2010 Women's Leadership Conference

Wipp has built a diverse community through regional events, social networking, and the annual Women's Leadership Conference where many top thinkers in publishing, media, and communication technology come together to share their stories, insights, and experience.

If you are not already on our mailing list and wish to be notified about the next Women's Leadership Conference, sign up for our newsletter, the ewip:wire or follow us on twitter.  

As the media landscape changes dramatically around us, it is our wish that each and every one of us find a place in this new world, and continue to mold and shape it with our best and most creative ideas! Career and life choices abound in the convergence of old and new media, print and online, digital and live events, and the ways will communicate, yet to be discovered.

The Women in Periodical Publishing's Women's Leadership Conference explores these opportunities and encourage participants to become thought—and action—leaders. Big visions, lively panels, and hands-on sessions at the conference will help us all see where the industry, and the things we are passionate about are headed. Come and get your hands on some of the new technologies driving the media industry today. The conference offers fantastic networking opportunities, with forward-thinking women and men from all across the country.

Sponsors | Speakers | Panels | Keynote | Partners | Registration | Membership

Women in Periodical Publishing presented the 2009 Exceptional Woman in Publishing award to Dorothy Kalins at the 2010 Women's Leadership Conference in January. Ms. Kalins is widely recognized for her editorial leadership and her many contributions to the publishing industry. WIPP is proud to add Dorothy Kalins to the list of honorees from previous years who caught our attention including that includes Gloria Steinem, Bonnie Krueger, Ardie and Marie Rodale, and the 2008 recipient, Alix Kennedy. You can read the full speech by Dorothy Kalins, here.

This year's conference host is Jane Goldman, Editor-in-Chief & VP, Entertainment & Lifestyle, CBS Interactive

Michela O'Connor Abrams, president & publisher, Dwell

Cristina Azocar, director of SFSU's Center for the Integration and Improvement of Journalism

Brandee Barker, director of corporate communications, Facebook

Mary K. Baumann, partner in design firm, Hopkins/Baumann

Heather Boerner, writer, editor, and career coach for solepreneurs

Lydia Chavez, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

Natalie Zee Drieu, senior editor, Craft

Amanda Edmonds, director of strategic partnerships, Google 

Pat Fox, senior vice president & general manager, Active Interest Media

Elizabeth Gebhardt, founder & chief experience officer, (e.g.) ventures

Sarah Granger, journalist and new media strategist

Shaunice Hawkins, founder, Evolutions Consulting

Grace Hawthorne, co-founder of ReadyMade and consulting associate professor, Stanford d.School 

Cindy Johanson, chief operating officer, The George Lucas Educational Foundation

Lynne D. Johnson, senior vice president social media, Advertising Research Foundation

Lois Kazakoff, deputy editor, editorial page editor, San Francisco Chronicle

Ivory Madison, founder, Redroom.com

Vicki Masseria, chief executive officer, Ascend Media

Tammy H. Nam, vice president, content and marketing, Scribd

Barb Newton, president, Sunset Publishing Corporation

Lou Ann Sabatier, principal, Sabatier Consulting

Thea Selby, principal, Next Steps Marketing

KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz, founder, Sustainable Life Media 

Michele Slack, vice president of digital media, SFGate.com 

Becky Stern, associate editor, Craft

Amra Tareen, founder and chief executive officer, allvoices.com

Lane Wallace, founder and editor, "No Map. No Guide. No Limits"

Máire Walsh, vice president of sales & marketing, Next Steps Marketing

 >>> and more to come!

WIPP is proud to have Deirdre English, director of the Clay Felker Magazine Center at the Graduate School of Journalism, University of California at Berkeley, deliver the keynote speech at the Women's Leadership Conference at 8:30 am on January 29, 2010.

Throughout her career she has maintained an interest in fostering women's increasing social authority through the medium of magazine authorship. She will share her thoughts on how every woman in power, especially those in the media, has a responsibility, and a means, for playing a role in transforming society into a more humanistic and feminist place.

Thanks to our sponsors, the breakfast keynote presentation is free and open to everyone.

Deirdre English directs the nationally acclaimed Clay Felker Magazine Center, which is a leading multi-media and digital research and training facility. The Center serves as a forum for magazine writers and editors exchanging ideas about excellence in magazine journalism in a changing marketplace.

