Virtual GSMCON2021: Full Schedule

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8:00am PDT

Add-On $75 Workshop: Intro to Government Social Media

This is a beginner level introductory training session geared towards social media professionals who are either new to government or familiar with government but new to managing social media.
Topics Covered: What government social media managers should know about Facebook, Twitter and Nextdoor (including government-specific recommendations & features). Overview of government-focused social media issues including public records, FOIA, managing comments and a quick primer on policy.

Speakers

Jennifer Davies

Digital Content Supervisor, City of Las Vegas

Jennifer Davies is the digital content supervisor for the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. In her role, the very first ever created by the city to focus on social media, Jennifer and her team support the city’s 20 departments and seven elected officials with social media outreach, email... Read More →

Warren Kagarise

Digital Engagement Manager, King County, WA

As digital engagement manager for King County, WA, in Seattle, Warren Kagarise leads the county’s efforts to connect with its 2.2 million residents via social media and other tools. Warren also represents the Northwest on the GSMO Leadership Council. Prior to King County, he served... Read More →

Monday March 22, 2021 8:00am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Workshop

10:30am PDT

Add-On $75 Workshop: Smartphone Video Lab

In this in-depth demonstration, Kerry Shearer, "The Livestream Expert" and former Sacramento County PIO, will help you develop fast, effective video creation skills on your smartphone. Videos aren’t just used to spread information; videos can help you build trust, humanize your agency and create a stronger connection with your audience. Kerry will have insider examples, tips, techniques and tools you can use to help your agency shine by integrating frequent video updates into your social media plan.

Speakers

Kerry Shearer

The Livestream Expert, Kerry Shearer Enterprises LLC

Kerry Shearer thrives on teaching public agency communicators how to use livestreaming and smartphone video production effectively so that they can create great content, get more engagement, and communicate clearly. He is a former broadcaster for KFBK NewsTalk 1530 in Sacramento and... Read More →

Monday March 22, 2021 10:30am - 12:30pm PDT
TBA

Workshop

1:00pm PDT

Add-On $75 Workshop: Legal & First Amendment Issues for SocialGov

Several legal issues involved with government use of social media will be covered in this workshop facilitated by Mark R. Weaver, a leading crisis communications advisor and attorney for public sector clients. Knowing how the First Amendment applies to your social media presence can protect you from a lawsuit, legal fees and damages. This lively workshop features practical tips in plain language about issues such as government forums, blocking users, deleting comments, viewpoint discrimination, employee use of social media and more.

Speakers

Mark Weaver

President, Communications Counsel

Mark Weaver is an attorney and government communications expert with three decades of experience across the country. He has worked with a wide array of public & private sector clients on PR, media relations, social media strategy, and crisis communications. He lectures around... Read More →

Monday March 22, 2021 1:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
TBA

Workshop

5:00pm PDT

Virtual Welcome Reception

All attendees are welcome to join us for our special pre-event virtual welcome reception!

Monday March 22, 2021 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
TBA

General Session

8:00am PDT

Opening Session & Twitter Keynote: @ me next time

Welcome to GSMCON2021! Meet your emcees, hear from conference director Kristy Dalton and join Twitter's Lauren Devoll live as she shares the latest strategies and tools for having creative and effective conversations on Twitter.

Speakers

Lauren E Devoll

Public Policy Strategy and Innovation Team, Twitter

Lauren Devoll (@LaurenDevoll) manages partnerships on the Public Policy Strategy and Innovation team at Twitter. Based in Washington, DC, she works to craft public interest solutions for Twitter and foster creative content strategies for voices in government, nonprofits, and civil... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 8:00am - 8:45am PDT
TBA

General Session

8:45am PDT

Networking Break

Tuesday March 23, 2021 8:45am - 9:15am PDT
TBA

Break

9:15am PDT

Creating a Social Media Policy that Protects, Educates and Empowers

To delete or not to delete? Can I just hide it? Who has access to our account? Can they really FOIA that? Do I HAVE to use my personal profile? All these questions and more can be and should be addressed in your social media policy. In this interactive how-to session, we’ll dive into these tough questions and the steps needed to create or update your Government Social Media Policy: what to include, how to write it, who to partner with, as well as how to implement and enforce.

Speakers

Kaitlin Keeler

Digital Editorial Manager, Oakland County, Michigan

Kaitlin Keeler is the Digital Editorial Manager for Oakland County, MI where she leads the Digital Editorial Team and is responsible for the digital brand across the organization. She created the County’s first enterprise social media marketing strategy integrating all departments... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

9:15am PDT

What the Tweet? How to Get Back to Crushing Your Goals

Twitter can be intimidating for many small government teams, but after a pandemic & multiple national crises, 2020 really became the year this platform came to the forefront in the battle of misinformation. After a year that forced us to stop or severely limit posting to not appear tone deaf, we found less actually meant more when it was better quality. We doubled our new follower growth from 2019 despite posting about 40% less, and engagement was up 60% despite providing less content. In this session, you’ll learn how to audit your content, find your audience and get back to crushing your Twitter goals to best be prepared in difficult times.

