| 9:00 - 9:15 a.m. |
Check-In and welcome |
| 9:15 - 9:45 a.m. |
What to expect in your first, second and third years
What is it like to join a new company? How should I steer my career? Hear from professionals as they share advice for the first few years on the job.
Speakers:
Georgina Orn, Flint Group
Georgina joined Flint Group as a social media and public relations intern in 2019. She has experience in content creation, social media implementation, public relations implementation, media relations and copywriting for clients across various industries, including professional services, manufacturing and retail. She was promoted to join the PR/social team full-time upon her graduation from MSTATE in 2021.
Through her range experience, Georgina has developed expertise in social media tactics, copywriting, reporting, analytics and media relations. She plays a key part in implementing and coordinating Flint Group’s social media services.
Mary Vaughan, Brandpoint
Mary Vaughan is an Account Coordinator for the Media Services team at Brandpoint, a Content Marketing Agency in Minneapolis. Starting as an intern in the summer of 2021 before getting hired on full time, Mary currently oversees sales enablement, account team coordination and assists in strategic planning for the 25-year company.
Mary recently graduated from the University of North Dakota with a B.A. in Communication and a minor in Leadership, along with several certificates in Strategic Communication, Advertising, Public Relations and Social Media Strategy. During her time at UND, Mary worked as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant and interned as a Campaign Coordinator for the school’s Communication Department. She also served as President of UND’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter and was actively involved in the UND Alpha Phi Sorority, serving as Vice President of that organization. She graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors and was awarded the Lillian Elsinga Outstanding Student Leader award by the University.
Logan Lanphere, Prime Therapeutics
Logan joined Prime Therapeutics as a social media intern in 2018. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in communications, he went full time with Prime in a new role, as an associate customer insights analyst. After two years of learning marketing research and finding ways to keep his communications skills sharp, Logan took on another role at Prime as a corporate client communications specialist.
Over the course of nearly four years, Logan has experience in social media, market research, data analytics and writing and communications. Logan is now responsible for communicating Prime Therapeutics’ voice and mission to its clients.
|
| 9:50 - 10:20 a.m. |
Work cultures in agency, corporate and nonprofit
Agency, corporate or non-profit? How do I decide? Our panelists will share their own experiences on what it’s like working in these sectors.
Speakers:
Paul Maccabee, Maccabee Public Relations
Called “The Class Act of the local public relations cult” (Format magazine) and “always looking for offbeat angles" (the Wall Street Journal), Paul Maccabee is president of the Minneapolis agency Maccabee Public Relations – hailed as “PR Firm of the Year” by Twin Cities Business Monthly and a five-time winner of “Best Places To Work.”
Honored by Minnesota PRSA with its annual Donald Padilla Distinguished Practitioner Award, Maccabee has guided PR campaigns for such brands as 3M, General Mills, Thomson Reuters, Cirque de Soleil, NordicTrack, Caribou Coffee, Virgin Pulse, Carlson’s Country Inns & Suites Hotels and CaringBridge. He helped OfficeMax unveil the World’s Largest Rubberband Ball, carved then-Gov. Jesse Ventura out of 5,000 pounds of Kemps Ice Cream and employed America’s #1 Groucho Marx impersonator to tour the nation for Malt-O-Meal cereal.
Keegan Shoutz, Best Buy
Keegan is on the External Communications team at Best Buy where he leads the communications efforts that cover a variety of customer touchpoints, including product categories, marketing and advertising, holiday activations and more. He also oversees the external communications for the Best Buy Health business.
Prior to his time at Best Buy, Keegan spent a decade at public relations agency, Lola Red, where he led media relations efforts for clients across a variety of industries, including health and fitness, food and beverage, retail, technology and more.
Outside of work, you can find Keegan spending time with his husband, Paul, and daughter, Poppy. They like to spend their time enjoying all of the beautiful lakes that Minnesota has to offer.
Hayley Virta, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Hayley is a Director of Marketing and Communications at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, where she oversees all marcom efforts for fundraising programs Miracle Network Dance Marathon and Play Yellow, as well as the 15-year fundraising partnership with Panda Express. Collectively, these three efforts raise more than $50M a year for the 170 member CMN Hospitals across the U.S. and Canada.
Prior to her time at CMN Hospitals, she co-led all national public relations efforts at Make-A-Wish America, and also worked at Children’s Minnesota in external communications and crisis management. She began her career at the Minneapolis Weber Shandwick office.
Outside of work, you can find Hayley with her husband and their two dogs, Simba and Luka, enjoying the Northeast Minneapolis food scene and spending time out on the Minnesota lakes.
|
| 10:25 - 10:55 a.m. |
Managing pressures in the workplace
How do you handle multiple priorities coming your way, both professionally and personally? Where do you start? Learn helpful tips and strategies for successfully managing your career while also taking care of your own health and well-being.
Speaker:
Mark Mohammadpour, APR, CPT, CHC, Chasing the Sun
An accredited communications executive and certified health coach and personal trainer, Mark Mohammadpour’s (he/him) mission is to empower public relations professionals to prioritize their well-being so they can shine in the family room and the board room. Mark started a journey that led him to lose and keep off more than 150 pounds more than a decade ago. Through that journey, he has developed a practical and actionable approach to help people stay mentally and physically resilient.
Before launching Chasing the Sun, Mark was an executive at Weber Shandwick and Edelman, leading award-winning public relations campaigns for global brands, including Adobe, Microsoft, Samsung and the U.S. Army.
Mark served as the PRSA Oregon Chapter president in 2016 and is the “Workplace Wellness” columnist for PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics. A proud and lifelong Portland, Oregon-metro area resident, Mark is a graduate of the University of Portland.
|
| 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. |
Job fair
Join our virtual job fair to network with various communications professionals around the Twin Cities. This year, you’ll get the chance to connect with professionals from organizations, like:
- Neuger
- Maccabee
- Weber Shandwick
- Padilla
- Brandpoint
|