Member Spotlight
Get to know WMG members through our Q & A.
Meet WMG Board Member Carol Hoenig
What do you do?
I am President of Carol Hoenig, Publishing Consultant, Inc. where I cover a variety of aspects in the publishing industry, including, ghostwriting, editing, publicity, and marketing for authors and helping with book proposals. I am also an award-winning author.
How did you discover WMG and what do you hope to receive from our community?
I was nominated by Carol Fass several years ago. I hope to continue being a part of a vibrant community of talented women since they inspire me.
What position do you hold on WMG's Board of Directors?
Fundraising
Tell us a little bit about your committee and what your aim for this term as chair is.
The fundraising committee helps raise funds for scholarships and fellowship recipients who want a career in the media or publishing industry. My aim is to think outside of the box in order to raise more funds to help in this effort.
What is your top career goal right now?
Well, since my agent has my 3rd novel that he's pitching, my personal career goal is to have that sold and promote it by touring and doing all that I can support it.
What are you reading and/or watching now?
Right now I am reading Susan Isaac's Bad, Bay Seymour Brown since I'll be interviewing her for Long Island Woman Magazine. I also make it a point to watch "Call the Midwife" and "Succession." (I also enjoy watching old episodes of "To Tell the Truth" on the Game Show Network.)
Give one fun fact about yourself.
I have a podcast with two friends, Peggy Zieran, who is a new WMG member, and Judy Vaughan called Wildflowers Podcast: Books, Booze and Banter, which can be found on YouTube. We have 35 episodes under our belt and are having a blast. (Perhaps it's the wine that we taste on each episode that keeps us entertained.) In each episode, one of us introduces a wine, another shares a book and then another has a topic for us to discuss.
How can WMG members connect with you?
Via email: Carolhoenig@carolhoenig.com
Meet Membership Chair Chandra Turner!
What do you do?
I’m the founder of The Talent Fairy, a boutique recruiting agency. I work with corporations, nonprofits, and startups to help them find editorial talent for their editorial, content marketing, and brand publishing roles. I also work as a career coach to help editor types transition their skills and find new roles outside of traditional media, whether that be print or digital media. My mission is to bridge the gap between all the editorial talent out there and the brands that desperately need them.
How did you discover WMG and what do you hope to receive from our community?
Former WMG president Kathy Sandler reached out to me. We worked together at Parents magazine back in the day when she was a consultant and I was the executive editor. Years later, she introduced me to this group. She had moved on to book publishing and I had moved on from 20+ years as an editor in magazines. I liked how WMG was expanding from a community of women in books to women throughout all types of content creation. Essentially I’m a matchmaker. I love meeting new people and connecting people to each other so the idea of meeting women across all areas of media was, and is, exciting to me.
What are you reading and/or watching now?
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Inventing Anna, and Euphoria (with one eye open – I have a teenage daughter and that show is terrifying!).
What is your top career goal right now?
Make people happy in their careers while I make enough money to fuel my tennis addiction. A bit extra to pay the mortgage and put my kids through college would be nice as well.
How can WMG members connect with you?
It’s not exactly the sexiest platform, but I’m on LinkedIn nearly all day M-F so reach out and connect! You can also get me at thetalentfairy.com.
Give one fun fact about yourself.
I have a soft spot in my heart for magazine editors; a few years back I started a private Facebook group called After Magazines that now has more than 1400 other former print editors in it — most of whom have gone on to lead new fabulous lives and careers. If you lived off the office giveaway table, waited until 8 pm on “ship week” to get a free dinner and cab ride home, and can’t manage to throw away the issue where your name first appeared in the masthead, you should join this group! :-)
Meet new member Rachel Lehman-Haupt!
What do you do?
I am an award-winning science writer, author, and founder of StoryMade Studio. My company works as a thought partner with companies and individuals to craft master brand narratives and amplify their stories through digital strategy with the goals of raising money or launching a brand, product, or idea into the world. I have been a media advisor for technology start-ups, media properties, and nonprofits, including TED, where I was a founding editor of TED Books. My clients have included Dwell Magazine, Condé Nast Health, Baby Center, Code for America, Bridge Housing, Ornish Lifestyle Medicine, UCSF Benioff’s Children’s Hospital, and more.
Through my role as an author, I have influenced thousands of women who are searching for the best ways to balance their desires for a career and family. My two books, In Her Own Sweet Time: Egg Freezing and the New Frontiers of Family (Basic Books) and the forthcoming Reconceptions: Modern Relationships, Reproductive Science and the Unfolding Future of Family (BenBella Books, Feb 2023), are available on Amazon. My writing has been featured in the New York Times, the New York Observer, Newsweek, Slate, New York, Vogue, Outside, Wired, Business Week, and Neo. Life.
How did you discover WMG?
Through Kathy Sandler and Chandra Turner, The Talent Fairy.
What do you hope to receive from our community?
Community and client connection for editing and brand storytelling.
What are you reading now?
I just took my son to the Galápagos for summer break. I also had an assignment to write a science story about conservation efforts, so I read Darwin’s Origin of Species and Kurt Vonnegut’s satirical novel, Galápagos.
What is your top career goal right now?
I am focused on growing StoryMade Studio’s revenue with more steady clients.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
More travel!
How can WMG members connect with you?
Give one fun fact about yourself.
My son has my last name.
Is there anything special you want to share?
I’m learning to surf.
Meet new WMG member Jodi Gould!
What do you do?
Freelance writer/journalist/author
What are you reading and/or watching now?
Just Kids by Patti Smith. Streaming Good Girls, Barry, George Carlin doc., Reservation Dogs, Kardashians (guilty pleasure), John Oliver.
What is your top career goal right now?
More book projects and higher advances
Give one fun fact about yourself.
Volunteering for Central Park Conservancy; former book & magazine publicist; former event coordinator for NPR station’s authors’ book signing/speaking series, “Join the Conversation.”