Speakers

Jennifer Davies

Digital Content Supervisor, City of Las Vegas

Tuesday March 23, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

9:15am PDT

Demo: An Immersive Experience with 360 Video

Does your agency do really neat stuff that you want to share with the public in an entirely new way? Using 360 technology is a useful tool to bring that neat stuff to them where you're able to invite the public to virtually join you in the field, even more crucial now as many agencies pivot to virtual experiences. Come learn the steps on how to create a 360 video, from the initial idea to the finished product, and everything in between. Available on Facebook and YouTube, it's a great way to bring the fieldwork to the public on social media in a whole new way.

Speakers

Taylor Main

Videographer/Photographer, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

Taylor Main grew up in the Shenandoah Valley where she developed a love for the outdoors. She moved to Columbia, SC upon graduation from James Madison University where she now serves as a photographer and videographer for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Her photographs... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Demo Session

10:15am PDT

ALL ACCESS ONLY (WWYD) Social Gone Sideways: Handling COVID Vaccine Messaging Missteps

This is a special session only for All Access ticket holders. Please reach out to us if you'd like to upgrade your general admission ticket!

COVID Vaccine messaging on social media. What could go wrong? (You know, other than everything). Whether it's an elected official posting something…not quite right…about vaccination, or community members expressing frustration about some aspect of the vaccination process, we're all trying to strike the right balance between empathy and transparency in our social media messaging. In this special All Access session, you’ll work in small groups with your colleagues through a few "What would you do if..." scenarios specific to COVID vaccine messaging. We'll discuss best practices for response, strategies to put in place beforehand, and how-to advice to keep you sane(ish).

In a "What Would You Do?" scenario, the facilitator teaches high-impact strategy & attendees get to work through the scenarios in small groups. WWYD sessions take advantage of the Zoom meeting breakout rooms feature.

Speakers

Bronlea Mishler

Owner/Founder, Bronlea M Consulting

Bronlea Mishler is a public relations & communications professional who owns Bronlea M Consulting. Prior to consulting, Bronlea spent more than a decade as a communications director & crisis communications expert for city and county governments in Washington state. Her skills include... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 10:15am - 11:00am PDT

All Access Session

10:15am PDT

Embracing Cultural Diversity: A Better Way than Auto Translation

We aspire to communicate with constituents regardless of language or cultural differences. In this presentation, learn how to be strategic with translations, some cultural nuances to watch for, how to set up impactful campaigns in a different language, the pitfalls of automated translation services, and how to use language as a cultural connector, including tips on Spanish-language media relations.

Speakers

Abraham Morales

Senior Communications Strategist, City of Aurora, CO

Abraham Morales is communications and PR professional, in two languages and cultures, with over 20 years of experience. Currently, he serves as senior communications strategists for the city of Aurora, Colorado (pop. 381,000). In this capacity, he is part of a small team doing social... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

10:15am PDT

How to Transform In-Person Events to Virtual & Still Keep Everyone Happy

While government agencies had to cancel many in-person public events in 2020 due to the pandemic, people are clamoring for something this year, even if the experience is virtual. Learn how to successfully transition completely in-person events to virtual or hybrid (partially online) events, plan the in-person aspects safely, and use technology and social media outreach techniques to drive participation. This session also explores the important responsibility to ensure that people who are from underserved audiences or lack access to digital tools can also meaningfully participate.

Speakers

Amy Elmore

Communications & Outreach Manager, Forward Pinellas

Amy Elmore serves as the Communications and Outreach Program Manager for Forward Pinellas, developing communications strategies and guiding community engagement activities for planning and transportation development projects. Amy has over 10 years of communication experience, and... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

11:00am PDT

Mid-Day Break

More info coming soon!

Tuesday March 23, 2021 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
TBA

Break

11:45am PDT

Keynote: Five Keys to Gently Guide Elected Officials Away from Annoying Social Media Habits

Everyone in government social media has heard or told war stories at dinner parties about things elected officials have done – or consistently do – on social media. It can drive us crazy. Elected officials are a breed unto themselves with concerns not only about their jobs, but getting re-elected to keep doing that job. Understanding why they do the things they do, their concerns and insecurities, is crucial to addressing those annoying social media habits. Using his own experiences working with government officials as well as some generously shared stories from the GSM community, frequent GSM speaker Mark R. Weaver will share practical tips for you to use to get elected officials back on the right social media path. Warning: If used properly you may run out of dinner party stories. coming soon!

