27th Annual NAMIC Conference Underscores Diversity And Inclusion With Powerful Keynoters, Panel Discussions, Master Classes And More

NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Presented by the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC), the 27^th Annual NAMIC Conference showcased an outstanding roster of keynoters, panelists and guest speakers.  The theme for this year's event was Vision 2043: Inclusion. Inspiration. Imagination. Held as part of the cable telecommunications industry's Diversity Week, with attendance exceeding 500 professionals, the 27^th Annual NAMIC Conference took place October 8-9, 2013 at the New York Marriott Marquis. 

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Baratunde Thurston, New York Times bestselling author and comedian was the highly entertaining keynoter at the Opening General Session. He was the first of a slate of top executives and subject-matter experts who covered a wide-range of provocative and engaging topics, beginning with a Diversity Town Hall moderated by CNN anchor, Suzanne Malveaux. The Diversity Town Hall was a joint presentation of NAMIC and WICT (Women in Cable Telecommunications), and was the venue for the unveiling of the findings from the 2013 NAMIC/WICT Workforce Diversity Survey. A distinguished panel of industry executives reacted to a presentation of top line findings by a principal from Mercer, third-party researchers and global consultants on human capital issues. The panel comprised the following:  Adria Alpert Romm, senior executive vice president, Human Resources and Global Diversity, Discovery Communications; David L. Cohen, executive vice president, Comcast Corporation; Gail Greenfield, Ph.D., principal, Mercer; Jacqueline Hernandez, chief operating officer, Telemundo Media and Rhonda D. Taylor, executive vice president and chief people officer, Cox Communications. The Diversity Town Hall Meeting opened with remarks from Michael Powell, president and chief executive officer of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. The 2013 NAMIC/WICT Workforce Diversity Survey was funded through the generous support of The Walter Kaitz Foundation. 

Presented in partnership with PromaxBDA, the second of two General Sessions programmed for this year's NAMIC Conference was entitled Audience First: How Marketers Will Lead the Next Generation of Media.  Moderated by Maryam Banikarim, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Gannett Corp., Inc., the panel of brand building experts included: Brian Briskman, president and Creative Director, B2+; Eddie Hill, senior vice president, Consumer Marketing and Brand Strategy, BET Networks; Christine Maggiore-Escribano, senior vice president, Integrated Marketing Solutions, Telemundo Media and Dario Spina, executive vice president, Integrated Marketing, Viacom Media Networks.

Educational tracks programmed as part of the 27^th Annual NAMIC Conference focused on Business Solutions, Leadership and Learning, and Content and Imagery. This year's educational track sessions contained memorable content, including four "Master Classes" that attracted standing room only crowds.  Featured were insightful discussions by industry luminaries including: Glenn Britt, chairman and CEO, Time Warner Cable with moderator Kenetta Bailey, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, TV One; Marva Smalls, executive vice president, Global Inclusion Strategy, Viacom & executive vice president, Public Affairs and chief of staff, Nickelodeon Group with moderator, Dr. Addie Perkins Williamson, president and chief executive officer, Perkins Williamson Associates, Inc.; Dr. Martin N. Davidson, author, educator, and professor of Leadership, University of Virginia Darden School of Business; and Laura Martin, CFA, Media, Cable, and Internet Analyst, Needham & Company, LLC.

Actor and filmmaker Robert Townsend served as guest speaker for the 2013 L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program Luncheon.  He inspired and motivated conference attendees in a candid one-on-one conversation with Omar Wasow, Ph.D., co-founder of BlackPlanet.com and assistant professor in Princeton's Department of Politics. Sponsored by the Walter Kaitz Foundation, the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program luncheon was presented by NAMIC in partnership with WICT.

"We are excited to have met our goal of presenting an engaging, forward-thinking agenda that inspired and energized conference attendees," said Alicin Williamson, interim head of NAMIC and principal, The Raben Group. "As we look toward furthering our mission of educating, advocating and empowering for diversity and inclusion, it has never been more evident that the partnership established with our members and stakeholders is invaluable. On behalf of the NAMIC Board and the entire NAMIC team, sincere thanks and gratitude is extended to everyone that supported this year's conference."

Additional highlights of the 27^th Annual NAMIC Conference included:

• Session presenting the preliminary findings from a new study of diversity in cable television content conducted by The Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA. Darrell M. Hunt, Ph.D., director, Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA, Professor of Sociology and Ana-Christina Ramon, Ph.D., assistant director & associate researcher, Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA served as presenters.  
• Newly launched Career Corners sessions provided the ultimate platform for connecting recruitment managers from top companies with qualified professionals in small group, informative settings.  
• Presentations and honors including the CableFAX Breakfast recognizing the "Most Influential Minorities in Cable," the NAMIC Chapter Leadership Awards, and the Excellence in Multicultural Marketing Awards.
• Networking events, including the Reception for the alumni of the Executive Leadership Development Program and NAMIC Leadership Seminars sponsored by Scripps Networks Interactive; and a special NAMIC After-Party held at the Copacabana in Manhattan, sponsored by OlympuSat.
• The Mickey Leland Humanitarian Achievement Award Luncheon. This year's luncheon served as a platform for representatives of NAMIC's executive leadership team to refocus Annual Conference attendees on the late Congressman George Thomas "Mickey" Leland and his legacy of philanthropy and advocacy for social justice and equality.  Additionally, it was announced that beginning in 2014, the Mickey Leland Humanitarian Achievement Award will be presented in conjunction with the NAMIC Annual Awards Breakfast held as part of the NCTA Cable Show and Cable Connection-Spring.

Sponsors of the 27^th Annual NAMIC Conference include A+E Networks, AMC Networks, Arris, BET Networks, Comcast/NBCUniversal, ION Media Networks, MundoFOX, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Scripps Networks Interactive, Showtime Networks, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Univision. Broadcasting & Cable, CableFAX Daily, CableFAX The Magazine, Multicultural Marketing Resources, Inc., Multichannel News and Portada were this year's media partners.

For more information on the 27^th Annual NAMIC Conference contact Sandra Girado, senior director of Meetings and Events at NAMIC National, 212-594-5985. To view the complete conference agenda, visit http://www.namic.com.   

ABOUT NAMIC
NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) is the premier organization focusing on multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry. Founded in 1980 as a non-profit trade association, today NAMIC comprises 2,200 professionals belonging to a network of 16 chapters nationwide. Through initiatives that focus on education, advocacy and empowerment, NAMIC champions equity and inclusion in the workforce, with special attention given to ensuring that the leadership cadres of our nation's communications industry giants reflect the multi-ethnic richness of the populations they serve. For more information, please visit www.namic.com and stay connected to NAMIC on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

SOURCE NAMIC