About the Event

Agenda

Policies

Living in Parallel Worlds

Your first meeting of the day is about an existential crisis. Your second is about an opportunity that could lift up an entire community. You’re tasked with building strong personal connections while also using digital as your primary communication channel. The coming elections have you thinking about your audiences and how they see and experience the world in dramatically different ways.

Society talks a lot about polarization, but as senior communicators, we’re really living in parallel worlds. Heartbreaking tragedy and uplifting joy. Analog and digital. Liberal and Conservative. Global and local. Agency and Corporate. We are tasked with moving seamlessly between them and, at times, serving as a bridge. It’s the constant challenge and the source of tremendous satisfaction. It requires perspective, empathy, balance, and no shortage of patience. We need to constantly update and refresh our skills and resources to live in these worlds.

Join us in Boston from October 23-25 for the Page Up Annual Conference, where we will talk about all of these worlds we live in. Through connection and conversation, we’ll help each other find success for our brands and each other.

Registration Fee

The registration fee breakdown is tiered based on your membership type and how you will be joining us.

  • Corporate, Agency, Executive Search: $2,150
  • NGO, Retiree: $1,570
  • Educator: $1,040

All events will be held in the Salon ABCDEF Ballroom unless otherwise noted.

Registration

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

@ Harbor View Ballroom Foyer

Networking Reception & Dinner

6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

@ Harbor View Ballroom

Registration

7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

@ Foyer

Breakfast

7:45 – 9:00 a.m.

@ Palm Garden

New Member Breakfast

7:45 – 9:00 a.m.

@ Quincy

Welcome and Opening Interaction

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.

Hillary Goodman2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Managing Director, Gagen MacDonald, an APCO company
Ken Peters2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Head of Brand and Communications, NA, Philips
Eliot MizrachiVice President, Strategy & Content, Page

Engaging with Page Up

9:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Umayma AbubakarDeputy Chief Communications Officer Group Communications, Mubadala

GenAI Revolution: Strategy Meets AI

10:00 – 10:40 a.m.

This panel dives deep into how GenAI is reshaping the landscape of strategic communication, offering far more than just productivity boosts. We'll explore how integrating AI-driven insights can transform strategy creation, create sustainable competitive advantages, and make impact measurement faster and more accessible.

Key questions include:

  • What are the essentials for embedding AI into a communication strategy?
  • How can AI turn insights into tangible impact?
  • How does AI refine messaging, channel selection, audience targeting, and relationship-building?
  • Can AI truly enable teams to execute strategy more effectively?
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Joao BeloSenior Vice President and Head, Global Communications, Global Corporate Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company
Dan GaynorCo-Founder and Head, Signal AI x Kelp
April YueAssistant Professor, Boston University
Ethan McCartyCEO, Integral

Networking Break

10:40 – 11:10 a.m.

@ Foyer

Avoiding the Inertia Trap

11:10 – 11:50 a.m.

Amid polarization, senior communicators confront significant challenges building and maintaining momentum. It can seem daunting to say – or do – anything, when any statement can be hyper-magnified, even politicized. As a result, key decision makers can find themselves paralyzed by fear of misstep. Executives need to feel confident in their communications and senior communications professionals hold the keys. A discussion on how to earn and uphold trust, this panel will provide strategies to help decision-makers overcome their fears, take action, and avoid the inertia trap.

Nicole PortwoodCMO, Salad and Go
Matthew LloydFormer VP of Communications iRobot, Adjunct Professor, Boston University School of Communications
Ilene SerpaVice President of Communications, Bright Horizons Family Solutions
Victoria RenwickPartner & Chief Client Services Officer, 360PR+

Networking Lunch

11:50 – 12:50 p.m.

@ Palm Garden

How GenAI, Creators, and Gen Z Are Impacting the Comms-Media Relationship

12:50 – 1:30 p.m.

