evolving purpose, and connect with a community that understands the power of authenticity. With Michelle’s guidance, you will gain the clarity and resilience needed to step into your next chapter with confidence.

Michelle has worked with thousands of authors, consultants, creatives, founders, and entrepreneurs to redefine their brands and reposition themselves in powerful ways. Typically, her breakthrough brand sessions are valued at $3,500, but attendees will receive an exclusive laser coaching session as part of their attendance fee.

Whether you want to pivot, reposition, or start something entirely new, this evening will give you the tools to move forward with clarity and purpose.

What to Expect:

• Breakthrough Sessions with Michelle Garside – Gain clarity on your career path, uncover your personal brand, and determine your next steps.
• Breathwork with Kathleen Booker – Tap into your inner power through a gentle yet powerful breathwork session, releasing fear and uncertainty while fostering resilience and clarity.
• Networking & Connection – Connect with like-minded professionals navigating similar transitions. Build relationships, share insights, and leave with renewed inspiration.
• Light bites and drinks

What to Bring:

• A notebook and pen to capture insights and breakthroughs.

What to Wear:

• Comfortable attire that allows you to breathe, move, and fully engage in the experience.

Now is the time to reclaim your power, find your direction, and step into the next version of yourself. Join us for an evening of transformation, connection, and possibility.

Speakers:

Kathleen Booker’s breathwork sessions offer a powerful opportunity to heal emotional wounds and release pent-up anger and fear. Her practice, rooted in rhythmic and conscious GENTLE breathing techniques, enables participants to move through stuck emotions and soothe and reset their nervous systems. By focusing on the breath, women will find calm amidst the chaos and tap into their internal wellspring of  inner power. 

Michelle Garside will guide participants in a future-visioning workshop that empowers them to connect with who they want to BE during this pivotal moment in history. Through visualization and guided journaling, women will identify the traits they need to embody to step into their power and begin shaping the future they envision. 

WMG notebooks will be provided to the first 10 people who register and attend. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, click here. 

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 48 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 48 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.

• Within 48 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, April 2, 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE

Please come to the WMG 2024 Annual Business Meeting on April 2 from 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. 

Spend 30 minutes with Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jennifer A. Perry, and members of the board, in an abbreviated virtual meeting to:

• Vote in the new board

• Welcome new members

• Review highlights of the past year

• Talk about opportunities to volunteer

We value your time and participation, and hope to see you there!

Tuesday, March 25, 12:30-2:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at noon)

In person: Barbetta Restaurant, 321 W 46th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues (an iconic women-owned restaurant on Restaurant Row)

$65 for members; $75 for non-members; $25 for active Scholars

Lunch included

Reporting and commentary from a feminist perspective is increasingly urgent on the many issues consuming the spotlight—from the role of government, to women’s health and safety, to the economy, and so much more. WMG is proud to announce a second collaboration with Ms. magazine in our series exploring the important role of women’s voices and stories in journalism.

The inaugural event in this series last fall featured several of the legendary founders and early leaders of Ms. sharing their experiences and wisdom on the eve of the presidential election. Now, we are heeding the advice of those visionaries to “stay diligent, not just vigilant,” and focus on the present – and future – of feminist journalism. A panel of distinguished women journalists will address the crises facing our democracy and a free press and explore how women’s media can steer and influence the national discourse. Ms. and WMG are united in the mission to continue to ensure that women’s voices are represented and prioritized as stories get reported and policy gets made. Join us for this important conversation.

Moderator: 

Jennifer Weiss-Wolf serves as executive director for strategy at Ms. and is a contributor to and editor of 50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution. A passionate writer on and advocate for issues of gender and politics, Jen was dubbed the “architect of the U.S. campaign to squash the tampon tax” by Newsweek. Her 2017 book Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity was lauded by Gloria Steinem as “the beginning of liberation for us all.” In 2025, she authored A Citizen’s Guide To Menopause Advocacy. In addition to Ms., Jen’s writing has been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, TIME, Oprah Daily, and MSNBC.com, among others. She currently leads NYU Law’s Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Center and is a weekly gender contributor at The Contrarian. 

Panelists: 

Carol Jenkins is an author, women’s rights activist, television host, and Emmy-winning television reporter who spent nearly 25 years as an anchor and correspondent for WNBC-TV in New York. In 2006 she became the founding president of the Women's Media Center, a nonprofit organization working to raise the visibility of women and girls in media. Carol is President and CEO of the ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women’s Equality, sister organizations dedicated to the adoption of the Equal Rights Amendment. She hosts Black America, an award-winning show profiling Black leaders across various fields to gauge their experience in a time of turbulence and breakthroughs.

Lindsay Peoples is editor-in-chief of The Cut, the premier women’s media brand, and co-founder of the Black in Fashion Council. Lindsay was editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue from 2018 to 2021, during which time the publication launched Generation Next, a mentorship initiative which invited six diverse designers to showcase their lines at New York Fashion Week. Prior to joining Teen Vogue, Lindsay spent five years as an editor at The Cut and New York Magazine. She won an ASME Next award in 2017 during her first stint at The Cut, honoring outstanding achievement by magazine journalists under the age of 30. Lindsay was the recipient of the 2022 Pratt Fashion Visionary Award, and has been celebrated among Business of Fashion’s BoF 500, Black Enterprise’s 40 Under 40, Forbes’s 30 Under 30, and the Root’s 100 list of most influential African Americans.

Katherine Spillar is the executive editor of Ms., where she oversees editorial content, and Ms. Classroom, an innovative digital textbook resource used in hundreds of college and university programs across the country. She co-founded and serves as the Executive Director of Feminist Majority Foundation, a national organization dedicated to women’s equality, reproductive health, and non-violence. Prior to co-founding the Feminist Majority Foundation, Katherine served four terms as President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Organization for Women. She is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Women & Girls Initiative.

Bess Wohl is a filmmaker and playwright whose plays have been produced on and off Broadway, regionally, and internationally. Her feature film debut, Baby Ruby, starring Noémie Merlant and Kit Harington, premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival and was released by Magnolia Pictures. Bess is an associate artist with The Civilians, an alumna of Ars Nova’s Play Group, and the recipient of new play commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club, Lincoln Center, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. Her newest play, Liberation, is a New York Times Critic’s Pick that explores the goals, successes, and failures of the women's liberation movement. It will be playing at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre until April 6th.

This is one of ⭐️WMG’s 50th Anniversary marquee events. ⭐️ Over the past five decades, our New York-based nonprofit has brought together women in media to collaborate with, learn from, inform, and mentor one another. Our 50th Anniversary marquee events embrace WMG’s core mission of women’s empowerment. 

This event is co-sponsored by Ms. magazine

Ms. magazine has been at the forefront of feminist journalism for half a century—it was the first national magazine to make feminist voices audible, feminist journalism tenable, and a feminist worldview available to the public. Today, Ms. remains the most trusted, popular source for feminist news and information in print and online. Its time-honored traditions—an emphasis on in-depth investigative reporting and feminist political analysis—have never been more relevant, bringing a new generation of writers and readers together to create the feminism of the future.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, click here. 

Cancellation deadline: March 20 at 5:00 p.m. ET. No refunds for cancellations made after this time.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

        

Tuesday, March 4, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Join this session to learn how to create a high impact TEDx Talk. Marketing veteran Bridget Marmion will be in conversation with Terri Trespicio, whose TEDx Talk “Stop Searching for Your Passion” has been viewed over 8 million times. Named by HubSpot as one of the “Top 18 Female Speakers Who Are Killing It”, Terri will share insights and strategies to help you learn:

• What defines a TEDx Talk and how it differs from other speaking opportunities
• Key elements to consider when preparing your talk
• What sparks engagement in the TEDx world
• How to maximize your talk’s impact—on the day you give it and long after

We’ll also do a quick recap of last year’s WMG event on “Booking a TEDx Talk” before opening the floor for Q&A.

Speakers:

Bridget Marmion spent over a decade each at FSG, Random House and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, mostly as SVP of Marketing, Bridget now runs a full-service marketing firm, Bridget Marmion Book Marketing LLC.  She is a member of WMG, and currently serves on the board of WNBA. She is also on the board of BISG, on the BISG Metadata Committee, and on the advisory board of Pace University Masters in Publishing Program. Bridget’s greatest pleasure is connecting readers with books and authors. Learn more at https://bridgetmarmionbookmarketing.com.

Terri Trespicio is an award-winning writer, speaker, and author of Unfollow Your Passion (Atria 2021). Her TEDx talk, “Stop Searching for Your Passion,” has been viewed 8M+ times. A former magazine editor, she’s been featured in Forbes Women, Business Insider, the Today show, and others. Terri helps people achieve creative breakthroughs through a range of programs and workshops designed to unlock your creative genius and fuel your stand out ideas. Learn more at territrespicio.com.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, February 26, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

In today’s rapidly-evolving media landscape, audio has become a crucial tool for establishing your profile as a subject matter expert and a thought leader in your field. Whether it’s through podcasts, audiobooks, or narrated articles, voice-driven storytelling offers a tremendous opportunity to connect with listeners in an intimate, personal, and memorable way. 

Courtney Reimer, a distinguished podcast strategist and content development expert, will guide you through the key benefits of incorporating audio into your media portfolio and how to make it a powerful part of your storytelling toolkit–even (or especially) if the prospect of launching a full-fledged podcast feels daunting.

You’ll discover how to tiptoe into the world of audio, ways to transform your existing content for audio platforms, and why audio is particularly important for women working in media. You’ll leave the session feeling inspired and equipped with actionable methods and strategies to begin exploring the possibilities of audio.

This session is perfect for media professionals who are curious about the “how” and “why” of audio content and want to explore its potential for their creative repertoire.

Key Takeaways:

• What the rise of audio in media means for you: Why the explosion of podcasts and voice-driven media matters for you and your career in media.
• Meaningful uses for audio content: Learn how to tap into the audio storytelling format as a way to augment your current skillset. Hear how audio can provide new avenues for attracting the attention of discovery mechanisms such as social media and PR.
• How to bring audio into your work–or simplify existing methods of creation: First-timers will garner tips, and resources for beginning their foray into audio, while those already in podcasting can learn ways to simplify and streamline their processes.

About the Speaker:

Courtney Reimer is a distinguished podcast strategist and content development expert with a rich background in the audio industry. As the founder and CEO of the creative podcast strategy company, Sounds Great, she applies her extensive experience from leading roles at Spotify, Audible, and MTV Radio to support clients in realizing the vast opportunities of podcasting. She's especially proud of her work as executive producer of Meghan Markle'sArchetypes, which at the time of its release unseated Joe Rogan from his #1 spot on the podcast charts.

Courtney earned her master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, while working full time at MTV Radio, and has spent her career shaping powerful narratives, conducting interviews, and producing audio content with thought leaders and cultural icons such as Deepak Chopra, Martha Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Matthew McConaughey, Bill Clinton, and Mel Robbins. Courtney derives great joy from helping bring newbies into the world of podcasting to tell their stories and reach audiences in novel ways.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, February 19, 6:00-7:15 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $20 for non-members (Zoom)

In celebration of Black History Month, WMG member Lisa Durden will share 

the inspiration behind Blind Divas, a documentary film she is writing, directing, and producing. She will speak about her journey as a Black journalist, the importance of telling stories that reflect the Black experience, and the behind-the-scenes process—from production to fundraising to marketing—involved in making this film.

Blind Divas follows Krystle Allen and Naquela Wright-Prevoe, two blind Black women entrepreneurs determined to challenge the stigmas and stereotypes about the blindness community. Attendees will:

• screen the film’s fundraising trailer (which was funded, in part, by a WMG Rise Fund grant). 

• hear Lisa in conversation with Krystle and Naquela, who will share their reflections on participating in Blind Divas, and film editor Rohan Rao, who will explain how editing helps bring the women’s challenges and triumphs to life on screen.

• have time for Q&A.

Speakers

Lisa Durden is an award-winning filmmaker, justice journalist, and television personality who focuses on the areas of pop culture, politics, and social issues. She has been seen on such nationally syndicated programs as: ABC News 20/20, NewsNation’s Dan Abrams Live, Revolt TV’s Real Black News, ABC7’s Here & Now with Sandra Bookman, The Dr. Oz Show, PIX 11 Morning News, and numerous radio talk shows. In 2024, Lisa launched “Vice President Kamala Harris: She Ready!,” and in 2022, “Stop Brutalizing Black Bodies,” two groundbreaking limited series podcasts to amplify Black voices unapologetically. The recipient of many awards and honors, including a WMG Rise Fund grant, Lisa manages Lisa Durden Unlimited Productions, a multimedia company specializing in content for television, film, digital and live audiences, with a focus on telling compelling stories about underserved communities.

Krystle Allen is the film’s main character

Naquela Wright-Prevo is the film’s main character

Rohan Rao is editor of the film's fundraising trailer 

This is a ⚡️WMG Power Hour️⚡️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, February 12, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET

WMG members; $15 plus a children’s book

WMG Scholars; $10 plus a children’s book

In-person event at private residence on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Complete address will be provided after registration.

Raise a glass with friends and colleagues at this members-only soirée! Dress in red, pink, or any shade you love, and gather with other WMG gal pals for this Galentine’s Day celebration. We’ll enjoy hors d’oeuvres, wine, and an array of Valentine-themed sweets in the elegant home of WMG member Jeanne Martinet on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

In the spirit of giving back, please bring a children’s book (for kids any age 0-18), which we will donate to a local nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding literacy opportunities in NYC communities.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, click here. 

Thursday, January 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free

Private residence on Manhattan’s Upper West Side (complete address will be provided after registration)

One of the best ways to meet other members and make a lasting impact on WMG is to volunteer on a committee. WMG thrives because of its stupendous volunteers, who make everything run! From membership, programs, and fundraising, to social media, scholarships, and more, it's our many volunteers behind the scenes creating the vibrant and supportive organization we all love. 

If you've ever thought of becoming more involved in the WMG community, now’s the time! We’re looking for new committee members and leaders. Join Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jennifer A. Perry along with members of the Board of Directors for a sit-down social with drinks, light bites, and discussion about how to become more involved. We will review the priorities and workings of all committees (listed here) and talk about the personal and professional rewards of giving back through WMG committee work.

This is an in-person event with no virtual link. However, if you'd like to find out more about joining a committee but can't attend, please email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with “WMG Committees Interest” in the subject line to learn more.

Thursday, January 23, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free (Zoom)

Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jennifer A. Perry invite new members to a virtual evening get-together to get to know one another and learn more about WMG's history, priorities, and plans. "J&J" are interested in why you joined WMG, what you'd like to get from your membership, and ways you might enjoy getting more involved in the organization. Be prepared to offer the group one fun fact about yourself! 

Anyone who joined WMG from June 2024 or later is welcome to attend. 

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, January 15, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Is your New Year’s resolution to finally send out your book proposal but you don’t know where to start? For nonfiction writers, getting the attention of an editor may feel like an impossible task. But the truth is that editors (and the agents who submit to them) want exciting new projects. As an editor, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of reading a book proposal that you know could be a big book. So, what makes some proposals stand out from the rest?

At this Lunch & Learn event, Donya Dickerson and Michelle Howry, two long-term publishing insiders, will share what agents and editors want to see in nonfiction book proposals and share strategies for taking your proposal to the next level. 

Key takeaways:

• Learn the must-include sections of a nonfiction proposal
• Understand the difference between describing your book and selling your book
• Find out the red flags that may be causing editors to reject your proposal
• And much more!

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

About the speakers:

Donya Dickerson has spent over two decades helping thought leaders find their audiences and getting their ideas in front of the people who need them.  As a literary agent at Aevitas Creative Management, she focuses primarily on representing nonfiction in the categories of business, personal development, self-improvement, health and wellness, parenting, science, and technology. Prior to joining Aevitas, she was the Associate Publisher for the Business Trade list at McGraw Hill, where she ran the team responsible for publishing multiple national and category bestsellers by CEOs, highly respected thought leaders, and top industry executives, and built multiple partnerships with global training organizations. Some of the tremendous names she’s had the honor to work with include New York Times bestselling author Joseph Grenny and the team at Crucial Learning; New York Times bestselling author Joseph Michelli; and Susan Brady, Janet Foutty, and Lynn Perry Wooten, whose book Arrive & Thrive was a Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestseller. 

Michelle Howry has been an editor for more than 25 years, at companies including Simon & Schuster, Hachette, McGraw-Hill, and, since 2018, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Her focus at Putnam is acquiring titles across the full range of commercial nonfiction – from expert-led prescriptive titles in categories like self-improvement, psychology, parenting, and mental health, to more narrative nonfiction like biography, history, culture, pop science, and (occasionally) memoir. Some of her recent books include the #1 New York Times bestseller I Really Needed This Today by TODAY show cohost Hoda Kotb; the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick Fair Play by Eve Rodsky; the national bestseller Capote’s Women by Laurence Leamer; and psychologist Marisa Franco’s bestselling ode to friendship, Platonic. Michelle believes that, at its best, editing a great nonfiction book can be like taking a master-class from your favorite college professor – informative, collaborative, and perspective-shifting – and she’s always looking for new experts to learn from.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

What if YOU could be the ONLY choice that matters to your clients, customers, and prospects?  When they have a problem or challenge, they seek you out first. Think this is a dream? No, it can be a reality! In order to attract and close with ease, you must have Rock Star Confidence.  This is an unshakable belief that no matter what is happening in the economy, your industry, etc., you are the answer and are worth paying for. In this session, Precious Williams, Founder and CEO of the Perfect Pitch Group, will tackle Rock Star Confidence. She will show you what it means to possess quality and how to change the narrative of how you are perceived in the marketplace, while creating raving clients and customers. 

The economy is not making it easy for business right now. Do we give up? No! It's time to pull out the innovative genius tactics and techniques that get them to hire you, book you, refer you, invest in you, RIGHT NOW!  

Rock Star Confidence is not your usual, dry business advice. This session is designed for corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, consultants, content creators, coaches, and speakers with you in mind, guiding you to boldly attract prospects and clients effortlessly.

You’ll learn about:

• Unlocking your inner rock star

• The power of positioning yourself as the Rolls Royce in your Industry

• Taking your pitches and presentations to the next level and getting booked, hired, sought after, and invested in

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

About the speaker:

Precious L. Williams, proud Founder and CEO of the Perfect Pitch Group, is a 13-time national elevator pitch champion, #1 bestselling author and international professional speaker. Besides training entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals, she is also a top Fortune 100 corporate sales trainer, teaching people how to move their sales, media, or elevator pitches from TRASH to straight CASH!  Having successfully appeared on “Shark Tank” Season 8 in 2016, Precious is a world-class speaker for global brands including BMW, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Blackstone, Verizon, SiriusXM, HubSpot, Conde Nast, Harvard University, Columbia University, Spelman College, Quickbooks, Yelp, and many more. She is also hired to Keynote international conferences, summits, and events. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, December 4, 2024
6:00 VIP Hour 

7:15 General Admission

In person: Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W. 23rd St.

VIP reception $145 (includes Open Bar all evening and hors d’oeuvres during the reception) Ticket deadline extended!

General Admission Non-member $100 (includes 2 drinks)

General Admission Member $85 (includes 2 drinks)

General Admission WMG Scholar: $70 (includes 2 drinks for those 21 and over) 

Food and additional drinks will be available to purchase.

Karen Bergreen, Ophira Eisenberg, Sarah Cooper, Negin Farsad, Judy Gold, Mia Jackson, and Lane Moore will be performing comedy at WMG’s Holiday Party!

Let’s toast WMG’s 50th Anniversary milestone year with a festive in-person holiday event. We all could use a good laugh, so come enjoy these acclaimed women comedians as they take the stage in support of WMG’s scholarships fund. Published authors and stars of television, cinema, radio, podcasts, and more, this super lit line-up is sure to put us all in the holiday spirit. It has been an amazing and historic 50th year for WMG—let’s celebrate it together.

Buy a VIP ticket to a 1-hour pre-event cocktail party, where you can socialize and network with WMG’s Co-Presidents, Board of Directors, and other members and special guests. VIP tickets include passed hors d’oeuvres during the VIP reception and OPEN BAR access for the entirety of the event.

Comedians:

Ophira Eisenberg (Emcee) is a Canadian-born stand-up comedian, writer, and host. She hosted NPR’s comedy trivia show Ask Me Another for nine years. Ophira is the host of the new comedy podcast, Parenting Is A Joke, co-produced by iHeart Radio and Pretty Good Friends Productions. Her new comedy album is Plant-Based Jokes. She has appeared on Comedy Central, This Week at The Comedy Cellar, Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, HBO’s Girls, Gotham Live, The Late Late Show, The Today Show, and VH-1. Ophira is a regular host and storyteller with The Moth, and her stories have been featured on The Moth Radio Hour and in two of the Moth’s best-selling collections, including the most recent New York Times bestseller: How To Tell A Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth. Ophira’s first book, Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy, was optioned for a feature film.

Karen Bergreen is a New Yorker who started as the only Harvard student with a TV in her dorm (it was black and white, don’t judge). She went from law school to law firms, dreaming of courtroom dramas but instead mastering the arts of stapling and proofreading. Turns out, she was terrible at both, which led her to the obvious next step: comedy! She's performed all over the U.S. and beyond (hello, Canada!), and you might've caught her on Comedy Central, The View, or playing herself on The Jim Gaffigan Show. Now, between raising kids, a needy dog named Tootsie, and some hermit crabs (that sometimes die), she writes novels, including Following Polly and Perfect is Overrated.

Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings and 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings—both inspired by personal experience. In 2020, her lip-syncing impressions of Donald Trump went viral and she starred in her first Netflix special, Everything’s Fine. She’s made appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night With Seth Meyers, The Today Show, and many more. Her memoir, Foolish: Tales of Assimilation, Determination, and Humiliation (October 3, 2023, Dutton), offers a candid look at life as a Jamaican immigrant turned tech worker, divorceé, and performer. She also  was seen in Jerry Seinfeld’s directorial debut, Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story. Sarah currently lives in Brooklyn with a bunch of fake plants.

Negin Farsad was named one of the 50 Funniest Women by Huffington Post and one of the 10 Best Feminist Comedians by Paper Magazine, and she was selected as a TEDFellow for her work in social justice comedy. She is the author of How To Make White People Laugh, which was nominated for the Thurber Prize for Humor. Farsad is host of Fake the Nation, a political comedy podcast on the Earwolf network, and she’s a regular panelist on NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me. She appears on Nat Geo’s Year Million, HBO’s High Maintenance, and Netflix’s Chelsea Handler Show. She is also the director/writer/star of the rom-com 3rd Street Blackout. She has written for/appeared on Comedy Central, MTV, PBS, IFC, Nickelodeon and others. She is director/producer of the feature films The Muslims Are Coming! and Nerdcore Rising. She has written for The Guardian, The Daily Beast, Oprah Magazine, Indiewire, and others. 

Judy Gold has had stand-up specials on HBO, Comedy Central and LOGO, and was a part of Netflix’s Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration. She is the author of Yes I Can Say That: When They Come For The Comedians, We Are All In Trouble, a book about free speech and cancel culture. Her solo show, Yes I Can Say That! directed by BD Wong and starring Judy premiered in March 2023 at 59E59 Theaters. She hosts the weekly hit podcast, It’s Judy’s Show with Judy Gold. Judy is featured in the new Netflix documentary Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution, which explores the history of LGBTQ+ standup comedy. Judy’s recent acting credits include feature films She Came To Me, Tripped Up, and Love Reconsidered. Recent TV credits: City On A Hill, Better Things, The First Lady, and Extrapolations. Judy is one of the main subjects in the Hulu documentary Hysterical. She has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show. Judy also won two Emmy awards for writing and producing The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Judy has made numerous appearances on The View, The Today Show, The Drew Barrymore Show and on MSNBC, CNN and NewsNation as a free-speech advocate. She has three albums, Conduct Unbecoming, Kill Me Now, and Judith’s Roommate Had a Baby.

Mia Jackson is a stand-up comedian from Columbus, Georgia, who began her comedy career in Atlanta. Now based in New York City, she performs regularly at venues like The Comedy Cellar. Mia has toured nationally with Amy Schumer and was selected as a New Face at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. She has written for Life & Beth (Hulu) and I Love Us (BET+). Her first original comedy pilot, Aim Higher, was optioned in 2021. Her second half hour special premiered on Comedy Central in Nov 2019 and her stand up has been featured on This Week at The Comedy Cellar (Comedy Central). Mia was the narrator for My Celebrity Dream Wedding (VH1). Mia was a Semi-Finalist on NBC's Last Comic Standing, and she has appeared in Oxygen’s Girls Behaving Badly, TLC’s Wild Weddings, Unprotected Sets (Epix), ESPN, and Headline News.

Lane Moore is an award-winning writer, actor, comedian, and musician. She is the host of I Thought It Was Just Me podcast on Patreon. As an actor, she’s had critically-acclaimed appearances on Girls and Search Party. She is the author of How To Be Alone and You Will Find Your People. In 2024, Moore released an audiobook with Everand, You’re Not The Only One F*cking Up. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Onion, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Elle, Teen Vogue, and GQ. As the Sex and Relationships Editor for Cosmopolitan, and the magazine’s first openly out editor, she won a GLAAD award for her groundbreaking work championing diverse, inclusive coverage, and was also honored on the Out 100 list. Her comedy show “Tinder Live! with Lane Moore” has been praised by The New York Times, Spin Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, CBS, Time Out New York, and New York Magazine. Moore is the front person and songwriter in the band “It Was Romance.”

100% of the proceeds from ticket sales supports the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3), which provides scholarships to women pursuing college and graduate level programs in the fields of publishing and media. See WMGEF’s Scholars here.

This is one of⭐️WMG’s 50th Anniversary marquee events.⭐️ Over the past five decades, our New York-based nonprofit has brought together women in media to collaborate with, learn from, inform, and mentor one another. Our 50th Anniversary marquee events embrace WMG’s core mission of women’s empowerment. 

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 48 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 48 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.

• Within 48 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Sponsorships with table sales are available - please email Kathy Sandler at ksandler1@gmail.comfor more information.

Guests welcome!

Thursday, November 21, 2024

5:45 Doors open

6:15 Panel begins

7:15 - 8:00 Reception

In person: Society of Illustrators, 128 E 63rd St, Manhattan

$15 for members, $25 for non-members 

During National Book Awards Week, join Women’s Media Group in partnership with the Society of Illustrators to celebrate a diverse group of women illustrators of children’s books. The main event will be a panel discussion, where each artist will speak about her career journey, her approach to illustration, and some of her recent work. There will also be time before and after the event to enjoy the Museum of Illustration’s prestigious annual “The Original Art” exhibit, which showcases the fine art of children’s book illustration. Following the panel, enjoy a cocktail, light bites, and conversation in the beautiful historic 128 Bar, the Society’s unique gallery and gathering space. 

Panelists:

Award-winning writer-illustrator Selina Alko spends her days melding words and mixed-media art to convey stories of hope and inspiration—as well as an alternative viewpoint, the result of growing up Jewish in Vancouver, British Columbia. Alko’s books include The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage, Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama, Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport, and I is for Immigrants, which was selected as a 2022 Best Book of the Year by Bank Street Books and garnered a Silver Medal from The Society of Illustrators. 

Vashti Harrison is the author and illustrator of Big, winner of the 2024 Caldecott Award and a 2023 National Book Award Finalist. She is also the creator of the New York Times #1 bestsellers Little Leaders, Little Dreamers and Little Legends and is the illustrator of I Love You Like Yellow by Andrea Beaty, Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, and Hello, Star by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic , among others. She received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o, and she's a two-time recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Children. 

Cecilia Ruiz is a Mexican author, illustrator, and graphic designer based in New York City. Her clients include the New York Times,Google, Hermès,and Target. Cecilia teaches design and illustration at The School of Visual Arts and Queens College. Cecilia’s first picture book, A Gift from Abuela, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Her latest picture book is Mr. Fiorello’s Head and was selected for the Society of Illustrators Original Art Exhibition 2023.

Moderator: Carolina Schwarz is a children’s publisher consultant. With 15+ years of experience in the industry, she specializes in helping international and domestic children’s book publishers create lists that win awards and hearts!

About the Society of Illustrators

The Society of Illustrators’ mission is to promote the art of illustration, to appreciate its history and evolving nature through exhibitions, lectures and education, and to contribute the service of its members to the welfare of the community at large.

100% of the proceeds from ticket sales supports the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3), which provides scholarships to women pursuing college and graduate level programs in the fields of publishing and media. See WMGEF’s Scholars here.

Please note: The reception event will take place on the fourth floor, which is only accessible via stairs. Bathrooms are only accessible via stairs.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

This session focuses on how women can better advocate for themselves in competitive environments, whether you're looking for a new role, trying to advance in your current company or freelancing. It will teach participants how to present their value proposition effectively and persuasively. By using the simple, 3-2-1 method, it will help translate your list of achievements to quantifiable value allowing you to confidently advocate for yourself in the workplace.  

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

About the speaker:

Bhavana Smith is the Founder of Until There Are Nine®, an organization dedicated to achieving pay and promotion equity for women. An online membership platform, powered by experiences of successful executives, teaches women how to get their rightful share of compensation and advancement opportunities. Bhavana spent 25+ years in marketing, advertising and consulting and has been a member of global executive leadership teams at Accenture, WPP and Publicis. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, November 7, 2024, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

This online workshop by Michele Grant, author of The Power Dressers, guides participants on how to present themselves professionally in virtual environments. Michele will address leveraging attire, lighting, and background choices to enhance your image and confidence. It explores how style influences perception in digital settings and offers actionable tips for power dressing in online meetings.

This is an interactive session. There will be group discussion on best practices for virtual attire, live polls on attire preferences for various scenarios, attire analysis of high-profile women in virtual settings, and Q&A.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

About the speaker:

Michele Grant is a seasoned Executive Business Consultant with over 20 years of experience delivering successful results for Fortune 500 firms in diverse sectors. Her expertise in program leadership and value creation has benefited clients like Bertelsmann, Coach, AT&T Subsidiaries, VIACOM, CBS, EmblemHealth, Bank of America, and Moody’s. With a background in Computer Science and Executive Business Development Leadership, Michele offers a fresh approach to professional styling. Leveraging her unique perspective from the business world, and her passion for fashion, Michele empowers women to dress with intention and intelligence. For more information about The Power Dressers™, click here.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, October 30, 12:30-2:00 p.m. ET

In person: Barbetta Restaurant, 321 W 46th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues (an iconic women-owned restaurant on Restaurant Row)

$65 for members; $75 for non-members

In our milestone 50th year, Women's Media Group is honoring over five decades of impact and leadership of Ms. magazine. Since its first issue was published in 1972, Ms. has transformed the view, role, and aspirations of women in American society. Join us for a momentous celebratory luncheon with a special panel featuring some of Ms. magazine's pioneering founders and trailblazers. We will delve into the journey of Ms. from its inception to its enduring impact on the feminist movement.

Our distinguished panelists will discuss the relentless fight for women's inclusion in traditionally male-dominated workplaces, reflect on the significant strides women have made over the past five decades, and address ongoing challenges such as the unratified Equal Rights Amendment. This enriching conversation promises to inspire and empower, highlighting both the progress achieved and the battles that still lie ahead in the quest for gender equality. Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear firsthand from the visionaries who have shaped and continue to influence the landscape of women's rights.

Panelists:

Suzanne Braun Levine is a writer, editor and nationally recognized authority on the ongoing changes in women’s lives. She was the first editor of Ms. magazine (1972-1988), and the only woman editor of theColumbia Journalism Review. In her recent work Levine has defined a new stage of life – Second Adulthood - which is the subject of her books. While at Ms., Levine developed and produced the Peabody-Award winning HBO special “She’s Nobody’s Baby: A History of American Women in the 20^th Century.”

Marcia Ann Gillespie is a trailblazer in the magazine industry, a leader in the women’s movement, a champion of gender of racial justice. A provocative writer and thinker, hers has been a consistent eloquent voice affirming the human potential for good, challenging inequality, pushing herself and others to hope, dare and strive for a better world. She has been a driving force behind two of this nation’s most important women’s magazines as the editor in chief of Essence from 1971-1980 and as the editor in chief of Ms. from 1993-2001. She is also the author of Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration, an authorized biography (Doubleday) and is writing a memoir titledWhen Blacks Became Americans. A VP of Essence Communications, Inc. and a member of the board of directors, Marcia was named “One of the Fifty Faces for America’s Future” by Time magazine. Marcia is also the Professor of Diversity in Residence at the Johnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute at Bennett College and maintains a thriving consultancy advising corporate and other clients on issues ranging from diversity to communications. 

Letty Cottin Pogrebin is a writer, activist, national public speaker and a founding editor of Ms. Magazine. She is the author of 12 books including the recently-published SHANDA: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy, the Jewish Feminist classic, DEBORAH, GOLDA AND ME: Being Female and Jewish in America. Her articles have appeared inThe New York Times, The Nation, Huffington Post, The Forward, Tablet, and Moment, among many other publications. She was the editorial consultant on Marlo Thomas' nonsexist family entertainment Free to be You and Me.Pogrebin is also a co-founder of the Ms. Foundation, the National Women's Political Caucus, the UJA Task Force on Women, and several dialogue groups composed of Jews and African Americans, and Jews and Palestinians. She serves on the board of the Women's and Gender Studies Program at Brandeis University. 

Moderator: 

Molly Jong-Fast is an MSNBC Political Analyst, Host of the Fast Politics Podcast, and a Vanity Fair Special Correspondent. She is an American writer, journalist, author, political commentator and podcaster. Jong-Fast is the author of two novels: Normal Girl and The Social Climber's Handbook. Her memoir will be coming out from Viking in the spring of 2025. She became a regular contributor to The Forward, The Bulwark, Playboy, Glamour and Vogue. In December 2019, Jong-Fast became an Editor-at-Large at The Daily Beast, hosting the podcast “The New Abnormal.” In 2022, Jong-Fast joined Vanity Fair as a special correspondent and began hosting the “Fast Politics” iHeart Media podcast. In January 2024, Jong-Fast joined MSNBC News as a political analyst.

This is one of ⭐️WMG’s 50th Anniversary marquee events. ⭐️ Over the past five decades, our New York-based nonprofit has brought together women in media to collaborate with, learn from, inform, and mentor one another. Our 50th Anniversary marquee events embrace WMG’s core mission of women’s empowerment. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, click here. 

RSVP/Cancellation Deadline: October 24 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Sponsorships with table sales are available - please email Kathy Sandler at ksandler1@gmail.com for more information.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Equality Champions

     

Feminist Friends

Thursday, October 17, 4:45 p.m. ET (In-person)

Open to members and non-members; $15

Grey Art Museum, 18 Cooper Square, Manhattan

Join WMG Programming Chair Jane Wesman and co-President Jennifer A. Perry for a very special insiders tour of the Make Way for Berthe Weill exhibition at New York University’s Grey Art Museum. Weill (1865-1951) was the first woman modern art dealer, and she championed the work of  greats like Picasso, Modigliani, and Matisse. More than five years in the making, this exhibition is the passion project of Jane’s close friend, Lynn Gumpert, the Museum’s Director. The exhibit includes 80 paintings, many of which were displayed at Weill’s gallery in Paris. After the tour, attendees are invited to gather at The Standard Hotel across the street for a post-tour cocktail chat and informal networking.

ll proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, October 10, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free

WMG programs are at the core of what we do to support members' career growth and networking. We are always looking for new program ideas and volunteers to help coordinate our many different kinds of events. Committee members attend as many monthly meetings as they can and take the lead in proposing and organizing at least one event each year. Attend our upcoming informational session to learn more about how you can get involved!

Hosted by Programming Chair Jane Wesman

Wednesday, October 9, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Learn how to become a confident speaker who captivates and motivates audiences with authentic stories. This interactive virtual session will help you harness the power of your personal stories and transform them into inspiring presentations that resonate deeply. You will leave feeling empowered to share your story from the stage, aided by practical tips for booking more speaking engagements.

Key takeaways:

• Unearth and shape your personal crisis stories into engaging narratives

• Feel more confident that you have a message worth telling

• Understand how to book more speaking engagements

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

About the speaker:

Aleya Harris is a trailblazer in purpose-driven story crafting. She is a marketing executive and ex-Google Vendor Partner who brings her dynamic experience to her role as the CEO of The Evolution Collective Inc. Aleya is a StoryBrand Certified Guide, international award-winning speaker, the founder and lead trainer of Spark the Stage ™, and the host of the award-winning Flourishing Entrepreneur Podcast. She is also the author of the upcoming book Spark the Stage: Master the Art of Professional Speaking and Authentic Storytelling to Captivate, Inspire, and Transform Your Audience. Her unique approach as a Strategic Storytelling Consultant has revolutionized the way businesses communicate, transforming workplace cultures and market positioning. With her dynamic energy and proven methodologies, Aleya guides clients to unlock their potential, articulate their radically authentic stories, and achieve unparalleled success.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Tuesday, September 24, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom) 

As women, our thinking, mindsets, and behaviors have been shaped by societal influences that often prevent us from reaching our full potential, leaving us feeling undervalued, underpaid, and unsupported in our growth. 

Using her deep research on Latina women as a model for all women, Valeria Aloe will address the entrenched remnants of machismo, colorism, scarcity, and ideas about femininity that have impacted all of us.

During this dynamic session, Valeria will:

• Address how to become a courageous leader committed to changing mindsets and transforming workplaces tailored women’s unique cultural needs.
• Highlight key catalysts for growth such as building authentic professional brands, confidently advocating for your ideas, creating a supportive network of mentors and sponsors, and balancing multiple demands of work and family.
• Explain how to apply science-based methods to foster your own lasting mindset and behavioral transformation.

