Who’s presenting at GSMCON2023? Meet the speakers!

Apr 05, 2023

With the 2023 Government Social Media Conference just less than 30 days away, more than 1,200 in-person attendees and virtual participants are getting ready to meet for the premier social media event for government agencies.

Over 40 speakers are teaching the latest best practices, pro tips and tangible takeaways on topics that matter most to attendees, including accessibility, First Amendment, copyright & fair use, platform updates and much more. Speakers represent a wide variety of entities from Meta, NATO, LinkedIn and Nextdoor to federal, state and local agencies and private industry.

We can’t wait to introduce you to these speakers! Meet a snapshot of these industry leaders and watch their session videos below. Make sure to view the official lineup for a full list of everyone you’ll hear at GSMCON2023!

Didn’t get your ticket yet? Your deadline to get your ticket is April 21 (or sold out!) for in-person tickets and April 27 for virtual tickets. Here’s how to get your ticket now to meet in Reno-Tahoe, Nevada this May or virtually for the socialgov event of the year.

60 Minutes: Managing the First Hour After a Crisis

#GSMCON2023 Session: 60 Minutes: Managing the First Hour After a Crisis from Government Social Media on Vimeo.

Bronela Mishler, Bronlea M Consulting

The first hour after a crisis is critical for social media managers. What account will you use? Who has access to it? How will you get messages approved quickly? A solid social plan — and plenty of practice — will help government social media managers be the first, best, and most trusted voice during an emergency. In this advanced and fast-paced session, participants will use their agency's social media & crisis communications plans to think through how they'd respond to a series of ripped-from-the-headlines emergencies. At the end of the session, participants will leave with new ideas for responding quickly and effectively on social, questions to ask about their social media plan, and ideas for how to get buy-in from leadership and create strategic social media training opportunities at their own agencies.

Is it Time to Slow Down & Shrink Your Program?

#GSMCON2023 Session: Is it Time to Slow Down & Shrink Your Program? from Government Social Media on Vimeo.

Jameil Weldon, Mecklenburg County, NC

Get on social media, they said. It'll be fun, they said. And sometimes it is! But it's also a ton of work. With new platform and account requests every week, there's a lot of emphasis on expanding your social media footprint. So, how do you know when it's time to pause or shrink some of your agency's social accounts? And, how do you make that case to your leadership? We'll explore when, why and how you might consider getting rid of some existing platforms or accounts and the tools you need to get your leadership on board. This session will include risks and benefits, staffing, how to leverage your social media policy, making the case with your leadership and, of course, data.

Instagram 201: Beyond Chasing Trends and Posting Photos (Workshop)

Add-on, pre-conference workshops are 2-hour deep dives into some of socialgov’s most requested topics happening on Monday, May 1, 2023. Workshop fees are $100 each, available to purchase during GSMCON registration. More details on Government Social Media 101, Instagram 201 and Creating Effective Reports Your Boss Loves & Understands.

#GSMCON2023 Workshop: Instagram 201: Beyond Chasing Trends and Posting Photos from Government Social Media on Vimeo.

Eva Kirschbaum, Town of Gilbert, AZ & Frances La Rue, City of Anna, TX

Learn to harness all the tools within Instagram and go beyond posting a single photo in this hands-on, deep dive workshop created for those who want to go beyond the basics and learn more in-depth practices on the platform.

As a participant, you will learn:

How to engage your audience in Stories
Practice creating Reels from start to finish
Best practices for captions
Common pitfalls to avoid
General tips and tricks for Instagram as an advanced user
And much more!

You'll leave this interactive workshop — led by Eva Kirschbaum with the Town of Gilbert and Frances La Rue with the City of Anna, Texas — buzzing with ideas and with a thoroughly planned campaign ready to bring back to your organization that can be applied to any project that comes your way. With this framework, it'll feel easy to fit today's trends into your established plan.

Let’s Be Neighbors! Finding Success on Nextdoor

#GSMCON2023 Session: Let’s Be Neighbors! Finding Success on Nextdoor from Government Social Media on Vimeo.

Jessica VanderKolk, City of Battle Creek, MI

If you want to target messages to specific parts of your community, focus in on the people who live in your community, and most importantly, build trust with the people you serve, this Nextdoor session is for you. The City of Battle Creek, MI — 2021’s Golden Post Awards winner for Best Nextdoor Presence — takes a look at how you can use the platform to reach your neighbors, provide accessible messaging, communicate about emergencies, and make important community connections. Learn about the best features to use as a government agency, some of the challenges you’ll face on Nextdoor and how to overcome them, and how you can succeed in your community, too.

