This article originally appeared as a blog post for a course on Integrated Marketing Communication Strategies at USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.
If I had to choose one conference to attend every year, it would have to be the Communications Network, the annual gathering of communications professionals working in philanthropy and the nonprofit world. The panels and speakers are usually top-notch and, more importantly, it feels like a reunion. Every year, I make new friends and have a chance to catch up with familiar faces. This year in Philadelphia was no exception. However, this time I was fortunate to be included on a panel discussing the promise and perils of communicating in times of change with Meredith Klein of the MacArthur Foundation and Stefan Lanfer of the Barr Foundation, and behind-the-scenes support from Sean Gibbons, Executive Director of the Communications Network.
For the second year in a row, I was lucky enough to attend Mashable's Social Good Summit at the 92Y in New York City. This sold-out event is often billed as the "alternative CGI" (Clinton Global Initiative), as it costs under $100 to attend and the speakers are every bit as good. SGS has fast become one of my favorite conferences, because it's well-organized, fast, and anyone can watch online. The proceedings are broadcast live with simultaneous interpretation into eight languages. Kudos to Pete Cashmore and his Social Good team.