2016 ~ Career Enhancement Forum

Author, Journalist, Lecturer


This year’s Opening Keynote Speaker is The New York Times Bestseller author, journalist, and popular lecturer, Gail Sheehy. In her 50 years as a writer she is the embodiment of this year’s Forum theme. She has interviewed thousands of women and men and written 17 books. From her 1976 book Passages, named one of the ten most influential books of our times by a Library of Congress survey, to her five other books on the passages theme revisit and illuminate the stages of adult life: New Passages, Understanding Men’s Passages, The Silent Passage (menopause), Sex and the Seasoned Women, and Passages in Caregiving. And in 2014 she turned the lens on herself: she had to write a memoir about her own passages. The book is called DARING: My Passages. Sheehy hopes it inspires young women to dream big, take risks, outlive the early failures, and build toward success with meaning and social purpose by midlife.

Ideapreneur


Sam Horn Returns with SerenDestiny® – Is the light on in your eyes? As the creator of SerenDestiny®, she's interviewed hundreds of people about what it takes to create a life where the light is on in your eyes and has delivered her findings on this subject at TEDxNASA, as well as has been speaking and blogging about it since 2010. SerenDestiny® is not something passive that is out of our control. We don’t have to sit around, wait, and hope it will happen. We can increase the likelihood of it happening. Like the state of flow, we can’t force fortuitous encounters to show up, but we can facilitate them showing up. And that’s what Sam will share, stories of people who have set their SerenDestiny® in motion by aligning with congruent individuals, activities and opportunities.

Senior Partner
TargetPath

Deena Ghazarian is a dynamic, entrepreneurial global sales executive with a 20-year record of achievement and demonstrated success driving multi-million dollar sales growth while providing award-winning sales leadership. She is an expert in the global consumer electronics sales model, with vast knowledge of the channel marketplace. Tenacious in building new business and powerful partners, Deena drives the rapid growth of large-volume, high-profit geographic regions and accounts. She builds and grows relationships with key corporate decision-makers and secures customer loyalty at all business levels. Exceptionally well organized, Deena has a track record that demonstrates creativity and initiative to achieve both corporate and personal goals.

Deena Ghazarian is currently a Senior Partner at TargetPath, LLC. She is a critical leader of the team responsible for partnering with companies to help them navigate the complex dynamics of bringing great products to market. Deena has proven to be a person with the strategic vision and insight, as well as the passion for the Consumer Electronics industry that can help companies achieve success.

Before joining the consumer electronics industry in 2000, Deena worked in the world of fashion for almost 10 years with Macy’s, starting as an Executive Trainee. Deena has also worked for Monster Products, Inc. and AVAD Distribution throughout her Consumer Electronics career.

Beyond Monster, Deena is one of the biggest supporters of Women in Consumer Technology and a founding board member. She has a craft of bringing people together, and has made a huge impact on the lives of the people she has connected. She is a strong advocate for creating conditions for women’s prosperity within CE, both domestically and internationally.

Deena is a proud graduate of Claremont McKenna College with a triple Bachelor of Arts degree in politics, philosophy, and economics.

VP, Head of Global Diversity & Inclusion
Pearson

Kendra Thomas is the VP, Head of Global Diversity & Inclusion at Pearson. Kendra’s primary focus is on partnering with Pearson’s business leaders to create a dynamic, inclusive workplace the fuels innovation and facilitates Pearson’s mission to help people make measurable progress in their lives through learning. Kendra is responsible for development and implementation of Pearson’s global diversity and inclusion strategy to ensure that Pearson is reflective of its global learner base, that employees are fully included in the work of the business, and that Pearson effectively leverages its diversity to create innovative solutions and services for customers.

Journalist


Andrea Smith is an award-winning news and technology journalist. She spent over two decades as technology producer at ABC News and was, until recently, Lifestyle Channel Editor at Mashable. Andrea is Executive Producer and Host at Living in Digital Times and CE Week, and writes about consumer tech for lifestyle sites and publications. Andrea is also co-host of the Parenting Bytes Podcast on the CBS play.it network.
She has appeared as a guest expert in technology segments on World News Now, Good Morning America Now, WABC-TV, CNBC and ABC affiliated Radio and TV stations across the U.S. Andrea enjoys mentoring young women starting out in the business world and is a recipient of the 2015 Women in CE Legacy Award. In her tech-free time, Andrea enjoys sailing and gardening.

