NAMIC Announces Facebook Co-Founder Chris Hughes as Keynoter for The 23rd Annual NAMIC Conference

NAMIC’s Online Communications Mix Expanded With Facebook Fan Page Launch

NEW YORK, June 2 /PRNewswire/ — The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) today announced that technology superstar Chris Hughes is confirmed to deliver the Opening Keynote address at the 23rd Annual NAMIC Conference. Scheduled for October 26-28, 2009, the 23rd Annual NAMIC Conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt in Denver, Colorado as part of Cable Connection-Fall. Rainbow Media’s WE tv is the official sponsor of the session that takes place on Tuesday, October 27. Hughes is the co-founder of Facebook and the mastermind behind My.BarackObama.com, two of the most successful startups in modern history.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060705/NYW092LOGO )

“Chris has greatly influenced the direction of technology and new media, which is creating a paradigm shift within the communications industry,” said Kathy Johnson, president, NAMIC. “We are thrilled to have him join us for this year’s conference and share his perspective on the vital role technology is having on the changing landscape of our industry reaching new and diverse audiences.”

At 25 years old, Hughes has spent his brief career developing technologies to make social communication and political organizing easier and more efficient. Since Hughes helped hatch Facebook from his dorm room at Harvard, the site has garnered over 200 million users. Hughes’ commitment to connecting like-minded communities for a greater good was further exemplified through his success as founder of My.BarackObama.com; the campaign apparatus that helped elect Obama and revolutionize the Web as a political tool. With an instinct for building technology that networks the commonality of real people and real communities, he helps organizations understand the limitless power of social networking. A true visionary, he is a powerful speaker on technology and its power to transform customer service, media and politics.

NAMIC has expanded its online communications mix with the launch of a Facebook “Fan Page.” The Facebook “Fan Page” is among NAMIC’s trio of online destinations, which also includes www.namic.com and www.diversitylive.net. “DiversityLive” is NAMIC’s video network developed in conjunction with the Motorola Foundation to showcase user-generated content.

Produced to address diversity and inclusion’s impact on innovation and profitability in this increasingly multi-ethnic and global economy, the theme for this year’s conference is “Diversity Rules”. In keeping with its standing as the industry’s premier forum for acquiring effective strategies and practices that create business growth and bottom-line impact in an ever-changing, globally diverse marketplace, the Conference will showcase a diverse line-up of business leaders and influencers. Timely topics such as corporate diversity and inclusion, digital media, leadership development and multi-ethnic content/programming will be addressed.

Kenetta Bailey, WE tv’s SVP of Marketing, who serves on the NAMIC Board of Directors and is a Conference Planning Co-Chair, will introduce Hughes at the session. WE tv’s new public affairs campaign, WE Volunteer, is dedicated to motivating women and the people in their lives to become more involved in their communities by connecting them with local causes they are passionate about and encouraging them to volunteer their time. The campaign utilizes social media platforms, such as Facebook, to spread the word about the initiative and drive people to the official website, www.WEVolunteer.tv.

Additional sponsors of the 23rd Annual NAMIC Conference confirmed to date include The Walter Kaitz Foundation, Scripps Networks, A&E Television Networks, Rainbow Media, LLC, Food Network, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association and Suddenlink Communications.

For more information on the 23rd Annual NAMIC Conference or for inquiries pertaining to sponsorship, contact Sandra Girado, manager of Meetings and Events at the NAMIC national headquarters, 212-594-5985. Online registration for the 23rd Annual NAMIC Conference can be accessed by visiting www.namic.com.

About NAMIC

NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) is the premier organization focusing on multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry. Founded in 1980 as a non-profit trade association, today NAMIC comprises 2,000 professionals belonging to a network of 18 chapters nationwide. Through initiatives that focus on education, advocacy and empowerment, NAMIC champions equity and inclusion in the workforce, with special attention given to ensuring that the leadership cadres of our nation’s communications industry giants reflect the multi-ethnic richness of the populations they serve. For more information, please visit www.namic.com.

SOURCE NAMIC