About

The Parenting Journalists Society is the first national organization focused on journalism about parenting and child development. We are committed to serving all parents by offering a diverse set of perspectives and featuring speakers who represent a variety of identities. We welcome interest and feedback. Please contact us by email. To view more information about the 2021 conference see the conference home page. You can read speaker bios below.

Conference Co-Chairs

 

ELLEN LEE

 

KATHERINE REYNOLDS LEWIS

 

KELLY GLASS

Ellen Lee is an independent journalist and mom of three in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her writing has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The Wirecutter, The Atlantic, Real Simple and the San Francisco Chronicle, where she was a business and technology reporter. She serves as the co-director of the Asian American Journalists Association Freelance Affinity Group and co-director of the AAJA Media Institute. She loves Broadway musicals, peppermint chocolate and sleep.

Katherine Reynolds Lewis is an independent journalist and MIT Knight Science Journalism fellow, reporting on the science of racial bias in preK-12 education. Her 2018 book The Good News About Bad Behavior grew out of Mother Jones’ most-read article. Her work has also appeared in The Atlantic, New York Times, OneZero, Parents, Washington Post, and Bloomberg, where she was a national correspondent. The daughter of a Singaporean immigrant and a Wisconsinite, Katherine lives in the Washington DC area with her partner Brian and their three children.

Kelly Glass is a journalist whose interests focus on the intersections of health, parenting, and politics. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, Parents, National Geographic, Romper, Glamour, and more. She’s also appeared on MSNBC Live, Al Jazeera’s the Stream, and NBC Boston. A big city girl at heart, she currently lives in a Midwestern college town with her two children.

 

Speakers & Moderators

Adiba Nelson, writer, author, executive producer of forthcoming “Ain’t That A Mother”

Adiba Nelson is the author of the popular children’s book about inclusion, Meet ClaraBelle Blue, and the voice of “The Word,” contributing original essays on race, parenting, and disability on the NPR/AZPM radio show “Arizona Spotlight.” She has bylines with The Washington Post, Huffington Post, The Lily, Everyday Feminism, Parents Magazine and others. She is currently penning her memoir, Ain’t That A Mother (due Spring 2022), and developing a television show about her life as a Black mother, woman, and daughter. You can find out more about Adiba by watching the Emmy Award-winning documentary The Full Nelson.

Aisha Sultan, syndicated columnist, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Aisha is an award winning syndicated columnist, independent filmmaker and speaker whose work explores social change with an emphasis on education and demographics. In 2011, she completed a fellowship at the University of Michigan to study how technology is changing families. The Society of Features Journalism has honored her commentary and the Asian American Journalists Association commended her coverage in Ferguson. A Trinity University graduate, Aisha taught college writing at Washington University and hosted a year-long podcast. Aisha lives in the St. Louis area with her husband, two teenagers and an adoring puppy.

Amber Leventry (they/them), Writer, LGBTQIA+ Advocate & Educator
Amber Leventry is a queer, nonbinary writer and advocate. They have three kids including twins and a transgender daughter. Amber’s writing appears in many publications including Romper, Longreads, The Temper, The Washington Post, and Parents Magazine. They are a staff writer for Scary Mommy and Little Things. They provide LGBTQIA+ inclusivity trainings for individuals, groups, schools, and businesses.
A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, Health and Diversity Content Specialist and founder of #FreeBlackMotherhood
A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez is a Health and Diversity Content Specialist whose award-winning writing, speaking, academic research and community activism all aim to amplify Black women’s voices in the mainstream dialogue, especially within conversations on reproductive health and parenting. Read her work in many places, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. She is also the founder of the #FreeBlackmotherhood movement.
Amy Joyce, editor, On Parenting, The Washington Post

Amy Joyce is the editor for the On Parenting section of the Washington Post. Before taking that role in 2014, she was a business reporter, career columnist and features editor for the Post. Author of the book “I Went to College for This?” Amy lives in Washington D.C. with her husband, also a journalist, and their two sons.

