Session Five – Topic: Communications
9 AM - 2 PM
Friday, May 17, 2024
Location:
League of Arizona Cities and Towns
1820 West Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007
** You can park in any of our building’s parking spots.
Light breakfast will be provided (coffee, pastries, etc.) as well as lunch.
Agenda
9 – 9:30 AM | Networking & Breakfast
9:30 – 11:30 AM | Communicating Effectively in Today’s Complicated Environment
Today’s communication environment is filled with challenges. Residents, elected officials, the media and the world at large have the ability to send information requests 24/7 and expect immediate responses. How do we manage to provide clear messaging, whether in formal meetings or in general? In this session, former City of Phoenix executive and communication professional Deborah Ostreicher will share some tips that you can use immediately to communicate effectively in a variety of situations. Please come prepared with questions and topics you’d like to cover, as there will be plenty of interactive discussion.
Speaker:
Deborah Ostreicher, Owner, Distinguished Communications
Deborah Ostreicher – Bio
Deborah Ostreicher created Distinguished Communications because she is passionate about communication and believes it is a cornerstone of success in any field. Helping individuals and teams to develop and present clear messages with confidence is what Deborah finds most rewarding about her work. She has spent a lifetime performing in theatre and over 30 years in leadership positions around the globe, including as Marketing Director for a multi-national hi-tech company in Central Europe, and as Events Manager for King Charles III in the U.K., Chief of Staff to the Phoenix mayor, Communications Director for the City of Phoenix and her last position as Assistant Director of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. She credits her success largely to her ability to communicate effectively and now teaches individuals and teams to do the same. Her book, entitled Enter, Enlighten, and Exit is a simple guide to making clear, concise, and compelling presentations. She earned her undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Maryland, College Park; her MBA in International Business at the American University, Washington, D.C. and her certificate in Leadership Communications from Harvard University, Cambridge.
Presentation:
Presentation
Documents:
Agenda
Questions Tips
11:30 AM to 12:30 PM | Lunch
12:30 – 2 PM | When the Next Crisis Hits
As a leader in local government, you may not have much control over situations that arise in your city. What you can control is the message and how you manage communications during a crisis. Use the tips and strategies from this session to further develop your mindset to be trustworthy, empathetic and clear during any type of emergency situation. We’ll tackle some real-life issues you could come across – from officer-involved shootings to NIMBY outcries on social media – and put your crisis communications skills to the test!
Speakers:
Marnie Schubert, CEO, Worthy Communication
Pier Simeri, Marketing & Public Relations Director, Avondale
Marnie Schubert – Bio
Marnie Schubert is the CEO of Worthy Communication, based in Gilbert, Arizona. She has nearly 30 years of experience leading communication efforts for public and private sector organizations.
Most recently serving as Community Services Director for the Town of Queen Creek, Arizona she was responsible for a wide range of communication, recreation, volunteer and tourism programs, special events and activities. She has also served as Director of Communications for the community of Celebration, Florida, recognized as “the town that Disney built,” as well as the Product Marketing Manager for Florida Today/USA Today.
In 2013, Marnie represented the State of Arizona in the Incident Command Center for the Yarnell Hill Fire/Granite Mountain Hotshot Memorials, focusing on media and community communications surrounding shelters for the displaced and memorials for the fallen firefighters.
She has earned numerous awards from the City-County Communications & Marketing Association (3CMA), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), American Planning Association (APA), and others, including the 2019 Communications Team of the Year from PRSA Phoenix. Marnie also served as President of 3CMA in 2022.
She earned her MBA from Benedictine University and has a Bachelor’s degree in radio/television from the University of Central Florida.
Pier Simeri – Bio
Pier Simeri is Marketing & Public Relations Director for the City of Avondale, AZ, where she has worked for the past 24 years. Her department assists city departments in developing marketing materials and public outreach campaigns, as well as shapes a comprehensive image of the City brand through the media and special community events and activities. She also oversees communications initiatives for the City, serving as the official city spokesperson and providing strategic advice to leadership and elected officials for crises communications.
In 2008, Pier played a key role in implementing and marketing Avondale’s Green Friday concept, which led the city to becoming the first in the Phoenix-Metropolitan area to adopt an innovative four-day work week program. She also led the city’s successful 2014 rebranding initiative.
Prior to her career in state and local government, Pier spent ten years as an award-winning journalist in Arizona and in her native Singapore, where she started as a reporter for The Straits Times. She also worked for the Arizona Department of Health Services as Public Information Officer and interim director for communications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (Hons.) in English/Linguistics from the National University of Singapore, and is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Certified Management Program (CPM); Leadership West Class 9, and the Hispanic Leadership Institute.
Presentations:
Presentation
2 PM | Session Concludes