JMU Communication Careers Conference (Contin.)

“Taking off to New Horizons” Communication Studies Careers Conference March 15, 2013

9:05 am – 9:55 am Harrison Hall 102 Panel Session/Q&A

Topic: Communicating in a Nanosecond: Entering A Career Field That Changes Quickly and Demands Fast Response For Success Interact with seasoned alumni who will share their experiences in adapting to the emerging influences of social networking, mobile technology, Internet media and on-demand programming, and how they impact public relations, journalism, marketing, market research and human resources.

Panel Member 1: Kristine Hinck Mills (PepsiCo) Panel Member 2: Steve Gardner (USA Today) Panel Member 3: John Taschek (Salesforce.com) Panel Member 4: Cutch Armstrong (Cox Media) Panel Member 5: Richard Williams (Connect2 Communications) Panel Member 6: Justin Prather (Invision) Panel Member 7: Jenn Ash (Gray Collective)

Topic: Issue Advocacy: Harnessing Your Passion and Marshaling Resources to Promote Issues and Causes that Bind Generations Interact with seasoned alumni who will share their experiences in leading high- profiled issue advocacy campaigns and nonprofit causes. They will discuss some of the prevailing challenges and opportunities in increasing awareness on top issues/causes, developing a membership base, raising funds, and collaborating with public officials.

Panel Member 1: Suzanne Young (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) Panel Member 2: David Duncan (Civil War Trust) Panel Member 3: Barbara Webber (Webber Professional Media Consulting) Panel Member 4: Tracy Weise (Weise Communications) JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

Topic: Issue Advocacy: Harnessing Your Passion and Marshaling Resources to Promote Issues and Causes that Bind Generations Interact with seasoned alumni who will share their experiences in leading high- profiled issue advocacy campaigns and nonprofit causes. They will discuss some of the prevailing challenges and opportunities in increasing awareness on top issues/causes, developing a membership base, raising funds, and collaborating with public officials.

Panel Member 1: Andrea Butler (Better Housing Coalition) Panel Member 2: David Duncan (Civil War Trust) Panel Member 3: Michael Wissot (SymAction Communications) Panel Member 4: Kaitlin Burket (EQUI-KIDS) Panel Member 5: Carrie Klamut (American Cancer Society)

Topic: Where am I Headed? Understanding the Difference Between Agency, Corporate and Not-For-Profit Opportunities Expand your perspective on the unique experiences awaiting you in the workforce. Listen to an engaging discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of working for public relations and advertising agencies, management consulting firms, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. Learn what to expect from an entry-level position in these areas, as well as how the size and scope of your employer may impact your experience and future goals.

Panel Member 1: Kristine Hinck Mills (PepsiCo) Panel Member 2: Barbara Webber (Webber Professional Media Consulting) Panel Member 3: Suzanne Young (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) Panel Member 4: Tracy Weise (Weise Communications) Panel Member 5: Cara Crosby (Ogilvy Public Relations) Panel Member 6: Rachael Seda (CRT/tanaka) Panel Member 7: Suzanne Rhodes (Mercy Medical Airlift) Panel Member 8: Jenn Ash (Gray Collective) JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

Topic: Specialize or Generalize? What You Need to Know about Communicating In Key Industries, Including Consumer Goods, Sports, Entertainment, Technology, Health Care, Government, Education Engage alumni on the importance of knowing when and how to develop your craft and expertise within a niche industry. Learn about the unique pressures within these sectors, in order to build credibility and trust among key leaders. Hear stories from alumni on how they balanced the need to develop broader skill sets while gaining industry knowledge to apply those skills.

Panel Member 1: Cutch Armstrong (Cox Media) Panel Member 2: Steve Gardner (USA Today) Panel Member 3: Melaney Johnson (American Nurses Association) Panel Member 4: Lauren Littleton (Ogilvy Public Relations) Panel Member 5: Richard Williams (Connect2 Communications)

11:15 am – 12:05 pmHarrison Hall 102 Panel Session/Q&A

Panel Member 1: Andrea Butler (Better Housing Coalition) Panel Member 2: Richard Williams (Connect2 Communications) Panel Member 3: David Duncan (Civil War Trust) Panel Member 4: Kaitlin Burket (EQUI-KIDS) Panel Member 5: Nikki Parrotte (CRT/tanaka) Panel Member 6: Suzanne Raouf (Cohn & Wolfe) Panel Member 7: Lauren Littleton (Ogilvy Public Relations) JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

Topic: Specialize or Generalize? What You Need to Know about Communicating In Key Industries, Including Consumer Goods, Sports, Entertainment, Technology, Health Care, Government, Education Engage alumni on the importance of knowing when and how to develop your craft and expertise within a niche industry. Learn about the unique pressures within these sectors, in order to build credibility and trust among key leaders. Hear stories from alumni on how they balanced the need to develop broader skill sets while gaining industry knowledge to apply those skills.