Speakers

Mark Weaver

President, Communications Counsel

Tuesday March 23, 2021 11:45am - 12:15pm PDT
TBA

General Session

12:30pm PDT

ALL ACCESS ONLY (PowerTalks): Social Storytelling & Taking a Bucket Bath: Balancing Personal Life During Crisis Comms

This is a special session only for All Access ticket holders. Please reach out to us if you'd like to upgrade your general admission ticket! In this special session, you can choose to participate in either PowerTalk. Stay in one PowerTalk the entire session or leave one, jump into the other — it’s up to you! You’ll learn high-impact tips from a facilitator, and break into small groups with your peers to share your own story & hear insights.

Social Storytelling (facilitated by Josh DeVine) Learn time-tested tips from a TV reporter turned law enforcement spokesman on how to quickly structure and produce content, so you save time (and your sanity), while better conveying your agency’s commitment to the public you serve.

Taking a Bucket Bath: Balancing Personal Life During Crisis Comms (facilitated by Aly Van Dyke) When you're facing a crisis, how do you begin balancing communicating important messages 24/7 with your own personal life? During the Texas ice storm, we learned how to take baths out of a bucket, how to operate with minimal-to-no electricity, and just how critical and demanding social media is in emergencies, no matter the size of your city. In this special All Access session, you'll learn from your facilitator and chat in small groups on handling crises and working with small teams during emergencies, all while juggling your own personal and family life.

Speakers

Aly Van Dyke

Director of Communications and Public Engagement, City of Georgetown,Texas

A native Kansan (rock chalk!), Aly moved to Texas in 2017 to work for the City of Austin and started her role as director of communications and public engagement for the City of Georgetown in January 2020. That's right: A whole two months before the global pandemic hit, and barely... Read More →

Josh DeVine

Communications Director, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

Josh DeVine joined the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in March 2014. As Communications Director, his main duties include providing direction to the TBI's Public Information Office, serving as a spokesperson, spearheading special projects and internal communications efforts, and... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 12:30pm - 1:15pm PDT
TBA

All Access Session

12:30pm PDT

Building Trust Through Social Media

2020 has been one of the most devastating years for police-community relations. Through the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer to demonstrations around the country, law enforcement finds itself in a desperate need to rebuild trust in its legitimacy. But this call for community support is taking place in an unfamiliar arena — social media. This session will explore how police departments can begin to create trust using online methods, and help begin to heal relationships with their community using online tools.

Speakers

Yael Bar tur

Social Media Consultant for the Public Sector, YBT Consulting

Yael Bar tur is a social media consultant who previously served as the director of social media and digital strategy for the New York City Police Department. Born and raised in Israel, Yael served in the Israeli Army as a foreign press liaison and holds a Master's Degree from the... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 12:30pm - 1:15pm PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

12:30pm PDT

Government Social Media Survival in the Digital Age

How do you leverage your social media use? Why use this best practice? What happens to your social when managing emergencies? Using automated archiving is your best key to streamline your processes — all while handling your other duties. Join Smarsh Account Executive Riley Lambert to learn how to survive, drive and revive your government social media in the digital age with automated archiving.

Speakers

Riley Lambert

Account Executive - SLED, SMARSH, INC

Riley Lambert has been a professional account executive for Smarsh's SLED team for over 4 years and working in the government space for longer than that. He is an expert in national/state FOIA, OPRA, and Sunshine Laws and has made contributions to industry thought leadership on how... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 12:30pm - 1:15pm PDT
TBA

Demo Session

1:15pm PDT

Networking Break

More info coming soon!

Tuesday March 23, 2021 1:15pm - 1:45pm PDT
TBA

Break

1:45pm PDT

Measuring 2020’s Impact on Social (Ray Carey) and Panel: Best Lessons from Top Public Health Social Media

This live general session is packed with several speakers you don’t want to miss! First, hear from Ray Carey, CEO of ArchiveSocial, as he reveals surprising insights from social media records, and stay for a special panel of public health communicators who are leading the way on social media.

Inside the Archive: Measuring 2020’s Impact on Social
Join Ray Carey as he taps into the archive of over 300M social media records to share the biggest successes and lessons learned over the past year for over 5,000 public agencies (ranging from the White House to Duck, NC.), and discover long-term best practices and strategies that can set your social media presence up for success.

Panel: Public Health Social Media Wins & Best Lessons
Most socialgovs have had to deal with COVID & vaccine messaging this year, although most don't wear an official public health hat. Enter the social media perspective from Ottawa Public Health in Canada (the ones who brought you the notorious Bruce anti-misinformation stunt) and the award-winning Tennessee Department of Health, to share some refreshing wins and lessons for the rest of us.

