Susan L. Taylor Announced as Keynoter for the NAMIC 2011 L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program Luncheon

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Susan L. Taylor, editor emerita of Essence Magazine and founder of National Cares Mentoring Movement, has been confirmed to deliver the keynote address at the 2011 L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program Luncheon.  Presented by the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) in partnership with Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) and sponsored by the Walter Kaitz Foundation, the event is scheduled for Tuesday, October 4th at the Hilton New York in Manhattan during the 25th Annual NAMIC Conference, held as part of Diversity Week.

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The goal of the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program is to facilitate diversity in the communications industry by making mentors available to NAMIC members to provide assistance with their career advancement strategies.  Committed, top-level industry professionals are recruited to act as mentors to NAMIC members for a nine-month period, providing support, guidance and career advice throughout the program term. Established in 1993, the mentoring program was renamed in 1997 in honor of the late L. Patrick Mellon, a founding member of NAMIC.  Mellon was an ESPN executive and one of the cable industry's most respected mentors. 

"Susan L. Taylor is one of the communications industry's foremost influencers," said Kathy Johnson, president, NAMIC.  "Ms. Taylor is also a dedicated advocate of mentoring, and we are honored to have her join us for this year's event."  

As editor-in-chief and editorial director of Essence for nearly three decades, Taylor was the driving force behind one of the most celebrated Black owned businesses of our time.   For 27 years, Taylor authored one of the magazine's most popular columns, "In The Spirit."  She is the author of four books: In the Spirit: The Inspirational Writings of Susan L. Taylor; Lessons in Living; Confirmation: The Spiritual Wisdom That Has Shaped Our Lives, which she co-authored with her husband, Khephra Burns; and her most recent, All About Love, Favorite Selections from In the Spirit on Living Fearlessly. The first and only African American woman to be recognized by the Magazine Publishers of America with the Henry Johnson Fisher Award, the industry's highest honor, Taylor is also the first to be inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame.  

Taylor is the founder of the National Cares Mentoring Movement.  Originally founded in 2006 as Essence Cares, the Cares Mentoring Movement is a massive campaign to recruit one million able adults to assist at-risk children.  A recipient of the NAACP President's Award for visionary leadership, Taylor has been granted honorary degrees from more than a dozen colleges and universities.

Scheduled for October 3-7, 2011 in New York City, Diversity Week features a slate of events held by cable's diversity organizations.  In addition to the 25th Annual NAMIC Conference, the week also includes the 2011 WICT Leadership Conference, the 28th Annual Walter Kaitz Foundation Fundraising Dinner and additional events held by other industry organizations.  Registrants of the 2011 WICT Leadership Conference receive complimentary admission to this year's L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program Luncheon.

For more information on the 2011 L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program Luncheon or the 25th Annual NAMIC Conference, contact Sandra Girado, director of Meetings and Events, NAMIC, at 212-594-5985.  Conference registration can be accessed online by visiting http://www.namic.com.  Group registration discounts are available for companies that wish to send multiple attendees.

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 over 2,300 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, Twitter and DiversityLive: The Business > Social NAMIC Network.

SOURCE NAMIC