A Look Back at the Emily Blair Media Career Development Summit: Inspiring the Next Generation of Media Professionals

On Sunday, September 29, Emily Blair Media proudly hosted its inaugural Career Development Summit in Marina del Rey, CA, designed to empower students and young professionals to launch their careers in media. This dynamic event brought together over 80 attendees, including students from Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University, and recent graduates in the LA area, eager to learn from industry leaders and network with their peers.

The summit kicked off with a networking hour, where attendees enjoyed coffee from Navarro Coffee Co. while mingling with Emily Blair Media (EBM) employees and fellow participants. The day’s programming began with a motivating introduction from Emily Marcus , EBM’s visionary founder and CEO, who shared her inspiring journey from breaking into the media industry to building EBM into the highly regarded PR firm it is today.

The opening panel, Exploring Editorial, featured prominent journalists from E! News , PEOPLE Magazine | PEOPLE.com , Forbes , and others, who offered a deep dive into their experiences working in various editorial sectors. Angela Melero , Editorial Director of the Zoe Report, underscored the value of collaboration, stating, “Learn from other people’s strengths. If you’re not learning, you’re not growing.” Glynis Costin of Costin Consulting echoed this sentiment, encouraging attendees to “surround [themselves] with smart people, learn from them, [and] ask questions.”

Next, the panel Behind the Scenes of the Campaigns You’ve Seen showcased insights from talent agents at United Talent Agency , Creative Artists Agency , talent managers from Rare Global and Brillstein Entertainment Partners , and more. They emphasized the importance of knowing your clients on both a personal and professional level, managing expectations, and tailoring strategies that feel authentic. Sophie Wiener from CAA highlighted her work with non-digitally native clients like Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, noting the importance of helping them navigate social media in innovative and genuine ways.

The Beauty Basics & Fashion Foundations panel, moderated by lifestyle expert Elizabeth Weber, was a standout session featuring notable figures such as celebrity stylist Alix Gropper, makeup artist Alexis Oakley , and hair stylist Jenn Lagron. The panel also included designers from Boys Lie, Jonathan Marc Stein, and APL, content creator Renee Noe, and visual artist Vita Kari. Speakers discussed drawing inspiration from their clients' stories, goals, and energy. Tori Robinson of Boys Lie gave an empowering perspective on dealing with negativity: “Haters are fans too. They’re still boosting your engagement, so let them talk!”

The day concluded with the panel The Proof is in the Podcasting, featuring top-tier podcasters including Harry Jowsey (“Boyfriend Material”), Shannon Beveridge (“Exes and Os”), and Alyssa Amoroso (“Tea With Publyssity”). They discussed the importance of planning each episode, from structuring segments to creating social media content. Shannon Beveridge, host of Exes and Os, encouraged attendees not to fear a saturated market, noting, “You’re the only one that can tell your story, and there is so much power in that.”

Throughout the day, attendees had numerous opportunities to engage in one-on-one conversations with the speakers, asking personalized questions and fostering meaningful connections. Each participant left with key takeaways, actionable advice, and EBM’s guide to resume building, interviewing, and LinkedIn tips. The event wrapped up with a networking session over mocktails provided by The New Bar , where attendees reflected on the day’s learnings.

Overall, the first-ever Emily Blair Media Career Development Summit was an overwhelming success. Attendees expressed how invaluable the advice and insights were from industry professionals they admire, while even the speakers noted they learned from one another. As the event came to a close, there was a shared excitement for what’s to come, with everyone—attendees, speakers, and EBM employees alike—looking forward to the next EBM Career Development Summit and watching this initiative continue to grow.