New York Women in Communications
Board of Directors 2007-08
PRESIDENT
Kristine Welker
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Hearst Magazines Digital Media
Kristine Welker was named Vice President, Sales & Marketing for Hearst Magazines Digital Media on February 14, 2008. In this role, Welker
oversees the digital sales and marketing departments and will help incorporate online media into Hearst’s print properties’ advertising offerings
Prior to this, Welker was the founding Publisher of CosmoGIRL!, which launched in 1999. Welker was named Vice President in 2004. Since its launch, CosmoGIRL! has received many awards including Adweek’s 2003 Magazine “Hot List”, Ad Age’s 2003 “A List” and winner of AWNY’s “Good” Award for the magazine’s Born To Lead campaign for three consecutive years.
Previously, Welker worked at Ladies Home Journal 1988-1999 where she held various positions in advertising, from Sales Manager to Ad Director. Prior to her publishing career she worked at Wells Rich Greene Advertising.
Welker can be credited with growing CosmoGIRL! beyond the pages of the magazine through innovative initiatives including the annual “Born to Lead” awards, an event that recognizes young people and their accomplishments; the “Kiss of Approval” awards, which highlights the best in beauty, fashion and entertainment; the first-ever CosmoGIRL! “Born to Lead Design Search,” a joint project with the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology; and other brand extensions including the CosmoGIRL! Beach House experiential marketing tour, CosmoGIRL! Prom, and CG! Mobile
Welker is a graduate of Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY and currently serves as Marymount Annual Fund Chair. Some of Welker’s other affiliations include being a member of the Cosmetic Executive Women’s Association, Advertising Women of New York, New York Women in Communications, and she is actively involved in the Fragrance Foundation’s Career Day. Welker also participates annually with P.E.N.C.I.L. (Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning) in the Principal For A Day Program.
Welker lives in Edgemont, NY with her husband and three children.
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Nancy Rabstejnek Nichols
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
Weber Shandwick
Nancy Rabstejnek Nichols is Senior Vice President External Affairs, at Weber Shandwick, the largest full service Public Relations firm in the world. Working with internal and external clients Ms. Nichols handles key company relationships in terms of positioning in New York with business, community, governmental and charitable institutions. She counsels CEO’s and other senior executives on how to achieve targeted board memberships and community exposure. Ms. Nichols also counsels corporations on their strategies for most effectively allocating corporate contributions and participation in non-profit events.
Prior to Interpublic’s purchase of True North Communications, one of the top global advertising and communications holding companies in the world, Nancy Rabstejnek Nichols was Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs. She was also President of the True North Foundation.
She served as the corporation’s liaison with outside board, community, government and charitable interests on behalf of David Bell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of True North Communications and Charles D. Peebler, Jr., Chairman Emeritus of True North Communications. As such, she was instrumental in shaping the company’s image in the community and relationships with major industry groups such as the American Association of Advertising Agencies.
In 1986, Ms. Nichols joined True North (formerly Bozell, Jacobs, Kenyon & Eckhardt) after serving as Assistant to the Chairman as well as Director of Corporate Citizenship at The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. In her years at The Equitable, she served as Assistant to the CEO and was also responsible for education grants, scholarships, corporate support and community service programs.
She was selected as a member of the 1994 Academy of Women Achievers: an organization of exceptional woman in the work force chosen by the YWCA of the City of New York, and has received the Americans for Indian Opportunity Outstanding Achievement Award. In addition, she was named the 1997 Distinguished Woman of the Year by the Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts. Ms. Nichols is a board member of the NY Women in Communications Foundation, the Professionals in Advertising Political Action Committee and the James Lenox House Association. She is also a member of the Diabetes Advisory Committee of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, the Government Relations Committee of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the American Advertising Federation Government Relations Committee, the Business Council for the United Nations’ Business Advisory Committee and the Central Park Conservancy Corporate Committee. At the request of Mayor Giuliani she served on the Board of Public/Private Initiatives, Inc. She is a former member of the Eastern Region Public Affairs Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Marketing Committee of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the Board of Laubach Literacy International, the Board of the American Craft Museum and the Board of the 23rd Street Association.
