8:00 a.m.
Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m.
Chairperson's Welcome & Opening Remarks

Robert Shea, Principal
GRANT THORNTON LLP
Conference Chairperson

8:45 a.m.

How To Use Social Media Tools To Promote Transparency, Create Interactivity, And Foster Collaboration

Communication goals are different for government than they are for business. You aren’t trying to sell a product or service, and you can’t entice people with money-saving coupons, contests with large grand prizes, or a chance to chat with a favorite celebrity. So, it often can be challenging to entice citizens and stakeholders to engage with government agencies on a regular basis.

Through social media tools, government communicators can now provide valuable information citizens need more directly and effectively, as well as reach a new population – to enhance your overall communication strategies.

• Educate citizens about important information
• Increase public awareness of available service
• Provide citizens a place to share their opinions
• Facilitate conversations with stakeholders
• Give your agency a positive face and voice

Sarah Lane, New Media Director
Washington State Office of the Attorney General

9:30 a.m.

Transitioning From “Me” Government To “We” Government: How To Build An Audience And Improve Your Citizen Engagement

How does government move from “me” government to “we” government?

By having regular, productive and effective citizen interactions, listening and incorporating feedback, and delivering better customer service. Yet, in order for this to happen, organizations must first build an audience and increase engagement with whom they wish to interact with.

• A ten step approach to building an audience
• Six proven tips to engage an audience and keep them engaged
• How to ensure consistent interaction and information is maintained

Lauren Modeen, Manager of Digital Strategy, Professional Services
GOVLOOP

Joseph Porcelli, Director, Professional Services
GOVDELIVERY

10:15 a.m.

Break-Out Blitz! Network And Discuss Government Communication Challenges With Your Fellow Conference Attendees

This session will open the conversation by connecting you with other conference participants and gain greater understanding into many similar issues, concerns, and challenges that your peers are also facing. Become acquainted with your fellow conference attendees in this fun and fast-paced forum!

10:45 a.m.

Building An Effective Social Media Campaign Using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flicker, And Blogs To Create A Dialogue And Enhance Public Trust

Every 10 years, the U.S. Government launches its most ambitious public mission: the complete count of the U.S. population. As part of the 2010 Census’s commitment to transparency and education, the Census Bureau engaged in a dialogue with the American public through each of its social media assets. This two-way interaction – an uncommon endeavor within the federal government – helped increase the public’s comfort level regarding issues such as privacy, legality and importance of the census; knocked down myths about the census; and made the public aware of all the opportunities to get counted. The social media assets used in the campaign were Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and blogs.

• Use social media, including Twitter, to respond to criticism and misinformation in real time
• Integrate digital content, including YouTube and UStream assets, into your social media campaign
• Utilize paid advertising to increase your reach
• Create and maintain a blog that reporters, partners and the general public use to access information about your institution

Lisa Wolfisch, Chief, Web & Social Media Branch
Briana Kaya, Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

11:30 a.m.

Using Social Media To Engage The Public And Gain Their Help In Developing Mobile Apps

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a successful developer challenge, called the Apps for the Environment Challenge that yielded 38 environmental apps. The objective of the challenge was simple: use EPA data to make applications that address Administrator Jackson's seven priorities. The prize was recognition at a high profile event, but no cash was offered. We provided developers with our data and we primarily used social media to reach out to developers so they would understand the data and be aware of the challenge.
 
The primary benefit of the challenge is that the public now has 38 applications to help to make informed environmental decisions. It also demonstrates that federal data, when easy to find and understand, can be put to good use by developers to benefit the American public. It shows that federal agencies can successfully engage developers and other stakeholders via social media.
 

You will leave this session with a better understanding of how to effectively use social media to engage the public to aid you in achieving your organizations mission, including the following key components of a successful social media strategy:

• Blogs
• Twitter
• FaceBook
• Challenge website
• Listserv
• Webinars
• Codeathons

Jeff Tumarkin, Special Assistant to the Office Director & Communications Director
Office of Environmental Information
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

12:15 p.m.
Lunch On Your Own -- But Not Alone!

Join a group of your colleagues for a themed lunch with an informal discussion surrounding a specific topic. Take this opportunity to join others in a small, interactive group setting to network and brainstorm solutions to your most pressing communication concerns.

1:45 p.m.

