Communication seems simple. A sender codes the message. The receiver decodes the message. What if the receiver doesn’t know the code? As the "public" becomes more diverse by generation, race, and gender in this rapidly changing global communication space, being understood is challenging. If people don’t understand, they are immediately excluded from the message. They either need a translator, or they misunderstand, or they stop communicating. Confusion and frustration erode trust. Eroded trust leads to lots of other problems. This is especially important for non-profits and associations because trust is the foundation of their missions. 

This session shares examples of unconscious language bias and provides practical alternatives to improve communication and promote audience engagement.

Speaker

Alise Isbell is an award-winning communication expert experienced trainer facilitator and instructional designer. She empowers clients to transform ideas into clear messages. She holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Business Communication. She published articles on effective communication in Nationwide Business Journals while also winning several IABC Bronze Silver Best in Division and Best in Show Quill Awards in Writing and Marketing Communication Strategy.

Alise was the youngest elected President of ATD Houston in 2009 and is a member of the International Association for Business Communicators and HR Houston and frequently speaks at these organizations’ conferences. As an independent business owner Alise provides instructional design services on any topic. She carefully determines the current needs defines the goals of training and creates materials to bridge the gap.

Alise also delivers instructor-led training courses in person or online in five categories: written spoken interpersonal communication train-the-trainer and microlearning.

You’ve landed the big account! Are you prepared to share your client’s story creatively with the media? All PR professionals should have strategic communications plans for every project or campaign and there are multiple components to consider. Sheri Kirk – Inspire PR Group’s media relations lead – and Katie Lundy – a former TV journalist and seasoned media trainer – will walk participants through valuable tips and techniques for managing an organization’s public relations objectives by intentionally defining what you want to accomplish and how you will measure success. The session will include understanding the importance of establishing SMART goals; identifying and targeting key audiences; leveraging assets tools and software; and evaluating results. Participants will walk away equipped with creative ways to share their clients’ stories efficiently and effectively and with a limited budget.

Speakers

Sheri Kirk
An award-winning communications professional with nearly three decades of academic medical education and research healthcare non-profit and trade association industry experience Sherri provides skillful counsel to numerous Inspire clients in areas of strategic communications public relations media relations and crisis communications. She has an extensive understanding of the pet industry having worked with Inspire clients The ARK at JFK (The ARK) HABRI IPATA Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc. the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) the Pet Food Institute (PFI) Pet Peace of Mind and Zoundz Music For Pets™ (Zoundz). Sherri also serves as an advisor and mentor to the Inspire team.

Prior to joining Inspire Sherri led University of Cincinnati Health’s corporate media relations strategy and advanced the academic health system’s national and regional reputation working with consumer business and trade media and served as primary contact and spokesperson for all media activity. Respected for her trademark skill in articulating the benefits of innovative treatments and technology available to UC Health patients she promoted many research and clinical care disciplines including otolaryngology (Ear Nose and Throat) transplant and various surgical programs. In addition Sherri represented The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for 15 years in a variety of escalating public affairs and media relations roles. She promoted and elevated the nationally ranked institution’s national regional and local reputation including women’s health transplantation ENT and personalized health care programs and Ohio State’s College of Medicine and Nisonger Center.

Sherri contributed to articles and stories consistently published in national magazines and news agencies and airing among broadcast/digital channels including CNN Fox News Women’s Health U.S. News & World Report New York Times Wall Street Journal and numerous other top-tier media outlets. Sherri is certified in crisis communications digital media women’s leadership and branding. As an undergrad at The Ohio State University Sherri served as a news-reporting intern and writer for local ABC and Fox affiliates and received a bachelor’s degree in communications with a specialization in public relations. Sherri is a doting mother of three amazing children – Jacob Noah and Katey.

Katie Lundy
Katie Lundy serves as a vice president at Inspire. With more than 20 years of communications experience Katie is a seasoned professional specializing in media strategy project management media training crisis communications support and video production. As a former TV journalist Katie is passionate about storytelling and is skilled at identifying creative story angles reporters will want to share. She also pulls upon her broadcast experience to develop impactful quality videos that increase social media engagement. Katie enjoys building trusted relationships with the clients she serves and provides valuable counsel to executives and leadership teams through interactive media and crisis training.

The modern world is marked by volatility uncertainty complexity and ambiguity (VUCA). The key to thriving in this VUCA world lies in human judgment and decision-making transcending traditional linear problem-solving. This presentation builds on complex decision-making strategies developed by the Air Force Col. John Boyd often described as American’s greatest strategist. His theories have been applied by leading organizations around the world.