English is at the forefront of the current conversation about the future of magazine journalism. At the UC Berkeley Journalism school, English co-directed a conference on technology and journalism in partnership with the Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism, and conferences on urban and environmental journalism among many other panels and events. While at Cal, English was awarded a Carnegie-Knight grant for publication of urban reporting, and has edited and published several print and digital publications, including Brink magazine, which won the 2009 Mark of Excellence awards for “Best Magazine” and “Best Feature Article.”

English is a former Editor-in-Chief of Mother Jones magazine, where in the 80’s she was one of the first women editors of a national magazine. Mother Jones is a non-profit that specializes in investigative reporting; English co-chaired the business and marketing side of the magazine and supervised all editing and design.

As a writer her work has appeared in numerous national publications including The New York Times Book Review, Salon.com and The Daily Beast. Recent publication  includes a 2004 revision of a book co-authored with Barbara Ehrenreich, "For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts’ Advice to Women"; an essay on the photographer Susan Meiselas, published by Whitney Museum of American Art, 2003; and an academic article on teaching magazine journalism in graduate schools (2007).

English has hosted a political debate show on KQED TV and written documentary scripts for PBS. In academia, she was a co-founder of one of the nation’s first Women’s Studies programs, at the College at Old Westbury, State University of New York, where she pioneered a magazine publishing course with a National Humanities grant.  She was also, with Barbara Ehrenreich, among the first published authors of The Feminist Press.

We have put together a full day of presentations, panel discussions, workshops, and other special sessions to appeal to a variety of women and men in various stages in a media career. Here are some highlights. We will update as needed throughout January.

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Where is the Media Revolution Headed?

Everyone involved in media has experienced a profound shift, with the Internet and social media having dramatically changed the publishing game. No doubt there are more changes ahead so we have assembled some of our best thinkers in this session to help us envision where we will be, and what we may be doing, ten years from now.

Speakers: Michela O’Connor Abrams, president & publisher, Dwell; Sarah Granger, journalist and new media strategist; Lynne D. Johnson, senior vice president social media, Advertising Research Foundation

Moderator: Cindy Johanson, chief operating officer, The George Lucas Educational Foundation

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How Social Media Can Help You Grow your Business

How can you leverage the hundreds of millions of people that use social media networks each day? Our panel will discuss emerging best practices to help you convert these avid users to become loyal users of your content. Learn about the power of viral distribution and how to use social media to shape content and market your brand.

Speakers: Jennifer Lindsay, principal, Jennifer Lindsay Digital Consultancy; Ivory Madison, founder and CEO, Redroom; Tammy H. Nam, vice president of content and marketing, Scribd; Amra Tareen, founder and CEO, Allvoices.com

Moderator: Susan West, former editor in chief, Afar

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Diversity as a Unique Selling Proposition

Diversity in the age of Obama is no longer about "fitting in", it's about celebrating the unique abilities we all have. Join our panelists as they share how the increasingly diverse workplace has emerged as a hotbed of creativity. 

Speakers: Shaunice Hawkins, founder, Evolutions Consulting; Goli Mohammad, associate managing editor, MAKE and CRAFT; Amra Tareen, founder and CEO, allvoices.com; Máire Walsh, vice president sales and marketing, Next Steps Marketing

Moderator: Cristina Azocar, director of the Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism, San Francisco State University
 

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Successful Branding for Solopreneurs

Publishing relies more and more on independent contractors to fill the ranks. These "solopreneurs" are the writers, editors, content providers, photographers, and graphic designers who have learned how to position themselves as consultants with a service niche. The solopreneurs in this panel session will share how they met the challenge of building a successful personal brand. If you work independently or find yourself at a crossroads in publishing then come explore how to manage an independent career that also has the right work/life balance.

Speakers: Heather Boerner, writer and editor; Lane Wallace, founder and editor, "No Map. No Guide. No Limits"; Grace Hawthorne, co-founder of ReadyMade and consulting associate professor, Stanford d.School

Moderator: Holly Brady, consultant, and former director of the Stanford Publishing Courses

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Eye Power: Visual Trends in Design

Acclaimed designer, Mary K. Baumann, takes us on a tour of the current visual directions in publishing design. Insight is gathered from the graphically rich world around us–magazines, books, movies, and the Web. Her presentation will highlight innovative content, modern structures, shapes, imaging, color styles, and font fashions that grab our attention and communicate meaning more deeply.