How To Successfully Balance Security And Open Communication In A Web 2.0 World

As a global organization, with billions of employees, family members, and stakeholders to keep informed, the U.S. Army is breaking down barriers and successfully operating in the social media space, while being careful to ensure security is maintained.

Unlike their civilian counterparts, who don't want to give their competitors any of their secret recipes, the U.S. Army is careful to not give the enemy an advantage. In this session, you will see how the U.S. Army Public Affairs is using social media as a powerful tool in accomplishing its mission of informing the American public, as well as that of connecting Americans to their Army.

Leave this session with the ability to maintain the balancing act in your own organization, including:

• Learning how you, like the U.S. Army, can balance security with transparency
• How to control what is put out via social media
• Knowing why making information available to the American public is beneficial

SSG Dale Sweetnam, Online and Social Media Division
U.S. ARMY PUBLIC AFFAIRS

2:30 p.m.

Tracking Your Communications Efforts To Determine What Relationships Can Be Made And What Results Can Be Achieved

In recent years, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) pioneered in the field of corrections the use of evidence-based practices, which means relying on the use of reputable data to inform decision making and guide operations. This advancement has permeated its way through all of NIC's activities, including its communications. NIC is making the shift from engaging in communications by rote to now tracking communications and determining what causal relationships can be made between them and desired results.

Prior to applying a data-driven, evidence-based approach, NIC used all the usual communication channels (e.g., mailed flyers and untargeted e-blasts) without realizing any increases in citizen participation. After analyzing the costs of each method and noting the number of people who actually responded to each method, NIC was able to determine the cost benefits of using one method over another to reach certain audiences. Through research, NIC found that mailing flyers to announce its satellite/internet broadcasts was not only cost prohibitive but also ineffective for reaching core audiences. Those results prompted NIC to change its approach and promote the use of other, less costly means, including newsletters, social network posts, and media outreach that have shown to be more effective.

• Knowledge of communication strategies and their effectiveness
• How to identify baselines, establish benchmarks, and set realistic, attainable goals
• Being realistic about your own ability to track measurements, especially if you are working as a staff of one, but keeping in mind that nearly everything can be measured with access to the right program and resources

Donna Ledbetter, Writer and Editor
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

3:30 p.m.

Choosing The Right Tools To Push Through The Clutter And Get Your Message Out

Genome Alberta is a not-for-profit research organization based in Alberta, Canada. They use social media extensively to raise awareness with the general public, reach key influencers, and engage the science community. Their efforts have earned them a nomination for an Alberta Science and Technology Award and they ran a live BioRadio ‘broadcast’ from the International BIO Convention in Washington recently.

You’ll hear how they have integrated a variety of social media platforms with their web presence, outreach activities and print communications, and have worked with an Open Source community to develop their own 3rd party social media application.

You will leave this session with ideas, tactics and strategies on how to get your message heard through the clutter on social media, including how to:

• Select the right social media course for your audience and for the task at hand
• Make efficient use of your content and resources
• Pull together both social and mainstream media in your communications strategy to get the best return on your communications dollar

Mike Spear, Director of Corporate Communications
GENOME ALBERTA

4:15 p.m.

Using Social Media To Strengthen Relationships Between Your Organization And Your Community

Cranberry Township constantly strives to build connections between government, residents, and business owners through the use of many different communications tools.  By adding social media tools to Cranberry Township’s communications plan, they have been able to strengthen those connections, and improve customer service by engaging people in conversations.

This informative session will discuss the path taken by Cranberry Township to integrate social media into their overall strategy, including: four different Facebook pages, a YouTube Channel, Twitter, and RSS feeds from their website. You will leave this session the tools necessary to use social media to effectively communicate with your citizens, including:

• How to analyze current communications tools
• Proper ways to research social media tools- knowing what they are and how they function
• Deciding which tools to use - understanding your audience and how to find them
• Developing policies around new social media tools
• Integrating social media tools into the plan
• Managing time, increasing efficiency - technology can help you
• Evaluating success- best tools for measuring success

Cindy Marzock, Communications Specialist
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA

4:45 p.m.

End of Day One

5:00 p.m.

Networking Reception: Please Join Us!

We invite you to join us for a drink as you relax with your peers. All conference attendees and speakers are welcome to join us for this special opportunity to continue networking. Don't miss this chance to benchmark new ideas over complimentary drinks!

Sign up during the day for dinner with a group. Take advantage of Washington, DC's fine dining while you continue to network with your colleagues.