Speakers

Michael Cherenson APR Fellow PRSA is executive vice president of SCG Advertising + Public Relations based in Whippany NJ and co-academic director of the Communication Certificate Program at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information in New Brunswick NJ. In 2009 he served as national chair and CEO of The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Cherenson is currently PRSSA National Professional Adviser.

Mark McGrath is the Chief Learning Officer at AGLX an adaptive strategy consultancy that teaches leaders and their organizations to harness volatility uncertainty complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) as a competitive advantage. With a focus on strategic leadership and decision-making Mark shows executives how to thrive in asymmetric nonlinear environments by building teams that are more competitive collaborative and creative. His background includes service as an officer in the United States Marine Corps and nearly two decades in asset management. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Marquette University and a Master’s in Economics from the University of Detroit-Mercy.

Speaker

Cayce Myers is a professor of public relations and director of graduate studies at the School of Communication. His work focuses on laws, regulations and ethics that affect public relations practice. He is the author of Public Relations History: Theory Practice and Profession and Money in Politics: Campaign Fundraising in the 2020 Presidential Election. He is also the coauthor of the 4th and 5th editions of Mass Communication Law in Virginia and has also published over sixty peer reviewed articles, book chapters, law review articles, and trade press articles about public relations history, public relations strategy, political campaigns, and laws and policies that affect public relations practice.

In addition to his public relations scholarship, Myers is accredited in public relations, and is active in several public relations and communication organizations including the Arthur W. Page Society, Public Relations Society of America National Board of Directors, PRSA Foundation Trustee, Legal Research Editor for the Institute for Public Relations, the National Press Club, the Higher Education Committee for the PR Museum, and the Commission on Public Relations Education. He was previously a member of the Universal Accreditation Board and the Board of Ethics and Professional Standards in PRSA.  He is also a frequent commentator about public relations, political campaigns, and legal issues, having been quoted in several media outlets including Time, Bloomberg, Fox News, the Los Angeles Times, the Hill,  the Associated Press, and the Wall Street Journal.

By 2044 groups formerly labeled “minorities” will reach majority status. Associations that don’t embrace this new diverse universe will be left behind. While many associations talk about putting DEI into action how many have done it? Join an award winning PR professional to learn how one risk-averse association – the Casualty Actuarial Society – adopted a strategic approach to DEI and positioned itself as an industry leader. To accomplish this the association authored a series of research reports that acknowledged past biased industry practices and provided a roadmap for the future. But not everyone was on board—including association leaders. This session will focus on how the association overcame obstacles to release and promote its DEI research report series. The session also will include tips that your association can use when turning words into action and truly embrace DEI.

The presenter will lay out the case study describe the barriers the association needed to overcome and talk specifically about the press briefing which was a success. The speaker will weave in exercises by a show of hands questions and a Q&A to accompany the presentation.

Speaker

Celebrating 22 years as president of Singer Communications Sheri Singer has worked with more than 100 associations helping them solve their communications public relations and marketing challenges. She started her career as the Director of Communications for associations and was a senior executive with top PR agencies (Ketchum PR) managing accounts for Fortune 500 firms. Sheri is a member of PRSA-NCC PRSA's IPA and Association/Nonprofit. She served on PRSA-NCC's board for five years.

She is a founding member of PRSA-NCC's Independent PR Alliance served as chair and was chair of its program committee for 12 years. Currently Sheri is the Vice Chair of ASAE’s Research Foundation’s Development Committee. She also served as chair of ASAE's Healthcare Committee and on ASAE's Communications Council.

She is the founder of Association Xchange a free lunch and learn program for association executives. She is a frequent speaker author and contributor to the association community’s articles podcasts and blogs. She has spoken at two PRSA ICONs.

During this session attendees will learn strategies for how to prepare for and manage through a crisis with limited (monetary and physical) resources that are often a hallmark of associations and nonprofit organizations. The session will be an interactive presentation that will include understanding the difference between issues management vs. crisis the value of crisis preparedness including identifying high-likelihood and high-impact scenarios organizations should plan for building useful crisis communications plans with limited time and personnel developing the right crisis management team best practice tips for engaging with media and on social media during a crisis stakeholder communications and more.

Speakers

Katie Lundy serves as a vice president at Inspire. With more than 20 years of communications experience Katie is a seasoned professional specializing in media strategy project management media training crisis communications support and video production. As a former TV journalist Katie is passionate about storytelling and is skilled at identifying creative story angles reporters will want to share. She also pulls upon her broadcast experience to develop impactful quality videos that increase social media engagement. Katie enjoys building trusted relationships with the clients she serves and provides valuable counsel to executives and leadership teams through interactive media and crisis training.

