Diversity + Media Career Summit

Wednesday, June 26th, 2024

BRIC
647 Fulton Street, Brooklyn
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Students - $15 (includes May 2024 graduates)
Recent Grads - $30

Get ready for our 7th Annual Diversity + Media Career Summit!

The Summit is designed to help students and recent graduates break into the business and succeed in their careers. You'll hear wisdom and actionable advice from trailblazers across the industry and have the opportunity to network with representatives from leading media organizations.

Our thanks to our sponsors A+E Networks, Disney, FOX, Hearst, Mattel, Nielsen, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Special thanks to our Knowledge Partner, McKinsey & Company.

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.

In Partnership with

2024 Agenda

8:30 AM — Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM — Welcome Remarks

9:15 AM — Panel: Networking for Success

Leading media executives share networking strategies that helped them advance their careers. From online platforms and networking mixers to connecting with colleagues on the job and maintaining professional relationships, learn how to leverage your network and find opportunities.

Joe Rockhill serves as Senior Vice President of Portfolio Ad Sales Marketing for Fox Corporation, leading the Ad Sales Portfolio Marketing team in support of overall revenue generation across the company’s four verticals of Sports, Entertainment, News and Streaming, by elevating and activating messaging to key media decision makers. He also is the co-lead of the FOX Ad Sales Diversity and Inclusion Council, where he oversees inclusion efforts including education, recruitment and retention.

Since Mr. Rockhill joined FOX in 2015, he has held various executive, team-building roles, having served as Vice President for Ad Sales Strategy on the FOX Sports Brand Partnerships team; Vice President of Portfolio Solutions & Client Management; and Vice President of Integrated Marketing, leading a team responsible for Ad Sales marketing strategy, ideation and execution for entertainment properties, including the award-winning Pepsi + Empire partnership.

Prior to FOX, Mr. Rockhill worked at Civic Entertainment Group and Culture Shop, where his team received a Silver Ex Award for Best Activation of an Entertainment Sponsorship. He started his career as one of the first ten IPG InterAct Associates, a prestigious fellowship program, which led to roles at Foote Cone & Belding and McCann Erickson, where he was selected as American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) Most Promising Minority Student Rising Star and developed the multicultural pharma arm HumanCare Salud, dedicated to serving minority populations. Mr. Rockhill received his Bachelor of Science, Television-Radio degree with a concentration in advertising and public relations from Ithaca College, where he was named AAF’s Most Promising Minority Student.

Radha Subramanyam serves as chief research and analytics officer at CBS and president of CBS Vision. She joined the Company as executive vice president, chief research and analytics officer at the CBS Television Network in November 2017 and was promoted to her current role after 18 months. Subramanyam oversees all research and analytics operations forCBS, including audience measurement, analytics, market research, content testing and advertising research. She has extensive strategic and operational experience in all areas of the industry, including broadcast, cable, digital and streaming, as well as radio, music and social media.
Most recently, Subramanyam served as president of research, insights and data analytics for iHeartMedia, where she developed and managed wide-ranging efforts involving digital analytics, ratings and measurement, ad sales research, mobile measurement, programming analysis, music research, campaign measurement and marketing research.
Prior to joining iHeartMedia, Subramanyam held senior executive research roles at Yahoo!, MTV Networks and Nielsen. Before beginning her career in the media industry, she taught media and entertainment at Vassar College and New York University.
Subramanyam serves on the board of directors of the Center for Communication, the International Radio & Television Society and the Advertising Research Foundation. She is the recipient of many accolades including being named among the National Women’s Conference’s “Top Women in Business,” the Tri-State Diversity Council’s “Top Women Leaders of New York” and Corinium’s “Top Innovators in Data and Analytics.” In 2023 she was a distinguished recipient of the International Women’s Day Award at the Consulate General of India. She is a sought-after media thought leader and speaker.

People, purpose, and product are the most important focus areas in Mason Williams' role as Global Head of DE&I at Mattel. Empowering a diverse workforce within an inclusive culture of belonging creates the greatest opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and execute sustainable growth.

Mason joined Mattel in 2010 as a digital game designer/producer. He helped create Mattel's Connected Play team tasked with creating toys powered by digital technologies such as AR/VR, Bluetooth, and speech recognition. In 2021, Mason transitioned into his current role. DEI has been foundational for him as a person and a professional.

Jennifer Abbondanza is a Vice President in NBCUniversal’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, where she advances DEI efforts in the areas of workforce, content, and philanthropy. She leads a team that drives diversity strategy, analytics and insights across NBCUniversal.
Previously, Jennifer was a Vice President in the NBCUniversal Corporate Strategy & Development group where she focused on acquisitions, divestitures and strategic partnerships. Prior to NBCUniversal, she held positions at Intel Corp, Brera Capital Partners, and Deutsche Bank, where she was an investment banker focused on the media, lodging, and financial services industries in the Global Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Advisory department, formerly Wolfensohn & Co.
Jennifer graduated from Princeton University with a degree in economics and holds a Master of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Business. She resides in New York City with her wife and two children.

