Women’s Leadership Conference 2015

The 2015 Women’s Leadership Conference promises to inspire and inform content creators of all stripes with our signature all-female roster of speakers in the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday, March 26, 2015.

Plan to attend the Seventh Annual Women’s Leadership Conference featuring fresh content in three tracks: developing audiences, creating top-notch content, and making money. The sessions will include exceptional speakers, engaging discussions, and practical skills you will use. The 2015 EWIP Award celebration and cocktail reception with Susan Goldberg is sure to inspire. Attend this high-energy day and make connections with women and men whose ideas, stories, and experience will help transform your career.

EWIP is pleased to announce that Susan Goldberg, editor in chief of National Geographic is EWIP’s seventeenth recipient of the Exceptional Woman in Publishing Award. The 2015 EWIP Award will be presented to Ms. Goldberg at the award celebration and wine reception during the Women’s Leadership Conference in Berkeley, California on March 26, 2015.

Read more about Susan Goldberg and see the complete list of women honored with the EWIP Award since 1999.

Leadership Keynote: Who’s Paying for This? From Editor to Entrepreneur

Jory Des Jardins, SVP Global Strategic Alliances, SheKnows Media and co-founder, BlogHer, Inc.

Jory Des Jardins will talk about the growth of BlogHer over the last 10 years, share insights into their new company SheKnows Media, and discuss how BlogHer will play into this larger realm. She will also talk about how she developed her passion for blogging and social media, how she encountered her two partners and started BlogHer, and how they grew the company and built an industry of individual women digital publishers, addressing the challenges they faced being first in the space. Jory will then offer insights into where she believes the digital publishing world is going.

OPENING PANEL :: TAKING RISKS, BLAZING TRAILS
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM
KRUTCH THEATRE

Let’s Talk About Gender, Seriously
Stories about the persistent gender pay gap, Gamergate, unspeakable violence against women, high-profile sex-discrimination lawsuits, and the recent introduction of a bill in California to prohibit agencies from doing business with companies that discriminate against their employees based on gender identity: all of these and numerous other topics indicate that the discussion of gender issues is still of the utmost importance. For writers and journalists, there is much ground to cover on this beat, garnering traffic and public interest. Our panelist will give an inside look at the benefits, challenges, and personal rewards of working on stories that can have a serious impact on the lives of readers, of all genders.
#ewipgender
Rebecca Ruiz, features writer, Mashable (shown)
Mariana Santos, director of interactive and animation, Fusion and founder, Chicas Poderosas
Maria Streshinsky, editor in chief, Pacific Standard (shown)
Moderator :: Claudia Smukler, Mother Jones

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BREAK OUT SESSION :: 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM
TRACK A : CLARK KERR ROOM

Google Media Tools for the Newsroom 
Improve your research skills with some tips and tricks that go way beyond a simple search box. Discover useful information for stories as you dive into search data with Google Trends. See how Google News and Google Play Newsstand work to increase distribution of your content on desktop and mobile. In this workshop you will learn from a pro how to: use search refinements to surface better results; publish content in Google News, optimize page views and have fun checking the pulse of live search with trending worldwide content. #ewipgoogle
LaToya Drake, marketing manager and media outreach, Google

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BREAK OUT SESSION :: 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM
TRACK B : NEWELL PERRY ROOM

The Power of Storytelling
Storytelling predates writing, and the innate emotional connection humans feel with a well-told story is why it’s such a powerful tool for promotion. Join this group of skilled storytellers to learn how they’ve utilized video, user-contributed content, and long-form narrative to tap the power of storytelling and help build brand awareness. #ewipstorytelling
Karla Olson, director, Patagonia Books
Joani Lynch, director of brand marketing, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area
Anne Hamersky, photographer & visual storyteller (shown)
Madison Kahn, managing editor, Matter magazine/Medium (shown)
Moderator :: Sabrina Merlo, director, Maker Faire

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BREAK OUT SESSION :: 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM
TRACK C : SARGENT JOHNSTON ROOM
Finding Your Voice: How to Make Your Brand’s Social Media More Shareable
Kittens and laughing baby videos are sure to go viral, but what can a legitimate publication do to garner more likes? Social media is the modern world’s most powerful publishing tool, yet many outlets continue to struggle to attract and keep the attention of their readers online. In this panel, three online media experts will discuss how to find your brand’s human voice, and how to tailor your voice and content for different platforms. They’ll also weigh in on how to stand out from the competition in a flooded market, and how much time you or your team should be spending on social media. #ewipsocial
Mollie Reilly, deputy politics editor, Huffington Post
Wendy Steiner, content coordinator, The Bold Italic (shown)
Lindsey Turrentine, editor in chief, CNET Reviews (shown)
Moderator :: Staci Baird, journalist in residence, Notre Dame de Namur University

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LUNCHEON BUFFET :: TABLE TOPICS
12:00 PM TO 1:20 PM
HALLWAY AND KRUTCH THEATRE

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BREAK OUT SESSION :: 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
TRACK A : CLARK KERR ROOM

Developing Your Audience in Today’s Multi-Platform World
Whether you have an app to download, a product to sell, or an event to promote, building and retaining your audience is crucial. Listen to audience-building experts talk about what is working these days, what to avoid, and how to build audiences in budget-conscious and multi-platform ways. #ewipaudience
Stephanie Blake, director of subscription marketing, Creativebug
Thea Selby, principal, Next Steps Marketing
Moderator :: Vera Chan, former senior editor, Yahoo!