A special segment of this session will offer an insightful overview of the Latino market and mindset in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

This is a⚡️️️WMG Power Hour️⚡️️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

About the Speaker:

Valeria Aloe is an author, speaker, and expert on the Latino mindset and market. Her writing and keynotes have empowered thousands of Latinas and other multicultural women who, like her, are the first in their families to navigate professional spaces. Originally from Argentina, Valeria moved to the U.S. in 2002 to earn her MBA from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. With 20 years of experience in brand management and marketing strategy at global companies such as Procter & Gamble, Citibank, TIAA, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, she transitioned to a career as an author and speaker. She published Uncolonized Latinas in 2022, and her latest book, Unbeatable Latinas, is set to launch this October.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, September 19, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom) 

Join us for a tips-filled hour about improving the discoverability of your books, media, services, websites, or other content in a modern, noisy AI-powered marketplace.

 

Among the topics we'll cover:

• What is discoverability and why is it important?

• What are the discoverability tools? 

• How is AI changing discoverability and SEO? 

• What is GEO?

Panelists:

Claire Holloway is Manager of Publisher Relations for OCLC and the chairperson of the Book Industry Study Group’s Metadata Committee. Before making a mid-life decision to turn her focus to the library space, Claire had worked in editorial and production roles at McGraw-Hill and Oxford University Press and was most recently the Metadata and Ebook Services manager for Baker & Taylor Publisher Services. 

Jessica Lachhar (Flareau) is the Senior Manager of SEO & Affiliate Marketing at Barnes & Noble. She has worked in SEO for 10 years with additional experience in organic social media marketing, A/B testing, and affiliate marketing. She enjoys the ever changing landscape of digital marketing, working on both the content and technical sides of SEO, and keeping up with search trends.

Sarah McNaughton is a journalist-turned-SEO-and-content-strategist. She recently founded McNaughton Digital Media, a full-service content strategy and SEO consulting agency that helps businesses and individuals improve their websites and online visibility. Prior to McNaughton Digital Media, Sarah worked at Livestrong.com, Bauer Xcel Media, Hearst, and Everyday Health. Connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Christy Mirabal has worked for companies such as SiriusXM, Sony Music Entertainment, Stitcher, Panoply Media, Frederator Networks Inc., HarperCollins Publishers, and Bloomsbury. She has a proven track record of building and leading marketing teams, optimizing costs, and increasing audience engagement and brand visibility across high-profile shows, brands, and platforms.

Moderator:

Bridget Marmion spent over a decade each at FSG, Random House and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, mostly as SVP of Marketing. Bridget now runs a full-service marketing firm, Bridget Marmion Book Marketing LLC.  She is also on the BISG board, on the BISG Metadata Committee, and on the advisory board of Pace University Masters in Publishing Program. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refund Policy

• Earlier than 24 hours before the event: If you know you'll be unable to use your ticket more than 24 hours before an event, you can request a full refund by emailing info@womensmediagroup.org, OR you can donate the fee to the nonprofit Women's Media Group Educational Foundation by not requesting a refund.
• Within 24 hours before an event: No refunds. These ticket fees will automatically be converted to a donation to the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, July 17, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Understanding the best way to sell your services is essential for your success, whether you’re an agent, editor, publicist, or any type of consultant, freelancer or business owner.

Don’t miss this career-changing Lunch & Learn featuring Julia Pimsleur, founder of Million Dollar Women. Julia will provide a deep dive into the strategies needed to consistently get prospective clients to say YES. She'll help you understand why some of your sales are closing and others aren’t, and provide five key strategies to get to yes more often. 

You’ll also learn about:

• The psychology of sales
• The one thing all sales pros do, and
• How to turn maybe or no into YES

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

About the speaker:  

Julia Pimsleur is a scaling coach, sales trainer, speaker, bestselling author and the Founder of Million Dollar Women, a New York City-based social venture, which has helped thousands of women entrepreneurs scale up their businesses. Julia’s passion for working with women entrepreneurs grew out of her own experiences of feeling isolated building her first business, Little Pim. She ultimately joined communities, hired mentors, and grew Little Pim from a $30,000 investment into a multimillion-dollar VC-backed company, which she sold. Her website is www.millionwomen.com.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Thursday, June 20, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Join this program to learn how to harness the full potential of social media platforms for brand growth and expansion. Led by award-winning multihyphenate media maker Lisa Durden, this program will provide a deep dive into the strategies, tools, and techniques essential for leveraging social media effectively to elevate your brand. 

Participants will learn:

• The foundations of social media branding

• Platform selection and optimization

• Content creation and curation

• Community building and engagement

• Social media advertising and promotion

• Monitoring and analytics

• Scaling and growth strategies

Participants will leave this program equipped with actionable insights and a strategic roadmap to unlock the full potential of social media in growing their brand presence, increasing engagement, and driving business success.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

About the speaker:

Lisa Durden is not your ordinary voice in the media landscape – she's a provocateur and a truth-teller, wielding the power of storytelling to redefine our collective narrative. Lisa's voice is her activism, resonating as a brilliantly outspoken ABC News Contributor, Social Justice Journalist, Content Curator, Multihyphenate Media Maker and thought leader. She’s a recognized National Media Personality, gracing such esteemed platforms as ‘ABC News 20/20;’ Revolt TV’s ‘Revolt Black News;’ and ‘CBS’ News.’ She’s also an award-winning producer of film and television - including ABC 20/20’s documentary, ‘Diary Of A Killer;’ Hulu series ‘The Conversations Project;’ A&E Network series ‘Neighborhood Wars 2;’ ‘Girls Matter Documentary;’ Verizon PSA ‘Conversations With Mom, to name a few. Her alma mater, Seton Hall University, bestowed upon her the "Vanguard Award for Excellence in Communications," and she received "The Woman On Fire Award For Outstanding Dedication To Media" from Newark Circle Of Sister. Ms Durden added another feather to her cap by earning her Masters In Fine Arts Degree in Social Documentary Film from New York's School Of Visual Arts. Lisa Durden – a name synonymous with courage, resilience, and a passion for storytelling that knows no bounds. Get ready to be inspired! #ClapForThat!

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Tuesday, June 18, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; pay what you wish. Includes a copy of The Last Time She Saw Him.

Location: Private Manhattan residence (Midtown). Complete address will be provided after registration.

If you’re spinning your wheels or itching for a change, it’s time to take a page from New York Times bestselling mystery writer Kate White. The author of 18 thrillers and mysteries, and former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, White will share her secrets for getting unstuck, inspired by the strategies she uses to write compelling suspense novels. 

Discover how the techniques that create propulsive, page-turning books can help create momentum in your life and career—and reveal exciting insights and opportunities. (Kate promises that no one will die suspiciously during the presentation.) There will be time for a question-and-answer session and networking. Wine and light refreshments will be served. 

Space is limited!

About the speaker:

Kate White, the former editor in chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine, is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of ten standalone psychological thrillers, including The Last Time She Saw Him (Harper; May 2024), as well as eight Bailey Weggins mysteries, including Such a Perfect Wife, which was nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award. Kate is also the editor of The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook and the author of several bestselling books on career success. She has been published in over thirty countries worldwide. For more, visit: www.katewhite.com

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, June 12, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

For all of us in publishing and the media, the importance of pre-publication legal review of news stories, press releases, books, podcasts and other media content cannot be overstated. In this dynamic presentation, New York media and publishing attorney Carolyn Schurr Levin will discuss what the legal vetting process entails, what to expect, and why it’s worthwhile. 

About the speaker:

Carolyn Schurr Levin, an attorney at Miller Korzenik Sommers Rayman LLP,  is a highly-regarded expert on media, publishing, First Amendment, and intellectual property law. She routinely counsels journalists, public relations professionals, authors, publishers, podcasters, and other content creators on media and publishing matters. Carolyn has taught Media Law and Ethics at Long Island University, Stony Brook University School of Journalism, Pace University, and CUNY's Baruch College. Carolyn served as the Vice President and General Counsel of Ziff Davis Media and the Vice President and General Counsel of Newsday. She is admitted to the bars of New York, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Thursday, June 6, 2024, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

$25 for members, $30 for non-members (Zoom)

The registration price includes a hardcover version of HBCU MADE, which has a $29.00 retail price. Books will be mailed after the event.

We are very excited to welcome media journalist Ayesha Rascoe to WMG for a virtual Power Hour. Ayesha will discuss her new book, HBCU MADE: A Celebration of the Black College Experience, and her career journey, which has led her to hosting NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday. HBCU MADE is the first book of its kind to feature famous alumni sharing direct accounts of their Black college experience. Curated and edited by Ayesha, the collection includes essays by a diverse and distinguished group of HBCU graduates, including Oprah Winfrey and Stacey Abrams, about the schools that nurtured, challenged, and educated them. Prior to her current role, Ayesha was a NPR White House correspondent and a regular on the NPR Politics Podcast. Before joining NPR, Ayesha spent the first decade of her career at Reuters, where she covered some of the biggest energy and environmental stories of this century, including the 2010 BP oil spill. She’s a proud graduate of Howard University. 

Ayesha will be in conversation with WMG member Keline Adams, who is the Director of DEI Initiatives at Penguin Random House. She has over two decades of experience as a social justice advocate, educator, and artist. Keline holds a Master’s degree in applied theater and is an adjunct professor at CUNY School of Professional Studies, where she co-teaches graduate level course intensives centered on anti-racism, anti-oppression, and DEIB in the workplace. She is a proud graduate of HBCU Hampton University.

This is a⚡️️️WMG Power Hour️⚡️️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, May 29, 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only (Zoom)

Join this informational session to share your ideas for WMG communications, including our weekly email newsletter, social media outreach, relationships with the press, and more. We are always looking for new ways to reach women in media, and need volunteers to help coordinate our many different communications efforts. There are many ways to get involved in communications, from single projects to an ongoing basis and everything in between – explore ways that work best for you! If Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram are second nature to you or you are a LinkedIn pro, then this session is for you! Do you want to help spread the word about WMG events and initiatives to members and beyond? YES??? Then register to learn more about what you can do for WMG!

This event is hosted by WMG Communications Chair Brittany Fuller. 

Brittany is a fun-loving writer, content creator, and plus-size blogger. A graduate of Pace University, where she received her BA in Communication Arts and Journalism, and an MS in Publishing, Brittany is in love with all things media! She’s worked with some truly inspiring publications like Woman's Day, Country Living, The Village Voice, The Knot, and Westchester Magazine while networking with many influential and creative individuals along the way. In her spare time, she works on her plus-size lifestyle blog, The Essence of A Curvy Girl, discussing lifestyle topics. Brittany currently is a freelance Content Creator and editor working with various brands and companies.

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Are you a writer, publicist, or marketer eager to crack the code of booking a TEDx Talk? Join us on May 15 for an enlightening session with TEDx veterans Karen Eber, Terri Trespicio, and Nekasha Pratt in conversation with Bridget Marmion. Here's what we'll cover:

• Understanding TED Talks vs. TEDx Talks: Discover the nuances and differences between these talks and learn which one may be best for your audience.
• Qualifications for a TEDx Talk: Learn what it takes to qualify as a TEDx speaker and how to position yourself for success.
• Results from TEDx Talks: Hear firsthand accounts of the impact and results speakers have achieved through their TEDx Talks.
• Application Process: Gain insights into how and where to apply for a TEDx speaking opportunity.
• Key Points for Preparation: Get tips on how to prepare for your pitch and craft a compelling talk that resonates with your audience.
• Timing and Planning: Understand the ideal timeline for pitching yourself and initiating the TEDx Talk process.
• Audience and Promotion: Explore who sees TEDx Talks, as well as how each is promoted and by whom.
• Maximizing Value: Discover strategies to maximize the value of your TEDx Talk and make a lasting impact.
• Q&A Session: Bring your questions and get expert answers tailored to your needs.

Don't miss this opportunity to unlock the secrets of TEDx Talks! Reserve your spot today.

Speaker bios:

Karen Eber is an author, leadership consultant, and keynote speaker. Her book, The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories that Inform, Influence, and Inspire, and her TED Talk continue to inspire millions. As the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Eber Leadership Group, Karen helps Fortune 500 companies build leaders, teams, and culture, one story at a time. She is a former Head of Culture, Learning, and Leadership Development at GE and Deloitte.

Nekasha Pratt is a Vice President of Marketing at HarperCollins Publishers, where she heads marketing, digital, and publicity for three fiction imprints. She is also a sought-after speaker and thought-leader who has been featured on podcasts, interviewed for publications such as Inc Magazine and Bizwomen Business Journal, and has done a TEDx Talk on personal power.

Terri Trespicio is an award-winning writer, speaker, and author of Unfollow YourPassion (Atria 2021). Her TEDx talk, “Stop Searching for Your Passion,” has been viewed 8M+ times. A former magazine editor, she’s been featured in Forbes Women, Business Insider, the Today show, and others. Learn more at territrespicio.com.

Moderator:

Bridget Marmion spent over a decade each at FSG, Random House and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, mostly as SVP of Marketing, Bridget now runs a full-service marketing firm, Bridget Marmion Book Marketing LLC.  She is a member of WMG, and currently serves on the board of WNBA. She is also on the board of BISG, on the BISG Metadata Committee, and on the advisory board of Pace University Masters in Publishing Program.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, May 8, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET 

$20 for WMG members, $30 for non-members

Location: Penguin Random House, Cerf-Lane Room, 14th floor (1745 Broadway between 55th and 56th streets)

If you’re an entrepreneur, freelancer, consultant, or independent contractor, don’t miss this career-changing evening with six of the country’s top experts on entrepreneurship and small businesses. This is a unique opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs and learn how to help your business grow. At this event, you’ll get advice about:

• marketing

• sales

• cash flow

• staff hiring and management

• building referrals

• developing an advisory board 

• and much more

You’ll have an opportunity to sit down with each expert in a small group to ask questions and join the conversation. The evening will end with a wine-and-cheese reception and networking.

This is one of ⭐️WMG’s 50th Anniversary marquee events. ⭐️Over the past five decades, our New York-based nonprofit has brought together women in media to collaborate with, learn from, inform, and mentor one another. Our 50th Anniversary marquee events embrace WMG’s core mission of women’s empowerment. 

Panelists

Deb Boulanger is a business growth strategist and the driving force behind The Launch Lab, a powerhouse program dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs. She specializes in guiding former corporate leaders in how to make more money, meaning, and impact as entrepreneurs. Drawing from her extensive 27 years in sales, marketing, and product development, Deb has engineered a foolproof, predictable business development process. She combines the time-tested principles used by multi-billion-dollar corporations with modern strategies in online marketing and sales to guide her clients to monetize their hard-won expertise profitably. Deb believes entrepreneurship is the new feminist movement and is fiercely committed to closing the revenue gap for women entrepreneurs. Her website is www.thegreatdoover.com

 

Melinda Emerson, “SmallBizLady,” is an expert and keynote speaker on small business development, online selling, and marketing strategy. She is CEO of Quintessence Group, a marketing consulting firm that serves Fortune 500 brands that target small businesses. She has an online school and hosts a podcast for small business owners. In addition to being a former New York Times columnist, Melinda has published over 5000 articles on her blog,SucceedAsYourOwnBoss.com. Her advice is widely read, reaching one million entrepreneurs weekly online. She is the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months and Fix Your Business. Her website is: www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

 

Julia Pimsleur is a scaling coach, sales trainer, speaker, bestselling author and the Founder of Million Dollar Women, a New York City-based social venture, which has helped thousands of women entrepreneurs scale up their businesses. Julia’s passion for working with women entrepreneurs grew out of her own experiences of feeling isolated building her first business, Little Pim. She ultimately joined communities, hired mentors, and grew Little Pim from a $30,000 investment into a multimillion-dollar VC-backed company, which she sold. Her website is www.millionwomen.com.

 

Elaine Pofeldt is an independent journalist and speaker who specializes in entrepreneurship and careers. She is the author of The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business and Tiny Business, Big Money. As a senior editor at Fortune Small Business magazine, she was twice nominated for the National Magazine Award for her feature stories. Her work has appeared in Fortune, Money, CNBC, Inc., Forbes, Crain’s New York Business and many other business publications and she is a contributor to the Economist Intelligence Unit. Elaine founded and ran Fortune Small Business's national Business Plan Competition for five years. She has also been a judge in the Crain's New York Business Perfect Pitch Competition and Rutger's University's business plan competition. Her website is www.elainepofeldt.com.

 

Sandi Webster is an accomplished entrepreneur, educator, author, and advocate for women in business. With a doctorate in business administration and a background in marketing and analytics, she built and sold her first company and then formed Sandi Webster LLC. Today, she focuses on empowering business owners through workshops, retreats, and intensives. Her expertise lies in forming advisory boards and helping leaders gain external viewpoints to drive success. Sandi co-authored two books, Black and White Strike Gold: Practical Nuggets to Grow Your Business and Immigrant Hustle: How 50 Entrepreneurs Came to America and Built Something Out of Nothing. Her website is www.sandiwebster.com.

 

Moderator

Jane Wesman, who serves as WMG’s Programming Committee Chair, is president of Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc. an agency that provides book marketing and publicity services. She is also the author of Dive Right In — The Sharks Won’t Bite: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Guide to Success and has spent many years mentoring women business owners. Her articles on women and entrepreneurship have been published in a wide range of media outlets including Entrepreneur and Inc. Her website is www.wesmanpr.com.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.

Wednesday, May 1, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

We'll be joined by executive communications coach Donna Rustigian Mac, President of iVoice Communication, originator of the Six Pillars of Mindful Communication, veteran radio host now hosting the Inspiring Voice podcast and author of the new book, Know and Own Your Worth, To Be a Leader.

During this session you’ll learn:

• What it means to be a strong leader and communicator in 2024 and beyond.
• How to gauge the challenging professional circumstances for each individual.
• How to become proactive as a communicator to insure your own personal and professional success.
• Six paradoxical principles to fuel your future successes as a leader.

This is a ✏️ WMG Lunch & Learn ✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

About the speaker:

Donna Rustigian Mac is the President of iVoice Communication, a company dedicated to creating confident speakers, successful interpersonal communicators, and healthy human-business connections through updated, 21^st century communication skills. Donna works with individuals and companies who understand the power of their employees.  Donna’s distinguished career includes more 30 years in communications -- in broadcasting and media (she served on stations for both Greater media, Boston and Clear Channel Communications, Providence), as an executive communication coach, motivational speaker and workforce trainer. Donna is also a certified mindfulness teacher and a qualified MBHC (Mindfulness-based Habit Change) change facilitator. Donna hosts the Inspiring Voice podcast, originated the Six Pillars of Mindful Communications, and is the author of Know and OWN Your Worth, To Be a Leader.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Monday, April 29, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to serve on a paid company board? Do you want to ascend to the next level of corporate leadership in the Boardroom? The dynamic duo of Daphne E. Jones and Nichelle Maynard-Elliott are leaders at the Board Curators, an organization that strives to expand boardroom diversity and enable company marketplace success. This informational session, moderated by Jodi Brockington, will answer questions such as, What is being a board member like? What skills are critical for board service? What are the expectations and obligations? What are boards focusing on in 2024? 

Join us for an insightful session, where we'll:

• Delve into the journeys of these two successful women, who have navigated unconventional paths to corporate board membership
• Discuss the the pivotal role women play in today’s corporate landscape
• Learn how to position ourselves for corporate board positions.

Speaker bios:

Daphne E. Jones is the Founder and CEO of The Board Curators. She is a highly accomplished Fortune 500 CIO, digital leader, and board member with over 30 years of experience in general management and executive level roles at leading companies such as IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and General Electric. She is an active member of several boards of directors, including AMN Healthcare, Inc., Barnes Group Inc., and Masonite International Corp. Her many achievements have been recognized with numerous domestic and international awards. Daphne is also an acclaimed author of Win When They Say You Won't: Break Through Barriers and Keep Leveling Up Your Success, which draws from her own personal story of rising from humble beginnings to achieve great success. Daphne earned her MBA and BS from Illinois State University. 

Nichelle Maynard-Elliott is an accomplished dealmaker and advisor to boards and senior management with over 25 years of extensive financial and legal experience in mergers and acquisitions, business development, and strategic alliances. She has led the charge in influencing and developing diversity and inclusion cultures in traditionally white male-dominated environments. Since 2018, Nichelle has served as an independent director of Element Solutions Inc., a global specialty chemicals company. She is also a trustee of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III, on the board of Lucid Group, Inc., and was named one of 2021’s Most Influential Black Directors by Savoy and a 2023 Director to Watch by Directors & Boards. She also serves on numerous not-for-profit boards. Nichelle received a Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law and a BA in Economics from Brown University. 

Moderator:

Jodi Brockington is The Co-President of Women’s Media Group is the founder, CEO, and principal consultant for NIARA Consulting, where she coaches and advises thousands of entrepreneurs and professionals by helping them launch, manage and develop their businesses. Jodi's newest passion is BLENDiD, a lifestyle community and platform that enables people with biracial and multiracial backgrounds to connect through personalized content and network. Recently, Jodi was awarded the "Top 25 Women in Power Impacting Diversity" by Diversity Plus Magazine. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, April 24, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

The Generative AI hype may have quieted since peak ChatGPT, but rest assured that AI tools continue to proliferate. What does this mean for content creators, publishers, and marketers? Join us for a lively lunchtime discussion with media leaders who are actively incorporating AI in their daily practice – and building businesses that harness the power of AI to empower others.

Speaker bios:

Kristen Cook is an Enterprise Customer Success Manager at Jasper,  where she plays a pivotal role in empowering Global Marketing organizations to harness the power of generative AI across their teams. With a decade of experience in the SaaS and startup sectors, Kristen brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role in helping to shape the future of AI innovation in marketing. At Jasper, an AI copilot for enterprise marketing teams, Kristen's work involves close collaboration with some of the world's top publishers, guiding them through the seamless integration of genAI into their operational workflows. Kristen is deeply passionate about helping teams solve real problems and building impactful solutions with genAI.

Caitlin Kelly is founder and co-CEO of EZ Newswire. She has 15 years of marketing and communications experience across technology, media, and finance. Previously, Caitlin held a senior role at MediaLink, advising Fortune 100 companies on growth, marketing, and communications strategy, and she oversaw communications at PubMatic, leading them through funding rounds before IPO. Caitlin earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, where she attended on scholarship.

Founder of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations, Kathleen Schmidt is a strategist who applies her in-depth experience in all aspects of the industry, including as a publicist, literary agent, acquisitions editor, and ghostwriter, to every project she takes on. Her career encompasses 30 years of creating and directing impactful and strategic global media, marketing, and branding campaigns for politicians, A-List celebrities, athletes, and high-profile personalities. To date, she has worked on 50 New York Times bestsellers, and her clients have continuously appeared in top-tier national print, broadcast, and radio outlets such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Vogue, Elle, Financial Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Sirius XM.

Moderator Charlie Schroder is President Emerita of Women’s Media Group and currently heads Original Content Development & Publishing at Scribd, the company behind premium reading content subscription service Everand (as well as Scribd and Slideshare). With a career at the intersection of content, technology, creators and audiences, Ms. Schroder most recently spearheaded Scribd’s first GenAI experiments and successfully initiated the company’s AI Ethics Committee.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Tuesday, April 16, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Join publishing powerhouse Zibby Owens and author Estelle Erasmus for a fun and informative conversation about all things book publishing.

Zibby is the founder of Zibby Books, a publishing company releasing 12 books a year in upmarket, contemporary fiction and memoir, the creator and host of the Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books podcast, and is the author of the novel Blank, which Kirkus Reviews calls, “an enjoyable read full of book industry antics and plenty of dramatic surprises.”

Estelle is an award-winning journalist, a professor of writing at New York University, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published.

Together, they will discuss how the publishing industry has shifted for authors and publishers and offer their advice on how to navigate this new publishing world.   

Full speaker bios:

Estelle Erasmus, author of Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Publishedis an award-winning journalist, a professor of writing at New York University, a magazine editor, and the host of the Freelance Writing Direct podcast. Her work has appeared in dozens of media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, Huffington Post Personal, Marie Claire and more. She has appeared on Good Morning America, Fox News with Ernie Anastos and has had her articles mentioned on The View. She received a 2023 NYU School of Professional Studies Teaching Excellence Award, a 2023 Zibby Award naming Writing That Gets Noticed the "Best Book for the Writer", is an American Society of Journalists and Authors award winner, and was a cast member in the inaugural New York City production of the Listen to Your Mother storytelling show. 

Zibby Owens is the host of the daily podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books; CEO of the Zibby Bookspublishing house; owner of Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica, CA; and creator of “the Zibby-verse”, a community of book lovers and authors with retreats, events, a book club, and more. Zibby, is a regular contributor to GMA and other outlets with a weekly essay column on Substack. Her latest book, Blank, is a novel about a fortyish former literary sensation who fears she will be a one-hit wonder. Zibby also wrote Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, children’s book Princess Charming, and edited two anthologies.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, April 3, 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE

Please come to the WMG 2024 Annual Business Meeting on April 3 from 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. 

Spend 30 minutes with Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jennifer A. Perry, and members of the board, in an abbreviated virtual meeting to:

• Vote in the new board
• Welcome new members
• Review highlights of the past year
• Talk about opportunities to volunteer

We value your time and participation, and hope to see you there!

WMG Turns 50!

Monday, March 25, 6:00 p.m. ET

In person: $125 for members; $150 for non-members

The 50th Anniversary Gala will be a very special celebration bringing together members, friends, WMG scholars, and supporters of women in media to celebrate 50 years of Women's Media Group! It will include an awards ceremony honoring women who embody WMG’s values of community, diversity, and women’s empowerment; a cocktail party; and a silent auction fundraiser for the WMG Educational Foundation, which is central to our mission to provide women with educational opportunities and financial assistance at all stages of their careers.

Just announced!

Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. She’s an unusual combination: a literary writer who explores how we can put transcendent ideas into practice. She’s the author of five New York Times bestselling books, including The Happiness Project. On her top-ranking weekly podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, she discusses good habits and happiness with her sister Elizabeth Craft. Her award-winning Happier app helps people customize and use habit-tracking tools. She makes frequent appearances on TV and radio and in print, and is in much demand as a speaker. Rubin started her career in law and was clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor when she realized she wanted to be a writer. She lives in New York City with her family. Gretchen will be interviewed by Kathy Sandler, WMG President Emerita, WMG Anniversary Gala Chair, and Senior Manager, Penguin Random House.

We hope to see you on March 25th to commemorate this significant milestone!

If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please view our sponsorship opportunities here. 

Thursday, March 14, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members (Zoom)

Don’t we all want to achieve success and inspire others we admire and respect to do the same? Betty Ng, CEO, author, public speaker, and co-founder of the Asian American Authors Book Club, will introduce us to the Po-Ling Power framework—a decision, evaluation, and measurement tool that will help you set goals, stay focused, and analyze and make decisions. She will share real-life stories and applications from the book she co-wrote with her mother, Po-Ling, to demonstrate how different career and life journeys can benefit from this common approach to success. After one hour with Betty, you will be motivated and empowered to propel yourself, your community, and your organization to achieve your goals by focusing on what matters.

Meet the speaker:

Betty Ng is the founder and CEO of Inspiring Diversity, an organization working to promote inclusion in business. Previously, she spent 20 years working in the corporate and financial services sector at several companies, including Moody’s, Citigroup, and American Express. Betty holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and was selected as a Notable Asian Leader by Crain’s New York Business. With her mother, Po-Ling Ng, she co-authored Po-Ling Power: Propelling Yourself and Others to Success.

This is a⚡️️️WMG Power Hour️⚡️️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Tuesday, February 27, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members

Wondering about new opportunities in the literary world? This event will bring together veteran literary agents in growing genres such as cookbooks, fiction, and YA, to talk about the latest trends in their fields and any wish lists they may have. We’ll start in a main room with introductions, then participants will have the opportunity to join two rounds of small-group breakout rooms with the agents of their choice. We’ll all come away with a deeper understanding of the growth areas in publishing and how our skills might fit into them. 

You’ll have the opportunity to join two breakout rooms of your choice during this event. The following agents will lead breakout rooms:

• Regina Brooks, the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency 
• Joëlle Delbourgo, President and Founder of Joëlle Delbourgo Associates, will discuss commercial and literary fiction, and prescriptive and narrative nonfiction
• Sally Ekus, a Senior Literary Agent at Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency Inc., will discuss cookbooks and select other non-fiction titles
• Joy Fowlkes, The Gernert Company, will discuss podcasts and audio storytelling
• Madeleine Morel, the principal of 2M Communications Ltd, will discuss ghostwriting and book collaboration
• Kelly Sonnack, Executive Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, will discuss middle grade, YA, and graphic novels 

Regina Brooks is the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency. Her agency is the largest African American owned agency in the country and has represented and established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. In 2015, Publishers Weekly nominated Regina Brooks as a PW Star Watch Finalist, and she was honored with a Stevie Award in Business. Writer’s Digest Magazine named Serendipity Literary Agency as one of the top 25 literary agencies. She is currently the Vice President of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) and co-chair of its Communications Committee, a founding member and board member of Literary Agents of Change (LAOC), and a board member of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP). Formerly, she held senior editorial positions at John Wiley and Sons (where she was not only the youngest but also the first African American editor in their college division) and McGraw-Hill.

Joëlle Delbourgo is President and Founder of the boutique agency, Joëlle Delbourgo Associates, which represents a broad range of adult fiction and nonfiction. The agency strives to help build author's careers and expand the audience for their work. Prior to creating the agency, Joelle was a senior editorial executive at HarperCollins and Ballantine Books. She began her career at Bantam Books where she launched the Choose Your Own Adventure books for kids. Joëlle is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents and a former board member of the Women's Media Group. She holds a Master of the Arts in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University and was a double major in history and English at Williams College. She has taught publishing and editing at the graduate level at Rutgers University and is a popular instructor at writing conferences.

Sally Ekus is a Senior Literary Agent at JVNLA where she spearheads The Ekus Group, a boutique culinary division specializing in cookbook and lifestyle titles. She represents a wide range of culinary, health, wellness, and lifestyle talent, from first-time cookbook authors to seasoned chefs, RDs, professional food writers, bloggers, online creators and journalists. From concept to contract, she has brokered over 300 book deals with top publishers including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, and numerous indie publishers. Sally also hosts an online community called How to be a Cookbook Author where she posts a wide range of general publishing news, agency programing, and facilitates connections among the community.

Joy Fowlkes began her career in publishing first at Foundry Literary + Media, then at CAA. Around the same time, a little podcast called Serial was taking the United States by storm, and after listening, Joy had never felt so inspired or had an apartment so clean. When she relocated to the West Coast, she pivoted to audio production, working as a showrunner for Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and The Yes Theory Podcast (Headspace). In 2021, she joined The Gernert Company as a podcast agent, working out of the LA office.

Madeleine Morel is the principal of 2M Communications Ltd., an agency that only represents ghostwriters.  She works with writers in all genres who’ve had multiple books published by the major houses. 95% of her business comes from within the book publishing community and, since founding her company, 2M has been behind over 60 NYT bestsellers.

Kelly Sonnack, Executive Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency,  represents all categories and genres of children's books. For the past 17 years, Kelly has been championing writers and artists in nearly every category, format, and age group. She loves working with debut authors and illustrators as well as bestsellers and award-winning creators who are deep into their careers, and excels at developing strategies for clients at each stage of the creator's journey. Kelly is on the board of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) where she also co-chairs the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Kelly grew up overseas, primarily in Singapore, and now lives in Southern California. She is very active in several local LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and otherwise spends a lot of her time rooting for her daughter's softball team.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, February 21, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members (Zoom)

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, the timing appeared perfect to bring the beloved educational and joyful children’s television show, Sesame Street, to millions of children living in the former Soviet Union. American filmmaker and producer Natasha Lance Rogoff took on the challenge of creating an original Russian version of the iconic program, hoping to introduce millions of children to the Muppets and a world of learning, tolerance, and optimism. But no one anticipated just how challenging and dangerous these good intentions would prove to be.

In this conversation with Sesame Street content producer and historian Betsy Loredo, Natasha will bring this unique story to life by recounting many of the details she tells in her award-winning book, Muppets in Moscow. We’ll hear about the on-set cultural clashes the production team encountered as well as off-set car bombings, the assassinations of the show’s top broadcast partners, and hostile takeovers of the production studios. In spite of these obstacles, Ulitsa Sezam aired for more than a decade, and many Russians and Ukrainians now at war with one another grew up on the show. Natasha’s experiences in Russia illuminate far more than just the story of a children’s TV show. Her insights offer a valuable perspective on Russian values, Russian people, and the country’s ongoing complicated relationship with the West, which is highly relevant for us to hear about today.

Meet the Speakers: 

Natasha Lance Rogoff is an award-win­ning film­mak­er, jour­nal­ist, tele­vi­sion pro­duc­er, and author of Mup­pets in Moscow: The Unexpected Crazy True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia. She wrote exten­sive­ly about Russ­ian under­ground cul­ture and led the pro­duc­tion of Sesame Street in Rus­sia and Mex­i­co. Lance Rogoff is an Asso­ciate in the Art, Film, and Visu­al Stud­ies Depart­ment at Har­vard Uni­ver­si­ty and pas­sion­ate about media cre­at­ing bridges for cross cul­ture understanding. Muppets in Moscow was nominated for the prestigious Pushkin Book Prize (2023) and won first prize for 'Best First Book' and 'Best Audiobook' from The Independent Publishers Association and the Independent Book Awards.

Betsy Loredo is an Executive Editor and Content Director at Sesame Workshop, where she has produced award-winning books, magazines, apps, podcasts, interactive audio experiences, museum exhibits, and other story-based content for Sesame Street and other children’s media properties. She is also the unofficial "Historian" of Sesame Street and served as a consultant researcher for the recent documentary, Street Gang. Outside of her work with Cookie Monster and Elmo, Loredo is an author of many children’s books and children’s television show content.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Tuesday, February 6, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members

We'll be joined by Paula Rizzo, a bestselling productivity author, Emmy Award Winning TV producer and LinkedIn Learning Instructor for a session to boost our efficiency no matter where we're working. 

During this session you’ll learn:

• How to tap into your own productivity style to get more done at home, in the office or anywhere
• How to work effectively from anywhere to make sure deadlines are met
• Ways to get your ideas across succinctly and powerfully during video meetings
• Best tools and technology to amplify your message during video meetings

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

About the speaker:

Paula Rizzo is an Emmy Award–winning television producer, bestselling author of Listful Thinking and Listful Living, media-training coach, speaker, LinkedIn Learning Instructor, host of the live-stream show Inside Scoop, and creator of the popular online training Media-Ready Author.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Wednesday, January 24, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members (Zoom)

Everyone is familiar with the phrase “do-over,” a time-honored request for a pause or a chance to try something again. Julienne B. Ryan, an author, public speaker, storytelling humorist, and proud native of Queens, New York, will use this concept to focus on how to improve workplace and inter-personal communications. Based on her humorous book, The Learned-It-In Queens Communication Playbook-Winning Against Digital Distraction, this lunch & learn program will address the things we do that get us into communication trouble and provide some simple practical things we can do to get out of our own way.

Julienne will reference communication challenges (a.k.a.“mistakes”) she faced as a former Human Resources professional and will use those stories to provide helpful tips for successful communication, with a heavy focus on how to engage in authentic communication when so much interaction is happening via screens. The key takeaway will be advice for effective listening and fostering of better relationships with work colleagues and other networks in one’s life.

Participants will leave this session with:

• Julienne’s tried-and-true Queensite expressions that defy acceptable grammar principles but are packed with common sense
• Brain Science facts
• Practical tips on how to begin* to eliminate self-sabotaging interpersonal habits
• Helpful and memorable examples
• A smile

Who should attend?

All professionals who work virtually and in-person who must communicate with humans on a regular basis and need to lead by example.

Julienne’s service commitment:

Julienne is committed to creating a safe and supportive learning environment so that she can disrupt listeners’ thinking. Her hope is that her words will trigger a few smiles so that the audience will begin contemplating this radical thought, “Could it be that some of my communication challenges start with me?”

About the speaker:

Julienne B. Ryan grew up in Queens having three communication choices: be funny, fight, or run really fast. Ironically, everything she wanted to dismiss, avoid, or forget about her formative years has become useful now. Like a one-woman sustainability project, she now encourages people to try to appreciate the parts of themselves that make them unique. Besides being a humorist, she is an organizational storyteller, a keynote speaker, a facilitator and a soft-skills facilitator and coach. She received her BA in Psychology & Urban Studies at Manhattan College and her MA in Organizational and Development Leadership at Teachers College at Columbia University. She is a certified AccumatchBI Coach, a certified Collective Brains Mentor, and a trained Narativ Method Facilitator. Julienne cohosts LEADERSHIP STORYTALKS by Narativ Podcast with Jerome Deroy, CEO – Narativ, Inc. Learn more about Julienne Ryan and her keynotes, workshops, podcasts and coaching practice at: www.jryanpartners.com.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Thursday, January 18, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE

A fun and casual way for new members to virtually connect and get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors. 

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG after July 1, 2023 and will be hosted by WMG Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jennifer A. Perry.

Wednesday, January 17, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free (Zoom)

Please join us for a special members-only, 45-minute bliss-out that is yoga nidra. Despite the word “yoga,” there will be no downward facing dogs or triangle poses. This is a guided, very visual meditation that makes it hard for your mind to wander and is designed to put you into the deeply relaxed, creative state between sleep and waking. 

Yoga nidra is done either lying on a yoga mat or seated on a straight-back chair. Your camera will be off. We'll begin with a few simple breathing exercises and then begin this deeply restorative practice, which promotes both relaxation and inspiration. Warning: You might end up having a great night’s sleep.

WMG member Dawn Raffel is a developmental editor and the author of six books, including The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies and the forthcoming Boundless as the Sky. When not staring at words, she leads yoga nidra sessions. She is a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher with an additional 100 hours of certifications in teaching meditative practices. She has taught yoga and creative writing at the Center for Fiction in New York, and has been leading regular online yoga nidra sessions since the spring of 2020.