Anna Halkidis, Features Editor at Parents.com
Anna Halkidis is a digital editor and content strategist based in New York City. She is currently the features editor at Parents.com. She graduated with an M.A. in multimedia journalism from the Newmark J-School.
April Daniels Hussar, managing editor, Romper
April is the managing editor of Romper, a site consistently recognized as an innovative, inclusive, leading brand in the parenting space. Her focus is on the day-to-day content that answers the questions keeping parents up at night, as well as big picture initiatives like partnerships, columns, and ambitious content packages exploring everything from PTSD in parents, to secondary infertility and navigating the world of “picky eaters.” Prior to joining Bustle Digital Group, April was Senior Editor of Parenting at CafeMom. She’s contributed to a host of publications including SELF, Women’s Health, Today.com, In Touch, Life & Style, New Jersey Family, and more.
Blanca Torres, producer for Forum at KQED in San Francisco
Blanca Torres is a producer on Forum at KQED with more than fifteen years of experience as a journalist. In the past, she has reported on crime, education, retail, workplace, the economy, consumer issues, and small business for the Contra Costa Times, Baltimore Sun and The Seattle Times. In addition to reporting, she worked as an editorial writer for the Seattle Times. She is also a member and former board member for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Blanca earned her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville and a master’s in fine arts in creative writing at Mills College. She lives in Concord with her husband and two daughters.
Christine Koh, author, podcast host, speaker

Christine is a music and brain scientist turned multimedia creative who creates content to help people reduce the emotional, physical, and logistical stressors from their lives so they have more room to pursue what they care about and enjoy. She is the co-host of the Edit Your Life podcast, co-author of Minimalist Parenting, founder/editor of BostonMamas.com, designer of Brave New World Designs, creative director at Women Online and a speaker. Christine lives in the Boston area with her husband Jonathan, daughters Laurel and Violet, and standard poodle James.

Christopher Farley, executive editor, Audible

Christopher Farley is an Executive Editor at Amazon Inc.’s Audible. He has previously worked for The Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine. He’s the author of four novels, Around Harvard Square, My Favorite War,​ Kingston by Starlight, and Game World​ and a number of nonfiction books including the national bestseller Aaliyah: More than a Woman,​ and the biography Before the Legend: The Rise of Bob Marley.

Courtney Schley, editor, New York Times
Courtney Schley is an editor at Wirecutter, the New York Times’s product reviews site. She covers gear, technology, toys, gifts, and pretty much anything else related to raising babies and kids. (Perhaps ironically, she also edits Wirecutter’s mattress and sleep section.) Previously, she worked for the Wall Street Journal and Artforum. She lives in Philadelphia and has four children, age 1, 4, 6, and 7.
Damon Brown, entrepreneur, author, Inc. Magazine columnist & coach

Damon Brown helps side hustlers, solopreneurs, and other non-traditional creatives bloom. As a best-selling author, 2x startup founder, and 4x TED Speaker, Damon co-founded the popular platonic connection app Cuddlr and led it to acquisition within a year, all while being the primary caretaker of his infant son. He now guides others through his 1-on-1 business coaching, Inc. Magazine column, #BringYourWorth show and side hustle bootcamp. Damon was the first Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the Toledo Library. His latest book is Build From Now: How to Know Your Power, See Your Abundance & Nourish the World (January 2021).

Dani McClain, reporter and author, We Live for the We

Dani McClain reports on race, parenting and reproductive health. She is a contributing writer with The Nation and a fellow with Type Media Center. McClain’s writing has appeared in outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME, Slate and The Rumpus. Her work has been recognized by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Aronson Awards for Social Justice Journalism. Her book, We Live for the We: The Political Power of Black Motherhood, was published in 2019 by Bold Type Books and was a 2020 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award nominee in Nonfiction.

David G. Allan, Editorial Director, CNN Features
David Allan is the Editorial Director of Features (CNN Travel, Style, Space + Science, Wellness) and the former Editorial Director of CNN Health and Wellness. He writes a column called The Wisdom Project, and a parenting advice column called Go Ask Your Dad. You can follow David at @davidgallan. Prior to joining CNN, David was the Managing Editor for the feature sections of BBC.com and a features and news editor at The New York Times. His TEDx Talk is titled “Who Knows What’s Good or Bad?”
Debbie Reber, author, Differently Wired and host, Tilt Parenting podcast *

Debbie is a parenting activist, New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and founder of TiLT Parenting, a top resource and podcast for parents raising neurologically atypical (differently wired) children. A regular contributor to Psychology Today and ADDitude Magazine, Debbie’s newest book is Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World. Prior to launching TiLT, Debbie spent more than fifteen years writing books for women and teens. She is frequently interviewed about education, understanding, and support for neurodivergent children.

