2025 CMBAM Annual Conference

Travel

Lodging

CMBAM has secured group rates at two hotels near the Cal State Fullerton campus.

DoubleTree by Hilton Fullerton

Rate: $159/night + tax
Room options: Two double beds or one king bed with sleeper sofa
Booking deadline: Oct. 15, 2025
Hotel direct line: 714-579-7400

Use Group Code P80 for the CMBAM rate

Fullerton Marriott at California State University

Hotel direct line: 714-738-7800

The CMBAM block at the Fullerton Marriott is full, but standard hotel rates are available as hotel occupancy permits.

Air Transportation

John Wayne Airport (SNA) is often the most convenient option for visiting CSUF due to its closer proximity to campus, with a shorter travel time to CSUF than flying into LAX. Expect a 20-30 minute drive from SNA to CSUF with an Uber/Lyft costing approximately $30-$50. Public transportation is available through OCTA. Take the Line 43 bus from SNA to the Fullerton Transportation Center, which is about three miles from CSUF. Download the OC Bus App for more information.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is a much larger airport with more flight times available, however it is significantly further from CSUF. Expect a 45 – 50 minute drive from LAX to CSUF, with an Uber/Lyft costing approximately $75 – $100. 

Parking

Parking at Cal State Fullerton is $12 per day on Friday and $6 per day on Saturday and Sunday. Attendees of the CMBAM conference should park in the State College Parking Structure on the Lower Level. Use the ParkMobile app to pay for parking. 

For more information about visiting CSU Fullerton: https://www.fullerton.edu/visit/

Schedule

Thursday, Nov. 6

Kick-off Party

Sponsored by Flytedesk

Madero 1899, 111 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton

Check-in for the convention and meet other attendees while enjoying food and drinks. Bring your media group/publication stickers for a sticker trade!

Friday, Nov. 7

Light Breakfast

Sponsored by Jostens

Titan Student Union, Pavilion C

Pick up your welcome packet if you weren’t able to check-in the night before. Light bites and coffee will be available. Bring publications, media kits and swag for our swap table to share with other schools in the CMBAM lounge.

Welcome & Keynote Speaker

Titan Student Union, Pavilion C

Breakout Sessions, Block 1

Titan Student Union, Hetebrink & Bradford rooms

Breakout Sessions, Block 2

Titan Student Union, Hetebrink & Bradford rooms

Lunch on Your Own

Welcome Back & Raffle Drawing

Titan Student Union, Foyer

Breakout Sessions, Block 3

Titan Student Union, Hetebrink & Bradford rooms

Roundtable Discussions

Titan Student Union, Pavilion C

Sponsorship Available

Happy Hour Open House

Daily Titan, College Park Suite 660, 2600 E. Nutwood Ave., Fullerton

Student Social

Titan Student Union, Titan Bowl & Billiards

Sponsorship Available

Adviser Dinner

Fuoco Pizzeria Napoletana, 101 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton

Saturday, Nov. 8

Light Breakfast

Sponsored by Jostens

Titan Student Union, Pavilion C

Light bites and coffee will be available in the CMBAM lounge.

Welcome & Keynote Speaker

Titan Student Union, Pavilion C

Breakout Sessions, Block 4

Titan Student Union, Hetebrink & Bradford rooms

Breakout Sessions, Block 5

Titan Student Union, Hetebrink & Bradford rooms

Lunch Provided

Sponsored by SN Works

Titan Student Union, Courtyard

Breakout Sessions, Block 6

Titan Student Union, Hetebrink & Bradford rooms

Breakout Sessions, Block 7

Titan Student Union, Hetebrink & Bradford rooms

CMBAM Annual Meeting

Titan Student Union, Hetebrink room

A minimum of one representative per school should attend to discuss the direction of CMBAM for the coming year.

Awards Dinner

Sponsored by Trooh Media

Titan Student Union, Pavilion C

Sunday, Nov. 9

Visit Disneyland

Separate ticket required

Stay an extra day and join CMBAM members at the Happiest Place on Earth!
Purchase your ticket through the special CMBAM link and receive $10 off the regular ticket price. https://disneyevent.com/TM2K25D

Select the one-day, one-park ticket option. Choose Sunday, Nov. 9 as the date you want to go. And make sure to choose Disneyland Park.