Ms. Nichols received a BA in psychology from Hunter College and has completed graduate courses in personnel psychology at Columbia University.
SECRETARY
Nancy Megan
Promotion Management
Nancy comes from the worlds of advertising and magazine publishing, including a number of advertising agencies and 27 years at Time Inc. For TIME and Sports Illustrated she served in various executive promotion and public affairs roles, in which she directed advertising promotion, special events, the famous TIME international news tours for advertisers, industry conferences and corporate involvement in the arts. She was President, and then served professionally for two years as Executive Director, for Advertising Women of New York (AWNY) before going on her own.
A graduate of Wellesley College with a BA in Music, she has sat on the board of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the American Symphony Orchestra, and The Dwelling Place, a women’s shelter in New York. Along with industry work, Nancy does occasional free-lance promotion projects under banner, Promotion Management. For NYWICI, of which she’s been a member since 1986, she has periodically been on the board as VP Finance since 1992, currently manages the content for the website and coordinates development for the Matrix Awards luncheons. She directed the establishment of the NYWICI Foundation in 2000, and also serves as its VP Finance.
VICE PRESIDENT-FINANCE
Jennifer S. Brisman
President, Events New York
Jennifer Brisman owns and operates jennifer brisman events newyork, a full-service event management and production firm that designs and produces events for corporations, associations, charities and private interests. Jennifer also runs jennifer brisman weddings newyork, a wedding planning firm.
Jennifer began her event career at GANZI Productions, Inc., an international event-planning firm based in Washington, D.C. She later joined Production Group International (PGI), where she planned and produced events featuring headline entertainment for clients including Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Fidelity Investments, The Waldorf=Astoria and The 24 Karat Club of the City of New York. Wanting to expand her horizons and general business knowledge, Jennifer transitioned to International Communications for Management (ICM), a global financial conference company. As a Senior Conference Producer and later Director of the Finance, Banking & Insurance division, Jennifer developed and executed executive-level business conferences that featured C-level officers from F1000 companies. She handled program development, speaker acquisition and sponsorship sales, while collaborating with the marketing and operations departments.
Jennifer joined New York Women in Communications in 2001, volunteering for the Matrix Awards Luncheon as a member of the Development Committee. Jennifer has served as Matrix Arrangements Chair (2003) then Matrix Program Chair for two years in a row (2004, 2005). She has been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Redbook, Quest, Time Out New York, In Style, Town & Country and The Seattle Times, just to name a few. She has also appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Life & Style and TLC.
VP-CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Marcia Cole
Deputy Managing Editor, Realsimple.com
Founder, Ambermag.com
Marcia A. Cole is the Founder and Editorial Director of AMBER Magazine and ambermag.com, a beauty, health and lifestyle publication for women of color. Prior to launching Amber, Cole rejoined the interactive world as a consultant for NuRun Interactive, an online advertising agency, where she worked on the launches of websites for L’Oreal Paris USA and created online media campaigns for Aer Lingus. Before NuRun, Cole was the Deputy Editor, Lifestyle + Features of Suede, a now defunct fashion magazine for the modern, urban woman of color, published by Essence magazine and Time Inc. At Suede, Cole oversaw features, home décor, arts and entertainment, and lifestyle trends. An 18-year magazine veteran, Cole has over 15 years in top editorial management positions including editor-in-chief, executive editor, editor and managing editor for women and teen consumer publications. Before joining Suede, Cole was the executive editor of Heart & Soul, a health, lifestyle and fitness magazine for African-American women published by Vanguarde Media, where the co-spearheaded the revitalization of the title’s editorial and creative direction.
