In October 2019, the Association for Women in Communications held its biennial national professional development conference. Women and men from all corners of the country joined in St. Charles, Missouri to network, learn, and grow together. Here is what a few of them had to say about their experience:
Jacqueline Post
“Not only was this my first-time attending AWC’s National Professional Development Conference, I was crazy enough to step into the role of Conference Chair. I was still able to experience much of the conference as an attendee. As a first-time attendee, what surprised me the most was the fellowship. The programming was excellent and relevant, which was what I’d hoped for. But, there is just something different about how you connect with fellow attendees. It’s like you already know or understand each other on some level. I have never experienced that at any other industry conferences I’ve attended through the years.
As the Conference Chair, there is so much that goes into planning the conference. Being responsible for creating value for the attendees is a lot! We wanted to make sure you left the conference feeling like you couldn’t wait to attend the next one. I also learned it took a village to pull everything off. I felt an even greater sense of community among current and former national board members. Each and every one gave their time, guidance and expertise to ensure the conference was the best it could be. It really showed me how much this group values AWC as an organization. We have some incredibly dedicated current and former directors!”
Lauren Holder
“I have been a member of AWC since 2015 and have loved this group of ladies. Participating in the 2019 AWC National Conference was amazing. Not only did I meet other amazing women from around the country, but I learned so much! The relationships I was able to make at the National Conference were ones that will last a lifetime. Bringing women together to learn and grow is such a rare and special opportunity that I will cherish forever. As a panelist, I also loved getting to share my knowledge with others in the room trying to grow their businesses and put their best foot forward on Social Media. I would highly recommend attending this conference, it is worth every cent!”
Jillian Schillaci
“As a first-time attendee of the AWC National Conference I was very impressed with the scope of personal and professional development as well as chapter development opportunities. The presenters, from keynote speakers to panels, were of high quality and on topic. I appreciated the fact that the conference had very interactive sessions; I never felt as if I was in a classroom just listening to the teacher. This was especially true during the Giving Voice; Empowerment through Diversity and Inclusion program where we had the opportunity to watch as microaggressions occurred, and then had a chance to stop the program and learn how to speak up when we hear something that de-values our diverse friends and co-workers.
As this year’s Chapter President, I was interested to find out more about what AWC provides in terms of support and resources. Our session for Chapter Leadership made me realize how much National Headquarters does for the Chapters. My favorite benefit of membership from a Presidential viewpoint is the womcom.org platform that we can use for chapter online management. We had a chance to really review the capabilities of the platform as well as the App associated with it. Our chapter is now reviewing the benefits of switching to the AWC womcom.org management system. Another favorite of mine is the AWC Advancement Fund – what a wonderful program that is!
The National Conference was, for me, an opportunity to see the inner workings of AWC. I realized how supportive our National Headquarters is and that we, as chapters, have only to take advantage of the benefits provided.”
Angela Frizzell
“My membership with AWC has awarded me some of the best professional experiences. I’ve nurtured valuable lifelong friendships, experienced learning opportunities as a member, while serving on national committees, and on our local chapter board. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of attending Association for Women in Communications Conferences and connected with communications professionals from across the states. This past conference was extra special as a 2018 Clarion Award winner.
I’m a lifelong learner able to find takeaway from every learning opportunity, regardless of whether it’s my area of expertise or an entirely new concept. The 2019 AWC National Conference was filled with notable speakers and break-out sessions that energized and empowered me to be a better professional. There were so many new concepts, I was able to take pieces of the sessions home and put them into practice immediately.
Aside from the learning opportunities, rubbing shoulders with legends in the industry reminded me of the impact we have as professional communicators. The headliner award winner, Starshine Roshell, award-winning journalist, inspired us all by sharing some get-real moments that could have broken her career but didn’t because of her tenacity. While listening to the International Matrix Award winner, Barbara S. Cochran who directed Morning Edition, NPR’s first notable show, I found myself seated at a table with Kane Farabaugh, Emmy Award winner and documentarian of A Golden Cross to Bear: A Story of the 33rd Division World War 1 amongst other notable attendees.
Barbara, Starshine, Kane and I shared one thing in common. We were being recognized by one of the most notable associations in the communications industry for our work in the field. It was an honor and a pleasure to be recognized for my work, and I felt pride to be able to sit amongst some of the nation’s finest! If you’re on the fence about attending an AWC Conference in the future, fret no more. These conferences energize our industry, and are money and time well spent!”