Speakers

Ray Carey

CEO, ArchiveSocial

CEO of ArchiveSocial Ray Carey has spent his career leading and investing in high growth technology companies. Today Carey leads ArchiveSocial, a platform that empowers and protects open dialogue for more than 5,000 public agencies ranging from the National Archives and the last two... Read More →

Elizabeth Hart

Director, Office of Faith-Based and Community Engagement, Tennessee Department of Health

Hart has previously served in roles as the Media Coordinator at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Director of Marketing for the Indiana State Department of Health, Director of Communications for Indiana Black Expo, Public Information Officer for the Shelby County Health Department... Read More →

Jason Haug

Supervisor, Social Media and Engagement, Ottawa Public Health

Jason is the Supervisor of the Social Media and Engagement Team at Ottawa Public Health (OPH) located in Ottawa, Canada. Jason has worked with OPH since 2010 and has been supervising with the Communications unit since 2016. His education is in Health Sciences and Business Administration... Read More →

Kevin Parent

Program and Project Management Officer, Ottawa Public Health

Kevin is a Program and Project Management Officer with the Social Media and Engagement Team at Ottawa Public Health located in Ottawa, Canada. He is the social media lead for the Ottawa Public Health Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts since 2018. His education is in Communications... Read More →

Tuesday March 23, 2021 1:45pm - 2:30pm PDT
TBA

General Session

8:00am PDT

Keynote: Facebook & Instagram's Jannelle Watson & MVPD Chief Chris Hsiung

Join us for a fireside chat as well-known socialgov advocate Chief Chris Hsiung of Mountain View PD interviews Facebook & Instagram's Politics and Government Outreach Manager, Jannelle Watson, about their latest platform updates, best practices, tips and tools to reach your core audience.

Speakers

Jannelle Watson

Politics and Government Outreach Manager, Facebook and Instagram

Jannelle Watson works on Facebook’s Politics and Government outreach team where she focuses on helping state and local elected officials, political candidates, advocacy groups and government agencies build a best in class presence on Facebook and across the family of apps. Part... Read More →

Chris Hsiung

Police Chief, Mountain View Police Department

Chris is the 11th Police Chief of the Mountain View Police Department. For more than 25 years, he has served the Mountain View community, and as the department’s leader, is passionate about maintaining MVPD’s role as a progressive law enforcement organization in the 21st century... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 8:00am - 8:45am PDT
TBA

General Session

8:45am PDT

Networking Break

Wednesday March 24, 2021 8:45am - 9:15am PDT
TBA

Break

9:15am PDT

Gaining Advocates & Losing Negativity Through Social Customer Care

As government agencies work to articulate their value through real-time communication on social media, a customer-centric platform that is capable of creating and closing customer service cases brought in through social media has become essential, especially when responding to negative comments teams receive. This session will explore how delivery-driven government through social customer care will win you new advocates and earned media. Examples of how to capture, track, and respond to the public – including negative comments – will be detailed with reflection on design and deployment.

Speakers

Alicia Trost

Chief Communications Officer, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)

Alicia Trost is the Chief Communications Officer at the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), overseeing all public relations, media relations, social media and customer communication. Her team has received national accolades for breaking the government communications mold... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

9:15am PDT

How to Fight Disinformation on Social Media

What does systemic disinformation look like online? How about information influencing? How can you counter these effectively? Finland has been in the front row of fighting information influencing for years. In this session, you will hear how the cross-sector network of Finland's Government agencies, Defense Forces, police, media, and private sector work together to counter information influencing without jeopardizing fundamental values of democracy, like freedom of speech. You will gain insights for your work to counter disinformation online.

Speakers

Helena Liikanen-Renger

Press Counselor, Embassy of Finland in Washington D.C.

Helena Liikanen-Renger is the Press Counselor of the Embassy of Finland in Washington D.C. In her daily work she aims to grow the understanding of her country through visual use of social media, networking, pitching, and organizing events. Helena‘s background is in journalism. She... Read More →

Satu Järveläinen

Communications Adviser, Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN & Consulate General of Finland in New York

International media and communications professional, originally from Finland, the Happiest Country in the World (2020, 2019 & 2018, UN World Happiness Report). Satu wears many hats in her new role in New York, working for Finland in everything from media relations and events to public... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

9:15am PDT

Demo: Adobe Rush vs Premiere for Social Media Videos

Create authentic and engaging video for your social media channels. Whether it’s creating drag-and-drop videos in minutes using Adobe Rush or taking your content to the next level in Adobe Premiere, we’ll show you how to use these programs and when to use which app to optimize your workflow. We’ll also share tips & tricks to help you get the most out of your content.