BREAK OUT SESSION :: 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
TRACK B : NEWELL PERRY ROOM

Compelling Video Gets Attention
Video has the unique ability to cut through the digital noise by engaging multiple senses and commanding a viewer’s full attention. In seconds, a video can effectively convey a complex message that would take paragraphs to get across in written form. Every month, YouTube attracts more than one billion unique global viewers, who spend a collective six billion hours watching videos. An estimated 45% of internet users watch at least one video online each month and this number is only forecasted to grow, as is the competition for attention. We’ll talk with three videographers whose work is rising above the noise to learn how they create engaging videos that resonate with their audiences. #ewipvideo
Zena Barakat, senior video producer, The New York Times, and JSK Knight Fellow at Stanford
Maggie Beidelman, producer, Al Jazeera Media Network (shown)
Mariana Santos, director of interactive and animation, Fusion; founder, Chicas Poderosas; and JSK Knight Fellow at Stanford (shown)
Moderator :: Vicki Hammarstedt, digital media director, kdmcBerkeley, Graduate School of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley

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BREAK OUT SESSION :: 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
TRACK C : SARGENT JOHNSTON ROOM

How to Be Your Own Boss in Book Publishing
Join an intimate conversation with three successful female publishing entrepreneurs who own and run companies that specialize in digital marketing, publicity and content development, and digital product development. Learn about the skills and strategies needed to go into business for yourself, court funders and new business, pivot on your business plan, manage staff, and run the back end smoothly, while keeping your original passion alive. #ewipbooks
Fauzia Burke, founder and president, FSB Associates (shown)
Jill Tomich, co-founder and CEO, Slicebooks
Moderator :: Charlotte Abbott, content and media strategist, Abbott Communications

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BREAK OUT SESSION :: 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM
TRACK A : CLARK KERR ROOM

Social Media as a Research Tool
For some, the ever-growing social media industry can be overwhelming. However, as many are finding, these 24/7/365 platforms can provide more than personal opinion and a means to connect with colleagues and friends. This panel culls women from several media-related focuses to share how keeping your ear to the chatter can steer you towards the information you need for internal and external communications and beyond. #ewipresearch
Suzanne Yada, founder, yadaCreative (shown)
Fauzia Burke, founder and president, FSB Associates
Moderator :: Yumi Wilson, associate professor, San Francisco State University and corporate communications manager, LinkedIn

BREAK OUT SESSION :: 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM
TRACK B : NEWELL PERRY ROOM

Finding Meaningful Stories in Data
Scraping and extracting data, then synthesizing structured information to draw out connections and reveal greater detail on a range of issues is the work of today’s data storytellers. Our panelists all use data in different ways and will share some of their favorite projects and resources. They will give tips on how best to present different kinds of data, what tools they use the most, what training is helpful, and how to ensure the results add greater value to the story. #ewipdata
Jaeah J. Lee, reporter, Mother Jones (shown)
Claudia Núñez, founder, Migrahack (shown)
Tara Walker, data analyst, Tableau Software
Megan Wells, data journalist and associate editor, WisePiggy
Moderator :: Claudia Smukler, production director, Mother Jones

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BREAK OUT SESSION :: 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM
TRACK C : SARGENT JOHNSTON ROOM

New Revenue Models in Publishing
As the media landscape shifts and converges, successful publishers must look to new revenue models and new sources of revenue to supplement dwindling sources. Our speakers will share fresh approaches and innovative ideas that are adding value and revenue to their publishing businesses. Case studies include events, awards, foundation funding, partnerships, brand building, and other unique opportunities to use existing resources to grow business. #ewiprevenue
Michelle Kempner, director of operations, Buzzfeed
Lila LaHood, publisher, San Francisco Public Press
Amy Olmstead, associate publisher, Sunset (shown)
Moderator :: Jeanniey Mullen, marketing and acquisitions, Nook by Barnes & Noble (shown)

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*The conference program and speakers are subject to change.

EWIP Conference Sponsors

PREMIER TECHNOLOGY SPONSOR

Google provides a variety of tools to help businesses of all kinds succeed on and off the web. These programs form the backbone of our own business; they’ve also enabled entrepreneurs and publishers around the world to grow theirs. Our advertising programs, which range from simple text ads to rich media ads, help businesses find customers, and help publishers make money off of their content. We also provide cloud computing tools for businesses that save money and help organizations be more productive.- Learn More

2015 CONFERENCE SPONSORS

SubDirect utilizes technology solutions to help brands connect to their end users in a thoughtful way. Whether it’s to distribute content, market a product for purchase, or enhance customer experience; SubDirect looks to the horizon to make sure our clients’ needs are met and meaningful.- Learn More

Quad/Graphics is a leading global provider of print and multichannel solutions for consumer magazines, special interest publications, catalogs, retail inserts/circulars, direct mail, books, directories, and commercial and specialty products with 70-plus production facilities on three continents. We strategically apply consumer insights to create targeted, relevant and integrated communications across all channels. – Learn More

A.T.Clayton serves as a strategic business partner to some of the world’s largest catalogers, direct-mailers, and publishers. Our deep paper-supplier relationships enable us to optimize the entire supply chain on behalf of our customers. With revenue exceeding $5 billion, our parent company, Central National-Gottesman Inc., founded in 1886, is one of the world’s largest paper companies. – Learn More

2015 HOST SPONSOR

kdmcBerkeley at the University of California Berkeley is the leading professional development program for digital storytelling, technology and innovation. Based in the Graduate School of Journalism, kdmcBerkeley offers workshops and custom trainings to communication professionals, journalists, and higher education in the art of social media, data visualization, photojournalism, video storytelling and other interactive media technologies. – Learn More