2025 Corporate Communications

08:00 AM - 09:00 AM ET

Registration and Breakfast

09:00 AM - 09:10 AM ET

Welcome and Introductions

Ivan Pollard, Center Leader, Marketing and Communications, The Conference Board

09:10 AM - 09:25 AM ET

How Senior Communications Executives View the Function Today

How have communications leaders perceived their impact on the business post-pandemic? How do they think their CEO values that impact? How do they measure their performance, and how do they communicate it back to the head of the business as well as to other internal audiences? And how is hybrid work going for them and their teams?

We'll share fresh research on these topics as well as what else may await communications teams in 2024 according to the annual survey by The Conference Board of CEOs and members of the C-suite from around the world.

Denise Dahlhoff, PhD, Director, Marketing & Communications Research, The Conference Board

Ivan Pollard, Center Leader, Marketing and Communications, The Conference Board

09:25 AM - 09:45 AM ET

Networking and Cross-Pollination

We'll kick off our event by meeting one another to share priorities and accomplishments since we last convened.

09:45 AM - 10:15 AM ET

Sally Susman, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Pfizer, on Breaking Through

Having been thrust into various crises and distractions unlike ever before, how are communicators supposed to break through the noise given such unprecedented social polarization? We will welcome Pfizer's Sally Susman, author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts, and Change the World, to illuminate a way forward. She will share insights from Pfizer's recent efforts to combat vaccine misinformation and will offer strategies to connect, to build trust, and to drive change despite the challenges ahead.

Audience reflections and questions to follow.

Sally Susman, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Pfizer Inc.

Ivan Pollard, Center Leader, Marketing and Communications, The Conference Board

10:20 AM - 10:35 AM ET

Networking Break

10:35 AM - 11:05 AM ET

Telling Your Sustainability and Impact Story

As the world grapples with increasingly severe and frequent examples of climate change and the demand continues to rise for companies to take a more active role in addressing societal challenges, businesses across every sector and geography are faced with heightened stakeholder expectations around transparency and performance.

Leaders and experts will share their goals, strategies, and tactics for crafting and communicating their sustainability and impact narratives.

Audience questions and reflections to follow.

Stacey Rammer, Senior Director, Strategic Communications - Sustainability & Social Impact, Northwestern Mutual

Dan Strechay, Director of Sustainability Communications and Engagement, Mars

Dave Armon, Executive Vice Chairman, 3BL Media, LLC

11:10 AM - 11:55 AM ET

Communicating the Employee Experience Internally and Externally to Drive Culture Change and Growth

At a time when employee expectations are evolving, labor activism is increasing, and the nature of work itself is undergoing rapid change, effective communication of the employer brand is essential. In this conversation, communications leaders will share how they are collaborating with partners across their organizations to tell the story of their employee experience. Gain insights into practical tactics and tools and their corresponding impact.

Audience questions and reflections to follow.

Annie Burt, Vice Chair, Enterprise Strategic Communications, Mayo Clinic

Trina Lee, Assistant Vice President, Communications & Community Affairs, CarMax

Tiffin Jernstedt, Chief Communications Officer, Neiman Marcus Group

Lauren Odell, Partner and Chief Operating Officer, Gladstone Place Partners

Jan Botz, Program Director, The Conference Board

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM ET

Networking Lunch

Available on a first come, first served basis (registration required), attendees will have the opportunity to continue the conversation with the following on-stage presenters:

Aimee Christian, PhD, Vice President, Global Head of Corporate Communications & Engagement, Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Dea Fischer, Global Head of Culture & Communications, Squarespace

Trina Hoppin Lee, Assistant Vice President, Communications & Community Affairs, CarMax

Lara McCauley, Global Vice President, Strategic Business Communications, Mars

John McGrath, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, The College Board

Mandy Mooney, Director of Internal Communications, Prologis

01:00 PM - 01:30 PM ET

The Importance of Omnichannel Communications in a Distributed World

In an era in which workforces are more distributed than ever, the significance of omnichannel communications and engagement strategy has reached new heights. Squarespace's Dea Fischer, Bloomberg's Alexandra Joseph, and Pagaya’s Marci Lowney will explore how organizations can navigate this digital landscape with finesse. Discover the latest approaches and best practices that can empower businesses to take advantage of diverse channels to connect with hybrid audiences around the world. From remote collaboration tools to traditional communication avenues, learn how to tailor your omnichannel approach for maximum impact. Don't miss out on the chance to join an essential conversation at the intersection of technology, communication, and the modern workforce.

Dea Fischer, Global Head of Culture & Communications, Squarespace

Alexandra Joseph, Global Head of Internal Communications, Bloomberg

Marci Lowney, Head of Internal Communications, Pagaya

Jan Botz, Program Director, The Conference Board

01:00 PM - 01:30 PM ET

Measuring and Communicating Your Impact

One of the primary pain points corporate communicators experience is measuring the impact of their work. How should it be quantified? What are the relevant data points? How do you bring them all together and make sense out of them? And how do you convert that into a business case for the function?

We'll hear from a leading global organization on their new approach, the tools they use, and the learnings from their impact measurement journey.

