Tuesday, September 22, 12:15-2 p.m. ET (doors open at noon)

Bond 45, 221 W. 46th Street 221 (between Broadway & 8th Avenue), NYC

$75 for members; $85 for non-members; $35 for active Scholars

Three-course lunch included

WMG is proud to announce the third collaboration with Ms. magazine in our popular and esteemed series exploring the role of women’s leadership, voices, and stories in journalism. For this edition, a panel of distinguished journalists will discuss how women in media can steer and influence the national discourse. This year’s conversation will focus on the need for active and accessible feminist journalism today and in the future. Where is it being done? What are the most effective approaches? What are the challenges? Who’s listening, and who’s not listening?

Ms. and WMG are united in the mission to ensure that women’s voices are represented and prioritized as stories get reported and history and policy get made. Join us for this important conversation.

Meet the moderator:

Juju Chang is a multiple Emmy Award-winning journalist and co-anchor of ABC News Nightline. A trailblazer known for her powerful storytelling, she regularly contributes to Good Morning America, 20/20, and Hulu’s Impact X Nightline. Her in-depth reporting over four decades spans the COVID pandemic, mass shootings, climate migration, and gender-based violence across the globe. Juju's acclaimed coverage includes “Stop the Hate,” addressing anti-Asian violence, and “Murder in Atlanta,” which earned a Front Page Award. She has also received honors from GLAAD, Peabody, DuPont, and Murrow for her long-form pieces on immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and mental health. Born in Seoul and raised in Sunnyvale, California, Juju began at ABC as a desk assistant and rose to national prominence. A Stanford alumna, she’s dedicated to numerous AANHPI community organizations, serves on the Board of 92NY, and co-founded the Korean American Community Foundation. She lives in New York with her husband, Neal Shapiro, and their three sons.

Meet the speakers:

Nina Burleigh is a journalist, bestselling author, documentary producer, and publisher of a Substack on politics called American Freakshow. A contributing editor at The New Republic and frequent contributor to The New York Times and New York Magazine, her journalism has been published widely, including in translation. She's the author of ten books (fiction and nonfiction) on an array of topics including Amanda Knox and the Trump women, which were reviewed or covered in The New York Times, BBC, MSNBC, and other media outlets. An adjunct professor at NYU's Arthur J. Carter Journalism Institute, her work has been cited in hundreds of scholarly articles.

Swati Sharma is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Vox, the premier explanatory journalism brand at Vox Media. In this role, she oversees the site’s editorial vision and business strategy across platforms, which include a YouTube channel with nearly 13 million subscribers and a growing podcast network. Swati previously spent her career at legacy news organizations, including The Atlantic, where she oversaw digital coverage; The Washington Post, where she was the deputy general assignment editor working on breaking news during President Trump's first year in office; and The Boston Globe, where she coordinated live blog coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing, which was cited in the paper’s Pulitzer Prize for breaking news.

Linda Villarosa is a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine and a journalism professor at the City University of New York. Her book, Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on Health in America, was a finalist for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize. Linda is writing a biography of the poet, playwright, and novelist Ntozake Shange, to be published by Storehouse Voices, a new division of Penguin Random House.

Paula Vogel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright whose plays include Mother Play (Tony Award nomination for Best Play), Indecent (Tony Award nomination for Best Play), and How I Learned to Drive (Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony Award nomination, the Lortel Prize, OBIE Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle, and New York Drama Critics Award for Best Play), among many others. Lifetime achievement awards include the American Theatre Hall of Fame Award, the OBIE Award, and the NY Drama Critics Circle Award. She founded and ran the MFA Playwriting program at Brown University and served as the O’Neill Chair of Playwriting at Yale School of Drama. She is the co-founder of Bards on the Bay at the Nancy Nordhoff Center, a new writers’ retreat for playwrights and theatrical composers set to open on Cape Cod in 2027.