Speakers

Jessica Bautista

Digital Journalist, Town of Gilbert

Jessica Bautista grew up in the D.C Metro area with an early love of storytelling and journalism, modeled by her grandfather, a former New York Times reporter and author. She attended Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated Magna Cum Laude with University Honors in Broadcast... Read More →

Elizabeth Rohe

Digital Journalist, Town of Gilbert

Hailing from the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, Elizabeth Rohe found her love of filmmaking at an early age, capturing the world on home movie cassettes. She has a BA in journalism from The Walter Cronkite School, a graduate degree in documentary film from The New School in New York... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Demo Session

10:15am PDT

Adapting Your Social Media Strategy for a Post-pandemic World

Join Alix to discover insights from our second annual State of Social Media in the Public Sector survey where over 600 of your peers revealed how they adapted their strategy to manage social, refocus resources, and mitigate risk, and uncover how you can optimize your presence and security for stronger communication and engagement.

Speakers

Alix Bowman

Director of Customer Experience, ArchiveSocial

Alix Bowman is the Director of Customer Experience at ArchiveSocial. In her six years with the company, Alix has watched public agency use of social media evolve from simple PDF uploads into the complex communication ecosystem it is today. Alix has helped hundreds of public agencies... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

10:15am PDT

COVID-19 & Twitter...It's been a long year

In the past year, we've all had to make changes to how we live, work, and behave due to COVID-19. Twitter is no different; having to make major adjustments to the platform in order to ensure that we are doing our part to help fight the pandemic. In this session, hear how Twitter has had to adjust it's policies, product features, and partnership in order to beat back the infodemic that has accompanied the virus.

Speakers

Tom Tarantino

Head of Global Crisis Response, Twitter

Tom leads both Twitter's global crisis response program and US State Public Policy Team. Prior to joining Twitter, Tom was the Chief Policy Officer of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in Washington D.C. where he oversaw IAVA’s legislative, research and political departments... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

10:15am PDT

Reddit: What It Is and How Governments Can Use It

Reddit is a large and growing social media platform that attracts millions of active and specific users each day. However, few government agencies are joining in the conversations–and we need to. People increasingly are tuning into Reddit for the latest news, dank memes, and niche content. If you aren't tapped into the subreddit for your community, you're missing out. This session will bring you up to speed and delve into the best practices and uses of the platform.

Speakers

Rachel Freeman

Social Media Coordinator, City of Austin, TX

I execute a data-driven social media strategy based on audience preferences and industry trends across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and Nextdoor well as coordinate and monitor City social media account archiving. I also serve on the City-wide Social Media Committee governing... Read More →

James Williams

Video Production Specialist, City of Austin, TX

James graduated from the University of North Texas in 2008 with a Radio, Television and Film degree. He started working for ATXN in 2009 and is currently a Video Production Specialist. He has produced 300+ videos for the City of Austin over the last 12 years, earning him 6 EMMY’s... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 10:15am - 11:15am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

11:00am PDT

Mid-Day Break

Wednesday March 24, 2021 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
TBA

Break

11:45am PDT

Meeting Constituents where they are on Social (Hootsuite) AND Fireside Chat with Nextdoor CEO, Sarah Friar

This session is packed with content, including an interview with headliner Sarah Friar, CEO of Nextdoor!

First, hear about Meeting Constituents Where They Are on Social Media (Camile Dundas and Nick Sinai) Massive changes in the way the government does business is forcing government agencies to continue to adapt, especially in the way agencies communicate with their constituents. Join the discussion with Camille Dundas, a Solutions Consultant with Hootsuite specializing in the public sector, and Nick Sinai, an expert advisor on policy, regulatory, and government markets and a former U.S. Deputy CTO, as they briefly discuss the new pressure from constituents for governments to evolve their social media strategies.

Then, stay connected as GSMCON Director Kristy Dalton hosts a fireside chat with Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar! Learn how government agencies can best use Nextdoor, hear Sarah's story and more in this must-see interview.