Liana Sucar-Hamel, Vice President of Communications, Americas, Airbus

Shahar Silbershatz, Co-founder and CEO, Group Caliber

01:40 PM - 02:10 PM ET

Coming Together While Working Apart: Fostering Culture and Talent in the Hybrid Workplace

The debate around remote work rages on. While some fear that company culture and cohesion will suffer, others have harnessed flexibility as a means of enhancing their talent and culture. Hear from a communications leader and flexibility advocate who has helped navigate her company's transition into the hybrid/remote world of work. She'll share how a flexible approach fast-forwarded the company's cultural evolution while supporting diversity and inclusion, providing a business advantage in the process. Learn tips for communicating with and engaging a distributed workforce to build cohesion even while working apart.

Audience questions and reflections to follow.

Kimberlee Pepple, VP and Chief Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Officer, Altria

Megan Witherspoon, Vice President, Communications, Altria

01:40 PM - 02:10 PM ET

Embedding Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging into Communications Strategies

When diversity, inclusion, and belonging are considered as afterthoughts or add-ons to employee communications, their people can tell. Learn how to embed DEI into communications strategies from the start and evaluate the impact those strategies can have.

Audience questions and reflections to follow.

Mandy Mooney, Director of Internal Communications, Prologis

02:15 PM - 02:30 PM ET

Networking Break

02:30 PM - 03:00 PM ET

Focusing on the "True North" While Facing Polarized Audiences

We have had some striking reminders in the last year that the already-fluid boundaries between what is and what is not considered "controversial" can take some large and sudden shifts. How can communications leaders keep conversations focused on their core mission and values when facing increasingly polarized audiences? In this conversation, gain insights on navigating culture wars that show no signs of dissipating any time soon.

Audience questions and reflections to follow.

John McGrath, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, College Board

Shawn Roberts, Head of Corporate Communications, Rakuten International

Danielle Badler, Program Director, Corporate Communications Strategy II and Internal Communications Councils, The Conference Board

03:05 PM - 03:35 PM ET

How to Strategically Invest in Internal Communications in 2024

With a historically contentious presidential election scheduled to take place amid a turbulent and unpredictable economy all while artificial intelligence continues to take deeper root in business and society, Axios HQ’s Roy Schwartz and Hasbro's Roberta Thomson will lead an insightful conversation on the ways top brands are strengthening their approach to internal communications to prepare to navigate an eventful year ahead. Those that are best positioned to weather such disruptions recognize three key realities. First, positive brand and executive perception begin with internal communications. Second, effective execution not only requires a smart mix of channels and tools but also a dedicated eye on ROI. And finally, scaling the function lies in the capacity to measure success and to advocate for the right resources.

This conversation will touch on all three of these dynamics and will provide actionable advice for businesses to strengthen their strategy in the process.

Bertie Thomson, Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, Hasbro

Roy Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer, Axios HQ

03:40 PM - 03:55 PM ET

Networking Break

03:55 PM - 04:35 PM ET

Interactive Exercise: Adapting AI Into Your Communications Organization Responsibly and Securely

As artificial intelligence continues to dominate headlines, the data shows that the opportunities surrounding this revolutionary technology are huge. The decision to invest in generative AI is just the beginning. Organizations must not only be prepared to leverage AI to drive efficiencies and to reinvent their business models while protecting their organization’s data, they must also equip their employees with the knowledge and skills to become savvy and responsible users.

This exercise will provide communicators with practical guidance and insight on ways to responsibly and securely adapt AI tools to their company’s needs in ways that help create new impact for their communications teams and for their organizations at large.

Facilitator: Christopher Hannegan, Principal, Workforce Transformation, PwC

Facilitator: Scott Likens, Global AI and Innovation Technology Leader, PwC

04:35 PM - 05:05 PM ET

The State of the Function: The Next Job for Corporate Communicators in 2024

For corporate communicators today, upheaval has become daily fare. How has the function evolved in response, and what's on the horizon for 2024? In this discussion with communications leaders spanning sectors, we'll discuss some of the biggest changes they have seen throughout the evolution of the function, the biggest challenges and opportunities ahead, and the strategies and tools they'll need to employ to address them.

Audience questions and reflections to follow.

Jano Cabrera, Chief Communications Officer, General Mills

Megan DiSciullo, US & Mexico Communications Leader, PwC

Ivan Pollard, Center Leader, Marketing and Communications, The Conference Board

05:10 PM - 05:15 PM ET

Day One Recap and Day Two Preview

Ivan Pollard, Center Leader, Marketing and Communications, The Conference Board

05:15 PM - 06:15 PM ET

Reception

06:30 PM - 07:30 PM ET

New York City Underground Subway Tour

Beginning at the World Trade Center Oculus to uncover the adaptive reuse of the original World Trade Center infrastructure into one of the most complex transportation hubs in the world, our tour will include a view of one of the most moving memorials to the Twin Towers built into the NJ Path Terminal platforms. We’ll then take the connecting tunnel over to the Fulton Center, New York City’s second busiest transit hub, to examine a post-911 transportation project designed to bring residents, workers, and tourists back to the area. Highlights will feature the largest pieces of functional art in the subway system and a unique foundation view of the city’s first skyscrapers. From there we’ll jump one stop on the subway to the Manhattan Municipal Building to examine the first subway terminal ever to be built in the foundation of a building, a museum to subway transit onto itself. We’ll conclude with a fun ride through the city’s first and arguably most beautiful subway station, City Hall.