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Women in Art - Atlanta Gallery Owner Jennifer Schwartz on a "Crusade for Collecting".

Atlanta gallery owner Jennifer Schwartz is on a Crusade for Collecting, a national tour in a VW Bus (purchased with funds raised on kickstarter!) to promote art awareness and encourage more people to become collectors of the original art. Watch Jennifer's story.

Author Lisa Umina Helps other Authors Achieve their Dreams.

Lisa Umina is the Author of the "Milo" books and Founder of Halo Publishing, which works with authors around the world to provide professional publishing services. Halo has offices in the U.S. and Mexico where it specializes in producing, publishing, and marketing books for independent authors. "I had worked in corporate America with the Wall Street Journal and moved to non-profit work in inner city Cleveland helping the homeless," says Lisa, "but during these endeavors I always had the desire to share my faith with children through my stories. I started out writing my Milo books with little more than a great idea and the will to get my message heard. I took my Milo stories and brought them to life through a program I designed using my talents from my previous life in stand up comedy. With Milo by my side and using 11 distinct character voices, I was able to share Milo and his message with children. I worked to market my books and Milo show, and was a regular guest on regional and national television and radio programs and the subject of numerous print articles. This exposure led to requests for me to consult with authors on the publishing process. Halo Publishing International developed from my consulting services. Milo was then picked up in Spanish and eventually Halo and I came down to Mexico with opportunities with Wal-Mart and other bookstores."

Lisa has some words of wisdom for other authors. "I have a few important bits of advice for authors. First, partner with a publishing company that is going to hold your hand thru the entire process. Second, It is important to find someone who has been where you are and understands the publishing process from an author's perspective. Lastly, don't cut corners!  Get the best editor, illustrator and marketing services that you can afford.  There is nothing worse that going through the process and ending up with something you are not 100% proud to have your name on."

Amy Chiaro Made an Executive Producer of "The Dr. Oz Show".

The Dr. Oz Show, produced by ZoCo Productions, Harpo Studios and Sony Pictures Television, named Amy Chiaro an Executive Producer. Amy had been co-executive producer for three years. Before that she had been a senior broadcast producer on the NBC's national morning "Today" show. Read more in the prnewswire press release.

Christine Fawson Made Interim Chair of Berklee College of Music's Brass Department.

Christine Fawson, trumpet player, vocalist, and Assistant Professor, has been named interim Chair of Berklee College of Music's Brass Department. Fawson’s appointment makes her the first female Brass Chair at Berklee and one of only a few women in this position at any college.

While most Berklee brass players are male, 2002 grad Fawson is among a recent crop of standout female players from the college, including Ingrid Jensen, Karen Harris, and Robin Amie. Fawson teaches Singing for Brass Players, a class she designed, in addition to ensembles and private lessons. “The best thing I’m giving them is real world experience,” she says. “I love it because I have a lot to teach them: how to rehearse, how to run a band, communication, writing charts.”

Fawson performs regularly in Boston, New York and beyond. She is releasing a new album of pop music with her band in the Spring. Listen to her sing.

What hampers women’s careers in film? New Study from Sundance Institute and Women in Film Los Angeles.

Keri Putnam (pictured left), Executive Director, Sundance Institute, and Cathy Schulman, President, Women In Film Los Angeles (pictured right), announced the results of a first-of-its-kind research study examining gender disparity in American independent film. The study was commissioned by Sundance Institute and Women In Film Los Angeles and was conducted by Stacy L. Smith, Ph.D., Katherine Pieper, Ph.D. and Marc Choueiti at Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California.

The study found that "of the U.S. films selected for the Sundance Film Festival from 2002-2012, 29.8% of filmmakers (directors, writers, producers, cinematographers and editors) were female. Across all behind-the-camera positions, females were most likely to be producers. As the prestige of the producing post increased, the percentage of female participation decreased". The study also found that "when compared to films directed by males, those directed by females feature more women filmmakers behind the camera (writers, producers, cinematographers, editors)".

"Females were half as likely to be directors of narrative films than documentaries (16.9% vs. 34.5%). 23.9% of directors at the Sundance Film Festival from 2002-2012 were female, compared to 4.4% of directors across the top 100 box office films each year from 2002 to 2012 that were female."

