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Agenda
Day 1: General Sessions - 07/16/2025 |
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8:30 am - 9:00 am | Registration: Badges, Breakfast, & BeveragesEnjoy complimentary coffee, tea and continental breakfast as you meet your fellow attendees. | |||
9:00 am - 9:30 am | Chairperson's Welcome & Speed NetworkingCody Loveland, Founder & Owner | CBL Leadership Group Welcome to the Strategic Internal Communications- East Conference. In this fast-paced forum, you'll get to know your fellow peers, their biggest internal communications challenges, and a few fun facts. | |||
9:30 am - 10:05 am | Cutting Through the Noise: A Smarter Approach to Internal Communications EngagementMatt Goldberg, Corporate Communications Manager | Akamai Technologies A structured internal communications engagement model is essential for driving alignment and efficiency in today’s complex work environment. This session will explore how Akamai Technologies applies a strategic intake and prioritization process to ensure the right level of support—ranging from full partnership on key initiatives to advisory guidance and self-service enablement. Attendees will gain real-world insights into how this model reduces digital noise, streamlines workflows, and empowers teams through a structured request process and an IC Toolkit. Whether you're looking to refine your internal communications strategy or build a more scalable approach, this session will provide actionable takeaways to help optimize resources, enhance self-service capabilities, and maximize impact within your organization. | |||
10:05 am - 10:40 am | Bridging the Digital Divide: Transforming Internal Communications for the Deskless WorkforceTristan Cohen, VP Customer Success | Blink Emily DeVito, Communications Manager | CDTA Jaime Kazlo, Director of Corporate Communications | CDTA No email addresses for staff? Struggling to reach the frontline? This is an ongoing challenge in many organizations and industries with a deskless workforce — and posters, screen blasts, and seat drops don’t always do the trick. In this session, discover how Jaime Kazlo and Emily De Vito, internal communications leaders at CDTA, bridged the communications divide with their frontline workforce. From scoping and launching a new digital solution to driving adoption and optimizing usage, Jaime and Emily will walk you through their journey to unlock better engagement and more effective communication. What you’ll learn:
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10:40 am - 11:10 am | Morning Refreshments, Networking Break + Visit Your SponsorsEnjoy complimentary coffee, tea, and other refreshments as you network with your peers. Be sure to stop by and visit your sponsors and be sure to fill out your evaluation forms. | |||
11:10 am - 11:45 am | Making Your Intranet Impossible to Fail: The Story of Vitality HubTeresa Palase, Director of Communications | Pharmavite Pinaki Kathiari, CEO | Local Wisdom Many organizations dream of launching the perfect intranet – one that is engaging, widely adopted, and seamlessly woven into employees’ daily work. But here’s the reality: success isn’t about the technology alone. It’s about the groundwork, the leadership buy-in, and a strategy that puts people at the center. In this case study on culture, strategy, and smart execution, Teresa Palase and Pinaki Kathiari will take you behind the scenes of the Vitality Hub, an intranet that wasn’t just implemented, but embedded into the culture and workflow of an entire organization. But this wasn’t an overnight success story. The journey started at least three years earlier, with a deep commitment to research, strategic design, and a leadership team that truly walked the talk. This session will break down the process into four critical chapters:
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11:45 am - 12:00 pm | Internal Comms Tech Talks: Actionable Ideas in 15Brittany Du Bois, Content Marketing Manager | PlayPlay Video has become an indispensable medium for effective corporate communication, driving engagement, alignment, and connection across both internal teams and external stakeholders. But creating professional-quality videos in-house can feel overwhelming, especially when budgets and timelines are tight. The good news? AI is here to help. By integrating AI into your content creation workflows, you can create impactful corporate videos more efficiently, cost-effectively, and creatively than ever before. In this short session, you’ll learn how to:
AI won’t replace your role in corporate communications—but it can make you more effective than ever. Join us to discover how you can become the driving force behind scalable, resonant video content that elevates your organization's messaging both internally and externally! | |||
12:00 pm - 1:45 pm | Lunch On Your Own, But Not Alone—Reservations Are Booked!Reservations have been made at a number of local restaurants. **Everyone is financially responsible for their own lunch. | |||
1:45 pm - 2:15 pm | How AI + Human Intelligence Transform Social Media, Internal Comms & Employee EngagementCody Loveland, Founder & Owner | CBL Leadership Group | |||
2:15 pm - 2:50 pm | Voices that Drive Change: Leveraging Champions and Influencers to Personalize Enterprise MessagingMichelle Ross-McMillan, Sr. Consultant, Technology Innovation Analyst | Nationwide In this session, attendees will learn how to identify and activate internal champions and influencers to amplify enterprise messaging in a more authentic and engaging way. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, you’ll discover how to personalize communications, build trust across teams, and drive meaningful organizational change from the inside out. | |||
2:50 pm - 3:25 pm | How to Build a Culture That Builds ItselfLiz Bateson Edwards, Senior Communications and Engagement Specialist | Centreville Bank Danielle North, Vice President of Communications and Engagement | CentrevilleBank Liz Hogarth, Internal Communication & Engagement Consultant | Workvivo by Zoom | |||
3:25 pm - 4:00 pm | Sponsor Showcases: Tools You’ll Want in Your ToolkitTake advantage of this interactive break to connect with our sponsors and experience their products and services firsthand. Each sponsor will host live demos at their table—giving you the chance to explore innovative solutions, ask questions, and find the tools that best support your work. | |||
4:00 pm - 4:15 pm | Internal Comms Tech Talks: Actionable Ideas in 15Devin Owens, Communications Manager | Workshop If your team is spread across offices, time zones, or Slack threads, a well-crafted internal newsletter can be the secret sauce that ties everything together! In fact, this year, 98% of respondents to our 2025 Internal Communications Trends Report confirmed email as a core part of their comms strategy, with 84% ranking it as the most effective channel, too. And it makes sense why! Email works across all generations and locations globally. It connects employees on a personal level, keeps them informed, and is the foundation of any great comms strategy.…so that everyone receives the same clear, well-crafted message at a time that works for them. But, what content should you actually include in your internal newsletters to help keep employees informed and engaged? Devin will be tackling these questions (and more) with five of our favorite ways to engage employees via email! This session will cover:
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4:15 pm - 5:00 pm | Panel: Employee Engagement and Culture BuildingTovah Locke, Senior Director of Strategic Communication | Compass Group, USA Heather Neisworth, Internal Communications Lead | Salute Chandler Williams, Senior Communications Associate | Baylor College of Medicine Ali Martin Duncan, Director, Corporate Communications, Strategy and Operations | BMO Moderator: Cody Loveland, Founder and Owner | CBL Leadership Group A strong workplace culture and engaged employees are key drivers of organizational success. This panel will explore strategies for fostering a positive, inclusive, and purpose-driven workplace where employees feel valued and connected. Experts will discuss best practices for measuring and enhancing engagement, leveraging storytelling to inspire teams, and creating communication channels that encourage collaboration and feedback. Attendees will gain actionable insights on building a culture that boosts morale, retention, and productivity, ensuring employees remain motivated and aligned with company values. | |||
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm | Close Of Day 1—Join Us For A Networking Reception @ Venue BarDon't stop the conversation! Join us at the lobby bar as you network with your peers and sponsors in the adjacent at the #ALIcomms Participate in raffles & sign-up for dinner with your peers! | |||
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm | Dinner With A Group—Reservations Have Been MadeWant to keep the conversation going? Join a group of attendees for dinner at a local Boston hot spot. Sign-up at the registration desk or during the networking reception to join a group at tonight's dine-around. Reservations have been made. **Dutch treat. |
Speakers


