The mini-conference will be held 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 at the Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road. You can find a complete conference schedule and order tickets at thebloganistaconference.eventbrite.com. 

Now get to know our speakers and panelists. 



Alexis E. Barton is a style blogger and digital influencer whose commentary and fashion advice appears weekly on the popular blog SameChicDifferentDay.com, which she launched in September 2011. Her personal style tips have been featured in The Birmingham News, Skirt.com, Life and Style PR and on WBHJ 95.7 JAMZ. Alexis has appeared on ABC 33/30’s Talk of Alabama and on CBS 42’s Wake Up Alabama. She has worked with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, H&M, Girls Inc., Macy’s, Belk, and a number of other non-profits, businesses and brands to help make the world a more stylish place. Alexis has been named a 2013 Role Model by the Girls Scouts of North-Central Alabama and this year was named a Birmingham Trailblazer by The Birmingham Times. 


Heather Brown is the lifestyle blogger and social media and blogging consultant behind MyLifeWellLoved.com. She is a Birmingham native, has been married for 5 years and has been blogging for 4 years. She would love for you to connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram @MyLifeWellLoved.





Megan LaRussa Chenoweth is the fashion stylist, image consultant and personal shopper behind Southern Femme, which is both a blog and a style consulting service. A Birmingham native, Megan moved to New York City to work for a famed trend forecaster and pursue a Master’s degree from Parsons School of Design. But the South wooed her back with its slower pace and picturesque landscape. Megan created Southern Femme because of her desire to educate her favorite women in the world, Southern ladies, on both high fashion and their everyday wardrobe. Megan has styled and produced fashion shoots for several magazines including Birmingham magazine, Alabama magazine, and Seventeen. 



Vanessa Culpepper of the blog BuddingFashionista.com is ready to step out in style no matter the time of day or occasion. As a producer of a morning news program, she doesn’t let her overnight shift keep her from putting a stylish spin on work-appropriate looks. She carries the same attitude toward her weekend wardrobe when she is off the clock and running around with two kids in tow! Vanessa does all this while stretching her budget to the max! She doesn’t claim to be the hottest fashionista around…she is just budding.


Williesha Morris has been hustling gigs of the freelance variety since she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a journalism degree in 2001. Since 2012 she has been pursuing the dual title of administrative consultant/virtual assistant and writer. Having this title allows her to never get bored, along with helping small business owners and entrepreneurs get more done and show freelancers how to truly live a “free” freelance life. You can find her on Twitter – @willieshamorris. She created her blog MyFreelanceLife.com in 2013 and also blogs at nerdythirtysomething.wordpress.com. 


Tanya Sylvan of the blog All In Stride is a Jersey girl living in Birmingham who loves to run far and eat lots. Her real life and blog life collided recently when a long-time blog reader offered her a job doing marketing and public relations for an outdoor publications company. Now she can say that she really does eat, sleep, and breathe all things outdoors! You can find her blogging about running, recipes, and random life events at tanyasylvan.com.


Carla Jean Whitley is a writer, editor and teacher based in Birmingham, Alabama, where she is managing editor of Birmingham magazine. Her first book, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, is set for publication by The History Press on July 22. Carla Jean founded the music blog Birmingham Box Set, and has also written for BookPage, Paste, The Birmingham News, Sky and a variety of other magazines and newspapers. Carla Jean volunteers with literacy organizations and teaches journalism at the University of Alabama and Samford University. Her favorite yoga pose is bakasana and her favorite cats are orange. Connect with her at carlajeanwhitley.com.