Major areas identified as hampering women’s career development in film were gendered financial barriers; male-dominated industry networking; stereotyping on set; work and family balance; and exclusionary hiring decisions. Solutions mentioned were mentoring and encouragement for early career women; improving access to financing; and raising awareness of the problem. Read more on womeninfilm- Los Angeles.

 

Style Coalition Founder/CEO Yuli Ziv Talks Innovation with Michelle Horowitz, Amy Odell, Rachel Arthur and Jill Meltz

Style Coalition Founder/CEO Yuli Ziv (pictured far left) recently moderated a panel of Fashion Experts discussing the latest digital innovations and integrations surrounding New York Fashion Week and the Spring 2013 show season. The panel featured: Michelle Horowitz, (above right) EVP, Marketing and Communications, Diane von Furstenberg; Amy Odell, (above middle) Editor of BuzzFeed SHIFT; Rachel Arthur, Editor, Media and Marketing, WGSN (far right); and Jill Meltz, Director of Sales, FashionGPS  (near right).

Amy Odell, Editor of BuzzFeed SHIFT, talked about the “overwhelming” amount of information a journalist must consume across a multitude of channels. She also discussed her recent hot-button story, “The Top 5 Ways Social Media Has Completely Tainted Fashion Week” and the proliferation of people trying to enhance their profile by wearing outlandish outfits or doing things to get attention. She feels it has detracted from the experience. "I want to think about the clothes, but it’s getting harder to do.” On innovation in the fashion industry Amy said “The most innovative gets the most attention.”

Michelle Horowitz,  EVP, Marketing and Communications, Diane von Furstenberg, presented “DVF Through Glass”, the brand’s collaboration with Google designed to show the fashion week experience through the eyes of the people who make it happen. She also detailed ways the brand utilizes social media to share their perspective and ideas, as well as described how they innovate as a result of technology, not just through the use of it. “One of Diane’s favorite quotes right now is ‘vision without action is hallucination' " said Michelle.

Jill Meltz, Director of Sales, FashionGPS, explained the evolution and streamlining of the show process via the company’s “Radar” technology, which allows the global community of press and retailers to manage their events, RSVP’s, etc. through a centralized system. It also gives brands the ability to manage seating in real-time and offers them detailed analytics. FashionGPS partnered with Style.com to offer editors the ability to access images and directly request samples, alleviating the need for note-taking during shows.

Rachel Arthur, Editor, Media and Marketing, WGSN, discussed the pros and cons of the democratization of fashion suggesting, “Fashion week is about branding, it has never been about selling.” She highlighted video, and more specifically Viddy, as an important, growing platform. “People are tired of text; they want site, sound and motion.” She cited Burberry and TopShop as two of the top innovators of the season for their shoppable runway initiatives. “Innovation", said Rachel, " is about answering what consumers don’t even know they want!”

On the topic of bloggers, the panel agreed on their continued influence and power, recognizing that they are entrepreneurs running businesses and therefore going to accept partnership opportunities to monetize. They also recognized a “needle shift” in social media, where the marketplace has become much more competitive now that traditional media editors and journalists have been successful in building their own online profiles.

Pinterest was cited as the most exciting platform to watch for both fashion and beauty. Odell stated that BuzzFeed gets more traffic from Pinterest than Twitter. The panel also noted that Pinterest users spend more money and have a higher conversion rate than any other platform.
(Thanks to Communiqué PR release for the article and photo)

Daily Grommet, founded by Jules Pieri and Joanne Domeniconi, Helps Women Market their Products. The Holidays Bring Out their Creative Spirit!

Ballerina Susan Jaffe Named Dean of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts "School of Dance".

University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) appointed Susan Jaffe Dean of the UNCSA School of Dance. Susan is a former Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre. "Her experience as a principal dancer, choreographer, and teacher makes her the perfect person to take the helm of our wonderful dance school and guide it to further and future greatness," said University of North Carolina School of the Arts Chancellor John Mauceri. Read more in the prnewswire.