Managing Social for Large Agencies, State & Federal

#GSMCON2023 Session: Managing Social for Large Agencies, State and Federal from Government Social Media on Vimeo.

Andrew Belanger, State of Michigan & Andrew Palczewski, US Department of Education

Managing social media for a large government entity can bring unique opportunities like more resources and support for social media, but it can also present interesting challenges. In this session you will hear best practices and scalable solutions from a federal and state perspective on creating a governance structure for large agencies, aligning branding, condensing complex policies into impactful content, coordinating campaigns across agencies, and handling competing priorities or requests. If you lead a social media program or are part of a multi-agency team, this session is a must attend! You’ll hear tips and tricks to build brand recognition, strengthen your social footprint, enhance, or build a governance structure and implement strategies to increase community engagement with your residents.

Mastering Emoji for Public Agencies (Speed Session)

New for 2023! Speed Sessions are open to all ticket holders and are fast-paced presentations where speakers present high-impact actionable advice on their topic in 10 minutes (think TED talk!).

#GSMCON2023 Speed Session: Mastering Emoji for Public Agencies from Government Social Media on Vimeo.

Warren Kagarise, King County, WA

We have more than 3,600 emoji at our disposal, with more added each year. The pictograms pop up everywhere, including where you least expect it. In King County, WA, even our food safety rating system is based on emoji. How should you use emoji in your official communications — while striking the right tone and without embarrassing your agency? Emoji offer a way to help us communicate ideas simply and succinctly, relate to our audiences, and add personality to conversations. Learn from real-world examples and the latest research about how to lead by using emoji as engagement and storytelling tools, while balancing accessibility, cultural nuances, and potential pitfalls.

Mission Possible: Protecting Your Agency’s Brand

#GSMCON2023 Session: Mission Possible: Protecting Your Agency’s Brand fromGovernment Social Media on Vimeo.

Jennifer Casey, Town of Collierville, TN

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to best protect your agency’s brand.

Our brands are more than logos, color schemes and taglines — it's also based on public perception, messaging, promotion, how you respond to emergencies, tell stories and so much more. How can you best protect and elevate your agency's brand as you handle your agency's social media accounts?

Learn 10 key takeaways to help elevate your agency’s brand on your social media accounts and see examples of government agencies doing this well. We will also discuss 3 branding tips you can accomplish TODAY to elevate your image on social media.

Tools to Say ‘No’ for Your Work-Life Balance (Speed Session)

New for 2023! Speed Sessions are open to all ticket holders and are fast-paced presentations where speakers present high-impact actionable advice on their topic in 10 minutes (think TED talk!).

#GSMCON2023 Speed Session: Tools to Say ‘No’ for Your Work-Life Balance from Government Social Media on Vimeo.

Jason Meinershagen, Central County Fire Rescue

We've been on a quest for the perfect balance between career and life for decades, with the demands of the government social media expert continuing to grow. As our agencies, employers and supervisors continue to expect more and more of our time, focus and energy, we face the harsh reality that there is only so much time in a day to give. How do you effectively say ‘no’ to things that are good so we can say ‘yes’ to things that are better for your agency’s social media accounts? Get practical, fast tips on effectively saying ‘no’ to your leadership to maintain a healthy social media presence, and an even healthier, balanced you.

Winning Internal Collaborations for Your Social Media Accounts (Speed Session)

New for 2023! Speed Sessions are open to all ticket holders and are fast-paced presentations where speakers present high-impact actionable advice on their topic in 10 minutes (think TED talk!).

#GSMCON2023 Speed Session: Winning Internal Collaborations for Your Social Media Accounts from Government Social Media on Vimeo.

Marian Doucette, Huron Perth Public Health

Build a communications partnership within your organization that results in winning social media content by using these practical tips for approaching internal collaborations. Learn how to involve department & program staff at all stages in a way that’s helpful and strategic, collaborate effectively & establish your internal workflows.

Register today!

It’s not just the best learning you’ll walk away — or log off — with, you’ll become part of the conference camaraderie that lasts for long afterwards. Get helpful info for training approvals in our downloadable event guide, official session schedule, and our venue page.

We can’t wait to see you at GSMCON2023! Last-minute registration ends for all ticket types in April — here’s how to get your ticket now.

Best communicate with the public you serve and get connected with fellow socialgovs by registering for the 2023 Government Social Media Conference happening in Reno-Tahoe, Nevada! Join our free network for bi-weekly Government Social Media Chats or professional association for member-only webinars. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on training, events and more.

We support the largest network of government social media professionals in the U.S. by guiding government agencies through complex social media issues. Government Social Media helps you successfully communicate with the public you serve, protect your agency and keep public trust while finding your support community.