Spring was in the air recently and New Yorkers were happy to come out from an especially harsh winter. Inside the W Hotel, the mood was even more festive as New York Women in Communications, Inc. (NYWICI) held a 75^th anniversary conference to celebrate their many years of service and support to women communications professionals. In a day that aptly started with “A Breakfast at Tiffany's” (after all, diamonds are the traditional gift for 75^th anniversaries) and went on to a series of informative panels at the hotel, attendees learned from those who had reached the pinnacle in their fields, engaged in networking, and delighted in all that women have achieved. The advice and comments based on the experiences of the “movers and shakers” who made up the panels were directed at women in communications but could be just as useful to others, especially students about to embark on careers.

In a discussion of attaining fulfillment along with success, the importance of family life was stressed.  Ann Moore, chairman & CEO of Time, Inc. reported that her company has a childcare center. “If we can afford it in the expensive space in Rockefeller Center, everyone can afford it,” she said, adding, “It makes the whole company more cheerful to see kids in the cafeteria.” The possibility of being a good parent and a good businessperson was addressed, with an emphasis on lowering stress levels and integrating parenting and business abilities. It should be okay to discuss these matters in the office, all agreed. As for success, “No career goes straight up. There are twists and turns along the way and many paths.” Pamela Thomas-Graham, president & CEO of CNBC.com, NBC, Inc., mused, “You learn the most from a job with lots of challenges. That's when you find out what you, your boss, and your team are made of.” Moore regretted that “so many people end their careers badly. There are so many things to fix out there.” Touting the concept of a second career, she praised Schools Chancellor Joel Klein for leaving the law “to fix New York City schools.”

A panel about the meaning and use of power touched on the double standard applied to men and women as they assert themselves. Nancy Barry, president of Women's World Banking, an organization that provides financing to women, noted that, “power is worth having because it can help you change the way the world works.” Karen Elliot House, senior vice president, Dow Jones & publisher, The Wall Street Journal, said, “Power is an overrated word.” Of real importance is the ability to “persuade”, to “influence” and “affect an outcome.”

A highlight during a day with many special moments was a delightful conversation over lunch between broadcast journalist Donna Hanover and director/choreographer Susan Stroman. The winner of five Tony awards including ones for “The Producers,” “Contact,” and “Crazy for You,” Stroman spoke of growing up with a piano-playing father in a house always filled with music. Calling herself “a writer of dance,” she explained that choreographing for theater is different from that for ballet because she must be guided by the plot and “move the story forward.” She does research on the period and region of the play and immerses herself in its world.  She “thinks in story terms” as she observes the life around her. “The more prepared you are for any project, the more you can improvise when you get there,” she advises. She has been asked by Mel Brooks to direct the movie version of “The Producers,” which will star Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, and Nicole Kidman, an exciting opportunity for a charming, vivacious, and very talented woman who grew up in a house filled with music. Joannie C. Danielides is president extraordinaire of New York Women in Communications, Inc.#