Thursday, February 12, 6:30 p.m. ET

Strand Bookstore, 828 Broadway, NYC

WMG members only; FREE

Join Women’s Media Group Board member Kathleen Schmidt for an evening of bookstore love and camaraderie! We'll meet at 6:30 at the Strand Bookstore to wander and stock up on its rows of 2.5 million used, new, and rare books. At 7:30, we'll regroup and walk three blocks to The Smith in the East Village for a communal dinner to talk about our favorite books.

Note: attendees pay for their own books, food, and beverages.

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.

Tuesday, February 17, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

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

As AI tools become ubiquitous in writing and reporting, many professionals are asking the same questions: what's allowed? What’s ethical? And what could put my work—or job—at risk? Join Women’s Media Group for a timely, actionable discussion on the ramifications of using AI in creative industries. This WMG AI Series program brings together experts in AI ethics to unpack what responsible AI use actually looks like and answer urgent practical questions about ethics, ownership, and professional responsibility. Panelists will address what writers and journalists should—and should not—do when using AI, the business risks organizations must consider, and how to draft and follow effective AI ethics guidelines. This session is designed to help creatives make informed decisions in a fast-changing landscape. Learn how to approach copyright and attribution and use AI thoughtfully, legally, and in ways that protect both your work and your values.

Meet the speakers:

Caroline Chubb Calderon is the Founder & CEO of Hello Humanity and Ayu, two organizations dedicated to building concrete paths toward our evolutionary future in the age of artificial intelligence. A global advisor on AI futures and systemic risks, she has worked with organizations including Google, Microsoft, and the World Economic Forum. A leading voice in AI, she helped shape IEEE's Ethically Aligned Design framework (2017) and is recognized as one of the Top 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics.

Marie Gilot is the Executive Director of J+ at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, where she leads professional development programs for journalists navigating a rapidly changing media landscape. She established the first generative AI training lab for journalists and is a member of the school’s AI Advisory board. She previously served as a program officer at the Knight Foundation, supporting journalism and innovation initiatives, and began her career as a newspaper reporter in Texas before becoming publisher of an online investigative news outlet. Marie holds degrees from CUNY, the University of Texas at El Paso, and Princeton University.

Sarah Montana is a writer, storyteller, and speaker. She is the author of multiple scripts for the Hallmark Channel, including A New Year's Resolution, If I Only Had Christmas, Two Turtle Doves, Rescuing Christmas, and Love to the Rescue. Her TEDx Lincoln Square talk, The Real Risk of Forgiveness—and Why It’s Worth It, was transcribed in five languages and amassed 1.3 million views. Sarah is a council member for the film/TV/streaming sector and Co-Chair of the AI Taskforce for the Writers Guild of America East.

Adaora Udoji works with companies and investors to drive emerging technology from idea to adoption—supporting transformation and the story that drives it. She is an operator, executive advisor, and storyteller who works at the nexus of emerging technology and digital transformation. She helps organizations execute innovation and build ecosystems that enable executives to integrate and scale emerging technologies like AI, 5G, and virtual production. A former award‑winning correspondent for ABC News and CNN, her work has earned Peabody, DuPont‑Columbia, and Emmy honors, and Essence magazine named her one of the “25 Most Influential African Americans.” She also teaches storytelling, the business of technologies, and product development at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the UCLA School of Law.

Meet the moderator:

Tara Jacobi is a publishing professional and attorney licensed in New York and California. With almost a decade of practice, she worked in the private sector in New York City, for nonprofits, and for state governments. In 2024, she obtained a Master's degree in publishing from George Washington University, focusing on the business and legal aspects of the publishing industry. She is an editor, published writer, and writing instructor. Tara is currently editing legal titles for Carolina Academic Press and literary fiction for Running Wild Press. Prior to this, she spent four years as a managing editor for a legal trade association's law journal. She is the author of Artificial Intelligence As a Creative, which appeared in the November 2025 issue of the Journal of Ethics in Publishing.

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

Monday, February 23, 12:00 p.m. ET

Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Conference Room 1501, NYC

WMG members only; FREE

Are you looking for a job, underemployed, or planning to pivot? Women’s Media Group is pleased to present our first Job Seekers event of the year to network, share tips, and offer support. Come join us for a free, in-person, members-only small group session. Connect with each other, hear from an expert, and come armed with questions! Former WMG Membership Chair Susan McCulloch will be in conversation with WMG Board member Keline Adams, Director of DEI at Penguin Random House. Feel free to bring your own lunch.

