Charlotte Alter
Senior Correspondent @ Time Magazine
Session: Keynote Presentation
Charlotte Alter is a Senior Correspondent at TIME and author of The Ones We’ve Been Waiting For. She’s hosted TIME’s Person of the Week podcast, won Front Page Awards in 2023 (Best Magazine Feature) and 2024 (Specialized Political Reporting), and her work has also appeared in the NYT, Washington Post, WSJ, and Vox.
Aaron Parnas — The Parnas Perspective
Session: Rise Of Social Media
Aaron Parnas is an attorney and journalist known for delivering rapid, accessible political and legal analysis to Gen Z audiences. A graduate of George Washington University Law School, he began college at 14 and earned his J.D. by 21. After working in securities litigation, he shifted into media, where his reporting, interviews, and Substack newsletter, The Parnas Perspective, reach millions across platforms.
Cheryl Thompson-Morton — Lenfest Institute of Journalism
Session: How to Successfully Go Beyond Print
Cheryl Thompson-Morton is Head of Advisory Programs at the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, where she helps news organizations strengthen sustainability, operations, and audience strategy. She previously led the Black Media Initiative at CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, expanding training and support for Black-owned outlets. A summa-cum-laude graduate of Drexel University, Cheryl is widely recognized for her work advancing newsroom capacity, leadership development, and long-term growth in local media.
Jeremy Gulban — Cherry Road
Session: Frugal Innovation
Jeremy Gulban is CEO of CherryRoad Media and CherryRoad Technologies, a firm originally focused on IT solutions and now one of the fastest-growing local-news publishers in the U.S. Since founding CherryRoad Media in 2020, he’s guided the company through the acquisition or relaunch of dozens of community newspapers across multiple states, aiming to revive coverage for underserved rural markets. A graduate of Drew University, Gulban combines his tech background with media-industry leadership to support small-town journalism.
Korena Keys — KeyMedia Solutions
Session: Native & Branded Content
Korena Keys is Founder and CEO of KeyMedia Solutions, a full-service digital marketing agency based in Sioux Falls, SD, serving clients across the U.S. Under her leadership since 2011, the firm has grown rapidly and earned recognition including a placement on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. She is also a sought-after public speaker and marketing strategist, guiding businesses in digital advertising, brand growth, SEO and social media.
Austin Lewter — Texas Center for Community Journalism
Session: The Next Generation of Journalists
Austin Lewter is Director of the Texas Center for Community Journalism and an Instructor of Journalism and Broadcast at Tarleton State University, where he also advises the Texan News Service. With decades of experience leading community newspapers across North and East Texas and now as publisher of the Whitesboro News‑Record, he works to strengthen local journalism and support rural newsrooms. He holds a BA from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and an MA from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Mi-Ai Parrish —Arizona State University
Session: Changing the Story for Local News
Mi-Ai Parrish is Managing Director of ASU Media Enterprise and the Sue Clark-Johnson Professor of Media Innovation & Leadership at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. A veteran media executive, she previously served as publisher and president of major news organizations including The Arizona Republic and the Kansas City Star. Her leadership spans print and digital news, helping steer newsrooms through industry change while training the next generation of media professionals.
Todd Chamberlin— The Sopris Sun
Session: Strategies to Drive Print Revenue
Todd Chamberlin is Executive Director of The Sopris Sun, a nonprofit community newspaper serving Colorado’s Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys. Since taking the helm in 2020, he has led the paper’s business development, fundraising, and expansion — including launching a Spanish-language news insert and youth journalism program. A Colorado native with a background in ecommerce and media strategy, Chamberlin blends entrepreneurial experience and community journalism to strengthen local news in rural and mountain communities.
Tom Sly— Media Inno, LLC
Session: Fast & Easy Solutions for Content Monetization
Tom Sly is President and CEO of Media Inno, Inc., an audience-engagement and technology consultancy serving news organizations nationwide. He previously held senior leadership roles at E.W. Scripps Company and Google, where he helped build partnerships and digital revenue strategies for local media. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in digital transformation, product development, and media innovation, Sly works with publishers to strengthen sustainability, grow audiences, and modernize operations.
Mary Beth Walsh — New York State Assembly
Assembly Woman for District 112
Session: Details Coming Soon
Mary Beth Walsh has represented the 112th Assembly District since 2016 and was appointed Assembly Minority Leader Pro Tempore in 2025. A practicing attorney for 30+ years, she’s recognized for pragmatic, bipartisan work on the Judiciary and Ways & Means committees and for community-focused initiatives across Saratoga, Schenectady, and Fulton counties. She also champions women’s leadership in public service
Mike Blinder— Editor and Publisher
Session: Details Coming Soon
Mike Blinder is Publisher of Editor & Publisher magazine and CEO of its parent company, The Curated Experiences Group. Editor & Publisher has served as a leading trade publication for the news media industry since the early 1900s. Blinder is also an experienced media consultant and author of the industry guide Survival Selling, and has spent decades helping news organizations adapt to digital change and new revenue strategies.
Stephanie Downs— Center for Sales Strategy
Session: Ad Sales Training
Stephanie Downs is Senior Vice President and Partner at the Center for Sales Strategy, where she helps organizations improve sales performance through coaching, strategy, and process development. She joined the company in 2007 with extensive hands-on sales leadership experience from broadcast and media markets, and has since worked with sales teams across industries to strengthen talent and revenue outcomes. Downs holds multiple degrees from Georgia Southern University and contributes regularly to industry training and insights.