Is there anything special you want to share?
Enjoyed my first WMG event, which was a mini tour of Central Park led by Jennifer
Perry. Would love a field trip to Green-Wood Cemetery (I have some relatives buried there and I’ve never visited).
Meet WMG member Allison Moore!
What do you do?
After working in-house at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for 10+ years, I am currently freelance editing and consulting. Two books I edited that you can look out for: Maddie Frost’s Iguana be a Dragon this July, and Sherri Winston’s Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution this September! Outside of work, I spent many years volunteering for and sitting on the board of a local organization that supported immigrant youth.
How did you discover WMG and what do you hope to receive from our community?
When I posted about leaving my last job, the lovely Nevin Mays reached out and we connected over our similar backgrounds in publishing, bookselling, and mentoring. She suggested I join WMG and volunteer with the scholarship committee, which immediately piqued my interest! I’m looking forward to connecting with other dynamic women for personal connections and career advice, and discovering new places in the city, too.
What are you reading and/or watching now?
Contemporary romance has been the perfect reading vibe for the pandemic, and after loving Emily Henry’s Beach Read, I’m excited to dive into Book Lovers (very on brand). I’m also catching up on my Book of the Month pile, next with Nina LaCour’s Yerba Buena. I just started a re-read(listen) of the first Percy Jackson book in anticipation of the new TV series, and am alternating that and advice books like Atomic Habits on audio (major props to the Brooklyn Public Library and their collection). I also just revisited Freckle Juice before passing it along to a little cousin – Judy Blume is timeless!
TV highlights of the last few months have included Yellowjackets, Severance, We Are Lady Parts, the new season of The Circle, The Flight Attendant, and Heartstopper (so cute).
What is your top career goal right now?
To find a new job that combines my passions for storytelling, editing, strategy, empowering young people and under-resourced populations, and mentoring. And to find freelance editing clients in the meantime.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Seeing my West Coast friends (and seeing more humans day-to-day in general).
How can WMG members connect with you?
https://twitter.com/allisonm610
https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsmoore/
Give one fun fact about yourself.
I have a Google map of all the independent bookstores I’ve visited and would like to visit on future travels and walks around the city. I have been to more than one hundred.
Is there anything special you want to share?
The support and advice I’ve gotten from other publishing and media women -- including several new connections in this group, already -- has really kept me going and optimistic about my next steps!
Update: since this posting, Allison became Editorial Manager at 8th Note Press, the brand-new book publishing arm of tech and social media company ByteDance. She'll be editing romance and young adult books, and learning all about the intersection of books, tech, and online marketing. She's excited to help build a new program from the ground up! Allison also became a member of the Women's Media Group board.
Meet WMG member Katie McGuire!
What do you do?
I’m an editor of original novels at Tapas Media! I’m also a freelance editor and someone desperately trying to write more.
How did you discover WMG and what do you hope to receive from our community?
I was invited to join WMG by the previous co-president Kathy Sandler and I was absolutely thrilled to get her message! After reading more about the group, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. I’m so excited to connect with other talented people in book publishing and beyond and to perhaps work with some of you on projects in the future. I hope to meet some of you in person, too, as COVID and weather allow!
What are you reading and/or watching now?
I know I’m late to the game, but a friend has been telling me I need to watch Yellowjackets for months and I finally started it last week! I also just started reading Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde.
What is your top career goal right now?
My top career goal is just to continue creating. I want to work with authors to bring their visions to life through my editorial work, I want to continue to develop stories, and I want to make sure to make time for my own writing projects and see some of those come to fruition.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Traveling again! I’ve been lucky enough to take some smaller trips in the last year to see close friends in the States, but I have plenty of miles saved up for something abroad.
How can WMG members connect with you?
You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram @katielizmcguire or at my website, katielizmcguire.com. Also, feel free to email me at katielizmcguire@gmail.com!
Give one fun fact about yourself.
I’m a big comics nerd and co-host a podcast called Is It An X-Man? Every other week, I attempt to explain the X-Men and other hits from the Marvel universe to one of my oldest friends. We try not to take it too seriously, so though it takes some work, it gets to mostly just be a very fun creative outlet.
Is there anything special you want to share?
I’m always open to random queries, about publishing, about books, or even about comics. Feel free to reach out (and tell me what you’re reading)!
Let's welcome Lisa Lombardi to WMG!
What do you do?
I'm an editor, writer, and strategist for media and non-media brands. As a writer, my sweet spot is health, parenting, and pop culture. I love the mix: In the past year, I've done everything from editing a book on Barbie to reporting on pandemic life to editing bookazines for Real Simple to helping an LA-based startup with a digital wellness launch.
How did you discover WMG?
Chandra Turner! She's like my fairy godmother. Chandra and I met on a Metro North train home: She had a magazine galley on her lap so I had to ask where she worked (I’m not normally THAT person). We clicked right away—probably because we were both seeing the decline of print up close as Executive Editors at different magazines.
What is your favorite book and tv show right now?
The one novel I keep recommending is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. It's like a master class in strong writing—the characters are so fully formed that the prose can be understated. As for TV, I just finished and loved the last season of “Search Party” (on HBO Max). I'm a big fan of dark comedies and this one is spot on about what it's like to be a twenty something in NY.
What is your top career goal right now?
I'm not sure if this is a goal, but I'm determined to finish the novel I started writing this year. My other aim is to keep working with creative, nice, family-friendly people. I value that more than money at this point.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
After hugging my mom, I'm calling our housekeeper and begging her to come back (two teen sons + one pandemic puppy = giant mess!).
How can WMG members connect with you?
I’d love to connect (I'll follow you back!): Twitter, Instagram (though, be warned, I mainly post pictures of my dog Clark), and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisalombardiLL and https://www.facebook.com/lisa.lombardi.771
Let’s welcome Lauren Moraski!
What do you do?
