Stuart Presents Fourth Women in Leadership FOrum

Princeton, N.J. (April 1, 2008) – How has the presence of strong women leaders in media affected the industry? How do personal values help achieve success? The Women in Leadership Forum at Stuart Country Day School invites the public to meet and talk with four women leaders who are shaping the media today at its fourth event on Thursday, April 17 in the school’s Cor Unum at 7:00 pm.

The theme for the spring event is “Women Shaping the Media: Four Unique Perspectives”.  Among the topics discussed will be the question of how the increase in leadership among women in decision-making positions has impacted the media industry--especially in today’s culture of expanding outlets and telecommunication mediums.

Forum organizers have selected four leaders at different career points and working in different media areas; cable financial news, niche marketing and communications, network and internet news, to tell their unique stories about their own pathway to success.

Host and anchor of Bloomberg’s “Morning Call”, Carol Massar is an award-winning journalist with 15 years experience in financial news. Masssar has been recognized with the Headliner Award, the New York Press Club Award, and for her contributions to the Gracie Award winning Bloomberg documentary "The Ethanol Fix".

Before joining Bloomberg, Massar worked at CNBC, Dow Jones/The Wall Street Journal Report, WBIS+ … a Dow Jones Television station in New York, and began her broadcast career at the pioneering Financial News Network in New York. Massar has a degree in economics from Barnard University, Columbia University.

Co-founder and Executive Vice President of MIO.TV, Jenny Alonzo is a recognized leader in the areas of advertising, promotions, and marketing. Alonzo has worked on several blue-chip media brands, including Lifetime Television Networks, NBC, IBM, Wall Street Journal, and now MIO.TV.  Alonzo is one of four communications executives launching MIO.TV, an online multimedia entertainment, communications and social networking site aimed at acculturated U.S. Hispanics.

Alonzo has being the recipient of numerous awards, including multiple PROMAX/BDA awards for creative excellence in show packaging, image, and branding campaigns.  In 2006, she was named one of the top 100 most influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine, and is the recipient of the Latinos in Information Systems Association (LISTA) Executive of the Year Award. She has a baccalaureate degree in communications from St. John’s University.

Justine Schiro has made her career at ABC News. A producer for World News Tonight  since 2000, she covers business, science, medicine and politics as well as features and breaking news. Schiro was a member of a 15-person editorial team which planned ABC News’ all-day coverage of the first September 11th anniversary.

Schiro was a member of the ABC News team recognized with the 2001 Peabody Award for the network’s coverage of the events of September 11th. She is also the recipient of two Emmy awards and a DuPont award. Schiro is a graduate of Columbia University and Stuart Country Day School. 

Caroline McCarthy is a New York-based staff writer for CNET News.com, a division of the San Francisco-based online media company CNET Networks.  There, she writes about social media like Facebook and MySpace as well as technology in pop culture and the digital media industry in New York. 

After graduating from Stuart in 2002, McCarthy attended Princeton University, where she was a member of the varsity lightweight crew team and media coordinator for one of the university's environmental action groups.  She graduated in 2006 with a degree in the history of science and a certificate in creative writing.

The town hall format of the evening will feature an interactive Q & A session with the students. Returning again to moderate this portion of the evening is veteran news reporter Nora Muchanic, with ABC’s Philadelphia affiliate WPVI-TV.

The Women in Leadership Forum at Stuart was founded in 2006 with a mission to educate and expose girls and those who mentor them to the qualities of “Leadership for Life”.  The series focuses on educating middle and high school girls and presents two forum events annually.  These events are free of charge and open to the public. Students interested in the development of leadership skills are especially encouraged to attend.  For more information, call Stuart Country Day School at (609) 921-2330.