Cole started her career in 1988 at teen entertainment publications, where she interviewed celebrities such as Janet Jackson, the Beastie Boys, Heavy D, LL Cool J, Run DMB, as well as covered reggae and dance music artists. After three years, and at the age of 26, she became editor-in-chief of the company’s newest teen launches, 2 Hype and in 1993, Cole was appointed editor-in-chief of Hype Hair, and Try It Yourself Hair, two hair and beauty publications targeting young, African-American women. Combining her knowledge of the urban music scene with her fashion education, Cole positioned these niche titles to provide a solid union of style and entertainment. After two successful years, she was promoted to editorial director and launched two spin-off hair titles: Braids & Beauty and Black Hair Digest.
Revered for her beauty and entertainment expertise, in 1996, Cole was hired by Fairchild Publications to launch Creative Designer, a celebrity-based multicultural beauty trade magazine. CD was a sister publication of Salon News, and a co-venture with Sally Beauty Supply. Over the next three years, Cole co-founded and launched Insidesalon.com, an online beauty magazine; consulted with Revlon Cosmetics, and served as the executive editor for Girl, a teen fashion and beauty magazine for African-American girls. She was also an adjunct professor at New York Univesity, where she created and taught the course: “How to Create A Magazine Online.”
Cole’s articles about beauty and entertainment have appeared in Elle, Essence, Day Spa, InStyle Weddings, The New York Times, Vibe, Mode, Honey, Savoy and on Launch.com. Cole earned a BFA from Parsons School of Design, a Certificate in Communications from New York University and a MS in Publishing from Pace University. She has served on the executive board of New York Association of Black Journalists as its vice president of print, and is currently on the executive board of New York Women in Communications as its Vice President of Career Development.
VP-CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Leslie Hunt
Associate Director, Outreach
EMBA Career Management, Columbia University
Until recently, Leslie Hunt managed the Career Development Program at the Center for Arts Education where she developed relationships with top industry players in media, fashion, advertising, design, theatre, fine art, literature, music and dance to support internships and work based learning activities for New York City public high school students. She served as a Career Development advisor on the writing committee for the Department of Education's Blueprint for Arts Education in Theatre and Dance. Additionally, Leslie has her own career consultancy where she provides strategic direction and support for individual artists, performers and communication specialists.
Leslie began her career as a professional performer. In addition to a performance career that took her around the world, Leslie was also a national spokesperson for Toyota and the founding producer of Risk Ensemble. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan. Since joining NY Women in Communications in 2003, Leslie has served on the Career Development and Membership committees. Currently, she is in her second year as co-chair of the Matrix Digital committee
VP-MEMBERSHIP
Jeanne-Marie Byington
President, JM Byington & Assoc., Inc.
Jeannie Byington founded her marketing, communications and public relations company in 1996. The agency is known for introducing new products and promotions to consumers, retailers, designers, architects and building owners, and finding solutions to marketing challenges. Its clients have included: 3M; Domco resilient flooring; Waverly; Gramercy and Village wallpapers [brands of F. Schumacher & Co.]; Cooper Wiring Devices; Lindal Cedar Homes; Home Magazine; the Tile Promotion Board and Coverings, an annual trade show.
Byington has been NYWICI co-vice president of Membership for two years, participated in the selection of 2006 NYWICI scholarship winners and was on the 2004 Matrix Awards committee. A mentor in the Baruch College Executive-Student Partnership Mentoring Program, she has also held positions on the board of the International Furnishings and Design Association [IFDA] Educational Foundation and the IFDA national board of directors and was a president of IFDA's New York chapter. She currently is on the national IFDA marketing committee and on the New York Chapter’s 2006 Big Apple Awards committee.
She was given the International Furnishings and Design Association Circle of Excellence Award in the public relations/advertising category and the [national] IFDA Honorary Recognition Award, the highest honor bestowed on a member.
VP-MEMBERSHIP
Stephanie Aaron
President
Aaron Design Inc.
Stephanie Aaron, President of Aaron Design Inc., is an award winning designer with more than 20 years experience in graphic design and its management. She brings to each project her unique combination of creative and business expertise. Stephanie finds satisfaction in creating solutions that convey content clearly while delighting the eye. Each project offers sustenance to her intellectual curiosity – whether it’s learning about dinosaurs with feathers, the human genome, or Italian wines. A native New Yorker, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Cooper Union. She was a former board member of the National Association of Women Business Owners’ New York chapter.