I'm currently Director, Editor in Chief at Merck where I oversee global content and social strategy. I also teach Media Management and Media Ethics graduate courses at The New School. I've spent my career working in news, most recently at HuffPost and CBS News -- covering entertainment and pop culture.
How did you discover WMG?
Kathy Sandler connected with me on LinkedIn and gave me all the details on the organization. Happy to be here!
What are you reading and/or watching right now?
I have a hard time picking one book, but I just finished Nancy Duarte's Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. It's all about weaving in the power of storytelling into presentations. I'm currently watching the Showtime miniseries The Good Lord Bird. I'm also rewatching Seinfeld -- starting from Season 1. It's very New York and feels like an escape. Though it makes me miss going out.
What is your top career goal right now?
To excel at my current role and see how I can apply everything I'm doing to the next big thing. You'll probably find me somewhere back in the entertainment world.
How can WMG members connect with you?
Let’s welcome Erica Martell!
What do you do?
I help education and media businesses create stellar and targeted marketing business solutions which result in significant ROI, surpassing their competition.
How did you discover WMG?
Kathy Sandler invited me an event a few years back. I loved the comradery of these media mavens.
What are you reading and/or watching right now?
Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love and Writing by Jennifer Weiner. Jennifer has a way of really cutting to the heart of the matter that speaks to me. I just finished watching “Lupin” on Netflix which is a French-based crime mystery thriller. I’m looking forward to the next 5 episodes.
What is your top career goal right now?
My top career goal is to find a job where I can apply my marketing and communication skills and grow with a company that invests in their people.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Going back to live theater. I used to complain about the schlep of getting into the city on a Sunday.
How can WMG members connect with you?
LinkedIn and good ‘ol fashioned e-mail erica@eamartell.com
Let’s welcome new member Jaci Clement!
What do you do?
I'm the CEO and Executive Director of the Fair Media Council, which advocates for quality news and works to create a media-savvy society. It's a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1979, with more than 110,000 members. Technically, FMC is one of the oldest and most successful media watchdog organizations in the country, but I hate that term. Our objective is to make the news and the people in the news better at what they do and to give the public the tools they need to navigate today's media landscape to find relevant and credible information. An educated news consumer is the best way to hold the news media accountable. Everyone says they want news they can believe, so that's the focus of FMC's work. Today's public has tremendous influence in deciding which news outlets live or die. So that's what I do, and it means I do a lot of writing and public speaking. I also have a podcast, FMC Fast Chat, which are 30-minute conversations with notables in news, media, and business. By training, I'm a journalist, and I've worked on the business side of newspapers. This job actually marries up all that I've done.
How did you discover WMG?
I was searching for organizations with a mission that interested me and lots of great people I had yet to meet, and Google brought me to the WMG website. I sent an inquiry and somewhere along the way Kathy reached out to me about becoming a member. So here I am.
What are you reading and/or watching right now?
I confess. I binged out on Bridgerton, and now I'm at a loss for what to watch next. (If anyone has suggestions, please send them my way.) As for books, I always seem to be in the middle of reading several at the same time. Right now, one of Graham Norton's novels -- he's great fun -- and Up in the Old Hotel equally share my attention and disinterest.
What is your top career goal right now?
I actually have a few. Most importantly, carving out personal time is my primary goal, which sounds contradictory on the surface, but I need the downtime from work in order to perform better at work. It's especially challenging at this moment in time because the work of the Fair Media Council is resonating with people like never before -- a very good problem to have, I know, but we need to be vigilant about how we can best develop our work to meet the growing needs of society. If there's one thing that has become apparent in the past few years, it is how great the gap is between what the news media does and what the public thinks it does. There's a huge trickle-down effect to that, from the lack of an informed electorate and a weakened democracy to an inability for important information to make it into the public conversation. Most directly for members of WMG, the ways to promote your brand and tell your story are ever-changing. People spend a lot of money for marketing and promotion. It's not enough to be out there. It needs to be memorable. That's the great challenge for communicators right now. The third goal is to get my book published. The draft has been sitting on my desk for far too long. What a great feeling it will be to complete that!
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
I miss people, I miss places, I miss things! I love to travel and I can't wait to be able to roam around without worrying about my health as well as the health of everyone around me. I've been staying home because it truly is in the best interest of everyone right now. I'm also big on restaurants -- my parents owned one when I was a kid, so it's in my nature to want to hang out in them. To me, they have always been key to my social life. I eat pretty much anything, and food has also been an important vehicle for me to experience cultures and histories.
How can WMG members connect with you?
Find me on Instagram or Facebook. I actually use my real name, so I'm easy to find. Share a photo of your pet and you'll be sure to get my attention.
Let’s welcome new member Pamela Brill!
What do you do?
I run my own freelance writing/editing business, Talking Walnut Media. I am a contributing editor for 3 b-to-b magazines: Gifts & Decorative Accessories for which I pen a monthly toy column, “Play by Play;” Club + Resort Business for which I write design and renovation features; and Club + Resort Chef for which I cover the pastry beat. I am also a frequent contributor to Publishers Weekly and Parents.com. I love that I am able to write about a variety of topics and interests, which enables me to learn something new along with my readers. I also have a side business as a college essay consultant and enjoy helping high school seniors craft their writing into something they are proud to submit to prospective schools.
How did you discover WMG?
I was nominated by Kathy Sandler who reached out to me on LinkedIn.
What are you reading and/or watching right now?
I am never not reading a book (love the double negative!). It’s difficult to pick a favorite, but I enjoy thrillers from Kate White and Tana French. Same goes with shows. I can’t wait for the next season of “Ozark,” and I love watching the dark, dramatic side of Jim Carrey in “Kidding.”
What is your top career goal right now?