Speakers

Nick Sinai

Senior Advisor, Insight Partners

Camile Dundas

Solutions Consultant, Hootsuite

Camille Dundas is a Solutions Consultant with Hootsuite specializing in the public sector. She helps Hootsuite’s clients master and measure their impact through social media, having worked extensively with both the Canadian and US governments. @CamilleDundas

Kristy Dalton

Conference Director, GSMCON

Sarah Friar

CEO of Nextdoor, Nextdoor

Sarah Friar is Chief Executive Officer of Nextdoor, the neighborhood app. Prior to Nextdoor, Sarah served as Chief Financial Officer at Square. Under Sarah’s leadership, the company launched its initial public offering in 2015 and added $30Bn in market cap. Before her tenure at... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 11:45am - 12:15pm PDT
TBA

General Session

12:30pm PDT

ALL ACCESS ONLY (LIVE REVIEW) From Elf on a Shelf to Bernie’s Mittens: How Social Trends Fit with Government Agencies

This is a special session only for All Access ticket holders. Please reach out to us if you'd like to upgrade your general admission ticket!
From Elf on a Shelf and the Bernie Meme to How it Started/How it’s Going and Baby Yoda, viral social media trends seem to explode out of nowhere and take over our feeds. But, how do they fit in with a government agency’s social media strategy? How can you figure out what works and what doesn’t, what’s appropriate and what isn’t, especially in an ever-changing world where government isn’t always seen in a positive light? We’ll take a look at how some agencies have used these trends to help connect with the public and generate more engagement and followers.

Want Mike and Katie to do a live review of any creative/social media posts related to trending topics? Please email it to us.

Speakers

Mike Allende

Social Media Manager, Washington State Department of Transportation

As social media manager for the Washington State Department of Transportation, Mike Allende manages a social media presence that saw Cow on a Plow reach 4.6 million people, a possible Bigfoot sighting make national news and made a toy stuffed goat a star. In between he also messages... Read More →

Katie Nelson

Social Media and Public Relations Coordinator, Mountain View Police Department

Katie Nelson is the Social Media and Public Relations Coordinator at the Mountain View Police Department in Northern California. Since 2015, she has managed the department’s social media accounts and outreach campaigns, focusing primarily on the department’s engagement efforts... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 12:30pm - 1:15pm PDT
TBA

All Access Session

12:30pm PDT

How to Create a Public Safety Social Media Team

Learn how to create a social media team for your public safety department. Get the tools needed to generate interest with staff and management to get on board with building a social media team. Your team can assist with providing posts that include photos, videos, recruiting campaigns, event reminders and more.

Speakers

Shawna Washington

Marketing and Communications Manager, City of Columbia Police Department

Shawna B. Washington, Communications and Marketing Manager at the City of Columbia, adds a dynamic and creative influence to the Police Department. She is savvy and results-driven. Shawna supports the police department's efforts to reduce crime by connecting officers and community... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 12:30pm - 1:15pm PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

12:30pm PDT

Demo: Podcasting for Beginners: Tell Your Agency's Story

Almost one third of Americans listen to a podcast at least once a month — many while multitasking with driving, working out and beyond. This captive audience offers your agency an opportunity to dive deep into topics that may otherwise be difficult to convey via social media. Podcasting is easier than it seems! In this demo session, you’ll learn step-by-step how to get started with everything from the equipment to the challenges of telling stories via sound to actually getting it out into the world.

Speakers

Katie Grant

Digital Communications Section Chief, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Katie Grant is the Digital Communications Section Chief for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. As a leader in the department's Office of Communications, Katie oversees strategy and content creation for all of the department's social media while also managing the video... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 12:30pm - 1:15pm PDT
TBA

Demo Session

1:15pm PDT

Networking Break

Wednesday March 24, 2021 1:15pm - 1:45pm PDT
TBA

Break

1:45pm PDT

Keynote: National Park Service, Matt Turner

With a focus on mission, inspiration, and a bit of humor and relevance, learn how the National Park Service manages social media to reach new audiences, share visitor experiences, and promote a deeper understanding of our public lands.

Speakers

Matt Turner

Public Affairs - Social Media Specialist, National Park Service

Matt Turner is a Social Media Specialist with the National Park Service's Office of Communications in Washington DC. Matt is responsible for the management of the agency’s top-level social media channels, as well as developing and sharing guidance, best practices, and policy with... Read More →

Wednesday March 24, 2021 1:45pm - 2:30pm PDT
TBA

General Session

8:00am PDT

Panel: TikTok for Government Agencies

TikTok has become much more than teenagers dancing to trendy music. Hear from three government communicators who went all in and jumped into TikTok with both feet in an effort to reach new audiences. Katie Grant from the Wisconsin DNR, Jon Tolbert with the City of Columbus, and Jordan Gilgenbach from the City of Minneapolis, share their experience, strategies and more alongside Eric Ebenstein from TikTok.