Geena Davis Named Chairman for the California Commission on the Status of Women

Geena Davis has been named the new Chair for the California Commission on the Status of Women. Geena is the Founder of the Geena Davis Institute of Gender in Media. Read more in the Sacramento Bee.

Shea Vaughn writes About the Path to Success in her new Book "Breakthrough"

Shea Vaughn, fitness expert, wellness coach, and author of the new book "Breakthrough – The 5 Living Principles to Defeat Stress, Look Great and Find Total Well-Being", tells us how her theories can help you build your business:

"WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GROW A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS?"

VISION: "It all starts with a vision. Example:  Did you know Military Veterans Are Finding Success in Small Business? Robert Dyer and some Navy and Marines buddies came up with an idea to develop a nutritional supplement designed for the rigors of war.  Instead of toting around various products they came up with the concept for RuckPack, a single, power-packed nutritional supplement that would serve the needs of soldiers and others whose bodies need extreme sustenance. Your Vision is the Dream you want to make a reality. I believe you need inspiration and motivation. However, this alone will not be enough. You need Commitment."

COMMITMENT: The First Living Principle of Well-Being. "Commitment is about making a promise and signing a contract with yourself that you plan to keep. You are fully focused on honoring your contract by keeping your commitment to yourself.  It is not something you are just wishing or hoping to do, as this kind of thinking will only make you fail. Commitment is about succeeding and seeing it through at any cost. As an Entrepreneur or a small business owner you must have the passion to see your vision succeed.  Remember: Success is a process not an event. When you are committed you are able to design an unstoppable blueprint to accomplish what you have been dreaming about. This is beginning of seeing your reality take root. Don’t count the days you work but make the days count. WHAT POWERS "YOUR WHY" - My good friend Bill Walsh, business expert, says “If your why is strong enough, you’ll figure out the how”. We all face challenges along the way to building any business. My “why factor” is inspired by my family, friends and students. Successful businesses start with determining their why and then figuring out the how. I believe the how should be inspired by giving valued service.  How we accomplish that is by examining the service you offer and making sure you are in balance with service, pricing, marketing and return on investment."

PERSEVERANCE: The Second Living Principle of Well-Being. "Perseverance is the perpetual belief that if I try I will succeed. It understands that when things get tough you don’t give up; instead you just try that much harder. We all know Rome wasn’t build in a day and either are businesses. Everything of value takes time, reaching higher levels achieving any goal, building any business takes a strong attitude. It takes persevering through the bumpy road along the way and sticking to your plan. Remember the bigger the challenge the bigger the opportunity and thus the reward. Be consistently persistent and power your why. BUILD A STRONG TEAM - There is no “I” in team. You need help because you can’t do it alone.  If you don’t know how to do something find someone smart that does know how to do it.  Find people that share your vision first so that they come from a place of service. Also, remember that if you don’t take care of yourself and set good examples and make good choices about your health you will not necessarily build a strong team. Your team looks to you to set the example, without YOU there is no business, there is no team and there is no opportunity. Your health comes first so don’t put it last. Take time to workout at least 3 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes, try to eat health and keep the junk, like donuts out of reach." 

SELF-CONTROL: The third Living Principle of Well-Being. "Self-Control is the realization that you are responsible for everything you do, for every decision you make and for how you choose to live your life. How you react to the events that are happens in your life is the only outcome of any event you can consciously determine. In a business setting how you conduct yourself is how you will be seen. Finding self-control when you are anxious, stressed, or at the brink of   losing it, isn’t easy. As you find the calm from within, it will enable you to think clearer, respond appropriately and feel a sense of accomplishment. In business it is essential if you want to succeed and build a strong team. GIVE BACK: - We know how empowering it is to “Pay It Forward”, and perhaps you have even seen the movie. It is about one person making a difference by passing it along. Unfortunately, in business you often see the opposite, when someone takes your idea and gets the credit, or a promotion that you should have for all the wrong reasons. Yes life is not always fair but that doesn’t means you have to buy into that concept, in fact that is when it is even more important to Give Back.  I’m not taking about standing up for yourself. I am talking about doing the right thing when the opportunity presents itself. In business and in life we are rewarded for the good we do. Giving Back does pay off."

