2022 Marketing Communication Conference

UCR Communications Conference 2022

UCR Marketing & Communications Conference 2022

Don’t miss UC Riverside’s first-ever Marketing & Communications Conference, April 12–13, 2022, on the 3rd floor of the HUB.

At this exclusive staff event, you can learn from and interact with marketing and communications experts from across the campus and outside industries. Immerse yourself in branding, storytelling, digital marketing, strategic events planning, and more.

Best of all, the conference is free for qualifying UCR employees and includes free continental breakfast and lunch daily, plus vendor exhibitions and networking opportunities!

Hub and map
Mark Jones


Kyra Gilbert, '94
Senior Marketing Manager at PepsiCo
 

 

Keynote Day One

Have you ever wondered how are great brands are created, what is the process that drives innovation, and what various roles do marketers play? Join us for an insightful session on how PepsiCo continues to innovate in the beverage world using a real life case study to explain how new ideas are fostered, the process to bring innovation to market, and the tactics that drive consumer adoption. 

UCR is excited to welcome back alumna, Kyra Gilbert, '94 a marketing professional with over 15 years of experience in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand building and developing customer marketing solutions. She’ll be sharing a brand-centric case study focusing on youth-centric marketing.  Learn More.
10–10:45 a.m.
HUB 302 South

DAY ONE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 12, 2022 

  • 9:30–10 a.m. | Registration and Continental Breakfast

    HUB Lobby and 302 South
    Registration & Continental Breakfast
    Please register at the tables located in the 3rd Floor lobby, then proceed to HUB 302 South to enjoy a breakfast of assorted petite muffins, Danish pastries, and fresh cut fruit accompanied by orange juice and coffee.

  • 10–10:45 a.m. | Keynote Address: The Magic of Marketing – A PepsiCo Case Study

    HUB 302 South
    Keynote Speaker: The Magic of Marketing – A PepsiCo Case Study
    Have you ever wondered how are great brands created, what is the process that drives innovation and what various roles do marketers play? Join us for an insightful session how PepsiCo continues to innovate in the beverage world using a real life case study to explain how new ideas are fostered, the process to bring innovation to market, and the tactics that drive consumer adoption. UCR is excited to welcome back alumna, Kyra Gilbert, '94 a marketing professional with over 15 years of experience in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand building and developing customer marketing solutions. She’ll be sharing a brand-centric case study focusing on youth-centric marketing.

  • 11–11:45 a.m. | Morning Sessions
    HUB 355
    Roundtable: Level up your marketing with a CRM
    UCR marketing specialists discuss how they use a CRM to generate leads, communicate with prospective students throughout their journey, and influence conversions in this lively roundtable. You’ll hear what works, what doesn’t, and the challenges and opportunities that exist to take the UCR user experience and marketing to the next level. Moderated by Julie Porter, Director of Marketing, School of Education. Panelists: Jason Daily, Head of Global Engagement, University Extension; Christine Jo, Communications and Events Manager, Undergraduate Admissions; Cristina Sanford, Associate Director, Strategic Marketing, University Extension; Melbert Sebayan, Enrollment Marketing Manager, University Communications.

    View Presentation

    HUB 367
    Writing for Impact

    Learn the 9 essential ingredients to writing compelling copy, and the “secret sauce” for unlocking the awesome power of marketing.

    Presenter: Jeff Girod, CHASS Director of Marketing and Communications, UCR


     View Presentation

    HUB 379
    Media Relations: Stories That Stand Out
    Hear from a former investigative journalist and successful media relations professional on the university stories that will stand out to news organizations near and far. Also learn about the communicator’s role in engaging faculty and administration well to ensure they understand what will and will not get covered.

    Presenter: Emily Gersema, Assistant Director of Media Relations, USC

     

    View Presentation

  • 12–12:45 p.m. | Lunch and Vendor Tradeshow

    Lunch and Vendor Tradeshow
    Enjoy a complimentary lunch with fresh sandwich and side dish options and meet local printers, sign makers, T-shirt and giveaway producers, and more.

  • 1–1:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions: Series I

    HUB 355
    The Role of Monitoring in Public Relations
    Effective public relations in a university environment is not only about engaging our publics, but also about trying to predict the future. This session will address how to stay top of trends and identify issues before they become major concerns through active and passive monitoring, assessment, and relationship management.

    Presenter: La Monica Everett-Haynes, Associate Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, San Diego State University

    View Presentation

    HUB 367
    Why the UC Riverside Brand Matters
    UC Riverside is in a multi-year journey to refine and advance its brand to reflect our position as an emerging national force in public higher education. This session will dive deeper into the UCR brand identity and reinforce how our brand journey can and must extend far beyond the marketing and communications space.

    Presenters: Johnny Cruz, UCR Interim Vice Chancellor for University Advancement

    Ken Pasternak, President and Chief Creative Officer, Two by Four

    View Presentation

    HUB 379
    Search Engine Optimization for your Drupal Website
    You now have this shiny new website but you're still faced with the same old problem: How will people find you? In this session, you'll learn how to update your Drupal website with some common SEO best practices to make sure your site can be properly indexed by the major search engines. We will also take a quick look at how to decipher your Google Analytics data and use Google Search Console to fine-tune your keyword usage.