Thursday, November 30, doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET for holiday networking; event starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. ET

In person: $50 for members and $60 for non-members

We are pleased to invite you to a very special in-person get-together. Taking place on November 30th at the gorgeous midtown Manhattan offices of our co-sponsor, Pride Global, this event will include time for catching up before the holidays as well as an important Power Hour talk about how to move diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives forward. WMG Power Hours are a series of events that help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies. 

This special evening features: 

• A motivational and thought-provoking panel featuring internationally known author, speaker, TED presenter, and DEI expert Janet Stovall; WMG co-President Jodi Brockington; and Pride Global Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Kamela Forbes

• A signed copy of Janet's book, The Conscious Communicator: The Fine Art of Not Saying Stupid Sh*t

• Delicious light bites, wine, and beverages

• Time for networking with fellow WMG members and guests

More about this Power Hour:

Since 2020, it has become common for companies to tout their improvements in diversity hires, inclusive content, and equitable practices. Yet during this same time, the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action policies in higher education, many communities are being torn apart by book bans, and some states are passing legislation that limits and polices what teachers can teach. 

What do these changes mean for the workplace? Are diversity initiatives moving forwards or backwards? How do we transition from platitudes to policies, from social media sound bites to sustainable change, from numbers to narratives, from talk to action? How can those of us working in publishing and media future-proof diversity priorities and effectively communicate them for maximum support and reach? At this event,DEI dynamos Janet Stovall, Jodi Brockington, and Kamela Forbes will address these questions, help you build actionable DEI frameworks and strategies, and, as Janet’s book title promises, will teach you the fine art of not saying stupid sh*t.

100% of the proceeds from this Power Hour will support the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation, which funds WMG’s annual scholarships granted to future publishing and media professionals who have demonstrated leadership in advancing literacy and promoting underrepresented voices. 

This event is held in partnership with Pride Global at their private event space, the Flight Deck. Pride Global is a minority-owned professional recruitment and staffing advisory firm located in NYC with locations throughout the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Canada, Singapore, the Philippines, and India. They assist clients with direct hire and contract talent search solutions across a variety of skill sets and industries.

Janet Stovall is a global CDO, consultant, speaker and author. She helps businesses dismantle systemic inequity, especially where it intersects with race. Global Head of DEI at NeuroLeadership Institute, and founder of DEI consultancy, Pragmatic Diversity, Janet specializes in shaping and implementing realistic DEI visions and strategies that drive change and build culture. Collectively, her three TED talks challenging business to get serious about inclusion have nearly 3 million views, and she is co-author of Amazon bestseller, The Conscious Communicator: The Fine Art of Not Saying Stupid Sh*t.

Jodi Brockington is The Co-President of Women’s Media Group is the founder, CEO, and principal consultant for NIARA Consulting, where she coaches and advises thousands of entrepreneurs and professionals by helping them launch, manage and develop their businesses. Jodi's newest passion is BLENDiD, a lifestyle community and platform that enables people with biracial and multiracial backgrounds to connect through personalized content and network. Recently, Jodi was awarded the "Top 25 Women in Power Impacting Diversity" by Diversity Plus Magazine. 

Kamela Forbes is Global Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Pride Global, an integrated human capital solutions firm, where she ensures that the company stays at the forefront of the DE&I revolution through her implementation of “Decidedly Diverse” - a comprehensive DE&I strategy. She is also the host of the podcast, But First, People, which aims to amplify underrepresented voices of people and organizations that help the world work.

Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.

Tuesday, November 14, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; pay what you wish for non-members (suggested donation is $15.00)

Did you know that disabled people are the largest minoritized group in the United States? According to the CDC, one out of every four adults in the U.S. live with a disability. And according to the World Health Organization, “Almost everyone is likely to experience some form of disability – temporary or permanent – at some point in life.” For many of us, it affects us day-to-day in our working lives now. How can we challenge the stereotypes and stigma that surround disability in our society and create more inclusive and diverse stories and spaces?

Join us for a virtual program on Disability in Publishing and media, where you will hear from a panel of experts who are authors, screenwriters, journalists, bookstore owners, marketers, and activists with disabilities. They will share their insights and experiences on topics such as ableism and microaggressions in the workplace, tips for senior leaders to be inclusive when it comes to hiring and managing employees with disabilities, and the importance of supporting disabled writers and groups. This is a unique opportunity to learn from and connect with some of the most influential voices in the disability community and to celebrate their contributions to the world of publishing and media.

Speakers:

 
Keah Brown is a journalist, screenwriter, and author of The Pretty One and Sam’s Super Seats. She is the creator of #DisabledAndCute. Her other work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire UK, and The New York Times, among other publications. She has been featured in anthologies including the New York Times-bestselling You Are Your Best Thing edited by Brené Brown and Tarana Burke. To learn more, check out keahbrown.com. 

Annie Carl was born with a rare spinal disability (lipomeningomyelocele – according to Seattle Children’s Hospital 1 in 10,000 children are born with this condition) and is a Stage IV Non-Hodgkins survivor. She manages an ANCA Vasculitis autoimmune disorder on a daily basis. She owns and runs The Neverending Bookshop in Edmonds, WA. Annie is the author of My Tropey Life: How Pop Culture Stereotypes Make Disabled Lives Harder, Nebula Vibrations, and the editor of Soul Jar: Thirty-One Fantastical Tales by Disabled Authors.

Jen Deerinwater is a bisexual, Two-Spirit, multiply-disabled, citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and an award-winning journalist and organizer who covers the myriad of issues hir communities face with an intersectional lens. Jen is the founding executive director of Crushing Colonialism and a 2019 New Economies Reporting Project and 2020 Disability Futures fellow. Hir work has been featured in a wide range of publications, including Truthout, Bitch, Rewire.News, In These Times, and several anthologies. While a nomad at heart and raised in rural areas of her nation’s reservation in Oklahoma and in rural Texas, Jen currently lives on occupied Piscataway land known as Washington DC. To learn more, visit jdeerinwater.com.

Moderator:

Erin Madison is one of the co-founders and current president of Disability in Publishing, a new organization created to advocate for disability representation and support disabled and neurodivergent people working in the publishing industry. She is also a marketing manager specializing in backlist marketing at Penguin Publishing Group. Diagnosed with Stickler syndrome at a young age, she is passionate about increasing disability representation in both the industry and the books we publish. Originally from Arizona, she currently lives in western Massachusetts with her wife and a tiny tuxedo cat.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation. You can also make a donation here. 

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Penguin Random House, this event will offer an ASL interpreter. We will also offer closed captioning, a transcript of the event, and a recording of the event.

If you would like to request additional access features for this event or submit a question to the panelists before the event, please email us at info@womensmediagroup.org.

This is a ⚡️️️WMG Power Hour️⚡️️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

WMG’s small group gatherings are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This fall, we’ve curated a group of intimate and fun socials to bring small groups of members together to celebrate the holiday season in special ways. Art, food, drinks, and networking are on the menu! 

Happy Hour and Networking Celebration with Julie Blattberg and Charlie Schroder

Friday, November 10, 6:00 p.m. ET

In person – networking at the bar at Da Claudio, 21 Ann Street, Manhattan

Calling All Art Lovers with Jane Wesman

Thursday, November 16, 4:45 p.m. ET

In person – curated tour of Chelsea art galleries concluding with celebratory drinks at Bottino

BLENDiD Multicultural Culinary Experience with Jodi Brockington

Friday, November 17, 7:30 p.m. ET

In person – unique dining experience at a private residence on the Upper West Side

Lunch at The Fraunces Tavern with Jennifer Perry

Wednesday, December 6, 12:30 p.m. ET

In person – a holiday luncheon in New York's oldest and most historic bar and restaurant.

Art-Food Dinner with Candi Cross and Claudia Cross

Tuesday, December 12, 5:00 p.m. ET

In person – discuss New-York Historical Society exhibits over dinner at Clara, the museum’s new restaurant.

Dinner at Wali Ethiopian Restaurant with Susan McCulloch

Tuesday, December 12, 6:30 p.m. ET

In person – a relaxed eatery in South Orange, NJ with delicious Ethiopian food.

Tuesday, November 7, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE 

As a member of the Writers Guild of America, WMG member Sarah Montana spent 148 days on strike between May and September. During that time, she made signs, walked the picket line, and became a leader on the local WGA East council. In this members-only conversation, Sarah will discuss her perspective on the WGA’s motivation, tactics, final settlement, and how the resolutions could impact other creative sectors. She’ll also share how the strike disrupted her life personally, how to support labor actions like this in the future, and what she learned about getting involved in political action. 

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, November 2, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members

With the rise of the “Lazy Girl Job," a habit of job-hopping, a push-back against standard workplace practices, and a demand for better work-life balance, this new generation of workers is making hiring managers, HR folk, and recruiters’ heads spin. There’s so much to talk about! This panel will discuss all the ways Gen Z is changing the way we think about careers and how to better mentor and work with Gen Z. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the panelists: 

Nicole Harrison is a seasoned talent acquisition expert with a rich history of leading high-performing talent teams across the media and fashion industries. With a commitment to diversity and deep understanding of operational efficiency, Nicole has consistently delivered results and implemented best practices to drive recruitment and hiring success. Nicole is currently the Head of TA for Hearst Magazines, prior to this she managed TA and companies such as Conde Nast, Calvin Klein, Stuart Weitzman to name a few.

Bucky Keady is the Head of People and Culture for Editorialist,LLC. She has spent 25+ years as a senior human resources leader driving strategic change and creative thinking in the world of People & Culture at iconic media, entertainment and creative businesses. A trusted partner to CEOs and company boards, Bucky has had a key role in business, editorial and digital transformation at Time Inc. and Condé Nast. For Bucky, the best part of being the Head of People & Culture for Editorialist is her commitment to creating an exciting environment to work in along with a “passion for fashion”!

Rebecca Knight is a journalist based in Boston who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. She is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, the BBC, and others. Her work has been published in The Christian Science Monitor, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, USA Today, WBUR, and The Daily Beast. Rebecca was a senior correspondent at Business Insider, and a host of Insider’s daily news podcast, The Refresh. She also spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston. She was recently shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University.

Casey Lewis is an editor, consultant, and head of content and communications for the venture capital firm Seven Seven Six. She publishes a daily newsletter called After School about youth culture that reaches thousands of executives at Fortune 500 companies like Nike, Ford, and Facebook. She previously held roles at New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, and MTV. In 2016, she cofounded Clover Letter, a media company for teenage girls that was acquired by AwesomenessTV (which was later acquired by Viacom, where she served as VP of editorial).

Moderator:

Chandra Turner is a recruiter and runs the boutique recruiting agency Talent Fairy where she specializes in placing editorial and content professionals with brands. As the founder of the careers site Ed2010.com, Chandra has helped countless media professionals find their dream jobs in content creation — so much so that she was often referred to as the industry’s “fairy godmother.” Chandra has held top editorial positions at brands such as Cosmopolitan, CosmoGirl, Parents, and Scholastic. In her 20+ year career, Chandra created award-winning consumer magazines, managed print and digital content teams, and executed content strategy for dozens of Fortune 500 companies.

Wednesday, October 25, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members

The fastest-growing segment of the U.S. publishing industry is digital audio books, so let’s dive into the business behind this increasingly popular format. During this thought-provoking program, we’ll discuss:

• Who’s listening to audiobooks? How, where, and when do they listen? 
• What are the best-selling audiobook genres and what makes a great audiobook? 
• What are the most effective ways to market to the audiobook audience?
•  What are the trends and hot topics in audio? 
• Can the growth rate of audiobooks continue? 
• This business overview brings together an extraordinary group of experts to share their knowledge about the current audiobooks marketplace and their thoughts about the future.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation. 

Speakers:

Michele Cobb has served on the Audio Publishers Association board since 2001, as a director and officer, and is currently Executive Director. She is a partner at Forte Business Consulting, which provides business development services for the publishing industry, and she is Publisher of both AudioFile Magazine and MMB Media.

Ally Demeter is an Associate Producer of audiobooks at Macmillan Publishers. Her seven years of audiobook experience began when she was an engineer for audiobook publisher, Recorded Books, and The Library of Congress. She has also worked at National Public Radio.

Ali Hammond has over 15 years of experience in the book industry. Currently, she is the Head of Merchandising at Chirp Audiobooks, where she focuses on supporting publishers and authors to promote their audiobooks and helping readers to find their next book to enjoy. 

Larissa Helena leads the North America catalog expansion of the screen-free audio player, Yoto. She has forged partnerships with well-known brands Chronicles of Narnia, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Dragons Love Tacos, and Sesame Street. During her 14-year career in Publishing, she has worked as an executive editor in Brazil, and she is also an award-winning translator.

Moderator: 

Jennifer A. Perry is Director of Audiobooks at Barnes & Noble and co-President of Women’s Media Group. Her long career in children’s publishing at Scholastic, Sesame Workshop, and as Executive Director of PEP Consulting has included the development and distribution of myriad audio formats and experiences.

Sunday, October 22, 2:00 p.m. ET

Deadline to purchase tickets is Thursday, October 19

The Madison Theatre at Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (a 45-minute train ride from Penn Station)

$60 per person, includes a 3-course tea by boutique bakery Polka Dot Poundcake and one of the authors’ books of your choice. 

Join us for a Literary Tea to Benefit WMG’s Educational Foundation! Women’s Media Group members Carol Hoenig and Peggy Zieran, former indie bookstore owners and partners in book marketing company, On the Road Book Events, are hosting a fall edition of their popular literary tea series at Long Island’s Molloy University. Featuring a highly esteemed group of women authors with vastly diverse careers as writers, this not-to-be-missed event will sell out quickly, so register today! A portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to WMG’s Educational Foundation, which directly supports our annual scholarships, fellowships, and members-only professional development opportunities. 

The guest authors are:

Helen Ellis, author of Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge: Intimate Confessions from a Happy Marriage, Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light, Southern Lady Code, American Housewife and Eating the Cheshire Cat. Ellis describes herself as a poker player and plant lady.

Patty Lin, author of End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood and former TV writer and producer whose credits include Freaks and Geeks, Friends, Desperate Housewives, and Breaking Bad. She has also written pilots for Fox, CBS, and Nickelodeon. Her Breaking Badepisode, "Gray Matter," was nominated for a Writers Guild Award for Outstanding Script in the Episodic Drama category. She retired from television writing to pursue other interests and occasionally appears in background acting roles.

Rosemary Wells, author and illustrator of more than one hundred and twenty books for children, including If You Believe in Me.

Carol Hoenig, Author, Publishing Consultant, and WMG Board member, will moderate the discussion. 

Register using the button above or call Madison Theatre at (516) 323-4444.

Tuesday, October 10, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members

Video has the potential to connect you with book lovers and buyers like no other medium can. In fact, 45 percent of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week; your book may as well get in on the act. Video is a powerful way to find an audience, show off your expertise, and engage fans.

Join Paula Rizzo, an Emmy award-winning television producer and best-selling author of Listful Thinking and Listful Living, and a media trainer, on how to produce compelling video content and prepare to dazzle on camera.

Here’s what you’ll learn: 

• Tips for creating dynamic videos that will impress the media and book buyers
• How to deliver compelling, memorable, and provocative interviews
• Best practices for creating storylines that are newsworthy and interesting
• How to use video as a marketing and publicity tool to secure media and attract book buyers
• Dos and don’ts of video production

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

About the speaker:

Paula Rizzo is an Emmy Award–winning television producer, bestselling author of Listful Thinking and Listful Living, media-training coach, speaker, LinkedIn Learning Instructor, host of the live-stream show Inside Scoop, and creator of the popular online training Media-Ready Author.

Tuesday, October 3, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET 

$20 for WMG members, $25 for non-members

Location: Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Cerf-Lane Room

5:30 - 6:30 Wine, cheese & networking
6:30 - 7:30 Program

Come hear a power panel of Latina master storytellers at this unforgettable in-person event for Hispanic Heritage Month. These award-winning authors, agents, editors, podcasters, and journalists will talk about their work and how they came to share their stories with the world. Each of these fabulous trailblazers has taken the time to consistently amplify marginalized voices throughout their careers, and they are role models for how you can uplift others on your journey. Their courage, strength, and creativity will inspire you to claim your voice and harness your narrative power to tell your story. 

This special evening includes time for networking. Refreshments will be served. WMG members and non-members are welcome.

Meet the panelists:

Grace Bastidas is the Editor-in-Chief of Parents. A bilingual New Yorker raising two daughters, she also hosts the podcast That New Mom Life. Before her current role, she was the Founding Editor-in-Chief of Parents Latina, a multicultural brand reaching Latinx parents and caregivers across the country. She was also Deputy Editor at Latina Media Ventures. Grace regularly shares her expertise on shows like Today, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, and Live with Kelly and Mark. She has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and New York, and has always been passionate about giving voice to underrepresented communities. Grace is proud to serve as an ambassador for the Good+ Foundation, a nonprofit working to break the cycle of family poverty. 

Adriana Domínguez is a Senior Agent at Aevitas Creative Management. She represents award-winning illustrators including John Parra, a New York Times Best Illustrator and recipient of three Pura Belpré Honors, Caldecott Honor recipient Janelle Washington, Kirkus Prize finalist Jacqueline Alcántara, and Orbis Pictus Honor recipient Juliet Menéndez. Her author list includes NAACP Image Award winner Katheryn Russell Brown, Pura Belpré Honor recipient Angela Cervantes and Pulitzer and Emmy Award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Adriana has wide-ranging experience in publishing; she began her editorial career at Scholastic in the 1990s, served as Children’s Reviews Editor at Críticas Magazine (Library Journal), and as Executive Editor at HarperCollins, where she led the children’s division of the Latinx-focused Rayo imprint. She was on the Brooklyn Book Festival Literary Council and on the Children's Programming Committee and was a proud co-founder of the Comadres and Compadres Writers Conference which operated for five years. She is currently a Board member of the Latinx in Kidlit Book Festival and a member of Las Comadres para Las Américas and SCBWI. Adriana has a long trajectory of supporting authors and illustrators from underrepresented backgrounds and always welcomes submissions that offer a diverse point of view. 

Michelle Herrera Mulligan is a writer, editor, and public speaker dedicated to bringing underrepresented voices to light. She currently works as an executive editor at Atria Books. Michelle is an award-winning writer whose essays and articles have reached more than 30 million people online, in publications including Cosmopolitan, Billboard, The New York Times magazine and Elle.com. She was the founding Editor-in-Chief of Cosmo For Latinas magazine, where she built a community that consistently reached two to three million readers per month online and more than 100,000 on the newsstand. She feels especially inspired to work on projects focused on owning one's voice and building a dream, which she spoke about at a TEDx conference hosted at Barnard College titled “Dream Wild.” Her own voice has also been groundbreaking in the young Latinx market. Her award-winning essays in the anthologies Border-Line Personalities and Count on Me have been course-adopted at more than 20 universities across the country ranging from Yale to Florida International University. At Atria, Michelle has published several award-winners and bestsellers, including Maria Hinojosa's Once I Was You, Vanessa and Xander Marin's Sex Talks, Danny Trejo's Trejo, and Rob Kenner's The Marathon Don't Stop. In 2020, Latino Leaders magazine named her one of the 100 most influential Latinas in America. 

Emma Otheguy is an award-winning author of several books for children, including the picture books A Sled for Gabo and Martina Has Too Many Tías, the bilingual picture book Martí’s Song for Freedom, and the middle-grade novels Sofía Acosta Makes a Scene and Silver Meadows Summer.

Moderator:

Jeanine Ramirez is an award-winning journalist, media consultant and podcast co-host. She provided news coverage as an anchor and reporter in New York City for more than two decades, spending much of her career at NY1 News. In 2002, Jeanine had the honor of marching as one of the Grand Marshals in the National Puerto Rican Day Parade up Fifth Avenue. She was listed among the most powerful 100 people in Brooklyn by City & State in both 2019 and 2020. Jeanine also received numerous recognitions for her work, including 5 Emmy nominations and awards from the National Hispanic Media Coalition, New York Press Club, El Diario/La Prensa as well as honors from elected officials, schools, organized labor and community groups. She is a proud member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and was the co-host of a syndicated TV show called “Colores del Barrio” during her time in Texas. In 2021, Jeanine founded a media consulting company in NYC. She co-hosts “The 5 Of Us” podcast and is working on a book project.

This is a ⚡️️️WMG Power Hour️⚡️️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

Profit from this event supports the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Tuesday, September 26, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members

Join this special event with Gail Papp and Rose Styron, two of the most accomplished women in American culture, for a peek into their memoir writing process, the challenge of writing about lives lived in public, and tips for aspiring memoir writers. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the speakers:

Gail Merrifield Papp joined Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival in 1965 and became Director of New Works Development for the Public Theater, working alongside Joe to create a new kind of theater.  She was responsible for some of its best-remembered productions including The Normal Heart and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Partners in work and life, Gail Merrifield and Joseph Papp were married in 1976. Gail's memoir, Public/Private: My Life with Joe Papp at The Public Theater, will be published in October 2023. Photo credit: David Burnett.

Rose Styron is a poet, journalist, human rights activist, a founding member of Amnesty International USA, a foreign policy advisor, discoverer of Philip Roth, and longtime wife of Bill Styron. Her new memoir, Beyond This Harbor: Adventurous Tales of the Heart was released this summer. Rose currently serves as a Board Member for the Academy of American Poets, the Association to Benefit Children, and The Brain and Creativity Institute at USC. Rose is an overseer for New York University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Council of Foreign Relations. Photo credit: Michael Lionstar.

Moderator:

WMG member Bridget Marmion spent over a decade each at FSG, Random House and Houghton Mifflin, working in editorial, publicity, sales, advertising, and marketing during her career.  She now runs a full-service marketing firm, www.bridgetmarmionbookmarketing.com.

Wednesday, September 20, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15.00 for non-members

Earlier this year, WMG member and podcast producer Golda Arthur was among the first winners of WMG's inaugural Rise Fund grants, which provide financial support to WMG members for professional development. She used her award to create a pilot episode of a podcast series called, "Overlooked: A Story about Ovarian Cancer," which will launch this fall.

In this program exclusive to WMG, Golda will share how the Rise Fund positively impacted her project. She will focus on the 'story-behind-the-story' about why she chose this topic for a podcast and how she got it made. She'll touch on practical tips (storyboarding, narration, sound design, marketing, distribution, etc.) and will also speak to the challenges and opportunities behind the common podcast approach of translating a personal story into a public platform. This is a great chance to see behind the curtain of how podcast production works. There will be plenty of time for Q&A. 

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

About the speaker:

Golda Arthur is an independent showrunner and producer. She works with organizations and people to turn ideas into highly-produced podcasts that connect with audiences. She has launched and run podcasts at Vox Media, and has at various times in her career reported, edited and produced for Marketplace, the BBC and the CBC. 

Wednesday, September 13, 12:00-1:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE 

Space is limited

Join Michelle Garside, Founder of Soul Camp Creative, for a BRANDING HOT-SEAT EXPERIENCE! Bring your questions or thoughts about your brand, your business, and/oryour big idea, and Michelle will offer individualized, laser-focused strategy to help you formulate the path forward. Michelle has generously offered this program to WMG members several times, and attendees consistently rave about Michelle’s super power to zero in on their needs quickly and meaningfully and offer actionable wisdom, all within the timeframe of this session.

About the speaker:

Michelle Garside is the Founder of Soul Camp Creative, a full-service Creative Agency devoted to working with ideas that change the world. Soul Camp specializes in creating authentic, aligned, soul-driven branding for mission-driven companies and personal brands. Michelle has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Travel and Leisure, Fitness, Women’s Health, Good Morning America, ABC News, Parents, Fortune, Inc., and Forbes.

Friday, September 8, 11:30 a.m. ET at the Javits Center in NYC

$25 for WMG members only (Armory Show early bird tickets are $48!)

Registration is closed

The Armory Show is an international art fair that has been a cornerstone of New York’s cultural landscape since its founding in 1994. This year’s edition features 225 of the world’s top contemporary and modern art galleries from 30 countries. The fair is a fun and exciting experience that gives visitors a chance to see what is happening in today’s art world.

Meet WMG Programming Chair – and veteran Armory Show attendee – Jane Wesman for an eye-opening, fun-filled tour of some of the most interesting galleries at the show. You will meet select gallerists and learn about the art on view in their booths. You will then be able to wander the fair at your leisure – on your own or with other WMG members. Fair hours are 11 am to 7:00 p.m. This offer is limited to 10 WMG members, so sign up fast!

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, August 16, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you a passionate writer, journalist, or content creator seeking a platform to share your unique perspectives and build a dedicated audience? Look no further! Join WMG member, publishing veteran, and PR/Marketing professional Kathleen Schmidt for an engaging and informative session where you will be guided through the ins and outs of Substack, empowering you to harness its full potential as a powerful publishing and audience acquisition tool.

During the session, Kathleen will cover the essentials of setting up and managing a Substack publication. From creating an engaging profile and designing an attractive newsletter template to understanding the intricacies of monetization, subscriber management/promotion, and content creation, you will gain the practical skills necessary to leap into the digital publishing landscape.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

About the speaker:

Kathleen Schmidt is the President of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations. With over 20 years of experience in book publishing, she brings an in-depth understanding of branding, public relations, and marketing to every project she takes on. Kathleen also writes the Publishing Confidential Substack and is an MBA candidate at Southern New Hampshire University.

Tuesday, August 8, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

In a crowded marketplace, even seasoned writers get ghosted by editors. Estelle Erasmus will share some tenets for pitching editors. Topics include how to best structure the pitch for maximum impact and how to get and keep an editor's attention. Estelle will take questions on the pitching process and editor etiquette and share some helpful resources, whether you are a new freelancer or an established one. 

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

About the speaker:

Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, writing coach, teacher for Writer's Digest, and adjunct instructor at New York University (where she was recently awarded the 2023 SPS Teaching Excellence Award). She is the former editor-in-chief of 5 national consumer women's magazines, with a total of over 10 million circulation. Her work has appeared in dozens of media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, Huffington Post Personal, Marie Claire and more. She has appeared on Good Morning America, Fox News with Ernie Anastos and has had her articles mentioned on The View. Estelle hosts the Freelance Writing Direct Podcast, available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube. Her book, Writing That Gets Noticed: How to Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, and Get Published, was published by New World Library in June 2023. Find her on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Substack, and on her website.

Monday, July 24, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

When you put your best foot forward on LinkedIn, you attract meaningful opportunities and ignite your impact. After transforming their LinkedIn presence — not just their profiles, but also, the content they share on this influential platform — the women WMG member Amanda Hirsch advises have gotten promotions and speaking opportunities, connected with senior people in their field, grown their influence within an organization, and, most importantly, developed a more clear, confident sense of who they are and how they want to show up in the world. Join us for a fun (yes, fun), interactive session that will leave you feeling clear and energized about strengthening your presence on LinkedIn, in service of your biggest goals and dreams.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

About the speaker:

Amanda Hirsch is on a mission to grow women's influence, because when women shape the world, the world is a better place. Her company, Mighty Forces, helps women to raise their voices and build their online platforms on purpose, especially on LinkedIn, through group workshops and training as well as one-on-one coaching and support. Clients include Malala Fund, Girl Scouts, Adobe, and Pivotal Ventures. Prior to launching her entrepreneurial chapter, Amanda was Editorial Director of PBS.org. As a writer, she writes both creative nonfiction and television scripts that amplify diverse, authentic women's voices. Amanda lives in New York City with her husband, daughter, and their beautiful rescue pup.

Wednesday, July 19, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

What goes on behind the scenes at Women's Media Group? How does the organization run? Who makes things happen? How can you get more involved? Join WMG co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jennifer A. Perry for a lunchtime chat all about Women's Media Group. Come learn about Jodi and Jennifer's journeys to WMG, how Board priorities are determined, and what volunteer opportunities exist on committees. Your voice is important, so this is also your chance to suggest an idea, offer advice, and ask any questions you have. All topics welcome!

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. 

About the speakers:

Jodi Brockington embodies the term “multi-hyphenate.” Many of her colleagues know her to be a Master Networker, Super Connector, and “Diversity Disruptor”, creating seamless and authentic interactions within the workplace, marketplace, and community. As the founder of Niara Consulting, Jodi has developed a solid global network leading strategic and major accounts defining strategies creating innovative solutions for non-profit organizations and Fortune 500 companies. She truly enjoys connecting people as her professional expertise lies within the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)space. In her spare time, Jodi is an author, speaker, traveler and fitness enthusiast.

Jennifer A. Perry has spent her career creating educational resources and experiences for all ages as a publisher, editor, licensor, museum educator, and teacher. She is currently Director of Audiobooks at Barnes & Noble. Prior to B&N, Jennifer was Vice President & Publisher at Sesame Workshop (home of "Sesame Street") and Editorial Director at Scholastic. Jennifer is also Founder and Executive Director of PEP Consulting, which focuses on helping nonprofit organizations develop and distribute high-quality content for kids and families. Jennifer's personal interests include working with literacy organizations to expand opportunities for all children, learning and informing others about the history of New York City, and singing in a NYC chorus that focuses on the music of Broadway.

Monday, July 17, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

We are witnessing an unprecedented surge in politically motivated book bans, threatening the free flow of ideas and stifling intellectual diversity within communities nationwide. Join us for a compelling and urgent panel discussion as we confront the escalating wave of book bans and assaults on the cherished freedom to read. In this candid conversation, panelists will delve into effective strategies that libraries, publishers, media, and others can employ to push back against these alarming well-organized challenges, defend intellectual freedom, and safeguard access to diverse and challenging literary works.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the panelists:

Dominique Cimina is SVP, Publicity, Corporate Communications and Author Brand Strategy for Random House Children’s Books (RHCB). Over the course of her 15 year career at RHCB, Dominique has developed and executed publicity campaigns, as well as managed relationships for talent including Christopher Paolini, Mary Pope Osborne, Carl Hiaasen, R.J. Palacio, Marie Kondo, Ken Burns, Jason Segel and Jimmy Kimmel. Dominique currently oversees the team that manages PR and event strategy for all authors, illustrators and brands published by RHCB. She leads the division’s internal and external communications efforts, philanthropic initiatives, and has recently began focusing on the development of RHCB’s author brands. She has a B.A. in Sociology from Brown University and a MBA from Columbia University.

Stephana Ferrell is the co-founder of the Florida Freedom to Read Project, an organization that aims to bring together student-centered groups from across the state of Florida and unite our voices to protect every student’s right to access information and ideas. Her primary role within FFTRP is to track the censorship attempts happening around the state as Director of Research & Insight. She is the mom of two children that attend Florida public schools.

Nina Lorez Collins is the board chair of the Brooklyn Public Library, a trustee of the publishing house Spiegel & Grau, and she manages the literary estate of her late mother, the filmmaker and writer Kathleen Collins. Until recently she was the Chief Creative Officer for Hello Revel, a digital events & community platform for women over 40, as well as the founder of The Woolfer, which Revel acquired in 2021. Her book, What Would Virginia Woolf Do? And Other Questions I Ask Myself As I Attempt to Age Without Apology, was published in April 2018. She’s a graduate of Barnard College, has a Masters degree from Columbia in the field of Narrative Medicine, and a long professional background in book publishing, both as a literary scout and then as an agent. She has four grown children and lives in Brooklyn.

Caroline Richmond is the Executive Director of We Need Diverse Books, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to creating a world where everyone can find themselves in the pages of a book. In this role, Caroline develops programs to diversify the multi-billion-dollar publishing industry, oversees grants that support diverse creators and educators, and generates resources to address the book bans spreading nationwide. She is a member of various advisory boards, including the Little Free Library and Mayo Clinic Press, and is also an award-winning young adult author.

Moderator:

Kelly Jensen is an Editor at Book Riot, the largest independent book website in North America. She covers all things young adult literature and has written about censorship for nearly ten years. She is the author of three critically-acclaimed and award-winning anthologies for young adults. She was named a person of the year in 2022 by Publishers Weekly and a Chicagoan of the year in 2022 by the Chicago Tribune for her anti-censorship work. Prior to her work at Book Riot, she was a public librarian for children, teens, and adults in several libraries in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. 

Wednesday, July 12, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET at Bottino in NYC

WMG members only

$40 per person, includes open bar of wine, beer, Prosecco, and a WMG cocktail and delicious hors d'oeuvres

Summer in the city! Spend an evening networking and socializing with your WMG colleagues. Please join us at the iconic Bottino restaurant for drinks and delicious gourmet bites and hors d'oeuvres. The event will take place in Bottino’s beautiful covered outdoor space, just steps from Chelsea’s many art galleries. We look forward to gathering together!

WMG looks for creative ways to support other nonprofit organizations' literacy outreach goals, so please bring one or more brand-new books for our 2023 donation collection. Books can be for any age group

Thursday, June 29, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Join this informational session to share your ideas for WMG communications, including our weekly email newsletter, social media outreach, relationships with the press, and more. We are always looking for new ways to reach women in media, and need volunteers to help coordinate our many different communications efforts. There are many ways to get involved in communications, from single projects to an ongoing basis and everything in between – explore ways that work best for you! If Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram are second nature to you or you are a LinkedIn pro, then this session is for you! Do you want to help spread the word about WMG events and initiatives to members and beyond? YES??? Then register to learn more about what you can do for WMG!

This event is hosted by WMG Communications Chair Brittany Fuller. 

Brittany is a fun-loving writer, content creator, and plus-size blogger. A graduate of Pace University, where she received her BA in Communication Arts and Journalism, and an MS in Publishing, Brittany is in love with all things media! She’s worked with some truly inspiring publications like Woman's Day, Country Living, The Village Voice, The Knot, and Westchester Magazine while networking with many influential and creative individuals along the way. In her spare time, she works on her plus-size lifestyle blog, The Essence of A Curvy Girl, discussing lifestyle topics. Brittany currently is a freelance Content Creator and editor working with various brands and companies.

Tuesday, June 27, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Generative AI tools and applications have exploded in recent months, signaling seismic shifts in how we create, discover, and engage with content. What do we as media professionals need to know now, and what questions do we need to be asking?

Envisioned as the first in a series of AI/ML discussions, we are bringing together a book publisher, a literary agency, and a conversational AI developer to dig into their experiences in and experiments with these emerging technologies – and what they are seeing on the horizon in this rapidly evolving space.

Join this must-attend lunchtime discussion on how these technologies impact authors, creators, developers, readers, and audiences.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the panelists:

Cecilia de la Campa is the EVP, Global Media & Licensing at Writers House, a leading full-service literary agency in New York that represents hundreds of bestselling and award-winning clients. She sits on the agency's management board and oversees the global licensing team for international & translation sales, as well as the agency’s media rights business including film & television, audio & podcasting, stage & musical theater, merchandising, and permissions. As the head of media & licensing, she is at the forefront of emerging technologies that utilize IP and is passionate about understanding the intricacies of any new business models or evolving markets as they apply to Writers House clients and their platforms.

Catherine Weldon is an AI and Machine Learning Scientist at Penguin Random House. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Operations Research and Information Engineering from Cornell University and a Master's degree in Machine Learning from KTH Royal Institute of Technology. At Penguin Random House, Catherine develops predictive and generative AI solutions to enhance publishing and marketing efforts.

Amy Willstatter is a trailblazing business development executive and Emmy-nominated producer working at the intersection of technology, entertainment and advertising.  She has a track record for working with emerging technology and in doing so has helped bring new, transformative capabilities to historically well-established industries. In 2021 Amy joined Charisma Entertainment as EVP U.S. Business Development to partner their interactive Conversational AI platform with storytellers ready to create hyper one-to-one experiences with audiences.  Charisma has partnered with storytellers from publishing, film and television studios to Digital Human and AI robots technology firms.

Moderator

Charlie Schroder is a deeply experienced leader who melds storytelling and emerging technologies to create content that delights and engages humans in meaningful ways. As Head of Original Content Development and Publishing at reading subscription service Scribd, she is privileged to collaborate on ebook and audiobook projects with literary luminaries like Margaret Atwood, Roxane Gay, and the US Poet Laurate Ada Limón, as well as emerging voices who offer fresh perspectives on the cultural conversation. Previous roles include VP at children’s publisher Candlewick Press/Walker Books and USA VP of Tokyo-based talent agency Creek & River (Nikkei JP: 4763). She was Executive Producer of PBS’ American Storytellers, a co-founder of mentorship nonprofit StepUp Women’s Network, and is President Emerita of Women’s Media Group.

Friday, June 23, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Join international award-winning leadership & empowerment expert Ashley T Brundage as she shares the four empowerment steps to impact change for all the months beyond just June. She will share her unique story of overcoming harassment, discrimination, and homelessness as a proud woman of transgender experience. Come ready to engage with resources created to support each step of the process to be an agent of change, and dive into some of the empowering actions found in the last step.

About the speaker:

Ashley T Brundage started her second career as a means of survival. Beginning when she decided to self identify during job interview’s as a male to female transgender woman, she fought through homelessness, discrimination, and harassment to rise above and find employment as a teller for a major US based corporation. She captured this process of career development in her new award-winning book and online course called Empowering Differences. Since beginning transitioning in 2008, she has worked tirelessly to promote awareness and acceptance of gender identity and expression. Personally, she enjoys time with her 2 teenage boys who serve as the main source of inspiration and empowerment for her. She volunteers for numerous organizations most notably as the Vice Chair for the GLAAD National Board of Directors, which works to accelerate acceptance for the LGBTQ+ Community.

This is a ⚡️️WMG Power Hour️⚡️ event! WMG Power Hours are part of a series of events focused on diversity and inclusion that will help members learn more about our diversified society and enhance our abilities to be supportive women, colleagues, citizens, and allies.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

PAST EVENTS

Tuesday, May 16, 6:00-7:15 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Learn from leading podcast professionals at WMG’s first-ever podcast roulette! At this event, you get to ask the questions. Structured as a series of small group rotations with industry experts, you’ll have the opportunity to ask for feedback on your own podcasting projects. Registration will be limited so that all attendees will have time to consult with podcasting pros who specialize in production, strategy and operations, monetization, marketing, partnerships, and more. Whether you are just beginning to think of producing a podcast or you have questions about any aspect of a podcast you already manage or host, this is a unique chance to consult experts. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the experts:

Alexandra Cohl is the founder of pod.draland, a PR and marketing consultant for podcasters, and someone who has been helping women in podcasting get heard since 2019. Current and past clients include Webby Award winning podcast Father Wants Us Dead (named Best of 2022 by Variety), award-winning Immigrantly, Admissible: Shreds of Evidence, Spotify Original You Heard Me Write, and more. She writes the newsletter Podcasting by the Moon and is the host and executive producer of The Pod Broads, a podcast about women in podcasting, which was featured in Apple Podcasts' 2023 "Our Legacy" Women's History Month collection.