Doreen Oliver, Writer/Performer/Speaker

Doreen Oliver is a writer, performer, and speaker whose work illuminates the beauty, heartbreak, and unpredictability of life. Her critically-acclaimed one-woman show about raising a child with autism, EVERYTHING IS FINE UNTIL IT’S NOT, broke the record for the fastest sellout of a run in the 20-year history of the New York International Fringe Festival and won the Backstage/United Solo Audience award the following year. Her essays have appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post Sunday Magazine, The Root, Kenyon Review and elsewhere. She is a recipient of residencies and fellowships from Yaddo, Hedgebrook, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the Sustainable Arts Foundation at Gallery Aferro, and a graduate of Yale University and Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was a Charles Bonini Fellow.

Esther Carlstone, Deputy Editor, Mom.com

Esther has worked in the parenting media industry for a decade, editing and writing for various companies including mom.me, The Bump and Disney. Outside of creating parenting content day in and day out, she also parents three real-life daughters.

Erin Chan Ding, freelance journalist
Erin Chan Ding is an award-winning freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, National Geographic Family, The New York Times, Detroit Free Press, Time Out Chicago magazine, The Huffington Post, AOL City’s Best, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald and West Suburban Living magazine. She is co-founder and co-director of the national Freelance Affinity group of the Asian American Journalists Association, where she has also served as chapter co-president and board member.
 
Gemma Hartley author of Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women and the Way Forward
Gemma Hartley is a freelance journalist, speaker, and author. Her viral article, Women Aren’t Nags, We’re Just Fed Up was shared by over half a million readers in its first week of publication, which led to the writing of her book Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women and the Way Forward. Her work has appeared in Parents, Women’s Health, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, The Washington Post and many other publications. She has spoken on the topic of emotional labor at venues around the world, from corporate conferences to festivals at the Sydney Opera House. She is passionate about creating a more equitable world, where invisible labor is valued and supported by both personal partners and policy.
 
Hannah Grieco, editor and author, So You Don’t Hear Me *
Hannah Grieco is a writer and editor in Arlington, VA. Her work can be found in a wide variety of publications, including The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, The Week, Parents Magazine, Today’s Parent, Huffington Post, and more. Her story collection, So You Don’t Hear Me, is forthcoming from Summer Camp Publishing.
Heather Clarke, MSPED, MS, MA, mother, activist, abolitionist educator, and disability advocate * 

Heather is an Early Childhood and Special Education lecturer at Queen’s College, CUNY and Field Mentor to student teachers at NYU. She has over 20 years of experience working with children with developmental delays and learning disabilities. She has worked on public policy and educational justice for children and girls abroad and in the United States, and has almost 15 years of experience working with the NYC DOE. Additionally, Heather helps administer several local advocacy groups, some focused on addressing Anti-Black racism and dismantling white supremacy, and others on educational needs in the community. Through Heather’s Learning Advocacy service, she advocates for both families and children to ensure children have a safe and appropriate educational environment.

Heidi Shin, Public Radio + Podcast Producer
Heidi Shin is a public radio + podcast producer based in Boston. Amongst many adventures, she’s been diving with elderly mermaids in Korea, riding with young rodeo champions in Chile and she’s interviewed a North Korean film director with his leading lady. Her work has appeared in places, such as National Geographic, The Washington Post, California Sunday Magazine, Snap Judgment, 70 Million, and PRI’s The World. She also co-created and produced WGBH/The Ground Truth Project’s, “The New American Songbook,” a podcast about immigrant musicians, whose awards include an ONA, a Webby, and a Edward R. Murrow Award. Heidi is also an instructor at the PRX Podcast Garage and Harvard University’s SoundLab.
Howard Yoon, literary agent, Ross Yoon
Howard Yoon is a literary agent and principal of the Ross Yoon Agency, where he specializes in narrative nonfiction, history, memoir, science, current events, politics, and popular culture.
Jen Malia, author, Too Sticky

Jen Malia is Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing Coordinator for Norfolk State University. Her #ownvoices picture book, Too Sticky! Sensory Issues with Autism, based on her own and her daughter’s experiences living with autism and sensory issues, was published by Albert Whitman in 2020. She has appeared on NPR’s With Good Reason and written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, New York Magazine, Woman’s Day, Glamour, SELF, Catapult, and others. She lives in Virginia Beach with her husband and three kids.