Jennifer Weiss-Wolf is the executive director of Ms. partnerships and strategy. A lawyer, fierce advocate, and frequent writer on issues of gender, feminism, and politics in America, Jennifer has been dubbed the “architect of the U.S. campaign to squash the tampon tax” by Newsweek. She is the author of Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity, which was lauded by Gloria Steinem as “the beginning of liberation for us all,” and A Citizen’s Guide to Menopause Advocacy, together with Dr. Mary Claire Haver (featuring a foreword by Maria Shriver). Her forthcoming book, When in Menopause: A User’s Manual and Citizen’s Guide, will be published in fall 2026. She is also the executive director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Center at NYU Law.

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

Wednesday, September 23, 10-11 a.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE (Virtual)

Are you unemployed, underemployed, or just thinking about a career change? Convene with WMG member Betsy Loredo and other job seekers in this weekly, informal online meetup. It’s a supportive space to share job-seeking ups and downs, pass along tips, and network with friendly peers who might have contacts to opportunities. On alternative weeks, we'll use the hour to work on resumes, applications, and other job search actions together—making it feel less overwhelming and more supportive.

Tuesday, September 29, 12-1 p.m. ET

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

Writing a book is only half the battle. Getting it into the hands of paying readers is the real work. This event will focus on how an effective public relations effort can support a successful book sales campaign, whether you’re working on a book, preparing for publication, or looking to build momentum for a book that’s already on the market.

Published author Jennefer Witter will discuss how she works with her clients before publication, during the launch period, and after a book is released. She’ll also save time to answer your questions.

Meet the speaker:

Jennefer Witter is the CEO and founder of The Boreland Group Inc., a boutique public relations firm headquartered in New York City. She is the author of The Little Book of Big PR: 100+ Quick Tips to Get Your Small Business Noticed and was named one of the nation’s “10 Most Successful Black CEOS and Entrepreneurs” by MadameNoire magazine. Jennefer was formerly a vice president at Ketchum, where she launched a sub-practice that generated one million dollars in revenue in its first year. Jennefer is a passionate advocate for women in the workplace and military. She is an active member of Ellevate Network, a global networking organization for professional women, and serves on the advisory board for Women inPower, a 92nd Street Y-led venture that seeks to support and promote senior-level professional women to C-level positions. Learn more about Jennefer by connecting with her on LinkedIn.

This event is part of The WMG Connection Series: Real Talk. Real People. Real Purpose. This series focuses on topics that advance our work, shaping the way we live and lead. Through candid conversations with inspiring expert guests, each talk reveals how purpose-driven, human-centered leadership strengthens collaboration and creates meaningful impact in our workplaces, communities, and everyday lives.

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

Wednesday, September 30, 10-11 a.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE (Virtual)

Are you unemployed, underemployed, or just thinking about a career change? Convene with WMG member Betsy Loredo and other job seekers in this weekly, informal online meetup. It’s a supportive space to share job-seeking ups and downs, pass along tips, and network with friendly peers who might have contacts to opportunities. On alternative weeks, we'll use the hour to work on resumes, applications, and other job search actions together—making it feel less overwhelming and more supportive.

Thursday, October 1, 5-7 p.m. ET

Take Care Bistro, 303 Lexington Avenue, NYC

WMG members only; FREE (attendees pay for their own food and beverages)

Join WMG Programming Co-Chair Genevieve Piturro and member Karen Salmansohn for a lively evening discovering your most authentic writing voice, or, as Karen says, how to "be you-ier." Genevieve and Karen, both successful authors, will teach you how to make your writing more relatable, memorable, and successful. Whether your preference is short-form essays, a Substack, or a memoir or memoir-hybrid, your story and personal voice are what will connect with readers. Give yourself the freedom and power to be yourself during this intimate session!

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.

Wednesday, October 7, 12-1 p.m. ET

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

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how journalists report, write, investigate, and engage with audiences, but questions remain about accuracy, transparency, and ethics. This interactive seminar explores how journalists and media creators can incorporate AI into their work while maintaining the core values of the profession. Participants will learn practical ways AI can support reporting, discuss the ethical challenges surrounding its use, and examine where human judgment remains indispensable. Through demonstrations, case studies, and group discussion, attendees will leave with practical strategies for using AI responsibly in their own journalistic work.

