Free virtual event
Navigate Your CompassMastering Employee Communication Through Change
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hours
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About this event
Change has been the defining force of 2025. Not minor tweaks, but sweeping transformations.
All this change isn’t just new for employees though, it’s new for you too. Internal communicators are operating in a completely different landscape. Expectations are evolving. Employees are more vocal, more distributed, and more discerning. And the workplace itself—our rhythms, norms, and dynamics—is being rewritten in real time.
This event is your opportunity to pause, reset, and recalibrate your compass. You’ll learn how to meet rising expectations, bring clarity to uncertainty, and help your people feel anchored through the noise of change.
Join us at CommConnect to uncover how to reset your strategy, support your people, and steer your comms in the right direction.
What you’ll learn:
Actionable strategies to support employees through change while building a stronger employee experience
How to use storytelling to align teams and bring your change vision to life
The role of transparent leadership in earning trust and driving long-term alignment
Ways to leverage AI to personalize communication and enhance engagement
Creative, culture-boosting tactics to energize hybrid and dispersed teams
Get to know our experts
100+ years of experience instead of 25+ years
Diane Schwartz
CEO
Ragan Communications
Diane Schwartz is the Chief Executive Officer of Ragan Communications, the leading training and networking community for communicators worldwide. As the first female CEO in the company’s nearly 60-year history, she has led the organization to unparalleled growth for five consecutive years.
With a 30-year career in media and communications, Diane has launched over 100 conferences, training programs, and subscription products. She joined Ragan in 2019 after two decades at Access Intelligence, where she was SVP of the media communications division.
A former journalist, Diane is a frequent guest lecturer and serves on the board of the Institute for Public Relations. She and her team help leaders drive reputation, engage employees, and forge enduring brands through Ragan’s industry-leading brands and tentpole events.
Gab Ferree
Comms BFF
Off the Record
Gab Ferree, founder of Off the Record, is a communications executive, mentor, and mom dedicated to helping comms professionals lead with confidence. With over 15 years of experience, including senior roles at Bumble, Slack, and Salesforce, she has led global teams, built major brands, and guided companies through high-stakes moments.
Most recently, Gab was VP of Global Comms at Bumble, where she led a highly praised response to a major brand backlash. Today, she runs Off the Record, a private membership community providing comms pros with coaching, strategy, and a supportive space to grow. Known for her ability to stay calm in a crisis, Gab is the person you want in the room when the pressure is on.
Jenni Field
Founder & CEO
Redefining Comms
Jenni Field is an expert in leadership credibility and internal communication. After 13 years in senior in-house roles, she founded her consultancy, Redefining Communications, to help organizations move from chaos to calm. She works with leaders and teams to improve their communication and credibility, positively impacting the workplace.
Jenni is the author of two books, Nobody Believes You: Become a Leader People Will Follow and Influential Internal Communication. She also co-hosts Frequency, a weekly podcast exploring internal comms, leadership, and employee experience.
In 2020, Jenni served as President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. She is an inspiring speaker, a recognized leader in the field, and a globally respected voice for change in how organizations communicate.
Advita Patel
CEO & Communications and Inclusion Strategist
Comms Rebel
Advita is the founder of Comms Rebel, a consultancy specializing in internal communication and employee experience. She is also the current President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
As a qualified coach and experienced communications professional, Advita helps organizations build confident workforces where colleagues can reach their full potential. She is also the co-founder of both A Leader Like Me and the Asian Communications Network, and co-hosts the Amplifying Diverse Voices podcast.
A sought-after international speaker, podcaster, and coach, Advita shares her expertise on topics including change management, inclusion, and confidence. She co-authored the award-winning bestseller Building a Culture of Inclusivity in 2023 and is a Chartered PR professional and Fellow of the CIPR.
Pinaki Kathiari
CEO
Local Wisdom
Pinaki Kathiari is the CEO of Local Wisdom, a leader in digital communications, and Co-Founder of Resource Hero. With two decades of experience working with Fortune companies and startups, Pinaki has mastered audience awareness and employee engagement to boost brand reputation, sales, and productivity.
At Local Wisdom, he helps clients focus on strategic leadership by managing the tactical aspects of their communication strategies. At Resource Hero, he created and launched a 5-star-rated Salesforce SaaS product that helps managers optimize their team’s workloads.
As an international speaker and co-host of the podcast “Why Does It Feel So Wrong To Be Human At Work?”, Pinaki shares his expertise on communications. He is also a Business Mentor for WOMEN Unlimited and serves as Vice President of Professional Development on the board of the IABC New York Tristate Area Chapter.
Priya Bates
President & Owner
Inner Strength Communication
Priya Bates is a globally respected internal communication strategist and inclusion advocate with over 30 years of experience. She helps leaders harness internal communication to drive alignment and engagement through her company, Inner Strength Communication Inc.