INTEGRITY: The Fourth Living Principle of Well-Being. "Integrity does not examine the result-only the effort made. It is the level of honesty in the quality of effort you give to the execution of whatever you strive to do. Building a business or working in a business requires having integrity. This applies to everything we do, to everything we say and equally important to how we present ourselves to others. Any labor of work is more valuable when integrity is at the base of its formation. Our message is clear, our intent is clear and what we stand for is clear when we do it with an open door practice of integrity.  Honesty has always been the best policy. When we bring this simple concept into our work place productivity goes up, moral is restored and you are able to celebrate the hard work you have accomplished. There is no greater gift then the gift of giving. Sometimes stepping back and allowing someone else to be strong, giving credit when it is not expected and paying it forward is worth more than any monetary compensation. LOVE WHAT YOUR DOING - As the saying goes “if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life”. If you really want to elevate your business think of three people that you would like to help and go out of your way to help them. Don’t waste time thinking about it, do it now. Growing a business is not always about talking about yourself but instead it is about listening to what others have to say. Ask others what do they do, what works for them and listen for ways you can create value first without expect anything in return. You never know when another connection will open a new door and bring opportunities you were not expecting. Wake up with a renewed enthusiasm and see how contagious it can be. Put on your “Can Do” attitude and watch everyone rally around you and support your dream."

LOVE:  The 5^th Living Principle of Well-Being "Love is universal - a language of its own. It shares an open mind and loving heart and the hope that we can all live the life we deserve to life together. It is openness and respect for others, and for life itself.  It is the willingness to explore and interact with people, to listen, learn, share, and to always set the best example possible. In business without love we cannot prosper. It is the critical component to the proper functioning of the social fabric of our lives and completes our existence. Love is the wind beneath our wings that helps us fly.”

“When we apply the 5 Living Principles to our business as well as our lives we have the tools, the answers and the solutions to open doors.  We are not met with adversity but instead with clarity.  The blueprint is clear, apply these principles to everything we do and every connection and decision we make and you will see the results you seek.”

Geena Davis Works to Get More Good Roles for Girls and Expand their Opportunities, Hoping to influence the Media and Change History.

So far, in honor of March as Women's History Month, I have talked about women history makers in social media, corporate America, philanthopy and mobile technology. These women are great role models for everyone. Role Models are essential in helping us imagine the opportunities ahead, which brings me to my next honoree, Geena Davis. As an actor, Geena is sensitive to the responsibility of role models, and she is keenly aware of the role that media plays in producing them. She started the Geena Davis Institute on Gender to encourage the creation of more and better role models for girls. She believes there should be more female characters in films with which girls can identify (their research shows that in family films, for every one female character, there are three male characters - not exactly fair!). Any mother will tell you that kids do what they see you do, not what you say. If they are not seeing female characters they can identify with, girls are being shortchanged in their imagining the possibilities for their future. Geena Davis is working to change that.

And it's not just girls who are being shortchanged as the media continues to portray women negatively in ads, in movies, on television and in sensational pictures in newspapers. More women like Geena Davis are needed to stand up and stop the presses! Don't watch shows that portray women badly, don't buy magazines and newspapers that go over the top. There is a point where their freedom of speech impinges on my rights as a citizen to get repect. It's profits that drive the business and if we can impact the profits, we can influence the content.

Artspace.com, co-founded by Catherine Levene, Raised $2.5 million in Series A Financing.

Artspace.com, the online marketplace for contemporary art co-founded by Catherine Levene, raised $2.5 million in Series A financing. "I am thrilled with the progress Artspace has made in such a short period of time," says Catherine, who is also the company's CEO. Before Artsapce, Catherine was COO and General Manager of DailyCandy. Read more about the deal in the prnewswire press release.

YiShaun Yang Wins Creative Child Magazine 2011 Book of the Year Award

YiShaun Yang started her children's book company, AdoraPet, while she was still working as a corporate attorney in a Manhattan law firm.  YiShaun believes that children are full of potential and possibility, and she started AdoraPet to nurture children's dreams and nourish happy minds.  AdoraPet released its first 8 book series for kids ages 2-6 in November 2011, and the books won the Creative Child Magazine 2011 Book of the Year Award. Read more about YiShaun following her dreams and meet her "adorapets", Pima Puppy and Pico Puppy, on adorapet.com.