Keynote speakers

Matt Prince

Head of Earned Media & Brand Social at KFC

Matt Prince, a nationally recognized public relations executive with two decades of experience including in-house social marketing and PR for major global brands like The Walt Disney Company, Taco Bell and currently KFC as Head of Earned Media and Brand Social. He’s a leading voice in professional development and founder of For You Path, a resource community and platform dedicated to the mentorship and growth of emerging PR professionals. Matt serves as an adjunct professor at Chapman University, where he specializes in social media, influencer marketing, and personal branding. He’s also co-author of Social Media Campaigns, Strategies for PR and Marketing which launched last month.

Lauren Berger

Founder & CEO of InternQueen.com, CareerQueen.com, and IQ Agency

Lauren Berger is the powerhouse CEO & Founder behind the Intern Queen brand and the IQ College Marketing Agency, two industry-leading ventures that connect ambitious students with the world’s top brands. Since launching her business in 2009, Berger has fearlessly built a multi-million dollar empire from the ground up—without outside funding—and now counts Uber, Dunkin’, Revolve, and other cultural giants among her roster of clients. Her agency is known for executing bold, innovative college campaigns that authentically connect with Gen-Z.

A trailblazer for young professionals, Berger has become one of the most trusted voices for career and life advice. She’s a sought-after keynote speaker, best-selling author, and go-to Gen-Z expert. Her latest book, Get It Together: Ditch the Chaos, Do the Work, Design Your Success, delivers sharp, practical strategies for building a life and career on your own terms. She’s also the author of the career classics All Work, No Pay and Welcome to the Real World. Whether she’s launching a national campaign or coaching a room full of future leaders, Lauren Berger shows up as the savvy, unshakable businesswoman who never forgets where she started—and is always pushing what’s next.

Breakout Session Speakers

Barbara Allen

Founder of CollegeJournalism.org

Barbara  “Bob” Allen is a Los Angeles-based trainer, consultant and founder of CollegeJournalism.org. Her 25-year track record of improving journalism education and the student journalist experience began when she served as a reporter and teen section editor for her hometown newspaper. She then assumed the role of advisor to the student newspaper at Oklahoma State University before being named the director of student media. In 2018, she moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, to serve as the managing editor of the Poynter Institute, where she later was named Director of College Programming. She founded her agency in 2025, working with the journalism educators and students across the country while writing a weekly newsletter. She loves being outdoors, fishing, reading,  playing games and listening to live music with her husband, a professional musician. 

Ethan Batchelor

Business Manager for The Appalachian Student News at Appalachian State University

Ethan Batchelor is the business manager for The Appalachian Student News and a senior at Appalachian State University majoring in risk management and insurance with an employee benefits minor. Over the last three academic years, Ethan revamped The Appalachian’s business office and set new standards for his staff and the paper. He has nearly seven years of customer service, with the past three in media sales as well.

Marin Durkee

Alumni Relations Director for Minnesota Daily at University of Minnesota

Marin is a student at The University of Minnesota studying Journalism and currently serves as the Alumni Relations Director for the Minnesota Daily. Marin focuses on keeping alumni connected through newsletters, events, and social outreach. Marin is eager to stay engaged with alumni and continue to build relationships with them, building a stronger bridge between current staff and alumni.

Melissa Evans

CEO of the Long Beach Journalism Initiative

Melissa Evans is the CEO of the Long Beach Journalism Initiative, the non-profit parent company of the Long Beach Post and Long Beach Business Journal. She has been a journalist since 1997 and previously served as the executive editor of the Long Beach Post and the city editor of the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Melissa has covered a range of beats including healthcare, religion, local government and sports, writing for the Oakland Tribune (now the East Bay Times), Santa Barbara News-Press, Lowell Sun and Daily Breeze. Melissa holds a master’s degree in theology from Loyola Marymount University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from San Diego State University.

