September 13, 2023 

• 9-9:30 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. 

• 9:30-10 a.m. | Opening Remarks

  HUB Lobby and 302 South
  Opening Remarks
  Join us for some opening remarks from UC Riverside Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox to start our conference.  

• 10-10:45 a.m. | Keynote Address: Paul Allvin

  HUB 302 South
  Keynote Speaker: Paul Allvin 
  Paul Allvin is Vice President and Chief Brand Officer for George Mason University, Virginia’s largest, most diverse, and most innovative research institution. He leads all university functions that serve as primary drivers of the Mason brand, including strategic communications, brand marketing, digital strategy, university events, trademarks and licensing, and FOIA response. Allvin has more than 30 years of experience in brand stewardship, communications, marketing, and journalism, having led strategic communications and brand stewardship teams at The University of Arizona, Make-A-Wish America, the USO, and America’s Promise Alliance.

• 11-11:45 a.m. | Morning Sessions

  HUB 355 Panel: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Higher Education Communications expert Sheree Winslow will moderate the session and feature insights from UCR faculty members: Yue Dong, Morris Maduro, Daniel Novak, and Rich Yueh. During the discussion, you'll learn about how AI works, its impact on faculty, and its daily applications for practitioners. Panelists:  Yue Dong, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, UC Riverside Morris Maduro, Chair and Professor of Biology, UC Riverside Daniel Novak, Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor, UC Riverside Rich Yueh, Assistant Professor of Teaching in Information Systems, UC Riverside

  HUB 367 Maximizing Integrated Marketing and Communications: The PESO Equation Take a deep dive into integrated marketing and communications and learn how adding the Paid + Earned + Shared + Owned (PESO) media framework enables a comprehensive approach. Discover how to strategically integrate paid advertising, earned media coverage, shared content, and owned media platforms to maximize brand reach, engagement, and conversion. Through real-world examples and case studies, you will gain insights into successful PESO campaigns and learn best practices for each media type. Presenter: Kin Sejpal, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, University of Redlands

  HUB 379 Creating Video on a Budget Many departments don't have the high-tech equipment or the staff to focus on high quality video content. Good news! You don't need a huge budget to create great content! This workshop will help small departments without much of a budget learn how to leverage their existing resources and focus on creating compelling video content. Presenter: Adam Daniels, Enrollment Marketing Specialist, UC Riverside

   

• 12-12:45 p.m. | Lunch

  Lunch (HUB 302 South)
  Enjoy a complimentary lunch with fresh sandwich and side dish options.

• 1-1:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions 1

  HUB 355 The Weather Report: Interpret Data and Capitalize on Conditions for Outreach Tracking trends in both media and social media is imperative for effective public relations for a university and its leadership. This session will address how you can utilize data to inform outreach strategies, manage leadership communications, and flag issues before a crisis emerges. It just might give your institution an advantage. Presenter: Emily Gersema, Executive Director of Media Relations, University of Southern California

  HUB 367 When the Strategies Align Aligning messaging, strategies and channels is the communicator's dream, right? The reality is it is much harder than it looks. In this session, learn all about how the UC Davis team aligned the strategies of the main brand, the executive leadership, and undergraduate admissions to create an integrative approach to undergraduate admissions communications. Together, we will peek under the strategic hood to understand the data behind the decisions and get into the nitty gritty of how it all worked. Presenter: Sallie Poggi, Executive Director of Strategic Communications, UC Davis

  HUB 379 Get to Know Your Audience Find out what your audience really thinks and what drives them to take action. In this session, you’ll get insights and tips for conducting focus groups, surveys, and research to inspire marketing strategies, validate decisions, and help your team reach goals. This session is ideal for beginning and intermediate campus marketers. Campus resources will be provided. Presenters:  Erin Staley, Enrollment Marketing Manager, UC Riverside Eileen Kwan, Director of Marketing, UC Riverside Health

   