VP-PROGRAM
Pat Baird,
MA, RD, FADA
President, Patricia Baird Communications
Award-winning author, lecturer, and fitness authority Pat Baird is a specialist in the development and communication of information on nutrition, and health-related issues for consumers and health care professionals. She is noted for expertise in the areas of gastrointestinal disorders, osteoporosis, weight management, and cardiovascular health.
Formerly the Administrative Dietitian at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, Pat is a Registered Dietitian, and a Fellow of The American Dietetic Association. She holds a Master's Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from New York University; and completed the Advanced Nutrition Counseling Program of the NY Heart Association. Pat served on the Board of Directors of Fresh Specialties, Inc. for six years. She is currently on the Board of The Dietetic Internship Program at New York-Presbyterian Medical Center; and an Advisory Board Member of the National Heartburn Alliance, the National Fiber Council, and the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society.
Nutrition consultant to several global companies, Pat is a frequent guest lecturer and facilitator for corporate and consumer weight management and health education programs. Pat does satellite media tours – averaging 22 interviews - and is frequently on radio and TV programs across the country. Appearances include CNN, FoxNews, The Health Network, and the CBS Morning Show. She has been a featured speaker at the American Dietetic Association, the NYS Dietetic Association; and UN World Health Day.
The author of numerous articles for publications including BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS Diabetic Living, REDBOOK, and RESTAURANT BUSINESS, Pat wrote a weekly syndicated newspaper column for the NJ Star‑Ledger for several years. She has written four books: BE GOOD TO YOUR GUT (Blackwell Science) - supported by The American College of Gastroenterology and a winner of the National Health Information Awards - THE PYRAMID COOKBOOK: Pleasures of the Food Guide Pyramid (Henry Holt & Company) - named one of the10 best cookbooks of the year by ABC's "Good Morning America" and nominated for a 1994 James Beard Book Award in the "Healthy Focus" category - COOKING WITH MICKEY & FRIENDS (Disney Press); and QUICK & HEARTY (Henry Holt & Company); Pat was editorial consultant for WEIGHT WATCHER'S HOMESTYLE FAVORITE RECIPES (NAL).
VP-PROGRAM
Nancie Steinberg
Vice President Media Services, Chamberlain Health Care Public Relations
Nancie Steinberg is the Vice President, Media Services for Chamberlain Public Relations, an independent healthcare public relations agency specializing in developing and managing integrated communications programs for brands with high-impact social issues. She has more than 15 years of healthcare public relations and media relations management experience. Most recently, Nancie was the Senior Media Relations Specialist in New York for the City of Hope National Medical Center, a Comprehensive Cancer Center and innovative biomedical research, treatment and educational institution near Los Angeles dedicated to the prevention and cure of cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases.
Previously, Nancie was the Director of Public Relations for Cabrini Medical Center where she spearheaded public relations and media relations strategies for the medical center, the nursing home, and outpatient facilities, and was responsible for advertising and marketing campaigns, the design and content for the Cabrini website, special events and publications. Prior to Cabrini, she was an Associate Public Information Officer for the American Medical Association Media Relations New York office where she established and maintained the AMA's contact with national media based in New York through media briefings, media tours and healthcare campaigns.
Nancie is the Treasurer of the Publicity Club of New York, board member and a Past President of the Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society of New York (HPRMS), and co-Vice President of New York Women in Communications (NYWICI). She is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A in Communications.
VP-PUBLIC RELATIONS
Dorothy Crenshaw
President, Stanton Crenshaw Communications
Dorothy Crenshaw has provided the creative force and initiative behind a broad range of high-profile and award-winning marketing public relations programs. She became President of Stanton Crenshaw in 1996 after a 15-year career in marketing public relations. She and partner Alex Stanton have built Stanton Crenshaw into one of the premier mid-sized public relations firms in the country. Stanton Crenshaw has grown to $6 million dollars in fee revenues in five years.