Meet the speakers:

Keline Adams is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Penguin Random House, whose expertise lies in working with companies and organizations to elevate the role of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) into their cultures and programming.

Susan McCulloch is the Director of BookWalker Global, a Manga digital reading store. Her experience is rooted in publishing, with expertise in eBook hardware and software, platform development, omnichannel implementations, content management and operations, publisher/vendor relations, and team building.

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

WMG members only; FREE (Zoom)

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, our many volunteers are behind the scenes, creating the vibrant and supportive organization we all love.

If you've ever thought about becoming more involved in the WMG community, now’s the time! We’re looking for new committee members and leaders. Join Co-Presidents Jane Wesman and Jodi Brockington, along with our Board of Directors, for a virtual social 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.

WMG Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington (left) and Jane Wesman, along with other WMG Board Members, are hosting this virtual social.

A Special Event Co-Sponsored with the Society of Illustrators

Thursday, March 19, 5:30 p.m. ET

Society of Illustrators, 128 E. 63rd St., NYC

$25 for WMG and Society of Illustrators members; $30 for non-members

5:15 Doors open

5:30 Screening of film: Women Laughing

6:10 Panel discussion

6:40-7:30 Reception

Join acclaimed cartoonists Roz Chast, Liza Donnelly, and Emily Flake for a private screening of the new documentary Women Laughing, in which director and producer Donnelly explores her lifelong passion for women’s humor and cartooning with a probing look at the history of women cartoonists at The New Yorker. The film offers a unique insider’s look at the state of women’s humor over the last century through the perspectives of pioneering women cartoonists, then and now, who have wrestled with some of the central social issues of our time in a field historically dominated by men. Inspired by Donnelly’s book, Very Funny Ladies, it features intimate conversations with some of the most celebrated and groundbreaking New Yorker cartoonists, including our featured guests, as well as Sarah Akinterinwa, Liana Fink, Amy Hwang, and Bishakh Som. In a post-screening panel discussion, the film’s producer, Judith Mizrachy, talks with Chast, Donnelly, and Flake about their creative processes and current challenges and opportunities for women cartoonists.

Panelists:

Roz Chast was born in Brooklyn and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her cartoons and covers have appeared continuously in The New Yorker since 1978. She has published cartoon collections, graphic memoirs, and children’s books, including I Must Be Dreaming, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? (National Book Critics Circle Award, Kirkus Prize, and short-listed for a National Book Award), and Going Into Town (New York City Book Award). In 2024, President Joe Biden honored Chast with a National Humanities Medal. You can learn more about her here: rozchast.com.

Liza Donnelly is a writer and cartoonist for The New Yorker, where she has been drawing cartoons and writing about culture for forty years. She has been a contributor to CBS News and CNN, creating political cartoons and animation, and writes and draws for publications including The New York Times, CNN, and The Washington Post. Donnelly’s popular TED Talk, Drawing on Humor for a Change, has been viewed over 1.5 million times. Donnelly was a Cultural Envoy for the US State Department and is the author/editor of many books, most notably Very Funny Ladies, a history of women cartoonists of The New Yorker. You can learn more about her here: lizadonnelly.com.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Pet the Dog Productions

Emily Flake is a cartoonist-writer-comic-teacher-illustrator from Brooklyn. She contributes cartoons and writing to The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, The New York Times, and many other publications. She has created backdrops for Broadway, runs a monthly stand-up show, is the owner and operator of St. Nell’s Humor Writing Residency in Pennsylvania, and was a Yaddo Fellow in 2025. You can learn more about her here: emilyflake.com.

Photo credit: Mindy Tucker

Judith Mizrachy is a New York City-based independent producer. Her films include The Martha Mitchell Effect (nominated for a 2023 Academy Award® for Best Short Documentary), The Booksellers, and Uncropped. Her films have been viewed on big screens around the world and on small screens via Netflix, the Criterion Channel, The New Yorker, and more. You can learn more about her here: judithmizrachy.com.

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.

Important Venue Note: this event will take place on the third floor, which is only accessible via stairs. Bathrooms are also only accessible via stairs.

By registering for this event, your email address will be added to the Society of Illustrators and Women’s Media Group mailing lists.

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