The Herald Building (There are tables and umbrellas in front of the building).
The building is located on H Street, which is a one-way street.

A link will be sent to your phone that will allow you access to the building.  Please make sure you swipe your phone on the top panel and below (it's like a two-factor authentication!). 

METRO:
If you take the metro, the closest stations are McPherson Square or Metro Center. Either one is a few minutes away from us. Our building has tables and umbrellas in front of it.

PARKING:
There is parking before our building on H Street (1333 H Street Building), pass it and on your left is the parking lot).
You also have the option of parking on 13th Street Laz Parking right before Wells Fargo or after (depending on which are driving on 13th Street).

Brand communications are most powerful when they employ a strong compelling story that aligns mission and impact with relatable human elements of adventure adversity and triumph. As nonprofit professionals however it’s far too easy to get lost in the particulars of our work: numbers served evaluation metrics statistics charts and graphs that make listeners’ eyes glaze over. This session will explore how to use storytelling skills to contour your messaging from statement to story causing listeners to say “Really? Tell me more!”

Explore how elements of classic storytelling theory can be used to shape narratives that connect audiences with your direction purpose and values.

Speaker

Current storyteller-in-chief for a national education equity nonprofit Janeé Pelletier is a visionary and confident communications executive with deep communications and brand building expertise for mission-focused organizations including messaging and marketing public relations partnership development advocacy live and digital events and fundraising success stories. Janeé excels at building organizational narratives and curating impactful stories that build awareness and engagement.

While at Learning Undefeated she has developed the organization’s national-level brand as a respected and disruptive trendsetter growing the nonprofit from its regional roots to a trusted partner capable of running white-label programs for Fortune 500 companies. During Janeé’s tenure Learning Undefeated has more than quadrupled its funding expanded its programmatic footprint from a single business line to more than a dozen STEM programs driving race and gender equity increased earned media more than a hundredfold and hosted events & marketing activations at hallmark events ranging from Super Bowl LII to galas awards and conventions of more than 10000 delegates in the US Europe and Asia.

Nothing will spark failure faster than dumbing down your work. Yet whether we’re coming up with a pitch or putting together a tip sheet it seems like every day we’re confronted by a colleague who looks over our shoulder and gives the friendly advice “You really need to dumb that down for this audience.” The maxim is as misguided as it is ubiquitous. Regardless of the area of specialization association and nonprofit communicators frequently have to provide incredibly complex or technical information to reporters Congress constituents members allies and even detractors in ways that connect with these audiences. However “dumbing down” your work is a sure-fire recipe for failing to communicate.

In this workshop participants will learn a better way. Walking through a real-world case study we’ll focus on specific tips and strategies for association and nonprofit communicators to “smarten it up”—exploring how to extract the essence of the challenging issues causes and ideas we’re communicating by embracing their complexity instead of running from it.

Speaker

Scott Ward is a veteran communications and marketing professional with experience in the nonprofit agency government and entertainment fields and has a passion for advancing issues and causes that directly impact people and our planet. He built Fifth Estate on the conviction that strategic communications is a powerful force that can be harnessed to make substantial positive enduring change in the world. He specializes in developing innovative communications strategies driven by clear measurable goals and aligned with organizational mission; storytelling that crafts complex ideas and technical information into compelling engaging and accessible content; and reaching across traditional divides to find shared values and common purpose.

He is also an industry thought leader offering professional development trainings speaking and participating on panels and placing articles in such trade publications as PR Week and PR News.

When you reach out to a potential professional contact you’re often making a first impression that will shape the relationship for years to come. This short workshop focuses on tactical networking emails and LinkedIn messages that get results using proven best practices we’ve taught to thousands of professionals. You’ll learn to make the right impression and get more responses by making it easy for recipients to say “yes.” Use these skills for better outreach to new connections networking event follow-ups collaboration requests with new organization partners and more.

Speaker

Casey Mank is the Co-Founder of Bold Type and a board member at the nonprofit Center for Plain Language. She has worked with organizations including Viacom Media Kellanova the US Department of Agriculture the Kauffman Foundation the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society the PR Society of America National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) the PR Council (PRC) the Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and many more. Her writing advice has been featured by Harvard Business Review the Nonprofit Communications Report and the How to Be Awesome at Your Job podcast. Casey also teaches writing at Georgetown University’s School of Nursing and is proud to have helped thousands of students and professionals get to the point.