    Presenter: Ruben Mislang, M4 Interactive

     

    View Presentation

  • 2–2:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions: Series II
    HUB 355
    Emergency Communications Panel
    When an emergency strikes the campus, communicators need to quickly activate a rapid-response, multi-channel approach to engaging with internal and external stakeholders. This panel discussion addresses the need to engage on-campus constituents (students and employees), digital communities (social media followers), independent observers (news media), and campus leaders.
    • Panelists: La Monica Everett-Haynes, Associate Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, San Diego State University
    • Emily Gersema, Assistant Director of Media Relations, USC
    • Kelly McGrail, Director of Digital Marketing and Analytics, UC Riverside
    • Moderator: Johnny Cruz, Interim Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, UC Riverside
    HUB 367
    Brand Creative Testing Session
    Join representatives from Two by Four, UCR’s creative partner in developing the creative that will be used for future UCR promotions and ad campaigns. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to review and react to a draft of the university’s new brand creative concept before it’s deployed publicly.

    HUB 379
    Planning On-Campus Events with the HUB
    Planning an on-campus or virtual event can be challenging, but HUB Scheduling is here to help. Meet Nick, Jonathan, and Lisa as they provide an overview of the HUB's planning and organizing services to make your event successful.

    • Presenters: Nick Olivarria, Sr. Events Manager
    • Jonathan Perez, Events Specialist
    • Lisa Walke, Sr. Events Manager
  • 3–3:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions: Series III
    HUB 355
    Brand Creative Testing Session
    Join representatives from Two by Four, UCR’s creative partner in developing the creative that will be used for future UCR promotions and ad campaigns. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to review and react to a draft of the university’s new brand creative concept before it’s deployed publicly.

    HUB 367
    How to create and optimize content for social media
    Social media has revolutionized internet marketing and become an essential communication tool between brands and audience. Hear from UCR social media manager Gina Muscato on how to create and optimize great content and stay updated on the latest trends – including how some major brands have made headlines with their social media strategies.

    Presenter: Gina Muscato, Social Media Manager, UC Riverside

    View Presentation
     

    HUB 379
    How to Write With a UCR Voice
    University Communications’ news and content team employs a hybrid of journalistic and advocacy writing in its storytelling. We’ll share with you our rules and our tools so you can make sure that what ever you write, it looks and sounds like UCR.

    Presenter: John Warren, Director of News and Content, UC Riverside

    View Presentation

Mark Jones


Lee Goldman, '95
Senior Director, Product Marketing & Global Transformation Marketing Leader

 

Keynote Day Two

UCR is thrilled to welcome alumnus Lee Goldman, an accomplished B2B marketing and strategy leader. His session will focus on the marketing and communications aspects of the Equifax transformation, including steps taken to regain trust from stakeholders, the migration to the cloud, and fulfilling the promise of helping people live their financial best. Learn More.
10–10:45 a.m.
HUB 302 South

 

DAY TWO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 13, 2022

  • 9:30–10 a.m. | Registration and Continental Breakfast

    HUB Lobby and 302 South
    Registration & Continental Breakfast

    Please register at the tables located in the 3rd Floor lobby, then proceed to HUB 302 South to enjoy a breakfast of assorted petite muffins, Danish pastries, and fresh cut fruit accompanied by orange juice and coffee.

  • 10–10:45 a.m. | Keynote Address: The Equifax Transformation

    HUB 302 South
    Keynote Speaker: Lee Goldman '95, Senior Director, Product Markeing & Global Transformation Marketing Leader
    Equifax is completing a US$1.5B security and technology transformation. This session will focus on the marketing and communications aspects of the transformation, including steps taken to regain trust from stakeholders, the migration to the cloud, and fulfilling the promise of helping people live their financial best.

  • 11–11:45 a.m. | Morning Sessions

    HUB 355
    What the Media 
    Wants
    Journalists from the L.A. Times, Press-Enterprise, and other Southern California media join us to discuss what makes news, and how they want to receive it. 

    Panelists:
    Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times
    Mark Acosta, Southern California News Group
    Rob McMillan, ABC7 Los Angeles

    Moderator:
    John Warren, Director of News and Content, UC Riverside

     

    HUB 367

    Marketing Workshop
    This session will help you discover what makes your department unique and includes exercises to discover what that is why it matters. 

    Presenter: Lisa Thomas, Main Street Marketing Partners

    View Presentation

    HUB 379
    How To Create Click-worthy Emails

    Each of us (easily) receives over one hundred emails each day. With all of this competition, how can you ensure your communication is cutting through the noise and getting in front of your readers? In this session, you’ll see email examples from Cornell University’s advancement communications team, which boasts unique open rates of 46.4% and unique click rates reaching 11%. Learn how to curate quality content for your newsletter and boost engagement for each of your constituent emails.