I would welcome the opportunity to expand my portfolio by writing for some of the magazines I read. I’m an admitted magazine junkie and subscribe to everything from Real Simple and Southern Living, to People and Entertainment Weekly. I would also like to grow my college editing consultancy; my business has doubled from the previous year and I’m confident that more students can benefit from my expertise.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
I miss seeing movies and live theater and can’t wait to sink into a cushy seat with my box of Twizzlers and my husband next to me. Because our house is being renovated, I will welcome the day that I can invite my entire family over for a real meal.
How can WMG members connect with you?
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Let’s welcome new member Laura Baisas!
What do you do?
I am in the middle of a career transition. I spent 12 years at NBC News, writing and producing educational videos for the web. My whole department found out we were being shut down the week before the COVID lockdown (March 6th!), which was really tough timing. I stayed on until July to wind the site down. I am now a freelance science writer and a transcriber with Transcript Associates. I am also waiting to hear back from a Master's program that starts in the fall. It's been daunting since this is my first real career transition, but supportive groups like WMG and my family have helped me when it's been scary.
How did you discover WMG?
Kathy Sandler! She reached out to me on LinkedIn and we had a great conversation. She reached me at a time when I really needed it. My lay-off hurt my self-esteem, even though there wasn't anything that I could do about it. Kathy helped me realize that this was just a transition phase and that I still have professional value. It's just on pause and needs some re-setting. It was a small act of kindness that really went a long way.
What are you reading and/or watching right now?
I am loving Braiding Sweetgrass. It's one of the best books I've read in a while. Robin writes the way I hope to one day. Her unique writing style as a scientist and a poet really makes the chapters fly by. I also loved In Five Years. I read it over the summer and I'm re-reading it now. It's a fun twist on the "What if?" literary theme. I also am loving "Dickinson" on Apple TV+, "WandaVision" on Disney+, and "All Creatures Great and Small" on PBS. They all have the power to distract me so I'm completely immersed in a different world. With pandemic and job stress, I've really been looking for that kind of distraction in the media I consume.
What is your top career goal right now?
Really keep honing my skills as a science writer and learn how to freelance well. I LOVE science but was never encouraged to pursue a career in STEM because I am terrible at math. Science writing is my way of being a scientist without having to solve any equations. I'm a bit scared of the notion of being on my own and not part of a large company, but right now, that seems to be the best thing to do.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Hugging my nieces and nephews. My husband and I haven't seen them in person since Christmas 2019, and I miss them so much it hurts. Also, BROADWAY!
How can WMG members connect with you?
I love a nice email! It's like getting a greeting card amidst junk mail and bills.
Twitter @LorPicardo
Instagram @lpbaisas
Website https://www.laurabaisas.com/
Let’s welcome new member Jen Loja!
What do you do?
I am the President of the Penguin Young Readers Group (a division of Penguin Random House)
How did you discover WMG?
I was asked by a fellow member, and I am so excited to learn more about the WMG and its members!
What are you reading and / or watching now?
It’s Meet the Austins by Madeline L’Engle (I’m a typical only child that loved stories of wonderful families), and right now we are binging “Staged” (it’s ridiculous and silly and just what my husband and I needed. And when our 6 year old is in charge of the clicker it’s all “Bluey” all the time.
What is your top career goal right now?
To find a way to help my group figure out a Future of Work scenario that works for the whole team. I think to manage to pull off some sort of hybrid situation that gives us the best of being in the office but the delight of more time for whatever we care about outside of work will be a very big project but an incredibly important one. I know we can figure this out!
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Probably the same things many of you are, sitting around a dinner table with friends, travelling to family we haven’t been able to see, and I absolutely cannot wait to hear live music again.
How can WMG members connect with you?
Feel free to reach me at: jrhloja@gmail.com or via LinkedIn.
We are pleased to introduce new member Ceneta Lee-Williams to WMG!
What do you do?
I am a Sales Director at Penguin Random House.
How did you discover WMG?
I was invited to join by Kathy Sandler, who is a colleague.
What are you reading and / or watching now?
My most recent favorite book read is Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. Favorite show is Fargo and a lot of syndicated comedy – Black-ish; King of Queens – to name a few.
What is your top career goal right now?
My career goal is to be able to work remotely and get a better work-life balance in the years before retirement.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
I look forward to seeing family and friends post quarantine. Other things I enjoy and look forward to doing more of post Covid are yoga, going to concerts, listening to music and, of course, reading.
How can WMG members connect with you?
LinkedIn.
We are pleased to introduce new member Sandra Poirier Smith to WMG!
What do you do?
I'm the President of Smith Publicity. Since 1997, we’ve partnered closely with thousands of authors and publishers from NY Times bestsellers to first-time authors, to promote their books, brands and ideas.
How did you discover WMG?
Kathy Sandler (thank you, Kathy!)
What are you reading and / or watching now?
My favorite series is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon—it’s smart, beautiful writing, has some great history, plus a riveting romantic storyline. I’ve been reading her work for 20+ years. Right now, I just started listening to The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. What I am watching: I'm switching between Handmaid’s Tale (how did I miss this?!) and re-watching from the first season The Real Housewives of New York (no judgement please on my Bravo television ).
What is your top career goal right now?
Networking with authors and publishing professionals, taking care of our amazing team of book publicists as they’ve been challenged over this past year with a tough media landscape, while often also caring for family members young and old, and continuing to find creative solutions that help our authors/publishers elevate their brands, spark book sales, and attract new business opportunities (clients, fans/followers, speaking engagements, etc.).
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Eating out (really not cooking/cleaning up for our family of six!), travelling (we had to cancel a trip my husband surprised me with last February to Post Ranch Inn—it looks incredible—any tips in this area most welcomed for when we do get there hopefully later this year), and mostly seeing my 84-year-old dad!
How can WMG members connect with you?
Email Sandy@SmithPublicity.com, LinkedIn, I am on Twitter, but rarely tweet .
We are pleased to introduce new member Janet O'Grady to WMG!
What do you do?
