Professional Development

Be Bold.
Lead Change.

Successful leaders are bold, unafraid to take the strategic risks that bring about diversity and change. But first, many start with NAMIC, joining local chapters, networking at local events, attending our annual conference, and participating in our cutting-edge leadership training. Our annual lineup of high-value professional education programs provides the tools aspiring leaders and executives need to make a difference.

Commit to Executive Education

Studies show that professionals who train with NAMIC are more likely to get promoted, more likely to see a salary increase, and less likely to leave their current company.

Expand Your Network—And Your Exposure

NAMIC programs put you in the room with a diverse group of C-suite executives and top industry leaders all year long. They teach you how to position yourself as you learn from the very best in the business.

Gain Skills for Advancement

With NAMIC, you will learn to assess marketing, to evaluate and capitalize on industry trends, to build a business plan for your unit, to increase DEI, and other capabilities that prepare you to take on greater challenges and larger roles.

NAMIC is the premier source for professional development in the media, entertainment, and technology industries, offering strategic insights, learning opportunities, and the very latest business intelligence to professionals at every level.


Join us for executive education that inspires action. Be bold. Lead change. Make a difference this year with NAMIC’s education programs.

Participant Feedback

See how NAMIC's programs have made a lasting impact on its participants.

“Top companies make a commitment to professional development. They invest in their talent. NAMIC has trained more than 1,000 managers and executives over two decades of service. We take the best and make them even better.”


— A. Shuanise Washington, President and CEO

Follow NAMIC's Path to the C-Suite

For Aspiring Leaders

Leadership Seminar

The managers who make industry-leading change are those who are dedicated to continuous learning—and that starts early in your career. NAMIC’s Leadership Seminar assembles top industry leaders and academics nationwide to provide an intensive development experience for managers, supervisors, and directors who are new to the role. The program provides the tools, strategies, and career planning to transform today’s high-potential managers into tomorrow’s changemaking leadership. Applications open in March for a program in July, one of three that take place each year.

For Executives at all levels

L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program

The best managers are those eager to take on new roles and challenges—and NAMIC members never have to do this alone. The L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program provides executives at all levels access to 1:1 mentoring, as well as a mentoring circle filled with experienced professionals. Mentoring provides a place where executives can go to gain new perspectives, expand their vision, increase their career visibility, and broaden their network.

Annual NAMIC Conference

NAMIC’s annual national conference is a premier industry event for media, entertainment, and technology professionals during the industry’s Diversity Week. Hundreds of executives at all levels gather at what has become a global forum, where the very leaders who are making change and shaping our industry come to share their insights. Attendees engage in professional networking sessions, get their questions answered from top industry leaders, and participate in up to 15 hours of high-value professional development. Join us this year to learn, connect, network, and celebrate with your industry peers.

For Mid-Career Pros

Strategic Management Series

The Strategic Management Series gives mid-career managers the actionable insights they need to maintain an edge in competitive markets. Learn how to assess the changing landscape, set a strategy to drive growth, and then adapt to maintain a successful posture. Bold leadership requires practical tools. This program delivers, covering everything from mergers and acquisitions to the value of well-structured DEI initiatives. The program draws on experts from NAMIC and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Applications open in March for a program start date in October.

Leading Inclusive Teams

Good companies rely on teams representing a diversity of thought, perspectives, and backgrounds. Simple, surface-level diversity doesn’t guarantee high performance. High performance and results require inclusive leadership — leadership that respects, values, and includes a seat for everyone at the table.

Leading Inclusive Teams will help leaders develop and refine the skills necessary to build inclusive teams. The course, designed like a learning laboratory, engages like-minded leaders in interactive dialogue and activities. Participants will walk away understanding the impact of diversity and inclusion on a company’s market position, brand narrative, and workforce. They will also learn strategies to build trust, improve listening skills, incorporate best practices, and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in their companies.

For Seasoned Executives

Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP)

Operating for more than two decades, the award-winning Executive Leadership Development Program is NAMIC’s flagship leadership program. Hundreds of executives in media, entertainment, and technology have graduated from the program, which offers a unique and immersive exercise in executive preparedness and leading for change. Offered in partnership with the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, the program offers experienced executives of color a research-anchored exploration of leadership and cultural identity designed to help solve some of the industry’s most persistent challenges: increasing diversity in executive suites and retaining executives of color and maximizing the ROI of a diverse workforce in an industry that demands bold leadership and creative innovation. The seven-month curriculum is shaped to address the unique challenges executives of color face throughout their careers and offer essential insights and training on growth-oriented strategy, innovation management, and leadership to bring about bold change. Applications open in March for the session that begins in October and continues into the following calendar year.