Vanessa Grigoriadis is one of the founders of Campside Media, and the co-creator of Chameleon: Hollywood Con Queen, Fallen Angel, Run Bambi Run, and Infamous, a new weekly narrative nonfiction show. She is a National Magazine Award winner for writing, and the author of Blurred Lines: Sex, Power, and Consent on Campus.

Martha Little is Senior Director of Creative Development at Audible. She oversees the commissioning and production of Audible investigative documentaries and non-fiction episodic series. She and her team has worked with talent ranging from Martin Sheen to Steph Curry to Queen Latifah. She started her audio career at major American public radio outlets, including NPR (Day to Day, All Things Considered), APM (Marketplace), PRI (America Abroad, Studio 360) News Director at WBUR. Her work has been recognized by such awards as The Peabody, The Gracie and Edward R. Murrow. 

Emily Rudder is the Head of Development at Wonder Media Network (WMN), a mission-driven audio-first media company that was named 2022 Podcast Network of the Year by Adweek. She works across WMN originals and branded podcasts for partners such as Audible, Pfizer, and Harvard University. Prior to working in audio, she was a digital strategist for nonprofits, foundations and corporate social responsibility practices. She has a BA in Urban Studies from Brown University.

Erica Tong began her career in audio advertising with GroupM over 12 years ago as a National Broadcast Buyer. Since 2016, she has led Audioboom's sales operations and in 2021 she was appointed to Chief Operating Officer where she also oversees research & development, HR and communications.

Wednesday, May 10, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors. Please be ready to share the name of a woman from the past or the present you admire for any reason.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG in 2023 and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Jennifer A. Perry.

Wednesday, May 3, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE 

Space is limited

Join Michelle Garside for a BRANDING HOT-SEAT EXPERIENCE! Bring your questions or thoughts about your brand, your business, and/or your big idea and Michelle will offer individualized laser focused strategy.

Michelle Garside is the Founder of Soul Camp Creative, a full-service Creative Agency devoted to working with ideas that change the world. Soul Camp specializes in creating authentic, aligned, soul-driven branding for mission-driven companies and personal brands. Michelle has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Travel and Leisure, Fitness, Women’s Health, Good Morning America, ABC News, Parents, Fortune, Inc., and Forbes.

Wednesday, April 26, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you a casualty of the media’s latest round of layoffs? Afraid you’ll be next? Working in ad-supported media is more volatile than ever. Be prepared to make your next move and learn how to use your editorial and writing skills to transition into a new exciting career in an adjacent industry — content marketing, brand publishing, communications, thought leadership, and more! 

Led by Chandra Turner, recruiter / career coach and founder of The Talent Fairy and Ed2010 Inc., this panel discussion will feature women who have successfully pivoted outside of their media roles into new, exciting opportunities in content.  

Carolyn Abate is a health and wellness editor with nearly 20 years of content experience. She started her career as a reporter for print newspapers, migrating to magazines and then digital content. She’s written for the Christian Science Monitor, Healthline, and Reuters, among other news and content sites. She was a book editor for Calisto Media for 5 years, in the personal growth and development portfolio. She recently joined Linkwell Health as a Senior Editor. She holds a B.S. in Food Science and Nutrition, from California State University, Chico and did post-graduate journalism coursework at San Francisco State. University. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, her three children, and her dog, Tanner.

Kara Corridan is a director of communications at Prudential Financial, focused on telling stories to its employees about issues related to DEI, talent development and more. She joined Prudential in 2020, after 25 years as a magazine editor for consumer publications including Parents and Modern Bride as well as classroom magazines for Scholastic. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters.

Cristina Goyanes is the cofounder of Revel, an award-winning, strategy-first brand editorial agency producing high-quality, multimedia content for brands that are dedicated to improving people’s lives. Prior to founding Revel, Cristina was a launch editor at Women’s Health. From there, she went freelance for 12 years, by-lining close to 500 articles for major magazines and media platforms, including National Geographic Adventure, Marie Claire, SHAPE, Elle, Teen Vogue,Yoga Journal, ESPNW, Refinery29, and many more. In 2014, she began her pivot into brand editorial work, starting with building a women’s digital hub for her favorite bike brand, Specialized. This work opened the door to more global brands, including Clif Bar and the luxury safari company, Extraordinary Journeys. Over the last decade, Cristina has carved out a successful second career in content marketing.

Jessica Torres-Cooper is a passionate content strategy executive with extensive experience in print, digital, and social. As she developed her career in media, she explored her interests in styling, casting, and photography. After shifting her focus from images to words, she joined the editorial teams at Parents Magazine and Ser Padres. She cultivated a deep understanding of the nuances between the general market and multicultural audiences. In 2006 she joined Siempre Mujer as an editorial assistant in the beauty and fashion department. By 2016 she was named Editor-in-Chief of the publication. Folio Magazine honored her as one of the Top Women in Media in 2016. Torres-Cooper went on to helm the Parenting Group at Evolve Media, overseeing content for five digital titles, including the award-winning website Momtastic.com. Today, she is the Editorial Director of Branded Content for Hearst Magazines, leading digital branded content for over twenty-seven titles at Hearst.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, April 13, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

As the 2024 race for President heats up and Donald Trump continues to make headlines, it’s time to take a clear-eyed look at his ongoing legacy and how it impacts women’s lives. A panel of experts, including acclaimed journalist Nina Burleigh, The Nation magazine’s national affairs correspondent Joan Walsh, and political strategist Celinda Lake, will explore such topics as:

• Did the Great Women’s March in Washington, DC, the day after Trump’s inauguration, have any lasting impact?
  
• How have the Trump Years affected the “women’s movement?”
  
• Is the Me Too movement dead?
  
• Has an increasingly hostile and partisan environment for elected women, reduced women’s power?
  
• Why are teenage girls in crisis and how does that relate to the Trump presidency?
  
• What role does social media and internet porn play in the above situation?
  
• Will we ever see an American woman President?
  

Moderator

Nina Burleigh, author of seven books, has been based in Washington, D.C., New York, Paris and Italy, and has reported extensively from the Middle East and throughout the United States. Her journalism has been published in such media outlets as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Time, and New York Magazine, among others. Two of her magazine articles were made into dramatic productions and she was an executive producer on a documentary series about Ghislaine Maxwell and a Peacock documentary on Prince Andrew. She is currently an adjunct professor at NYU’s Arthur J. Carter Journalism Institute.

Panelists

Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, was one of the top two pollsters for President Biden in 2020. She is also one the nation’s foremost experts on electing women candidates and on framing issues to women voters. She and her firm are known for cutting-edge research on issues including the economy, health care, the environment, and education, and have worked for a number of institutions including the Democratic National Committee, Planned Parenthood, EMILY's List, VoteVets Action Fund, and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Her international work has included work in Liberia, Belarus, Ukraine, South Africa, and Central America.

Joan Walsh is a national affairs correspondent for The Nation, a coproducer of The Sit In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show, and the author of What’s the Matter With White People? Finding Our Way in the Next America. Salon’s first news editor, Walsh served as editor in chief for six years. She is a frequent guest on MSNBC and CNN, and has contributed to publications ranging from Vogue to The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, March 30, 1:00-1:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE

Please come to the WMG 2023 Annual Business Meeting on March 30th from 1:00-1:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. 

Spend 30 minutes with Co-Presidents Jennifer Perry and Charlie Schroder, and members of the board, in an abbreviated virtual meeting to:

• Vote in the new board
• Welcome new members
• Review highlights of the past year
• Talk about opportunities to volunteer

We value your time and participation, and hope to see you there!

Wednesday, March 15, doors open at 6:00 p.m. ET; the event starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. ET

$75 for members and $100 for non-members

Virtual: $25 for members and $35 for non-members*

An intimate evening with WMG and celebrated dancer, author, trailblazer, and mentorship advocate Misty Copeland. 

Join this very special fundraising event in support of the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation, which funds WMG’s annual scholarships granted to future publishing and media professionals who have demonstrated leadership in advancing literacy and promoting underrepresented voices. This event features celebrated dancer Misty Copeland.

Misty made history as the first African American principal ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre. Her talent, passion, and perseverance enabled her to make strides no one had previously accomplished. But, as she will tell you, an achievement never happens in a void. Her new memoir, The Wind at My Back, shares the story of her friendship with dance pioneer Raven Wilkinson. Their journey captures the importance of mentorship, shared history, and honoring the past to ensure a stronger future.

This evening features: 

• Misty in conversation with HuffPost Editor in Chief, Danielle Belton about her career, her struggles with racism and exclusion, as well as the transformative power of supportive intergenerational friendships
• A signed copy of Misty’s memoir The Wind at My Back
  

• Light bites and beverages

• Time for networking with fellow WMG members and guests

Every year, the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation depends on fundraising to support its growing scholarship partnerships with New York City-based colleges and universities. WMG Scholars are given stipends for tuition, granted three years of free WMG membership, and invited to participate in our mentorship program. The number of scholarships we can support depends on the amount of dollars we raise. By attending this event, you will contribute essential financing to WMG’s 2023 scholarship plans. 

This event is held in partnership with Pride Global at their private event space, the Flight Deck. Pride Global is a minority-owned professional recruitment and staffing advisory firm located in NYC with locations throughout the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Canada, Singapore, the Philippines, and India. They assist clients with direct hire and contract talent search solutions across a variety of skill sets and industries.

*Note: the virtual option for this event includes the livestream of Misty and Danielle’s conversation only–it does not include a copy of The Wind at My Back. Email info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, March 8, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

This program is designed for women working in corporate environments. It will focus on strategies for negotiating compensation, promotions, and career moves. It’s no secret that the pay gap is costing women hundreds of thousands of dollars, and sometimes even millions, over the course of their careers. Research shows that a major cause of the pay gap is women’s reluctance to negotiate on their own behalf. This combined with “discrimination” accounts for 40% of the pay difference. 

In this insightful panel, our experts will explore what causes women to feel awkward talking about money or asking for a raise. Panelists will share their perspective on raises and promotions from the other side of the negotiating table. They will provide practical advice on how women can better recognize and value their contributions and negotiate more effectively. Panelists will also answer questions from the audience. 

Moderator:

Bhavana Smith is the Founder of Until There Are Nine®, an organization whose purpose is to give women the power to advocate for their rightful share of compensation, rewards and professional advancement. Bhavana has spent 25+ years in marketing, advertising and consulting and in speaking to her friends and colleagues, realized the support system they each needed when it came to negotiating compensation. She wanted to find a way to share their lessons learned and their experiences with other women, after learning that reluctance to negotiate was a reason for the gender pay gap. Bhavana lives in NYC with her daughter and two dogs.  

Panelists:

Debbie Kemp is the Global Chief People Officer at Biz2Credit.  She has over 30 years experience crossing investment banking/securities, telecommunication, media, ecommerce, and executive recruiting industries. Debbiespecializes in creating and delivering people strategies in fast paced environments enabling business growth and driving operational excellence. Debbie’s career is complemented by a Bachelor of Science in Communications degree from the University of Kansas. She is an active member of Until There Are Nine® and is an advisor to St. Francis, Streetwise, Pinnacle, and CICA. 

Cynthia Medina Carson, CEO Wager is a salary transparency maven, career guru, organizational growth gxpert and next generation workforce advocate. Cynthia started Wager because she saw firsthand how the lack of transparency and conversations created barriers and anxiety in the workplace. Prior to her move into the talent field, Cynthia worked as an international relations and policy expert for the Department of Treasury, Homeland Security and JP Morgan, and served in Peace Corps, Nicaragua. Cynthia is also the Founder of the Cheeky Monkey Club, a networking group for women who hate to network, is a Board member of her hometown’s Girls Inc., and hosts a makerspace in her basement studio. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Melissa Carson is the author of A Perfect Life is Not the Goal and There is No Such Thing as a Perfect Job. With over 25 years as a global HR leader for large, successful organizations, Melissa is now focused on partnering with fast-growing small to mid-size organizations. She works with individual leaders by helping them understand what she calls their “imperfection gremlins” so they can get above the day-to-day of their lives, see the full view, set a strategic direction for themselves and their teams, and be more intentional in their approaches. She lives in Delaware with her husband, high school senior daughter and college freshman son.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Friday, February 17, 7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only

Private Manhattan residence (Upper West Side)

WMG members of color are invited for an intimate in-person gathering for Black History Month to connect, support, and inspire each other. Join WMG board members Jodi Brockington and Brittany Fuller for a night of guaranteed upliftment and fun.

Meet your hosts:

Jodi Brockington embodies the term “multi-hyphenate.” Many of her colleagues know her to be a Master Networker, Super Connector, and “Diversity Disruptor”, creating seamless and authentic interactions within the workplace, marketplace, and community. An entrepreneur’s entrepreneur, she has represented, coached and advised thousands of leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals helping them launch, manage and develop their business. She truly enjoys connecting people as her professional expertise lies within the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)space. She is a champion of investing in the workforce of the future, driving evolution, implementing effective and sustainable business strategies while consistently delivering tangible outcomes. In her spare time, Jodi is an author, speaker, traveler and fitness enthusiast.

Brittany Fuller is a fun-loving writer, content creator, and plus-size blogger. A graduate of Pace University, where she received her BA in Communication Arts and Journalism, and an MS in Publishing, Brittany is in love with all things media! She’s worked with some truly inspiring publications like Woman's Day, Country Living, The Village Voice, The Knot, and Westchester Magazine while networking with many influential and creative individuals along the way. In her spare time, she works on her plus-size lifestyle blog, The Essence of A Curvy Girl, discussing lifestyle topics. Brittany currently is a freelance Content Creator and editor working with various brands and companies.  

Wednesday, February 8, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you mad as hell at the Supreme Court ripping away women's rights, worried about what they will do next, and feeling powerless? Well, we are, and we want to learn from women who have done something. Women’s Media Group is pleased to invite you to a Master Class with some powerful and purposeful media changemakers who will share their stories, vision, and how they made it happen.

Moderator: 

Bridget Todd is a frequently cited expert, trainer, and speaker on combating disinformation and extremism online, advocating for social media platform accountability, creating safer digital experiences for women and other marginalized people, and celebrating and amplifying marginalized people’s contributions to tech and the internet. She created her critically acclaimed podcast, There Are No Girls on the Internet, to explore how marginalized people show up online in response to the lack of inclusion in conversations around the internet. 

Her podcast earned “Best Technology Podcast” at the iHeart Radio Podcast Awards and a Shorty Award for “Best Podcast Miniseries” for DISINFORMED, a miniseries exploring how misinformation and conspiracy theories around COVID, gender, and race hurt marginalized communities. As Director of Communication for the national gender-justice advocacy organization Ultraviolet, Bridget regularly meets with leadership from social media platforms to advocate for and develop policy recommendations to make digital experiences safer and more inclusive. Bridget’s writing and work on technology, race, gender, and culture have been featured in the Atlantic, Newsweek, the Nation, the Daily Show, and several other outlets.

Panelists:

Sara Berliner is a creator, producer, and social entrepreneur who bridges creative development, product strategy, brand-building, and business development. Sara is an advisor at Hellosaurus, the groundbreaking interactive video platform for kids, where she was on the founding team and created the award-winning original series, The Birthday Show. Sara’s career has threaded digital formats alongside puppet theater, documentary film, the music business, book publishing, animation, consumer products, and live events. 

At Star Farm, the children’s media company she co-founded, Sara created properties like Edgar & Ellen, with two seasons on Nicktoons, twelve books with Simon & Schuster, and a host of licensed products. In 2008, Sara founded the Kids & Family group at ScrollMotion, launching first-ever apps for IP’s like Harry Potter and Batman, then spent five years as Chief Strategy Officer of Night & Day Studios, home of worldwide bestselling app Peekaboo Barn. Sara has told stories with collaborators like Sesame Street, Warner Bros., Disney, DreamWorks, Mattel, Scholastic, the NFL, National Geographic, Highlights for Children, and Wow in the World. Sara develops IP and consults for clients like Tom Colicchio’s nonprofit, A Place at the Table, and speaks regularly at conferences like Harvard University’s Folklore & Mythology Symposium. As the founder of Vote Like a Mother, Sara put her brand-building skills to work raising awareness, money, and volunteers for important causes and nonprofits, creating a thousands-strong community of engaged citizens driven by empathy and a fierce desire to improve the world for future generations.

Arielle Nissenblatt is the founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective, a weekly podcast newsletter and podcast. She is the Community Manager at SquadCast.fm, a remote recording platform. She is a graduate of the Salt Institute of Audio Documentary Studies. Nissenblatt is a podcast marketing expert, having spoken on panels at conferences such as Radiodays Asia, Sounds of New York, Podcast Movement, International Documentary Association’s Podcast Day, at USC, Montana Media Lab, American University, and more. She is one of the founders of Podcast Taxonomy, an international effort to categorize roles and credits in the podcast industry. She is the cohost of Sounds Profitable, Adtech Applied, a show about adtech in the audio space. Nissenblatt listens to over 40 hours of audio content per week. 

Vaishnavi Patel is a lawyer focusing on civil rights. She often writes about the intersection of Indian myth, feminism, and anti-colonialism. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Kaikeyi. Vaishnavi was the co-creator of Authors for Abortion Access, which raised over $30,000 for abortion funds and clinics. Vaishnavi grew up in and around Chicago, and in her spare time, enjoys activities that are almost stereotypically Midwestern: knitting, ice skating, drinking hot chocolate, and making hotdish.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, January 26, 6:00 p.m. ET

WMG members: $20; Non-member guests of WMG members: $20

Private Manhattan residence (Gramercy)

Masks required for all attendees

Enjoy an up-close and personal conversation with Jean Hanff Korelitz, the bestselling author of eight novels.

We will start the evening with a conversation between Jean and Jane Wesman, WMG’s Programming Chair, about The Plot and The Latecomer, both of which are being adapted as limited tv series. Attendees will then have a chance to ask their own questions about Jean’s books and her experiences as a writer.

We request that attendees read The Plot or The Latecomer (or both) and come prepared to participate in what promises to be a funny, surprising, and lively conversation. You’re encouraged to bring copies of Jean’s books to be signed.

About Jean Hanff Korelitz 

Born and raised in New York City, Jean was educated at Dartmouth College and Clare College, Cambridge. In addition to The Latecomer and The Plot, she is the author of You Should Have Known (adapted for HBO as The Undoing), Admission (2013 film adaptation), The Devil and Webster, The White Rose, The Sabbathday River, and A Jury of Her Peers, as well as a middle-grade reader and a collection of poetry.

With her husband, Irish poet Paul Muldoon, she adapted James Joyce’s The Dead as an immersive theatrical event, The Dead, 1904. Jean is also the founder of BOOKTHEWRITER, which offers “Pop-Up Book Groups” in New York City. Learn more at about Jean at www.jeanhanffkorelitz.com.

Thursday, January 19, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

If you’re an entrepreneur, solopreneur, consultant, free-lancer, or independent contractor who wants to grow your revenues in 2023, then this discussion is for you. 

Our panel of expert coaches will help you identify the emotions or ideas about money that are holding you back. They’ll show you how to set fees and value your services, and how to implement marketing strategies that result in enjoyable and effective sales conversations. There will be plenty of time for attendees to ask questions. Our goal is to provide information and answers that will help you grow your business in 2023.

Moderator: 

Jane Wesman, who serves as WMG’s Programming Committee Chair, is president of Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc. an agency that provides book marketing and publicity services (wesmanpr.com).  She is also the author of Dive Right In — The Sharks Won’t Bite: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Guide to Success and has spent many years mentoring women business owners. Her articles on women and entrepreneurship have been published in a wide range of media outlets including Entrepreneur and Inc.

Panelists: 

Monica Shah helps women entrepreneurs build businesses that support their ideal lifestyles. After receiving her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and working in marketing for L’Oreal Paris, Monica left corporate America to start her own business. At Revenue Breakthrough (revenuebreakthrough.com), she guides clients through building, growing and expanding their businesses. She combines her business acumen with her intuition and healing abilities to help clients get unstuck, eliminate self-sabotage, and move through fear. Monica is the bestselling author of three books: Getting Rich: You’re Doing It Backwards, Pause: 52 Questions that Lead to More Money and Time, andThe Breakthrough Planner: A 90-Day System for Entrepreneurs.

After spending eight years on Wall Street as an equity markets sales specialist and corporate finance manager at such industry powerhouses as Merrill Lynch and Citigroup,Tricia Taitt started offering financial consulting services and officially formed FinCore in 2016 (fincorestrong.com). It is a boutique fractional CFO services company with a mission to engage, educate and empower business owners around their financials and to create a path to long-term financial stability and success. She helps clients move to a healthier relationship with money; gain confidence in their financial know-how to make the right decisions; and grow financially so they can give back to their businesses and communities and prepare to live the life they want upon exit. Tricia holds an MBA from Fuqua (Duke University) and a bachelors in finance from Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) and is the bestselling  author of Dancing with Numbers: Grow a Financially Healthy Business and Choreograph the Life You Want.

Mikelann Valterra is a writer, keynote speaker, and money coach who helps women transform their relationship with money. For over 25 years she has been a thought leader in the field of financial psychology. Mikelann has a bachelor’s in economics and a master’s in psychology and consciousness studies, including post-graduate training at the Financial Recovery Institute. She also holds an AFC® from the Association of Financial Counseling and Planning Education. Mikelann is the author of Why Women Earn Less, How to Make What You’re Really Worth. Her strong background in emotional intelligence, paired with her practical money strategies, enable her clients to consciously design their best life, while escaping financial anxiety. Learn more seattlemoneycoach.com.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Tuesday, January 10, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free

Please join us for a special members-only, 45-minute bliss-out that is yoga nidra. Despite the word “yoga,” there will be no downward facing dogs or triangle poses. This is a guided, very visual meditation that makes it hard for your mind to wander and is designed to put you into the deeply relaxed, creative state between sleep and waking. 

Yoga nidra is done either lying on a yoga mat or seated on a straight-back chair. Your camera will be off. We'll begin with a few simple breathing exercises and then begin this deeply restorative practice, which promotes both relaxation and inspiration. Warning: You might end up having a great night’s sleep.

WMG member Dawn Raffel is a developmental editor and the author of six books, including The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies and the forthcoming Boundless as the Sky. When not staring at words, she leads yoga nidra sessions. She is a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher with an additional 100 hours of certifications in teaching meditative practices. She has taught yoga and creative writing at the Center for Fiction in New York, and has been leading regular online yoga nidra sessions since the spring of 2020.

Thursday, December 8, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Join us for a virtual event on understanding podcast audiences. Featuring Christy Mirabal (Senior Director of Audience Growth at SiriusXM), Maggie Taylor (Director of Marketing at Pushkin Industries) and Cecilia Lei (host and producer of Fifth and Mission, The San Francisco Chronicle’s daily news podcast). The panel is moderated by Golda Arthur (executive producer and podcast consultant). Learn how to figure out who’s listening to your show, how to build a relationship with those listeners, and grow that audience. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, December 7, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free

Do you ever wonder how you can transform your expertise into purpose? Or ask yourself “what am I here to do?”

During this special WMG program, Michelle Garside and Alison Leipzig will take you on a soul-led journey towards uncovering and claiming your true purpose.This intimate evening will include a guided sound healing meditation with Tibetan Singing Bowls and an in-depth Breakthrough in Purpose exercise that will help you gain a deeper understanding of who you truly are and what you're here to do. Michelle and Alison will then offer practical steps on how to take that purpose into the world.

Michelle Garside and Alison Leipzig are the Founders of Soul Camp Creative, a full-service Creative Agency devoted to working with ideas that change the world. They specialize in creating authentic, aligned, soul-driven branding for mission-driven companies and personal brands. Soul Camp has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Travel and Leisure, Fitness, Women’s Health, Good Morning America, ABC News, Parents, Fortune, Inc., and Forbes.

Tuesday, November 15, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet other talented, accomplished, curious women who are eager to  collaborate with and support each other in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between November 2021 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Charlie Schroder.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, November 2, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform in the world with more than one billion active users every month. Part 1 of our TikTok series last summer explored the influence and impact of TikTok on the business of book publishing for both publishers and retailers. Now in response  to popular demand, we're pleased to host Part 2, which will put the focus on content creators. A diverse panel of women creators who produce content for the platform’s “BookTok” community will showcase examples of their work, discuss how they choose which titles to feature, share tips about production, review their video strategy for book sales, and answer your questions. Come join the conversation if you're looking for book influencers to follow or want to create your own TikTok videos.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Moderator - Miral Sattar, CEO of Publishing Services Marketplace, Bibliocrunch.com. Check out Miral on TikTok here: @miralreads.

Wednesday, October 12, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET at Arte Cafe in NYC

WMG members only

$30 per person, includes light bites and 2 drink tickets for beer, wine, or soft drinks

Registration is closed

Opportunities to network and socially connect with colleagues have been core to our mission from day one – and wow, do we miss you all! 

Our first all-membership event in 2+ years will be held at the iconic Arte Cafe (covered) outdoor space, just steps from Central Park and a variety of public transportation options. 

Exciting update: for this event, WMG is partnering with Pajama Program, a New York City-based nonprofit with a mission to promote and support a comforting bedtime routine and healthy sleep for children to help them thrive. Pajama Program provides new books and pajamas to children experiencing instability and facing adversity. Please bring one brand-new book appropriate for kids 0-12 to Arte Cafe for donation to Pajama Program. If you cannot make the event and would like to contribute to Pajama Program, you can do that here.

Whether you're a new member or have been involved with WMG for years, we can't wait to see you there!

Thursday, September 15, 6:00 - 7:00 pm ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Publishing insiders will discuss what agents and publishers mean when they ask writers “What is your author platform?”.  Discussion will revolve around what exactly is an author platform. What matters to agents and to publishers?  Are all author platforms the same?  What are the components of a platform? When and how should writers start building their platform? This is the perfect opportunity to learn the many ways writers can create robust communities waiting for their books; when they should begin building their platforms. Not only authors, but literary agents, editors, and marketing experts will find this a useful and informative discussion. 

Moderator:

Bridget Marmion spent over a decade each at FSG, Random House and Houghton Mifflin, working in editorial, publicity, sales, advertising, marketing during her career, for both adult and children’s books.  She launched her own marketing firm, www.yourexpertnation.com in 2012. which relaunched last year as www.bridgetmarmionbookmarketing.com.

Panelists:

Regina Brooks is the founder and CEO of Serendipity Literary,  the largest African American literary agency in the US and home to many award winning authors and illustrators. She's the author of Writing Great Books for Young Adults and You Should Really Write a Book,  how to Write Well and Market Your Memoir. 

Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, which was named 2020 Media Outlet of the Year by Digital Book World. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer(University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal.

Patsy Jones currently serves as VP of Marketing at Hachette Book Group in Franklin, TN, following years at 

Books A Million and Anderson Merchandisers. She is seasoned both as a marketing professional 

at the highest levels as well as a veteran in the retail space and has a deep, lived understanding of the connection between content and audience and between products and retail.

Friday, September 9, 12:30 p.m. ET at the Javits Center in NYC

$25 for WMG members only (full price Armory Show tickets are $55!)

Registration is closed for this event

The Armory Show is an international art fair that has been a cornerstone of New York’s cultural landscape since its founding in 1994. This year’s edition features 240 of the world’s top contemporary and modern art galleries from 30 countries. The fair is a fun and exciting experience that gives visitors a chance to see what is happening in today’s art world.

Meet WMG Programming Chair – and veteran Armory Show attendee – Jane Wesman for a one-hour tour of some of the most interesting galleries at the show. You will meet select gallerists and learn about the art on view in their booths. You will then be able to wander the fair at your leisure – on your own or with other WMG members. Fair hours are noon to 8:00 p.m. This offer is limited to 15 WMG members, so sign up fast!

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Tuesday, August 16, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

"I just love asking people for money” said almost no one ever. But what if you got to raise money for a fantastic cause, using creative and entertaining ways, with a group of women who love to laugh? If that sounds like you, come join the WMG Fundraising Committee! Check out our 101 Webinar Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. ET to learn how you can make a difference in the lives of dedicated young women just starting out in the media industry. We promise it will be worth it!

Hosted by Ashley Gordon and Mary McAveney, Fundraising Co-Chairs.

Tuesday, July 19, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

TikTok has been the #1 downloaded app in the world for three years, with over half-a-million new users every day. Every day! To tap into that sizable audience, publishers, authors, and retailers are collaborating with avid book fans who have created popular content for the platform’s “BookTok” community. Some  publishing pros are also producing original BookTok content to drive brand awareness, excitement, and sales of books. 

How is TikTok impacting publishers' marketing strategies? What kinds of content work on TikTok and which don't? Who are the most effective creators? How are bookstores capitalizing on TikTok trends? 

Learn all about TikTok as a marketing platform, and bring your questions and comments to this presentation with industry experts.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Moderator: Miral Sattar is the CEO of Bibliocrunch, an award-winning publishing services marketplace that connects authors with editorial services. She has worked in the media industry for 15 years; has lectured at universities across America; and has helped numerous authors hit #1 in their categories. Miral is a TikTok creator (@miralreads) and a WMG member and past co-president!

Shannon DeVito is the Director of Books at Barnes & Noble, where she leads the Category Management team, overseeing all of Trade & Kids' Book categories. She creates initiatives for the company's promotional book strategies, develops campaigns with the publishing industry for important releases, negotiates exclusive opportunities, and executes overall book strategy for the company's 600+ stores. Shannon is a frequent spokesperson for B&N on publishing trends.

Kristen McLean is the executive director of business development and the primary industry analyst at NPD Books. Her career has spanned many roles, which gives her deep perspective as a market analyst. She is a widely-recognized expert in the areas of children’s books, comics and graphic novels, and cross-entertainment consumer behavior. Kristen is deeply interested in the confluence of retail, technology, literacy, and demographics in the digital age.

Brianna Yamashita, Senior Marketing Director at Scribner, has strategized and executed New York Times bestselling campaigns for such authors as Anthony Doerr, Stephen King, Jennifer Egan, Huma Abedin, Mark Bittman, and Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski, among others. She has spearheaded marketing for major franchises, established marketing partnerships with leading lifestyle brands, and instituted marketing best-practices and analytics-driven book marketing systems. Brianna is also a WMG member!

Tuesday, June 28, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET

Join members of BookMachine for an international online mixer and networking event, bringing together two communities.

Come together on the virtual networking platform, Wonder, for an informal and sociable cameras-on mixer with members of U.K.-based BookMachine and Women’s Media Group. Our friends at BookMachine will provide plenty of conversation starters to help you get to know professionals from across the publishing and creative industries, swap tips, and share ideas. This is a great opportunity to meet publishing people in both the U.S. and abroad.

About BookMachine:

BookMachine is a global community of publishing professionals. Founded in 2010, BookMachine helps people develop their careers, build their knowledge, and expand their networks. Members can tap into online and in-person events, take video courses, and access a community hub of hundreds of publishing colleagues.

How it works:

An RSVP is required. Bookmachine will share the private Wonder link to join the session via email to everyone on the attendee list ahead of the event. Please contact Aimee on aimee@bookmachine.co.uk if you are having difficulties receiving the link or accessing the session.

Wednesday, June 22nd, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Saturday, June 18th, 10:30 a.m. ET

Wednesday, June 15th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Tuesday, June 14th, 12:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Come for an outdoor picnic in Central Park hosted by WMG member Jennifer Weltz! Be sure to bring a blanket to sit on and a portable lunch. 

This group will meet at the Women's Rights Pioneers Monument in Central Park and then pick a spot to picnic in Sheep's Meadow for a picnic.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Monday, June 13th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Join this informational session to share your ideas for the WMG Scholarship Committee, which offers scholarships and fellowships to help support the next generation of media superstars and innovators. (Meet the brilliant recipients so far here).

The Scholarship Committee is always looking for help in expanding WMG's scholarship offerings, selecting scholarship and fellowship recipients, and growing WMG's mentorship program. There are many ways to get involved with this committee, from single projects to an ongoing basis and everything in-between – explore ways that work best for you!

Hosted by Communications Chair Nevin Mays.

Wednesday, June 8th, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you in the midst of launching or growing your own business? Learn from our panel of powerhouse women who have started their own companies, overcome common and not-so-common obstacles, and advised countless women on how to do it. Whether you're an entrepreneur, an intrepreneur, or have dreams about starting a venture, this program will inform, entertain, and coach you towards success.

Lara Hodgson, is President and CEO of NOW Corp, and has served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Harvard Business School. Prior to Now, Lara co-founded Nourish (a children's products company), and Insomnia, LLC, a firm specializing in investment, development, and management of complex and innovative “worldchanging” projects. Lara received an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and a BS in Aerospace Engineering with highest honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Today, she serves as a Trustee of the Georgia Tech Foundation in addition to other Boards. E&Y recognized Lara as a 2018 Finalist for the Southeast Entrepreneur of the Year and named her to the Entrepreneurial Winning Women Class of 2019. Lara is co-Author of Level Up: Rise Above the Hidden Forces Holding Your Business Back with Stacey Abrams and Heather Cabot.

Terrez M. Thompson is the founder of Powered By Zerret (PBZ), a nonprofit focused on the empowerment of women of color entrepreneurs through mentoring, networking and other resources including financial. Prior to founding PBZ, Terrez was a 35-year veteran of The Coca-Cola Company where she served as Vice President of Global Supplier Diversity until her retirement. She is proudest of the innovative work she did to develop diverse suppliers. Her crowning accomplishment was to establish a world class program focused on Women of Color entrepreneurs, including a Spanish language version launched in her final year. Terrez, who has received numerous business awards and honors, is a nonpracti

Lorine Pendleton, lead partner Portfolio Rising America Funds, is a seasoned business development executive and attorney with extensive experience in the legal, technology and entertainment industries. She was recently named by Marie Claire as one of the “Most 50 Connected Women in America,” and Crunchbase as “39 Black Women Investors Inspiring a New Generation of Investors”. She is the NY Chair at TIGER 21, as well as an active angel investor who invests in and advises women and diverse-led companies. She is on the Board of Directors of the Angel Capital Association (ACA) and ACA's first African-American board member in its history. She is also an alumna and member of Pipeline Angels as well as a guest judge on BET/Centric TV's breakout series Queen Boss, a pitch competition show where African-American female entrepreneurs competed for a grand prize to fund their businesses. Lorine is a graduate of Brown University, New York Law School, Kauffman Foundation FastTrac New Ventures Entrepreneurship (Graduate Certificate) and Lean Startup Machine.

Moderator Heather Cabot, is an award-winning journalist, author, and former ABC News correspondent/anchor. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed business narrative, The New Chardonnay: The Unlikely Story of How Marijuana Went Mainstream (Currency, 2020), co-author of Geek Girl Rising: Inside the Sisterhood Shaking Up Tech (St. Martin’s Press, 2017), and a freelance writer published in Forbes, Elle, Parents, The Huffington Post, People, USA Today, and more. Following her time reporting for ABC’s Good Morning America and anchoring World News Now/World News This Morning, Cabot served as Yahoo! Web Life Editor from 2007-12 and appeared regularly on NBC’s TODAY, cable news outlets, and daytime TV talk shows to report on consumer tech and digital trends. She is a member of the Alumni Board of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and was an adjunct professor at the school from 2012-17.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, May 12th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between May 2021 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Charlie Schroder.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Thursday, May 12th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

WMG programs are at the core of what we do to support members' career growth and networking. We are always looking for new program ideas and volunteers to help coordinate our many different kinds of events. Join this informational session to share your ideas for programs and learn what other members are suggesting as well. We’ll also explain how you can get involved. There are many ways to get involved in programming, from single projects to an ongoing basis and everything in-between – explore ways that work best for you!

Hosted by Programming Chair Jane Wesman

Wednesday, April 27th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Learn the secrets of the pros from a vet who's seen it all. You will hear Mollie's take on:

• The best advice for authors crafting their pitch
  
• What a super agent wishes publishers and editors knew
  
• The joys of discovering a great literary writer
  
• Balancing taking risks as an agent
  
• How to level up your agenting game to get stellar clients
  

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the speakers:

Mollie Glick represents many top authors and thought leaders, including President Joe Biden; Vice President Kamala Harris; Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg; Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Ken Armstrong, T. Christian Miller, and Kyle Hopkins; MacArthur Grant-recipient astrophysicist Sara Seager; National Book Award Finalists Ali Benjamin and Karla Cornejo Villavicencio; NYT Top 50 Memoirs of the Past 50 Years recipient Patricia Lockwood; #1 NYT bestselling authors Mark Manson and Nic Stone; change-makers Michelle Alexander, Brittany Packnett, and Janaya Future Khan; and NYT bestselling novelists Carol Rifka Brunt; Julie Clark, Jonathan Evison; Sarah McCoy; and Stephanie Land.

Christine Pride is a writer, editor and long time publishing veteran. She’s held editorial posts at many different imprints including Doubleday, Broadway, Crown, Hyperion, and Simon and Schuster. As an editor, Christine published many bestselling and critically acclaimed books, with a special emphasis on inspirational stories and memoir. As a freelance editorial consultant, she does select editorial work and proposal/content development, as well as teaching and coaching and pens a regular column — “Race Matters" for Cup of Jo. Her debut novel, We Are Not Like Them, written with Jo Piazza was published in Fall 2021. You can follow her on IG at @cpride.

