Put your creative skills in areas ranging from marketing to public relations to production, storytelling and more, with Fortune 500 companies. Discover a range of exciting media career opportunities at organizations where you might not have thought to look.
Seating is first come, first served.
Raju Narisetti, Leader, Global Publishing, McKinsey & Company
Raju Narisetti’s current role as Leader, Global Publishing, at McKinsey & Company, is the latest in a 33-year global career in media and publishing, during which he has created, reimagined and managed major media organizations in North America, Europe and Asia, as well as being on the frontlines of digital transformation challenges and new ventures in publishing. Raju worked as a journalist at The Wall Street Journal where, over 14 years, he went from a Reporting Intern to be the Editor of WSJ Europe, and later Managing Editor, Digital, of the global WSJ, and was part of a team that won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News for 9/11 coverage. At The Washington Post, Raju was the Managing Editor who helped start and shape the newspaper's print/digital transformation. At both WSJ and Washington Post, Raju was the youngest and first person of color on their mastheads.
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Raju is also the founder of Mint (livemint.com), a national business newspaper and website in India. After his journalism stint, as a media business executive, he was Senior Vice President of Strategy for News Corp, and later CEO of the Gizmodo Media Group, which then encompassed a group of digital journalism sites that included Gizmodo, The Onion, Jezebel, DeadSpin, Lifehacker, and The Root. Prior to joining McKinsey in January 2020, he was a journalism educator, leading the Knight Bagehot Fellowships in Economics and Business Journalism at Columbia University, where he also was a Professor of Professional Practice at the School of Journalism.
An alum of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader cohort, Raju is also a Board Trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation, which oversees and supports the global Wikipedia platform. He lives in New York city.
Kate Pfetsch, Head of Content Strategy, Head of Marriott Content Studio, Marriott
Kate Pfetsch MBA is an award-winning global creative executive and content marketing leader with a passion for connecting the world through storytelling. In her current role as Head of content strategy and Head of the Content Studio at Marriott International, she is responsible for developing marketing strategies across enterprise content marketing and the Content Studio. The Content Studio develops and produces custom content for Marriott’s portfolio of 30-plus hotel brands worldwide, across 8,000-plus properties in more than 130 countries and distributes across platforms and channels including streaming, editorial and social.
Outside of work, Kate serves as the current Board President for the University of Maryland Journalism Alumni Network and mentors both UMD students and students at her business school alma mater, The Johns Hopkins University.
Samantha Schutz, Editorial Director, Mattel
Samantha Schutz is Editorial Director of Global Publishing at Mattel, Inc. She has held editorial leadership positions at several notable trade houses (Hachette, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, and Scholastic) where she devised publishing programs for Disney, Hasbro, LEGO, Mattel, NBCUniversal, Pokémon, WB, and more. Samantha loves the challenge of translating adult brands into traditional children’s book formats and her favorite projects include The Office: A Day at Dunder Mifflin (NYT bestselling picture book) and Golden Girls: Goodnight, Girls (USA Today bestselling board book).
Samantha is also the author of the acclaimed anxiety disorder memoir I Don't Want to Be Crazy, as well as the co-founder or You Are Not Alone Murals. This 501(c)(3) nonprofit inspires artists to create work in their communities--sparking hope, connection, and conversations about mental health.
Moderator: Rakia Reynolds, Founder and Executive Officer, Skai Blue Media
One of the most sought-after minds in strategic communications, Rakia Reynolds, is a thought leader, tastemaker, branding expert, and advisor and amplifier of people, products, and places at the award-winning strategic communications agency, Skai Blue Media. Her guiding principles as an adept storyteller with a bullish approach to equitable communications, her proven ability to navigate the ever-increasing complex cultural and social media landscapes, along with her dedication to building brands in both Web2 and Web3, are only some of the reasons Rakia has successfully created her own distinct brand of authenticity and expertise for over 15 years. Rakia has been named by Inc. Magazine as one of the 27 Business Leaders Aiming to Change the World, was listed as one of the 25 Most Socially Influential Tastemakers on Dell’s “Inspire 100” list, and recently was also profiled by Forbes on their “Next 1000” list.
Rakia serves as Founder and Executive Officer of Skai Blue Media (SBM), a non-traditional communications agency that proudly hosts an eclectic group of storytellers, brand experts, and strategists. Rakia continues to be a key influencer in the creative business industry as she works with her team to launch, brand, re-brand, and revitalize lifestyle, technology, non-profit and entrepreneurial clients. This list includes Airbnb, Nasdaq, Comcast/Xfinity, Dell, Serena Williams, Morgan Stanley, Jill Scott, and more. Rakia’s portfolio includes #FanofYourBrand(tactical business tools), clothing brand EVRYDAY Jane, and an ethical intelligence platform launching in 2023.
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As a thought leader and proven authority in marketing, creative strategy, and business development Rakia regularly contributes her expertise to the pages of Forbes, Inc.com, HuffPost, Fast Company, and more. Onstage, she captivates audiences across many industries as her talks span branding, media, multicultural business, economic development, and the entrepreneurial journey, all of which are more than relevant to the recent challenging and changing times. Rakia is recognized for her innovative approach and commitment to authenticity and has spoken at TEDx, SXSW, Inbound, and others. More than a keynote speaker, Rakia is often called upon to moderate panel discussions due to her in-depth knowledge of an extensive range of topics affecting the business community
Presented with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and the School of Media Studies at The New School
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Center's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
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