Dorothy spent many years working on behalf of packaged goods clients and developing programs on behalf of food and beverage, sports, and consumer health product marketers. She was previously Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Worldwide Consumer Marketing with GCI Group, the public relations unit of Grey Advertising. Prior to Grey, she was with Edelman Public Relations Worldwide as Senior Vice President. She started her career at Dorf & Stanton Communications, where she rose from Account Executive to Executive Vice President and partner in seven years.
Programs she has developed and managed include those for American Express, Procter & Gamble, M&M/Mars, Sharp Electronics, Starbucks, Pepsi-Cola, and Snapple Beverage Co. At Stanton Crenshaw, Dorothy has developed brand extension strategies and programs for clients in product and brand marketing, including Sharp, Starbucks, CNBC, The Weather Channel and weather.com, About.com/The New York Times Digital Group, and Hachette Filipacchi.
Dorothy speaks frequently on brand-building, marketing to women, and workplace topics. She has been a featured speaker at the International Research Institute’s Online-Offline Branding Forum; the PRSA’s Counselors Academy, Ragan Public Relations conferences, The Fulcrum Speakers Series, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business. She was named one of the public relations industry’s 100 Most Powerful Women by PR Week. In 1998, Dorothy and her agency were the recipients of the “Best of the Best” Big Apple Award given by the New York Public Relations Society of America. In 1999, Stanton Crenshaw was named “Best New Agency” by Inside PR magazine. In early 2000, it was named “Mid-Size PR Agency of the Year” by PR Week.
VP-PUBLIC RELATIONS
Linda Levi
Senior Communications Officer, New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Linda Levi began her career as a journalist in Washington, DC, in the exciting post-Watergate era. Upon returning to NYC, her hometown, she was an editor at an investment banking firm and at Institutional Investor Magazine.
Capitalizing on her newly acquired financial acumen, Linda entered the public relations arena as Public Relations Director for a boutique business PR firm, Porter, LeVay & Rose, rising to the rank of Vice President before joining The Rowland Company, where she began to represent a wider variety of corporate, consumer and non-profit clients including Bacardi, MasterCard, the World Gold Council, McDonald’s, etc.
Linda’s next career phase took her to the non-profit arena as Public Relations Director for the National Kidney Foundation and then Director of Communications for New York Blood Center. Today she is Senior Communications Officer at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Linda has an undergraduate degree in Communications & Foreign Languages from The American University and a MS in Non-Profit Management from The New School. She is also the recipient of several communications industry awards, currently chairs the 2007 NYWICI Matrix Journal Committee and has served on several NYWICI committees (Communications, Public Relations, Mentoring, Matrix Program) over her many years as a dedicated NYWICI member.
VP-COMMUNICATIONS
Patricia O'Connell
VP-COMMUNICATIONS
Deirdre Wyeth
President, D. Wyeth & Associates
Deirdre Wyeth has more than 10 years of online publishing and development experience at top national websites. Previous to her current work, she was Executive Producer at Time Inc. Interactive, having moved there from being Director of Content and Production at Time Inc.’s Parenting.com. Before that, she was Managing Editor of TV Guide Online. She converted to the online world after 10 years as a magazine editor and writer, having worked at Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, and other magazines. At one time, she was the editor of Video Review, and wrote columns for Working Mother and other magazines.
During her tenure as Director of Content and Production at Time Inc.'s Parenting.com, the site received the following awards: Finalist, Best Magazine Site Design, FOLIO: magazine's 2003 Ozzie Awards; Winner, Best Interactive Newsletters (Media Industry Newsletter's 2002 Best of the Web Awards); Honorable Mention, Best Uses of Interactivity (Media Industry Newsletter's 2002 Best of the Web Awards).
VP-STUDENT AFFAIRS
Joan Cear
Managing Director, G.S. Schwartz & Co.
