How Imani Ellis grew from NBC exec to cultural influencer at CultureCon
- - How Imani Ellis grew from NBC exec to cultural influencer at CultureCon
Jay Stahl, USA TODAYFebruary 14, 2026 at 5:04 AM
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Imani Ellis donned a cream-colored sweater, preaching to more than 260,000 Instagram followers in the viral video.
The founder of the must-attend festival CultureCon told fans that she'd shared a recent talk about 2026 goals with a friend, who, in turn, simply stated, "I just want to steward the gifts that God has given me well."
The joint post from her company and personal account garnered 26,000 likes, over 700 comments and 400,000 views.
The daughter of two pastors – who grew up shuttling between Florida, Alabama and Atlanta – has become a leading light in culture while implementing rest in her own approach as a young CEO.
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"Just because someone's a leader doesn't mean that they're not anxious," Ellis told USA TODAY, adding that "to embark in this brand, I want to make sure that it includes the layers of me."
Singer Billie Eilish has had a significant impact on gender-neutral fashion, pushing against traditional fashion expectations for women by sporting baggy, oversized clothes for comfort and body autonomy.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/7EZZCcRHwTSBPw0TNYaRZA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05OTQ-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/ae7784e8396bddabcf02f3d11207f08c class=caas-img data-headline="Every generation has its own trends. Here are some of Gen Z's." data-caption="
Singer Billie Eilish has had a significant impact on gender-neutral fashion, pushing against traditional fashion expectations for women by sporting baggy, oversized clothes for comfort and body autonomy.
">Singer Billie Eilish has had a significant impact on gender-neutral fashion, pushing against traditional fashion expectations for women by sporting baggy, oversized clothes for comfort and body autonomy.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/7EZZCcRHwTSBPw0TNYaRZA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05OTQ-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/ae7784e8396bddabcf02f3d11207f08c class=caas-img>Resume.org reported that one in five Gen Z workers use ChatGPT regularly to make tough decisions, get advice, and for mental support. The survey also found that half of Gen Z respondents would rather ask ChatGPT questions than their boss.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>ChatGPT listed AI generated content as popular among Gen Z, this includes ChatGPT itself. A survey from Resume.org reported that one in five Gen Z workers use ChatGPT regularly to make tough decisions, get advice, and for mental support. The survey also found that half of Gen Z respondents would rather ask ChatGPT questions than their boss.
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ChatGPT listed AI generated content as popular among Gen Z, this includes ChatGPT itself. A survey from Resume.org reported that one in five Gen Z workers use ChatGPT regularly to make tough decisions, get advice, and for mental support. The survey also found that half of Gen Z respondents would rather ask ChatGPT questions than their boss.
">ChatGPT listed AI generated content as popular among Gen Z, this includes ChatGPT itself. A survey from Resume.org reported that one in five Gen Z workers use ChatGPT regularly to make tough decisions, get advice, and for mental support. The survey also found that half of Gen Z respondents would rather ask ChatGPT questions than their boss.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Sb7iVREbvdCB5e7K__fjxQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/31c38b876767fee80c4dd810923a80b2 class=caas-img>
1 / 2Every generation has its own trends. Here are some of Gen Z's.
Singer Billie Eilish has had a significant impact on gender-neutral fashion, pushing against traditional fashion expectations for women by sporting baggy, oversized clothes for comfort and body autonomy.
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Ellis evolved from a cushy NBCUniversal PR executive to a fully-fledged founder who found her own calling over the past decade. While Americans searched for spaces for deeper community in that span, CultureCon – which now dubs itself the world's largest meetup of creatives – sprouted from a gathering of 21 people in Ellis' apartment to an annual gathering place for 12,000 attendees.
Imani Ellis: 'Never could have imagined what it would become'
CultureCon first bloomed in Ellis' room in 2017 when community was not yet a buzzword. As a full-time publicist at one of the world's best-known brands, Ellis maintained a bustling social life and boasted a fulfilling career, but something was missing.
She invited 10 friends to her apartment for tacos one evening with one rule: Everyone had to invite somebody that they could vouch for. "I'm a woman, I'm living alone, like, let's just keep it cute," Ellis told USA TODAY.
CultureCon creator Imani Ellis at her home in Atlanta on Jan. 5, 2026.
The group of strangers started that first night with one question: "What are you working on? And it can't be work." The room was "stumped," said Ellis, a Vanderbilt University alum, but guests later found understanding together in the unknown.