As co-founder of A Leader Like Me, she helps organizations build inclusive cultures, co-authoring the book Building a Culture of Inclusivity. A Master Communicator and IABC Fellow, Priya is known for bridging strategy and storytelling to create thriving workplaces. She believes that when employees are informed, included, and inspired, organizations don’t just perform—they thrive.
Priya is passionate about building success from the inside out and is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of internal communication leaders.
Daniel Méndez Aróstica
Founder
#CommsJobs
Daniel Méndez Aróstica is a corporate communications leader with 17+ years of experience helping large global companies engage their people, humanize transformation, and communicate with clarity during times of change. Originally from Chile and now based in the U.S., Daniel has led internal, external, and executive comms in diverse industries from mining to oil & gas and healthcare.
He is the founder of #CommsJobs, a fast-growing global community for communicators navigating career changes, networking, and growth, with over 18,000 followers on LinkedIn. Known for a real, warm, and engaging style with a touch of wit, Daniel delivers insights that make people feel seen and provides them with practical tools they can actually use, both on stage and on screen.
Louise Thompson
Comms Leadership Coach
LT Leadership Coaching
Louise Thompson is a leadership coach and former Corporate Communications Director with over 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors in the UK and US.
As a trained ILM coach, she works with senior communications professionals globally to boost their confidence and increase their impact as organizational leaders. Louise has served at the board level within the NHS and advised on large-scale change programs and national communications campaigns as communications lead to the Chief Nursing Officer for England.
With a diploma in Executive Healthcare Leadership from the NHS Leadership Academy, Louise combines her extensive corporate experience with a deep understanding of leadership to help communications professionals transform their impact.
Mike Klein
Founder
#WeLeadComms
Mike Klein is a communications consultant and strategist with over 25 years of experience, specializing in helping leaders sharpen their messaging and increase effectiveness. As the founder of Changing the Terms, he helps organizations improve communication by challenging traditional methods and creating simpler, data-based solutions.
With an MBA from London Business School, Mike works with clients across Europe and North America. He is the founder of the #WeLeadComms recognition program and has been honored as a Fellow by the IABC, the Institute of Internal Communication, and the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence. Based in Reykjavik, Iceland, he also develops public and company-specific courses to empower communication leaders.
Jay Schwedelson
Founder & President
SubjectLine.com
Jay Schwedelson has built businesses that have generated over $400 million in revenue by challenging conventional marketing “best practices.”
He is the founder of SubjectLine.com, the world’s #1 free subject line rating tool, and the CEO of Outcome Media, which executes over 40,000 marketing campaigns annually for major brands. He also launched GURU Media Hub, home to the world’s largest virtual marketing events, attracting over 50,000 attendees each year. His podcast, “Do This, Not That: For Marketers,” is the #1 marketing podcast in the U.S.
A tireless advocate for bold, research-backed marketing, Jay is an adjunct professor at the University of Florida, his alma mater, where he was also inducted into the College of Journalism and Communications Hall of Fame. He has keynoted over 300 major industry events, helping marketers embrace what actually works.
An agenda like no other
12:00–12:15 PM
Welcome
Scott Pielsticker, CEO of ContactMonkey
Brenton Robinson, Communications Advisor at ContactMonkey
Cristina Huré, Communications & Content Manager at ContactMonkey
12:15–12:55 PM
KEYNOTE
Balancing the 3 S’s Through Change: Strategy, Stakeholders, and Self
Louise Thompson, Comms Leadership Coach at LT Leadership Coaching
1:00–1:40 PM
EXPERT INSIGHTS
How to Motivate Leaders to be More Effective Communicators During Change
Advita Patel, CEO & Communications and Inclusion Strategist at CommsRebel
Jenni Field, Founder & CEO of Redefining Comms
1:40–2:20 PM
PANEL DISCUSSION
The Future of Comms Jobs
Pinaki Kathiari, CEO of Local Wisdom
Mike Klein, Founder of #WeLeadComms
Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan Communications
Daniel Méndez Aróstica, Founder of #CommsJobs
2:30–3:10 PM
SECRET SESSION
The Ultimate AI + Internal Comms Guide: 5 Tips to Level Up
Gab Ferree, Comms BFF at Off the Record
3:10–3:30 PM
Unlocking Outcomes for Your IC Strategy
Faraz Ahmed, Communications Consultant at ContactMonkey
3:40–4:15 PM
NEWSLETTER ROAST
You’ve Got Mail (and we’re roasting it!)
Jay Schwedelson, Founder & President of SubjectLine.com
Panelists
4:15–4:55 PM
FIRESIDE CHAT
Navigating with Your Inner Compass: Use Insight and Reflection to Guide Your Own Growth as a Communication Professional
Pinaki Kathiari, CEO of Local Wisdom
Priya Bates, President & Owner of Inner Strength Communication
4:55–5:00 PM
Prizes and Goodbye
Brenton Robinson, Communications Advisor at ContactMonkey
Cristina Huré, Communications & Content Manager at ContactMonkey
@ 2025 ContactMonkey Inc.