GenAI, creators focusing on news, and Gen Z’s news habits are combining to creative massive change in the news media industry. This panel will take a look at what changes we need to make in media strategy development and how we develop effective relationships with news media influencers. Key questions include the following:

  • What is news media? The shifting definition of “news” from an audience perspective and how news-oriented creators and GenAI may accelerate that shift.
  • What is the impact on professional journalism, creator news influencers, and how we build relationships with them?
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Mosheh O.Founder, Mo Digital & Mo News
Will GockProduct & Lifestyle Communications, Volkswagen Group of America
Julia HoodExecutive Editor, Strategic Initiatives and Special Projects - and editor of CMO Insider, Business Insider
Dervilla MullanChief Product Officer, NewsWhip
Ken Peters2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Head of Brand and Communications, NA, Philips

The Agency Model: Are These Parallel Worlds Working for Anyone?

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

The current model of agency support for corporate communications initiatives is under stress. On the one hand, corporations continue to rely on agencies for unique expertise and strategy – not to mention arms and legs to get things done in an era of ever smaller internal teams. Agencies continue to grow and create remarkable career opportunities for communications professionals. On the other hand, many corporations question the value they’re getting from their agency partners. Budgets remain under pressure. All of which puts the professionals working in agencies under more pressure than ever.  Meanwhile, the specter of AI looms to potentially

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Gary ShefferFounder and President, Spokesman Communications, Boston University
Anne de SchweinitzHead, Global Corporate Brand and Content, Takeda
Bradley AkubiroPartner, Bully Pulpit International

The Global CCO Perspective: what it takes to go from regional to global

2:30 – 3:10 p.m.

The objective of this panel is to share one CCO’s perspective on how the role of the CCO has changed, the challenges in decision-making as we evolve into a global organization, and how to navigate the dealings with multiple stakeholders from ministers to heads of state. The panel will also address how a CCO defines their company’s communication strategy, who to partner with, and the complexities of working with East and West.

Brian LottChief Communications Officer, Mubadala
Umayma AbubakaDeputy Chief Communications Officer Group Communications, Mubadala

Networking Break

3:10 – 3:40 p.m.

@ Foyer

More than words: Communicating about ESG in parallel worlds

3:40 – 4:30 p.m.

ESG has become a four-letter word for many in our society. This despite broad consensus that sustainability, the social impact of corporations and effective governance are each valued to varying degrees.  This panel will explore the current state of communications around ESG.  We’ll introduce new Page Research into the topic and explore the perspective of thought leaders on all sides of the issues.  Questions we will explore include:

  • If the components of ESG are all valuable, why is the sum less than the individual parts?
  • How should communicators talk about ESG in 2025 and
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Michael MaslanskyCEO, Maslansky & Partners
Jim HuntExecutive Vice President, Corporate Relations & Sustainability, Eversource Energy
Jennifer RyanVP, Strategic Communications and PR at Northwestern Mutual

Building Connection and Trust in a Hybrid World

4:30 - 5:20 p.m.

We're in the age in which one third of Americans work flexibly, hybrid or remotely and where one third of all workers are on their way to becoming freelance or independent contractors. When you add in the arrival of the digital co-worker and AI assistant, the human language communication model in a large language model world needs to be pretty different. Here to explain what the workplace communications landscape looks and what’s we need to plan for on the horizon is the award-winning writer and broadcast Julia Hobsbawm OBE, author of bestselling books about how we live and working including

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Julia Hobsbawm OBEAward-winning Writer, Podcaster, and Speaker about the Past, Present, and Future of Work
Hillary Goodman2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Managing Director, Gagen MacDonald, an APCO company

Closing/Adjourn for the Day

5:20 – 5:25 p.m.

Hillary Goodman2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Managing Director, Gagen MacDonald, an APCO company
Ken Peters2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Head of Brand and Communications, NA, Philips

Networking Reception

6:30 – 7:00 p.m.

@ ChartHouse

Networking Dinner

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

@ ChartHouse

Networking Breakfast

8:00 – 8:45 a.m.

@ Palm Garden

Opening Remarks and Interaction

8:45 – 9:00 a.m.