Paige Hamzik

Director of Publisher Development at Flytedesk

Paige Hamzik is the director of publisher development at Flytedesk. She was the editor-in-chief of her student newspaper (UNC-Chapel Hill’s The Daily Tar Heel) and has spent the last decade working in audience, revenue, and product strategy for both student media and local publications.

Michelle Kurland

Full-Time Lecturer and Faculty Adviser, Cal State Fullerton

Michelle Kurland is an expert in integrated marketing, product launches, strategic planning, media training, crisis communication, and more. She has been teaching at CSUF since 2005 and serves as the Comm Week faculty advertising adviser. Prior to joining CSUF, Michelle served as a vice president for Porter Novelli where her work covered consumer, social marketing, public affairs, youth marketing, healthcare, and business-to-business for clients such as Rolls Royce, Nissan, McDonald’s, Gillette and Krispy Kreme. Michelle also worked for Nordstrom in the sales promotions department after earning her M.A. in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations from California State University, Fullerton. She earned her B.A. in Communication Studies from UC Santa Barbara .She recently was presented with the 2025 Outstanding Lecturer award at CSUF.

Michael Menachem

Marketing, Events and Special Projects for Intern Queen, Career Queen & IQ Agency

Michael Menachem is a media, marketing and entertainment professional with over 20 years spent at various agencies, media companies and advertising firms. He has worked for Billboard and SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild & American Federation of Television & Radio Artists), consulted on projects with Grey Global Group advertising agency and Warner Records, and has led teams on events for Facebook/Oculus, Sony Music, Uber, Salesforce, Prime Video and other major brands. Michael is currently the lead event researcher and booker at Gen Z marketing agency, Intern Queen. At the IQ agency, Michael fosters relationships with various university contacts all over the U.S. and Canada to find meaningful and compelling events for a variety of clients that range from Uber Eats and Postmates to Albertsons/Safeway and Summer Fridays. Michael has also been a published music journalist for over 20 years, interviewing artists of all genres, including Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Hall & Oates, Cyndi Lauper, Motley Crue, Bebe Rexha, Miranda Lambert, Jason Mraz, Meghan Trainor, Imagine Dragons, Florence + The Machine, Zedd, Marc Anthony, Dan + Shay and more.

Chuck Miller

Group VP, Head of Sales & Partnerships at MotorTrend Group (Hearst)

Chuck Miller is a seasoned marketing executive with over two decades of experience leading brand, media and partnership strategies across the automotive and retail industries. As Group VP and Head of Sales & Partnerships at MotorTrend Group, he drives strategic growth and innovation across iconic automotive brands forging impactful partnerships and delivering integrated marketing solutions. Previously, Miller held leadership roles at Mazda North American Operations, where he spearheaded media strategy, motorsports marketing, and retail initiatives, and at Disney Consumer Products supporting retail marketing for global entertainment brands.

Kaitlyn Rowell

Publisher Development Manager at Flytedesk

Kaitlyn is a publisher development manager at flytedesk. She is an alumna of California State University Long Beach, where she was the PR & Promotions Manager at Beach Media for The Long Beach Current (then Daily 49er). After graduating, she went on to be a PR and Social Media Associate at Global Results Communication before coming back to the world of student media. She hopes to pay it forward and be a resource and confidant for college media students.

Jon Schlitt

General Manager for Mustang Media Group at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Jon Schlitt has been working professionally in college media since 2007.  He earned his B.S. In Advertising from The University of Kansas and after graduation worked in professional sales media for both The Kansas City Star and The Fort Collins Coloradoan. He returned to his alma mater in 2007 to serve as one of the professional advisers for The University Daily Kansan. Since then he has worked for student media at The University of Michigan and has been the General Manager for Mustang Media Group at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo since 2019 where he is also a professor. His management motto is “My people report to me but I work for them.”

