Wednesday, April 10

Welcome Reception

Vicksburg Dine Arounds

Thursday, April 11

Mayor George Flaggs, Jr.
City of Vicksburg

Opening General Session

Pam Confer, Confer Consulting
“Go Get Your Confidence: The One Move That Changes Things!”

How you enter the room says a lot about who you are. Which four types of personalities will you be? And, what part does confidence play in making sure that you continue to “own” the room?

Breakout Session 1

Option 1: Samantha McCain, APR, City of Hattiesburg
Striving for the 1%: Changing the Face of Government Communication – One Message at a Time

Option 2: Bess Averett, Executive Director, Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park
Navigating Through Fundraising, Media Outreach, and Other Elements to Preserve and Protect the Vicksburg National Military Park and Keep the Gates Open During the Longest Federal Shutdown in United States History

Option 3: Reagan Lauritzen, APR-M, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District
The Importance of Accreditation

Option 2: Room 1

Option 3: Room 6

Lunch

Philip Shirley, APR, Godwin Group

Leading a Double Life: How to Balance 24/7 PR job demands with personal passions

Breakout Session 2

Option 1: Nicole Bradshaw, APR and Robert Pettit, PMP, Entergy
Surviving the Social Storm: Entergy’s Response to Hurricane Harvey 

Option 2: Brittany Westbrook, University of Southern Mississippi
Fitting integrated marketing communications into the RPIE Process

 Option 3: Kristie Aylett, APR, PRSA Fellow
Engaging Audience Through Social Causes

Option 2: Room 6

Option 3: Room 7

Break

Breakout Session 3

Option 1: Susan Christensen, APR, Methodist Rehabilitation Center
Featuring Stories: Driving website traffic and influencing brand awareness through good storytelling

Option 2: Lauri-Ellen Smith, APR, City of Pascagoula
Social Media in the Current Paradigm: How PR Strategists Shape Best Practices
This session will tackle some of the “hot issues” facing today’s PR professionals, as they plan and execute their clients’ Integrated Marketing Communications Strategies.

Option 2: Room 5

PRism Awards Banquet

5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Registration

6:00 p.m. – Silent Auction & Cocktail Hour

7:00 p.m. – PRism Awards Banquet, Emcee – Miss Mississippi Asya Branch

Friday, April 13

PRAM State Presidential Address

Christen Duhé, APR
PRAM State President

General Session

Mani Hairston, Strategy Consultant, Co-Founder of Billy’s Original Foods
“PR at the ‘Startup Level'”

Billy’s Original Foods was the first Mississippi Company to launch in Target stores and Mani was a key influence in forming partnerships with some of the largest companies in the nation. Mani now consults with Mississippi based companies at the startup level.

Option 1: Panel of All Stars Student Session
Sandi Beason, APR Clinton Public School District
Kylie Boring, Tupelo CVB
Christie Lawrence, Surge Advisors & Mississippi Business Group
Joshua Wilson, Jowil Media

Option 2: Robin Street, APR, University of Mississippi
It Starts with (Me)ek: An internal PR program asking students to “just pause” before stereotyping others.

Option 3: Joey Goodsell, Goodsell Productions
Using your smartphone for smart video production

Option 4: Lauri-Ellen Smith, City of Pascagoula
Let’s Talk about A REAL CRISIS: What the Government Decides and What Every PR Practitioner MUST Know to Be that “Most Trusted Advisor”

Option 2: Room 5

Option 3: Room 6

Option 4: Room 7

Colonel Michael C. Derosier, Commander of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District
Utilizing Public Relations for Managing the Mighty Mississippi

$1,000 C Spire Student of the Year Scholarship
$250 Greg Raimondo Outstanding PR Student Scholarship