Registration and Morning Coffee

Welcome & Expectations Exchange
We’ll begin the Boot Camp with a 20-minute interactive session designed to set the tone for the two days ahead. You’ll be invited to briefly share what brought you to the event, the biggest AI-related challenges you’re currently facing, and what you hope to take away. This exchange will help surface common themes, foster meaningful connections, and ensure that the sessions address the real-world needs in the room. Key insights will be captured and referenced throughout the program, creating a shared and focused learning experience from the very start.

From Hype to Reality: Building a Scalable AI Strategy in Communications
This session will help you move past the buzz and build a practical, scalable AI strategy tailored to your communications function. You’ll explore how to align AI implementation with business goals, choose the right tools, and create governance structures that ensure ethical and effective use. Through case studies and actionable frameworks, you'll learn how to drive adoption across teams, measure impact, and future-proof your strategy as the AI landscape evolves. Whether you're just starting or scaling up, this session will give you the clarity and confidence to lead AI integration with purpose and precision.
Chris Gee, CEO, Chris Gee Consulting

Building a Human-Centered AI Communications Department: Balancing Innovation with Integrity
As AI tools become increasingly embedded in the communications workflow, the challenge isn’t just adoption—it’s integration that enhances, rather than replaces, human creativity, judgment, and ethics. This session explores how to design and lead an AI-enabled communications function that centers on human value. We’ll discuss the cultural shifts needed to overcome guilt or fear around using AI, the importance of establishing ethical boundaries, and how to empower communicators to understand both the limitations and the benefits of AI. Whether you're leading a team or shaping your organization's AI strategy, this session will offer a framework for building a future-ready, human-first communications department.
Julie Greicius, Associate Dean, Communications & Alumni Affairs, Stanford Engineering, Stanford University

AI Integration 101: Where to Start, What to Avoid, and How to Scale
AI can unlock massive efficiency—but only if you know where to start. In this session, we’ll explore practical ways to use AI to streamline your day-to-day work and save valuable time during fast-paced media moments. You’ll learn how to avoid common pitfalls, identify the right entry points for your team, and scale your AI use in a way that enhances—not replaces—human creativity and judgment.
Margaret Callahan, Global Media Relations, Sustainability and Human Rights, Amazon

Lunch for Speakers and Delegates

The New Creative Brief: Training AI to Think Like Your Brand
As AI tools become integral to brand storytelling, communicators are faced with a new challenge: how to ensure AI reflects the unique voice, tone, and values of their brand. This session will explore practical ways to brief and guide AI tools just as you would a creative agency—aligning outputs with your brand DNA while retaining creative integrity and control.
Sascha Brodsky, Editorial Director & Senior Writer, AI, IBM

From Prompt to Impact: Using Generative AI to Supercharge Brand Storytelling
This practical session will help you move beyond surface-level AI outputs and unlock the full potential of generative AI for strategic, brand-driven storytelling. You’ll learn how to craft smarter prompts that generate stronger ideas, sharper brand voice, and better results—fast. Through live demos, real-world case studies, and a hands-on prompt reworking exercise (time permitting), you’ll gain tools to enhance your creative process. The session will also introduce a simple, four-part prompt formula to elevate your AI output while staying true to your voice and values. Bonus: get a sneak peek into how a custom GPT is transforming comms workflows.
Yumi Wilson, Professor, Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts, San Francisco State University

Co-Creating With Machines: Collaborating With AI Without Losing Your Voice
This session will help you harness the creative power of AI while staying true to your brand’s unique voice and values. You’ll explore how to treat AI as a collaborative partner in the creative process—one that enhances, rather than replaces, your strategic thinking and storytelling. Through practical frameworks, real-world examples, and proven prompt techniques, you’ll learn how to maintain authenticity and human insight while working with AI tools. Whether you're developing content, campaigns, or communication strategies, this session will equip you to co-create with confidence, purpose, and control.
Geoffrey Basye, Strategic Communications Lead, Public Sector Portfolio, Verizon

Networking and Refreshment Break

Ghostwriting with AI: Building Executive Communication Strategies
Great executive communication doesn’t happen by accident—and AI can help make it easier. In this session, we’ll explore how to use AI tools to support ghostwriting for executives, from LinkedIn posts and speeches to emails and thought leadership articles. Learn how to create content that sounds authentic, stays on message, and saves time. We’ll also discuss best practices, common mistakes to avoid, and how to balance AI support with the human voice.
Callie King, Sr. AI Strategy and Communications Advisor, Supporting Department of State

 Closing Reflections: From Insight to Action

We’ll wrap up the Boot Camp with a collaborative closing session to reflect on key takeaways, share insights, and explore how you plan to apply what you’ve learned. This is your opportunity to ask final questions, hear from your peers, and identify the next steps for bringing AI into your communications practice. Whether it’s a new tool, a strategy shift, or a mindset change, this session is about turning inspiration into action—and leaving with clarity on where to go next.

End of Day One