Panel Member 1: Cara Crosby (Ogilvy Public Relations) Panel Member 2: Ron Burke (Comcast SportsNet) Panel Member 3: Michael Wissot (SymAction Communications) Panel Member 4: Eric Byrd (Media Learning Partners) Panel Member 5: Justin Prather (Invision) Panel Member 6: Jackie Donnell (Target) Panel Member 7: Tracy Weise (Weise Communications) Panel Member 8: Jenn Ash (Gray Collective)

Topic: Health Care on the Rise: How to Thrive as a Communication Professional in one of the Hottest Growing Industries of the 21st Century Engage alumni on the unique opportunities for communication professionals to pursue leadership roles and handle rapidly changing demands in the health care industry. Hear stories from alumni on how they have excelled within different areas of health care, and where the emerging needs may arise for a new generation of communication experts.

Panel Member 1: Melaney Johnson (American Nurses Association) Panel Member 2: Nicole Buckley (Association of American Medical Colleges) Panel Member 3: Suzanne Rhodes (Mercy Medical Airlift) Panel Member 4: Carrie Klamut (American Cancer Society) JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

12:15pm – 1:05pm Harrison Hall 1261 Panel Session/Q&A

Topic: Keeping Score: How to Break into the Sports Business Industry and Harness Your Passion for Sports in a Professional Environment Engage alumni on the unique professional opportunities in sports – print and online media, broadcasting, video production, public relations, marketing and business development. Discuss the unique challenges facing professional sports leagues and franchises, owners, sports marketing firms, sports agencies, publications and TV networks. Learn where the industry is heading and which skills are most desirable in the eyes of sports business executives.

Panel Member 1: Steve Gardner (USA Today) Panel Member 2: Ron Burke (Comcast SportsNet) Panel Member 3: Jeff Spaulding (Major League Baseball) Panel Member 4: Michael Wissot (SymAction Communications)

Topic: Nonprofit Fundraising Engage alumni on how they have achieved high-impact results in nonprofit fundraising. Learn how they develop strategic fundraising plans, organize major donor programs, engage organizational leadership and board members in fundraising, measure results, and grow membership.

Panel Member 1: David Duncan (Civil War Trust) Panel Member 2: Andrea Butler (Better Housing Coalition) Panel Member 3: Kaitlin Burket (EQUI-KIDS) Panel Member 4: Carrie Klamut (American Cancer Society) Panel Member 5: Lauren Littleton (Ogilvy Public Relations)

Topic: Event Planning Engage alumni on how they have managed and promoted high-profiled events, in order to increase brand awareness, customer engagement, issue advocacy, community outreach and other organizational goals.

Panel Member 1: Kristine Hinck Mills (PepsiCo) Panel Member 2: Barbara Webber (Webber Professional Media Consulting) Panel Member 3: Suzanne Young (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) Panel Member 4: Cara Crosby (Ogilvy Public Relations) JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

12:15pm – 1:05pm Harrison Hall 1131, 2131, 1290 Power Lunch Hour 1 Join JMU alumni for a casual lunch, gathering in small groups to discuss industry trends, job search strategies, networking tips and professional interests.

Alumni Team 1: John Taschek, Cutch Armstrong Alumni Team 2: Richard Williams, Eric Byrd Alumni Team 3: Tiffanie Rosier, Kristin Alexander Alumni Team 4: Suzanne Rhodes, Nicole Buckley, Melaney Johnson

12:15pm – 1:05pm Jackson Hall 0002

Topic: Résumé and Cover Letter Review Moderators: Jackie Donnell (Target) Jennifer Judkins (Target)

1:10pm – 2:00pm Harrison Hall 2113, 2131, 1261, 1290 Power Lunch Hour 2 Join JMU alumni for a casual lunch, gathering in small groups to discuss industry trends, job search strategies, networking tips and professional interests.

Alumni Team 5: Andrea Butler, Suzanne Young Alumni Team 6: Jackie Donnell, Jennifer Judkins Alumni Team 7: Ron Burke, Steve Gardner Alumni Team 8: Emily Sabbatini, Jenn Ash Alumni Team 9: Nikki Parrotte, Rachael Seda Alumni Team 10: Suzanne Raouf, Lisa Mees Alumni Team 11: Tara Higgins, Kelsey Mohring

1:15pm – 2:15pm Harrison Hall 1131

Topic: Résumé and Cover Letter Review Moderators: Tiffanie Rosier (College of William & Mary) Kristin Alexander (Altria) JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.) JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

1:15pm – 2:15pm Jackson Hall 0002 1-hr Workshop

Topic: Internal Communication Workshop Moderator: Kristine Hinck Mills (PepsiCo) Participate in a practical “change management” exercise, focused on employee communications. Working in teams, you will manage a mock organizational change and identify key stakeholders and potential communication risks. You will then develop key messages and identify appropriate channels to build an internal communications plan that both engages and informs employees.

