It's no secret - internal communications are important within any firm. And thankfully, communicating internally has evolved over time and connecting with your workplace has become intuitive and yet, at times, complex. How do you increase employee engagement, align workplace culture, and foster open communications within your firm? Having an internal communications strategy in the first place will create a more connected workplace for you and those in your firm. In this program, you will learn about best practices for employee communications, identify obstacles to internal communication and ways to overcome them, how to create buy-in across your firm, and what are the best tools and technology to support your overall internal communications strategy.

Schedule for this event:
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. - Networking and registration
8:30 a.m. - Program/panel start time
9:30 a.m. - Program/panel end time

Who Should Attend:
Marketing Director
Marketing Manager
Marketing Staff
Communications Coordinator
HR Director
HR Manager
HR Coordinator

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn more about best practices for communicating to your employees.
2. Identify the biggest obstacles to internal communications and ways to overcome them.
3. Bridge the gap between internal communications, marketing, and human resources.
4. Create buy-in at an executive level for effective internal communications with an integrated approach.
5. Identify tools and technology to support internal communications and engage employees.

SMPS Domains of Practice (for CPSM)
6 - Information, Resource, and Organizational Management

About the Panelists

Justin Wolf, Internal Communications Manager at DLR Group
Justin Wolf is the Internal Communications Manager at DLR Group, a 100% employee-owned AE firm with 1,200 design professionals serving clients from 30 global locations. Justin’s varied professional background includes writing, editing, academic research, brand consulting, media relations, PR, and knowledge management, both within the AE industry and others. As the Internal Communications lead for one of the largest integrated design firms in the world, Justin is tasked with continually scaling up DLR Group’s knowledge base via its expansive intranet, which acts as the firm’s virtual HQ, liaising with more than a dozen in-house market sector and discipline leaders to ensure unified messaging and brand continuity, and working with executive leadership to orchestrate change management and operational improvement solutions firmwide. 

Stefnee Trzpuc, CID, EDAC, LEED AP, Principal, Design Research + Knowledge Management Specialist at BWBR
Stefnee holds a unique blend of passions for creative problem solving, user engagement, research, technology, and knowledge management. With a personal philosophy of “fail often, fail forward,” she is an enthusiast for constant transformation, communication, and operational improvement while venturing down paths not yet paved. Stefnee is drawn to complex problems and seeks comprehensive and creative solutions while orchestrating change within the pillars of people, process, technology, and governance. In Stefnee’s 18 years at BWBR, her favorite thing about work is making connections where there were none and finding new ways to bring value to the work they do and clients they serve.

Anne Josten, Senior Internal Communications Specialist at Medtronic
Anne Josten is a Senior Internal Communications Specialist at Medtronic. In her role, she supports the Global Legal, Compliance, and Government Affairs department. Before joining Medtronic, she worked in the Twin Cities nonprofit community in fundraising, marketing, communications, and volunteer management. Anne is passionate about creating connections between people and using creativity and storytelling to strengthen their relationship to their work, colleagues, and community.

Erin Sheppard, HR Generalist at Bio-Techne
Erin Sheppard is an HR Generalist at Bio-Techne. She has a passion for improving the employee experience through better communication strategies, both in written and verbal interactions. Prior to her role at Bio-Techne, she drove internal communications efforts at Mall of America as the HR Programs Manager.