Jenni Gritters, writer, editor, coach and co-host, The Writers Coop podcast

Jenni Gritters is a freelance writer and editor based in the Pacific Northwest. She works with clients like the New York Times, the REI Co-op, Wirecutter, University of Washington, Outside magazine, and beyond, and offers business coaching services to freelance writers. She’s also the co-host of The Writers’ Co-op, a business podcast for freelance writers everywhere.

Jessica Lahey, author, The Gift of Failure and host, #AmWriting podcast *

Jessica writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, The Washington Post and the New York Times and is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. A sought-after speaker, she is a member of the Amazon Studios Thought Leader Board and wrote the curriculum for Amazon Kids’ The Stinky and Dirty Show. Her second book, The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence will be released in April of 2021.

Jyoti Gupta, Media-maker, Educator, and Author, Different Differenter: An Activity Book about Skin Color

Jyoti analyzes and makes media for social good, especially about the impact of colorism on women and youth of color. She is the proud creator of (designed, researched, wrote, and self-published) Different Differenter, a first-of-its-kind, arts-based, racial literacy toolkit for 5- to 9-year-olds. Her views and insights have appeared on or in Bitch Media, Romper, and The Washington Post. She has presented at TEDxWomen, and the Jaipur Literature Festival, Asia’s largest literary event. Jyoti holds an MA in Media Studies from The New School, New York City, and a BFA in Visual Communication from the College of Art, New Delhi. She lives in Manhattan with her spouse and 7-year-old son.

Jordan Shapiro, author, Father Figure and The New Childhood
Jordan Shapiro, PhD, is father to two children and step-father to two more. He lives in Philadelphia with his partner Amanda Steinberg. He teaches in Temple University’s Intellectual Heritage Program. He’s senior fellow for the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, and nonresident fellow in the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution. His book, The New Childhood (2018), received wide critical acclaim and has been published in 11 languages. His next book, Father Figure: How to Be a Feminist Dad, will be published by Little Brown Spark on May 11, 2021.
Julie Beck, Family Editor at The Atlantic

Julie Beck is a senior editor at The Atlantic, where she oversees the Family section. She is the creator of “The Friendship Files,” a series of interviews with friends about their friendships. She has been with The Atlantic since 2013, and previously covered science, technology, and health. She is a graduate of Northwestern University.

Kirsten Ott Palladino, Editorial Director + Cofounder, Equally Wed
Kirsten Ott Palladino is a multi-award-winning writer, editor, speaker and author. She is the cofounder and editorial director of Equally Wed, the world’s leading LGBTQ+ wedding magazine, as well as the creator of Equally Wed Pro, an LGBTQ+ inclusive certification course and educational platform. Kirsten has written for and/or been featured in myriad luminary publications including Washington Post, The New York Times and Forbes, as well as been an in-studio guest on major news networks, such as CNN, NPR and CBS. She is the author of Equally Wed: The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your LGBTQ+ Wedding.
Laura Lambert, managing editor, MOJO

Laura Lambert is the managing editor of MOJO, a new youth sports brand that’s making sports more fun for parents, kids and coaches. She’s been in the parenting space for more than a decade, having written or wrangled content for the likes of Disney, Reading Rainbow, the Penguin Random House site Brightly and mom.com.

Laura Vanderkam, speaker, author and podcast host

Laura Vanderkam is the author of several time management and productivity books, including Juliet’s School of Possibilities, Off the Clock, I Know How She Does It, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, and 168 Hours. Her work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Fortune. She is the host of the podcast Before Breakfast and the co-host, with Sarah Hart-Unger, of the podcast Best of Both Worlds, and frequently speaks about time and productivity to audiences of all sizes.