Jackie Wong is a Senior Expert in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at McKinsey & Company. He leads a variety of DEI research for McKinsey, including the annual Race in the Workplace study. His publications include Asians and Pacific Islanders in Hollywood, and Asian American workers: Diversity outcomes and hidden challenges. He serves organizations across the private, public, and social sectors in DEI and culture transformation topics ranging from talent management to customer segmentation to business strategy. He also leads McKinsey’s LGBTQ+ talent attraction in North America.
Jackie holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, and a B.A. in economics and urban studies from Stanford University. Prior to McKinsey, he was a senior design architect at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in New York City and served as visiting faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Board member of Reaching Out MBA, a non-profit organization that convenes the largest network of LGBTQ+ MBA students and alumni, and of the J Max Bond Center for Urban Futures at the City College of New York.

10:15 AM — Break

10:30 AM — Partner Networking & Breakout Skill Workshops

Attendees will begin this session in either the Partner Networking or one of two Skill Workshops.

Partner Networking

Meet recruiters and representatives from A+E Networks, ABC News, BRIC Arts Media, Center for Communication, FOX Corporation, Google, Hearst Television, Mattel, Reel Works, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Choice of two Skill Workshops:

Build Your Presence: Overcome Imposter Syndrome + Make a Strong First Impression

In this interactive workshop, communication expert Lawrese Brown shares tips for effective communication skills for interviews and the workplace. Learn how to feel confident as a young professional and combat imposter syndrome, so you can thrive on the job.

Lawrese Brown teaches the communication and socio-emotional skills employers value through monthly masterclasses, coaching programs and speaking engagements. Her articles on how to succeed at work have been featured in Business Insider, Inc Magazine, Chief Learning Officer, Huffington Post and Fast Company.

Content Creation 101: The How-Tos of Careers in Production with Joie Jacoby

Joie Jacoby, executive producer of Hulu's hit docuseries Black Twitter: A People's History, shares the inside scoop on how to break into the biz. An accomplished showrunner, producer and director, Jacoby knows how to take a dream project from concept to reality. Don't miss this invaluable opportunity to learn how you can jumpstart your career in content creation.

Joie Jacoby is an Emmy award winning director, writer, executive producer and show runner who started making short films with her family’s camcorder when she was a teen. Since then, Joie has been at the helm of numerous documentary films and series including Black Twitter: A People’s History (HULU); Candace Parker: Unapologetic (ESPN) about one of the greatest WNBA stars; Gutsy (Apple TV) starring Hillary & Chelsea Clinton; and Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix). She executive produced Murder in Boston (HBO Max); The Paige Winter Story (ABC) with Robin Roberts; SEC Storied: Sarah & Suzanne (ESPN); Romanian Roots (ESPN) with Eva Longoria; Italian Imports (ESPN) about Kobe Bryant and WNBA Star Tamika Catchings’ childhood in Italy co-executive produced with Spike Lee; Eunice Kennedy Shriver (ESPN) narrated by Michelle Obama; and Wendy Williams: What a Mess (Lifetime) about the life of the talk show queen.
Joie has also served as executive producer and show runner of the Emmy nominated series Glad You Asked (YouTube Originals, Vox Media), Recipes For Change (YouTube Originals), and Onyx Family Dinner (YouTube Originals). Her latest directorial effort Candace Parker: Unapologetic won a 2024 Gracie for Best Director.

11:30 AM — Rotation Break

11:40 AM — Partner Networking & Breakout Skill Workshops — 2nd Round

Attendees will switch to either the Partner Networking or one of two Skill Workshops.

Partner Networking

Meet recruiters and representatives from ABC News, A+E Networks, BRIC Arts Media, Center for Communication, FOX Corporation, Google, Hearst Television, Mattel, Reel Works, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Choice of two Skill Workshops:

Build Your Presence: Overcome Imposter Syndrome + Make a Strong First Impression

Lawrese Brown teaches the communication and socio-emotional skills employers value through monthly masterclasses, coaching programs and speaking engagements. Her articles on how to succeed at work have been featured in Business Insider, Inc Magazine, Chief Learning Officer, Huffington Post and Fast Company.

Content Creation 101: The How-Tos of Careers in Production with Joie Jacoby

Joie Jacoby, executive producer of Hulu's hit docuseries Black Twitter: A People's History, shares the inside scoop on how to break into the biz. An accomplished showrunner, producer, and director, Jacoby knows how to take a dream project from concept to reality. Don't miss this invaluable opportunity to learn how you can jumpstart your career in content creation.

