Description:

Please join us for the presentation of the first annual Don Schultz Award and discussions with distinguished IMC alumni on the topic of purpose driven leadership.

The program will be followed by a light reception.

Theme: Purpose-driven Leadership and Legacy

A celebration of Medill IMC’s pioneering contributions – both in scholarship and practice - to the IMC field. 

Don Schultz Award Presentation & Remarks: 

Heidi Schultz & Vijay Viswanathan, PhD – Professor and Associate Dean, IMC

Gayle Kerr, PhD (award recipient)

Alumni Conversation Series:

Host: Danielle Robinson Bell, Assistant Professor and Director of IMC Professional Program

Guest #1:  Kimberley Goode (BSJ87 ),  Chief Communications & Social Impact Officer at BMO Financial Group

Kimberley Goode was appointed Chief Communications & Social Impact Officer of BMO Financial Group in 2021. In this role, she is accountable for enterprise-wide communications, media relations, government relations and social impact. 

As a seasoned communications executive, Kimberley has vast experience in large global companies across multiple industries, including financial services, health care, customer packaged goods, travel and technology. Previously, Kimberley held the position of Senior Vice President of External Affairs at Blue Shield of California where she focused on transforming health care. She also spent nine years with Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee where she integrated its communications functions and helped to reposition the company from insurance to a holistic financial services provider. Kimberley is a values-based strategic and purpose-led leader with a track record of holding herself and her team accountable for performance. Through her career, she has successfully focused on driving business results through integrated communications encompassing reputation management, brand building, corporate social responsibility, culture and diversity, equity and inclusion. She is actively engaged with several organizations, including serving on the Board of Governors for the California State University Foundation and the Board of Trustees for the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. She is also a member of the Executive Leadership Council and the Links, Inc. and is a mentor for students, emerging leaders, and entrepreneurs. 

Kimberley earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and lives in Chicago, Illinois with her family.

Guests #2 & #3: Cierra Yetts (IMC19) Brand Communications Manager at Pinterest and Christyna Conway (IMC21) Designer, Global Creative Strategy at Pinterest (they will take the stage together)

Cierra Yetts is a Brand Communications Manager at Pinterest. She leads global social strategy, and is the voice behind @Pinterest on Twitter, and also creates programs like Pinterest Havens for social impact. Cierra is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Master’s program specializing in Strategic Communications and Brand Strategy. She has also worked at and created meaningful content for Airbnb, Louis Vuitton, Procter & Gamble, and Southwest Airlines. Cierra is an innovative thinker who is passionate about creatively elevating multidimensional perspectives.

Christyna Conway is a designer, strategist and brand marketer that works on the intersection of authentic storytelling and creative marketing. Her craft is guided by genuine curiosity and cultural mindfulness. She graduated with her Master's in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University and her Bachelor's in Architecture from the University of Florida. Christyna began her career by interning at Blank Studio Design + Architecture, an Architectural Design firm in Phoenix, AZ. Later she took on roles in virtual event experience design at DCE Productions and digital advertising strategy at Google, discovering a passion for understanding the impact design can have in developing human connection. 

Inspired by architecture and rooted in culture, Christyna’s fascination with space and the human experience has led her to develop skills in various design practices– driving the creation of her creative studio, Accent Creative along with her nonprofit organization, Listen to the Architects. 

Currently based in Chicago, Christyna works at Pinterest as a Global Creative Strategy Designer, working on the future of brand campaigns for Pinterest advertisers, while supporting Blackboard, an employee-run community focused on advancing belonging and inclusion for Black employees at Pinterest, as Lead Designer. 

Guest #4: David Zitlow (IMC92), General Manager, Health at Edelman

David Zitlow currently serves as General Manager, Health, for Edelman. He leads the firm’s Corporate Health practice, advising clients in the sector on strategies to build and maintain trust and align business purpose with societal impact. 

Through his roles at global corporations, early-stage companies, communications agencies, and as an entrepreneur, Zitlow has developed a passion for guiding organizations through crisis and transformation. He believes in the importance of collaboration and the value of leveraging diverse perspectives and experiences to incubate new ideas and solve complex challenges. 

In parallel to his professional roles, Zitlow has demonstrated a deep commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of communities in need. In 2018, he secured a $10-million line of credit and launched a mission-driven enterprise focused on reviving distressed properties for low-income families. He has also served as a board member or trustee of several organizations, including Bounce Children’s Foundation, dedicating to providing support for families impacted by medically complex, chronic illness.

Closing Remarks 

Charles Whitaker, Dean; Professors Jacqueline Babb and Danielle Robinson Bell