Leslie Arreola Hillenbrand, founder, Latinx Parenting

Leslie is a first generation non-Black Chicana mother to three biracial children ages 8, 2, and 1. She is a descendant of Indigenous Tarahumara Rarámuri and Spanish lineages who has resided on occupied Tongva and Acjachemen land, also known as Orange County, CA, all of her life. Formerly an early childhood teacher and 1:1 behavioral coach, Leslie has worked with children and families for over 13 years, with training that includes Trauma-Informed Nonviolent Parenting, Positive Discipline, Supporting Fatherhood Involvement (SFI), and Community Parent Education (C.O.P.E). 

Liv Monahan, Freelance writer, Editor-at-Large of Voices SAC for The Sacramento Bee
Liv Monahan is a Sacramento-based journalist and editor. Her writing critically examines the dynamics of culture and politics with a focus on action and participation over passive observation. Her focus has and will continue to be bringing marginalized voices and stories to the forefront.

 

Matt Villano, freelance writer and editor *

Matt Villano proudly has two full-time jobs: father and freelance writer and editor. In the first, he’s “Daddy Cat” to three daughters, ages 11.5, 9, and 5. In the second, he pens journalism articles, corporate content, and marketing copy for a variety of different clients. Every now and again the worlds overlap and he gets to write about parenthood or life as a Dad.

Michelle Woo, editor, Forge at Medium, author, Horizontal Parenting

Michelle Woo is a senior platform editor at Forge, a Medium publication. Her first book, Horizontal Parenting: How to Entertain Your Kid While Lying Down, comes out this fall. She was previously the parenting editor at Lifehacker. Her work has appeared on CNN, Jezebel, Gizmodo, and in USA Today. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, Matt, and her kids, Maggie and Max.

Moss Froom, trans centered doula
Moss Froom is a nonbinary doula and childbirth educator living in Baltimore, MD. Moss offers trans and queer centered support services for people at all stages of their reproductive and family building journeys, and teaches other birth workers how to provide support that’s affirming and celebratory of trans and queer families.
Mystique Hargrove, MS, CFSD, CLE, CBE, Ph.D. Student
Mystique Hargrove (She/They) is certified as a full spectrum doula, a lactation educator, a childbirth educator, Diaspora Death Doula. Mystique is a holistic herbal practitioner, Malikah healing justice chapter lead for North Carolina, and an Evidence Based Birth® Instructor. Mystique also serves as an advisory board member for the United States Lactation Consultant Association (USLCA). Completing her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from NC A&T State University, Mystique is a Ph.D. student with a research focus on inclusive services and advocacy in perinatal mental health for Black LGBTQ+ individuals.
Nefertiti Austin, author, Motherhood So White

Author and memoirist Nefertiti Austin writes about the erasure of diverse voices in motherhood in the critically acclaimed Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender and Parenting in America. Her work around this topic has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Huffington Post, MUTHA, Gen Medium, and many other publications. She was the subject of an article on race and adoption in The Atlantic and appeared on numerous shows/podcasts and radio programs, including The Today Show, 1A with Joshua Johnson, and NPR. Nefertiti is the proud adoptive mother of two children and lives in Los Angeles, CA.

Nikkya Hargrove, writer
Nikkya Hargrove is a writer, mom and works in the nonprofit sector. Her first book, a memoir, is forthcoming from Algonquin Books, titled: Mama: A Black, Queer Woman’s Journey to Motherhood. She is a staff writer for Scary Mommy. Her work has also appeared in: The New York Times, The Guardian, Romper, The Washington Post, and others. She lives in Connecticut with her family.
Priscilla Blossom, journalist / content writer
Priscilla Blossom is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and content writer specializing in the intersections of parenting, health, arts and culture, identity, and social justice. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, Yahoo Life, Parents, The Miami Herald, The Advocate, Salon, Romper, Lonely Planet, and more. With a background in anthropology and gender studies, she is also a member of Dotdash’s Anti-Bias Review Board. A former Floridian, she currently lives in Denver, Colorado and is working on a novel about friendship in the Sunshine State.