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Shepherding a Brand Across Multiple Platforms

Speaker: Michela O'Connor Abrams, publisher & president, Dwell

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Creating Videos for the Web

YouTube is no longer just a repository of funny and cute videos. The short video format is now serious business and our panelists will show you how to leverage video to grow your business and enhance your brand. Watch as they create a three-minute Web video for a fictitious media company.

Speakers: Natalie Zee Drieu, editor in chief, Craft; Becky Stern, associate editor, Craft 

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Preserving Print: And Other Off-line Money Makers

Much of publishing has migrated online but the lion-share of the revenue still comes from the print side of the business. How long can this continue and what other off-line opportunities exist to keep the money coming in? Our panel will discuss: the ongoing debate over increased subscription prices; are circulation revenues–the last stream standing?; the rosy future of niche print publishing; and other important reasons why print may never die. 

Speakers: Pat Fox, senior vice president & general manager, Active Interest Media; Barb Newton, president, Sunset Publishing Corporation; Koann Skrzyniarz, ceo, Sustainable Media

Moderator: Lou Anne Sabatier, principal, Sabatier Consulting

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Building your Audience with Twitter and Facebook

Whether you’re a newbie who wants to learn the ropes, or are looking to get some best practice tips for using the social networking tools to grow your business, this overview will give you the information to get you started.

Speakers: Brandee Barker, director of communications, Facebook; Elizabeth Gebhardt, founder and chief experience officer, (e.g.) ventures

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Woman-to-Woman: The Alpha Female

What is the alpha female? How does her style differ from the alpha male? What are the ingrained expectations of a women's leadership style that may need to be addressed in the workplace? What are the challenges for women in management and what are the takeaways for aspiring alpha females?

Speakers: Vicki Masseria, CEO, Ascend Media; Barb Newton, president, Sunset Publishing Corporation; Regina Ridley (Stanford, formerly Miller freeman); Koann Skrzyniarz, CEO, Sustainable Media;

Moderator: Sheila Robinson, Diversity Woman Media

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Leveraging Online Money Makers as we Reinvent Publishing

With the dramatic decline of revenues from print advertising it is more important than ever for publishers to learn how to make money online. Our panelists will explore some emerging trends and technologies that may yet pan out. They will address: creative ways to monetize the Web with virtual goods, apps, and the mobile platform; "Small, Smaller, Smallest" is a trend in media to break up information into bite-sized pieces and distribute it everywhere; Niche publishing capitalizes on the power of microsites; What is print on demand–is it here to stay? If digital content migrates from the free model to pay model, will users buy in?

Speakers:  Amanda Edmonds, director of strategic partnerships, Google; Lynn D. Johnson, senior vice president, Social Media Advertising Research Foundation; Ivory Madison, founder and CEO, Redroom.com; Tammy H. Nam, vice president content and marketing, Scribd

Moderator: Arwen O'Reilly Griffith, staff editor, Make magazine and Craft online

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The Daily Beat: Getting News in the 21st Century

Where and how do we get our daily local, regional, and international news?  What constitutes a reliable news source anyway, and will we (and the general public) know how to tell the difference?  Are the days of professionally researched and independently reported daily news a thing of the past? Are hyperlocal sites sustainable? Is anyone developing sustainable business models for independent newsrooms and media organizations?

Speakers: Lydia Chavez, professor, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism; Michele Slack, vice president of digital media, SFGate.com; Susan Mernit, editor/publisher, Oakland Local

Moderator: Lanita Pace Hinton, director of the Knight Digital Media Center, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

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Career/Life Speed-Coaching Sessions 

You have heard of speed dating. Well this goes one better–it's actually worth your time! Conference attendees can schedule a personal 20-minutes session with one of the certified life and career coaches available during the conference to work through a specific challenge or opportunity you may be facing. This is just one of the innovations at this year’s conference to help you reach your career potential.

Wine & Chocolate Tasting

Following the conference WIPP's industry partner WFMA (wfma.org), and our event sponsor, Quad/Graphics (www.qg.com) join together to host a spectacular wine and chocolate tasting at, Arclinea, the designer kitchen showroom directly across the street from The Westin.

