Initial speakers and sessions are announced for GSMCON2025!

2025 Schedule

New! Initial Session/Speaker Lineup Announced

Some sessions and speakers will be announced over the coming months. Check out the lineup below and learn more about the session facilitators on our Speakers page. Rooms and time slots will be assigned later based on the results of our attendee survey, but you can explore detailed session descriptions here and take a look at our tentative schedule at the bottom of this page to plan your trip!

Breakout Sessions

Accessible and Inclusive Social Media Strategies for Government Agencies (Advanced)
Kaitlin Keeler and Harry Weaver III, Oakland County, MI Government

Breaking Bad News: Practical Strategies for Sensitive Social Media Messaging (Intermediate)
Jayli Barkley, Riverside County District Attorney's Office

Copyright, Creativity & AI: Legal Must-Knows for Social Media Pros (Advanced)
Julie Tappendorf, Ancel Glink, PC

Creating a Multi-Language Emergency Toolkit (Intermediate)
Kayla Boardman, City of San Jose – San Jose Clean Energy

Creating Brat Reels, No Cap (Intermediate)
Alexis McLellan, San Carlos Park Fire Protection and Rescue Service District, FL

Crisis Averted: Social Listening Strategies for Proactive Planning (Intermediate)
Mary Levin, USPS

Crouching Tiger, Hidden FOMO: Unlocking LinkedIn’s Potential for Public Agencies (Beginner)
Anthea Thomas, City of Fort Lauderdale, FL

Excite, Explain, Engage: The Formula for a Balanced Content Calendar (Beginner)
Elizabeth Kidd-Chamberlain, City of Boise, ID

How Do You Do, Fellow Kids: Meme Mastery for Public Agencies (Advanced)
Warren Kagarise, King County, WA

Likes Won’t Pay Your Therapy Bills: Mastering Balance in Social Media Work (Beginner)
Tila Grant, Texas Department of Transportation

Mastering Social Media Crisis Communication to Save Lives (Intermediate)
Danielle Shepard, City of Tampa, FL
Ashley Turner, Charlotte County, FL

Overcoming AI Stigma: Ethical Integration in Government Social Media (Intermediate)
Brock Damjanovich, Salt Lake County Office of Regional Development

Stop the Scroll: Advanced Strategies for Using Plain Language in Social Media (Advanced)
Shuly Babitz, US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs

Storytelling on Instagram Stories: Create, Captivate, Connect (Intermediate)
Jocelyn Devereux and Sophia Champieux, Orange County Fire Authority, CA

The Fresh Brand of Bel-Air: Keep Employee Engagement Fresh (Beginner)
Charles Newman, City of Columbus, OH

Transforming the Ordinary: Reinventing the Mundane into Social Media Magic (Intermediate)
Aimee Colton and Elizabeth McMillan, Utah Department of Transportation

Trust in Action: Building Community Connections Through Social Media (Intermediate)
Drew Bailey and Rodney Harrison, Town of Little Elm, TX

Using Improv Techniques as a Powerful Tool in Government Social Media (Intermediate)
Paul Varga, Frederick County MD Division of Solid Waste and Recycling

When the Lights Go Out: Communicating Without Power, Phones, or Internet (Intermediate)
Allison Richmond, Haywood County Emergency Services NC

X vs. Threads & Bluesky: Building a Winning Strategy for the New Social Media Era (Intermediate)
Anabell Chavez and Jennifer Arenas, City of Long Beach, CA

Speed Sessions, Tech Tools Labs, & Workshops

Speed Session: Breaking the Burnout Cycle
Lauren Burden, Douglas County District Attorney's Office, GA

Speed Session: Cohesive Branding Strategies Across Multiple Accounts
Lauren Hebing, Maricopa County

Speed Session: Content Strategies to Bridge the Generational Gap
Warren Kagarise, King County, WA

Speed Session: Defining and Owning Your Social Voice
Marian Doucette, Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance

Speed Session: Steps to Build Your Comprehensive Social Media Plan

Matthew Rudig, County of Santa Clara, CA

Tech Tool Lab: Capture Engaging Smartphone Photos
Shelby Waldron, U.S. Navy Fleet and Family Readiness (FFR)

Tech Tool Lab: High-Quality Video Explained
John Ehlke, Independence Township

Add-on Workshop ($115): AI 301 - Leveraging AI for Government Social Media Success
Zack Seipert, Central Utah Water Conservancy District

Add-on Workshop ($115): Government Social Media 101
Hosted by the Government Social Media Association Training Committee

Add-on Workshop ($115): Short-Form Video 201 - Crafting Engaging Videos from Planning to Publishing
Wendy Aguilar, Sacramento Fire Department, CA

2025 Tentative Schedule

This high-level schedule is for your planning purposes and is subject to change.

Pack your schedule with even more! Get the most out of your GSMCON by adding on pre-conference workshops or upgrade to the VIP Experience (workshops, special networking activity & more).

All times below are in Eastern time zone. Please take note of VIP-Only, In-Person and Virtual labeling.

(Pre-Conference) Monday, May 19, 2025

9:30-11:30am: Add-On, Pre-Conference Workshop: Government Social Media 101 (only available to workshop purchaser or VIP)
11:30am-12:30pm: Break if you'd like to buy lunch on your own - a food court is nearby
12:30-2:30pm: Add-On, Pre-Conference Workshop: AI 301 - Leveraging AI for Government Social Media Success (only available to workshop purchaser or VIP)
3-5pm: Add-On, Pre-Conference Workshop: Short-Form Video 201: Crafting Engaging Videos from Planning to Publishing (only available to workshop purchaser or VIP)
6-7pm: In-Person VIP-Only Cocktail Hour
7-8pm: Virtual Welcome Reception
7-9pm: In-Person Welcome Reception

(Day 1) Tuesday, May 20, 2025

8-9am: Continental Breakfast & Networking
9-9:45am: Breakout Sessions
9:45am-5pm: Expo Hall
9:45-10:15: Networking/Meetups/Expo activities
10:15-11:15am: Extended Breakout Sessions
11:30am-12:15pm: Opening General Session
12:15-1:15pm: Lunch
12:30-1pm: Virtual-Only Networking Break
1:30-2:15pm: Breakout Sessions
2:15-2:45: Networking/meetups/Expo activities
2:45-3:15pm: Speed Sessions
3:30-4:15pm: General Session
4:30-5pm: GSM professional association member meeting
Time TBD: Virtual VIP-Only Networking Activity

(Day 2) Wednesday, May 21, 2025

8-9am: Continental Breakfast & Networking
9-9:45am: Breakout Sessions
9:45am-5pm: Expo Hall
9:45-10:15am: Networking/Meetups/Expo activities
10:15-11:15am: Extended Breakout Sessions
11:30am-12:15pm: General Session
12:15-1:15pm: Lunch
12:30-1pm: Virtual-Only Networking Break
1:30-2:30pm: Golden Post Awards
2:30-3pm: Networking/Meetups/Expo activities
3-4pm: Extended Breakout Sessions
4:15-4:45pm: Speed Sessions
5:30-7:30pm: In-Person VIP-Only Special Activity

(Day 3 half day) Thursday, May 22, 2025

8-9am: Continental Breakfast & Networking
9-9:45am: Breakout Sessions
9:45am-Noon: Expo Hall
9:45-10:15am: Networking/Meetups/Expo activities
10:15-11am: Breakout Sessions
11:15am-Noon: Closing General Session

Both in-person and virtual attendees will have access to our event app during the conference - available as a mobile app and a website. You’ll receive an email a couple weeks prior to the event with app download instructions.

See the 2024 archived schedule (pdf).