I am a writer, editor, and entrepreneur who co-founded Aspen Magazine with my late husband, and was its Editor in Chief and Creative Director for 25 years. My experience includes running all aspects of a niche media business. I sold the business a couple years ago, and embarked on an extended travel sabbatical, including experimenting with living in NYC—which I love—and as a base for travel, and to do a deep dive of its culture. Recently I’ve returned to writing and have published stories in the NYT Travel; Washington Post Travel; Vogue; and Architectural Digest. In addition to luxury and adventure travel, I’m knowledgeable and passionate about art; design; food; and the environment. I’m fascinated to push the envelop on notions of wellness, regeneration, longevity, and social justice.
How did you discover WMG?
Call it serendipity, but with the pandemic curtailing travel and my freelance travel writing, which I was just beginning to launch, I was looking for ways to connect in the media world in NYC when I received an email from Kathy Sandler. Pleased to be nominated to a group of such talented professionals. Look forward to meeting members in person too.
What are you reading and / or watching now?
I’ve read a lot this past year. Just finished Shuggie Bain, a book that totally engrossed me with its insights into a child’s relationship with an addictive parent, as well as its depiction of Glasgow, and poverty, during the 1980s-90s. Also reading a lot of memoirs. Just finished Suleika Jaouad’s Between Two Kindgoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted. With gripping intimacy the story reminds us how life can be turned upside down in a moment with a cancer diagnosis. Her story spoke to me personally as I lost my husband to a similar cancer. The book explores so many powerful ideas, including time and isolation and connection and creativity that also resonated for many during the pandemic. In my stack to start this week: the novels Love Is An Ex-Country; How Beautiful We Were, and, Joan Didion’s Let Me Tell You What I Mean. Recently watched Biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and just this weekend—didn’t realize how viciously hounded she was by the FBI!— the riveting I Care A Lot and Nomadland.
What is your top career goal right now?
After time out, followed by the pandemic, I’m feeling fire in my belly—as the expression goes— to create new projects. I’m working on a book—not sure if it will be a memoir about my love affair with my husband and our adventures, or fiction. Taking my first writing workshop in April. I equally love to balance solitary time writing and collaborating with others to create a brand or enterprise; love working with authors. Editing is an art form that I wish was more valued. I have always remembered the words of a mentor: “the better the writer you are, the better the editor you need.” I love everything about books, from chasing a story concept and author to their physicalness to their lives as convenient digital reads on my iPhone.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
I love the energy of NYC street life and roaming around with my Sony camera. I miss live jazz like the Blue Note, purchasing last minute discount tickets to theatre, and grabbing a bite in a crowded bar afterwards and striking up a conversation with a stranger. I know the City will reinvent itself. I’m obsessed with traveling again.
How can WMG members connect with you?
I am on LinkedIn and on Instagram @janet___ogrady. My email address is JanetOAse@gmail.com. I’m also on Muckrack.
We are pleased to introduce new member Anna Halkidis to WMG!
What do you do?
I’m currently the features editor at Parents.com.
How did you discover WMG?
Through Kathy Sandler!
What are you reading and / or watching now?
I’m a sucker for motivational books and just finished reading The Buddha and the Badass: The Secret Spiritual Art of Succeeding at Work by Vishen Lakhiani, the co-founder of Mindvalley. I really enjoy reading people’s success stories and all the lessons they learned along the way. As for shows, I’ve been binge-watching Netflix ones, including Virgin River (love it!), and just started Firefly Lane (also really liking it!).
What is your top career goal right now?
I hope to write for more publications that I love and to publish a children’s book I am working on.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
I am really looking forward to traveling, going to concerts, and just being around all my relatives and friends again. I also really miss going into the office!
How can WMG members connect with you?
You can find me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or connect via email annahalkidis@gmail.com.
We are pleased to introduce new member Cheryl Overton to WMG!
What do you do?
I am the Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Cheryl Overton Communications, an integrated marketing communications advisory that helps brands navigate its relationships with stakeholders via the voices, influence and persuasive power of multicultural consumers. We believe brands with vision can help make the world a more inclusive place.
How did you discover WMG?
I was approached by Kathy Sandler and found value in the programs and community WMG offered.
What are you reading and / or watching now?
It's hard to choose but my favorite book is The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. It's a depiction of racism, Black beauty and the fetishization of western beauty standards. My grandmother gave the book to me while I was in middle school and. before book clubs were 'a thing,' we read it together, delved into the language and themes and processed the emotions it evoked. It was my introduction to Morrison and I've been hooked ever since. This book is also a dear reminder of how my grandmother always respected my mind, honored my personage and supported me to embrace challenging content that would benefit me. I reread the book every fews years and always take something new from it.
I have been watching so many shows recently - my iPhone weekly screen time report is on the increase! I just finished WandaVision (Disney+) and though I'm not a Marvel disciple I loved the series - a fantasy with heart featuring a bevy of strong women. It's also a meditation on grief that is defly handled - kudos to that writer's room! I'm also watching Queen Sugar (OWN) - it is probably the most beautifully shot show on TV right now - and actor Kofi Siriboe is eye candy extraordinaire! My TV 'comfort food' these days are Seinfeld and The King of Queens repeats - one is always on around my bedtime. I enjoy the familiar jokes and fictional look at NYC when times were gentler pre-COVID.
What is your top career goal right now?
To scale my business -- adding more clients, more employees and more partners to collaborate with and do this important work of making campaigns more diverse and inclusive.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Travel! I am an avid traveler normally and miss seeing the world.
How can WMG members connect with you?
Instagram
Welcome Nina Lorez Collins to WMG!
What do you do?
I founded and run a social platform and website for women over 40 called The Woolfer.
How did you discover WMG?
I’ve been familiar with WMG for years because I've worked in book publishing for 18 years (I was a scout, then a literary agent) but never joined. Then someone invited me and I said yes!
What is your favorite book and the show that you're watching now?
Favorite author is probably Alice Munro and I’m loving Call My Agent on Netflix now.
