Sonya Hamlin - Recent Activities

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

Mass. Broadcasters Hall of Fame: Sonya has been inducted to the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in honor of her many innovative years on TV in Boston: as host of the groundbreaking Sonya Hamlin Show, as first cultural reporter in the U.S. and as creator/host of Meet the Arts on WGBH for BPS. Sonya appeared on the Jordan Rich Radio Show to discuss her innovative career.

Rioult Dance Company Honor: The Pascal Rioult Dance Company honored Sonya Hamlin this May by hosting a dance concert at the Joyce Theatre and a Gala event in her honor on April 16, 2009. Since her career began as a dancer and chairman of the Dance Departments at Radcliffe and Harvard, Sonya has been invaluable as spokesperson, host and inspiration for the Pascal Rioult and members of the company.

TELEVISION

TODAY Show-NBC: Sonya, a long-time contributor, was a guest on the Today show on March 25, 2009 discussing her concept of "Age is Just a Number"

RADIO

WBZ Radio - Sonya was a guest on the Jordan Rich Show in September, 2009 to highlight her induction into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Total Picture Radio - Sonya was interviewed by Peter Clayton on Total Picture Radio, The Voice of Career Leadership, a channel devoted to career advancement and emerging trends in the job market. On September 23, 2009 Sonya discussed, "Connecting in Today's Stressed Out Workplace" and on a follow up interview on December 10, 2009, "Can You Handle Criticism? How to take it and how to give it".

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Financial Women's Association Coaching Summit: Sonya presented "Do People Listen When you Talk? What it takes to be heard and understood today" to a group of 400 at Credit Suisse in New York. Using role play and audience involvement, Sonya updated everyone's ideas about what it takes to be heard today; what new kinds of personal skills you need to present, explain and persuade in today's emailing, non-talking world.

Insurance Accounting & Systems Association Regional Conference: In a highly animated and interactive presentation with audience participation, Sonya presented "Creating a strong imprint and branding yourself" to a group of 150 sales executives.

LEGAL AND JURY CONSULTING

Guthrie Theatre: Continuing Legal Education (CLE): "Love, Law and Legislation" at the Guthrie Theatre. Minneapolis. Sonya hosted and moderated a continuing legal education program (CLE) sponsored by Thompson & Reuters (her publisher) and the famed Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.

The subject of this groundbreaking program was the law and sex discrimination. Several scenes from Tony Kushner plays and real life events were presented to explore the issue, with a panel, Tony Kushner himself as well as Sonya speaking. The Audience was made up of 400 lawyers and the program was also webcast online.

Consultant: Sonya has been actively as a jury and communications consultant in a major case over the last several months, preparing both lay and expert witnesses, creating demonstrative evidence and communication strategies for a major case.

Coach: Sonya dealt with the challenge of explaining complex legal matters to the press as she coached senior executives at the ABA in presentation skills this summer.

ACTING AND CHOREOGRAPHY

Vagina Monologues: Performed throughout the world, Sonya starred in the New York presentation of the Vagina Monologues. Money was raised for women's causes that provide safe housing and support for women and children.

I Never Saw Another Butterfly: A musical play created from the poetry of concentration camp children in Prague, Sonya choreographed all the songs and stage did the stage movement for the very touching Sabbath and wedding scenes. The play tells the story of how these children were encouraged by teachers in the ghetto to write and paint. The poems and paintings were saved and are on exhibit in the Prague Museum. The show played the whole month of June in New York's Community Church.

Shakespeare & Co.: Sonya performed in two new plays, one with Olympia Dukakis at Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, MA this past summer.