President and COO
The NPD Group, Inc.

Karyn B. Schoenbart is President and Chief Operating Officer of The NPD Group, a global provider of information and advisory services. NPD combines unique data assets and solutions with industry expertise, working with the world’s leading brands to support better business decisions and deliver a winning advantage.

Karyn oversees NPD’s global Commercial Practices, Product, IT and Operations, leading the firm’s strategic expansion with the introduction of analytic solutions that complement its industry leading sales and market share data. She has over 30 years of experience in the market research field, with expertise in identifying and developing new business opportunities and client partnerships .

Previously, Karyn was President of NPD’s Syndicated Tracking Services, where she launched the first POS tracking services in North America for Prestige Beauty, Fashion Footwear, and Housewares. Prior to that, Karyn ran NPD’s Custom Research Business.

Karyn received the 2016 Long Island Brava Award, which recognizes high-impact female business leaders, and was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women of the Mid-Market for 2015 by the CEO Connection®. She currently serves on the ARF Women in Analytics Board and the advisory board of The Resolution Project, a nonprofit organization that develops socially-responsible young leaders. Karyn has also served on the boards of directors of Civic Science and CASRO, the Council of American Survey Research Organizations. She regularly teaches classes in developing client relationships and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events.

Karyn graduated from the University of Massachusetts, summa cum laude. She is a resident of Woodbury, NY, where she lives with her husband. They enjoy the beach and spending time with their adult children.

SVP
Essence

Danielle is the Client Partner for Google North America at Essence, a digital media agency (part of WPP’s Group M) with the mission of making advertising more valuable to the world. Danielle joined Essence in 2014 as the director of investment for North America, leading key strategic projects for clients and overseeing large scale negotiations with top tier media publishers.

In May of 2015, Danielle was promoted to the global leadership team, becoming one of the youngest members of the GLT and taking on the additional role of global client director for Google Entertainment, managing the YouTube and Google Play businesses alongside her investment role. She moved into the role of Client Partner in February of 2016, overseeing all of the Google digital business in North America.

Prior to working at Essence, Danielle directed the client services (engagement) team at the IPG Media Lab working with agencies, publishers and brands to drive innovative ad experiences in the marketplace. Danielle's other past credentials include management of digital planning and buying for Sony Network Entertainment & Sony Corporate at UM and integrated communications planning on Gillette at Carat.

Danielle earned her B.A. from Vassar College and when not working, Danielle is a skater, team captain and the vice president of Gotham Girls Roller Derby, a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to developing and promoting the physical and mental strength and independent spirit of amateur female athletes.

Public Relations Director
Lutron Electronics

Melissa drives and manages all North American public relations initiatives, serves as Lutron’s industry liaison, and is the on-camera, company spokesperson, appearing frequently on local and national radio and television programs. An 18-year Lutron veteran, she is responsible for conceptualizing and driving campaigns and programs that help Lutron’s business units achieve their goals, all while preserving and enhancing the company’s coveted 55 year-old brand.

Melissa serves as Vice-Chairman of the CTA TechHome Board and is a voting member of the CTA Accessories Board. She was named a "Young Turk" of the Consumer Electronics industry by Custom Retailer magazine, and to the list of “Top 40 People Under 40 in the Consumer Electronics Industry” by Dealerscope magazine. Andresko is a member of the Women in Consumer Technology organization and also serves as a mentor to many young colleagues and industry professionals, including as a moderator of the Women in CT East Coast Connect Circle.

Her extensive experience working with high-profile, national consumer media, as well as with journalists in the consumer electronics and electrical trade industries, has led to heightened awareness of Lutron and the lighting and shading control categories. A frequent speaker at industry conferences, Melissa has also appeared on dozens of national and local television programs including QVC, The Fox News Channel, Good Day New York and various HGTV and DIY Network shows, as well as national radio programs and podcasts.