Joie Jacoby is an Emmy award winning director, writer, executive producer and show runner who started making short films with her family’s camcorder when she was a teen. Since then, Joie has been at the helm of numerous documentary films and series including Black Twitter: A People’s History (HULU); Candace Parker: Unapologetic (ESPN) about one of the greatest WNBA stars; Gutsy (Apple TV) starring Hillary & Chelsea Clinton; and Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix). She executive produced Murder in Boston (HBO Max); The Paige Winter Story (ABC) with Robin Roberts; SEC Storied: Sarah & Suzanne (ESPN); Romanian Roots (ESPN) with Eva Longoria; Italian Imports (ESPN) about Kobe Bryant and WNBA Star Tamika Catchings’ childhood in Italy co-executive produced with Spike Lee; Eunice Kennedy Shriver (ESPN) narrated by Michelle Obama; and Wendy Williams: What a Mess (Lifetime) about the life of the talk show queen.
Joie has also served as executive producer and show runner of the Emmy nominated series Glad You Asked (YouTube Originals, Vox Media), Recipes For Change (YouTube Originals), and Onyx Family Dinner (YouTube Originals). Her latest directorial effort Candace Parker: Unapologetic won a 2024 Gracie for Best Director.

12:40 PM — Lunch

1:45 PM — Panel: A Creators Conversation

With a wealth of creative opportunities across various platforms, talented storytellers share how they carry out their vision and make compelling content that engages audiences.

Krystal Atwater is an experienced Creative Director with an extensive background in shaping branded creative content and promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In her current role as Creative Director at Fisher-Price, Krystal spearheads the creation of innovative campaigns that are fresh, diverse, and resonate deeply with audiences across the globe. Krystal also serves as the Co-President of Black at Mattel, where she actively works to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all employees.
Before joining Fisher-Price, Krystal led photography and video projects for renowned brands such as the National Football League, Harry Winston Inc., Rodale Publishing, and Complex Media. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Photography & Media Graphics from City College of New York and has an Associate of Science in Photography from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
In her free time, Krystal loves hanging out with her family, roller skating, and exploring different bourbons. Her diverse interests and dedication to her work make her a respected leader and influencer both professionally and personally.

As Deputy Commissioner of the Film Office at the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Kwame Amoaku serves as principal advisor on film and television production policy in New York City. This includes promoting New York City as a premier location for production, developing and maintaining relationships with key industry stakeholders, and overseeing the film permitting process.
Prior to joining MOME in July 2022, he served as director of Chicago's Film Office. Amoaku's career in film and television spans 30 years, and includes experience in directing, producing, writing, cinematography, acting, and location management. As director of the Chicago Film Office, he helped develop COVID-19 protocols that allowed filming permits to be issued by June 2020 and served as part of the city's COVID Recovery Task Force, which invested in workforce development and infrastructure to increase soundstage capacity and revenues by 25 percent and film production by 125 percent. Amoaku also designed and implemented a workforce development program for Chicago residents from underserved areas and created the Chicago Independent Producers Lab, to provide professional development and support to Chicago's independent film community.

Jon McLeod, an accomplished Associate Producer at ESPN, stands at the forefront of a groundbreaking initiative. As one of the founding members of ESPN TRUST, the network's inaugural Mental Health Awareness Affinity team, Jon is dedicated to fostering a culture of well-being in the fast-paced world of sports broadcasting.
With a deep-seated passion for sports, Jon's journey in this realm began early on, fueling his pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism and Communications. His unquenchable thirst for knowledge led him to earn a master's degree in television production, equipping him with the skills to craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences.
Jon has a wealth of experience in producing captivating content, fostering meaningful conversations, and weaving inspiring stories. He takes great pride in his opportunities to be a Public Speaker. He has addressed audiences worldwide at prestigious events like the Disability IN Conference, as well as nationally recognized companies including Blue Shield California and TIAA. Jon's commitment to creating impact extends to local communities, where he shares his insights with schools and youth programs.
Jon's unwavering mission is clear: to empower the next generation with business acumen while emphasizing the paramount importance of nurturing their mental health for enduring success. With a resolute focus on both personal and professional growth, Jon McLeod exemplifies leadership in sports broadcasting and mental health advocacy, making him a true beacon of inspiration in his field.

