JY MURPHY is currently the research editor at Country Living magazine. Previously he worked for three and a half years as a freelance researcher for Popular Mechanics, and for 12+ years as a news clerk at The New York Times. Throughout his eighteen years in New York he has also pursued an acting career. Credits include everything from free Shakespeare in Washington Square Park, to a two-year off-Broadway run in The Countess and three and a half years in the flying ensemble of De La Guarda, as well as numerous national commercials and film and TV appearances. His education includes a degree in history from Harvard College. He is a founding member and current president of Gorilla Repertory Theater Company.

COREY WILSON is currently the Associate Director of Publicity at GQ, where he manages the national media relations surrounding the magazine’s editorial content. Prior to joining GQ, Corey worked in the consumer brands division at Edelman Public Relations in Chicago, handling a variety of high-profile clients including Burger King and Captain Morgan rum. He began his career as a reporter at the Chicago Tribune City News Bureau. Corey graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003. He lives in New York City.

CALETHA CRAWFORD is the editor in chief and publisher of Earnshaw’s, a business publication covering the children’s apparel industry. Over the last four years, she turned around a flagging publication by filling it with informative and entertaining edit and giving it a definitive tone and point of view. She expanded the magazine’s reach by developing online vehicles and events such as industry roundtables and consumer focus groups. Each month she develops, assigns and writes balanced editorial that includes fashion updates, industry news and services articles designed to help both manufacturers and retailers increase sales. Caletha also served as publisher for two years elevating marketing materials, creating editorial and advertorial packages that appealed to clients.

LEONARD JACOBS is a writer, editor, blogger and critic with roots in arts and culture reporting. He is the founder and editor of The Clyde Fitch Report, a nationally recognized blog exploring the nexus of arts and politics. Leonard also contributes to a variety of digital and print publications, from the Huffington Post to Fox News.com (and Fox’s daily, live-streaming show the Strategy Room) to the entertainment trade publication Back Stage, where he served as national editor. His first byline ran exactly 20 years ago.

LARA LEA ALLEN Associate Director of Foreign Rights for the Trident Media Group and former Foreign Rights manager for Harpercollins Publishers, Lara found her way to publishing via a bookstore position, where she was in charge of shelving the reference section. One of the books was on the book publishing industry and the variouspossible positions within it. This led her to focus her publishing job search on international rights, since rights is one of the few positions within the industry that allows you to see the complete process of publication, from acquisition to bookstore sales Not only does this provide a good overview of the process to recent hires within the industry, but also allows these new book publishers to learn other, lesser known roles they could play in the process.