The after-conference event is free and open to everyone in the Bay Area publishing and media community! So spread the word and join your friends and colleagues at a tasting event with something for everyone's palate. Bottles and cases of all wines will be available for sale at extremely reasonable prices.

  When: Friday, January 29, 2010, 5:30 pm -7:00 pm

  Cost:   Free to everyone

  Venue: ArcLinea
              91 Third Street
              (across from the Westin Hotel)

  Who should attend: EVERYONE

Wines by Alan's Wine Cellar. Chocolates are from Chocolatier Blue.

We are incredibly thankful the generosity of our sponsors who have made it possible for us to bring you the 2010 Women's Leadership Conference. Be sure to check out their fabulous products and services.  

Quad/Graphics (www.QG.com) offers publishers of all sizes proven solutions for delivering precisely targeted content in more creative, immediate and cost effective ways than ever before. As a result, publishers are better able to build reader loyalty, grow circulation and increase advertising revenue all while optimizing mailing dollars. We have solutions for every size and type publisher.

Brown Printing Company proudly serves America’s premier publishers with magazine printing, premedia, distribution and value-added services. Brown’s three modern production facilities are designed and equipped to facilitate your projects from preparation to distribution. Proven stability, world class quality, state of the art technology and superior customer service make us the right partner for your printing needs.

RR Donnelley produces a variety of publications, including consumer, business-to-business, trade, special interest, city and regional publications, associations and journals, and Sunday magazines. RR Donnelley is proud to print 6 out of the top 10 consumer magazines in the United States. They address the needs of specialized publications that have highly targeted audiences and shorter print runs. They have committed to delivering world-class customer service, a consistent, reliable and quality performance, while providing solution offerings that address many business needs.

Graphic Communications is the paper and printing brokerage division of Norcross, Georgia based Unisource Worldwide, Inc.  As a broker Graphic sells more than 1.2 million tons per year of coated and uncoated paper to a wide variety of regional, national and international companies.  We represent the highest quality manufacturers of paper products with a mill network that spans four continents.  Our edge on the competition is the unique blend of printing and paper experience we offer.  In addition to paper we sell more than $120 million dollars of print annually.  Finally, as environmentally preferable paper has become an increasingly important issue our Chain-of Custody certifications demonstrate our commitment to the environment and sustainable forestry.  All of this translates into more knowledge, more insight and more value for our customers.  Graphic Communications is the full service paper and print brokerage. 

Palm Coast Data provides a level of excellence in subscription and membership fulfillment services that is second to none. We are a respected industry leader, with a client roster that includes hundreds of the United States’ leading magazines and membership organizations. Our management team, associates and systems work in concert to provide our clients the most reliable and flexible services available. For more information, please visit www.palmcoastdata.com.

Publishers Press is a family owned company in its fifth generation with two modern production plants near Louisville, Kentucky. What began as a printing company in 1866 has evolved into a leading content distributor with a strong expertise in the magazine publishing industry. Our full-service operation offers solutions that include printing, distribution, content management, e-mail marketing, digital editions, and more, with a concentrated focus on providing solutions to our clients.

MagazineRadar is like nothing the publishing industry has seen before. Industry veterans are calling it "revolutionary".   MagazineRadar helps magazines dramatically improve ad sales and client management. We provide the most up-to-date and relevant analysis to publishing executives. MagazineRadar also delivers custom daily advice to each individual on the sales team.

PM Digital is an Internet marketing agency specializing in search engine marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing, and shopping portal feeds. Supported by proprietary media and marketing intelligence tools, PM Digital helps clients to build business revenues and brands online by developing, implementing and maintaining paid and natural search campaigns.

Schumann's business, for over 45 years, is printing special-interest publications for more than 350 monthly magazines, along with a variety of catalog and other web press projects. From file transfer to finishing, our company exemplifies its position as the most sophisticated plant in the special interest publication printing industry. Contact Steve Abts for more information.

Follow the links to wipp's ongoing partners and check out their products and services.

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American Society of Journalists and Authors
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Association for Women in Communication

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mediabistro.com
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Periodical and Book Association of America
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Pink Magazine
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South by Southwest Festival
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Western Fulfillment Management Association
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We especially love our In-Kind sponsors for the unique ways in which they support our efforts. 

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Marschall Design
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Prepress, Inc.
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Cathy Krizik
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Marsh Media

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