Breakout #1
Is it Newsworthy? Do we Need a Formal Statement?
Claire Koenig, Visit Milwaukee
Elizabeth Clausen, Executive Director Inc.
Jessica Laszewski, WMTV-TV
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
10:10am - 11:10am
This session will provide attendees insights from directors across the association space and answer the following questions:
- How do we determine what's newsworthy in our organizations?
- What's the vetting process to decide what's press worthy?
- What makes a good story to pitch to media?
- How have organizations modified their press relations in recent years?
- When should an association issue a formal statement vs when should they stay quiet on an issue?
Elizabeth Clausen, Executive Director, Inc.
Director of Communications and Membership, International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Elizabeth Clausen is Director of Communications and Membership for the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) at Executive Director, Inc. in Milwaukee. In her role, she provides oversight for MDS's publications and websites, media and public relations, activity-related promotion and audience generation, branding and design, corporate communications standards and the like, to consistently articulate the Society’s mission and key messaging. She also serves as the key communications and membership partner on a variety of strategic initiatives aimed at effectively articulating MDS scientific leadership in the field and providing educational offerings and other resources to key audiences, including membership, general public, potential donors, and collaborators.
Liz graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelors in Communications and Public Relations. She currently serves as a member of the WSAE Communications Committee and is a long-time volunteer for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Wisconsin. In her free time, she enjoys biking, live music, and the Milwaukee food scene with her husband, family, and friends.
Claire Koenig, Visit Milwaukee
Vice President of Communications and Advocacy
Claire Koenig is vice president of communications and advocacy, where she has worked to promote Milwaukee as the best leisure and meetings destination in the country since 2017. In her role, Claire oversees a team of communications, community engagement and government affairs professionals who work every day to elevate the city’s reputation and drive visitors to Milwaukee. In 2021, she was awarded the Rising Star award from the Wisconsin Governor’s Council on Tourism and in 2022 she was recognized as a PR Woman of the Year by PR News. In 2024, the Milwaukee Business Journal named her one of its 40 under 40 professionals. An active member of the PR and tourism industries, she is a proud member of PRSA’s Travel & Tourism Executive Committee, co-chairs Destinations International’s Public Relations Committee and serves on the boards of the Milwaukee Press Club, Pabst Mansion and Imagine MKE. Prior to her work in tourism, Claire worked as a magazine journalist. She’s a proud Mizzou Tiger and mom of two.
Jessica Laszewski, WMTV 15 News
News Director
Jessica Laszewski is currently News Director of WMTV 15 News, a Gray Media station in Madison, Wisconsin. Since Oct. 2017, she’s transformed the newsroom to become a digital first and award-winning news operation. Recent honors include the coveted Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for “Overall Excellence” in 2024 and 2022.
Jess currently serves on the board of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council and on the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. She is also an active member of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association– serving as chair of its Conference Planning Committee since Nov. 2022.
She is a proud graduate of UW-Madison and holds BAs in Journalism and English.
She is also an alum of the Carole Kneeland Project of Responsible Journalism, the Walker Broadcast Management Institute, Poynter’s Leadership Academy, and the 2023 NAB’s Broadcast Leadership Training, a 10-month, MBA-style program for broadcast executives.
Connect with Jessica:
LinkedIn
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15 WMTV
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