We are pleased to announce that the CMCS international conference *Bridging
Gaps: Where is the Persona in Celebrity and Media? *will offer professional
development workshop 'Scholars as Critics' in New York City on September 2,
2015.  Details of the workshop are given below.

The early bird registration area is given below the CFP on the conference
page http://cmc-centre.com/conferences-2015/nycsept15/.

*Extended Deadline for Submission: Monday June 8, 2015.*


*Scholars as Critics: Professional Development Workshop in New York City,
Sept. 2-3, 2015*

This workshop will offer: guidance on professional skills and career
opportunities both inside and outside academia; insights and resources for
scholars to become critics and experts in media; and basic media and public
relations training with a focus on academic branding and how to answer
questions from reporters.

*Key Speakers:*

*Josh Nathan* is a broadcaster and communication professor at The Art
Institute of Colorado in Denver. Profiled this year by both the College and
its parent company, Education Management Corporation (EDMC), Josh never
thought he would become a professor. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from
Northwestern University, he started building his chops for CNN- and
NBC-affiliates. In 2002, CBS tapped him as one of 72 employees to begin its
new station in southern California's Coachella Valley. He holds a National
Weather Association Broadcaster's Seal of Approval and has presented twice
at its annual conferences. Josh's interest in Critical Theory began as a
graduate student ten years ago when he served as the primary author of an
article for the *Organization Development Journal*. He also wrote *Can TV
News Change History? *(2008), has appeared in *The Denver Post, *and was
cited around the globe in more than eight languages this year for his
expertise in an article for *Reader's Digest. *Currently, he's studying the
effectiveness of his first children's book, *Too Mad to Trust *(2015)*,*
which addresses anticipated fears in early readers.

*Shetal Shah* is a filmmaker, actor and media practitioner in New York.
Trained at the Maggie Flanigan Studios. Shetal worked at the Maine Media
Workshops, Boston Film/Video Foundation, CBS News and with Python/Aquarius
Productions. Graduating from Columbia University and The New School, she
has worked in collaboration with the United Nations focusing on human
rights and climate change. She is a proud member of the InViolet Theater
Company and has performed in films, TV and theatre. Some of her favorite
theater credits include: *Truth Be Told* (Ensemble Studio Theatre), *Parts
and Parts of Stitches* (MT Works), *Caitlin and the Swan* (The Management)
among many more. Her favorite film credits include: *Arya*, for which she
won the 2005 SAMA Award for Best Actress, and *Loins of Punjab Presents*.
Her favorite TV credits include: *The Daily Show*, *VH1 Denmark*, and
In-Scene host and co-producer for *ARY*. Shetal is a founding member of The
Funding Network USA, an alumnus of the Woodhull Institute for Ethical
Leadership and has presented her papers in NY and Uganda on food security,
climate change and human rights outcomes from the UN Copenhagen conference.
Shetal also performs poetry, speaks five languages, and is currently
working on a short film about hoarders.

*Shannon Skinner* is the host and producer of television series, *Extraordinary
Women TV*, now in its third season on television in Toronto. With more than
20 years of experience in public relations, she is regular contributor to
Huffington Post and has appeared in LIFE magazine, *Good Morning America*,
Rogers TV *Daytime*, *Global TV,* *Canadian Living*, *Notable.ca,* *Good
News Toronto*, *Liquid Lunch*, among others.  Shannon studied creative
writing at the University of Oxford and film studies at Ryerson University,
and received her B.A. at the University of Saskatchewan. She is an active
member of Women in Film and TV (WIFT) and the Oxford and Cambridge Society
of Toronto. She is also the recipient of the University of Saskatchewan,
College of Arts & Science's *Alumni of Influence Award 2014*. Her show airs
on Rogers TV Toronto and syndicated world-wide online.

*Samita Nandy* is the director of the Centre for Media and Celebrity
Studies (CMCS) and writes as a cultural critic on fame. She earned her PhD
in media and celebrity culture from the Department of Media and Information
at Curtin University, Australia in 2012 and is a certified broadcast
journalist. Her international media relations and work led her to be
featured CBC News, CTV's Breaking News CP 24, The Globe and Mail, *Daytime *and
*First Local* on Rogers Television, OMNI TV, Chatelaine, Flare, Canadian
Journalism Foundation, Eternity Watch magazine, ANOKHI Media, ATN
Television Network, CINA 1650 AM; Starbuzz Weekly, and Mississauga News
among many more. Her work has been published in edited books *The
Performance of Celebrity *and *The Emotions Industry*. Her forthcoming
book *Fame
in Hollywood North *will be published in 2015 by WaterHill Publishers.

This workshop is part of international conference *Bridging Gaps: Where is
the Persona in Celebrity and Journalism? *that will be held on September 2-3,
2015 at the Terrace Club in New York City.

URL: http://cmc-centre.com/workshops/nyc2015/.