• 2-2:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions 2

  HUB 355 The Experience Mindset How can you use experience design to turn every interaction into a memorable moment? Is there a way to deepen the connection between your brand and your audience? Yes, and it’s all in your approach. Join Misha Harrison and learn how to shift from a transaction mindset to a memory mindset, how to invest resources where it counts using neuroscience, a little magic, a little theatre, and a great deal of empathy. Come away energized with tools you can use to make audience interactions unforgettable. Presenter: Misha Harrison, Executive Director of Experience, University of Arizona

  HUB 367 Six Steps to Successful Storytelling Telling the story of your brand requires specific steps in order identify and disseminate relevant information for key stake holders. • Seek out the story - what needs to be told? • Size up the audience - stakeholders who should receive the story (media/customers/students) • Spokesperson - who best can tell the story in an engaging way • See the story - visuals, supporting media • Share the story - how will you reach your audience? press release, IG story, TikTok, internal magazine, etc. • Survey the results - did you reach your audience? What worked, what didn’t? Join storyteller Nancy Hubbell Fournier and learn how to help shape perceptions and guide actions to benefit brands. Presenter: Nancy Hubbell Fournier, Former National PR Manager for Toyota and Sr. Communications Manager for Lexus

  HUB 379 How to Create and Optimize Content for Social Media Social media has revolutionized internet marketing and become an essential communication tool for brands to reach their audience. The key is to use these powerful tools in the most positive way possible to achieve successful outcomes. Join Gina Muscato, UCR’s social media manager, as she takes you through how to create and optimize great content while also staying updated on the latest trends. Gina will profile the success of several major brands that have made headlines with their social media strategies. Get ready to get motivated and succeed with social media. Presenter: Gina Muscato, Social Media Manager, UC Riverside

   

• 3-5 p.m. | Ask the Experts

  HUB 302 South
  Our campus is full of experts, who specialize in various forms of marketing and communications. During this last session of the day, you'll get a chance to meet others and ask about some best practices you might be able to use. We'll have dessert treats available and you can mingle the tables of experts or just sit and chat. Below you'll find our experts, so you can prepare some questions for them!

  Experts:

  Jeff Girod, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
  Expert in copywriting and content creation

  Nathaniel Wildes, Exploration Center for Innovations in Teaching and Engagement (XCITE)
  Expert in video production, studio creation, drone cinematography, and podcast creation

  Gina Muscato, University Relations
  Expert in social media, best practices for various platforms, and social media collaborations

  Sandra Baltazar-Martinez, University Relations
  Expert in written storytelling, appealing to media, and preparing for media interviews

  Kathy Drake, School of Business
  Expert in executive communications (directors, deans, etc) and elevating professional messages

  Rick Donato, University Relations
  Expert in graphic design, focusing on both web and print media

  Jonathan Perez, Highlander Union
  Expert in event planning, utilizing campus spaces, and marketing opportunities in the center of campus

  Joe Bradfield, Bourns College of Engineering
  Expert in web design, Drupal functionality, and developing applications

  Damon Filipi, FedEx
  Expert in printing solutions and other resources available at FedEx locations

September 14, 2023

• 9-10 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: Wendy Piñero-DePencier

  HUB 302 South
  Keynote Speaker: Wendy Piñero-DePencier, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, Seattle Children's Hospital
  Wendy Piñero-DePencier is a high-energy business leader with a deep appreciation for the dynamic field of marketing and a genuine enthusiasm for leveraging its strategic power to drive growth and connect with target audiences. A firm believer in the power of transferable skills, Wendy has gained valuable experience by working in various industries including technology, package goods, retail, casual dining, and most recently in non-profit sector. As the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Seattle Children’s, Wendy is responsible for all marketing and communication efforts for its three divisions: hospital, research, and foundation.