Speakers

Eric Ebenstein

Director of Public Policy, TikTok

Eric Ebenstein Director of Public Policy at TikTok and State Public Policy Lead Eric is responsible for strategic policy initiatives and government affairs for TikTok at the federal, state and international levels. He has more than a decade of experience working on regulatory and... Read More →

Jonathan Tolbert

Digital Director, City of Columbus OH

Jon is best known as the face of the City of Columbus TikTok account. He's a digital marketer and currently specializes in social media marketing and branding for the City of Columbus. Additionally, he has experience in digital marketing strategy, strategic planning, execution, and... Read More →

Katie Grant

Digital Communications Section Chief, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Jordan Gilgenbach

Digital Communications Coordinator, City of Minneapolis

Jordan Gilgenbach has been the Digital Communications Coordinator for the City of Minneapolis since September 2016, and focuses primarily on web, social and other digital communications strategy and implementation. Jordan has spent his entire career in local government communications... Read More →

Thursday March 25, 2021 8:00am - 8:45am PDT
TBA

General Session

8:45am PDT

Networking Break

Thursday March 25, 2021 8:45am - 9:15am PDT
TBA

Break

9:15am PDT

ALL ACCESS ONLY (LIVE REVIEW) Communicate Better with Plain Language

This is a special session only for All Access ticket holders. Please reach out to us if you'd like to upgrade your general admission ticket!

Make sure your content can be understood quickly, easily, and completely with plain language. Learn how to write clearly and concisely, and tone down the government jargon to reach your entire digital community — especially during a crisis. Through interactive polls and questions, you’ll log off knowing how to best communicate with your communities by using plain language tools.

Speakers

Valerie Walston

Plain Language Editor & Trainer, Write On California

Valerie has been a government communicator for more than 20 years. She began her career as a press secretary in the Governor’s Office. Over two decades, she has written for state and national policymakers, elected officials, and universities.As news consumption changed, Valerie... Read More →

Thursday March 25, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

All Access Session

9:15am PDT

Data Secrets from a Math Hater

Join TSA’s Social Media Manger Janis Burl to learn how to maneuver data and still not like math. Get a better understanding of how to bounce back, even after COVID and see the interesting items found at TSA Checkpoints. Throughout the presentation she will discuss how to best engage with your followers and manage your leadership as she shares secrets on utilizing data effectively.

Speakers

Janis Burl

TSA Social Media Manager, Transportation Security Administration

Janis Burl is the Social Media Manager for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). She holds a Master of Science degree in Organizational Development & Human Resource Management from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ms. Burl began her TSA career in April 2006... Read More →

Thursday March 25, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

9:15am PDT

Find Your Voice Using Clubhouse

Clubhouse is the new live audio drop-in social media app, but are you using it yet to discover what conversations are happening around you? Find your voice on this platform as a new tool for community connection and become more visible professionally through the power of voice.

Speakers

Roshanda E Pratt

Visibility Coach, Consultant & Producer, The REP Network

As a first-generation American with strong, Trinidadian roots, Roshanda, the “Rosho” Pratt comes from a generation of storytellers, and life-of-the-party types. Now this former journalist and self-proclaimed ‘First Lady of Visibility’ teaches others the power of embracing... Read More →

Thursday March 25, 2021 9:15am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

10:15am PDT

Critical LinkedIn Mistakes Keeping You From Your Dream Job

Feel stuck in your career? Who in socialgov isn't underpaid? Anyone looking for a new role in today's market needs to become fluent in the art of LinkedIn. Optimizing your LinkedIn profile and establishing yourself as a skilled professional will propel your career and put you one step ahead. In this session, Ty teaches the critical mistakes (and how to avoid them) keeping you from finding, interviewing for and getting offered your dream job.

Speakers

Ty Ekelemu

Creator, APPLY > INTERVIEW > OFFER

Ty Ekelemu knows what it takes to land your dream job and navigate the corporate world. With over a decade of experience in Corporate America, Ty has successfully led projects initiatives for Fortune 500 companies. In 2017, Ty founded a boutique professional development and coaching... Read More →

Thursday March 25, 2021 10:15am - 11:00am PDT

Breakout Session

10:15am PDT

Navigating Facebook Business Manager

Why do I need to be authorized to boost a post? What is Business Manager and why should I use it? We’ll go over these questions and more as we take a deep dive into Business Manager where we’ll cover everything you need to know in order to run ads on Facebook and Instagram.

Speakers

Caroline McCain

Partner Manager, Government Politics & Advocacy, Facebook

Caroline McCain works on Facebook’s Government, Politics and Advocacy advertising team. In her role, she partners with state and local government and political partners, teaching them Facebook and Instagram advertising best practices and educating them on the latest products and... Read More →

Thursday March 25, 2021 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
TBA

Breakout Session

10:15am PDT

Demo: Creating Video & GIF Animations

This session will look into some of the reasons why your organization should be using animation to communicate with the public. We will also look at some examples of animation created by government agencies, and we will explore some of the basics to help you get started creating your own animations.