 

Randi Olin, Co-founder Executive Editor, Motherwell
Randi Olin is the Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Motherwell, a digital publication that tells all sides of the parenting story. Before Motherwell, she was the Managing Editor at Brain, Child Magazine. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Modern Loss, Brain, Child Magazine among other publications. She is an empty nester and lives in Connecticut.
Reema Zaman, author, speaker, screenwriter, and producer
Reema Zaman is the author of the acclaimed memoir I Am Yours and the forthcoming dystopian novel Paramita, the creator, head writer, and executive producer on the TV show Snap, and the host of the podcast Joy & Revolution with Reema Zaman. An award-winning speaker and essayist, Reema and her work have been featured in The New York Times, VICE News, Vogue, Salon, and other notable outlets. Born in Bangladesh and raised in Thailand, she now lives in Portland with her rescue chihuahua, Fia the Fierce.
Roberta Zeff, The New York Times
Roberta Zeff is a senior staff editor in the Well section of The New York Times, focusing on stories about families and relationships.

 

Sa’iyda Shabazz, freelance writer *

Sa’iyda Shabazz is a freelance writer and aspiring YA author. She is a staff writer for Scary Mommy and creates content for Netflix Family. Her work has been featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bustle, Romper and more.

Sharon Holbrook, managing editor, Your Teen Media *

Sharon is a freelance writer and the managing editor at Your Teen Media. She believes in the power of parenting writing to launch writing careers. After working as an attorney, she got her first clips by pitching parenting essays on spec and then leveraging those clips into reported work and editing. Her work has been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Real Simple, Brain, Child, and many other publications. She is currently writing and querying a parenting book.

Sherisa de Groot, Founder, Raising Mothers
Sherisa de Groot is a community builder, writer and editor originally from Brooklyn, NY. She writes short stories and essays revolving around race, motherhood, identity and place. Sherisa founded Raising Mothers in 2015 as an answer to the lack of literary spaces centering the parenting discussion on the most marginalized. She lives in Amsterdam, NL with her family.
Trystan Reese

Trystan Reese is an established thought leader, educator, and speaker, focusing on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is a professionally trained anti-racism facilitator and curriculum designer, studying under Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington at the Social Justice Training Institute. Trystan has also been organizing with the trans community for nearly two decades and has been on the frontlines of this generation’s biggest fights for LGBTQ justice. 

Tyrese Coleman, author, How to Sit
Tyrese L. Coleman is the author of How to Sit, a 2019 Pen Open Book Award finalist published with Mason Jar Press in 2018. She is also the writer of the forthcoming book, Spectacle, with One World, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Writer, wife, mother, attorney, and writing instructor, she is a contributing editor at Split Lip Magazine and occasionally teaches at American University. Her essays and stories have appeared in several publications, including Black Warrior Review, Literary Hub, The Rumpus, and the Kenyon Review and noted in Best American Essays and the Pushcart Anthology. She is an alumni of the Writing Program at Johns Hopkins University.
Vanessa Hua, author, A River of Stars, columnist, San Francisco Chronicle

Vanessa Hua is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and the author of the national bestseller, A River of Stars, and the short story collection, Deceit and Other Possibilities, winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. A National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow, she has also received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award and a Steinbeck Fellowship in Creative Writing, among other honors. Her work appeared publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Atlantic. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, she teaches at the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers, and elsewhere.

Ylonda Gault, author, Child, Please

Ylonda Gault is an author, parenting journalist and education advocate. She has been a senior producer at iVillage; lifestyle and parenting editor at Essence magazine; as well as a retail and fashion reporter at Crain’s New York Business. CHILD, PLEASE: How Mama’s Old-School Lessons Helped Me Check Myself Before I Wrecked Myself is her first book. Bylines include The New York Times, Redbook, Health and The Huffington Post.

ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS
  • Jasmine Banks, Parenting is Political

(Names with an asterisk are also on the programming committee.)