Joan Cear is managing director and head of the consumer practice at G.S. Schwartz & Co. Inc., leading mid-sized, New York City public relations agency. Joan was previously president and owner of The Wachsman Cear Group, another New York-based PR agency that merged with G.S. Schwartz & Co. in 2001.
At G.S. Schwartz & Co., Joan is responsible for strategic planning and public relations program development and implementation for a wide range of clients including Anheuser-Busch, UTStarcom, Cold-Eeze, Pressman Toy, eToys Direct, Magners Irish Cider, Walkerswood Caribbean Foods and others. Joan also has an integral role in the agency’s new business development.
Joan’s previous agency, The Wachsman Cear Group, was founded in 1957 as David S. Wachsman Associates Inc. Joan acquired the firm from the founder in 1998. Prior to joining Wachsman Associates in 1990, Joan was a media relations specialist for Long Island Lighting Company. She is also a former print and broadcast journalist.
Joan has served on the Student Affairs Committee for New York Women in Communications for more than five years. During this time, NYWICI Student Affairs has developed a separate student membership category and specific programs geared toward students; launched a student member email newsletter, NYWICINext; grown its NYWICI Foundation Scholarships to $100,000 in awards to 16 students and much more.
In addition to her service to NYWICI, Joan is a member of the boards of directors of Educational Housing Services, Inc., Peninsula Counseling Center and New York SCORES. She also belongs to the Publicity Club of New York. Joan has a B.A. in communications from the State University of New York at Oswego.
VP-STUDENT AFFAIRS
Linda Krebs
Senior Account Executive, G.S. Schwartz & Co.
Linda Krebs is a senior account executive at G.S. Schwartz & Co., one of the largest independent public relations and investor agencies in New York City. Linda helps to develop and implement publicity programs for a wide range of clients including but not limited to UTStarcom Personal Communications, Toy Industry Association, Pressman Toy, Walkerswood Caribbean Foods and The Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
Linda was previously an account executive at Bridge Global Strategies, a midtown Manhattan public relations agency specializing in international PR. She was a member of Bridge’s founding team in 2004 and during her tenure was involved in all facets of the agency’s business development as well as developing and implementing strategic publicity programs for clients ranging from Condista (Spanish-language cable network aggregator), New York Pharma Forum Inc. (professional pharmaceutical association), and Nikko Hotels International (luxury chain).
In 2005, she created, implemented and served as spokesperson for a cause-related marketing campaign sponsored by Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Canada and pudding manufacturer Kozy Shack; launched a U.S. website and product line in the American market for Admiral Road Designs; performed media relations and assisted in the event planning for Grand Opening of SNBL CPC, Inc.; and served on crisis management team for a famous psychologist.
In addition to her service as co-vice president of student affairs for NYWICI, she is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America’s New York Chapter (PRSA-NY). Linda received the PRSA chapter’s prestigious 2006 President’s Award for her contributions to the Chapter and the industry. She chairs the PRSA-NY New Professionals Networking Committee, which she founded in 2005.
NYWICI HEADQUARTERS:
c/o The Kellen Company
355 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor
Between 40th & 41st Streets
New York, NY 10017-6603
T: (212) 297-2133 F: (212) 370-9047
www.kellencompany.com
KELLEN COMPANY STAFF
STAFF DIRECTOR
Holly Munter Koenig
Vice President, The Kellen Company
Holly is an officer of The Kellen Company (KCO), an employee-owned association management company of which NYWICI has been a client since 1996. In addition to serving as staff director of New York Women in Communications, she directs a number of associations and oversees the staff and operations of KCO’S New York City office. Prior to KCO, Holly spent ten years in advertising at DMB&B.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Maria Ungaro
Maria Ungaro became executive director for New York Women in Communications as of June 1, 2005, having developed expertise in operational effectiveness, marketing and event planning from seven years at the Kellen Company, including earlier stints working for New York Women in Communications and its Foundation. She has a BA and an MBA from Fordham University, was the executive director for the New York Women's Agenda and, prior to Kellen, worked for a management consulting firm specializing in crisis communications, public relations and corporate positioning.
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Emily Brochstein
