2017 CommEx // Alaska Communicators Exchange

September 14 & 15, 2017

Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage, Alaska

Purchase Tickets | Conference Program | Sponsorship Opportunites | Award Ceremony | Keynote Speakers | General Speakers | Photo Gallery

Join professionals from all industries at CommEx, a two-day conference in downtown Anchorage featuring national and local speakers. Sessions are designed by top communications professionals for those interested in the emerging and current trends, shifting how organizations communicate. Topics include: metrics, reputation management, strategic thinking, crisis communication, media relations, branded content, social networks and government relations.

Ticketing and RSVP Information

Pricing:
Early-Bird Registration (by Monday, Sept. 11, 2017): PRSA Members: $295 // Non-members: $345
Registration after Sept. 11, 2017: PRSA Members: $345 // Non-members: $395
Tickets: CLICK HERE.

Aurora Awards
CommEx tickets include admission to the Aurora Awards ceremony on Sept. 14, 2017. We ask that you please RSVP for the Aurora Awards, in addition to CommEx.

If you can only attend the Aurora Awards, and not CommEx, please RSVP here.
Aurora Awards Banquet Pricing:
PRSA Members: $55 // Non-Members: $65

Lodging
There is a room block for PRSA at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown. The special rate is $229 per night, before Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017.

 

Conference Program

CommEx 2017

Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsor Alaska’s largest public relations conference and reach every public relations professional in Alaska! More information on how to sponsor the event can be found here: 2017 CommEx Sponsor Packet.

Keynote Speakers

On September 14-15, hundreds of communications professionals will gather in the heart of downtown Anchorage, Alaska, for the Alaska Communicators Exchange, or CommEx, a two-day, professional development event for public relations practitioners. In recognition of Ethics Month, as well as the pressing need for the PR community to advocate for ethical communications, this year’s theme of “The Ethics Imperative” will be woven into all aspects of the event. Keynote speakers include:

Duncan Wardle, Chief Innovation Officer at Id8&innov8, LLC and former Vice President of Innovation & Creativity for the Walt Disney Company Thinking Differently: How to take on challenges in new and different ways that deliver tangible results

Do you ever wonder why most of your best ideas come to you in the shower? Have you ever pitched a new idea to watch it diluted or killed as it moves through the processes? Ever wanted to know how Walt Disney came up with the idea for a Disneyland or how Pixar develops storylines for Movies? Or perhaps found yourself amazed at how some companies develop killer insights that enabled them to break into major new categories. Building on some 25 years of experience with the Walt Disney Co. around the globe, most recently as Vice President of Innovation & Creativity, Duncan Wardle creates an immersive, engaging session that will not only answer these questions but leave you with a series of tangible tools to take on your own challenges in new and different ways.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/duncanjwardle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanwardle/

Profile in Bulldog Reporter

Ana Toro, MA, APR, Fellow PRSA Chair, PRSA National Diversity & Inclusion Committee Let’s Think Diversity!

Bio:
Ana Toro, APR has over 20 years of experience in marketing communications and public relations. Her outreach efforts have resulted in higher message awareness, increased partner engagement and successful media placements in national media. Throughout her career, she has developed programs and campaigns for the Government, pharmaceutical companies, nonprofit organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and other consumer brands. Current clients include CDC, NIH, and HHS. Ms. Toro is an expert in conducting national educational efforts to underserved, hard to reach, and low income populations She has developed an array of bilingual messages and materials, cultural adaptations of tools, resources, programs and campaigns targeting African Americans, Hispanics, American Indian/Alaska Natives and Asian American/Pacific Islanders.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anatoro

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anatoroapr/

Articles: https://prsay.prsa.org/author/anatoro/

Ms. BJ Whitman, APR, Fellow PRSA, PRSA Board of Ethics, Practices & Standards The legacy of ethics

Bio: B.J. Whitman, APR, Fellow Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has over 30 years of public relations expertise in the education, maritime, and hospitality management fields with experience in corporate communications in both communication/pr agencies and the private sector. B.J. has earned accreditation in public relations (the APR credential), and her work has been recognized with numerous awards from PRSA’s Hawaii Chapter. In 2007, BJ was elected into the College of Fellows. The Fellow designation is the highest award of excellence awarded by PRSA and serves as recognition of a long and distinguished career in the practice of Public Relations. A past president of the Hawaii Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and Chair of the PRSA’s Western District, Whitman has also served on the national level as Chair of PRSA’s Chapter/District Council and Co-Chair of the Volunteer Leadership Continuum Task Force.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-whitman-b253567/

Articles: https://prsay.prsa.org/author/bj-whitman/

General Speakers

Award Ceremony

Photo Gallery

Thank You Sponsors!