2023 Communication Career Forum

Hosted by Mason COMM and the Insight Committee: all event information and registration can be found here!

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM EDT
Johnson Center, Lettered Meeting Rooms

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Gain career advice and network with some of the nation's leading communication professionals. Sign up for small group mentoring sessions with public affairs specialists, media producers, journalists, health communicators, marketers, and more.

Free refreshments will be provided!

Remember to dress to impress (business casual) and bring your resume for the workshops!

Register now! Space is limited.

Scroll down for the schedule, list of mentors and room information.

 

 

 

 

Networking and Mentoring Sessions Schedule:

8:30am to 9:15am: Student Check-in and Networking breakfast with Insight Committee members and Mentors (Johnson Center third floor lounge area next to lettered meeting rooms A-G)

9:20am: Welcome & Introduction to the Mentoring Sessions (5 minute warning until first session begins)

9:25am to 9:55am: First Mentoring Session (20-25 minutes)

10:00am to 10:25am: Second Mentoring Session (25 minutes)

10:30am to 10:55am: Third Mentoring Session (25 minutes)

11:00am to 11:25am: Fourth Mentoring Session (25 minutes)

11:30am to 11:55am: Fifth Mentoring Session (25 minutes)

12:00pm: Event Concludes

 

Mentors and Rooms:

Room 1 (JC ROOM A): Media Production – IC Facilitator Robert Krueger 

•  Rob Hargreaves, Discovery, HBO, TBS (Mentor) 
•  Laura Wainman, WUSA9's Digital Director/Producer 

Room 2 (JC ROOM B): Journalism – IC Facilitator Carolyn Cuppernull

•  Marcella Robertson, anchor WUSA9, CBS affiliate 
• Andrea Cambron, CNN (Returning Mentor) 
•  Jack Spear, NPR

Room 3 (JC ROOM C): Public Relations – IC Facilitator Tonya Klause 

• Tatiana Peralta, PR, McGruff Crime Dog – national crime prevention council, 
• Susan Roth, agency owner of Roth PR with specialty in documentaries, film, TV, and previously Disneyland. She also does local government work 
• Todd Irons, Sage Communications 

Room 4 (JC ROOM D): Crisis Communications – IC Facilitator Patrick Delaney

• Jereon Brown, Senior Communications Advisor, Office of Communications, FDIC & Former Deputy Asst. Secretary of Public Affairs at HUD; involved in managing comms for Silicon Valley Bank Crisis, HUD hurricanes/tornados 
• Dan Foster, Senior Vice President, Counterpoint Strategies 
• Susana Castillo, Director of Communications, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser

Room 5 (JC ROOM E): Political Communications – IC Facilitator Chad Tragakis

• Patrick Delaney to moderate panel + serve as subject matter expert 
•  Ariel Brown, Chief of Staff for Public Affairs, Capital One
•  Matt Williams, Precision Strategies
• Tom Sherwood, journalist/commentator with Kojo, Politics Hour, WAMU (former NBC4, Washington Post): WAMU Radio: Tom Sherwood (Guest Host)

Room 6 (JC ROOM F): Workshop: Creating a LinkedIn Profile That Will Get You Noticed –  IC Facilitator Julie Murphy

• Mike Atkinson, Sage Communications

According to LinkedIn, 61 million people use the platform to search for jobs weekly, and eight people are hired every minute on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is one of the most effective tools for establishing connections with peers and colleagues in your field. These connections will prove invaluable when progressing through a career, whether for job seeking or as professional paths cross over time. In this session, Mike Atkinson, Account Director at Sage Communications, will share how to build a professional profile, best practices for standing out on the platform, and ways to increase the chance of a connection request getting accepted and growing your network.  

Room 7 (JC ROOM G): Workshop: Resumes & Rockstars: Jumpstart Your Communications Career – IC Facilitator Julie Murphy

•  Meredith Merrington, PR Talent 

We all know that a well written and formatted resume is your ticket for entrance into any potential employer. But, what does good look like when it comes to summarizing your career experience when you are just getting started on your career journey? Join PR Talent Managing Director, Meredith Mirrington, to learn how to best cross your t’s and dot your i’s on your early career resume. Plus, come with questions about how to approach your job search and what’s happening across the communications industry for young practitioners.