PORTLAND — The Maine Public Relations Council invites public relations and communications professionals to join them for their 2024 Annual Conference on Friday, Nov. 8, starting at 8:15 a.m. at the McGoldrick Center for Career and Student Success at the University of Southern Maine campus in Portland.
With the theme “Positivity and Progress: Adapting Your PR Strategy for a Changing World,” the half-day conference will feature keynote speakers, expert panel sessions, and networking opportunities designed to inspire and equip attendees with strategies for success in an evolving PR landscape.
MPRC President Sarah Delage said attendees can expect an enriching day of learning and networking with peers from across the state.
“With rapidly changing technologies like AI, highly polarized and divided audiences, and a variety of pressures on our clients and organizations, the PR profession has never been more valuable and more challenging,” Delage said. “We’re excited to offer PR and communications professionals across Maine a space to connect, recharge, and gain practical tools they can use in their work.”
This year’s program offers practical guidance on engaging with media, building ethical practices, and using social media influencers to reach new audiences, featuring an array of communications experts from across Maine and the nation.
Keynote speakers include Felicia Knight, president of The Knight Canney Group; Michael Smart, CEO of Michael SMART PR; and Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow of the Public Relations Society of America, general manager at C+C, and host of “Ethical Voices.” Their talks will address the evolving nature of PR and communications in a fast-paced world.
Attendees will additionally benefit from sessions with prominent speakers, Maine journalists, and thought leaders, including a media panel featuring Morgan Sturdivant (WABI-TV), Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm (The Maine Monitor), and Megan Gray (Portland Press Herald) moderated by T.J. Winick, a media strategist with experience as a reporter and correspondent.
Later in the day, a separate panel will explore how social media influencers are shaping Maine’s digital storytelling through culture, nature, and community-focused content.
Sponsors for the event include Marshall Communications, Maine Credit Unions, Maine Community Foundation, Saco & Biddeford Savings Charitable Foundation, Burgess Advertising, Flyte New Media, KDK Consulting, Jackson Jackson & Wagner, Fluent imc, Moose Tree Media, and The Maine Monitor.
Open to MPRC and PRSA members, digital marketers, agency and nonprofit leaders, social media managers, and students, the conference is designed to encourage connection and provide actionable insights for PR professionals. Registration is open, and those interested are encouraged to secure their spot soon.
For more information and to register, visit meprcouncil.org.
The Maine Public Relations Council is a statewide association of communication professionals who are dedicated to the continuing education of its members, a commitment to excellence and to creating greater awareness of the role of public relations in the world today. MPRC’s membership includes individuals who have current professional PR, marketing, social media, public affairs, journalism, nonprofit development responsibility (or are retired PR and communications professionals) and reside in or have business affairs in Maine; students pursuing communications careers or professionals interested in PR, but working in another field may also apply for membership.