Meet the speaker:

Yelena Dzhanova is an audience engagement strategist at The Weather Channel and a doctoral candidate in Media and Communication at Temple University. She has reported for national news organizations and teaches journalism at both Temple University and Pace University. Drawing on both newsroom experience and academic research, her present-day research explores how journalists can thoughtfully integrate AI while preserving the ethical standards and public mission of journalism.

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

Wednesday, October 14, 12-1 p.m. ET

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

What if you could ask your readers what they think before you publish? In this session, you'll learn how to build an "ideal reader assistant," a custom AI tool trained to respond as your target audience. This allows you to pressure-test story ideas, headlines, and copy while you're still creating instead of waiting for feedback after launch. Using a simple, repeatable framework, you'll watch a reader bot come to life from scratch and leave with the tools to build your own, turning audience feedback from slow and reactive into fast, targeted, and available on demand.

Meet the speaker:

Erin Servais helps editorial professionals upskill with artificial intelligence through her AI for Editors training programs. Since 2023, thousands of people across 20+ countries have turned to AI for Editors to learn how to use AI tools safely and effectively in their publishing workflows. A leading speaker and writer on AI in content development, Erin has been featured in Jane Friedman's The Bottom Line and Mignon Fogarty's AI Sidequest, presented for organizations including the Book Industry Study Group and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Media, and served on the board of ACES: The Society for Editing. Learn more at aiforeditors.com.

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

Monday, October 19, 12-1 p.m. ET

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

Writing a good query letter is essential to finding an agent for your book—but there’s a lot of conflicting advice on how to create the perfect message. During this virtual session, editor Emily Murdock Baker and author Frances McGarry will demystify the querying process through interactive exercises, giving writers the tools they need to craft an attention-grabbing letter.

Meet the speakers:

Frances McGarry, PhD, is an arts advocate, author, actor, and podcast host. A teacher and a scholar, Frances has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of the arts. She is currently authoring a book based on Stephen Sondheim’s innovative Young Playwrights programs. As a working actor based in New York City, Frances has a decade of experience on stage, film, and television. She is a SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity member and is represented by BMG Talent. She is the podcast host of First Online with Fran, featuring ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the arts to make our world a deeper, richer, kinder place to live.

Emily Murdock Baker began her career in Hollywood after graduating Cum Laude from Boston University’s School of Communication with a degree in Film. She worked primarily in development for several production companies, and also on set as a PA in Los Angeles. After three years she left to focus on her first loves: books and the East Coast. She spent seven years at Penguin Random House imprints Penguin Books and Viking, editing fiction and nonfiction, before founding EMB Editorial in 2016. EMB Editorial lets Emily focus on the favorite part of her job: working directly with authors.

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

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

Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Toni Morrison Room, 3rd floor, NYC

$20 for WMG members and partner organizations; $25 for non-members; $10 for active Scholars

What happens when memoir becomes a lens rather than a destination?

Today's most compelling memoirs don't stop at the author's story. They use personal experience as a doorway into larger questions about family, culture, history, psychology, science, identity, and the world around us.

In Memoir Plus, writers whose books expand beyond traditional memoir into reporting, research, exploration, cultural criticism, and other forms of narrative nonfiction will discuss how personal stories can illuminate universal themes. How do writers move beyond "what happened to me" to create work that resonates more broadly? Where is the line between memoir and narrative nonfiction, and does that distinction still matter?

Join moderator Estelle Erasmus and panelists Regina Brooks, Laura Carney, Hyeseung Song, and Bethany Saltman for a lively conversation about the possibilities of memoir and the power of personal stories that contain multitudes.