Documentary Filmmaker Mary Mazzio and her film THE APPLE PUSHERS Gets National Tour

The Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund announced the national screening tour of THE APPLE PUSHERS, a new documentary film by award-winning documentary filmmaker Mary Mazzio (pictured left). THE APPLE PUSHERS is the story of five immigrant pushcart vendors who have joined the NYC Green Cart initiative, a program that uses street vending as a way to increase fresh fruits and vegetables in New York City's "food deserts". Laurie Tisch (pictured right), President of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, is the Executive Producer. The film will be shown  in New York (October 21), in Boston (October 24), and a special panel discussion to be webcast in Atlanta (November 2), moderated by CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Read more in the prnewswire press release. Watch a clip:

Laralyn McWilliams Made VP, Creative at "iWin"

iWin, the casual games company, appointed Laralyn McWilliams as Vice President, Creative. Laralyn had been Creative Director on Free Realms at Sony Online Entertainment. Read more in the Business Wire press release.

Women Working Together Create Great Music!

Best friends Lynda McLaughlin and Valerie Gurka pooled their talent and their resources to create LYVA, an original band which plays music that stretches across multiple genres. They also created LYVA Music, a music and entertainment production company that produces music, digital media, and music events. In 2009 they set out to change the world with their music which tells stories of friendships and situations we can all relate to. Hear what they have to say:

Jodie Burke Writes about Sisters in Hollywood

I have written about sisters in the corporate world, but sisters are making their way in Hollywood as well. Jodie Burke (pictured) writes about the sisters in Hollywood in an article in the Los Angeles Times, sisters like Nora and Delia Ephron; Sandra Bullock and her sister Gesine Bullock-Prado; and the five Burton sisters who operate "Five Sisters Productions". Learn more about these amazing sisters and what they are working on in Jodie's article.

Eating Healthy - Thoughts from Author Meg Wolff

Meg Wolff, Author of A Life in Balance: Delicious Plant-based Recipes for Optimal Health and a two time cancer survivor, writes about eating healthy:

"Almost daily, we hear the gloom and doom about the state of our food and how it's affecting our bodies with diseases like diabetes and obesity. But ... what about all of the good things that are happening with food?
 
I recently attended the graduation of the 198th class at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City. Founder and longtime natural foods advocate AnneMarie Colbin said a few words before the 16 students of her six-month chef-training program - including our daughter, Cammie - received their diplomas.
 
Colbin didn't speak for long, but what said spoke volumes. She said the world is ready for these graduating students who represent all that is good that's happening in the world of food and health. And after cheering each graduate on, we were served the most delicious vegan meal I have ever tasted (this is no exaggeration).  
 
It wasn't until I was driving back to Maine the next day that I started really considering all of these good (and GREAT!) things happening around real whole foods that have been happening over the past few years. Because of my own healing from cancer with a whole-foods, plant-based diet, I look at the world through the vegan (or Vegan-ish) lens, and here's some of the good I see:
 
· More people are buying local, and places to do this are on the rise, with more Farmers' Markets popping up everywhere.
 
· A greater awareness of what we're eating and our health is evident in the mainstream - there are more stories about how we can eat better, what we CAN DO to be healthier -  whether we're simply adding more vegetables or going totally vegan. Supermarkets are offering so many more healthy and local choices and organic foods - Whole Foods is the leader with its Health Starts Here program.  
 
· The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine has been researching and bringing awareness to vegan diets for 25 years. And its sister program, The Cancer Project, offers cooking classes nationwide for people with cancer and classes for reversing diabetes. 
  
· Restaurants are offering better (and vegan!) options nowadays. Healthy restaurants are sprouting up all over the country. And in highly populated places like New York City, there's a vegan restaurant on practically every block (as found on The Vegan Guide To NYC.)  
 
· The New York Coalition For Healthy School Food is helping to bring healthy plant-based options and education into schools throughout the state. Its Cool School Food Project and other initiatives are being well received. (For anyone looking to fund a worthwhile cause, this is one to check out!)   
 
