Virginia Professional Communicators (VPC) is planning an “audacious” conference May 1-2 in Norfolk. VPC, a professional organization for journalists, writers, public relations professionals and other communicators, will hold its Spring Conference and Awards Luncheon May 2.

Those arriving Friday afternoon will enjoy a free tour of Slover Library (“The Library of the Future!”), followed by a “Dutch treat” dinner at the renowned Gershwin’s Restaurant. Please let us know if you plan to attend by registering online or noting if you mail a check. Great story possibilities!

The conference Saturday gets going at 8 a.m. with registration and a continental breakfast in the MacArthur Room at Courtyard by Marriott. The presentations begin at 8:30 a.m. The conference theme is “Audacious: Communications that Count,” and our distinguished speakers include:

Karen Corrigan (“Brand Journalism”) is CEO of Corrigan Partners LLC, a healthcare consultancy specializing in competitive strategy in the health industry. She provides counsel on business development and brand and marketing strategies that drive growth and helps health systems build high-performing marketing organizations. Karen is an active blogger and speaker and has authored numerous articles, white papers and books. She is the 2014 recipient of the John A. Eudes Vision & Excellence Award.

Debra Gordon, MS, (“Running Your Freelance Business Like a Business”) is a seasoned healthcare communications professional who specializes in speaking, teaching and communicating about various clinical topics and the US healthcare system, healthcare reform and health policy. Debra started her company in 1999. Previously, she was a newspaper reporter for The Virginian Pilot in Norfolk and the Orange Country Register in southern California, where she covered health and medicine. Debra specializes in writing medical content for clinicians, consumer-facing health-related content and business-to-business content for companies in the healthcare space.

Frank Edgar (“Social Media in the Workplace”) is an attorney in private practice. He is a trial lawyer primarily in commercial litigation matters, including libel and slander, business torts, contract disputes, security clearance challenges, employment issues and real estate disputes. He also monitors the intersection of social media and the law, particularly the legal issues arising out of employee use of social media at work.

Megan Taylor Shockley (“White Gloves and Motherhood: How Women Activists Challenged Media Stereotypes in the Late Twentieth Century”) is a professor of history at Clemson University and the coordinator of the Public History Program. The author and co-author of three books, including two on Virginia, she focuses on women and power in her work. She is currently writing a history of feminist activism in late 20th Century Virginia.

Behind the Scenes of the McDonnell Trial, with journalist Laura Vozzella (far left, The Washington Post),  statehouse reporter and editor Alana Austin (center, WVIR-TV), and journalist Kathy Hieatt (left, The Virginian-Pilot).

This year the VPW Foundation silent auction moves to the Spring Luncheon. Proceeds benefit the Agnes Cooke Scholarship awarded each year to a deserving college student who plans a career in communications. Check out items here: http://www.vpwfoundation.org Credit card payments at the auction are accepted through Razoo.

And the highlight of the Spring Conference is always honoring the winners of our Communications Contest! Let’s all come together to recognize excellence in our profession. Top placing contestants advance to national competition.

The conference is open to VPC members and nonmembers, so sign up a friend! To register or for more details, visit Events or call Bonnie Atwood at 804-358-3745.

Looking for more? After Saturday’s luncheon, let’s go to the Chrysler Museum of Art, to see one of the country’s best glass collections. Admission is free!

Register Now for Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Norfolk Hotel Room Discount

To get the Virginia Professional Communicators $109 discounted rate at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Norfolk, 520 E. Plume Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, you must register by April 1. Call 1-800-894-7956. Be sure to mention VPC. Members will also receive a discounted rate for nightly parking at $14 per night if you register by April 1.
Conference Registration Dates

Early bird registration by April 1:

$50 for members who register by April 1; $60 for non-members.
Awards luncheon only: $35 for members, non-members and guests.

Register on the VaPC.org website or mail check with names to: Bonnie Atwood, 4808 Monumental Street, Richmond, VA 23226-1204; Questions about the conference? Contact Bonnie at bonatwood@verizon.net. Questions about online registration? Contact Gail Kent at gail.kent@thebuzzfactoree.com or 757-876-5420.

Registration Directions

To register online, go to Events and scroll down to Spring Conference. Click on the “Register” button and follow the prompts. After inserting the preferred email address you provided to NFPW, you can proceed either of three ways:

• Continue to register without logging into your account
• Log in using your Facebook or Google account
• Log in using your unique account password WHICH HAS BEEN EMAILED TO YOU. PLEASE KEEP THIS PASSWORD WHERE YOU CAN RETRIEVE IT FOR THE FUTURE. Otherwise, you will need to obtain a new one by clicking on the “forgot password” button the next time you try to log in. This password allows you to access the “members only” portion of the website where you will have access to the member directory and other features as they are added.

If you prefer to register by mail, please send your check, with the following information, to Bonnie Atwood: 4808 Monumental Street, Richmond, VA.

Information needed: Attendees’ nam(es), email address, street address, phone number, business, job title, business address, business email, business phone, member/nonmember, events you plan to attend (Friday night event, full conference, luncheon only).

Questions about online registration? Contact: Gail Kent, gail.kent@thebuzzfactoree.com (757) 876-5420. All other questions: Contact Bonnie Atwood, BonAtwood@verizon.net, or (804) 358-3745.