Conference Sessions:
Chelsye is an accomplished communications and branding executive renowned for her ability to craft and execute campaigns that elevate brands, engage audiences, and build strategic partnerships. Her expertise spans various sectors, including entertainment, media, agency, corporate, government, and non-profit. With a particular focus on strategy, publicity, media relations, marketing, executive and employee communications, talent relations, social media, brand engagement, events, marketing, partnerships, and corporate reputation, Chelsye is dedicated to serve underrepresented audiences and ensuring culture and community are at the heart of her initiatives.
In her previous role at ABFF Ventures, now known as Nice Crowd, Chelsye spearheaded communications strategies for the live entertainment firm that produces notable events like the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), ABFF Honors, the Because You’re Funny (BYF) Comedy Festival, and the Social Justice Film Festival (SJFF). Her efforts highlighted the significance of storytelling and promoted emerging and established content creators, A-list celebrities, and a diverse array of independent films, series, and documentaries.
Chelsye also managed internal and external communications for UP Entertainment, LLC and simultaneously for Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s ASPiRE. She notably played a crucial role in launching the channel in 2017. Under her leadership, both networks saw substantial growth, increased media presence, and significant advancements in ad sales and distribution. She was instrumental in publicizing over 40 original films, series, and independent productions, establishing UP as a leading ad-supported network. Her publicity strategies doubled Aspire’s subscribers from 8 million to over 20 million within two years.
Before her tenure at UP, Chelsye held communications roles at Star Entertainment LLC, eventually rising to Vice President, Programming Publicity and Corporate Communications. She managed publicity for the network’s original series and acquisitions, including hits like “Spartacus,” “Party Down,” “Last of the Mississippi Jukes, “Crash” and “Martin Lawrence Presents First Amendment Standup.” She began at Starz as the director of multicultural communications and was later promoted to executive director of corporate communications.
Chelsye’s extensive background also includes key roles at renowned general and multicultural agencies, where she developed public relations campaigns for high-profile brands in both the African American and general consumer markets. Her agency experience encompasses positions at Burson-Marsteller, Burrell Communications, the UniWorld Group, Inc., and 22 West PR, working with clients such as AT&T, Bank of America, Ford Motor Company, Kraft Foods, Perrier, McDonald’s Corporation, the United Negro College Fund, and the BronzeLens Film Festival and the Acapulco Black Film Festival, now recognized as the esteemed American Black Film Festival (ABFF).
At HBO, Chelsye spent eight years advancing from a regional affiliate public relations manager to the director of affiliate public relations, managing the network’s affiliate PR, events, and community relations efforts. Earlier in her career, she served as a promotion manager at WRIC-TV, an ABC affiliate, and she began her professional journey in public service with the District of Columbia government. Her dedication to public service continues with the State of Georgia.
Chelsye holds a master’s degree in Public Relations and a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and Spanish from The American University. She is an alumna of the NAMIC Executive Leadership Development Program at UCLA’s John E. Anderson School of Management, as well as Starz’s Executive Leadership Program. A proud member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Chelsye has been recognized by CableFAX as one of the Most Influential Minorities in Cable, was named one of the African Americans Who Make a Difference by the Denver Urban Spectrum, and was honored with a Women in Leadership Award from the Mountain Region Black Economic Summit. She currently serves as Chairman of the Board for the Jack Summerall Community Corporation, Inc.