· Meatless Mondays! This is a newish concept that people are hearing more and more in the past year - an idea whose time has come!
 
· The "Forks Over Knives" hopeful documentary has been making its away into theaters around the country this spring and summer, expanding peoples' consciousness and knowledge about food and our health. Its stars are Caldwell B. Esselstyn, M.D., a former Cleveland Clinic heart surgeon; and T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., a longtime Cornell researcher who conducted 40 years of government-funded research into plant-based diets. The premise of this movie is that 80 percent of what ails America - from diabetes to heart disease to cancer - can be prevented, and sometimes reversed, by following a plant-based diet. The movie features amazing people who have reversed their illnesses.
 
· If you live in New York City or are passing through and haven't been to the Natural Gourmet's Friday Night Dinner - they've brought delicious and healthy to new heights! - I encourage you to give it a try!"

 Check out Meg's blog.

Carol Kinsey Goman Talks About How People "Read Our Voices"

Carol Kinsey Goman, executive coach and change-management consultant and the author of  “THE SILENT LANGUAGE OF LEADERS: How Body Language Can help – or Hurt – How You Lead”, tells us that people not only evaluate our words when we speak, but also “read” our voices. Carol shares these tips with us about how to use our voice:

"The voice conveys subtle but powerful clues into feelings and meanings. Think, for example, how tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, concern, or confidence. Or how an increase in volume and intensity grabs attention because of the heightened emotion (passion, anger, assertiveness, certainty) it signals.
The effect of paralinguistic communication is so potent that it can make bad news actually sound palatable or, conversely, take all the joy out of a positive message. I’ve seen managers give unflattering feedback while still exhibiting warm feelings through their tone of voice – and those who were being critiqued still felt positively about the overall interaction. I’ve also seen managers offer words of praise and appreciation in such a flat tone of voice that none of the recipients felt genuinely acknowledged or appreciated. Blame it on the limbic brain, where emotions are processed. It also plays the primary role in processing vocal cues. Researchers from the University of Geneva in Switzerland discovered that they could tell whether a subject had just heard words spoken in anger, joy, relief, or sadness by observing the pattern of activity in the listener’s brain.
Paralinguistics are important in any conversation, but they are most crucial when your communication is limited to an auditory channel -- as it is on a phone call, a teleconference, or a podcast. From "The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help - or Hurt - How You Lead," here are six tips to keep in mind when your primary mode of communication is vocal:

First Tip – Breathe Before You Begin. Look straight ahead with your chin level to the floor and relax your throat. Take several deep “belly” breaths. Count slowly to six as you inhale and expand your abdomen, then count to six again as you exhale. This simple exercise will help you sound focused and in control.

Second Tip - Modulate Your Voice. Vary your vocal range and tone – avoiding a monotone delivery that sounds as if you are bored. Remember to enunciate and speak clearly. Vary your volume, but always make sure you are speaking loudly enough to be heard. And here’s a tip I learned from a speech therapist: Before you start talking, let your voice relax into its optimal pitch by keeping your lips together and making the sounds “um hum, um hum, um hum.”

Third Tip – Stay Focused. Focus your eyes and attention on one place. If you shuffle papers, check email or let your gaze wander around the room, it detracts from your concentration, and that distraction shows in your voice.Fourth Tip - Stand
Stand, if possible, when you want to convey greater confidence. Standing, or even pacing, will give your voice more strength and conviction.

Fifth Tip - SmileSmile while you are talking – doing so will transmit energy and enthusiasm. If your voice sounds inviting, it will draw people in. And, as my husband (whose was an actor and voiceover professional) reminds me, a key voiceover technique is being able to speak “with a smile in your voice.”

Sixth Tip – Match your listeners. One of the most intriguing aspects of vocal behavior is speech convergence – the way people adopt the speech patterns and voice qualities of those with whom they admire and want to be like. Speech convergence can also be used as a technique to help people understand your message. The more adept you are at altering your speed, volume and tone to match that of the group you are addressing, the better they will hear and accept what you have to say."