Speakers

Brian Turner

Multimedia Consultant - Communications and eLearning, Maricopa County Clerk of the Superior Court

A multimedia designer who works in both the communications and eLearning worlds. I strive to create media that is engaging for training, marketing, and social media applications. Specialties include videography, animation, and drone video. I'm also a connoisseur of memes.

Thursday March 25, 2021 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
TBA

Demo Session

11:00am PDT

Mid-Day Break

Thursday March 25, 2021 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
TBA

Break

11:45am PDT

Keynote: LinkedIn, Joey Zumaya

Virtually get together for a fireside chat with LinkedIn's Public Sector Manager Joey Zumaya and GSMCON emcee Justin H. S. Breaux from the Argonne National Laboratory. With more than 194M members in the United States and more than 740M members across the globe, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. Learn how you can leverage LinkedIn’s network – no matter the role of you or your agency.

Speakers

Joey Zumaya

Public Sector Manager, LinkedIn

Joey Zumaya is a business and community leader with a passion to empower underserved communities. At LinkedIn, he leads public sector teams focused on using the platform to “create economic opportunity” for communities throughout North America. He also oversees community affairs... Read More →

Justin H. S. Breaux

Digital Social Media Producer and Analyst, Argonne National Laboratory

Justin H. S. Breaux leads social media strategy and digital analysis for Argonne National Laboratory, a $1 billion science and engineering laboratory in Illinois.

Thursday March 25, 2021 11:45am - 12:15pm PDT
TBA

General Session

12:30pm PDT

ALL ACCESS ONLY (Pick from two PowerTalks): Fostering Public Employee Advocacy Through Social Media & Setting Boundaries as Self-Care for Social Pros

This is a special session only for All Access ticket holders. Please reach out to us if you'd like to upgrade your general admission ticket! In this special session, you can choose to participate in either PowerTalk. Stay in one PowerTalk the entire session or leave one, jump into the other — it’s up to you! You’ll learn high-impact tips from a facilitator, and break into small groups with your peers to share your own story & hear insights.

Fostering Public Employee Advocacy Through Social Media (facilitated by Steven Sabel) In this All Access Only PowerTalk session, participants will explore ways to foster social media employee advocacy within a public agency. Though public agencies have a different form of “brand” focus than private companies do, social media employee advocacy within a public agency can help share crucial messaging with the public, reinforce important messages, better alert the public to the presence of and descriptions of available services, boost public employee morale, reduce misinformation, and help in the endless struggle with relentless critics.

Setting Boundaries as Self-Care for Social Pros (facilitated by Jessie Brown and Jen Snyder)
We all know as socialgov that this past year has been a tremendous test on our ability to manage stress and work through multiple crises; today we’ll talk about setting boundaries to help us deal with difficult situations and preserve precious downtime to recharge and reset.

Speakers

Steven Sabel

Information Coordinator, City of Grants Pass

Steven Sabel is a public relations, marketing, and communications specialist currently serving as the information coordinator for the City of Grants Pass, Oregon. He has an extensive background in marketing and public relations stemming from his former career as an award-wining journalist... Read More →

Jessie Brown

Social Media Specialist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Jessie Brown is the social media specialist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, whose content is seen more than a million times each week. Jessie believes in the power of social media to inspire, engage, educate and build quality relationships between government agencies... Read More →

Jen Snyder

Digital Media & Marketing PIO - Fire, Gilbert, AZ

Jen Snyder is the Digital Media & Marketing Officer for the Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department where she manages the messaging and communications for the department. Prior to her time in Gilbert, she was the Digital Media Specialist for the Town of Queen Creek where she oversaw the... Read More →

Thursday March 25, 2021 12:30pm - 1:15pm PDT
TBA

All Access Session

12:30pm PDT

Nextdoor: Insights and Best Practices for 2021

Join Nextdoor's Global Public Agency Lead Joseph Porcelli to learn insights and best practices for 2021 that government agencies must know.

Speakers

Joseph Porcelli

Global Public Agency Lead, Nextdoor

Joseph Porcelli serves as Global Public Agency Lead for Nextdoor. Nextdoor is the neighborhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services. Nextdoor for Public Agencies is a platform for government agencies to engage with the public. The... Read More →

Thursday March 25, 2021 12:30pm - 1:15pm PDT

Breakout Session

1:15pm PDT

Networking Break

Thursday March 25, 2021 1:15pm - 1:45pm PDT
TBA

Break

1:45pm PDT

Closing Keynote: Year of the Social Media Manager

Speakers

Kristy Dalton

Conference Director, GSMCON

Thursday March 25, 2021 1:45pm - 2:30pm PDT
TBA

General Session