What is your top career goal right now?
We’re trying to either sell the Woolfer or merge with someone larger. We’ve received an offer and a few interesting possibilities, but the right thing has not quite gelled yet.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Travel.
How can WMG members connect with you?
I’m easy to find — nina@thewoolfer.com/ Nina Lorez Collins on FB and Instagram.
Welcome Susan Jaramillo to WMG!
What do you do?
I’m an artist and a storyteller and I create character-based meaningful stories for kids that help teach them 21st-century skills. My stories come to life through books, animated content & apps where kids can learn and play. I’m also the creator of Canticos™ and Skeletitos™ – and the co-creator of Tiny Travelers™. I do all of this at a company I cofounded in 2016 called Encantos. Encantos is an award-winning edtech company that believes kids learn best through play; we use story-teaching to make 21st-century learning fun via digital and physical subscriptions.
How did you discover WMG?
LinkedIn.
What is your favorite book and the show that you're watching now?
100 de Soledad. Love it because it's the story of my family – my father’s Venezuelan family and my mother's Ecuadorian family. All of the madness, all of the crazy things taken for granted. I know those characters well.
I just finished The Morning Show (loved - though not sure about the ending.) I love how they addressed gender dynamics in the workplace – How the men don’t see it as a big deal, how the women succeeding enable it casually – and how devastating it can be. I wish it hadn’t ended so abruptly. I’d love to see it go further and help us model out how we could change things the way The West Wing did for politics.
What is your top career goal right now?
Build Build Build. I feel like I’m in the zone with what Encantos is doing. We are also now at a place where we can help other talented creators tell their stories. We’re out to disrupt the old way of telling stories. #BreakTheWheel
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Travel. Anywhere.
How can WMG members connect with you?
You can follow me at @sujaramillo (Twitter & IG) and our brands at @Canticosworld @GoTinyTravelers @Skeletitos
Welcome Irina Soriano to WMG!
What do you do?
I am the Head of Enablement at a SaaS company called Seismic. I am based in NYC. Outside of my work, I am an author waiting to publish my first book in March and I spend a lot of time educating on the lack of gender equality in the workplace through my social media presence.
How did you discover WMG?
I was introduced to WMG through my editor Candi Cross.
What is your favorite book and show that you're watching now?
My favorite book is Radical Candor. Being a female leader it has taught me a lot about the balance of managerial courage, honesty, and pushing my people to be their best while making sure they know I deeply care about them and their development.
The show I am currently re-watching is Breaking Bad. My husband got me hooked on this show years ago when we were living in Singapore and we decided to watch it again to fill some of our weekend quarantine boredom.
What is your top career goal right now?
Get to the C-Suite.
What are you looking forward to most post-quarantine?
Go to bars and restaurants in NYC, and hang out with all my friends and family again.
How can WMG members connect with you?
Welcome Nicole Op Den Bosch to WMG!
What do you do?
I am the Director of Operations for Audible Originals and I keep the trains running on time so that great audio content can reach our customers. Outside of Audible, I am the Founder and Head Coach of Sun Seed Sessions, a coaching practice dedicated to helping women with personal and professional challenges.
How did you discover WMG?
My colleague told me about it and thought I would be a great fit!
What is your favorite book and show that you're watching now?
My favorite book is Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut. I appreciate characters that do not sit in either a 'good' or 'bad' space, characters that may or may not be the villain. Currently, I am obsessing over The Crown and very caught up in royal fever.
What is your top career goal right now?
My top career goal right now is expanding my coaching practice and helping overworked, overlooked and overwhelmed women.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
Hosting my family in my new home and being able to greet them with a hug!
How can WMG members connect with you?
You can keep up with my adventures on Instagram @sunseedsessions and also on LinkedIn.
Welcome Lisa Skriloff to WMG!
What do you do?
I am the founder (1994) and president of Multicultural Marketing Resources, Inc (Multicultural.com,) publisher of Multicultural Marketing News (MMRNews) and The Source Book of Multicultural Experts and a consultant and writer on diversity, marketing and travel.
As a consultant I provide marketing support and public relations services to corporations as well as ad agencies and other communications firms involved in marketing to Hispanics, African Americans, Asian Americans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ consumers and women- and minority- business owners. And I help connect journalists to diverse sources.
At the same time, I have continued my freelance travel writing for trade and consumer travel publications and for my blog/newsletter Multicultural Travel News.
As a ballroom dance enthusiast I blog about where to go dancing around the world at Dance Travel News (dancetravelnews.com.) With Jodie Gould I co-authored an early book about internet dating, Men Are From Cyberspace: The Single Woman’s Guide to Finding Love Online published by St. Martin’s Press in December 1997.
How did you discover WMG?
As an editor I am on the receiving end of press releases and I decided to join the organization when I learned about it from this one: "Women’s Media Group Establishes Scholarship for Young Women Interested in Publishing Careers Who Attend the NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Publishing - Summer Publishing Institute." By the way, I also taught a course at NYU SPS for 11 years which I had proposed: “Marketing to the New Majority: How to Reach the Multicultural Consumer."
What's your favorite book and show that you're watching now?
I'm a big fan of the authors Lorrie Moore, Deborah Tannen and Patricia Highsmith, having read all their books. I’m currently re-reading Highsmith’s Deep Water in anticipation of the forthcoming movie starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas. On Netflix, inspired by Borgen we visited Copenhagen last year and I seek out any show taking place in Spain where I lived for two years. Good thing we watched “Trapped” an Icelandic TV crime drama series, after we had already been to Iceland.
What's your top career goal right now?
With my upgraded and redesigned website launching in January, which will allow companies to post their own profile and news, I hope to have more free time away from the computer for consulting, writing and, one day, travel.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
Going to the movies, Broadway shows, restaurants and trips to Las Vegas, Madrid, and a European river cruise.
How can WMG members connect with you?
I welcome connections!