    Presenter: Ashley Budd, Director Of Marketing Operations, Cornell University

    Watch Zoom Presentation
    Password: X!@^jmR2
    (starts at 9 minute mark)

     

  • 12–12:45 p.m. | Lunch and Vendor Tradeshow

    Lunch and Vendor Tradeshow
    Enjoy a complimentary lunch with fresh sandwich and side dish options and meet local printers, sign makers, T-shirt and giveaway producers, and more.

     

     

  • 1–1:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions: Series I

    HUB 355
    On-Camera Techniques: Tips and Tricks for Being Your Best 
    Whether you’re presenting in a Zoom meeting or the subject of an interview, you can represent yourself, your department and UCR at its best by in this three-step workshop.

    Learn to embody your space and be present and gain tips for making an impression in virtual meetings. From placement to framing, eyelines, and gestures — director, instructor, and actor, Sean Cook will guide you to an appealing on-camera presence. 

    View Presentation

    HUB 367
    Authentically Expressing Your Brand Within the Institutional Brand 
    UCR rolled out its new brand positioning and message, culminating with the new visual identity in 2020. As the new assistant dean for marketing and communication at the School of Business in June of that year, the task was to understand the university’s brand, then align and integrate with it the b-school’s brand. Who better to partner with on this journey than UCR’s University Communications team, forging a strong partnership between subject matter experts on both sides. The result? Powerful new design elements and messaging that communicate the brand promise of UCR Business. 

    Presenter: Kathy Drake, Assistant Dean of Marketing and Communications, UCR School of Business

    View Presentation

    HUB 379
    Bringing Your Brand to Life Through Events
    Strategically planned events provide a unique opportunity to immerse constituents in brand attributes in a way that is both powerful and credible. In this session, Dr. KJ Fagan from Pomona College will discuss the role events play in institutional brand-building and how to design events that reinforce key message points of larger marketing and communications strategies.

    Presenter: KJ Fagan, Senior Director of Public Programming and Strategic Initiatives, Pomona College

    View Presentation

  • 2–2:45 p.m | Afternoon Sessions: Series II

    HUB 355
    Engaging our Alumni and Insights from the 2020 Roll Call
    UCR alumni are a young, vibrant community of more than 130,000 Highlanders. Hear from Assistant Vice Chancellor Jorge Ancona about the programming and communications provided by the Office of Alumni Engagement to help alumni stay connected to their alma mater. Active board members of the Alumni Association will share why they continue to be engaged and give back to the university through service and philanthropic giving. And we'll share what we learned from the Alumni Roll Call and how those findings inform program planning and communications strategy.

     

    View Presentation

    HUB 367
    Beyond AP Style: Editing for Inclusion

    Editorial style guides are an excellent resource for the campus community to stay on brand. But let’s take it one notch further and discuss – inclusive language. While we may be editing for style and grammar, we might not always focus on whether our language is inclusive. Learn the importance of incorporating inclusive language – such as positive/asset-based language – in your content and leave empowered to create an Inclusive Language Guide of your own. We will share our journey of creating an Inclusive Language Guide for our institution, from identifying categories to lessons learned.
     
    Presenter: Stephanie Nguyen-Preciado, Communications Specialist, Fullerton College

     

    HUB 379
    Building an Effective Creative Strategy
    The key to outstanding marketing communications is an effective creative strategy. Veteran agency creative director Mark Jones will provide valuable insights into how to avoid generic strategies, get around customer barriers, and create messaging that motivates consumer action.

    Presenter: Mark Jones has been providing award-winning marketing creative and communication strategies for major brands for 30 years, including Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, T-Mobile, PetSmart, Ben Bridge Jewelers, and Seattle Seahawks. 

    View Presentation

     

     

     

     

  • 3–4 p.m. | Networking and Mocktail Party

    HUB 302 South
    Networking and Mocktail Party
    Join conference presenters and attendees for refreshing mocktails and delicious appetizers while you make valuable connections with other UCR employees.

Featured Speakers

Kyra Gilbert, '94

Kyra Gilbert is a career marketer who’s always been passionate about finding creative ways to connect people to brands and products. Currently a Sr. Brand Marketing Manager at PepsiCo, Kyra is responsible for accelerating the Energy portfolio in the West Division through regional and customer specific marketing programs. She has been with PepsiCo for over 19 years in a variety of assignments from Quaker Oats and Tropicana brand marketing, to Foodservice and field marketing featuring the entire PepsiCo portfolio. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Kyra held account management roles at DDB and TBWA\Chiat\Day agencies. She earned an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and is a proud graduate of UC Riverside with a BA in Liberal Studies.
 

Lee Goldman, '95

Lee Goldman is an accomplished B2B marketing and strategy leader that has been successful throughout his career in building high performing teams and cultures. Lee has a very diverse marketing and communications background in companies of all sizes that includes executing transformations at IBM, Equifax and several entreprenurial projects with smaller companies. He has an undergraduate degree from University of California, Riverside with a degree in Business Administriation and an MBA from the Yale University School of Management.