"You had complete strangers being like, 'I'm working on, you know, getting the courage to like, tell my mom about this thing that happened,'" she said, calling the first event "very therapeutic." As some guests left question night at Ellis' apartment, they had an ask of their own: Would she repeat the gathering on a monthly basis?
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The apartment nights became crowded, so they moved to co-working spaces. And so many people swarmed those events that Ellis developed the idea of a conference. "Never in a million years could (I) have imagined what it would become," Ellis said.
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The first CultureCon was held in New York's Meatpacking District that October, featuring a keynote fireside chat with legendary filmmaker Spike Lee. Ellis' team developed a Spike Lee room, a scavenger hunt of the two-time Oscar winner's iconic career. She stayed up until 3 a.m., painting gold letters for the Lee room in her apartment and came up with different clues.
Ellis described a moment she'll never forget as Lee walked into his eponymous room. "We take him to that Spike Lee room and yeah, he just melted," Ellis said.
The second conference featured Charlamagne Tha God, Colman Domingo and John Legend; the third edition included Tracee Ellis Ross, Elaine Welteroth, Keke Palmer and Regina King. The fourth CultureCon in 2021, at home due to the pandemic, included Michael B. Jordan, Naomi Campbell, Regina Hall and Billy Porter. Subsequent versions included "Top Gun: Maverick" breakout Jay Ellis, Cynthia Erivo of "Wicked" fame and former first lady Michelle Obama.
Imani Ellis speaks onstage during CultureCon LA 2023 at Rolling Greens On Mateo on June 17, 2023 in Los Angeles.
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Single-day general admission tickets are $145, while weekend passes are $249 and weekend VIP passes are $409. Student tickets are $89. CultureCon offers free scholarship tickets to students with financial needs and also partners with colleges to offer free admission.
The CultureCon ecosystem includes the marquee festival, its storytelling and content agency CultureCon Studios, the educational pipeline platform CultureCon on Campus and a foundation launching this fall. As CultureCon grew in size, Ellis continued to work at NBC, rising to Vice President of Communications. But in 2023, more than a decade after she'd joined the network as an NBC page, Ellis exited the company to focus on CultureCon.
Famed Bravo star Andy Cohen celebrated her 10-year tenure with a guest bartending spot on his late-night Bravo show "Watch What Happens Live." In the Bravo Clubhouse, a 30 Rock studio peppered with merch and memorabilia from the "Real Housewives" universe, the hosting honcho wished Ellis well.
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He later echoed those sentiments in a statement. "I watched Imani grow from my junior publicist to a leader and builder and influencer in culture, and I couldn't be prouder," Cohen told USA TODAY last month. "She was an incredible guide for me personally and professionally, and watching her career explode fills me with pride. I knew her when!"
One of the most influential "Housewives" in history, lasting 11 seasons, Porsha Williams agreed. "Imani's vision is unique yet impactful, because it influences a tremendous amount of people, making everyone feel like CultureCon has something exactly for them," she said in a statement.
'I'm not going to create a facade of a CEO'
CultureCon has grown into a cultural phenomenon. The conference returned for the sixth time to Brooklyn's Digital Greenhouse during its October 2025 outing, up by 2,000 festivalgoers from the previous year.
"You only go as far and you only grow as big as your community is willing to come," Ellis said. "If 12,000 people don't come to CultureCon, it's not the biggest conference for creatives." Multi-hyphenate Jennifer Hudson, actor Jesse Williams, actress Kerry Washington and "Abbott Elementary" star Sheryl Lee Ralph were among the biggest names at last year's jamboree, where A-listers rub elbows with everyday people.
CultureCon creator Imani Ellis at her home in Atlanta on Jan. 5, 2026.
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The festival, presented by Chase Ink, boasts a slew of other corporate partners, including HBO Max, BET, Uber, the National Football League, NBCUniversal, New Balance, Nike, Pinterest, Sprite, Spotify and ESPN. The biggest ask from Ellis' community of creatives is that she morph the three-day event into a full week of festivities.
To accomplish that goal someday, Ellis has begun to reevaluate hustle culture in recent months, prioritizing rejuvenation over the long-held stereotype of corporate CEOs' constant grind. She also splits time now between the scurry of New York and her life back in Atlanta.
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"That's why I keep pushing this seasonality, I'm not going to create a facade of a CEO who never (took) rest," Ellis said.
She has traveled to Cabo and Barbados amid her quest for renewal in recent months. Next October, nine years since that night in her living room, Ellis will show the world how much further she can grow.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How ex-NBC exec Imani Ellis created CultureCon
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