Tuesday, April 26th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between January 2022 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Jennifer Perry.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Monday, March 28th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

If you're involved in the media industry, you likely have routine encounters with legal issues - from the negotiation of all sorts of agreements (publishing, ghost writing, content licensing and distribution, app development, and many more), to issues relating to copyright and the First Amendment. During this 1 hour Zoom webinar, we'll discuss key issues in publishing agreements and important negotiation points, and will review significant court cases related to publishing, including cases about embedding, book scanning and fair use. There will be plenty of time reserved for questions, so don't be shy.

About the speaker:

WMG member and former Board Member Stacy Grossman runs a boutique law firm where she specializes in intellectual property, publishing and general business law.  Prior to launching her firm, Stacy was Vice President and Associate General Counsel at News Corporation, where she handled intellectual property and related legal issues for HarperCollins, the New York Post and other media businesses.

Friday, March 18th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members and non-members

Novelist/poet/blogger Dale M. Kushner, and the marketing veteran she has worked with for eight years, WMG member Bridget Marmion, share the process, tasks, benefits and challenges of connecting a writer with readers today.

About the speakers:

WMG member Bridget Marmion spent over a decade in publishing (at FSG, Random House and Houghton Mifflin), working in editorial, publicity, sales, advertising, and marketing during her career (for both adult and children’s books). She launched her own marketing firm in 2012 www.bridgetmarmionbookmarketing.com.

Dale M. Kushner is a novelist, poet, essayist and blogger. Dale’s first novel, The Conditions of Love, was published by Grand Central, and her second novel, The Lie of Forgetting has just been completed. Dale’s first collection of poetry, M, is coming out in January from 3: A Taos Press. Dale's blog “Transcending the Past" is published monthly on the Psychology Today website.

Wednesday, March 9th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between October 2021 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Julie Blattberg.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Tuesday, March 1st, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Come hear stories from the top women leaders who are breaking barriers in book publishing today. These inspiring, kick-ass women started their own publishing companies or grew their businesses and will share their innovative, entrepreneurial approaches to storytelling. Learn about how they are going beyond the page with customized publishing platforms, podcasts, audiobooks, and film adaptations. Speakers include:

• Dominique Raccah (Moderator), CEO of Sourcebooks
• Jennifer Goldstein, Head of Books at A Kids Book About
• Lavaille Lavette, President & Publisher at Ebony Magazine Publishing
• Cindy Spiegel, Partner and CEO at Spiegel & Grau

Dominique Raccah is the entrepreneurial Publisher and CEO of Sourcebooks, the company she founded from her home in 1987. Originally a source of financial information for bankers, Sourcebooks, under Dominique’s leadership, has become a continuously growing, pioneering general book publishing house that happily produces everything from adult and teen fiction to top titles in children’s books to baby names and college guides. The publisher has created scores of New York Times bestsellers, hundreds of national bestsellers, and #1 selling titles in perennial categories. Sourcebooks today has over 130 employees, publishes more than 350 new titles each year, and is proud to be one of the top book publishers in America. It is the largest woman-owned book publisher in the country as well as the largest trade book publisher in Chicago. Dominique has been widely recognized as a leader in innovation in book publishing--Sourcebooks has won every innovation award that the industry gives--as well as in the field itself, being named Publishers Weekly's Person of the Year in 2016.

Jennifer Goldstein is Head of Books at A Kids Company About which is a new kind of media company built on telling stories which feature diverse voices on topics that matter to kids like racism, anxiety, belonging, and empathy. Jennifer is a proud member of the thriving Chicago publishing community. She was Publisher & EVP of Phoenix International Publications, and Publisher for Agate Publishing for a short and wonderful time. She began her publishing career at Publications International, where she grew with the company for 20+ years and was an integral force in their children’s book growth. As Executive Vice President (EVP), Creative for Children's Books, Sound Books, ebooks, Apps, and Learning, Jennifer led a strong creative team making books that made a difference in children’s lives with amazing children’s partners such as Sesame Workshop, The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon, Marc Brown Studios, Scholastic, and many more. Jennifer is an advocate for solid organ donation. She is also a Volunteer at Bernie's Book Bank and The GenderCool Project. 

Lavaille Lavette is currently the President & Publisher at Ebony Magazine Publishing. She is a New York Times bestselling publisher/editor and the author of several bestselling books including the children’s book series, The Adventures of Roopster Roux. “The Roux”  a chain of convenience stores based on the Roopster Roux book series, launched in 2021. Lavaille is a social entrepreneur who advocates for educational issues. She served as special advisor to Former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Rod Paige. She is a Founding Principal of The Daymond John Center For Entrepreneurship as well as a Founding Board Member and the first President of the Luanda Africa Sister City Association, and co-founder of Every Child An Author. She also created the 86400 Seconds Movement. Ebony Magazine Publishing is doing a line of books in partnership with Sourcebooks.

Cindy Spiegel was a founding editor of Riverhead Books and later became Co-Publisher of Riverhead with Julie Grau, with whom she went on to co-found Spiegel & Grau. She has launched the literary careers of writers including James McBride, Khaled Hosseini, Bryan Stevenson, Chang-rae Lee, Gary Shteyngart, Alex Garland, Sana Krasikov, Philipp Meyer, Kathleen Norris, ZZ Packer, Domenica Ruta, and Danzy Senna and edited bestselling books by Yuval Noah Harari, Harold Bloom, Steven Rinella, Dan Pink, Sara Gruen, Yann Martel, and Anne Lamott, among many others. She sits on the board of Archangel Ancient Tree Archive and on the advisory board of Columbia Global Reports. She is co-editor of the anthology Out of the Garden: Women Writers on the Bible.

All proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, February 16th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between November 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Tuesday, February 1st, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $10 for non-members

There are an estimated 56% more job openings in branded content versus traditional journalism. That's why we see an uptick in journalists and editors wondering how to break into this kind of content creation. And the truth is, branded content hiring managers would rather teach a journalist the basics of marketing than teach a marketer how to create compelling, editorial-like content (at least this hiring manager anyway). Another truth: creating content for brands can be fascinating and even fun—as either a gig or a career. In this session, we'll cover: How to find a job or writing opportunity; what the work entails; and where the industry is headed.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation

Meet the speaker:

WMG member Diane di Costanzo is the VP/Editorial Director of the Foundry, the branded content division within Meredith Corporation. She has worked in branded content for 12 years, providing strategy, talent, and content for diverse brands. Additionally, she was a finalist in the 2020 Women in Content Marketing Awards as well as one of Folio’s Top Women in Media in 2019. Diane often speaks at conferences and workshops about content marketing.

Wednesday, January 26th, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

We’re excited to welcome Alexandra Alter, publishing reporter for The New York Times, and Maris Kreizman, essayist, critic and host of The Maris Review on Lit Hub, for a far-ranging discussion on the seismic shifts in how we’re discovering, buying and consuming books and what the future holds for authors, publishers, retailers and readers.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the speakers:

Alexandra Alter is a reporter for the New York Times, where she has covered the publishing industry and the literary world since 2014. Prior to joining the Times, she reported on arts and culture for The Wall Street Journal, and before that covered religion for The Miami Herald.

Maris Kreizman is the host of The Maris Review, a literary podcast from Lit Hub. An essayist and critic, her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, The New Republic, Publishers Weekly, and more. She created Slaughterhouse 90210, a blog and book that celebrates the intersection of literature and pop culture. She was previously the Editorial Director of Book of the Month, the Editorial Director of digital content at B&N.com, a publishing outreach lead at Kickstarter, and an Editor at Free Press/S&S.

Wednesday, January 19th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members and non-members

Is one of your new year’s resolutions to finally start (or finish) your book? There’s tons of advice out there on how you “should” do it. But quite often, the advice doesn’t free up creativity; it constricts it. What if you could approach writing a book in a way that felt less like “work” and more fun and creative? What if you threw out the templates and did the whole thing backwards? Because you can. Join us for a fun evening that’s part discussion and part book launch with WMG member Terri Trespicio, author of Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life that Matters to You (Atria Books, December 2021), and Richelle Fredson, founder of Purposeful Platforms and former head of publicity at Hay House. Come discover a fresh and nonlinear approach to crafting, sharing, and promoting your work.

About the speakers:

Terri Trespicio is a writer, speaker, brand advisor, and author of Unfollow Your Passion (Atria, Dec 2021) whose work has appeared in Marie Claire, Jezebel, Business Insider, Oprah magazine, and others. Her TEDx talk, "Stop searching for your passion" recently surpassed 7 million views. A former magazine editor at Martha Stewart and media contributor, she speaks widely, and works with individuals and organizations to help them craft their critical messaging.

Richelle Fredson is the Founder of Purposeful Platforms and the host of the Bound + Determined podcast. As a Book Proposal Coach and Publishing Consultant, Richelle lends her extensive knowledge to aspiring authors to guide them through the book writing process from concept to proposal to agent introductions. As the former Director of Publicity and Book Marketing at Hay House, Richelle brings a unique advantage to aspiring authors who want to anchor their stories and amplify their expertise.

Thursday, January 13th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only (Space is limited!)

The pandemic has made some of us rethink career choices and priorities. Are you thinking of making a change? Are you looking to pivot from one field to another? Would you like feedback on your elevator pitch? Do you want to put your dream job description out there in the universe and get some help finding the contacts to make it happen? Are you seeking advice about wanting to go on your own or freelance? Do you need tactical or moral support to embrace a new job search?

Come bounce ideas off of your WMG peers, who represent a very wide range of media professionals eager to share concrete advice and lend a hand, a shoulder, or whatever you might need to take your next step.

This is a FREE, confidential, members-only virtual event. Space is limited, so sign up today!

Meet the speaker:

Chandra Turner is the founder and CEO of Ed2010 and Talent Fairy. She has helped countless media professionals find their dream jobs in content creation — so much so that she was often referred to as the industry’s “fairy godmother.” Chandra has held top editorial positions at brands such as Cosmopolitan, CosmoGirl, Parents, and Scholastic. In her 20+ year career, Chandra created award-winning consumer magazines, managed print and digital content teams, and executed content strategy for dozens of Fortune 500 companies.

Thursday, December 9th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Join WMG for a one-of-a-kind virtual party to celebrate the holidays with flair! Come celebrate with us, get to know your new fellow members, and reconnect with old friends. We’ll have guided breakout rooms with festive themes for intimate networking, contests for Best Zoom Décor and Most Creative Cocktail or Mocktail, and we’ll be naming a Belle of the Ball. So, feel free to dress to impress…without having to leave the comfort of your home!

Tuesday, November 16th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Have you missed the exchange of ideas, industry information, random conversations about topical events, and general camaraderie that used to happen in the “before times” at the water cooler, in front of the restroom sink, and in the lively chatter before the start of a WMG event? As we optimistically look forward to more in-person communication, we could all use a little TLC, so come Talk, Listen, and Connect! 

Join WMG member Sally Ekus for an hour of chit-chat about whatever you want to discuss the day we meet, with an emphasis on meaningful connections to benefit those in this virtual room. Sally's area of expertise is cookbook representation, so you can be sure there will be a chance to tip one another off to your favorite recipes that are getting you through each day. 

Plus, who is looking for a bit more laughter in their lives too? In her personal life Sally also does improv comedy and enjoys bringing a bit of fun to the day to day. She will lead the group in a few fun prompts to help lift our spirits and offer a change of pace to zoom fatigue. Come to network, stay to laugh!

About WMG Member Sally Ekus: 

Sally Ekus is the co-owner and a Literary Agent at The Lisa Ekus Group, a full service agency specializing in cookbook representation. She also sits on the board of Happier Valley Comedy and during pre-pandemic times, is a Main Stage cast member in both an adult and children's improv troupe. She has a deep appreciation for tacos.

Friday, November 12th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between November 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Monday, November 8th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you a writer looking for tips on pitching story ideas to global or niche digital outlets? Are you a publicist who wants to improve on the success rate of engagement for your press releases? Are you a brand-builder keen to understand how digital media is or is not like pitching to traditional news outlets?

Learn about the process and best practices from industry experts.

Zahara Hill (Moderator), Deputy Editor at Blavity Inc.

Meena Ganesan, Senior Editor at FiveThirtyEight

Anna Halkidis, Features Editor at Parents.com

Diane Di Constanzo, Editorial Director of Millie magazine

You’ll hear about:

• The ideal format for an editorial pitch
• How to find an editor or journalist who is likely to connect with your topic
• Creative ways to stand out in an overcrowded in-box
• When is the best time to initiate outreach
• If outreach on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn will help you get your pitch seen
• And more!

Tuesday, October 26th, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & non-members

Halloween how-to featuring celeb makeup artist, propmaker, costumer and set decorator Stacia Gorsuch!

Come for Stacia’s ghoulish demo and stay for spirited book chat, cocktails and costume review. This event is virtual—dress up and drink up.

Moderator Kelly Hoey will be joined by Jan Knuth, the owner of Grey House Haunts, a professional haunted house in Central Nebraska, and LaNelle Freeman, co-owner of Texas Haunters Convention. With the summer release of their book, Not Afraid to Slay, Jan and WMG’s own Candi Cross have appeared at Midwest Haunters, Texas Haunters Convention, and on numerous podcasts. Next stop: WMG’s Zoom room as Jan opens up her house for the season. Best costume and spirited cocktail will be selected and praised!    

About Stacia Gorsuch:

Stacia applies her mad makeup, fabrication and set design skills to feature films, music videos and events across the country. She is based in Las Vegas. Check out her work here.

 

About Candi S. Cross:

Candi S. Cross dressed as Raggedy Ann on her first wild Halloween night out as a toddler. She is the founder of You Talk I Write, a modern ghostwriting agency. She has co-developed approximately 150 books with authors worldwide.

About LaNelle Freeman:

LaNelle Freeman is part owner of the Texas Haunters Convention. The Texas Haunters Convention is a two day Halloween convention targeting Halloween and cosplay fans. It is geared towards haunt owners, industry professionals, home haunters, families, trick or treaters, and just anyone who loves the Halloween season. 

 

About Jan Knuth:

Jan Knuth became fascinated with Halloween as a child and acted on that passion in 2007 when she started a home haunt, which ran through 2013. She then went on to become the sole owner and director of Grey House Haunts, a Halloween haunted house, in 2014. In 2019, with the goal of helping the haunt industry continue to grow and thrive, Jan joined the board of the Chamber of Haunters as 2nd vice-chair. Not Afraid to Slay is her debut as an author.  

About the Moderator:

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Kelly Hoey recalls her Halloween costumes always included rubber boots and a raincoat - and that a paper mache space helmet wasn't the smartest costume design. Kelly is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World wherein she addresses the frightening topic of networking.

About Shakespeare & Co: 

Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983. Its store at 939 Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hunter College campus, has been a staple on the Upper East Side for over 20 years. Shakespeare & Co second location in New York is at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and they also are located at 1632 Walnut Street (between South 16th and South 17th Streets) in downtown Philadelphia.

Wednesday, October 20th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members and non-members

Biases, micro-aggressions, and workplace inequities: how can we heal from these traumas and how do we interrupt the cycle that prevents everyone from excelling? What are the strategies we can use to put painful career disappointments behind, and in doing so, thrive? What are the ways organizations and individuals can take responsibility for driving true change, based on equity and belonging?

We’re addressing these critical questions around the imbalance in career opportunity (and its impact) with authors, Minda Harts (Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace) and Melinda Briana Epler (How to Be an Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier Workplace).

The WMG Programming Committee is thrilled to partner with Shakespeare & Co. for this important conversation with Minda and Melinda. Order your copies of the books we’re discussing here.

About Minda Harts:

Minda Harts is the CEO of The Memo LLC and an award- winning and best-selling author of The Memo: What Women of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table. Minda is a Professor at NYU Wagner and hosts a live weekly podcast called Secure The Seat. In 2020, Minda was named the #1 Top Voice for Equity in the workplace by Linkedin. She is an Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar and has been featured on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Fast Company, The NY Times, and Time Magazine. Minda frequently speaks at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Nike, and Bloomberg on topics such as Managing Diverse Teams, Courageous Leadership, and Advancing women of color in the workplace. Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace is the essential self-help book for women of color to heal—and thrive—in the workplace. 

About Melinda Briana Epler:

Melinda Briana Epler has over 25 years of experience developing business innovation and inclusion strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs. As CEO of Change Catalyst, she works with the tech industry to solve diversity and inclusion issues. Her popular TED talk “3 Ways to Be a Better Ally in the Workplace” reached one million views in the first 24 days of its release. She is also host of the popular podcast series “Leading with Empathy and Allyship.” In How to Be an Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier Workplace, Melinda show how through the power of allyship, each of us can create an equitable, innovative workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and able to thrive

About The Moderator:

WMG Board Member, Kelly Hoey is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World, a modern guide on how to build the powerful, real relationships you need to succeed in our digital world. She has been lauded from Forbes (“1 of 5 Women Changing the World of VC/Entrepreneurship”) and included on EBW 2020’s list of the “100 Most Influential Global Leaders Empowering Women Worldwide”.

About Shakespeare & Co:

Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983. Its store at 939 Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hunter College campus, has been a staple on the Upper East Side for over 20 years. Shakespeare & Co second location in New York is at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and they also are located at 1632 Walnut Street (between South 16th and South 17th Streets) in downtown Philadelphia.

Thursday, October 14th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between April 2021 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Julie Blattberg.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Tuesday, September 28th, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & $15 for  non-members

Join us for a lively panel discussion with women leaders from publishing, digital media, and broadcasting about the changing media landscape. Moderator Rachel Deahl, News Director at Publishers Weekly, will be in conversation with Kristen McLean, Executive Director, Business Development at NPD Book and Leila Milgrim, Director of Brand Marketing at Conde Nast and Self Magazine, and Linda Saint Marc, Associate Professor of Professional Practice at The New School about emerging content trends they’re seeing across media industries, how consumers’ interests, needs, and consumption habits have evolved since the onset of the pandemic, and how businesses—large and small—can adapt to meet those needs in innovative ways.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the WMG Scholar program.

About the Moderator: 

Rachel Deahl is a writer and editor with over 15 years of experience covering the trade book business. At Publishers Weekly, where she is the news director, she covers general news, oversees author profiles, and writes the magazine's weekly Deals column, which details the notable titles being acquired at the major publishing houses. Rachel has also overseen the programming for both of PW's main trade shows, the New York Rights Fair and the U.S. Book Show. She has contributed to such publications as Slate; The Boston Globe Magazine; Nylon; and O, The Oprah Magazine.

About Kristen McLean:

Kristen McLean is the Executive Director of Business Development, and the primary Industry Analyst at the NPD Books. Kristen is a twenty-five-year veteran of the publishing industry, with a career spanning many roles including retailing, buying, field sales, marketing, and business development which gives her an unusually deep perspective as a market analyst. A widely-recognized expert in the areas of children’s books, comics & graphic novels, and cross-entertainment consumer behavior, she works broadly with NPD Books’ key clients, and she is deeply interested in the confluence of retail realignment, technology, literacy, and demographics in the Digital Age.

About Leila Milgrim:

Leila Milgrim is the Director of Brand Marketing at Condé Nast Traveler and SELF. She's previously held positions at Glamour, Rolling Stone and InStyle, and was the first Marketing Director for a boutique European tour operator. She is also the founder of Sonder Support, a resource-driven website and peer-led network of travelers committed to mental health support and awareness.

Leila is a Masters student at NYU studying International Affairs and Global Futures. She obtained her undergraduate from the University of Florida, where she majored in Journalism. Craving adventure beyond her cubicle, she embarked on a journey to Florence in 2016, and she's split her time between Italy and Manhattan ever since.

About Linda Saint Marc:

Linda Saint Marc is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice with the School of Media Studies’ Media Management Graduate Program at The New School. She is a media maker, educator, and change agent with a successful global track record for designing and reimagining ventures with experience developing category-leading brands on six continents as a C-suite media industry executive and business development consultant. She has a comprehensive understanding of publishing operations, branding, leadership, coaching, and team building throughout her career trajectory with an appreciation of diverse cultures. As a brand strategist, Linda is internationally recognized for her innovative work leveraging content assets with licensing programs for products, services, events, and e-commerce.

Linda is the founder of Media x Women, a professional community of young media makers which amplifies women's accomplishments in the industry worldwide through the “How She Made It” career journey podcast. Recently, Linda launched a new initiative advancing media and information literacy through community learning, Media Smart Citizens (MSC), in collaboration with The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) of The New York Public Library and UNESCO.

Thursday, September 23rd, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & non-members

Writer and editor Michelle Burford has co-authored ten memoirs and six New York Times best sellers (three of which debuted at #1) including Just As I Am written with legendary actress Cicely Tyson (who tragically passed away on January 28, 2021, two days following publication of her memoir). Michelle’s celebrity collaborations also include books with Alicia Keys, Toni Braxton and Simone Biles (to name just a few) - plus there are more in the pipeline (this past summer Michelle was working on no less than three memoirs). Her extraordinary ability to deliver dazzling life stories under tight deadlines is just one of Michelle’s many strengths as an author and editor.

The Oprah Magazine calls Just As I Am an “essential, passionate, raw, revelatory account of a woman who refused to allow any obstacle to thwart her quest for excellence—racism, misogyny, poverty, single motherhood—and today stands as one of the greatest actresses of all time.”

The New York Times book review of Just As I Am noted “A throng of admirers has been eager to hear whatever she [Cicely Tyson] wants to tell. [Michelle] Burford, a sensitive listener, has organized 96 years’ worth of stories with grace. Right about now, the autobiography of Miss Cicely Tyson is a balm for the afflicted.”

In this WMG conversation with Michelle on September 23, we’ll explore not only the extraordinary careers of her memoir collaborators but Michelle’s own career story: how her writing career started, why she’s passionate about book collaborations and her secret to getting things done. 

The WMG Programming Committee is thrilled to partner with Shakespeare & Co. for this conversation with Michelle. Purchase your copy of Michelle’s book Just As I Am.

About Michelle Burford: 

Michelle Burford is a #1 NYT bestselling collaborative writer and a founding editor of Oprah Magazine. Michelle has written memoirs for iconic actress Cicely Tyson, whose memoir debuted at #1 on the New York Times' list; singer Alicia Keys; Olympic champions Simone Biles and Gabrielle Douglas, singer Toni Braxton, "Dancing With the Stars" sensation Amy Purdy, "Orange Is the New Black" actress Diane Guerrero, and Cleveland survivor Michelle Knight, the first young woman kidnapped and brutalized by Ariel Castro. She has co-authored 10 books and six NYT best sellers. More about Michelle: michelleburford.com.

About the Moderator: 

Kelly Hoey is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (her first book, though she is bravely embarking on her second).  More about Kelly: jkellyhoey.co.

About Shakespeare & Co: 

Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983. Its store at 939 Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hunter College campus, has been a staple on the Upper East Side for over 20 years. Shakespeare & Co second location in New York is at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and they also are located at 1632 Walnut Street (between South 16th and South 17th Streets) in downtown Philadelphia.

Wednesday, September 15th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & non-members

According to Forbes, influencer marketing spend is projected to hit $15 billion in 2022 a rise from $8 billion in 2019.

 

Influencers are reaching more consumers than ever. Importantly, influencers have credibility with their followers and are successfully building awareness & sales for brand and retail partners.

 

Why are marketers so excited about influencer marketing? Because influencers are successfully driving action both online and increasing foot traffic in-store.

 

During this 1 hour webinar, you'll learn:

 

• How to effectively leverage influencers to drive impact for your brand/business.

• A how-to guide to ensure influencer marketing campaign success.

• How to Measure Campaign Success & deliver ROI.

About the Speaker:

WMG member Aliza Freud is the founder & CEO of SheSpeaks and award-winning influencer marketing company that works with some of the world's most respected brands. Aliza is also the host of top rated podcast, SheSpeaks: How She Does It which is dedicated to telling women's stories.

Wednesday, August 4th, 5:00-6:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & non-members

The bestselling author of American Housewife and Southern Lady Code returns with a viciously funny, deeply felt collection of essays on friendship among grown-ass women. Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light reads like the best cocktail party of your life. Plan to join us on August 4, as we gather (virtually) with Helen Ellis for a happy hour filled with questions, conversation and likely, more than a few laughs. 

Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light is twelve gloriously comic and moving essays! Helen dishes on married middle-age sex, sobs with a theater full of women as a psychic exorcises their sorrows, gets twenty shots of stomach bile to the neck to get rid of her double chin, and gathers up the courage to ask, “Are you there, Menopause? It’s Me, Helen.”

Kirkus calls it “Darkly hilarious” and Martha Stewart Living says it’s “an uproarious joyride, best enjoyed with a souvenir cup of white wine.” Come find out for yourself on August 4 from 5:00pm to 6:00pm Eastern at this Zoom event moderated by WMG board member, Kelly Hoey.

The WMG Programming Committee is thrilled to be collaborating with Shakespeare & Co. for this Happy Hour with Helen. Purchase your copy of Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light here. 

About the Author: 

Helen Ellis is the author of Southern Lady Code, American Housewife and Eating the Cheshire Cat. Raised in Alabama, she lives with her husband in New York City. You can find her on Twitter @WhatIDoAllDay and Instagram @HelenEllisAuthor.

About the Moderator: 

Kelly Hoey is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World. Raised in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Kelly has called NYC home since 1998. You can find her on Twitter @jkhoey and Instagram @jkellyhoey.

About Shakespeare & Co: 

Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983. Its store at 939 Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hunter College campus, has been a staple on the Upper East Side for over 20 years. Shakespeare & Co second location in New York is at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and they also are located at 1632 Walnut Street (between South 16th and South 17th Streets) in downtown Philadelphia.

Tuesday, July 27th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Have you missed the exchange of ideas, industry information, pop culture recommendations, random conversations about topical events, and general camaraderie that used to happen in the “before times” at the water cooler, in front of the restroom sink, and in the lively chatter before the start of a WMG event? As we optimistically look forward to more in-person communication, we could all use a little TLC, so come Talk, Listen, and Connect! Join WMG board member Jennifer Perry for an hour of chit-chat about whatever you want to discuss the day we meet, with an emphasis on current media events and media buzz. Maybe it’s the virtual nature of book fairs or the newest best sellers or the rise of TikTok as a marketing platform for books. Or perhaps you've been following how media companies are responding in different ways to the need to increase diverse voices. Or you can't wait to share thoughts about book-based TV series. Jennifer will have a short list of suggested topics to jumpstart the meet-up, and welcomes and encourages your ideas, too.jennifer's area of special interest is Publishing, but members from all areas of media are very encouraged to attend. No homework necessary: just a willingness to share ideas and opinions about anything you’d like to discuss with a group. Our very own WMG brand of TLC!

About Jennifer

WMG Board member Jennifer Perry is focused on reaching all kids and families with meaningful literacy opportunities. She has created educational resources as a publisher, museum educator, Sesame Street brand ambassador, and consultant for child-focused media companies and non-profits. Currently, she is Director of Audiobooks at Barnes & Noble. She is a frequent speaker on ways to reach and teach kids with effective, engaging, and empowering digital experiences.

Wednesday, July 21st, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between July 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, June 23rd, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between June 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Julie Blattberg.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Tuesday, June 1st, 5:30-6:30 PM ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Attendees will learn to:

• Identify negotiating opportunities
  
• Recognize how you undermine yourself
  
• Prepare for negotiations great and small
  
• Develop a repertoire of options
  
• Deal with resistance
  
• Advocate for yourself

Foremost authority in the fields of negotiation leadership and gender, Deborah M. Kolb is the Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Professor for Women in Leadership (Emerita) and co-founder of the Ford Foundation–funded Center for Gender in Organizations at Simmons College School of Management. 

Wednesday, May 26th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between March 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Thursday, May 20, 6:00-8:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members and non-members

Courtesy of Hallmark Channel and screenwriter Sarah Montana, join WMG for a front-row viewing of Sarah’s “Love to the Rescue,” featuring Nikki Deloach (“North Shore,” “Love and Other Drugs”) and Michael Rady (“Sleeper Cell,” “ER”). Two single parents come head to head when their kids want to adopt the same dog. Agreeing to co-foster, free-spirited Kate and type-A Eric must work together to find the dog's forever home. Stay for the exclusive Q & A!

Tuesday, April 13th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

$15 for WMG members, $25 for non-members

Shameless humor and wild wit are guaranteed when Women’s Media Group celebrates Annabelle Gurwitch's new book, You're Leaving When? (HBO special forthcoming). The author will tell all with fearless performance artist and fellow comedian Sandra Tsing Loh, who deemed Annabelle's new book "A cheering midlife romp!"

You're Leaving When? is for anybody who thought they had a semblance of security but wound up with a fragile economy and a blankie. Gurwitch offers stories of resilience, adaptability, low-rent redemption, and the kindness of strangers. Even in a muted Zoom.

Purchase the book here. 

Annabelle Gurwitch was a star performer at WMG’s inaugural Female Authors of Comedy Night. She is an actress, activist, and the author of I See You Made an Effort (a New York Times bestseller and Thurber Prize finalist); Wherever You Go, There They Are, You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up (with Jeff Kahn); and Fired! (also a Showtime Comedy Special). She is currently adapting You're Leaving When? for HBO with Bill Maher executive producing. Gurwitch was the longtime co-host of Dinner and a Movie on TBS and a regular commentator on NPR. She's written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal and Hadassah amongst other publications. Her acting credits include Seinfeld, Boston Legal, Dexter, and Melvin Goes to Dinner. She performs on the Moth Mainstage, Caroline’s on Broadway, and at arts centers around the country. Gurwitch thought she'd be empty nesting by now; instead, she lives in LA with her cat and child—a college graduate of the COVID class of 2020. She co-hosts the Tiny Victories podcast on the Maximum Fun Podcast Network, which Vulture called a “bright spot of light and laughter in 2020.”

Sandra Tsing Loh is a writer and performer. Her work has been heard on NPR’s Morning Edition and This American Life, and is currently the host of "The Loh Down on Science" podcast on NPR. Her book, The Madwoman in the Volvo, was a New York Times Notable Book of 2014. Her latest book, The Madwoman and the Roomba, came out in June 2020. Loh lives in Pasadena, California.

Wednesday, April 7th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between March 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Julie Blattberg.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, March 31st, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members and BAWIP members only

Join the WMG Book Club on March 31 as we deliciously dive into Mango and Peppercorns: A Memoir of Food, an Unlikely Family, and the American Dream, a culinary memoir (with recipes) and story of resilience, friendship, family, and food from the acclaimed chefs behind the award-winning Hy Vong Vietnamese restaurant in Miami. We will be joined for this event by the book’s collaborator (and WMG member) Elisa Ung and Lyn Nguyen, one of the book’s authors three authors. 

Mango and Peppercorns is uniquely told from the perspective of three women - a Vietnamese refugee, her American hostess, and the refugee's daughter (Lyn Nguyen), who was conceived in a refugee camp and went on to become the CEO of an AI firm. 

No quizzes just fun conversation! All WMG members are invited to attend to connect and converse with other book lovers. 

Elisa Ung is an award-winning writer, editor, book collaborator, and ghostwriter with more than two decades of professional storytelling experience. She was previously a food critic and columnist at The (Bergen) Record and Northjersey.com, and a news reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Lyn Nguyen, the daughter of Vietnamese refugee and acclaimed chef Tung Nguyen, earned degrees from Harvard and Cornell, and is the CEO and cofounder of Liquid Analytics, an artificial intelligence innovation firm.

WMG board member Kelly Hoey is a networking expert and author of Author of “Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World” (Tarcher Perigee). 

Find Mango and Peppercorns at your favorite local book shop: https://bookshop.org/

About WMG Book Club

The WMG is for those who love books, are equally curious about the stories behind the books and want a person not an algorithm to randomly suggest their next read. 

Books are selected quite randomly based on your submissions. What book(s) should we learn about, read next, discuss, and gather around next? Submit your suggestions directly to host Kelly Hoey at kelly@jkellyhoey.co who randomly selects a new book each month from WMG member submissions, the next book(s) we’ll be gathering around.

Wednesday, March 17th, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members and BAWIP members only

Come one, come all to the WMG Book Club on Wednesday, March 17th at 6:00 p.m. ET, featuring WMG member, Candi S. Cross, author of Come Hope or High Water: Escaping Addiction to Save Family Farms in the Western Corn Belt, our latest book club selection. As a ghostwriter and editor, Candi has co-developed 140+ books; however this new book features her name exclusively on the cover. 

Come Hope or High Water is the authorized biography of Steve Knuth, CEO of AgWest Commodities. It is a recovery story about a man of many missions – from staying sober to saving the family farm in rural Nebraska. Fingers crossed that Steve will be joining us for WMG Book Club (so we can delve further into what makes for successful writing collaborations, beyond having a riveting story to tell). 

No quizzes, just fun conversation! All WMG members and BAWIP members are invited to attend to connect and converse with other book lovers. 

A pro writer since the 3rd grade when she won the state title in a national essay contest, WMG member (and board member) Candi S. Cross has a unique combination of skills that matches the needs of aspiring authors with a tale to tell. Candi’s clients range from execs and entertainers to doctors and attorneys, and hail from as far away as China, England, Japan, and Germany. She is committed to helping diverse individuals with contemporary stories to tell—no theme is too provocative, no message too controversial unless it propagates harm toward others.

WMG board member Kelly Hoey is a networking expert and author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (TarcherPerigee). 

Find Come Hope or High Water at your favorite local book shop: https://bookshop.org/

About WMG Book Club

The WMG Book Club is for members who love books, are equally curious about the stories behind the books, and want a person not an algorithm to randomly suggest their next read. 

What book(s) should we learn about, read, discuss, and gather around next? Submit your suggestions directly to host Kelly Hoey at kelly@jkellyhoey.co, who randomly selects a new book each month from WMG member submissions.

Wednesday, March 10th, 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Please come to the WMG 2021 Annual Business Meeting on March 10th from 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. 

Spend 30 minutes with Co-Presidents Julie Blattberg and Kathy Sandler, and members of the board, in an abbreviated virtual meeting to:

• Vote in the new board
• Welcome new members
• Review highlights of the past year
• Talk about opportunities to volunteer

We value your time and participation, and hope to see you there!

Wednesday, March 10th at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT

Free for members only

Though separated by about 3,000 miles and 3 time zones, the Bay Area Women in Publishing has much in common with WMG. BAWiP connects and supports current and aspiring colleagues who identify as women or non-binary, helping them to build professional networks in and beyond the Bay Area, and advance their career goals while building community and a more equitable environment in publishing. Sounds good, right?

Make yourself a postprandial cup of tea or digestivo, and join our colleagues on the West coast while they’re in happy hour mode. 

This networking opportunity will feature ice breakers, small-group breakout rooms, and ways to expand your professional circles.

Friday, February 26th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between March 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Thursday, February 25th, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members and BAWIP members only 

Join WMG Book Club on February 25th to celebrate fierce, trailblazing women authors including WMG member Lauren Marino herself, author of our latest book club selection Bookish Broads: Women Who Wrote Themselves into History (Abrams). 

Lauren’s new book features more than sixty brilliant and bookish broads, cleverly illuminating the greats as well as the literary powerhouses that history has wrongfully overlooked. 

Jump online with book club host Kelly Hoey and Lauren to celebrate the perspective of women writers and their impact on literature.  

All WMG members and BAWIP members are invited to attend to connect and converse with other book lovers. No quizzes, just fun conversation

WMG member Lauren Marino is a writer and executive editor at Hachette Books. She is the author of What Would Dolly Do? How to Be a Diamond in a Rhinestone World and Jackie and Cassini: A Fashion Love Affair and has collaborated with celebrities, doctors, entrepreneurs, psychologists, and experts on their books.

WMG board member Kelly Hoey is a networking expert and author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (TarcherPerigee). 

Find Bookish Broads at your favorite local book shop: https://bookshop.org/

About WMG Book Club

The WMG Book Club is for those who love books, are equally curious about the stories behind the books and want a person, not an algorithm, to randomly suggest their next read. 

Books are selected quite randomly based on your submissions. What book(s) should we learn about, read next, discuss, and gather around next? Submit your suggestions directly to host Kelly Hoey at kelly@jkellyhoey.co who randomly selects a new book each month from WMG member submissions, the next book(s) we’ll be gathering around.

Wednesday, January 6th, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST

Free for WMG members only

Ready to send off stress-aplenty 2020? Join WMG for a one-of-a-kind virtual party to kick off 2021 with flair! This past year was chockfull of challenges, but we pulled through together to host 30+ virtual events and welcome 60+ new members. Come celebrate with us, get to know your new fellow members, and reconnect with old friends. We’ll have guided breakout rooms with festive themes for intimate networking, contests for Best Zoom Décor and Most Creative Cocktail or Mocktail, and we’ll be naming a Belle of the Ball. So, feel free to dress to impress…without having to leave the comfort of your home!

Thursday, December 10th, 7:00-8:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members only

The inaugural selection for the WMG Book Club is WMG member Marlene Adelstein’s debut novel, Sophie Last Seen. A USA Today bestseller, Sophie Last Seen has been hailed by reviewers as “a gripping tale of heartbreak and eternal hope” and “a multi-layered mystery, impossible to put down.” 

Gather online with book club host Kelly Hoey and Marlene on Thursday, December 10 at 7pm EST to hear the author speak about her book, the inspiration for the story and her path to publication of her debut novel.

All WMG members are invited to attend to connect and converse with other book lovers. No quizzes, just fun conversation!  

WMG member Marlene Adelstein is a freelance book editor specializing in novels, memoirs, and screenplays. A former film development executive, Marlene has had personal essays published in Longreads, Manifest-Station, Talking Writing, and Rewireme and has been awarded residencies at Yaddo, MacDowell, The Wurlitzer Foundation and other artist colonies. She is currently working on a new novel and a memoir in essays. 

WMG board member Kelly Hoey is a networking expert and author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (TarcherPerigee). 

Find Sophie Last Seen at your favorite local book shop: https://bookshop.org/

About WMG Book Club

The WMG is for those who love books, are equally curious about the stories behind the books and want a person not an algorithm to randomly suggest their next read. 

