Kym McNicholasKeynote Speaker & Event MC/Host
Kym's Background
Kym’s tenure at Forbes makes her an extremely well-connected industry expert. Her passion and expertise for the tech world have poised her for my most recent endeavors as an Executive Consultant to established industry leaders, Executive Advisor for Startups, On-air Career/ Technology Expert, and Entrepreneur as Founder/Chairman of Kymerview.
Highlights of her broadcasting career:
- She shook up the industry by helping to build five video departments for large influential publications that shaped the online video journalism industry.
- Journalist at Forbes Magazine, interviewing the who's who in tech, Hollywood, Capitol Hill, and sports: Facebook's Sean Parker and Sir Richard Branson to Jay Leno and Jerry Rice.
- Fox News Channel contributor Saturday mornings on “Forbes On Fox".
- First web-centric finance/tech-focused female video reporter at forefront of the emergence of online entertainment.
- First online video reporter accepted into Capital Press Corp in Sacramento.
- First Female Sports Director/Anchor/Reporter in San Francisco Bay Area
- First woman in SF Bay Area to host a racing show covering Nascar, IndyCar, and AMA Superbike
- First online technology video reporter at a traditional publication to receive an Emmy in NATAS, Northern California Chapter.
Past Facilitations
Extreme Tech Challenge
I helped take the Extreme Tech Challenge from inception to becoming the world's largest startup competition, implementing integrated vertical awards with sponsorship, gathering critical resources to support startups in scaling, creating unique mentoring and media opportunities, and more. It is the first startup competition in conjunction with the world's largest consumer electronics show, CES and Sir Richard Branson. The top 10 pitch live on stage at CES. The top 3 pitch is Sir Richard Branson and a celebrity panel of judges on Branson's private Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. As XTC's first Executive Director, contest strategist, and contest emcee for both the semi-finals and finals, I vetted more than 4,000 startups and helped select the best companies to present on stage at CES as well as before Sir Richard Branson.
CBS Tech2
Developed and hosted a weekly technology series on KPIX 5 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Taking an innovative approach to capturing stories via selfie stick and iPhone, we featured the coolest tech companies in Silicon Valley.
Forbes
For nearly five years I wrote for the magazine, helped build the west coast video department from scratch, and covered the latest in business in technology, entrepreneurship, innovation, the stock market, sports, and celebrities. My favorite stories were about executives who lived extraordinary and rewarding lives outside the boardroom. I was at the forefront of a new extreme entrepreneur with whom I was first to bring to the forefront in mass coverage through my Emmy nominated "Personal Best" series. I also enjoyed appearing weekly on Fox News Channel's "Forbes On Fox" broadcast, challenging Steve Forbes and other Forbes staff on critical current events, especially political topics.