Heather Neisworth
Internal Communications Lead | Salute


Lauren Sousa
Sr. Manager Internal Communications | Acushnet Company


Jeremy Woolf
VP of Internal Communications | FIRST


Liz Bateson Edwards
Senior Communications and Engagement Specialist | Centreville Bank


Danielle North
Vice President of Communications and Engagement | CentrevilleBank


Greg Artkop
Director of Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability | Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages


Tovah Locke
Senior Director of Strategic Communication | Compass Group, USA


Aisha Al Marzooqi
Acting VP – Corporate Communications & CSR | ADNOC Group


Eric Haman
Director, Global Corporate Communications | West Pharmaceutical Services


Liz Hogarth
Internal Communication & Engagement Consultant | Workvivo by Zoom


Tristan Cohen
VP Customer Success | Blink


Emily DeVito
Communications Manager | CDTA


Jaime Kazlo
Director of Corporate Communications | CDTA


Chandler Williams
Senior Communications Associate | Baylor College of Medicine


Teresa Palase
Director of Communications | Pharmavite


Matt Goldberg
Corporate Communications Manager | Akamai Technologies


Katie Macaulay
Managing Director | AB


Kelsey Buckholtz
Director of Communication Strategy | Local Wisdom


Gabriel Galdamez
Strategic Communications Consultant | Hola Gabriel


Lydia Ivy
Director, Internal Communications | College Track


Mallory O’Connor
Practice Lead, Culture and Transformation | Habanero Consulting Inc.


Michelle Ross-McMillan
Sr. Consultant, Technology Innovation Analyst | Nationwide
What People are Saying
Sponsors
ALI works with the best, so you can learn from the best. Our sponsors are industry leaders that are leading the way in communications.
There are a variety of sponsorship packages available and we are open to discussing a customized package that meets your needs.
Interested in becoming a Sponsor?
Introduce your brand, product, or services to key decision makers