Katherine Rosman's Book, If You Knew Suzy, a Tribute to Moms Everywhere

I want to thank Wall Street Reporter Katherine Rosman (pictured) for introducing me to Suzy, her mother. Katherine wrote a book about her mother after her mother’s death, an amazing account of the ups and downs of what on the surface seemed like an ordinary life. But there was nothing ordinary about Suzy. Suzy was typical of a lot of mothers, but that was the beauty of the book to me. There are so many mothers who have led heroic lives that we never hear about let alone celebrate. Katherine’s book, If You Knew Suzy, describes how Suzy touched so many people, some of whom Katherine didn’t even know. Suzy's relationship with accomplished executive and CEO Mary Petrovitch was just one example. Mary grew up with very little and tried to caddie to earn money. If you’ve been to any golf clubs lately, you know how unusual this is even today let alone more than twenty five years ago, but Mary was not to be deterred. It was Suzy who helped Mary be successful, and Mary served as Suzy’s caddie through many tournaments. Mary remembers Suzy as one of the people who showed her what it means to be a leader. Suzy, like most mothers, was a leader in her own right, a mentor as well as a doer, and someone who faced life’s challenges always expecting victory. So here’s to Suzy - wife, mother, mentor and friend. Who could ask for more?

Dori Berinstein Film on Carol Channing To Be Shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York

Dori Berinstein (pictured), Tony Award winning Producer, has a new documentary to be shown Saturday at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. The film, Carol Channing, Larger than Life, features the story of the 90 year old actress and singer who is still performing! Read more about the film on ny1.com.

There are a number of other women who have films at the Tribeca Film Festival. Read more...

Cynthia Kocialski Tells "How to Go from an Idea to a New Business" in her Book about Startups

Cynthia Kocialski is author of the new book, “Startup From The Ground Up - Practical Insights for Entrepreneurs, How to Go from an Idea to New Business” and a renowned business blogger of the business web site “The Startup Entrepreneur’s Blog”.

If anyone is knowledgeable about start-ups, it’s Cynthia Kocialski. Cynthia’s background and experience make her uniquely suited to provide important insights for startup entrepreneurs. These experiences include; founding three companies of her own, being involved with more than 25 other startups, as well as had various roles in engineering, technical marketing, and management at IBM and Matrox Electronics. She holds an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from the University of Rochester and graduates degrees in Electrical and Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia.

Cynthia’s core experience and insight lie in the fact that she personally witnessed many start-ups. Working on the inside exposes one to the day-to-day inner workings of these organizations. Normally, one might envision a start-up as being founded by several business savvy geeks with talents ranging from technical skills to organizational skills. In reality, however, a start-up is far different than most people might imagine. “I love start-ups and all the wonderful gizmos and gadgets they make,” said Cynthia. “The problem is that most of these wonderful things never make it because the entrepreneur is in love with the technology, and they lack an understanding of the business of technology. It’s one thing to develop something cool, but entrepreneurs need to ask themselves if it actually solves a problem. Cool doesn’t sell. Meeting the needs of consumers and businesses does. In the final equation, it is the business of technology that determines the ultimate success or failure of the product.” Read more about Cynthia's book.

Author Carol Edgarian and her New Book "Three Stages of Amazement" Will Surprise You.

Carol Edgarian, Author, Editor, and Publisher, has written a new novel, Three Stages of Amazement. The novel is about an amazing love complicated by family relationships, money worries, and the unpredictability of life - all the makings of a great story! A working mother we can all relate to, Carol's heroine Lena Rusch is strong but vulnerable, and faces all the work/life challenges seen everyday by women across the nation with grace and courage. Carol not only writes books, but is also the Co-Founder, Editor and Publisher of Narrative Magazine, which encourages and supports writers, and fosters reading and literature in schools and around the world. Narrative sees "the need for great stories and their timeless ability to engage and inspire the readers". Read more about Carol's new book, Three Stages of Amazement.

Relativity Media Announces Lily Collins to Play Snow White

Relativity Media announced that actress Lily Collins is set to play Snow White in its upcoming untitled Snow White feature, based on the Brothers Grimm story. Lily joins Julia Roberts who is cast to play the Queen. Read more in the Business Wire press release. Snow White is one of my childhood's earliest memories. Let's hope this new version lives up to the legend.

