8:00 a.m.
Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m.

Chairperson's Welcome, Opening Remarks & Presentation:
How To Use Social Media To Enhance Your Organization's
Online Presence

Social media tools are currently being used by individuals to promote their own personal "brand." These same tactics can also be used to enhance your agency's online presence.

In this session, you will learn the basics of the emerging media landscape, what drives social media connections, and how your organization can leverage them. Examples and case studies of success stories from the Health and Human Services, Voice of America, U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Los Angeles Fire Department will be highlighted, as well as ideas for taking the necessary steps for your organization to gain an online presence.

• Interact with each other online
• Begin taking advantage of recent trends in online communication
• Connect with stakeholders inside and outside your organization

Mike Panetta, Vice President for Public Affairs and Emerging Media
GRASSROOTS ENTERPRISE

9:35 a.m.

Speed Networking

You'll have a chance to meet and greet fellow attendees in this fun and fast-paced forum.

10:35 a.m.

How To Maximize Your Blog: Promoting Your Organization's Message And Keeping Current With The Trends While Staying Within A Budget

As people become more saturated in the rapidly expanding world of Web 2.0, it is necessary that the government plays an active role in participating. This is why the Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) created Gov Gab – Your U.S. Government Blog.

On Gov Gab, the blog writers discuss how government information is helpful to citizens everyday, and how to easily access and incorporate this information into their lives. The posts encourage dialogue and comments from readers are welcomed and answered by the bloggers and other citizens as well. Gov Gab is a tool for Americans to communicate directly with the Federal government. In September, 2008, Gov Gab celebrated its 1st birthday with a year's worth of valuable content in its archive.

• How to use blogging to communicate effectively
• Why blogging is so popular (inexpensive, offers anonymity, etc.)
• How to maximize your agency's message by the structure of a blog (multi-writer vs. single person, frequency of posts, etc.)
• Using a blog as a media tool (commenting on other blogs to create a "presence" in blogosphere and other marketing techniques)
• Keeping your blog current as trends and technology evolve

Colleen Ann Bayus, Consumer Information Specialist, Federal Citizen Information Center
U.S. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

11:25 a.m.

How To Successfully Introduce New Media Tools Into Your Agency And Implement A Sustainable Social Media Program

How does a government agency get engaged in social media? This question faced the Coast Guard Headquarters Office of Government and Public Affairs recently as it was directed to lead the way on this new organizational initiative.

In this process, the Coast Guard has been faced with several requirements to implement a sustainable program, such as, accomplishing senior leader buy-in, obtaining necessary resources for implementation, and employee engagement in using social media strategies.

• Development of new policy
• Obtaining new resources
• Gaining expertise
• Changing attitudes
• Development of specific activities

Today, the Coast Guard is still defining its way ahead in social media, but current efforts, coupled with longer-term strategies are gaining traction. Additionally, seizing the opportunity to leverage new information technology systems coming on-line has greatly enhanced the cause. The Coast Guard's social media presence is relatively small today, but that is expected to change dramatically in the near future.

In this session, you will take away key steps on how to engage your organization and implement your own sustainable social media program.

Glynn Smith, Chief, Strategic Communications
U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS

Join a group of your colleagues for lunch with an informal discussion facilitated by one of our expert speakers. Take this opportunity to join others in a small, interactive group setting to network and brainstorm solutions to your most pressing social media concerns.

1:45 p.m.

How To Prepare Yourself And Your Organization For Leveraging Web 2.0 And Integrating It Into Your Communications Strategy

Over the past year, there has been enormous hype in the media about the growth of Web 2.0 and the use of social networking by the Millennial generation. There has also been much publicity about using Web 2.0 in business and government. For example, its use spans three distinct types of uses: communication, interaction, and service delivery. Agencies are being challenged in all three of these types of uses.

• Present the potential uses of social computing in government
• Discuss the barriers to Web 2.0
• Describe a series of specific next steps you can take to bring your agency into the Web 2.0 world

John Kamensky, Senior Fellow
IBM CENTER FOR THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT

3:05 p.m.

How To Develop Practical Strategies And Effective Strategies For Building An Online Audience For Government

What's an effective and proven web strategy for building an email audience for government? Ask Canada. The Canadian Government started Connect2Canada, Canada's Network in the United States, and in less than three years, thousands of Canadians and people with a Canadian interest have signed up to share stories, learn about events, receive newsletters and timely updates. In this session you will learn about the strategies used in building Connect2Canada, what worked, what hasn't worked, and advice to give to other government entities who need to build an audience.

• The "Cookie" Concept: Connect2Canada'a guiding principal
• Messaging techniques that work
• Leveraging popular networks and growing your own network for social outreach
• Designing of the brand and how it has changed
• The use of RSS, blogging, microsites, external API services and user-generated content
• The challenge of moving a bureaucracy down the path of social outreach -- approvals and roadblocks

Alexi Aldrich, Advocacy Officer (Public Affairs), Washington Advocacy Secretariat
CANADIAN EMBASSY

Kevin McCann, EVP Client Services
GRASSROOTS ENTERPRISE

3:55 p.m.

How To Build And Sustain Communities Of People Using Social Media Technology

CreakyJoints, a social network and community for people with arthritis, was co-founded in 1999 by a college freshman and person with arthritis, Seth Ginsberg. Today, CreakyJoints.org is a robust arthritis community, with over 25,000 registered users, providing education, support and inspiration to an audience of arthritis patients, caregivers and professionals. In addition to on-line activities, CreakyJoints produces and executes off-line educational programming. Activities are supported by grants and sponsorships from pharmaceutical companies. CreakyJoints.org is a part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, a 501(c)(3) operating charity.

• Building and sustaining a community of people
• Creating a "strong bond affinity group," and how it has allowed the community to grow and flourish
• Overcoming industry challenges that exist (i.e. continuously monitoring information, reporting adverse events, the need for immediate response) which parallel Government agency areas of concern

• Techniques to build and sustain communities of people
• Ways to overcome perceived obstacles to social networking
• Lessons on tracking and success metrics
• Steps on how to address a broad audience, conservatively, and have a good time doing it
• The importance of amplifying positive experiences to the broader online community

Seth D. Ginsberg, President
GLOBAL HEALTHY LIVING FOUNDATION

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 DC's fine dining while you continue to network with your colleagues.