Monday, February 23, 12:00 p.m. ET

Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Conference Room 1501, NYC

WMG members only; FREE

Are you looking for a job, underemployed, or planning to pivot? Women’s Media Group is pleased to present our first Job Seekers event of the year to network, share tips, and offer support. Join us for a free, in-person, members-only small group session. Connect with each other, hear from an expert, and come armed with questions! Former WMG Membership Chair Susan McCulloch will be in conversation with WMG Board member Keline Adams, Director of DEI at Penguin Random House. Feel free to bring your own lunch.

Meet the speakers:

Keline Adams is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Penguin Random House, whose expertise lies in working with companies and organizations to elevate the role of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) into their cultures and programming.

Susan McCulloch is the Director of BookWalker Global, a Manga digital reading store. Her experience is rooted in publishing, with expertise in eBook hardware and software, platform development, omnichannel implementations, content management and operations, publisher/vendor relations, and team building.

Thursday, February 26, 7:00 p.m. ET

Gladys Books and Wine, 306 Malcolm X Blvd, Brooklyn, NY 11233

General Admission: Free

VIP: $35 per person, includes a signed book and reception featuring BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® founder DJ Beverly Bond

​On Thursday, February 26, BLACK GIRLS ROCK!®, Women's Media Group, and Gladys Books & Wine come together for an intimate literary salon made for the women who move culture.

​Join us for a conversation with celebrated journalist and author Amy DuBois Barnett on her debut novel, If I Ruled the World. With roots in Amy’s era-defining leadership at Honey, Teen People, Harper’s Bazaar, and Ebony, this book delves into ambition, power, friendship, reinvention… and the price women pay (and refuse to pay) to be seen, heard, and in control.

​Amy will be interviewed by author, award-winning writer, and spiritual psychologist Anita Kopacz—a cultural voice in her own right. Two former editors-in-chief. Two women who understand the politics of rooms, the art of storytelling, and the holy work of becoming.

​7:00 PM — Pre-Reception for VIP ticket holders
Featuring BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® founder DJ Beverly Bond on the 1s and 2s

​7:45 PM — Conversation 

​Featuring Amy DuBois Barnett and Anita Kopacz

Register on Luma using the button above. 

Wednesday, March 4, 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE (Zoom)

One of the best ways to meet other members and make a lasting impact on WMG is to volunteer on a committee. WMG thrives because of its stupendous volunteers, who make everything run! From membership, programs, and fundraising, to social media, scholarships, and more, our many volunteers are behind the scenes, creating the vibrant and supportive organization we all love.

If you've ever thought about becoming more involved in the WMG community, now’s the time! We’re looking for new committee members and leaders. Join Co-Presidents Jane Wesman and Jodi Brockington, along with our Board of Directors, for a virtual social and discussion about how to become more involved. We will review the priorities and workings of all committees (listed here) and talk about the personal and professional rewards of giving back through WMG committee work.

WMG Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington (left) and Jane Wesman, along with other WMG Board Members, are hosting this virtual social.

Monday, March 9, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Conference Room 1501, NYC

$10 for WMG members; $20 for non-members

If you’ve been meaning to show up on social media but keep overthinking it, this free, one-hour workshop is for you. Join Miral Sattar, past WMG President, award-winning podcaster (2 million subscribers and counting), and digital strategist, for an interactive session combining a live social media audit with practical training on short-form video storytelling for authors. Miral will review select attendees’ profiles in real time, sharing clear, actionable guidance to help improve bios, clarify brand voice, increase discoverability, and strengthen content across platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Threads.

This workshop will also cover what actually works when marketing your brand on social media—how long your videos should be, which hashtags matter, how to hook readers, and how to create effective BookTok and Bookstagram Reels using just your smartphone.

Bring a print copy of your book. You’ll leave with concrete video ideas you can post right away, plus the confidence to stop stalling and start showing up online.

Bonus: Miral will share a discount code for WMG members for her full professional social media audit services.

Meet the speaker:

Miral Sattar is the founder of Zarez Media, a full service SEO, AI, and social media services agency based in New York. She has a children's fiction podcast, Bearily Bear Stories (over 2 million subscribers), which has won two Signal Awards. Fans can also find her on TikTok and Instagram (@miralreads), where she raises awareness about diversity in kids’ publishing and media. Miral has served on the board for Gotham Media Group and Women’s Media Group, and has launched multiple award-winning startups. She has lectured at Yale, NYU, CUNY, Pace, and other universities across America, and has helped numerous books become bestsellers. Miral has been featured in BBC World News, TIME, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and PBS, among other media outlets. She holds an M.S. in Publishing (Digital + Print Media) from NYU and a B.S. from Columbia University in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.

