Sunday, April 2

Welcome Reception at Queen’s Reward Meadery

Monday, April 3

Breakfast – Opening General Session

The Strength of Diversity: Celebrating Generational Differences in the Workplace
Tonia Morris
CEO & Founder, Simply HR

The workplace is becoming increasingly multigenerational, with traditionalists, baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z all working side by side. By recognizing and celebrating the unique strengths and perspectives of each generation, organizations can create a more inclusive and productive workplace. This topic explores strategies for building effective cross-generational teams, addressing generational conflicts, and leveraging generational diversity for workplace success. By creating a culture that values and respects generational differences, organizations can tap into the full potential of their workforce and drive innovation and growth.

Breakout Sessions – A

Option 1 (Oak)

All About Belonging and Culture! Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Public Relations Today
Dr. Jae-Hwa Shin, APR
Professor of Public Relations
University of Southern Mississippi

This session will feature the emerging call for a new narrative about diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and culture in public relations profession and education. It is about who we are and how we can make difference in a society and a larger context. This is in line with increasing need for diversity, equity and inclusion and will ultimately shape a more complete picture of our profession. Some questions which will be addressed through the session include:
• How do you define diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging an culture?
• What have been the main concerns and discussions of interest, and especially for public relations practice and education today?
• What do you see as the most crucial emerging trends in public relations in the next few years? What will be the future directions of public relations from the perspective of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and culture?
• Would you offer any insight into public relations practice, lessons and action items from diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and culture?

 Option 2 (Magnolia)

PR Partnerships: Showcasing Memphis & Mississippi to the World
Kevin Kern
Vice-President, Public Relations
Memphis Tourism
&
Jennie Bradford Curlee, APR
Public Relations & International Sales Director
Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau

Creative partnerships make the world go round. Showcasing tourism destinations on a global stage takes strategic public relations efforts and inventive activations to stand out. This session shares how Memphis Tourism and Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau partner to invite visitors from all over the world to experience Memphis & Mississippi.

Lunch – General Keynote

C is for Crisis
Kristie Swink Benson, APR; Senior Vice President, Customer Service, Communications & Marketing, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Veteran communicator Kristie Swink Benson, APR, will lead an engaging Q&A session about crisis communications. Bring your most pressing questions to ask about handling a PR crisis!

Breakout Sessions – B

Option 1 (Oak)

Social Media in the Age of Misinformation
Nicole Beachum
Assistant Professor of Marketing
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Learn about misinformation in social media and how it affects the work of public relations and marketing professionals, plus the steps that you can take to mitigate the risks.

Option 2 (Magnolia)

No Stack Needed: Simple Tools & Resources for a Team of One
Dana Englebert
Founder and Chief Strategist
Dana Englebert | Purposeful Storyteller

Regularly, all the cool PR folks on social like to ask everyone about their “stack.” The answers vary, but it usually boils down to a contest about who has the coolest tech. Here’s my stack: a notebook, some awesome Sharpie pens, my laptop, a subscription to Harvest for my invoicing and payment, Google Workspace, and WordPress. OK, so I use some free apps, too. No Meltwater. No Slack. As a solopreneur, I don’t want to spend more time managing my stack than I do on client work.

You can run a communications team-of-one with readily available tools and resources. Yes, there are some things that are worth the investment. I’ll show you some of my favorites so you and your team can achieve your goals.

Break

Breakout Sessions – C

Option 1 (Oak)

Shake Up Your Content Strategy with Vertical Video
Brittney Westbrook
Associate Director for Marketing Communications
The University of Southern Mississippi – Office of University Communications

In just one month, the marketing communications team at The University of Southern Mississippi went from never uploading a vertical video to producing three to five new vertical videos a week. This shake-up in content strategy resulted in immediate and significant increases in video views, accelerated social media audience growth, and raised impressions and engagement—all without increasing the team size. This session will explain how that was done, what the results have been, and what the team is planning next.

During this session, you’ll learn:
• How vertical video can improve your content strategy
• Tips for producing more videos in less time
• Strategies for dealing with trends—when to hop on and when to opt out

Option 2 (Magnolia)

Is a Hot Dog a Sandwich? And Other Bad Words for Burritos
Michael Riddle
Agency Partner
PushCrankPress

Explore the power of communication from multiple perspectives, examining the role of religion, art, and algorithms in the development of language and symbolism. Discover how storytelling, memory, and creative exercises can be used to break out of mental ruts and generate new insights and ideas.

PRism Awards Banquet

6:30 – 7 p.m.
Cocktail Reception

7 – 9 p.m.
PRism Awards Banquet
Brandon Bennett • Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist, emcee

Tuesday, April 4

General Session – Networking Breakfast

Shake up your own PR practices with ideas and strategies from your peers! This networking breakfast will provide an opportunity for you to meet others working in your industry across the state and share the joys and the struggles you face working in PR and communications within that industry.

Take this opportunity to talk about how Covid changed communications at your company, what challenges you face with your workforce, how new technology has made communicating easier (and harder!), and what social media platforms are getting you the most ROI.

Just look for the table with the label that most accurately describes your industry. Don’t see one? Pick a seat and see what you can learn!
Students are invited to network with other students or to join the discussion at the table for the industry that interests you most.

10:30 a.m.

Breakout Sessions – D

Option 1 (Oak)

Volunteering is Good PR
Corie Jones
Deputy Director and Public Relations Director
Volunteer Mississippi | The Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service

Volunteers are writing the story of Mississippi’s future today. We encourage you to put your talents, hobbies, and skills to work in your own community. We can rise to meet our state’s challenges—not as isolated individuals, but as committed neighbors building a better, brighter future for all Mississippians.

At Volunteer Mississippi, we care about YOU and want to engage and support ALL Mississippians in service to their communities. Help us connect volunteers with opportunities all over Mississippi so YOU can make a real change in someone’s life! Let’s connect today!

Option 2 (Magnolia)

Blurred Lines: Public Relations Ethics
Melody Fisher, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Public Relations
Mississippi State University

This interactive presentation will take a case study approach to address public relations ethical dilemmas. Attendees will learn best practices to maintain the integrity of the public relations profession and become a responsible advocate for your organization and clients.

Break

C is for Crisis
Ashley Elkins
President, Vitality South

You ALREADY have what it takes to get to the next level. Whether that means a promotion, going back to school, or even starting your own business. Identify your tools and learn to wield them!