What book(s) should we read, discuss, and gather around next? Submit your suggestions directly to host Kelly Hoey at kelly@jkellyhoey.co who randomly selects a new book from WMG member submissions.

Tuesday, December 8th, 12:00-1:00 PM ET

Free for members & non-members

Take your virtual presence to the next level!

 

In this fun and fully participatory workshop, award-winning actress and communications expert and coach, Annie Meisels, will share fresh, unique ways to forge genuine connections, build trusting relationships, and create community in a virtual setting. As we all continue to adjust to holding meetings, giving presentations and interconnecting online, sharpening our communication skills is essential in order to thrive!  Join Annie and the WMG as we learn and put into practice these new tools and techniques taught through her lens as an actress and coach.

Annie Meisels is a master communicator. Having polished her skills over 25 years of stage, screen, and voice experience as an award-winning actor, Annie now brings this expertise to the working world. She works with companies and organizations, teaching highly skilled professionals how to seriously up their communication and presentation game. For more information and to book private coaching sessions with Annie, please visit her website.

Wednesday, December 2nd, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between March 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-Presidents Julie Blattberg and Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m. EST

Free for members only

Though separated by about 3,000 miles and 3 time zones, the Bay Area Women in Publishing has much in common with WMG. BAWiP connects and supports current and aspiring colleagues who identify as women or non-binary, helping them to build professional networks in and beyond the Bay Area, and advance their career goals while building community and a more equitable environment in publishing. Sounds good, right?

Make yourself a postprandial cup of tea or digestivo, and join our colleagues on the West coast while they’re in happy hour mode. 

This networking opportunity will revolve around the theme of “Celebrate Yourself,” and will feature ice breakers, small-group breakout rooms, and ways to expand your professional circles.

Wednesday, October 14 at 12:00 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members. Guests welcome!

Are you shy in front of a camera or hate most of your pictures? Time to take a new headshot and can't find the right angle? Then this action-packed session is for you!

 

During this virtual session, you’ll learn:

• Liza’s insider tips for taking the best photo that values your assets and minimizes any flaw…every time
  
• The philosophy behind “body mapping,” which has helped dozens of professionals take great shots and improve their self-esteem
  
• Accelerate your confidence by being your own practice photographer and studying your pics
  

Speaker bio:

Liza Andrews is a self-development coach, photographer and the creator of the PictureCure Methods. Her education and experience involve human resources, psychology and photography.  She started her career in the corporate world, working with recruiting and training programs. With the advent of social media, having a strong professional presence online became mandatory, and Liza brought her expertise in portraiture to the table. Her methods contemplated not only the moves to look good on camera, but also, the psychological aspects that make people feel shy and self-conscious about their image. Liza has taught her own method on “How to Become Photogenic” in Europe, South America, and the United States, and she has helped people with physical limitations and depression improve their self-esteem using photography. Liza was interviewed by Globo TV about her volunteer work with cancer survivors, and Bold TV New York about the importance of one’s profile photos to get the best jobs.

Thursday, October 8 at 6:00 p.m. EST (Martini Glass-in-Hand Time!)

$10 for members. $15 for non-members.

***The first 75 to register will receive a free copy of Candace’s book, Is There Still Sex in the City?

Keep calm—there is still Sex in the City! According to Candace Bushnell. Through her books and television series, Candace's work has influenced and defined two generations of women. There’s no better time than the wacky year of 2020 to hear what she has to say about all things sex, dating, friendship, and fierce feminism in a New York minute! The first 75 people who sign up will receive a copy of her book, Is There Still Sex in the City? (Grove Press). 

Candace Bushnell is the critically acclaimed, international best-selling author of ten books, including Is There Still Sex in the City, Sex and the City, Summer and the City, The Carrie Diaries, One Fifth Avenue, Lipstick Jungle, Trading Up, Killing Monica and Four Blondes. Sex and the City, published in 1996, was the basis for the HBO hit series and two subsequent blockbuster movies. Lipstick Jungle became a popular television series on NBC, as did The Carrie Diaries on the CW. “Is There Still Sex in the City” is currently in development as a TV series with Paramount. Bushnell’s new book, Rules for Being a Girl, is out now.

Thursday, October 1, 12:00 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members. Guests welcome!

U.S. payrolls grew by 4.8 million in June, according to the Labor Department, but the totality of damage to the economy as a result of the pandemic may not be known until well into 2021. As the coronavirus continues to rage throughout the world, where do you stand as an employee, employer or entrepreneur? Is your resume current and ready to go if you need to make a move or simply desire a change in your career and livelihood?   

During this virtual session, you’ll learn:

• Lesley’s insider tips on resume writing in the 21st century 
• New techniques to target your industry and others that could use your skills and are hiring
• The mindset for making a career move with confidence during these uncertain times  

Lesley Yvonne Hunter is president of Resume Makeover and Lesley Yvonne LLC. Lesley is a licensed Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and copywriter and member of PARW/CC (Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches). Her resume writing experience is vast as she has reconstructed and given resume makeovers to various clients cross-industry from recent college graduates to high-level executives. Some of the clients Lesley has worked for have applied for and obtained jobs in the fields of accounting, management, sales, entertainment, law, design, education, writing, administration, government and others. In her free time, she may be playing piano as she is a classically trained pianist since age 4. She is also a lover of languages and is fluent in French and Italian and has basic proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

Wednesday, September 23 at 12:00 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members. Guests welcome!

Join this panel discussion where successful women in media share how they transferred their traditional media skills to work for brands. We will discuss the lingo that they had to learn, how to decifier foreign-sounding job descriptions, how to convince hiring managers that the candidate they are looking for in a competitive landscape, and more.   

Moderator:

 

Chandra Turner, founder of the Talent Fairy

Panelists:

Kara Corridan, Global Communications Manager, Prudential Financial

Angie Lee, Global Head of Brand and Marketing, Samsung NEXT

Tracy Perez, Editorial Director of Digital Content Strategy, IT Cosmetics, L'Oréal

Tuesday, September 15, 12:00 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members. Guests welcome!

The world is in crisis mode as a result of the coronavirus, and women in particular are more overwhelmed, stressed and exhausted…all the time. But in spite of stress, you can learn how to read the signs that your body is sending, make better choices in time and food/drink consumption without feeling guilty or desperate, and optimize your wellbeing. 

During this virtual session, you’ll learn:

• Sharon’s insider tips for knowing exactly what is on your plate and loving the results  
• New techniques for connecting to what your body is saying and getting to the root of symptoms, understanding the connection and what it means for you and your lifestyle, and taking action, trusting yourself and transforming your life  

Sharon Holand Gelfand, a functional diagnostic nutritionist, coach and speaker, transforms the lives of health minded professional women who are stressed out and overwhelmed by getting to the root of their most common health complaints through target testing, not guessing. She incorporates the results with their symptoms and flexible food choices to find the missing pieces of their health puzzle so they can reclaim their health and their lives. Sharon is also the creator of The G.U.T. Method®, a 3-step system to empower you to take back control of your health and the basis for her new book, The G.U.T. Method: Secrets Beyond Your Plate for Healthier, More Energetic Living.

Wednesday, August 19th, 12 p.m. EST

Free members-only event

Former New York Times Op-Ed editor Trish Hall wants to help you get your point across.

Join us on August 19th at 12 p.m. EST via Zoom for a conversation between Hall and WMG member Lydia Denworth, Contributing Editor at Scientific American and author of Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. Hall will share her illuminating insights on the techniques and psychology of persuasive writing and answers your questions, while divulging stories of editing everyone from Nobel Prize winners and global strongmen (Vladimir Putin) to first-time pundits (Angelina Jolie). Some of the topics she’ll discuss:    

• The most crucial element of persuasive writing (and communicating)
• How to startle and surprise your audience
• Why some of the smartest people and ideas don’t gain traction
• How to make someone like what you’re writing (or saying)

Hall spent years immersed in argument, passion, and trendsetting ideas―but also in tangled sentences, migraine-inducing jargon, and dull-as-dishwater writing. In her talk and Q&A, she’ll highlight what works, what doesn’t, and how to effectively communicate above the digital noise. Of her clear, concise, and beguiling book, Writing to Persuade (which Publishers Weekly calls “profound”), bestselling author Adam Grant says, “She turns drivel into prose and rambling thoughts into elegant arguments. At long last, she’s revealing her secret sauce.”

July 28th from 12-1pm EDT

Free members-only event

Join us for a special financial planning series with Molly Townsend, a Certified Financial Planner at UBS, specifically designed to help women learn how to take control of their financial futures and navigate turbulent economic times.  This is exclusive to WMG members.

Molly will cover:

·        Why women must break the cycle of financial abdication

·        Insights from women on obstacles they've faced taking control of their wealth

·        How to start the conversation around your finances and your future

Bio:

Molly Townsend is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER with the Zelniker Dorfman Group at UBS. She began her financial services career in 2008 in her hometown of Chicago before moving to NYC in 2015 to join the Zelniker Dorfman Group. Leading the team's financial planning process, Molly works closely with a broad range of multigenerational clients to gain an understanding of their priorities and help them articulate their goals. Analyzing clients' retirement, education, tax, philanthropy and wealth transfer opportunities, she prides herself on her ability to connect individually with clients and talk about the things that matter most to them.

Molly manages the team's 401(k) plan practice, and specializes in insurance, annuities, Social Security, pension income and 529 plans. On any day, she may discuss the risks of a highly concentrated position with an executive, help a widowed client navigate Social Security and survivor benefits, or work with a family to explore lending options for a vacation home. With all the ways her clients turn to her for advice and guidance, Molly prides herself on helping them live their lives to the fullest. Visit the team website here.

Tuesday, July 7, 12 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members & guests

The U.S. unemployment rate is skyrocketing, the stock market is uncertain, and the gig economy is currently at a standstill. In these tumultuous times, it’s so easy to wake up and go to sleep feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and like you are always trying to catch up. Join us for an empowering masterclass on how to reclaim your time and energy with bestselling author and life strategist, Sheri Riley. Guests welcome!

During this virtual session, you’ll learn:

• Sheri’s 5 keys to achieving inner peace and increased productivity during unprecedented change
• Practical solutions to help you pause, reflect, and focus on what matters
• Tools for making more intentional and productive choices that will lead to less stress, better clarity and a more fulfilling life

Sheri Riley is an entrepreneur, founding partner of the global John Maxwell Team, and award-winning author of Exponential Living®: Stop Spending 100% of Your Time on 10% of Who You Are (Penguin Random House), which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. After 20 years of creating marketing strategies for Usher, TLC, Toni Braxton, Converse, the NBA, and Turner, to name a few, she now serves as an Empowerment Speaker and Life Strategist to clients around the world. She understands that personal development is the anchor to professional growth, increased productivity, and enhanced leadership skills.

Registration is closed.

Join WMG on Wednesdays in June from 4-5pm for exclusive, interactive Do & Dream networking sessions with Build Your Dream Network author (and WMG board member) Kelly Hoey!  

Kelly has been lauded by Forbes (“1 of 5 Women Changing the World of VC/Entrepreneurship”), Fast Company (“1 of the 25 Smartest Women On Twitter”), Business Insider (“1 of the 100 Most Influential Tech Women On Twitter”) and Inc. (1 of “10 Most Well-Connected People in New York City's Startup Scene”). Empowering A Billion Women By 2020 included her on their list of the “100 Most Influential Global Leaders Empowering Women Worldwide”. Not bad for a former lawyer (and no, not a career path she ever dreamed of).  

In these Do & Dream hangouts, Kelly is happy to offer up her practical strategies on connecting for success or sharing how she’s finally learned to dream bigger with her own career ambitions. 

Perfect for WMG members who depend on their networks for business prospects and/or are seeking new career opportunities, these fun sessions will address what’s top of mind for you, whether that’s:

1. How to leverage the networking tools you have to strengthen relationships

2. Ways to enhance or make new connections

3. How to approach a career transition or job search

4. Tips for networking during digital events 

5. Strategies for new business development

Registration is closed.

Thursday, June 11, 2:00 p.m. EST  

Remote work and video meetings are here to stay. Presenting well on camera can make all the difference for your business. Join us for a 30-minute masterclass with Emmy Award-winning TV producer and bestselling productivity author, Paula Rizzo. Guests welcome! 

During this virtual session you’ll learn: 

• Ways to get your ideas across succinctly and powerfully during video meetings 
• How to look better on camera 
• Best tools and technology to amplify your message during video meetings

with Q & A 

Paula Rizzo is an Emmy-award winning TV producer, bestselling author, media trainer and strategist. She trains authors and experts to perform better on camera and produce their own videos. She is the author of Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Highly Successful and Less Stressed and her most recent book, Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You. Paula is a frequent speaker and media contributor. Go to PaulaRizzo.com for more info. 

Registration is closed.

May 14, 12:00-12:45 p.m. EST

Registration is closed.

Wednesday, April 15, 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Free for WMG members and friends & family of members

— Interactive, conducted via Zoom with breakout discussion groups and 2-3 worksheets

Intro: Awareness of what's changed — connecting participants to what's different (for now)

Part 1: Your brain on insecurity and uncertainty — Brief lesson on the ripple effect of stress

Part 2: Audit and strategy building: What can you control at home and at work?

Part 3: Your new normal: designing new habits for routine, communication, connection and trust

Wrap Up: Your action plan in the New Normal

Stacey Staaterman is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC, PCC, ELI-MP) that provides one-on-one coaching, group coaching and leadership development programs focused on career management, transition, emotional intelligence, executive presence, and interpersonal dynamics in the workplace.   

Stacey helps individuals and organizations with challenges related to executive presence, engagement, communications, public speaking, team cohesion, professional development, sales, marketing, and collaboration. Stacey has been a featured leadership and career strategy expert in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, Bustle.com, Access Intelligence, MINOnline.com and Men’s Health.

Registration is closed.

Wednesday, April 8th at 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Free for WMG members

— Interactive, conducted via Zoom with breakout discussion groups and 2-3 worksheets

Intro: Where are you now? Over-reacting? Under reacting? Or Adapting?

Part 1: Thoughts, Feelings, Actions => Results | All begins with a trigger

Part 2: View of two types of energy: Building Energy and Contracting Energy — when to leverage each for desired results

Part 3: Cultivating your choices and options: adapting during disruption

Wrap Up: When stress strikes again, self-leadership and resiliency action steps

Stacey Staaterman is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC, PCC, ELI-MP) that provides one-on-one coaching, group coaching and leadership development programs focused on career management, transition, emotional intelligence, executive presence, and interpersonal dynamics in the workplace.

Stacey helps individuals and organizations with challenges related to executive presence, engagement, communications, public speaking, team cohesion, professional development, sales, marketing, and collaboration. Stacey has been a featured leadership and career strategy expert in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, Bustle.com, Access Intelligence, MINOnline.com and Men’s Health.

Crisis Leadership Adaptive Strategies Workshop Handout

Registration is closed.

Tuesday, April 7, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Free for WMG members

Leading change is an essential leadership capability, especially during these

unprecedented times. Leaders play a critical role in dealing with this crisis across your organization, within their teams, and with their families.

Leading through change is not easy under regular business circumstances, let alone during a crisis. As change experts we know that living in a VUCA world, characterized by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity is the backdrop for what motivates strategic change and the need for leadership agility. COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is testing leaders’ agility on multiple levels.

On Tuesday, April 7, 2:00-3:00 p.m., WLH Consulting is offering, “Rx for

Leading During Difficult Times,” a virtual learning webinar, hosted by Dr. Wendy L. Heckelman, noted author and change expert. This webinar provides practical frameworks and tips to help leaders, at all levels, “change and thrive.” Specifically, this webinar develops and strengthens leaders’ change capabilities by focusing on:

AGILITY: Introduces the basic principles of change agility and demonstrates how an agile leader is better equipped to handle challenging, unpredictable situations

CHANGE LEADERSHIP: Reinforces the critical behaviors leaders need during a crisis and how to effectively manage

EXECUTION: Provides practical steps and a framework to build leaders’ confidence and competence in guiding the business, supporting their team(s), and coaching individuals when executing change.

Wendy L. Heckelman, Ph.D. president and founder of WLH Consulting, Inc., is the author of the newly released book, Change and Thrive. She has advised and consulted on hundreds of major change initiatives in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. In nearly 30 years of working with Fortune 100 clients, Wendy has helped leaders and individuals prepare for and thrive during turbulent and transformative change.

Registration is closed.

Important update:

Given the state of the city, and erring on the side of caution, we are postponing WMG March and April events, including our Annual Business Meeting that had been scheduled for 3/24, until we can safely gather again as a community. All members who've already registered for our luncheon at Barbetta will have refunds issued shortly. 

As one key agenda item for the Annual Business Meeting is to vote in the board of directors for 2020–21, we’ll instead move to a proxy vote to be conducted online. You can expect to see an email from WMG on 3/24 to cast your vote on the slate recommended by the nominating committee.

We're evaluating options for taking some of our programming online, so stay tuned for further announcements and opportunities to connect....

If you have specific concerns, please email us at info@womensmediagroup.com. 

Important update:

Given the state of the city, and erring on the side of caution, we are postponing this event until we can safely gather again as a community. All members who've already registered for our comedy night have been issued refunds.

We're evaluating options for taking some of our programming online, so stay tuned for further announcements and opportunities to connect....

If you have specific concerns, please email us at info@womensmediagroup.com.  

PAST EVENTS

Tuesday, May 16, 6:00-7:15 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Learn from leading podcast professionals at WMG’s first-ever podcast roulette! At this event, you get to ask the questions. Structured as a series of small group rotations with industry experts, you’ll have the opportunity to ask for feedback on your own podcasting projects. Registration will be limited so that all attendees will have time to consult with podcasting pros who specialize in production, strategy and operations, monetization, marketing, partnerships, and more. Whether you are just beginning to think of producing a podcast or you have questions about any aspect of a podcast you already manage or host, this is a unique chance to consult experts. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the experts:

Alexandra Cohl is the founder of pod.draland, a PR and marketing consultant for podcasters, and someone who has been helping women in podcasting get heard since 2019. Current and past clients include Webby Award winning podcast Father Wants Us Dead (named Best of 2022 by Variety), award-winning Immigrantly, Admissible: Shreds of Evidence, Spotify Original You Heard Me Write, and more. She writes the newsletter Podcasting by the Moon and is the host and executive producer of The Pod Broads, a podcast about women in podcasting, which was featured in Apple Podcasts' 2023 "Our Legacy" Women's History Month collection.

Vanessa Grigoriadis is one of the founders of Campside Media, and the co-creator of Chameleon: Hollywood Con Queen, Fallen Angel, Run Bambi Run, and Infamous, a new weekly narrative nonfiction show. She is a National Magazine Award winner for writing, and the author of Blurred Lines: Sex, Power, and Consent on Campus.

Martha Little is Senior Director of Creative Development at Audible. She oversees the commissioning and production of Audible investigative documentaries and non-fiction episodic series. She and her team has worked with talent ranging from Martin Sheen to Steph Curry to Queen Latifah. She started her audio career at major American public radio outlets, including NPR (Day to Day, All Things Considered), APM (Marketplace), PRI (America Abroad, Studio 360) News Director at WBUR. Her work has been recognized by such awards as The Peabody, The Gracie and Edward R. Murrow. 

Emily Rudder is the Head of Development at Wonder Media Network (WMN), a mission-driven audio-first media company that was named 2022 Podcast Network of the Year by Adweek. She works across WMN originals and branded podcasts for partners such as Audible, Pfizer, and Harvard University. Prior to working in audio, she was a digital strategist for nonprofits, foundations and corporate social responsibility practices. She has a BA in Urban Studies from Brown University.

Erica Tong began her career in audio advertising with GroupM over 12 years ago as a National Broadcast Buyer. Since 2016, she has led Audioboom's sales operations and in 2021 she was appointed to Chief Operating Officer where she also oversees research & development, HR and communications.

Wednesday, May 10, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors. Please be ready to share the name of a woman from the past or the present you admire for any reason.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG in 2023 and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Jennifer A. Perry.

Wednesday, May 3, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE 

Space is limited

Join Michelle Garside for a BRANDING HOT-SEAT EXPERIENCE! Bring your questions or thoughts about your brand, your business, and/or your big idea and Michelle will offer individualized laser focused strategy.

Michelle Garside is the Founder of Soul Camp Creative, a full-service Creative Agency devoted to working with ideas that change the world. Soul Camp specializes in creating authentic, aligned, soul-driven branding for mission-driven companies and personal brands. Michelle has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Travel and Leisure, Fitness, Women’s Health, Good Morning America, ABC News, Parents, Fortune, Inc., and Forbes.

Wednesday, April 26, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you a casualty of the media’s latest round of layoffs? Afraid you’ll be next? Working in ad-supported media is more volatile than ever. Be prepared to make your next move and learn how to use your editorial and writing skills to transition into a new exciting career in an adjacent industry — content marketing, brand publishing, communications, thought leadership, and more! 

Led by Chandra Turner, recruiter / career coach and founder of The Talent Fairy and Ed2010 Inc., this panel discussion will feature women who have successfully pivoted outside of their media roles into new, exciting opportunities in content.  

Carolyn Abate is a health and wellness editor with nearly 20 years of content experience. She started her career as a reporter for print newspapers, migrating to magazines and then digital content. She’s written for the Christian Science Monitor, Healthline, and Reuters, among other news and content sites. She was a book editor for Calisto Media for 5 years, in the personal growth and development portfolio. She recently joined Linkwell Health as a Senior Editor. She holds a B.S. in Food Science and Nutrition, from California State University, Chico and did post-graduate journalism coursework at San Francisco State. University. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, her three children, and her dog, Tanner.

Kara Corridan is a director of communications at Prudential Financial, focused on telling stories to its employees about issues related to DEI, talent development and more. She joined Prudential in 2020, after 25 years as a magazine editor for consumer publications including Parents and Modern Bride as well as classroom magazines for Scholastic. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters.

Cristina Goyanes is the cofounder of Revel, an award-winning, strategy-first brand editorial agency producing high-quality, multimedia content for brands that are dedicated to improving people’s lives. Prior to founding Revel, Cristina was a launch editor at Women’s Health. From there, she went freelance for 12 years, by-lining close to 500 articles for major magazines and media platforms, including National Geographic Adventure, Marie Claire, SHAPE, Elle, Teen Vogue,Yoga Journal, ESPNW, Refinery29, and many more. In 2014, she began her pivot into brand editorial work, starting with building a women’s digital hub for her favorite bike brand, Specialized. This work opened the door to more global brands, including Clif Bar and the luxury safari company, Extraordinary Journeys. Over the last decade, Cristina has carved out a successful second career in content marketing.

Jessica Torres-Cooper is a passionate content strategy executive with extensive experience in print, digital, and social. As she developed her career in media, she explored her interests in styling, casting, and photography. After shifting her focus from images to words, she joined the editorial teams at Parents Magazine and Ser Padres. She cultivated a deep understanding of the nuances between the general market and multicultural audiences. In 2006 she joined Siempre Mujer as an editorial assistant in the beauty and fashion department. By 2016 she was named Editor-in-Chief of the publication. Folio Magazine honored her as one of the Top Women in Media in 2016. Torres-Cooper went on to helm the Parenting Group at Evolve Media, overseeing content for five digital titles, including the award-winning website Momtastic.com. Today, she is the Editorial Director of Branded Content for Hearst Magazines, leading digital branded content for over twenty-seven titles at Hearst.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, April 13, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

As the 2024 race for President heats up and Donald Trump continues to make headlines, it’s time to take a clear-eyed look at his ongoing legacy and how it impacts women’s lives. A panel of experts, including acclaimed journalist Nina Burleigh, The Nation magazine’s national affairs correspondent Joan Walsh, and political strategist Celinda Lake, will explore such topics as:

• Did the Great Women’s March in Washington, DC, the day after Trump’s inauguration, have any lasting impact?
  
• How have the Trump Years affected the “women’s movement?”
  
• Is the Me Too movement dead?
  
• Has an increasingly hostile and partisan environment for elected women, reduced women’s power?
  
• Why are teenage girls in crisis and how does that relate to the Trump presidency?
  
• What role does social media and internet porn play in the above situation?
  
• Will we ever see an American woman President?
  

Moderator

Nina Burleigh, author of seven books, has been based in Washington, D.C., New York, Paris and Italy, and has reported extensively from the Middle East and throughout the United States. Her journalism has been published in such media outlets as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Time, and New York Magazine, among others. Two of her magazine articles were made into dramatic productions and she was an executive producer on a documentary series about Ghislaine Maxwell and a Peacock documentary on Prince Andrew. She is currently an adjunct professor at NYU’s Arthur J. Carter Journalism Institute.

Panelists

Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, was one of the top two pollsters for President Biden in 2020. She is also one the nation’s foremost experts on electing women candidates and on framing issues to women voters. She and her firm are known for cutting-edge research on issues including the economy, health care, the environment, and education, and have worked for a number of institutions including the Democratic National Committee, Planned Parenthood, EMILY's List, VoteVets Action Fund, and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Her international work has included work in Liberia, Belarus, Ukraine, South Africa, and Central America.

Joan Walsh is a national affairs correspondent for The Nation, a coproducer of The Sit In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show, and the author of What’s the Matter With White People? Finding Our Way in the Next America. Salon’s first news editor, Walsh served as editor in chief for six years. She is a frequent guest on MSNBC and CNN, and has contributed to publications ranging from Vogue to The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, March 30, 1:00-1:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE

Please come to the WMG 2023 Annual Business Meeting on March 30th from 1:00-1:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. 

Spend 30 minutes with Co-Presidents Jennifer Perry and Charlie Schroder, and members of the board, in an abbreviated virtual meeting to:

• Vote in the new board
• Welcome new members
• Review highlights of the past year
• Talk about opportunities to volunteer

We value your time and participation, and hope to see you there!

Wednesday, March 15, doors open at 6:00 p.m. ET; the event starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. ET

$75 for members and $100 for non-members

Virtual: $25 for members and $35 for non-members*

An intimate evening with WMG and celebrated dancer, author, trailblazer, and mentorship advocate Misty Copeland. 

Join this very special fundraising event in support of the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation, which funds WMG’s annual scholarships granted to future publishing and media professionals who have demonstrated leadership in advancing literacy and promoting underrepresented voices. This event features celebrated dancer Misty Copeland.

Misty made history as the first African American principal ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre. Her talent, passion, and perseverance enabled her to make strides no one had previously accomplished. But, as she will tell you, an achievement never happens in a void. Her new memoir, The Wind at My Back, shares the story of her friendship with dance pioneer Raven Wilkinson. Their journey captures the importance of mentorship, shared history, and honoring the past to ensure a stronger future.

This evening features: 

• Misty in conversation with HuffPost Editor in Chief, Danielle Belton about her career, her struggles with racism and exclusion, as well as the transformative power of supportive intergenerational friendships
• A signed copy of Misty’s memoir The Wind at My Back
  

• Light bites and beverages

• Time for networking with fellow WMG members and guests

Every year, the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation depends on fundraising to support its growing scholarship partnerships with New York City-based colleges and universities. WMG Scholars are given stipends for tuition, granted three years of free WMG membership, and invited to participate in our mentorship program. The number of scholarships we can support depends on the amount of dollars we raise. By attending this event, you will contribute essential financing to WMG’s 2023 scholarship plans. 

This event is held in partnership with Pride Global at their private event space, the Flight Deck. Pride Global is a minority-owned professional recruitment and staffing advisory firm located in NYC with locations throughout the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Canada, Singapore, the Philippines, and India. They assist clients with direct hire and contract talent search solutions across a variety of skill sets and industries.

*Note: the virtual option for this event includes the livestream of Misty and Danielle’s conversation only–it does not include a copy of The Wind at My Back. Email info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, March 8, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

This program is designed for women working in corporate environments. It will focus on strategies for negotiating compensation, promotions, and career moves. It’s no secret that the pay gap is costing women hundreds of thousands of dollars, and sometimes even millions, over the course of their careers. Research shows that a major cause of the pay gap is women’s reluctance to negotiate on their own behalf. This combined with “discrimination” accounts for 40% of the pay difference. 

In this insightful panel, our experts will explore what causes women to feel awkward talking about money or asking for a raise. Panelists will share their perspective on raises and promotions from the other side of the negotiating table. They will provide practical advice on how women can better recognize and value their contributions and negotiate more effectively. Panelists will also answer questions from the audience. 

Moderator:

Bhavana Smith is the Founder of Until There Are Nine®, an organization whose purpose is to give women the power to advocate for their rightful share of compensation, rewards and professional advancement. Bhavana has spent 25+ years in marketing, advertising and consulting and in speaking to her friends and colleagues, realized the support system they each needed when it came to negotiating compensation. She wanted to find a way to share their lessons learned and their experiences with other women, after learning that reluctance to negotiate was a reason for the gender pay gap. Bhavana lives in NYC with her daughter and two dogs.  

Panelists:

Debbie Kemp is the Global Chief People Officer at Biz2Credit.  She has over 30 years experience crossing investment banking/securities, telecommunication, media, ecommerce, and executive recruiting industries. Debbiespecializes in creating and delivering people strategies in fast paced environments enabling business growth and driving operational excellence. Debbie’s career is complemented by a Bachelor of Science in Communications degree from the University of Kansas. She is an active member of Until There Are Nine® and is an advisor to St. Francis, Streetwise, Pinnacle, and CICA. 

Cynthia Medina Carson, CEO Wager is a salary transparency maven, career guru, organizational growth gxpert and next generation workforce advocate. Cynthia started Wager because she saw firsthand how the lack of transparency and conversations created barriers and anxiety in the workplace. Prior to her move into the talent field, Cynthia worked as an international relations and policy expert for the Department of Treasury, Homeland Security and JP Morgan, and served in Peace Corps, Nicaragua. Cynthia is also the Founder of the Cheeky Monkey Club, a networking group for women who hate to network, is a Board member of her hometown’s Girls Inc., and hosts a makerspace in her basement studio. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Melissa Carson is the author of A Perfect Life is Not the Goal and There is No Such Thing as a Perfect Job. With over 25 years as a global HR leader for large, successful organizations, Melissa is now focused on partnering with fast-growing small to mid-size organizations. She works with individual leaders by helping them understand what she calls their “imperfection gremlins” so they can get above the day-to-day of their lives, see the full view, set a strategic direction for themselves and their teams, and be more intentional in their approaches. She lives in Delaware with her husband, high school senior daughter and college freshman son.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Friday, February 17, 7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only

Private Manhattan residence (Upper West Side)

WMG members of color are invited for an intimate in-person gathering for Black History Month to connect, support, and inspire each other. Join WMG board members Jodi Brockington and Brittany Fuller for a night of guaranteed upliftment and fun.

Meet your hosts:

Jodi Brockington embodies the term “multi-hyphenate.” Many of her colleagues know her to be a Master Networker, Super Connector, and “Diversity Disruptor”, creating seamless and authentic interactions within the workplace, marketplace, and community. An entrepreneur’s entrepreneur, she has represented, coached and advised thousands of leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals helping them launch, manage and develop their business. She truly enjoys connecting people as her professional expertise lies within the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)space. She is a champion of investing in the workforce of the future, driving evolution, implementing effective and sustainable business strategies while consistently delivering tangible outcomes. In her spare time, Jodi is an author, speaker, traveler and fitness enthusiast.

Brittany Fuller is a fun-loving writer, content creator, and plus-size blogger. A graduate of Pace University, where she received her BA in Communication Arts and Journalism, and an MS in Publishing, Brittany is in love with all things media! She’s worked with some truly inspiring publications like Woman's Day, Country Living, The Village Voice, The Knot, and Westchester Magazine while networking with many influential and creative individuals along the way. In her spare time, she works on her plus-size lifestyle blog, The Essence of A Curvy Girl, discussing lifestyle topics. Brittany currently is a freelance Content Creator and editor working with various brands and companies.  

Wednesday, February 8, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you mad as hell at the Supreme Court ripping away women's rights, worried about what they will do next, and feeling powerless? Well, we are, and we want to learn from women who have done something. Women’s Media Group is pleased to invite you to a Master Class with some powerful and purposeful media changemakers who will share their stories, vision, and how they made it happen.

Moderator: 

Bridget Todd is a frequently cited expert, trainer, and speaker on combating disinformation and extremism online, advocating for social media platform accountability, creating safer digital experiences for women and other marginalized people, and celebrating and amplifying marginalized people’s contributions to tech and the internet. She created her critically acclaimed podcast, There Are No Girls on the Internet, to explore how marginalized people show up online in response to the lack of inclusion in conversations around the internet. 

Her podcast earned “Best Technology Podcast” at the iHeart Radio Podcast Awards and a Shorty Award for “Best Podcast Miniseries” for DISINFORMED, a miniseries exploring how misinformation and conspiracy theories around COVID, gender, and race hurt marginalized communities. As Director of Communication for the national gender-justice advocacy organization Ultraviolet, Bridget regularly meets with leadership from social media platforms to advocate for and develop policy recommendations to make digital experiences safer and more inclusive. Bridget’s writing and work on technology, race, gender, and culture have been featured in the Atlantic, Newsweek, the Nation, the Daily Show, and several other outlets.

Panelists:

Sara Berliner is a creator, producer, and social entrepreneur who bridges creative development, product strategy, brand-building, and business development. Sara is an advisor at Hellosaurus, the groundbreaking interactive video platform for kids, where she was on the founding team and created the award-winning original series, The Birthday Show. Sara’s career has threaded digital formats alongside puppet theater, documentary film, the music business, book publishing, animation, consumer products, and live events. 

At Star Farm, the children’s media company she co-founded, Sara created properties like Edgar & Ellen, with two seasons on Nicktoons, twelve books with Simon & Schuster, and a host of licensed products. In 2008, Sara founded the Kids & Family group at ScrollMotion, launching first-ever apps for IP’s like Harry Potter and Batman, then spent five years as Chief Strategy Officer of Night & Day Studios, home of worldwide bestselling app Peekaboo Barn. Sara has told stories with collaborators like Sesame Street, Warner Bros., Disney, DreamWorks, Mattel, Scholastic, the NFL, National Geographic, Highlights for Children, and Wow in the World. Sara develops IP and consults for clients like Tom Colicchio’s nonprofit, A Place at the Table, and speaks regularly at conferences like Harvard University’s Folklore & Mythology Symposium. As the founder of Vote Like a Mother, Sara put her brand-building skills to work raising awareness, money, and volunteers for important causes and nonprofits, creating a thousands-strong community of engaged citizens driven by empathy and a fierce desire to improve the world for future generations.

Arielle Nissenblatt is the founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective, a weekly podcast newsletter and podcast. She is the Community Manager at SquadCast.fm, a remote recording platform. She is a graduate of the Salt Institute of Audio Documentary Studies. Nissenblatt is a podcast marketing expert, having spoken on panels at conferences such as Radiodays Asia, Sounds of New York, Podcast Movement, International Documentary Association’s Podcast Day, at USC, Montana Media Lab, American University, and more. She is one of the founders of Podcast Taxonomy, an international effort to categorize roles and credits in the podcast industry. She is the cohost of Sounds Profitable, Adtech Applied, a show about adtech in the audio space. Nissenblatt listens to over 40 hours of audio content per week. 

Vaishnavi Patel is a lawyer focusing on civil rights. She often writes about the intersection of Indian myth, feminism, and anti-colonialism. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Kaikeyi. Vaishnavi was the co-creator of Authors for Abortion Access, which raised over $30,000 for abortion funds and clinics. Vaishnavi grew up in and around Chicago, and in her spare time, enjoys activities that are almost stereotypically Midwestern: knitting, ice skating, drinking hot chocolate, and making hotdish.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, January 26, 6:00 p.m. ET

WMG members: $20; Non-member guests of WMG members: $20

Private Manhattan residence (Gramercy)

Masks required for all attendees

Enjoy an up-close and personal conversation with Jean Hanff Korelitz, the bestselling author of eight novels.

We will start the evening with a conversation between Jean and Jane Wesman, WMG’s Programming Chair, about The Plot and The Latecomer, both of which are being adapted as limited tv series. Attendees will then have a chance to ask their own questions about Jean’s books and her experiences as a writer.

We request that attendees read The Plot or The Latecomer (or both) and come prepared to participate in what promises to be a funny, surprising, and lively conversation. You’re encouraged to bring copies of Jean’s books to be signed.

About Jean Hanff Korelitz 

Born and raised in New York City, Jean was educated at Dartmouth College and Clare College, Cambridge. In addition to The Latecomer and The Plot, she is the author of You Should Have Known (adapted for HBO as The Undoing), Admission (2013 film adaptation), The Devil and Webster, The White Rose, The Sabbathday River, and A Jury of Her Peers, as well as a middle-grade reader and a collection of poetry.

With her husband, Irish poet Paul Muldoon, she adapted James Joyce’s The Dead as an immersive theatrical event, The Dead, 1904. Jean is also the founder of BOOKTHEWRITER, which offers “Pop-Up Book Groups” in New York City. Learn more at about Jean at www.jeanhanffkorelitz.com.

Thursday, January 19, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

If you’re an entrepreneur, solopreneur, consultant, free-lancer, or independent contractor who wants to grow your revenues in 2023, then this discussion is for you. 

Our panel of expert coaches will help you identify the emotions or ideas about money that are holding you back. They’ll show you how to set fees and value your services, and how to implement marketing strategies that result in enjoyable and effective sales conversations. There will be plenty of time for attendees to ask questions. Our goal is to provide information and answers that will help you grow your business in 2023.

Moderator: 

Jane Wesman, who serves as WMG’s Programming Committee Chair, is president of Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc. an agency that provides book marketing and publicity services (wesmanpr.com).  She is also the author of Dive Right In — The Sharks Won’t Bite: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Guide to Success and has spent many years mentoring women business owners. Her articles on women and entrepreneurship have been published in a wide range of media outlets including Entrepreneur and Inc.