Sabina Ghebremedhin serves as the Senior Coordinating Producer for the Race & Culture unit where she directs and leads the multi-platform reporting efforts of the team. Sabina is an Emmy award-winning journalist and was most recently recognized with an Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Gwen Ifill Award for Excellence in News reporting for ABC News Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas, a Peabody Award for the 20/20 Special, “Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor,” Front Page Television and Webby Award for her work on the cross-platform project "Their Painful Bond: Black Mothers Speak Out Together on Their Unimaginable Loss," originally launched on GMA digital and aired across all ABC News platforms. She has produced for a number of ABC News’ special projects, including Peabody award winning 20/20:“Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor,” “Nowhere to Run: the Ahmaud Arbery story," George Floyd, Soul of A Nation, Soul of a Nation: Corazon de America, Pride: To Be Seen, Together as One: Celebrating Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, America in Pain, Turning Point, and Juneteenth specials. At ABC News she has landed scores of exclusive interviews on some of the most challenging stories, including multiple mass shootings, riots, natural disasters. She has a proven track record of delivering highly rated content for all ABC News platforms and cross platform coverage such as the March on Washington, Tennessee three, Ralph Yarl Exclusive, Martin Lawrence Exclusive for ABC News Live Prime & Hulu, Rap Trap: Hip Hop on trial for Hulu, the life and deaths of Michael Jackson, Carrie Fisher, George Michael, Kobe Bryant and she covered the Academy Awards for nearly two decades. She previously served as the West Coast coordinating producer for Good Morning based in Los Angeles.

Wes Jackson has over 25 years of experience as a leader, entrepreneur, innovator, creative, and executive in entertainment and academia. Wes has been leading BRIC, a pioneering, multi-disciplinary arts and media institution anchored in downtown Brooklyn, as its President since July 2022. BRIC’s programs include the free, summer-long BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! festival, the New York Emmy Award-winning BRIC TV, whose programming includes acclaimed original scripted series and hyper-local news stories and documentaries; Brooklyn Free Speech TV, a leading public access TV network; a major contemporary art exhibition program; BRIC JazzFest, which brings global legends and emerging artists in jazz to Brooklyn each October; a robust education program; and more. BRIC’s nationally recognized school-based arts and media education program reaches thousands of NYC public school students each year. Prior to starting at BRIC, Jackson was the Director of the Business of Creative Enterprises (BCE) Program and Senior Executive In Residence at Emerson College. His career began as a concert producer, which led him to his first venture, Seven Heads Entertainment, and later to found and lead the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival.

Christine Cortes, producer, visual storyteller, community builder (collaborator), creativity coach + brand consultant. With over 12 years experience in media, producing work for BET, Syfy, A&E, Liftime and more, her knowledge about the industry is vast. Christine is CEO of I See Cre8tions Media LLC, a media agency that provides production services for startups and creatives alike some of which include The Grio and The World of Step. She is also Co-Owner and Executive Producer of eres., a digital network that celebrates the power of being you. Christine is a proud recipient of four New York Chapter Emmy Awards for her producing and cinematography work at Spectrum News NY1, was recognized as Omega Phi Beta’s 2020 Professional of the Year, and was nominated as NALFO’s 2021 Professional of the Year. She is passionate about creating meaningful content that authentically speaks about her community and represents them in all of their complexities. But more importantly, she is intentional about telling those stories in a way that inspires and provides opportunities for the next generations. Christine is happiest when she is creating and is fortunate to have nurtured a life that allows her to do so everyday.

3:15 PM — Break

3:30 PM — Keynote Interview

Deborah Roberts is an award-winning ABC News correspondent and co-anchor of the prestigious news magazine, “20/20”. A media veteran, Roberts has traveled the world for her reporting. She also serves as a substitute anchor for “Good Morning America” as well as a guest co-host on “The View.”
Her in-depth coverage of current events has earned her a Peabody Award for the “20/20” special “Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor.” She has been awarded multiple Emmy® Awards for international and national coverage of world events, including the AIDS crisis in Africa and maternal mortality in Bangladesh.
Roberts is the author of “Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life”, a New York Times Bestseller. She’s also authored a book with her husband, Al Roker, called “Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom For Modern Times.” She currently resides in New York City with her husband. They have two children.

Jennifer Joseph is an Emmy Award-winning producer. Her career in television and documentary production began at ABC News as a researcher for Barbara Walters before working her way up to become a producer for the journalist and broadcast legend on wide-ranging specials, including the "10 Most Fascinating People" franchise and Walters' interviews with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah and Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez. In recent years, Joseph has had a key leadership role on ABC special projects and events including, "30 Hours with President Trump," " The President and the People: A National Conversation with President Obama” and "Royal Wedding Coverage 2018.”
In 2021, Joseph launched George Stephanopoulos Productions (GSP) – a longform production unit within ABC focusing on nonfiction long-form projects including news-making interviews and gripping investigations and documentaries. Recent projects from the unit include “Grand Knighthawk: Infiltrating the KKK'”,” “Alec Baldwin: Unscripted, “ Two Men at War,” and the series "Power Trip." She also served as an executive producer on the 2-part documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Joseph is currently the Executive Producer for GSP and a Senior Producer at ABC News' "20/20."