Michele Norris, Washington Post Columnist and Former NPR “All Things Considered” Host, To Be Keynote Speaker at PRSA’s ICON 2023

Registration Now Open for the Premier Conference for PR Practitioners Taking Place in Nashville, Tennessee, Oct. 15-17

NEW YORK, May 3, 2023 – PRSA, the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community, announced today that Michele Norris will be a keynote speaker at ICON 2023, being held Oct. 15-17 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

“One of today’s most respected and well-informed journalists in print and on the air, Michele has proven expertise in discussing controversial topics in a confident and clearheaded style,” said Michelle Egan, APR, Fellow PRSA, 2023 PRSA Chair. “Her ICON presentation will focus on bridging the gap between opposing viewpoints and cultures, and I can’t wait to hear her thoughts on this incredibly timely topic.”

An award-winning journalist and one of the most recognized voices in radio, Norris engages audiences in candid discussion about race, culture and communication in America.

For a decade, as host of National Public Radio’s longest-running program, “All Things Considered,” she captivated audiences nationwide while earning some of journalism’s highest honors. As a Washington Post Opinions columnist, Norris sparks important dialogue on current events, social issues and the power to make change as she breaks down commonly held beliefs and attitudes on race, diversity and bias. She makes complex and taboo issues remarkably accessible. Her audiences walk away empowered to stimulate discussion around challenging topics within their communities.

Throughout Norris’ accomplished career, her efforts to promote conversation about race have resulted in her critically acclaimed book, “The Grace of Silence: A Memoir.” She received accolades for a Peabody Award-winning initiative, “The Race Card Project,” which fosters conversation among individuals about their differences. Norris was previously the director of “The Bridge”—the Aspen Institute's program on race, cultural identity and inclusion—which addresses some of America's most complex issues by encouraging people to explore and engage with differing perspectives.

This summer, Norris will launch a podcast with Higher Ground Productions and Audible called “Your Mama’s Kitchen.” The show focuses on how people are shaped for a lifetime by the kitchen and communal spaces they grew up in, and the places where their food was prepared, procured and presented at the table. Guests include Michelle Obama, Eva Longoria, Gayle King, and Andy Garcia.

Her newest book, “Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think About Race,” will be published in January 2024.

ICON 2023 will provide a special blend of incomparable networking and professional development opportunities for public relations professionals. Attendees will have the opportunity to enhance their perspectives and skill sets with communicators representing well-known brands, agencies and nonprofits, and meet representatives from leading industry service providers.

Media interested in attending the conference should contact Rod Granger at rod.granger@prsa.org.

About PRSA
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the leading professional organization serving the communications community through a network of more than 400 professional and student chapters in the U.S., Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Puerto Rico. Guided by its Code of Ethics, PRSA empowers its members to succeed at every stage of their careers through a wide breadth of premium professional development programs, exclusive networking events and leadership opportunities. Signature events include the Anvil Awards, and ICON, the premier annual gathering for communications professionals and students. For more information, visit www.prsa.org.

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Media Contact:
Rod Granger
212-460-0307
rod.granger@prsa.org