• 11-11:45 a.m. | Morning Sessions

  HUB 355 Event in a Box: How to Create, Host & Promote On-Campus Events In this interactive session, you will learn about best practices and tools for creating and hosting on-campus events, and tools available to you for promotion. The session will include guidance on promotion including the UCR Events Calendar, an events creation toolkit presented by University Events, and a quick tutorial on the Canva utility. Panelists: Amy Kim, Director of University Events, UC Riverside John Warren, Director of News and Content, UC Riverside Imran Ghori, Campus Communications Manager, UC Riverside Denise Wolf, Assistant Director of Creative, UC Riverside

  HUB 367 Think Like a Reporter When presenting information to the public, it’s best to think like a reporter. Who, what, where, when, why, and how. How do you do that? Jules Bernstein will walk you through the fundamentals of thinking like a reporter, including how to attract attention, and how to convince the media to cover what matters to your organization. Learn the fundamentals from someone who has had stories published in the New York Times, on NPR, CNN, U.S. News and World Report, and more. Presenter: Jules Bernstein, Senior Public Information Officer, UC Riverside

  HUB 379 What's working and what's not: Track your campaigns with UTM parameters Yesterday's tactics might not work today, as the shelf-life of marketing continues to decrease. You need to understand what's resonating with your audience and how to optimize your campaign in real-time (and for future campaigns). With consistency in tracking your campaigns, you can begin to answer questions like: • What platforms are seeing the highest customer transactions and why? • What messaging is most effective at generating conversions, not just engagement? • How should my marketing strategy be adjusted for different audience segments? We'll discuss all this and more! Presenter: Stephanie Nguyen, Marketing Data Manager, UC Riverside

   

• 12-12:45 p.m. | Lunch

  Lunch (HUB 302 South)
  Enjoy a complimentary lunch with fresh sandwich and side dish options.

   

   

• 1-1:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions 1

  HUB 355 Responding to Polarizing and Hurtful Speech What does the First Amendment require of public colleges and universities when it comes to expression in the quad, the dorms, or the classroom? When hateful speakers or ideology come to campus, who speaks on behalf of the university? What are effective means of responding to offensive speech – especially when it is protected by the Constitution? Join Michelle Deutchman as she addresses constitutional issues regarding free speech including how to respond to polarizing and hurtful words. This session promises to be a dynamic conversation about these and other issues. Presenter: Michelle Deutchman, Executive Director, UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement

  HUB 367 Accessibility in Marketing and Communications  When you create quality content, you want as many folks to experience it as possible and accessibility is a key piece of that. This presentation will cover ways to make your emails, websites, social media, and other forms of communications accessible to all audiences. Presenters: Jennifer T. Biggers, Disability Specialist, UC Riverside Michelle Tabula, Web Analyst, UC Riverside Will Pines, Accessible Technology Specialist, UC Riverside

  HUB 379 Canva Updates for 2023: Tips and Tricks How can you increase your productivity and workflow? Canva’s most recent update, featuring a colossal suite of new brand management and AI-powered design tools, can help. In this session, we will go over some favorite shortcuts and features to help streamline your design process and finish it off with a Q & A session to make sure all your questions are answered. Presenter: Krissy Danforth, Multimedia Graphic Designer, UC Riverside

   

• 2-2:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions 2

  HUB 355 Sounding Human: The Art of Finding Your Voice What does voice mean when it comes to presenting information and having people take notice? It may seem obvious but the key is to sound normal. Be conversational, be friendly, and in doing so, make a positive impact. Your voice is a powerful tool for connecting people and communicating effectively. Join Kabir Singh and find your best human voice.   Presenter: Kabir Singh (Class of '08), Professional Voiceover Actor

  HUB 367 Stepping Up Your Storytelling In a world where heavy news seems relentless, how can you attract attention for stories about cancer research or reproductive health? For years, Victoria Colliver did just that for some of the most trusted journalistic outlets in the country. How? By focusing on telling compelling stories. In this workshop, Colliver will use what she has learned from her storied career as a health journalist to help attendees focus on their own storytelling skills. Presenter: Victoria Colliver, Senior Public Information Representative, UC San Francisco

  HUB 379 Photography Simplified Gain tips on how to shoot photos from head shots, group shots, events, and more. You don't always need a professional or fancy equipment to get the job done. Presenter: Stan Lim, Photography Manager, UC Riverside

   

• 3-5 p.m. | Social Gathering at The Barn (sponsored by FedEx Office)

  The Barn
  Networking and Socializing
  Join conference presenters and attendees as we end our conference with food and drinks, catching up with both old friends and new connections. The gathering is sponsored by FedEx Office.