Panelists: 

Monica Shah helps women entrepreneurs build businesses that support their ideal lifestyles. After receiving her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and working in marketing for L’Oreal Paris, Monica left corporate America to start her own business. At Revenue Breakthrough (revenuebreakthrough.com), she guides clients through building, growing and expanding their businesses. She combines her business acumen with her intuition and healing abilities to help clients get unstuck, eliminate self-sabotage, and move through fear. Monica is the bestselling author of three books: Getting Rich: You’re Doing It Backwards, Pause: 52 Questions that Lead to More Money and Time, andThe Breakthrough Planner: A 90-Day System for Entrepreneurs.

After spending eight years on Wall Street as an equity markets sales specialist and corporate finance manager at such industry powerhouses as Merrill Lynch and Citigroup,Tricia Taitt started offering financial consulting services and officially formed FinCore in 2016 (fincorestrong.com). It is a boutique fractional CFO services company with a mission to engage, educate and empower business owners around their financials and to create a path to long-term financial stability and success. She helps clients move to a healthier relationship with money; gain confidence in their financial know-how to make the right decisions; and grow financially so they can give back to their businesses and communities and prepare to live the life they want upon exit. Tricia holds an MBA from Fuqua (Duke University) and a bachelors in finance from Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) and is the bestselling  author of Dancing with Numbers: Grow a Financially Healthy Business and Choreograph the Life You Want.

Mikelann Valterra is a writer, keynote speaker, and money coach who helps women transform their relationship with money. For over 25 years she has been a thought leader in the field of financial psychology. Mikelann has a bachelor’s in economics and a master’s in psychology and consciousness studies, including post-graduate training at the Financial Recovery Institute. She also holds an AFC® from the Association of Financial Counseling and Planning Education. Mikelann is the author of Why Women Earn Less, How to Make What You’re Really Worth. Her strong background in emotional intelligence, paired with her practical money strategies, enable her clients to consciously design their best life, while escaping financial anxiety. Learn more seattlemoneycoach.com.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Tuesday, January 10, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free

Please join us for a special members-only, 45-minute bliss-out that is yoga nidra. Despite the word “yoga,” there will be no downward facing dogs or triangle poses. This is a guided, very visual meditation that makes it hard for your mind to wander and is designed to put you into the deeply relaxed, creative state between sleep and waking. 

Yoga nidra is done either lying on a yoga mat or seated on a straight-back chair. Your camera will be off. We'll begin with a few simple breathing exercises and then begin this deeply restorative practice, which promotes both relaxation and inspiration. Warning: You might end up having a great night’s sleep.

WMG member Dawn Raffel is a developmental editor and the author of six books, including The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies and the forthcoming Boundless as the Sky. When not staring at words, she leads yoga nidra sessions. She is a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher with an additional 100 hours of certifications in teaching meditative practices. She has taught yoga and creative writing at the Center for Fiction in New York, and has been leading regular online yoga nidra sessions since the spring of 2020.

Thursday, December 8, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Join us for a virtual event on understanding podcast audiences. Featuring Christy Mirabal (Senior Director of Audience Growth at SiriusXM), Maggie Taylor (Director of Marketing at Pushkin Industries) and Cecilia Lei (host and producer of Fifth and Mission, The San Francisco Chronicle’s daily news podcast). The panel is moderated by Golda Arthur (executive producer and podcast consultant). Learn how to figure out who’s listening to your show, how to build a relationship with those listeners, and grow that audience. 

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, December 7, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; Free

Do you ever wonder how you can transform your expertise into purpose? Or ask yourself “what am I here to do?”

During this special WMG program, Michelle Garside and Alison Leipzig will take you on a soul-led journey towards uncovering and claiming your true purpose.This intimate evening will include a guided sound healing meditation with Tibetan Singing Bowls and an in-depth Breakthrough in Purpose exercise that will help you gain a deeper understanding of who you truly are and what you're here to do. Michelle and Alison will then offer practical steps on how to take that purpose into the world.

Michelle Garside and Alison Leipzig are the Founders of Soul Camp Creative, a full-service Creative Agency devoted to working with ideas that change the world. They specialize in creating authentic, aligned, soul-driven branding for mission-driven companies and personal brands. Soul Camp has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Travel and Leisure, Fitness, Women’s Health, Good Morning America, ABC News, Parents, Fortune, Inc., and Forbes.

Tuesday, November 15, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet other talented, accomplished, curious women who are eager to  collaborate with and support each other in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between November 2021 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Charlie Schroder.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, November 2, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform in the world with more than one billion active users every month. Part 1 of our TikTok series last summer explored the influence and impact of TikTok on the business of book publishing for both publishers and retailers. Now in response  to popular demand, we're pleased to host Part 2, which will put the focus on content creators. A diverse panel of women creators who produce content for the platform’s “BookTok” community will showcase examples of their work, discuss how they choose which titles to feature, share tips about production, review their video strategy for book sales, and answer your questions. Come join the conversation if you're looking for book influencers to follow or want to create your own TikTok videos.

All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation.

Moderator - Miral Sattar, CEO of Publishing Services Marketplace, Bibliocrunch.com. Check out Miral on TikTok here: @miralreads.

Wednesday, October 12, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET at Arte Cafe in NYC

WMG members only

$30 per person, includes light bites and 2 drink tickets for beer, wine, or soft drinks

Registration is closed

Opportunities to network and socially connect with colleagues have been core to our mission from day one – and wow, do we miss you all! 

Our first all-membership event in 2+ years will be held at the iconic Arte Cafe (covered) outdoor space, just steps from Central Park and a variety of public transportation options. 

Exciting update: for this event, WMG is partnering with Pajama Program, a New York City-based nonprofit with a mission to promote and support a comforting bedtime routine and healthy sleep for children to help them thrive. Pajama Program provides new books and pajamas to children experiencing instability and facing adversity. Please bring one brand-new book appropriate for kids 0-12 to Arte Cafe for donation to Pajama Program. If you cannot make the event and would like to contribute to Pajama Program, you can do that here.

Whether you're a new member or have been involved with WMG for years, we can't wait to see you there!

Thursday, September 15, 6:00 - 7:00 pm ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Publishing insiders will discuss what agents and publishers mean when they ask writers “What is your author platform?”.  Discussion will revolve around what exactly is an author platform. What matters to agents and to publishers?  Are all author platforms the same?  What are the components of a platform? When and how should writers start building their platform? This is the perfect opportunity to learn the many ways writers can create robust communities waiting for their books; when they should begin building their platforms. Not only authors, but literary agents, editors, and marketing experts will find this a useful and informative discussion. 

Moderator:

Bridget Marmion spent over a decade each at FSG, Random House and Houghton Mifflin, working in editorial, publicity, sales, advertising, marketing during her career, for both adult and children’s books.  She launched her own marketing firm, www.yourexpertnation.com in 2012. which relaunched last year as www.bridgetmarmionbookmarketing.com.

Panelists:

Regina Brooks is the founder and CEO of Serendipity Literary,  the largest African American literary agency in the US and home to many award winning authors and illustrators. She's the author of Writing Great Books for Young Adults and You Should Really Write a Book,  how to Write Well and Market Your Memoir. 

Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, which was named 2020 Media Outlet of the Year by Digital Book World. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer(University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal.

Patsy Jones currently serves as VP of Marketing at Hachette Book Group in Franklin, TN, following years at 

Books A Million and Anderson Merchandisers. She is seasoned both as a marketing professional 

at the highest levels as well as a veteran in the retail space and has a deep, lived understanding of the connection between content and audience and between products and retail.

Friday, September 9, 12:30 p.m. ET at the Javits Center in NYC

$25 for WMG members only (full price Armory Show tickets are $55!)

Registration is closed for this event

The Armory Show is an international art fair that has been a cornerstone of New York’s cultural landscape since its founding in 1994. This year’s edition features 240 of the world’s top contemporary and modern art galleries from 30 countries. The fair is a fun and exciting experience that gives visitors a chance to see what is happening in today’s art world.

Meet WMG Programming Chair – and veteran Armory Show attendee – Jane Wesman for a one-hour tour of some of the most interesting galleries at the show. You will meet select gallerists and learn about the art on view in their booths. You will then be able to wander the fair at your leisure – on your own or with other WMG members. Fair hours are noon to 8:00 p.m. This offer is limited to 15 WMG members, so sign up fast!

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Tuesday, August 16, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

"I just love asking people for money” said almost no one ever. But what if you got to raise money for a fantastic cause, using creative and entertaining ways, with a group of women who love to laugh? If that sounds like you, come join the WMG Fundraising Committee! Check out our 101 Webinar Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. ET to learn how you can make a difference in the lives of dedicated young women just starting out in the media industry. We promise it will be worth it!

Hosted by Ashley Gordon and Mary McAveney, Fundraising Co-Chairs.

Tuesday, July 19, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

TikTok has been the #1 downloaded app in the world for three years, with over half-a-million new users every day. Every day! To tap into that sizable audience, publishers, authors, and retailers are collaborating with avid book fans who have created popular content for the platform’s “BookTok” community. Some  publishing pros are also producing original BookTok content to drive brand awareness, excitement, and sales of books. 

How is TikTok impacting publishers' marketing strategies? What kinds of content work on TikTok and which don't? Who are the most effective creators? How are bookstores capitalizing on TikTok trends? 

Learn all about TikTok as a marketing platform, and bring your questions and comments to this presentation with industry experts.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Moderator: Miral Sattar is the CEO of Bibliocrunch, an award-winning publishing services marketplace that connects authors with editorial services. She has worked in the media industry for 15 years; has lectured at universities across America; and has helped numerous authors hit #1 in their categories. Miral is a TikTok creator (@miralreads) and a WMG member and past co-president!

Shannon DeVito is the Director of Books at Barnes & Noble, where she leads the Category Management team, overseeing all of Trade & Kids' Book categories. She creates initiatives for the company's promotional book strategies, develops campaigns with the publishing industry for important releases, negotiates exclusive opportunities, and executes overall book strategy for the company's 600+ stores. Shannon is a frequent spokesperson for B&N on publishing trends.

Kristen McLean is the executive director of business development and the primary industry analyst at NPD Books. Her career has spanned many roles, which gives her deep perspective as a market analyst. She is a widely-recognized expert in the areas of children’s books, comics and graphic novels, and cross-entertainment consumer behavior. Kristen is deeply interested in the confluence of retail, technology, literacy, and demographics in the digital age.

Brianna Yamashita, Senior Marketing Director at Scribner, has strategized and executed New York Times bestselling campaigns for such authors as Anthony Doerr, Stephen King, Jennifer Egan, Huma Abedin, Mark Bittman, and Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski, among others. She has spearheaded marketing for major franchises, established marketing partnerships with leading lifestyle brands, and instituted marketing best-practices and analytics-driven book marketing systems. Brianna is also a WMG member!

Tuesday, June 28, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET

Join members of BookMachine for an international online mixer and networking event, bringing together two communities.

Come together on the virtual networking platform, Wonder, for an informal and sociable cameras-on mixer with members of U.K.-based BookMachine and Women’s Media Group. Our friends at BookMachine will provide plenty of conversation starters to help you get to know professionals from across the publishing and creative industries, swap tips, and share ideas. This is a great opportunity to meet publishing people in both the U.S. and abroad.

About BookMachine:

BookMachine is a global community of publishing professionals. Founded in 2010, BookMachine helps people develop their careers, build their knowledge, and expand their networks. Members can tap into online and in-person events, take video courses, and access a community hub of hundreds of publishing colleagues.

How it works:

An RSVP is required. Bookmachine will share the private Wonder link to join the session via email to everyone on the attendee list ahead of the event. Please contact Aimee on aimee@bookmachine.co.uk if you are having difficulties receiving the link or accessing the session.

Wednesday, June 22nd, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Saturday, June 18th, 10:30 a.m. ET

Wednesday, June 15th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Tuesday, June 14th, 12:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Come for an outdoor picnic in Central Park hosted by WMG member Jennifer Weltz! Be sure to bring a blanket to sit on and a portable lunch. 

This group will meet at the Women's Rights Pioneers Monument in Central Park and then pick a spot to picnic in Sheep's Meadow for a picnic.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Monday, June 13th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Join this informational session to share your ideas for the WMG Scholarship Committee, which offers scholarships and fellowships to help support the next generation of media superstars and innovators. (Meet the brilliant recipients so far here).

The Scholarship Committee is always looking for help in expanding WMG's scholarship offerings, selecting scholarship and fellowship recipients, and growing WMG's mentorship program. There are many ways to get involved with this committee, from single projects to an ongoing basis and everything in-between – explore ways that work best for you!

Hosted by Communications Chair Nevin Mays.

Wednesday, June 8th, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you in the midst of launching or growing your own business? Learn from our panel of powerhouse women who have started their own companies, overcome common and not-so-common obstacles, and advised countless women on how to do it. Whether you're an entrepreneur, an intrepreneur, or have dreams about starting a venture, this program will inform, entertain, and coach you towards success.

Lara Hodgson, is President and CEO of NOW Corp, and has served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Harvard Business School. Prior to Now, Lara co-founded Nourish (a children's products company), and Insomnia, LLC, a firm specializing in investment, development, and management of complex and innovative “worldchanging” projects. Lara received an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and a BS in Aerospace Engineering with highest honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Today, she serves as a Trustee of the Georgia Tech Foundation in addition to other Boards. E&Y recognized Lara as a 2018 Finalist for the Southeast Entrepreneur of the Year and named her to the Entrepreneurial Winning Women Class of 2019. Lara is co-Author of Level Up: Rise Above the Hidden Forces Holding Your Business Back with Stacey Abrams and Heather Cabot.

Terrez M. Thompson is the founder of Powered By Zerret (PBZ), a nonprofit focused on the empowerment of women of color entrepreneurs through mentoring, networking and other resources including financial. Prior to founding PBZ, Terrez was a 35-year veteran of The Coca-Cola Company where she served as Vice President of Global Supplier Diversity until her retirement. She is proudest of the innovative work she did to develop diverse suppliers. Her crowning accomplishment was to establish a world class program focused on Women of Color entrepreneurs, including a Spanish language version launched in her final year. Terrez, who has received numerous business awards and honors, is a nonpracti

Lorine Pendleton, lead partner Portfolio Rising America Funds, is a seasoned business development executive and attorney with extensive experience in the legal, technology and entertainment industries. She was recently named by Marie Claire as one of the “Most 50 Connected Women in America,” and Crunchbase as “39 Black Women Investors Inspiring a New Generation of Investors”. She is the NY Chair at TIGER 21, as well as an active angel investor who invests in and advises women and diverse-led companies. She is on the Board of Directors of the Angel Capital Association (ACA) and ACA's first African-American board member in its history. She is also an alumna and member of Pipeline Angels as well as a guest judge on BET/Centric TV's breakout series Queen Boss, a pitch competition show where African-American female entrepreneurs competed for a grand prize to fund their businesses. Lorine is a graduate of Brown University, New York Law School, Kauffman Foundation FastTrac New Ventures Entrepreneurship (Graduate Certificate) and Lean Startup Machine.

Moderator Heather Cabot, is an award-winning journalist, author, and former ABC News correspondent/anchor. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed business narrative, The New Chardonnay: The Unlikely Story of How Marijuana Went Mainstream (Currency, 2020), co-author of Geek Girl Rising: Inside the Sisterhood Shaking Up Tech (St. Martin’s Press, 2017), and a freelance writer published in Forbes, Elle, Parents, The Huffington Post, People, USA Today, and more. Following her time reporting for ABC’s Good Morning America and anchoring World News Now/World News This Morning, Cabot served as Yahoo! Web Life Editor from 2007-12 and appeared regularly on NBC’s TODAY, cable news outlets, and daytime TV talk shows to report on consumer tech and digital trends. She is a member of the Alumni Board of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and was an adjunct professor at the school from 2012-17.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Thursday, May 12th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between May 2021 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Charlie Schroder.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Thursday, May 12th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

WMG programs are at the core of what we do to support members' career growth and networking. We are always looking for new program ideas and volunteers to help coordinate our many different kinds of events. Join this informational session to share your ideas for programs and learn what other members are suggesting as well. We’ll also explain how you can get involved. There are many ways to get involved in programming, from single projects to an ongoing basis and everything in-between – explore ways that work best for you!

Hosted by Programming Chair Jane Wesman

Wednesday, April 27th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Learn the secrets of the pros from a vet who's seen it all. You will hear Mollie's take on:

• The best advice for authors crafting their pitch
  
• What a super agent wishes publishers and editors knew
  
• The joys of discovering a great literary writer
  
• Balancing taking risks as an agent
  
• How to level up your agenting game to get stellar clients
  

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the speakers:

Mollie Glick represents many top authors and thought leaders, including President Joe Biden; Vice President Kamala Harris; Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg; Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Ken Armstrong, T. Christian Miller, and Kyle Hopkins; MacArthur Grant-recipient astrophysicist Sara Seager; National Book Award Finalists Ali Benjamin and Karla Cornejo Villavicencio; NYT Top 50 Memoirs of the Past 50 Years recipient Patricia Lockwood; #1 NYT bestselling authors Mark Manson and Nic Stone; change-makers Michelle Alexander, Brittany Packnett, and Janaya Future Khan; and NYT bestselling novelists Carol Rifka Brunt; Julie Clark, Jonathan Evison; Sarah McCoy; and Stephanie Land.

Christine Pride is a writer, editor and long time publishing veteran. She’s held editorial posts at many different imprints including Doubleday, Broadway, Crown, Hyperion, and Simon and Schuster. As an editor, Christine published many bestselling and critically acclaimed books, with a special emphasis on inspirational stories and memoir. As a freelance editorial consultant, she does select editorial work and proposal/content development, as well as teaching and coaching and pens a regular column — “Race Matters" for Cup of Jo. Her debut novel, We Are Not Like Them, written with Jo Piazza was published in Fall 2021. You can follow her on IG at @cpride.

Tuesday, April 26th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between January 2022 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Jennifer Perry.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Monday, March 28th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

If you're involved in the media industry, you likely have routine encounters with legal issues - from the negotiation of all sorts of agreements (publishing, ghost writing, content licensing and distribution, app development, and many more), to issues relating to copyright and the First Amendment. During this 1 hour Zoom webinar, we'll discuss key issues in publishing agreements and important negotiation points, and will review significant court cases related to publishing, including cases about embedding, book scanning and fair use. There will be plenty of time reserved for questions, so don't be shy.

About the speaker:

WMG member and former Board Member Stacy Grossman runs a boutique law firm where she specializes in intellectual property, publishing and general business law.  Prior to launching her firm, Stacy was Vice President and Associate General Counsel at News Corporation, where she handled intellectual property and related legal issues for HarperCollins, the New York Post and other media businesses.

Friday, March 18th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members and non-members

Novelist/poet/blogger Dale M. Kushner, and the marketing veteran she has worked with for eight years, WMG member Bridget Marmion, share the process, tasks, benefits and challenges of connecting a writer with readers today.

About the speakers:

WMG member Bridget Marmion spent over a decade in publishing (at FSG, Random House and Houghton Mifflin), working in editorial, publicity, sales, advertising, and marketing during her career (for both adult and children’s books). She launched her own marketing firm in 2012 www.bridgetmarmionbookmarketing.com.

Dale M. Kushner is a novelist, poet, essayist and blogger. Dale’s first novel, The Conditions of Love, was published by Grand Central, and her second novel, The Lie of Forgetting has just been completed. Dale’s first collection of poetry, M, is coming out in January from 3: A Taos Press. Dale's blog “Transcending the Past" is published monthly on the Psychology Today website.

Wednesday, March 9th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between October 2021 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Julie Blattberg.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Tuesday, March 1st, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Come hear stories from the top women leaders who are breaking barriers in book publishing today. These inspiring, kick-ass women started their own publishing companies or grew their businesses and will share their innovative, entrepreneurial approaches to storytelling. Learn about how they are going beyond the page with customized publishing platforms, podcasts, audiobooks, and film adaptations. Speakers include:

• Dominique Raccah (Moderator), CEO of Sourcebooks
• Jennifer Goldstein, Head of Books at A Kids Book About
• Lavaille Lavette, President & Publisher at Ebony Magazine Publishing
• Cindy Spiegel, Partner and CEO at Spiegel & Grau

Dominique Raccah is the entrepreneurial Publisher and CEO of Sourcebooks, the company she founded from her home in 1987. Originally a source of financial information for bankers, Sourcebooks, under Dominique’s leadership, has become a continuously growing, pioneering general book publishing house that happily produces everything from adult and teen fiction to top titles in children’s books to baby names and college guides. The publisher has created scores of New York Times bestsellers, hundreds of national bestsellers, and #1 selling titles in perennial categories. Sourcebooks today has over 130 employees, publishes more than 350 new titles each year, and is proud to be one of the top book publishers in America. It is the largest woman-owned book publisher in the country as well as the largest trade book publisher in Chicago. Dominique has been widely recognized as a leader in innovation in book publishing--Sourcebooks has won every innovation award that the industry gives--as well as in the field itself, being named Publishers Weekly's Person of the Year in 2016.

Jennifer Goldstein is Head of Books at A Kids Company About which is a new kind of media company built on telling stories which feature diverse voices on topics that matter to kids like racism, anxiety, belonging, and empathy. Jennifer is a proud member of the thriving Chicago publishing community. She was Publisher & EVP of Phoenix International Publications, and Publisher for Agate Publishing for a short and wonderful time. She began her publishing career at Publications International, where she grew with the company for 20+ years and was an integral force in their children’s book growth. As Executive Vice President (EVP), Creative for Children's Books, Sound Books, ebooks, Apps, and Learning, Jennifer led a strong creative team making books that made a difference in children’s lives with amazing children’s partners such as Sesame Workshop, The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon, Marc Brown Studios, Scholastic, and many more. Jennifer is an advocate for solid organ donation. She is also a Volunteer at Bernie's Book Bank and The GenderCool Project. 

Lavaille Lavette is currently the President & Publisher at Ebony Magazine Publishing. She is a New York Times bestselling publisher/editor and the author of several bestselling books including the children’s book series, The Adventures of Roopster Roux. “The Roux”  a chain of convenience stores based on the Roopster Roux book series, launched in 2021. Lavaille is a social entrepreneur who advocates for educational issues. She served as special advisor to Former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Rod Paige. She is a Founding Principal of The Daymond John Center For Entrepreneurship as well as a Founding Board Member and the first President of the Luanda Africa Sister City Association, and co-founder of Every Child An Author. She also created the 86400 Seconds Movement. Ebony Magazine Publishing is doing a line of books in partnership with Sourcebooks.

Cindy Spiegel was a founding editor of Riverhead Books and later became Co-Publisher of Riverhead with Julie Grau, with whom she went on to co-found Spiegel & Grau. She has launched the literary careers of writers including James McBride, Khaled Hosseini, Bryan Stevenson, Chang-rae Lee, Gary Shteyngart, Alex Garland, Sana Krasikov, Philipp Meyer, Kathleen Norris, ZZ Packer, Domenica Ruta, and Danzy Senna and edited bestselling books by Yuval Noah Harari, Harold Bloom, Steven Rinella, Dan Pink, Sara Gruen, Yann Martel, and Anne Lamott, among many others. She sits on the board of Archangel Ancient Tree Archive and on the advisory board of Columbia Global Reports. She is co-editor of the anthology Out of the Garden: Women Writers on the Bible.

All proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Wednesday, February 16th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between November 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Tuesday, February 1st, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $10 for non-members

There are an estimated 56% more job openings in branded content versus traditional journalism. That's why we see an uptick in journalists and editors wondering how to break into this kind of content creation. And the truth is, branded content hiring managers would rather teach a journalist the basics of marketing than teach a marketer how to create compelling, editorial-like content (at least this hiring manager anyway). Another truth: creating content for brands can be fascinating and even fun—as either a gig or a career. In this session, we'll cover: How to find a job or writing opportunity; what the work entails; and where the industry is headed.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation

Meet the speaker:

WMG member Diane di Costanzo is the VP/Editorial Director of the Foundry, the branded content division within Meredith Corporation. She has worked in branded content for 12 years, providing strategy, talent, and content for diverse brands. Additionally, she was a finalist in the 2020 Women in Content Marketing Awards as well as one of Folio’s Top Women in Media in 2019. Diane often speaks at conferences and workshops about content marketing.

Wednesday, January 26th, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

We’re excited to welcome Alexandra Alter, publishing reporter for The New York Times, and Maris Kreizman, essayist, critic and host of The Maris Review on Lit Hub, for a far-ranging discussion on the seismic shifts in how we’re discovering, buying and consuming books and what the future holds for authors, publishers, retailers and readers.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the Women’s Media Group Educational Foundation.

Meet the speakers:

Alexandra Alter is a reporter for the New York Times, where she has covered the publishing industry and the literary world since 2014. Prior to joining the Times, she reported on arts and culture for The Wall Street Journal, and before that covered religion for The Miami Herald.

Maris Kreizman is the host of The Maris Review, a literary podcast from Lit Hub. An essayist and critic, her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, The New Republic, Publishers Weekly, and more. She created Slaughterhouse 90210, a blog and book that celebrates the intersection of literature and pop culture. She was previously the Editorial Director of Book of the Month, the Editorial Director of digital content at B&N.com, a publishing outreach lead at Kickstarter, and an Editor at Free Press/S&S.

Wednesday, January 19th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members and non-members

Is one of your new year’s resolutions to finally start (or finish) your book? There’s tons of advice out there on how you “should” do it. But quite often, the advice doesn’t free up creativity; it constricts it. What if you could approach writing a book in a way that felt less like “work” and more fun and creative? What if you threw out the templates and did the whole thing backwards? Because you can. Join us for a fun evening that’s part discussion and part book launch with WMG member Terri Trespicio, author of Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life that Matters to You (Atria Books, December 2021), and Richelle Fredson, founder of Purposeful Platforms and former head of publicity at Hay House. Come discover a fresh and nonlinear approach to crafting, sharing, and promoting your work.

About the speakers:

Terri Trespicio is a writer, speaker, brand advisor, and author of Unfollow Your Passion (Atria, Dec 2021) whose work has appeared in Marie Claire, Jezebel, Business Insider, Oprah magazine, and others. Her TEDx talk, "Stop searching for your passion" recently surpassed 7 million views. A former magazine editor at Martha Stewart and media contributor, she speaks widely, and works with individuals and organizations to help them craft their critical messaging.

Richelle Fredson is the Founder of Purposeful Platforms and the host of the Bound + Determined podcast. As a Book Proposal Coach and Publishing Consultant, Richelle lends her extensive knowledge to aspiring authors to guide them through the book writing process from concept to proposal to agent introductions. As the former Director of Publicity and Book Marketing at Hay House, Richelle brings a unique advantage to aspiring authors who want to anchor their stories and amplify their expertise.

Thursday, January 13th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only (Space is limited!)

The pandemic has made some of us rethink career choices and priorities. Are you thinking of making a change? Are you looking to pivot from one field to another? Would you like feedback on your elevator pitch? Do you want to put your dream job description out there in the universe and get some help finding the contacts to make it happen? Are you seeking advice about wanting to go on your own or freelance? Do you need tactical or moral support to embrace a new job search?

Come bounce ideas off of your WMG peers, who represent a very wide range of media professionals eager to share concrete advice and lend a hand, a shoulder, or whatever you might need to take your next step.

This is a FREE, confidential, members-only virtual event. Space is limited, so sign up today!

Meet the speaker:

Chandra Turner is the founder and CEO of Ed2010 and Talent Fairy. She has helped countless media professionals find their dream jobs in content creation — so much so that she was often referred to as the industry’s “fairy godmother.” Chandra has held top editorial positions at brands such as Cosmopolitan, CosmoGirl, Parents, and Scholastic. In her 20+ year career, Chandra created award-winning consumer magazines, managed print and digital content teams, and executed content strategy for dozens of Fortune 500 companies.

Thursday, December 9th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Join WMG for a one-of-a-kind virtual party to celebrate the holidays with flair! Come celebrate with us, get to know your new fellow members, and reconnect with old friends. We’ll have guided breakout rooms with festive themes for intimate networking, contests for Best Zoom Décor and Most Creative Cocktail or Mocktail, and we’ll be naming a Belle of the Ball. So, feel free to dress to impress…without having to leave the comfort of your home!

Tuesday, November 16th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Have you missed the exchange of ideas, industry information, random conversations about topical events, and general camaraderie that used to happen in the “before times” at the water cooler, in front of the restroom sink, and in the lively chatter before the start of a WMG event? As we optimistically look forward to more in-person communication, we could all use a little TLC, so come Talk, Listen, and Connect! 

Join WMG member Sally Ekus for an hour of chit-chat about whatever you want to discuss the day we meet, with an emphasis on meaningful connections to benefit those in this virtual room. Sally's area of expertise is cookbook representation, so you can be sure there will be a chance to tip one another off to your favorite recipes that are getting you through each day. 

Plus, who is looking for a bit more laughter in their lives too? In her personal life Sally also does improv comedy and enjoys bringing a bit of fun to the day to day. She will lead the group in a few fun prompts to help lift our spirits and offer a change of pace to zoom fatigue. Come to network, stay to laugh!

About WMG Member Sally Ekus: 

Sally Ekus is the co-owner and a Literary Agent at The Lisa Ekus Group, a full service agency specializing in cookbook representation. She also sits on the board of Happier Valley Comedy and during pre-pandemic times, is a Main Stage cast member in both an adult and children's improv troupe. She has a deep appreciation for tacos.

Friday, November 12th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between November 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Monday, November 8th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Are you a writer looking for tips on pitching story ideas to global or niche digital outlets? Are you a publicist who wants to improve on the success rate of engagement for your press releases? Are you a brand-builder keen to understand how digital media is or is not like pitching to traditional news outlets?

Learn about the process and best practices from industry experts.

Zahara Hill (Moderator), Deputy Editor at Blavity Inc.

Meena Ganesan, Senior Editor at FiveThirtyEight

Anna Halkidis, Features Editor at Parents.com

Diane Di Constanzo, Editorial Director of Millie magazine

You’ll hear about:

• The ideal format for an editorial pitch
• How to find an editor or journalist who is likely to connect with your topic
• Creative ways to stand out in an overcrowded in-box
• When is the best time to initiate outreach
• If outreach on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn will help you get your pitch seen
• And more!

Tuesday, October 26th, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & non-members

Halloween how-to featuring celeb makeup artist, propmaker, costumer and set decorator Stacia Gorsuch!

Come for Stacia’s ghoulish demo and stay for spirited book chat, cocktails and costume review. This event is virtual—dress up and drink up.

Moderator Kelly Hoey will be joined by Jan Knuth, the owner of Grey House Haunts, a professional haunted house in Central Nebraska, and LaNelle Freeman, co-owner of Texas Haunters Convention. With the summer release of their book, Not Afraid to Slay, Jan and WMG’s own Candi Cross have appeared at Midwest Haunters, Texas Haunters Convention, and on numerous podcasts. Next stop: WMG’s Zoom room as Jan opens up her house for the season. Best costume and spirited cocktail will be selected and praised!    

About Stacia Gorsuch:

Stacia applies her mad makeup, fabrication and set design skills to feature films, music videos and events across the country. She is based in Las Vegas. Check out her work here.

 

About Candi S. Cross:

Candi S. Cross dressed as Raggedy Ann on her first wild Halloween night out as a toddler. She is the founder of You Talk I Write, a modern ghostwriting agency. She has co-developed approximately 150 books with authors worldwide.

About LaNelle Freeman:

LaNelle Freeman is part owner of the Texas Haunters Convention. The Texas Haunters Convention is a two day Halloween convention targeting Halloween and cosplay fans. It is geared towards haunt owners, industry professionals, home haunters, families, trick or treaters, and just anyone who loves the Halloween season. 

 

About Jan Knuth:

Jan Knuth became fascinated with Halloween as a child and acted on that passion in 2007 when she started a home haunt, which ran through 2013. She then went on to become the sole owner and director of Grey House Haunts, a Halloween haunted house, in 2014. In 2019, with the goal of helping the haunt industry continue to grow and thrive, Jan joined the board of the Chamber of Haunters as 2nd vice-chair. Not Afraid to Slay is her debut as an author.  

About the Moderator:

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Kelly Hoey recalls her Halloween costumes always included rubber boots and a raincoat - and that a paper mache space helmet wasn't the smartest costume design. Kelly is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World wherein she addresses the frightening topic of networking.

About Shakespeare & Co: 

Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983. Its store at 939 Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hunter College campus, has been a staple on the Upper East Side for over 20 years. Shakespeare & Co second location in New York is at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and they also are located at 1632 Walnut Street (between South 16th and South 17th Streets) in downtown Philadelphia.

Wednesday, October 20th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members and non-members

Biases, micro-aggressions, and workplace inequities: how can we heal from these traumas and how do we interrupt the cycle that prevents everyone from excelling? What are the strategies we can use to put painful career disappointments behind, and in doing so, thrive? What are the ways organizations and individuals can take responsibility for driving true change, based on equity and belonging?

We’re addressing these critical questions around the imbalance in career opportunity (and its impact) with authors, Minda Harts (Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace) and Melinda Briana Epler (How to Be an Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier Workplace).

The WMG Programming Committee is thrilled to partner with Shakespeare & Co. for this important conversation with Minda and Melinda. Order your copies of the books we’re discussing here.

About Minda Harts:

Minda Harts is the CEO of The Memo LLC and an award- winning and best-selling author of The Memo: What Women of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table. Minda is a Professor at NYU Wagner and hosts a live weekly podcast called Secure The Seat. In 2020, Minda was named the #1 Top Voice for Equity in the workplace by Linkedin. She is an Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar and has been featured on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Fast Company, The NY Times, and Time Magazine. Minda frequently speaks at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Nike, and Bloomberg on topics such as Managing Diverse Teams, Courageous Leadership, and Advancing women of color in the workplace. Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace is the essential self-help book for women of color to heal—and thrive—in the workplace. 

About Melinda Briana Epler:

Melinda Briana Epler has over 25 years of experience developing business innovation and inclusion strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs. As CEO of Change Catalyst, she works with the tech industry to solve diversity and inclusion issues. Her popular TED talk “3 Ways to Be a Better Ally in the Workplace” reached one million views in the first 24 days of its release. She is also host of the popular podcast series “Leading with Empathy and Allyship.” In How to Be an Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier Workplace, Melinda show how through the power of allyship, each of us can create an equitable, innovative workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and able to thrive

About The Moderator:

WMG Board Member, Kelly Hoey is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World, a modern guide on how to build the powerful, real relationships you need to succeed in our digital world. She has been lauded from Forbes (“1 of 5 Women Changing the World of VC/Entrepreneurship”) and included on EBW 2020’s list of the “100 Most Influential Global Leaders Empowering Women Worldwide”.

About Shakespeare & Co:

Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983. Its store at 939 Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hunter College campus, has been a staple on the Upper East Side for over 20 years. Shakespeare & Co second location in New York is at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and they also are located at 1632 Walnut Street (between South 16th and South 17th Streets) in downtown Philadelphia.

Thursday, October 14th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between April 2021 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Julie Blattberg.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Tuesday, September 28th, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & $15 for  non-members

Join us for a lively panel discussion with women leaders from publishing, digital media, and broadcasting about the changing media landscape. Moderator Rachel Deahl, News Director at Publishers Weekly, will be in conversation with Kristen McLean, Executive Director, Business Development at NPD Book and Leila Milgrim, Director of Brand Marketing at Conde Nast and Self Magazine, and Linda Saint Marc, Associate Professor of Professional Practice at The New School about emerging content trends they’re seeing across media industries, how consumers’ interests, needs, and consumption habits have evolved since the onset of the pandemic, and how businesses—large and small—can adapt to meet those needs in innovative ways.

Proceeds from this program will benefit the WMG Scholar program.

About the Moderator: 

Rachel Deahl is a writer and editor with over 15 years of experience covering the trade book business. At Publishers Weekly, where she is the news director, she covers general news, oversees author profiles, and writes the magazine's weekly Deals column, which details the notable titles being acquired at the major publishing houses. Rachel has also overseen the programming for both of PW's main trade shows, the New York Rights Fair and the U.S. Book Show. She has contributed to such publications as Slate; The Boston Globe Magazine; Nylon; and O, The Oprah Magazine.

About Kristen McLean:

Kristen McLean is the Executive Director of Business Development, and the primary Industry Analyst at the NPD Books. Kristen is a twenty-five-year veteran of the publishing industry, with a career spanning many roles including retailing, buying, field sales, marketing, and business development which gives her an unusually deep perspective as a market analyst. A widely-recognized expert in the areas of children’s books, comics & graphic novels, and cross-entertainment consumer behavior, she works broadly with NPD Books’ key clients, and she is deeply interested in the confluence of retail realignment, technology, literacy, and demographics in the Digital Age.

About Leila Milgrim:

Leila Milgrim is the Director of Brand Marketing at Condé Nast Traveler and SELF. She's previously held positions at Glamour, Rolling Stone and InStyle, and was the first Marketing Director for a boutique European tour operator. She is also the founder of Sonder Support, a resource-driven website and peer-led network of travelers committed to mental health support and awareness.

Leila is a Masters student at NYU studying International Affairs and Global Futures. She obtained her undergraduate from the University of Florida, where she majored in Journalism. Craving adventure beyond her cubicle, she embarked on a journey to Florence in 2016, and she's split her time between Italy and Manhattan ever since.

About Linda Saint Marc:

Linda Saint Marc is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice with the School of Media Studies’ Media Management Graduate Program at The New School. She is a media maker, educator, and change agent with a successful global track record for designing and reimagining ventures with experience developing category-leading brands on six continents as a C-suite media industry executive and business development consultant. She has a comprehensive understanding of publishing operations, branding, leadership, coaching, and team building throughout her career trajectory with an appreciation of diverse cultures. As a brand strategist, Linda is internationally recognized for her innovative work leveraging content assets with licensing programs for products, services, events, and e-commerce.

Linda is the founder of Media x Women, a professional community of young media makers which amplifies women's accomplishments in the industry worldwide through the “How She Made It” career journey podcast. Recently, Linda launched a new initiative advancing media and information literacy through community learning, Media Smart Citizens (MSC), in collaboration with The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) of The New York Public Library and UNESCO.