Trish Stevens of Ascot Media helping Authors

Ascot Media Group and Reliant Public Relations recently teamed up in an effort provide book authors with publicity at low rates through a new plan they call ‘Author 333.’ Trish Stevens, Owner of Ascot Media, talks about her interest in helping authors.

"I honestly love what I do – it’s never a job, it’s more a challenge – a challenge to get some really deserving and talented people the attention they deserve. There are many different levels of service in the plans we offer at Ascot that are geared for first-time writers up to NY Times best-selling authors – we tailor each plan to suit the needs of the individual in order to get them the most ‘bang for their buck!’ I am especially excited about our latest plan, the Author 333. By teaming up with Reliant Publishing we believe we have come up with a plan that is going to be a phenomenal success. A plan, I might add, that is already proving successful after just two editions...It is so simple yet so effective. We write a 6-line ‘Teaser’ about the book and, with the author’s approval, we distribute it to tens of thousands of media personnel who have the ability to contact the author directly since his/her email and phone number are included... We are very encouraged with the results so far and trulybelieve it’s a win-win all around. Again, this plan helps ALL authors – male or female, best-sellers or first-time writers, non-fiction and fiction writers. I would say that the ratio of male to female authors that we handle is pretty much 50-50 so I like to think women have definitely found that our services have helped them in achieving their dream."

Nancy Dubuc, President of Lifetime Networks, announces Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys, Demi Moore and Patty Jenkins to direct the Lifetime Original Movie "Project Five"

Nancy Dubuc (pictured), President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks, announced that Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys, Demi Moore and Patty Jenkins have been signed to direct the Lifetime Original Movie Project Five, an anthology of five short films exploring the impact of breast cancer on people's lives. Jennifer Aniston, Marta Kauffman, Paula Wagner, Kristin Hahn, Kevin Chinoy and Francesca Silvestri will executive produce the Sony Pictures Television production. "We are proud to be partnering with this amazing creative team on a project of such importance and impact for women," said Helen Verno, Executive Vice President of Movies and Miniseries, Sony Pictures Television. Read more about it in the prnewswire press release.

Amercian Folk Art Museum Displays Quilt Collection of Joanna Rose

Joanna S. Rose has been collecting red and white quilts for years. The American Folk Art Museum has mounted part of her collection at the Park Avenue Armory in New York. The quilts are a peek into our history, so many beautiful designs, even wedding quilts made by a loving mother. Over 600 quilts will be on exhibition until Wenesday, March 30, 2011. As you can see by the picture we took, it's an amazing display.

Sharon Brening Wins Gold Medal for "I Saw an Eagle Fly"

The Western Artists of America Annual Show and Sale, held at the Pearce Museum in Corsicana, TX, awarded the Gold Medal for Best Oil Painting to Sharon Brening for her painting, "I Saw an Eagle Fly". This is the first time the gold medal has been awarded to a woman. Sharon has been painting since she was eight years old. Her studio is located in Peoria, Arizona. Read more about her accomplishments in the prweb press release.

Auto Executive Anne Doyle asks What are We Waiting For?

Marney Rich Keenan, lifestyle columnist for detnews.com, writes about Anne Doyle (pictured) former Executive of Ford Motor, and her new book "Powering UP! How America's Women Achievers Becomer Leaders". Anne believes that it is through women using their "collective power" rather than their individual power that they will move into more leadership positions. Helping each other is key for this change to take place. Read Marney's article. Listen to Anne describe her book:

Clare Vanderpool wins the 2011 Newbery Award for Children's Literature

The 2011 Newbery Medal, awarded for contributions to American literature for children, went to Clare Vanderpool (pictured) for her book,  Moon over Manifest. In addition to the winning medal, honors were awarded to Jennifer L. Holm for her book, Turtle in Paradise; Margi Preus for her book, Heart of a Samurai; Joyce Sidman for her book, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night; and Rita Williams-Garcia, for her book, One Crazy Summer. Congratulations to all these women! Read more about it.