A Special Event Co-Sponsored with the Society of Illustrators

Thursday, March 19, 5:30 p.m. ET

Society of Illustrators, 128 E. 63rd St., NYC

$25 for WMG and Society of Illustrators members; $30 for non-members

5:15 Doors open

5:30 Screening of film: Women Laughing

6:10 Panel discussion

6:40-7:30 Reception

Join acclaimed cartoonists Roz Chast, Liza Donnelly, and Emily Flake for a private screening of the new documentary, Women Laughing, in which director and producer Donnelly explores her lifelong passion for women’s humor and cartooning with a probing look at the history of women cartoonists at The New Yorker. The film offers a unique insider’s look at the state of women’s humor over the last century through the perspectives of pioneering women cartoonists, then and now, who have wrestled with some of the central social issues of our time in a field historically dominated by men. Inspired by Donnelly’s book, Very Funny Ladies, it features intimate conversations with some of the most celebrated and groundbreaking New Yorker cartoonists, including our featured guests, as well as Sarah Akinterinwa, Liana Fink, Amy Hwang, and Bishakh Som. In a post-screening panel discussion, the film’s producer, Judith Mizrachy, talks with Chast, Donnelly, and Flake about their creative processes and current challenges and opportunities for women cartoonists.

Panelists:

Roz Chast was born in Brooklyn and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her cartoons and covers have appeared continuously in The New Yorker since 1978. She has published cartoon collections, graphic memoirs, and children’s books, including I Must Be Dreaming, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? (National Book Critics Circle Award, Kirkus Prize, and short-listed for a National Book Award), and Going Into Town (New York City Book Award). In 2024, President Joe Biden honored Chast with a National Humanities Medal. You can learn more about her here: rozchast.com.

Liza Donnelly is a writer and cartoonist for The New Yorker, where she has been drawing cartoons and writing about culture for forty years. She has been a contributor to CBS News and CNN, creating political cartoons and animation, and writes and draws for publications including The New York Times, CNN, and The Washington Post. Donnelly’s popular TED Talk, Drawing on Humor for a Change, has been viewed over 1.5 million times. Donnelly was a Cultural Envoy for the US State Department and is the author/editor of many books, most notably Very Funny Ladies, a history of women cartoonists of The New Yorker. You can learn more about her here: lizadonnelly.com.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Pet the Dog Productions

Emily Flake is a cartoonist-writer-comic-teacher-illustrator from Brooklyn. She contributes cartoons and writing to The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, The New York Times, and many other publications. She has created backdrops for Broadway, runs a monthly stand-up show, is the owner and operator of St. Nell’s Humor Writing Residency in Pennsylvania, and was a Yaddo Fellow in 2025. You can learn more about her here: emilyflake.com.

Photo credit: Mindy Tucker

Judith Mizrachy is a New York City-based independent producer. Her films include The Martha Mitchell Effect (nominated for a 2023 Academy Award® for Best Short Documentary), The Booksellers, and Uncropped. Her films have been viewed on big screens around the world and on small screens via Netflix, the Criterion Channel, The New Yorker, and more. You can learn more about her here: judithmizrachy.com.

About the Society of Illustrators

The Society of Illustrators’ mission is to promote the art of illustration, to appreciate its history and evolving nature through exhibitions, lectures and education, and to contribute the service of its members to the welfare of the community at large.

Important Venue Note: this event will take place on the third floor, which is only accessible via stairs. Bathrooms are also only accessible via stairs.

By registering for this event, your email address will be added to the Society of Illustrators and Women’s Media Group mailing lists.

Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.

Tuesday, March 24, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET

Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Cerf-Lane Room, NYC

$20 for WMG, PRH employees, and partner organizations; $25 for non-members; $10 for active Scholars

5:30 - 6:15 Wine, cheese, and networking

6:15 - 7:30 Program

We’re often told that impact requires independence and hustle. But the truth is simpler—and more powerful: the most meaningful legacy is built together. Drawing on research, personal stories, and real-world practice, our expert panel will examine how cultivating togetherness can deepen our sense of belonging and expand our capacity to lead. They'll provide conversation prompts, practical playbooks for cultivating human connection, and a powerful reminder: joyful purpose grows where intention and togetherness meet. Come for inspiration and insight; leave activated with a plan to build connection, lead in harmony with your values, and shape a legacy rooted in community (and maybe make a new friend).