Welcome Jennifer Maguire to WMG!
What do you do?
I bring to media the stories and news from great brands, personalities, entertainment, and nonprofits.
How did you discover WMG?
I discovered WMG through my dear friend, mentor, and collaborator Bridget Marmion, a publishing and thought leader event guru.
What's your favorite book and show that you're watching now?
At the moment, I’m reading City of Angles by former Los Angeles Times editor William Loving. It follows a reporter’s epiphany following a series of events that leave him jobless and homeless . . . with a bit of sex thrown in! Quarantine doubled my screen time, so in my free time, I’ve turned to podcasts as respite. My favorite is The Positive Mind Radio Show which I find very soothing and empowering.
What's your top career goal right now?
My career goal is to keep working, growing, and mentoring in my field.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
I’m most looking forward to getting a massage post quarantine.
How can WMG members connect with you?
Welcome Elizabeth Shaw to WMG!
What do you do?
I’m the Editor in Chief of HealthCentral, a consumer health site dedicated to informing, supporting, and empowering people with chronic illness.
How did you discover WMG?
Chandra Turner!
What is your favorite book and show that you're watching now?
I’m currently obsessed with Peaky Blinders. The writing. The sets. Cillian Murphy! Favorite book is harder…so many…but one of my top reads of the last couple of years is A Gentleman in Moscow.
What is your top career goal right now?
I made the switch from print magazines to digital just over a year ago, so I consider myself still deep in a learning phase. My goal is simply to become as skilled in digital content strategy as I was in print.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
Having drinks in a packed bar with every single one of my friends at the same time. And dancing. Dancing will be key.
How can WMG members connect with you?
I’m on Insta @elizanneshaw and HC’s Insta is @healthcentraldotcom
Welcome Brett Rachlin to WMG!
What do you do?
I am an accomplished advertising and marketing professional with over 20 years work experience on the agency, client and publishing side of the marketing, advertising and promotions industry. I know how to grow a business in the digital space and beyond. I understand advertising, sales reps, print production, the creative process, project management, editorial needs, and meeting deadlines. I am able to take ideas and go back to the teams to execute them and bring them to fruition. I think the best way to describe who I am in the workspace and at home is by my values. I live my life by my sense of integrity; I am hard working, pragmatic, ambitious, traditional, and responsible. I get things done, and can delegate and execute like a pro. I have a business brain and use it not only at work but also in my home life. A calendar is my best friend. I like to be organized and be on top of what needs to get done. When I start a project, I am in it for the long haul. I know anything worth having take times, perseverance and hard work. I look forward to bringing my background and expertise to the table.
How did you discover WMG?
Julie Blattberg and I worked together at Harper Collins. She reached out when I posted that I was laid off at the end of March and nominated me to be a part of the group. I am so happy she did and I am super excited to meet other strong woman in the media world.
What is your favorite book and show that you're watching now?
I have been re-reading books since we have been home, I re-read Beach Music by Pat Conroy and Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. And I just pulled out Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies to re-read. As for shows, my husband and I started Ozark and we are obsessed!!
What is your top career goal right now?
I am looking for my next opportunity in the media world.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
I am looking forward to what ever the new normal is for us.
How can WMG members connect with you?
You can find me at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettcrachlin/
Welcome Quressa Robinson to WMG!
What do you do?
I am a literary agent at Nelson Literary Agency
How did you discover WMG?
I heard about it a few years ago when I was working as an Assistant Editor. I was looking to make my next career move and was looking for professional organizations that might provide support.
What is your favorite book and show that you're watching now?
I just binged Julie and the Phantoms. And I can't help but watch the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy every once in a while. In terms of reading, I'll have to say this year has been pretty busy for me so I haven't had much of a chance to read outside of work. And when it comes to favorites, that Kindle folder has over 100 titles, so I don't have just one. I suppose some are A Discovery of Witches, The Night Circus, Uprooted, any paranormal/urban fantasy romance from Nalini Singh, and The Kiss Quotient.
What is your top career goal right now?
I really enjoy working with authors, especially marginalized authors. It feels like such a great accomplishment to get my client's books into readers' hands--particularly readers who feel like they are seeing their experiences reflected for the first time. I'd love to do more of that ten-fold as well as continue to mentor pub professionals of color and help them stick it out in such a tough industry. It was just announced that I am one of the 40 PW Star Watch honorees this year. Hopefully, this means I'm closer to achieving my goals than I realized.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
I suppose just the freedom of going out on a whim, stopping for a drink, or hanging at a cafe. I've been working at home since 2016 so going out for meetings and social engagements were the only time I left the house. It will be nice to do that again.
How can WMG members connect with you?
https://twitter.com/qnrisawesome
Welcome Dinah Dunn to WMG!
What do you do?
I am a partner in Indelible Editions, a book producer that specializes in illustrated nonfiction. When I left Hachette, I joined forces with the design team of RHDNYC, whom I’ve always admired. Now we make beautiful books together!
How did you discover WMG?
Julie Blattberg gave an interesting talk at the APBA, so I reached out to her about potentially working together. She was kind enough to nominate me for WMG.
What are you reading and watching right now?
One of the small bright sides of quarantine is that I’ve read a ton of terrific fiction, including Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson, News of the World by Paulette Jiles, The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel, and Weather by Jenny Offill.
On television, I get my weekly dose of frustrating knowledge from John Oliver’sLast Week Tonight and have been rewatching Parks and Recreation for a guaranteed laugh when I need it.
What is your top career goal right now?
While I spent most of my career championing books in house that I wanted to acquire, it’s a different set of skills to approach publishers with projects and negotiate deals. I’m learning every day and look forward to feeling as confident about pitching as I do about editing.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
I’m close with my family and, although we have group Zooms and chats, I can’t wait to get together and give them all a hug.
How can WMG members connect with you?
I can be reached through LinkedIn and the Indelible Editions website.
Welcome Liza Andrews to WMG!