Linda Shipkey Martin, APR

Partner & General Manager at Westbound Communications (Retired)

Linda Shipkey Martin, APR, recently retired as partner and general manager of Westbound Communications, Orange County. Linda previously was a partner with Porter Novelli, where she managed local, regional and global clients for the multinational firm for 18 years. During that time, Linda served for eight years as the global team leader for the Almond Board of California. Her other food industry clients have included the National Honey Board, Taylor Farms, Golden State Foods and Essentia Water. Linda served on the board of the OC PRSA chapter for nearly 15 years. In 2024, Linda was the recipient of OCPRSA’s Hermes Award, for her lifetime legacy of work. She also is a member of the CSUF Communications Hall of Fame. A believer in community service, Linda has volunteered for and served on the boards of a variety of non-profit organizations including The Ocean Institute, Human Options and the Orange County Business Council.

Destanee Ulrich

Marketing & Engagement Officer for Minnesota Daily at University of Minnesota

Destanee is a student at the University of Minnesota double majoring in English and Strategic Communications: Advertising & PR with a minor in Sports Coaching. She has been at the Minnesota Daily for over two years working in the business department, focusing on event coordination, expanding marketing initiatives, and relationship building.

Alumni Panel Speakers

Hillary Howard

Account Executive at HubSpot
University of Alabama Alumni (2024), Advertising Account Executive for The University of Alabama Office of Student Media

Hillary Howard is an alumna of the University of Alabama and a seasoned Account Executive with a passion for helping businesses grow through strategic, data-driven solutions. After spending two years at Paycom Payroll refining her expertise in HR technology and client development, she transitioned to her current role as an Account Executive at HubSpot. Hillary brings a results-oriented mindset and a consultative approach to every partnership, striving to empower organizations to scale efficiently and achieve meaningful outcomes.

Tyler Costa

Group Sales Account Executive, Los Angeles Angels
Cal State Fullerton Alumni (2022 & 2023), Assistant Director of Sales, Cal State Fullerton

Tyler Costa is a group sales account executive with the Los Angeles Angels. He recently completed his MA in Professional Communications at Cal State Fullerton where he formerly served as an assistant director of sales for the Daily Titan. Within his role as a group sales account executive, Tyler helps facilitate youth performance fundraising programs, college nights, corporate outings and client entertainment. Providing detail-oriented customer service, game-day event planning, and collaborating with all parts of the Angels’ Front Office are all a part of his daily activities. As a former CMBAM member and attendee to CMBAM Minneapolis in 2022, Tyler is looking forward to sharing his career experiences.

Olivia Weinstock

Production Assistant at Fox Sports
CSULB Alumni (2024), PR & Marketing Manager at Beach Media

Olivia Weinstocks’s career began at the intersection of sports and entertainment, where she quickly gained a reputation for her sharp insight, charismatic on-screen presence, and ability to connect with high-profile athletes and talent. An award-winning sports journalist, actress, and marketing professional, she is currently a production assistant for FOX Sports and a brand ambassador for the Los Angeles Kings. Olivia recently founded LIV Digital Agency to help athletes and clients build their brand through marketing and networking.

Jesse Zhang

Business Analyst at IHOP
U Penn Alumni (2023), President of The Daily Pennsylvanian

Jesse Zhang was President and Photo Editor at The Daily Pennsylvanian, graduating from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School with a degree in Marketing and Business Economics & Public Policy. Now working as a Business Analyst at IHOP, he enjoys running, cooking, and going to the beach in his free time.

Sponsors

Saturday Lunch

Sponsor

Interested in sponsoring the 2025 CMBAM conference?

Sponsoring the CMBAM conference allows you to support student media and the work they do in local communities across the country, as well as investing in the future of America’s media landscape, while reaching both students and advisers working on the business side of student media. Whether you want to share products and services that could be of use to student media outlets or get connected with soon-to-be graduates interested in business, CMBAM can help you connect with an interested, relevant audience.

Sponsorship options are selling quickly!

Remaining sponsorships available:

• Lounge
• Student Mixer
• Roundtable
• Exhibit Table
• Welcome Bag

Committee

Michelle Kurland

CSUF Daily Titan
mkurland@fullerton.edu