Meet the speakers:

Aiko Bethea is an innovative leader with executive experience across government, philanthropy, nonprofit, and private sectors. She has held senior roles with the city of Atlanta, the Gates Foundation, and the Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Aiko works with leaders and teams at Fortune 100 companies and global nonprofits as founder of RARE Coaching & Consulting. Forbes recognized her as a top anti-racism educator for companies, and Culture Amp named her a DEI Influencer to Follow. She previously led development of The Daring Way™ and Dare to Lead™ facilitator communities at the Brené Brown Education and Research Group, shaping belonging strategy for more than 1,500 facilitators worldwide. Her writing has appeared in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and The New York Times bestselling anthology, You Are Your Best Thing. Aiko's forthcoming book, Anchored, Aligned, Accountable, will be published by Penguin Random House in April 2026.

Allison Gilbert is one of today’s most influential authors and speakers on human connection and social health. An Emmy Award–winning journalist, she is the author and co-author of six critically acclaimed and bestselling books, including The Joy of Connections, co-authored with late American icon Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Allison also hosts Connected Lives, 92NY's signature conversation series about how we create and sustain meaningful relationships in today’s world. Allison has been featured on the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, CBS Sunday Morning, and NPR. She lives in Westchester, New York with her husband, Mark, and they're right now planning to move back to NYC. So if you know any apartments, chat with Allison after this discussion! Connect with her on Instagram @itsallisongilbert.

Genevieve Piturro left a successful television career after a life-changing moment with a child in a homeless shelter led her to ask, “Is this enough?” In 2001, she founded Pajama Program, a national nonprofit that has since delivered more than 8.5 million pajamas and books to children in need. Now celebrating 25 years, the organization has expanded its mission under its new name, Beyond Bedtime. A sought-after TEDx speaker, Genevieve challenges leaders to rethink how they lead with her message, Lead with Love: Stop Bossing, Start Loving. Through her Purpose ACER workshops, she equips managers with tools to elevate performance and cultivate meaningful workplace cultures. A Fordham University graduate, she has shared her leadership insights on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and national morning programs. Genevieve is also the award-winning author of Purpose, Passion and Pajamas.

Karen Salmansohn is a multi-bestselling author and leading behavioral change expert with over 2 million books and online courses sold—plus the creative force behind the popular personal development website NotSalmon.com. Her career began in New York’s top ad agencies, leading her to a successful transition as a thought leader in personal development. Today, Karen focuses on developing life-boosting bestselling books (like How To Be Happy Dammit and her new book, Your To-Die-For Life), as well as courses like The Anxiety Cure and Tweak a Week. Karen uses her extensive experience in branding, marketing, and SEO to coach other authors and entrepreneurs to achieve significant growth in their businesses.

Meet the moderator:

Ann Shoket is the author of The Big Life: Embrace the Mess, Work Your Side Hustle, Find a Monumental Relationship, and Become the Badass Babe You Were Meant to Be. She has been a key architect in shaping the national conversation about and for millennial women. As editor-in-chief of Seventeen from 2007 to 2014, she repositioned the iconic fashion and beauty brand to dominate as the most relevant voice for its 13 million readers. As part of the launch team of CosmoGIRL in 1999, Ann helped revolutionize teen magazines by talking openly about important emotional issues that weren’t yet addressed by traditional publications. Ann has appeared regularly on Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, CNN, Access Hollywood, and E! News, and was a guest judge for four seasons on America’s Next Top Model. She is currently CEO of The Li.st and the founder of New Power Media.

Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.

Wednesday, March 25, 12:00-12:30 p.m. ET

WMG members only; FREE (Zoom)

Spend 30 minutes with Co-Presidents Jane Wesman and Jodi Brockington, and members of the Board, in a brief virtual meeting to:

• Vote in the new Board

• Welcome new members

• Review highlights of the past year

• Talk about opportunities to volunteer.

We value your time and participation, and hope to see you there!

Thursday, April 9, 6:30 p.m. ET

[words] Bookstore, 179 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, NJ

WMG members only; FREE

You can never have too many books—or bookstores. Meet WMG members Elisa Ung and Nicole DiMella at [words] Bookstore, an independent shop with a mission to provide vocational training and employment for individuals with autism. At 7:30, we’ll continue next door to Coda Kitchen and Bar for dinner, drinks, and show-and-tell with our latest book finds. Patio dining is available if weather permits. Both spots are just steps from the NJ Transit Maplewood stop.

Note: attendees pay for their own books, food, and beverages.

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.