What do you do?
I am a multimedia professional. As I photographer, I do fine art, luxury portraits, fashion and advertising. I teach workshops and webinars on my two signature methods, "How to Become Photogenic" and "How To Enhance Professional Presence". As a writer, in the past five years, I have been writing and curating articles about career and lifestyle for the Portuguese-speaking online magazine Arte & Manhas da Mulher. I wrote two young-adult novels commissioned by a Portuguese school; and I am currently writing the self-help book You Beyond The Mirror, sharing the creation of my methods, discussing case studies all over the globe and my twenty years of experience using photography, video cameras and audio recordings to help people improve their personal and professional lives.
How did you discover WMG?
I photographed author Susan MacKenty Brady, who was featured in the January ’19 event, “Conquer Your Inner Critic, Stop Making Excuses” with pro development legend, Sally Hegelsen. I was highly impressed with the content, format and location of this discussion. As a guest at other events, I loved the level of interaction and supportive energy among members.
Your favorite book and the show that you're watching now?
I'm always reading and writing, and I have favorites in different genres. Since I work with "Reinvention", I'm delighted when (accidentally or not) I find books about the subject. One of my favorites is "Tipping the Velvet" by Sarah Waters. This story is sometimes simplistically labeled "a love story" or a "lesbian story", when it's actually about a woman in the controlling atmosphere of the 1890's, who has the rare opportunity of experiencing multiple roles until she discovers her true self. Regarding TV shows, I'm currently enamored by Netflix's "Unorthodox", about a woman's attempt to escape a Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn. Riveting. I love the writing, directing, and the way they chose to tell the story, alternating current action with chunks of the past, which are not mere flashbacks, but a journey into habits, expectations, and rituals of a community that not everyone is familiar with. Brilliant acting that reminded me of Elizabeth Moss in The Handmaid's Tale; and a young character so emotionally relatable (even if you never faced any of her challenges) you can't stop rooting for her.
What is your top career goal right now?
Boost my network of other creative professionals in New York City to collaborate on projects and share resources.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
Personally, I miss hanging out with friends, attending cultural events, and going to the theater. I also love cooking and hosting parties. I can't wait to have guests over for brunch or the Intellectual Wine Studios my spouse and I normally do every month. Professionally, I'm counting the days to return to studio work, photographing clients, teaching workshops in person (instead of only online), and exploring gorgeous locations outdoors with my production team, to create my next fine art collection.
How can WMG members connect with you?
My fellow members can contact me directly by email liza@picturecure.com, and I'll be glad to connect on LinkedIn.
For Workshops and Webinars: http://www.picturecure.com/
For Fine art, Portraits, Fashion and Advertising: http://www.lizaandrews.
Welcome Nevin Mays to WMG!
What do you do?
I'm currently a freelance children's book editor. I work mostly with new authors who hope to get an agent and a traditional publishing deal; with indie authors who are self-publishing; and occasionally do copyediting and proofreading for traditional publishers.
How did you discover WMG?
Kathy Sandler suggested I check it out, and if Kathy recommends it, I take her word for it! I was privileged to have worked with her and learned from her at Scholastic Book Clubs on their e-reading app.
What's your favorite book and a show that you're watching now?
Despite the orange of the cover, which was a turnoff for me from my vantage point at the cash register of the bookstore I was working for at the time, Where's Halmoni?, by Julie J. Kim, is so creative and beautiful! You can just read it straight through and you'll have had a fun reading experience. But if you pay careful attention to the endpapers, you'll have a deeper experience. If you fill in the Korean words and the Korean folklore from the backmatter the story springs to life. It's a rainy-Saturday, long afternoon, lap read and re-read.
As for TV, I've just started the last season of Schitt's Creek. I avoided it because of the name, but once I started it was hard to turn it off and go to bed. The characters are terrible and loving and real and over-the-top all at once and I spend every episode thinking I just want everything to work out okay for everyone.
What's your top career goal right now?
I moved back to NYC in February with a goal of working in-house again, this time as an acquisitions editor. I previously acquired children's audiobook rights for Listening Library. Now I want to combine my freelance experiences of working directly with authors with my market knowledge from my previous years in-house and at a bookstore to support authors' and publishers' businesses.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
Being able to shop for furniture and home decorations. I don't want to order sight unseen, but I need a dining table. We didn't finish furnishing our place before NYC went into lockdown. We eat dinner on TV trays. Watching Schitt's Creek.
WMG members can connect with Nevin via LinkedIn or via her website.
Welcome Elisa Ung to WMG!
What do you do?
I’m a book collaborator and ghostwriter who specializes in stories of food, mental health, and self-improvement. I have a background as a restaurant critic and news reporter.
How did you discover WMG?
I took a ghostwriting intensive last fall with Michelle Burford, a book collaborator whose work I admire. Michelle recommended that I join WMG, and another awesome ghostwriter colleague, Kathy Huck, was kind enough to nominate me.
What's your favorite book and a show that you're watching now?
“The Diary of Anne Frank” has been my favorite book since elementary school and boy, does it resonate today.
My 10-year-old son and I just finished watching “Home Before Dark” on Apple TV +. What a great quarantine watch: it follows a 9-year-old reporter as she tries to solve a 30-year-old mystery. The show requires some suspension of disbelief, for sure, but I’m impressed by how much it gets right about being a journalist and being a curious child.
What's your top career goal right now?
I’d like to co-author more books for major publishers. I just finished a three-author memoir with recipes about a Vietnamese refugee and her American host, and their lifelong friendship and acclaimed restaurant (scheduled for a spring 2021 release by Chronicle Books). I am also working on a prescriptive mental health project with a psychiatrist.
What are you looking forward to most post quarantine?
Live theater! I try to see as many Broadway and off-Broadway shows as possible. Stephen Sondheim’s virtual birthday celebration helped tide me over, and I can’t wait for the “Hamilton” movie in July.