Meet the speakers:

Regina Brooks is the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency, the largest African American-owned agency in the country. She 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 as a PW Star Watch Finalist. She's been honored with a Stevie Award in Business, and Writer’s Digest named Serendipity Literary Agency as a top 25 literary agency. 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). She previously 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.

Laura Carney is a writer and copy editor in New York. Her work as a copy editor has been in books and magazines for 20 years, such as Good Housekeeping, People, Vanity Fair, GQ, Vogue, and Macmillan. Her bestselling book, My Father ’s List: How Living My Dad's Dreams Set Me Free, about her six-year quest to finish her late father's bucket list, was published by Post Hill Press in June 2023. My Father's List was chosen as one of the Best Books of 2023 by Real Simple; as the 2025 One City, One Book read in Greensboro, NC; and as the June 2024 pick for the Modern Prairie book club, where Laura teaches a year-round Bucket List Challenge with Do the Thing creator Stacey Lauren. Laura has appeared on many TV and radio programs, such as CBS News Sunday Morning, NPR, and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. She teaches memoir writing, hikes and trains for running races in her spare time. Laura can be found on Instagram @myfatherslist and at bylauracarney.com.

Bethany Saltman is a publishing expert with decades of experience crafting and selling nonfiction book proposals, including her own. Her critically acclaimed first book, Strange Situation: A Mother’s Journey Into the Science of Attachment (2020, Ballantine/Random House), was named one of the Top Science Books of 2020 by New Scientist, has been published in six countries, and is included in psychology syllabi around the world. She is also a senior literary agent and Director of Business Strategy at Wave Literary. Bethany splits her time between the Catskills of New York and the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband, her daughter (when she visits from college), and their two standard poodles.

Hyeseung Song is a first-generation Korean American painter, writer, and teacher. She is the author of Docile: Memoirs of a Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl, about an Asian American woman’s struggle with self-worth and mental illness. Docile was called “a savagely beautiful memoir” by David Henry Hwang and a “revelation” by Chloé Cooper Jones. The audiobook was named a “Best” at Apple, and a Korean language edition was released in 2025. Raised in Texas, Hyeseung studied philosophy, languages, and creative writing at Princeton University. She pursued dual post-graduate degrees at Harvard in law and philosophy before dropping out to study painting in New York. Her paintings are held in private collections internationally. Hyeseung was at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference this summer as a Nonfiction Fellow. She is currently at work on a meta-memoir about the ethics of writing about other people, revision, and the failure of translation—linguistic, psychological, and literary.

Meet the moderator:

Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, an adjunct instructor in NYU's School of Professional Studies, and teaches and leads webinars for Writer's Digest. A former editor-in-chief of five national magazines, Estelle has written for more than 150 publications, including WIRED, Slate, Electric Literature, Marie Claire, Salon, Shondaland, and The Independent. Her pieces for The New York Times and The Washington Post have gone viral globally, and she has appeared on Good Morning America and Fox News. She is currently writing a narrative nonfiction book that blends memoir, media criticism, and cultural history, drawing on her years as a women's magazine editor and dating expert. Learn more at estelleserasmus.com, subscribe to her Substack at estelleserasmus.substack.com, and follow her on Instagram @estelleserasmus.

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

Friday, October 23, 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET

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

Join this followup to our popular LinkedIn Strategies for Career Growth virtual event to learn more about advancing your career with simple adjustments to your social profile. Hosted by Lynne Williams, Executive Director of Great Careers Network, this interactive session will recap lessons from Part 1 and include live demos and a Q+A, giving attendees the tools they need to take the next steps on their professional journeys.

Members can click here while logged into their account to watch Part 1 of this event.

Meet the speaker:

Lynne Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, which provides development and networking for career transitions and management. Lynne was included with other LinkedIn peers on the 2022, 2023, and 2024 lists of the Social Index Top 50 LinkedIn Experts International, and on Influence Digest's Top 15 LinkedIn Experts in Philadelphia. She is currently working on her doctoral dissertation on the topic of LinkedIn for Job Seekers.

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