Programming Committee

Catherine Pearlman, founder of The Family Coach
Dr. Catherine Pearlman is a licensed clinical social worker, the founder of The Family Coach and an associate professor at Brandman University. She’s the author of Ignore It!: How Selectively Looking the Other Way Can Decrease Behavioral Problems and Increase Parenting Satisfaction. Catherine’s work has appeared in US News, The Los Angeles Times, CNN.com, Lifehacker, Romper, Grown & Flown, Parents magazine, Good Housekeeping, and The Wall Street Journal. She lives in California with her husband, two (mostly) well-behaved children, and dog, Poppy.
Emily Popek, freelance writer
Emily F. Popek is a freelance journalist, and former Associated Press award-winning journalist, and communications professional living in upstate New York. She is the author of three non-fiction books for young readers.
Kate Rope, author, Strong As a Mother and co-author Soldiers of Science (Audible Original)
Kate Rope is an award-winning freelance journalist and author whose work has appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, and CNN. She is co-author (with Alan Alda) and co-executive producer of the new Audible Original Soldiers of Science: The Vietnam War, Anthony Fauci and the Doctors Who Revolutionized American Medicine and author of Strong as a Mother: How to Be Happy, Healthy and (Most Importantly) Sane From Pregnancy to Parenthood. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and two daughters.
Kortney Lapeyrolerie, founder, community organizer, and editor, Queer Doula Network
Kortney Lapeyrolerie (she/they) is a queer Black birth worker, editor, and community organizer. She is the founder and director of the Queer Doula Network, which maintains an international LGBTQIA+ birth work and birth work-adjacent service provider directory; holds virtual community spaces for LGBTQIA+ birth workers and parents to find support; and produces queer-centered full spectrum birth work content. Her words have been featured in them. Magazine and through the Center for American Progress.
Shana Westlake, freelance writer
With more than a decade of experience in the media industry, Shana Westlake has worked in journalism, PR and live events for companies like ABC News, MSNBC, CQ Roll Call, Vox Media and Bloomberg. As a freelance writer, her work has been featured in the Washington Post, The Establishment, GOOD, Today’s Parent, Mommy Nearest and more. She has a BA in journalism from NYU and an MA in media studies from The New School. Shana currently lives in the DC metro area with her husband and two children.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
  • Tonya Abari, freelance writer and editor

Frequently Asked Questions

When and how long is the conference?

The conference spanned two days from 10 am to 8 pm ET, on Friday March 12 and Saturday March 13. Each day included one keynote speaker and five workshops, each lasting 75 minutes. 

What will I get out of the conference programming?

The event is run by journalists who ensured that speakers stayed on topic and offered clear takeaways and actionable advice. The workshop leaders and keynote speakers represent some of the most prolific and talented parenting journalists in the country. Whether you’re an aspiring parenting writer or someone with years of experience, you’ll learn strategies for pitching, honing your craft, advancing your career, becoming more productive and making more money. Plus, you can network with your peers around the globe, meet editors and make important professional connections through the Facebook group.

How do I access the conference recordings and webinars?

Conference recordings are hosted on a Resource Hub where you can view webinars, download resources and access editor emails. After you register, you will receive an email with an invitation to create a login to the Resource Hub. If it’s been more than 24 hours and you haven’t received the email, (and you’ve checked your spam folders), please email us at support@parentingjournalists.com so we can help you. 

The monthly webinars are hosted on Zoom. Please download the Zoom software or update it ahead of time on the device you plan to use, so you have the latest version. (If you have an out-of-date version of Zoom, you will see a message “connecting” that just hangs there.)

What is the Parenting Journalists Society?

The Parenting Journalists Society is the first national organization focused on journalism about parenting and child development. We are committed to serving all parents by offering a diverse set of perspectives and featuring speakers who represent a variety of identities. Your membership includes monthly webinars through February 2022 for networking, professional development and connecting with editors.

What's in the bonus bundle?

The Bonus Bundle includes bonus items from our speakers, including downloadable PDFs, worksheets, checklists, podcasts, webinars, and more. When you register, you’ll receive an email with instructions for joining the Resource Hub. Bonus Bundle items can be downloaded from the Hub; the session recordings are not downloadable and will expire at the end of the month.

I'm not on Facebook. Will I still benefit from the series?

The Facebook group is an added bonus for those who have an account and would like a place to continue the conversation with other attendees. All of the presenter-led material will be available in the Resource Hub.

Is the conference acccessible?

We used a service from Rev.com to live-caption the conference sessions in order to make them accessible. If you have additional accessibility needs, please contact us at support@parentingjournalists.com

What is the cost and refund policy?

The total cost of the conference recordings is $69 US. Upon registering, you’ll be invited to join the Resource Hub, where you’ll be able to access replays, the bonus bundle material, and additional downloadables. Refunds are available within three days of purchase with a written request to support@parentingjournalists.com If you have financial need, please email support@parentingjournalists.com to inquire about available scholarships.