Are you going to the CMA's Digital Marketing Conference this Thursday and Friday? If so, I'll be there. I'm leading the roundtable discussion on Blogs as well as soaking up wisdom from some of the great folks they have speaking. I'm really interested in what Dr. Anita Sands, VP Innovation from RBC has to say. And I'm hoping Mark Hurst can give me some tips on whipping my inbox into shape.
Folks from Edelman, Heavy.com and Nettwerk are going to be there as well. Lots of good stuff it looks like.
If you're going and you read MNIK or One Degree, please find me and introduce yourself. We'll also have a roving reporter from One Degree, Alexa Clark, on site as well. Would love your feedback on how we're doing as well as on what you'd like to see in the future.
And since this is my personal blog, I can complain about this .. I am super excited to see Dr. Sands, Tara O'Doherty, Deborah Hall and Christy Scott on the speaking roster. But out of 29 speakers, there are only 5 women - these four and myself. I've voiced my opinion on the CMA's lineups before. It's deplorable (though they are not alone). I know conferences are tough to plan; I know that speakers are hard to get. That doesn't mean the effort doesn't need to be made. And again, I am not advocating "equal representation" over quality. I don't want to hear a poor speaker just because she's a woman. But again, I refuse to believe that there are not more interesting, strategic, engaging and insightful women out there than are typically represented at conferences like these.
So, here's my challenge to you: if this is something you're concerned about, let the CMA know. BUT, don't just complain, VOLUNTEER. Contact the CMA and tell them you'll help out. I've publicly stated that I would volunteer to help plan this conference. I haven't yet been taken up on the offer. But I hope one day that I will. And if you volunteer, I hope you will too.
Image Credit : Andrew Love