Haute Magazine’s industry panel connects students with working professionals across the creative industry, offering insight into real-world career paths and experiences. Each semester, we invite industry professionals from photography, writing, multimedia, visual design, content creation, finance, and events to speak about their roles and provide guidance tailored to our members’ interests.

• Dakota Sage (Freelance photographer/filmmaker for Golden Goose, Amino Lean, Health Ade) 
• Noelle Romain (Senior copywriter, health and wellness at Walmart, previously at Alo, SavagexFenty, NFL)
• Trenton Williams (Senior footwear designer at Puma, previously at Adidas, New Balance)
• Emily Kosko (Founder/CEO of VentureX/lecturer at USC Annenberg)

Read more on the panelists below: 

Sage is a Los Angeles-based creative director, photographer, and retoucher known for crafting vibrant, editorial-driven brand imagery. With a background in film studies in Paris, Dakota brings a cinematic sensibility and a strong sense of world-building to every project. Working across both emerging startups and established global brands, Sage leads projects end-to-end—from concept ideation and campaign strategy through production and post. Sage is recognized for her ability to translate brand identity into compelling visual narratives, resulting in imagery that feels both elevated and scroll-stopping. 

Romain is a Los Angeles–based copywriter, content strategist, and creative professional with a background in digital media and journalism. Romain’s work focuses on creating compelling marketing and editorial content for modern lifestyle and fashion brands, with writing projects connected to companies such as Alo Yoga and Savage X Fenty. In addition to her marketing work, she has produced creative photography and written pieces, including personal essays and photo projects published online. Romain continues to build a career that blends creative storytelling, brand voice development, and digital media strategy. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Studies (Journalism) from the University of California, Berkeley, where she developed a strong foundation in storytelling, media production, and digital communication.

Williams is a footwear designer with 10+ years of experience creating innovative, high-quality designs. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he brings creativity, technical expertise, and a collaborative spirit to every project. He has worked across fashion, sports, and lifestyle industries, always pushing boundaries to create footwear that connects with consumers. Beyond footwear, Williams has channeled his entrepreneurial spirit into launching his own bag brand and exploring creative projects outside the footwear industry. This has given him a broader perspective on design, product
development, and brand-building that he brings to everything he does. Williams thrives in team environments, sharing ideas, learning from others, and maintaining a clear design vision. Passionate about blending trends, functionality, and culture, he is focused on growing into a design lead role and continuing to make an impact through thoughtful, creative design.

Kosko is a business strategist and educator at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She teaches digital media and entrepreneurship, where she helps students turn ideas into scalable ventures and think like operators in today’s fast-moving digital economy. She is the founder of Global Business Consulting LLC and GloBu Media. Her work focuses on building businesses designed to grow and helping organizations establish a strong presence in today’s creator economy. She works closely with founders and teams to translate vision into execution and drive real traction. Drawing on her background in venture capital, Kosko brings insight into the growth strategies shaping today’s startup ecosystem. She previously founded VentureX, an edtech platform recognized for its innovative approach to business education. Kosko has worked with international startups and supported ventures in securing funding and expanding into new markets. She has spoken at global platforms, including the United Nations Climate Week and Web Summit. She is known for her direct, execution-driven approach and her ability to turn ideas into results.

RSVP to attend. 

This program is open to all eligible individuals. USC Annenberg operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.