1:15pm – 2:15pm Jackson Hall 101 1-hr Workshop Topic: Issue Advocacy & Publicity Workshop Moderator: Barbara Webber (Webber Professional Media Consulting) Participate with your peers in an interactive discussion on issue advocacy, as well as techniques to increase publicity for causes in the nonprofit sector. Working in teams, you will create a publicity plan for an initiative benefitting a specific cause/issue, craft unique messages to pitch that initiative, identify placement opportunities in mainstream/targeted media outlets, manage your media contacts effectively and responsibly, leverage any media sound-bytes for further promotion of the initiative, increase penetration in social media, and building long-term credibility as an expert on the issue at hand.

1:15pm – 2:15pm Harrison Hall 2102 1-hr Workshop

Topic: Pitch for Success: Using Influence & Persuasion to Promote Your Personal Brand Moderator: Eric Byrd (Media Learning Partners) Participate in a dynamic discussion about how the discipline of persuasion can be applied most beneficially in your professional networking. You will learn what to focus on in personal networking or formal presentation situations, how memory affects influence, what it takes to pitch yourself effectively, how to spot if someone is interested in your presentation, tools for pitching and networking, and why passion is the key to pitching success and attaining it. JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

Topic: The Key to Successful Message Development: If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going, You’ll Never Get There

Moderator: Richard Williams (Connect2 Communications) Participate in a dynamic discussion about message creation and delivery – vital tools for every young PR professional. This interactive session will start at the beginning of any good PR plan or program and work though the threads that help tell a complete story. The key to successful message development is to know where your company or client wants to go, and to position a company beyond its products or services. Working as a group, we will create a messaging timeline for a fictional company and map out what they should be saying, to whom, and when to help it achieve its overall corporate and market objectives.

Topic: Think Like a Social Media Manager

Moderator: Jenn Ash (Gray Collective) Do you love social media? Wish you could find a job on the business side of social media? Learn how to evaluate a brand's social communication strategy. Useful on the job or preparing for any interview, a social media audit helps you demonstrate you understand the brand and have recommendations for the future. You'll walk away from this workshop with a how-to guide, glossary of key terms, and reference list of great resources on the web.

2:15pm – 3:15pm Harrison Hall 2101

1-hr Workshop Topic: Creating Your Personal Brand Moderators: Jackie Donnell (Target) Participate in dynamic discussion on the importance of branding – how it applies to your future employer and to you as an individual. Learn how to stand out, improve your skills and become a worthy individual brand. You will discover exactly how you project your personal brand image – whether planned or not. Working in teams, you will develop an action plan to further develop your personal brand as a student and a future communication professional. JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

Panel Member 1: Suzanne Raouf (Cohn & Wolfe) Panel Member 2: Lisa Mees (Porter Novelli) Panel Member 3: Rachael Seda (CRT/tanaka) Panel Member 4: Emily Sabbatini (newBrandAnalytics) Panel Member 5: Suzanne Rhodes (Mercy Medical Airlift) Panel Member 6: Nicole Buckley (Association of American Medical Colleges) Panel Member 7: Tiffanie Rosier (College of William & Mary) Panel Member 8: Kelsey Mohring (CRT/tanaka)

Topic: I Graduated with a Communication Degree ... Now What? Listen to recent JMU graduates discuss the formidable challenges and exciting opportunities that await students upon graduation. A great opportunity to hear how to best differentiate yourself in the competitive landscape, as well as prepare for the expectations set on younger employees.

Panel Member 1: Nikki Parrotte (CRT/tanaka) Panel Member 2: Tara Higgins (Team Velocity Marketing) Panel Member 3: Justin Prather (Invision) Panel Member 4: Kristin Alexander (Altria) Panel Member 5: Toni Herrmann (American Cancer Society) JMU Communication Careers Conference (contin.)

Panel Member 1: Nikki Parrotte (CRT/tanaka) Panel Member 2: Tara Higgins (Team Velocity Marketing) Panel Member 3: Justin Prather (Invision) Panel Member 4: Kristin Alexander (Altria) Panel Member 5: Toni Herrmann (American Cancer Society)

Topic: I Graduated with a Communication Degree ... Now What? Listen to recent JMU graduates discuss the formidable challenges and exciting opportunities that await students upon graduation. A great opportunity to hear how to best differentiate yourself in the competitive landscape, as well as prepare for the expectations set on younger employees.

Panel Member 1: Suzanne Raouf (Cohn & Wolfe) Panel Member 2: Lisa Mees (Porter Novelli) Panel Member 3: Rachael Seda (CRT/tanaka) Panel Member 4: Emily Sabbatini (newBrandAnalytics) Panel Member 5: Kelsey Mohring (CRT/tanaka)