Hillary Goodman2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Managing Director, Gagen MacDonald, an APCO company
Ken Peters2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Head of Brand and Communications, NA, Philips

Rethinking Age Diversity in the Workforce

9:00 – 9:40 a.m.

Unsurprisingly, a lack of diversity in the workforce results in a lack of diverse consumer products. But when we think about diversity, do we include age as a factor? For the first time, five generations are part of the workforce. However, from creative agencies to non-profits to for-profits, the representation of older workers still needs to be improved. Outdated and negative stereotypes – not to mention blatant ageism and age discrimination in hiring – are pervasive. What do we need to know as communicators about the transformative impact of an age-friendly workforce on our ability to deliver effective consumer products

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Carly RoszkowskiVice President of Workforce Initiatives and Programming, AARP
Karina HertzInterim Vice President, Communications, AARP
Christina Matz, PhDChair, Older Adults & Families Department Director, Center on Aging & Work, Boston College

Innovation Award

9:40 – 10:00 a.m.

Networking Break

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.

@ Foyer

College Campuses Under a Microscope

10:30 – 11:10 a.m.

College campuses are often microcosms of society at large, with students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences coming together in one place. And, while social issues have slowly burned on campuses for decades, no one could have predicted that the recent uprisings would ignite a global crisis. Join us for a conversation about the important role strategic communications and leadership have in managing through the complexity.

Devry Boughner VorwerkGlobal CEO + Founder, DevryBV Sustainable Strategies
Frank LowensteinExecutive Director, Public Affairs, APCO

The U.S. Election: Impacts, Outcomes, and What it Means for Communicators

11:10 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.

In the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. Presidential election, the global spotlight is once again on the political landscape in America. This panel, moderated by Jason McGrath, Executive Vice President at Ipsos, will dive into the latest developments, key players, and potential outcomes of the election. With an emphasis on the impact for communicators, the discussion will explore how campaigns and post-election dynamics affect both public discourse and the broader communications industry.
 
Our panel brings a wealth of experience from the heart of Washington. It includes Former Congressman Toby Moffett, who served four terms representing
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Sara FagenCo-Founder and CEO, Tunnl
Toby MoffettPartner, Mercury Public Affairs
Jim HockManaging Director, External Affairs, PSP Partners
Jason McGrathEVP, Head of US Corporate Reputation, Ipsos

Closing Remarks

12:25 – 12:30 p.m.

Hillary Goodman2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Managing Director, Gagen MacDonald, an APCO company
Ken Peters2024 Page Up Annual Conference Chair, Head of Brand and Communications, NA, Philips

Networking Lunch

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

@ Palm Garden

Membership Solicitation Policy

As an exclusive community that enables members to learn from each other and further the profession , our aim is to foster an open environment in which all are comfortable to participate and share insights and experiences. While making business connections is an important benefit of Page and Page Up membership, members should generally not engage in unsolicited pitching of products and services to other Page and Page Up members. We trust you to use your discretion.

Cancellation Policy

Our policy is to refund 50% of the conference fee if canceled 31 days in advance of the scheduled start of the event. There will be no refunds, in whole or in part, for cancellations received within 30 days of the event. Registration fees are non-transferable. Cancellation for COVID-related reasons will be eligible for full refunds. All other cancellations will follow our standard cancellation policy.

COVID-19 Policy

Page continues to review and revise this policy based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and local jurisdiction guidance on COVID-19. Requirements will be updated accordingly.

Based on current guidance, the following rules now apply to participants at in-person Page meetings and conferences (attendees, speakers, staff and vendors):

  • Participants are required to follow all government requirements, including local, state and/or national requirements where the event is held.
  • It is recommended that participants are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, as outlined by the CDC or local jurisdiction, if the event is outside the U.S.

In addition, participants are asked to avoid participation if:

  • They have tested positive for COVID-19 and have not yet completed a CDC-recommended isolation period, or the equivalent as outlined by the local jurisdiction if outside the U.S.; or
  • They have COVID-19 symptoms.

If you have been exposed to COVID-19, please test to ensure you are not infected before your participation.