Thursday, September 23rd, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & non-members

Writer and editor Michelle Burford has co-authored ten memoirs and six New York Times best sellers (three of which debuted at #1) including Just As I Am written with legendary actress Cicely Tyson (who tragically passed away on January 28, 2021, two days following publication of her memoir). Michelle’s celebrity collaborations also include books with Alicia Keys, Toni Braxton and Simone Biles (to name just a few) - plus there are more in the pipeline (this past summer Michelle was working on no less than three memoirs). Her extraordinary ability to deliver dazzling life stories under tight deadlines is just one of Michelle’s many strengths as an author and editor.

The Oprah Magazine calls Just As I Am an “essential, passionate, raw, revelatory account of a woman who refused to allow any obstacle to thwart her quest for excellence—racism, misogyny, poverty, single motherhood—and today stands as one of the greatest actresses of all time.”

The New York Times book review of Just As I Am noted “A throng of admirers has been eager to hear whatever she [Cicely Tyson] wants to tell. [Michelle] Burford, a sensitive listener, has organized 96 years’ worth of stories with grace. Right about now, the autobiography of Miss Cicely Tyson is a balm for the afflicted.”

In this WMG conversation with Michelle on September 23, we’ll explore not only the extraordinary careers of her memoir collaborators but Michelle’s own career story: how her writing career started, why she’s passionate about book collaborations and her secret to getting things done. 

The WMG Programming Committee is thrilled to partner with Shakespeare & Co. for this conversation with Michelle. Purchase your copy of Michelle’s book Just As I Am.

About Michelle Burford: 

Michelle Burford is a #1 NYT bestselling collaborative writer and a founding editor of Oprah Magazine. Michelle has written memoirs for iconic actress Cicely Tyson, whose memoir debuted at #1 on the New York Times' list; singer Alicia Keys; Olympic champions Simone Biles and Gabrielle Douglas, singer Toni Braxton, "Dancing With the Stars" sensation Amy Purdy, "Orange Is the New Black" actress Diane Guerrero, and Cleveland survivor Michelle Knight, the first young woman kidnapped and brutalized by Ariel Castro. She has co-authored 10 books and six NYT best sellers. More about Michelle: michelleburford.com.

About the Moderator: 

Kelly Hoey is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (her first book, though she is bravely embarking on her second).  More about Kelly: jkellyhoey.co.

About Shakespeare & Co: 

Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983. Its store at 939 Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hunter College campus, has been a staple on the Upper East Side for over 20 years. Shakespeare & Co second location in New York is at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and they also are located at 1632 Walnut Street (between South 16th and South 17th Streets) in downtown Philadelphia.

Wednesday, September 15th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & non-members

According to Forbes, influencer marketing spend is projected to hit $15 billion in 2022 a rise from $8 billion in 2019.

 

Influencers are reaching more consumers than ever. Importantly, influencers have credibility with their followers and are successfully building awareness & sales for brand and retail partners.

 

Why are marketers so excited about influencer marketing? Because influencers are successfully driving action both online and increasing foot traffic in-store.

 

During this 1 hour webinar, you'll learn:

 

• How to effectively leverage influencers to drive impact for your brand/business.

• A how-to guide to ensure influencer marketing campaign success.

• How to Measure Campaign Success & deliver ROI.

About the Speaker:

WMG member Aliza Freud is the founder & CEO of SheSpeaks and award-winning influencer marketing company that works with some of the world's most respected brands. Aliza is also the host of top rated podcast, SheSpeaks: How She Does It which is dedicated to telling women's stories.

Wednesday, August 4th, 5:00-6:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members & non-members

The bestselling author of American Housewife and Southern Lady Code returns with a viciously funny, deeply felt collection of essays on friendship among grown-ass women. Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light reads like the best cocktail party of your life. Plan to join us on August 4, as we gather (virtually) with Helen Ellis for a happy hour filled with questions, conversation and likely, more than a few laughs. 

Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light is twelve gloriously comic and moving essays! Helen dishes on married middle-age sex, sobs with a theater full of women as a psychic exorcises their sorrows, gets twenty shots of stomach bile to the neck to get rid of her double chin, and gathers up the courage to ask, “Are you there, Menopause? It’s Me, Helen.”

Kirkus calls it “Darkly hilarious” and Martha Stewart Living says it’s “an uproarious joyride, best enjoyed with a souvenir cup of white wine.” Come find out for yourself on August 4 from 5:00pm to 6:00pm Eastern at this Zoom event moderated by WMG board member, Kelly Hoey.

The WMG Programming Committee is thrilled to be collaborating with Shakespeare & Co. for this Happy Hour with Helen. Purchase your copy of Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light here. 

About the Author: 

Helen Ellis is the author of Southern Lady Code, American Housewife and Eating the Cheshire Cat. Raised in Alabama, she lives with her husband in New York City. You can find her on Twitter @WhatIDoAllDay and Instagram @HelenEllisAuthor.

About the Moderator: 

Kelly Hoey is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World. Raised in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Kelly has called NYC home since 1998. You can find her on Twitter @jkhoey and Instagram @jkellyhoey.

About Shakespeare & Co: 

Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983. Its store at 939 Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hunter College campus, has been a staple on the Upper East Side for over 20 years. Shakespeare & Co second location in New York is at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and they also are located at 1632 Walnut Street (between South 16th and South 17th Streets) in downtown Philadelphia.

Tuesday, July 27th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Have you missed the exchange of ideas, industry information, pop culture recommendations, random conversations about topical events, and general camaraderie that used to happen in the “before times” at the water cooler, in front of the restroom sink, and in the lively chatter before the start of a WMG event? As we optimistically look forward to more in-person communication, we could all use a little TLC, so come Talk, Listen, and Connect! Join WMG board member Jennifer Perry for an hour of chit-chat about whatever you want to discuss the day we meet, with an emphasis on current media events and media buzz. Maybe it’s the virtual nature of book fairs or the newest best sellers or the rise of TikTok as a marketing platform for books. Or perhaps you've been following how media companies are responding in different ways to the need to increase diverse voices. Or you can't wait to share thoughts about book-based TV series. Jennifer will have a short list of suggested topics to jumpstart the meet-up, and welcomes and encourages your ideas, too.jennifer's area of special interest is Publishing, but members from all areas of media are very encouraged to attend. No homework necessary: just a willingness to share ideas and opinions about anything you’d like to discuss with a group. Our very own WMG brand of TLC!

About Jennifer

WMG Board member Jennifer Perry is focused on reaching all kids and families with meaningful literacy opportunities. She has created educational resources as a publisher, museum educator, Sesame Street brand ambassador, and consultant for child-focused media companies and non-profits. Currently, she is Director of Audiobooks at Barnes & Noble. She is a frequent speaker on ways to reach and teach kids with effective, engaging, and empowering digital experiences.

Wednesday, July 21st, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between July 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, June 23rd, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between June 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Julie Blattberg.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Tuesday, June 1st, 5:30-6:30 PM ET

Free for WMG members, $15 for non-members

Attendees will learn to:

• Identify negotiating opportunities
  
• Recognize how you undermine yourself
  
• Prepare for negotiations great and small
  
• Develop a repertoire of options
  
• Deal with resistance
  
• Advocate for yourself

Foremost authority in the fields of negotiation leadership and gender, Deborah M. Kolb is the Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Professor for Women in Leadership (Emerita) and co-founder of the Ford Foundation–funded Center for Gender in Organizations at Simmons College School of Management. 

Wednesday, May 26th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between March 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Thursday, May 20, 6:00-8:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members and non-members

Courtesy of Hallmark Channel and screenwriter Sarah Montana, join WMG for a front-row viewing of Sarah’s “Love to the Rescue,” featuring Nikki Deloach (“North Shore,” “Love and Other Drugs”) and Michael Rady (“Sleeper Cell,” “ER”). Two single parents come head to head when their kids want to adopt the same dog. Agreeing to co-foster, free-spirited Kate and type-A Eric must work together to find the dog's forever home. Stay for the exclusive Q & A!

Tuesday, April 13th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

$15 for WMG members, $25 for non-members

Shameless humor and wild wit are guaranteed when Women’s Media Group celebrates Annabelle Gurwitch's new book, You're Leaving When? (HBO special forthcoming). The author will tell all with fearless performance artist and fellow comedian Sandra Tsing Loh, who deemed Annabelle's new book "A cheering midlife romp!"

You're Leaving When? is for anybody who thought they had a semblance of security but wound up with a fragile economy and a blankie. Gurwitch offers stories of resilience, adaptability, low-rent redemption, and the kindness of strangers. Even in a muted Zoom.

Purchase the book here. 

Annabelle Gurwitch was a star performer at WMG’s inaugural Female Authors of Comedy Night. She is an actress, activist, and the author of I See You Made an Effort (a New York Times bestseller and Thurber Prize finalist); Wherever You Go, There They Are, You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up (with Jeff Kahn); and Fired! (also a Showtime Comedy Special). She is currently adapting You're Leaving When? for HBO with Bill Maher executive producing. Gurwitch was the longtime co-host of Dinner and a Movie on TBS and a regular commentator on NPR. She's written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal and Hadassah amongst other publications. Her acting credits include Seinfeld, Boston Legal, Dexter, and Melvin Goes to Dinner. She performs on the Moth Mainstage, Caroline’s on Broadway, and at arts centers around the country. Gurwitch thought she'd be empty nesting by now; instead, she lives in LA with her cat and child—a college graduate of the COVID class of 2020. She co-hosts the Tiny Victories podcast on the Maximum Fun Podcast Network, which Vulture called a “bright spot of light and laughter in 2020.”

Sandra Tsing Loh is a writer and performer. Her work has been heard on NPR’s Morning Edition and This American Life, and is currently the host of "The Loh Down on Science" podcast on NPR. Her book, The Madwoman in the Volvo, was a New York Times Notable Book of 2014. Her latest book, The Madwoman and the Roomba, came out in June 2020. Loh lives in Pasadena, California.

Wednesday, April 7th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between March 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Julie Blattberg.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, March 31st, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members and BAWIP members only

Join the WMG Book Club on March 31 as we deliciously dive into Mango and Peppercorns: A Memoir of Food, an Unlikely Family, and the American Dream, a culinary memoir (with recipes) and story of resilience, friendship, family, and food from the acclaimed chefs behind the award-winning Hy Vong Vietnamese restaurant in Miami. We will be joined for this event by the book’s collaborator (and WMG member) Elisa Ung and Lyn Nguyen, one of the book’s authors three authors. 

Mango and Peppercorns is uniquely told from the perspective of three women - a Vietnamese refugee, her American hostess, and the refugee's daughter (Lyn Nguyen), who was conceived in a refugee camp and went on to become the CEO of an AI firm. 

No quizzes just fun conversation! All WMG members are invited to attend to connect and converse with other book lovers. 

Elisa Ung is an award-winning writer, editor, book collaborator, and ghostwriter with more than two decades of professional storytelling experience. She was previously a food critic and columnist at The (Bergen) Record and Northjersey.com, and a news reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Lyn Nguyen, the daughter of Vietnamese refugee and acclaimed chef Tung Nguyen, earned degrees from Harvard and Cornell, and is the CEO and cofounder of Liquid Analytics, an artificial intelligence innovation firm.

WMG board member Kelly Hoey is a networking expert and author of Author of “Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World” (Tarcher Perigee). 

Find Mango and Peppercorns at your favorite local book shop: https://bookshop.org/

About WMG Book Club

The WMG is for those who love books, are equally curious about the stories behind the books and want a person not an algorithm to randomly suggest their next read. 

Books are selected quite randomly based on your submissions. What book(s) should we learn about, read next, discuss, and gather around next? Submit your suggestions directly to host Kelly Hoey at kelly@jkellyhoey.co who randomly selects a new book each month from WMG member submissions, the next book(s) we’ll be gathering around.

Wednesday, March 17th, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members and BAWIP members only

Come one, come all to the WMG Book Club on Wednesday, March 17th at 6:00 p.m. ET, featuring WMG member, Candi S. Cross, author of Come Hope or High Water: Escaping Addiction to Save Family Farms in the Western Corn Belt, our latest book club selection. As a ghostwriter and editor, Candi has co-developed 140+ books; however this new book features her name exclusively on the cover. 

Come Hope or High Water is the authorized biography of Steve Knuth, CEO of AgWest Commodities. It is a recovery story about a man of many missions – from staying sober to saving the family farm in rural Nebraska. Fingers crossed that Steve will be joining us for WMG Book Club (so we can delve further into what makes for successful writing collaborations, beyond having a riveting story to tell). 

No quizzes, just fun conversation! All WMG members and BAWIP members are invited to attend to connect and converse with other book lovers. 

A pro writer since the 3rd grade when she won the state title in a national essay contest, WMG member (and board member) Candi S. Cross has a unique combination of skills that matches the needs of aspiring authors with a tale to tell. Candi’s clients range from execs and entertainers to doctors and attorneys, and hail from as far away as China, England, Japan, and Germany. She is committed to helping diverse individuals with contemporary stories to tell—no theme is too provocative, no message too controversial unless it propagates harm toward others.

WMG board member Kelly Hoey is a networking expert and author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (TarcherPerigee). 

Find Come Hope or High Water at your favorite local book shop: https://bookshop.org/

About WMG Book Club

The WMG Book Club is for members who love books, are equally curious about the stories behind the books, and want a person not an algorithm to randomly suggest their next read. 

What book(s) should we learn about, read, discuss, and gather around next? Submit your suggestions directly to host Kelly Hoey at kelly@jkellyhoey.co, who randomly selects a new book each month from WMG member submissions.

Wednesday, March 10th, 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

Please come to the WMG 2021 Annual Business Meeting on March 10th from 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. 

Spend 30 minutes with Co-Presidents Julie Blattberg and Kathy Sandler, and members of the board, in an abbreviated virtual meeting to:

• Vote in the new board
• Welcome new members
• Review highlights of the past year
• Talk about opportunities to volunteer

We value your time and participation, and hope to see you there!

Wednesday, March 10th at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT

Free for members only

Though separated by about 3,000 miles and 3 time zones, the Bay Area Women in Publishing has much in common with WMG. BAWiP connects and supports current and aspiring colleagues who identify as women or non-binary, helping them to build professional networks in and beyond the Bay Area, and advance their career goals while building community and a more equitable environment in publishing. Sounds good, right?

Make yourself a postprandial cup of tea or digestivo, and join our colleagues on the West coast while they’re in happy hour mode. 

This networking opportunity will feature ice breakers, small-group breakout rooms, and ways to expand your professional circles.

Friday, February 26th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between March 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-President Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Thursday, February 25th, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members and BAWIP members only 

Join WMG Book Club on February 25th to celebrate fierce, trailblazing women authors including WMG member Lauren Marino herself, author of our latest book club selection Bookish Broads: Women Who Wrote Themselves into History (Abrams). 

Lauren’s new book features more than sixty brilliant and bookish broads, cleverly illuminating the greats as well as the literary powerhouses that history has wrongfully overlooked. 

Jump online with book club host Kelly Hoey and Lauren to celebrate the perspective of women writers and their impact on literature.  

All WMG members and BAWIP members are invited to attend to connect and converse with other book lovers. No quizzes, just fun conversation

WMG member Lauren Marino is a writer and executive editor at Hachette Books. She is the author of What Would Dolly Do? How to Be a Diamond in a Rhinestone World and Jackie and Cassini: A Fashion Love Affair and has collaborated with celebrities, doctors, entrepreneurs, psychologists, and experts on their books.

WMG board member Kelly Hoey is a networking expert and author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (TarcherPerigee). 

Find Bookish Broads at your favorite local book shop: https://bookshop.org/

About WMG Book Club

The WMG Book Club is for those who love books, are equally curious about the stories behind the books and want a person, not an algorithm, to randomly suggest their next read. 

Books are selected quite randomly based on your submissions. What book(s) should we learn about, read next, discuss, and gather around next? Submit your suggestions directly to host Kelly Hoey at kelly@jkellyhoey.co who randomly selects a new book each month from WMG member submissions, the next book(s) we’ll be gathering around.

Wednesday, January 6th, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST

Free for WMG members only

Ready to send off stress-aplenty 2020? Join WMG for a one-of-a-kind virtual party to kick off 2021 with flair! This past year was chockfull of challenges, but we pulled through together to host 30+ virtual events and welcome 60+ new members. Come celebrate with us, get to know your new fellow members, and reconnect with old friends. We’ll have guided breakout rooms with festive themes for intimate networking, contests for Best Zoom Décor and Most Creative Cocktail or Mocktail, and we’ll be naming a Belle of the Ball. So, feel free to dress to impress…without having to leave the comfort of your home!

Thursday, December 10th, 7:00-8:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members only

The inaugural selection for the WMG Book Club is WMG member Marlene Adelstein’s debut novel, Sophie Last Seen. A USA Today bestseller, Sophie Last Seen has been hailed by reviewers as “a gripping tale of heartbreak and eternal hope” and “a multi-layered mystery, impossible to put down.” 

Gather online with book club host Kelly Hoey and Marlene on Thursday, December 10 at 7pm EST to hear the author speak about her book, the inspiration for the story and her path to publication of her debut novel.

All WMG members are invited to attend to connect and converse with other book lovers. No quizzes, just fun conversation!  

WMG member Marlene Adelstein is a freelance book editor specializing in novels, memoirs, and screenplays. A former film development executive, Marlene has had personal essays published in Longreads, Manifest-Station, Talking Writing, and Rewireme and has been awarded residencies at Yaddo, MacDowell, The Wurlitzer Foundation and other artist colonies. She is currently working on a new novel and a memoir in essays. 

WMG board member Kelly Hoey is a networking expert and author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (TarcherPerigee). 

Find Sophie Last Seen at your favorite local book shop: https://bookshop.org/

About WMG Book Club

The WMG is for those who love books, are equally curious about the stories behind the books and want a person not an algorithm to randomly suggest their next read. 

What book(s) should we read, discuss, and gather around next? Submit your suggestions directly to host Kelly Hoey at kelly@jkellyhoey.co who randomly selects a new book from WMG member submissions.

Tuesday, December 8th, 12:00-1:00 PM ET

Free for members & non-members

Take your virtual presence to the next level!

 

In this fun and fully participatory workshop, award-winning actress and communications expert and coach, Annie Meisels, will share fresh, unique ways to forge genuine connections, build trusting relationships, and create community in a virtual setting. As we all continue to adjust to holding meetings, giving presentations and interconnecting online, sharpening our communication skills is essential in order to thrive!  Join Annie and the WMG as we learn and put into practice these new tools and techniques taught through her lens as an actress and coach.

Annie Meisels is a master communicator. Having polished her skills over 25 years of stage, screen, and voice experience as an award-winning actor, Annie now brings this expertise to the working world. She works with companies and organizations, teaching highly skilled professionals how to seriously up their communication and presentation game. For more information and to book private coaching sessions with Annie, please visit her website.

Wednesday, December 2nd, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

Free for WMG members only

A fun and informal way for new members to virtually connect and really get to know each other. It's a wonderful way to meet meet other talented, high-energy women, all ready to assist one another in our professional endeavors.

This social is open to anyone who joined WMG between March 2020 and now and will be hosted by WMG Co-Presidents Julie Blattberg and Kathy Sandler.

Email us at info@womensmediagroup.org with any questions.

Wednesday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m. EST

Free for members only

Though separated by about 3,000 miles and 3 time zones, the Bay Area Women in Publishing has much in common with WMG. BAWiP connects and supports current and aspiring colleagues who identify as women or non-binary, helping them to build professional networks in and beyond the Bay Area, and advance their career goals while building community and a more equitable environment in publishing. Sounds good, right?

Make yourself a postprandial cup of tea or digestivo, and join our colleagues on the West coast while they’re in happy hour mode. 

This networking opportunity will revolve around the theme of “Celebrate Yourself,” and will feature ice breakers, small-group breakout rooms, and ways to expand your professional circles.

Wednesday, October 14 at 12:00 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members. Guests welcome!

Are you shy in front of a camera or hate most of your pictures? Time to take a new headshot and can't find the right angle? Then this action-packed session is for you!

 

During this virtual session, you’ll learn:

• Liza’s insider tips for taking the best photo that values your assets and minimizes any flaw…every time
  
• The philosophy behind “body mapping,” which has helped dozens of professionals take great shots and improve their self-esteem
  
• Accelerate your confidence by being your own practice photographer and studying your pics
  

Speaker bio:

Liza Andrews is a self-development coach, photographer and the creator of the PictureCure Methods. Her education and experience involve human resources, psychology and photography.  She started her career in the corporate world, working with recruiting and training programs. With the advent of social media, having a strong professional presence online became mandatory, and Liza brought her expertise in portraiture to the table. Her methods contemplated not only the moves to look good on camera, but also, the psychological aspects that make people feel shy and self-conscious about their image. Liza has taught her own method on “How to Become Photogenic” in Europe, South America, and the United States, and she has helped people with physical limitations and depression improve their self-esteem using photography. Liza was interviewed by Globo TV about her volunteer work with cancer survivors, and Bold TV New York about the importance of one’s profile photos to get the best jobs.

Thursday, October 8 at 6:00 p.m. EST (Martini Glass-in-Hand Time!)

$10 for members. $15 for non-members.

***The first 75 to register will receive a free copy of Candace’s book, Is There Still Sex in the City?

Keep calm—there is still Sex in the City! According to Candace Bushnell. Through her books and television series, Candace's work has influenced and defined two generations of women. There’s no better time than the wacky year of 2020 to hear what she has to say about all things sex, dating, friendship, and fierce feminism in a New York minute! The first 75 people who sign up will receive a copy of her book, Is There Still Sex in the City? (Grove Press). 

Candace Bushnell is the critically acclaimed, international best-selling author of ten books, including Is There Still Sex in the City, Sex and the City, Summer and the City, The Carrie Diaries, One Fifth Avenue, Lipstick Jungle, Trading Up, Killing Monica and Four Blondes. Sex and the City, published in 1996, was the basis for the HBO hit series and two subsequent blockbuster movies. Lipstick Jungle became a popular television series on NBC, as did The Carrie Diaries on the CW. “Is There Still Sex in the City” is currently in development as a TV series with Paramount. Bushnell’s new book, Rules for Being a Girl, is out now.

Thursday, October 1, 12:00 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members. Guests welcome!

U.S. payrolls grew by 4.8 million in June, according to the Labor Department, but the totality of damage to the economy as a result of the pandemic may not be known until well into 2021. As the coronavirus continues to rage throughout the world, where do you stand as an employee, employer or entrepreneur? Is your resume current and ready to go if you need to make a move or simply desire a change in your career and livelihood?   

During this virtual session, you’ll learn:

• Lesley’s insider tips on resume writing in the 21st century 
• New techniques to target your industry and others that could use your skills and are hiring
• The mindset for making a career move with confidence during these uncertain times  

Lesley Yvonne Hunter is president of Resume Makeover and Lesley Yvonne LLC. Lesley is a licensed Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and copywriter and member of PARW/CC (Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches). Her resume writing experience is vast as she has reconstructed and given resume makeovers to various clients cross-industry from recent college graduates to high-level executives. Some of the clients Lesley has worked for have applied for and obtained jobs in the fields of accounting, management, sales, entertainment, law, design, education, writing, administration, government and others. In her free time, she may be playing piano as she is a classically trained pianist since age 4. She is also a lover of languages and is fluent in French and Italian and has basic proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

Wednesday, September 23 at 12:00 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members. Guests welcome!

Join this panel discussion where successful women in media share how they transferred their traditional media skills to work for brands. We will discuss the lingo that they had to learn, how to decifier foreign-sounding job descriptions, how to convince hiring managers that the candidate they are looking for in a competitive landscape, and more.   

Moderator:

 

Chandra Turner, founder of the Talent Fairy

Panelists:

Kara Corridan, Global Communications Manager, Prudential Financial

Angie Lee, Global Head of Brand and Marketing, Samsung NEXT

Tracy Perez, Editorial Director of Digital Content Strategy, IT Cosmetics, L'Oréal

Tuesday, September 15, 12:00 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members. Guests welcome!

The world is in crisis mode as a result of the coronavirus, and women in particular are more overwhelmed, stressed and exhausted…all the time. But in spite of stress, you can learn how to read the signs that your body is sending, make better choices in time and food/drink consumption without feeling guilty or desperate, and optimize your wellbeing. 

During this virtual session, you’ll learn:

• Sharon’s insider tips for knowing exactly what is on your plate and loving the results  
• New techniques for connecting to what your body is saying and getting to the root of symptoms, understanding the connection and what it means for you and your lifestyle, and taking action, trusting yourself and transforming your life  

Sharon Holand Gelfand, a functional diagnostic nutritionist, coach and speaker, transforms the lives of health minded professional women who are stressed out and overwhelmed by getting to the root of their most common health complaints through target testing, not guessing. She incorporates the results with their symptoms and flexible food choices to find the missing pieces of their health puzzle so they can reclaim their health and their lives. Sharon is also the creator of The G.U.T. Method®, a 3-step system to empower you to take back control of your health and the basis for her new book, The G.U.T. Method: Secrets Beyond Your Plate for Healthier, More Energetic Living.

Wednesday, August 19th, 12 p.m. EST

Free members-only event

Former New York Times Op-Ed editor Trish Hall wants to help you get your point across.

Join us on August 19th at 12 p.m. EST via Zoom for a conversation between Hall and WMG member Lydia Denworth, Contributing Editor at Scientific American and author of Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. Hall will share her illuminating insights on the techniques and psychology of persuasive writing and answers your questions, while divulging stories of editing everyone from Nobel Prize winners and global strongmen (Vladimir Putin) to first-time pundits (Angelina Jolie). Some of the topics she’ll discuss:    

• The most crucial element of persuasive writing (and communicating)
• How to startle and surprise your audience
• Why some of the smartest people and ideas don’t gain traction
• How to make someone like what you’re writing (or saying)

Hall spent years immersed in argument, passion, and trendsetting ideas―but also in tangled sentences, migraine-inducing jargon, and dull-as-dishwater writing. In her talk and Q&A, she’ll highlight what works, what doesn’t, and how to effectively communicate above the digital noise. Of her clear, concise, and beguiling book, Writing to Persuade (which Publishers Weekly calls “profound”), bestselling author Adam Grant says, “She turns drivel into prose and rambling thoughts into elegant arguments. At long last, she’s revealing her secret sauce.”

July 28th from 12-1pm EDT

Free members-only event

Join us for a special financial planning series with Molly Townsend, a Certified Financial Planner at UBS, specifically designed to help women learn how to take control of their financial futures and navigate turbulent economic times.  This is exclusive to WMG members.

Molly will cover:

·        Why women must break the cycle of financial abdication

·        Insights from women on obstacles they've faced taking control of their wealth

·        How to start the conversation around your finances and your future

Bio:

Molly Townsend is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER with the Zelniker Dorfman Group at UBS. She began her financial services career in 2008 in her hometown of Chicago before moving to NYC in 2015 to join the Zelniker Dorfman Group. Leading the team's financial planning process, Molly works closely with a broad range of multigenerational clients to gain an understanding of their priorities and help them articulate their goals. Analyzing clients' retirement, education, tax, philanthropy and wealth transfer opportunities, she prides herself on her ability to connect individually with clients and talk about the things that matter most to them.

Molly manages the team's 401(k) plan practice, and specializes in insurance, annuities, Social Security, pension income and 529 plans. On any day, she may discuss the risks of a highly concentrated position with an executive, help a widowed client navigate Social Security and survivor benefits, or work with a family to explore lending options for a vacation home. With all the ways her clients turn to her for advice and guidance, Molly prides herself on helping them live their lives to the fullest. Visit the team website here.

Tuesday, July 7, 12 p.m. EST

Free to attend for members & guests

The U.S. unemployment rate is skyrocketing, the stock market is uncertain, and the gig economy is currently at a standstill. In these tumultuous times, it’s so easy to wake up and go to sleep feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and like you are always trying to catch up. Join us for an empowering masterclass on how to reclaim your time and energy with bestselling author and life strategist, Sheri Riley. Guests welcome!

During this virtual session, you’ll learn:

• Sheri’s 5 keys to achieving inner peace and increased productivity during unprecedented change
• Practical solutions to help you pause, reflect, and focus on what matters
• Tools for making more intentional and productive choices that will lead to less stress, better clarity and a more fulfilling life

Sheri Riley is an entrepreneur, founding partner of the global John Maxwell Team, and award-winning author of Exponential Living®: Stop Spending 100% of Your Time on 10% of Who You Are (Penguin Random House), which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. After 20 years of creating marketing strategies for Usher, TLC, Toni Braxton, Converse, the NBA, and Turner, to name a few, she now serves as an Empowerment Speaker and Life Strategist to clients around the world. She understands that personal development is the anchor to professional growth, increased productivity, and enhanced leadership skills.

Registration is closed.

Join WMG on Wednesdays in June from 4-5pm for exclusive, interactive Do & Dream networking sessions with Build Your Dream Network author (and WMG board member) Kelly Hoey!  

Kelly has been lauded by Forbes (“1 of 5 Women Changing the World of VC/Entrepreneurship”), Fast Company (“1 of the 25 Smartest Women On Twitter”), Business Insider (“1 of the 100 Most Influential Tech Women On Twitter”) and Inc. (1 of “10 Most Well-Connected People in New York City's Startup Scene”). Empowering A Billion Women By 2020 included her on their list of the “100 Most Influential Global Leaders Empowering Women Worldwide”. Not bad for a former lawyer (and no, not a career path she ever dreamed of).  

In these Do & Dream hangouts, Kelly is happy to offer up her practical strategies on connecting for success or sharing how she’s finally learned to dream bigger with her own career ambitions. 

Perfect for WMG members who depend on their networks for business prospects and/or are seeking new career opportunities, these fun sessions will address what’s top of mind for you, whether that’s:

1. How to leverage the networking tools you have to strengthen relationships

2. Ways to enhance or make new connections

3. How to approach a career transition or job search

4. Tips for networking during digital events 

5. Strategies for new business development

Registration is closed.

Thursday, June 11, 2:00 p.m. EST  

Remote work and video meetings are here to stay. Presenting well on camera can make all the difference for your business. Join us for a 30-minute masterclass with Emmy Award-winning TV producer and bestselling productivity author, Paula Rizzo. Guests welcome! 

During this virtual session you’ll learn: 

• Ways to get your ideas across succinctly and powerfully during video meetings 
• How to look better on camera 
• Best tools and technology to amplify your message during video meetings

with Q & A 

Paula Rizzo is an Emmy-award winning TV producer, bestselling author, media trainer and strategist. She trains authors and experts to perform better on camera and produce their own videos. She is the author of Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Highly Successful and Less Stressed and her most recent book, Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You. Paula is a frequent speaker and media contributor. Go to PaulaRizzo.com for more info. 

Registration is closed.

May 14, 12:00-12:45 p.m. EST

Registration is closed.

Wednesday, April 15, 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Free for WMG members and friends & family of members

— Interactive, conducted via Zoom with breakout discussion groups and 2-3 worksheets

Intro: Awareness of what's changed — connecting participants to what's different (for now)

Part 1: Your brain on insecurity and uncertainty — Brief lesson on the ripple effect of stress

Part 2: Audit and strategy building: What can you control at home and at work?

Part 3: Your new normal: designing new habits for routine, communication, connection and trust

Wrap Up: Your action plan in the New Normal

Stacey Staaterman is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC, PCC, ELI-MP) that provides one-on-one coaching, group coaching and leadership development programs focused on career management, transition, emotional intelligence, executive presence, and interpersonal dynamics in the workplace.   

Stacey helps individuals and organizations with challenges related to executive presence, engagement, communications, public speaking, team cohesion, professional development, sales, marketing, and collaboration. Stacey has been a featured leadership and career strategy expert in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, Bustle.com, Access Intelligence, MINOnline.com and Men’s Health.

Registration is closed.

Wednesday, April 8th at 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Free for WMG members

— Interactive, conducted via Zoom with breakout discussion groups and 2-3 worksheets

Intro: Where are you now? Over-reacting? Under reacting? Or Adapting?

Part 1: Thoughts, Feelings, Actions => Results | All begins with a trigger

Part 2: View of two types of energy: Building Energy and Contracting Energy — when to leverage each for desired results

Part 3: Cultivating your choices and options: adapting during disruption

Wrap Up: When stress strikes again, self-leadership and resiliency action steps

Stacey Staaterman is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC, PCC, ELI-MP) that provides one-on-one coaching, group coaching and leadership development programs focused on career management, transition, emotional intelligence, executive presence, and interpersonal dynamics in the workplace.

Stacey helps individuals and organizations with challenges related to executive presence, engagement, communications, public speaking, team cohesion, professional development, sales, marketing, and collaboration. Stacey has been a featured leadership and career strategy expert in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, Bustle.com, Access Intelligence, MINOnline.com and Men’s Health.

Crisis Leadership Adaptive Strategies Workshop Handout

Registration is closed.

Tuesday, April 7, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Free for WMG members

Leading change is an essential leadership capability, especially during these

unprecedented times. Leaders play a critical role in dealing with this crisis across your organization, within their teams, and with their families.

Leading through change is not easy under regular business circumstances, let alone during a crisis. As change experts we know that living in a VUCA world, characterized by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity is the backdrop for what motivates strategic change and the need for leadership agility. COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is testing leaders’ agility on multiple levels.

On Tuesday, April 7, 2:00-3:00 p.m., WLH Consulting is offering, “Rx for

Leading During Difficult Times,” a virtual learning webinar, hosted by Dr. Wendy L. Heckelman, noted author and change expert. This webinar provides practical frameworks and tips to help leaders, at all levels, “change and thrive.” Specifically, this webinar develops and strengthens leaders’ change capabilities by focusing on:

AGILITY: Introduces the basic principles of change agility and demonstrates how an agile leader is better equipped to handle challenging, unpredictable situations

CHANGE LEADERSHIP: Reinforces the critical behaviors leaders need during a crisis and how to effectively manage

EXECUTION: Provides practical steps and a framework to build leaders’ confidence and competence in guiding the business, supporting their team(s), and coaching individuals when executing change.

Wendy L. Heckelman, Ph.D. president and founder of WLH Consulting, Inc., is the author of the newly released book, Change and Thrive. She has advised and consulted on hundreds of major change initiatives in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. In nearly 30 years of working with Fortune 100 clients, Wendy has helped leaders and individuals prepare for and thrive during turbulent and transformative change.

Registration is closed.

Important update:

Given the state of the city, and erring on the side of caution, we are postponing WMG March and April events, including our Annual Business Meeting that had been scheduled for 3/24, until we can safely gather again as a community. All members who've already registered for our luncheon at Barbetta will have refunds issued shortly. 

As one key agenda item for the Annual Business Meeting is to vote in the board of directors for 2020–21, we’ll instead move to a proxy vote to be conducted online. You can expect to see an email from WMG on 3/24 to cast your vote on the slate recommended by the nominating committee.

We're evaluating options for taking some of our programming online, so stay tuned for further announcements and opportunities to connect....

If you have specific concerns, please email us at info@womensmediagroup.com. 

Important update:

Given the state of the city, and erring on the side of caution, we are postponing this event until we can safely gather again as a community. All members who've already registered for our comedy night have been issued refunds.

We're evaluating options for taking some of our programming online, so stay tuned for further announcements and opportunities to connect....

If you have specific concerns, please email us at info@womensmediagroup.com.  

6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Raise a glass with friends and colleagues at the WMG Annual Holiday Party!

Dress to impress and enjoy decadent hors d’oeuvres, delicious wine, and sumptuous sweets in the glorious salon room upstairs at the very chic Norwood Club.

And in the spirit of giving back to the community, please bring a book or two for our kids’ book drive. We’ll be collecting new books for local nonprofits that serve local families with babies, toddlers, young readers, and teens.

Please note that this is a members-only event.

When: Monday December 2, 2019, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Location: Norwood Club, 241 W 14th St

Price: Free!

We hope to see you there!

Registration is closed.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

WMG is pleased to have Afiya Addison the Education Lead, The B2B Institute @ LinkedIn, present all you ever wanted to know about LinkedIn, arguably the most import platform for your professional life.

 

You’ll learn:

How to optimize your personal profile

Best practices for brand pages

The art of engaging content

Effective advertising solutions

What LinkedIn analytics can teach you about your campaign

 

As this is a midday program, you’re welcome to bring your own lunch. Water and cold drinks served.

 

11/12/19

12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

 

LinkedIn office in the Empire State Building

20 W 34th St.

 

Registration closes 11/6/19 at noon. Please arrive no later than 12:00 to get through ESB security.

 

WMG members and their guests are welcome. 

 

All proceeds from this event will benefit the WMG Educational Foundation. 

 

WMG members: $10 

Guests: $10

Registration is closed.

Ease yourself into the weekend with friends and colleagues at Café Serai at the Rubin Museum!

The Rubin presents art that traverses Asia’s diverse cultures, regions, and narratives. Its special exhibitions celebrate art forms that range from ancient to contemporary, including photography and multimedia, while its permanent collection galleries are focused primarily on art from the Himalayan region.

WMG members and their guests will enjoy complimentary wine and appetizers with their registration, converse against the backbeat of DJ David Ellenbogen, and explore the museum’s exhibits to their hearts' content. 

This informal mixer is a great opportunity to introduce other outstanding women in your orbit to WMG, so give some thought to your contacts—and have them join us, too.

We hope to see you there!

WMG members: $20

Guests: $20

Registration is closed.

As the world unites in mourning the passing of Toni Morrison, WMG is pleased to bring our community together for a screening of Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, the highly acclaimed documentary directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.

Location: Penguin Random House

Maya Angelou Auditorium

1745 Broadway

6:00 - 6:30 Wine and cheese

6:30 - 6:40 Introduction

6:40 - 8:40 Screening 

WMG members and their guests are welcome.

All profits from this event will benefit the WMG Educational Foundation.

WMG members: $20

Guests: $20

Registration is closed.

Toni Morrison: THE PIECES I AM, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.