Vice President of Communications for Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Marti Powers is vice president of Communications for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. She is responsible for leading communications strategy and planning for the business. Before joining Boeing, she was the external relations country manager at Shell Oil Company, where she oversaw the development and implementation of reputation strategies that supported the country and multiple lines of business license to operate objectives in the United States. Powers has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Midwestern State University and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Grand Canyon University.

Senior Director – Media Relations at Las Vegas Raiders

Will Kiss enters his 16th season with the Raiders and his 11th as head of the organization’s communications and public relations department. He served as the assistant director of public relations/media relations from 2008-12. Kiss oversees and facilitates the execution of the team’s media policy and overall communications strategy, while serving as the primary media contact for both football and business operations. He has managed communications efforts for six international games and has been invited by the NFL to serve on the league’s public relations staff for two Super Bowls and six Pro Bowls. He currently serves on the Media and Public Relations Committee for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

Former vice president of Corporate Communications & External Affairs at The Home Depot

Steve Holmes most recently served as vice president of Corporate Communications & External Affairs at The Home Depot. As the company’s chief communication officer, he led all external and internal communication, events management, and The Home Depot Foundation. His 30-year career includes 16 years at The Home Depot and nine years at UPS, giving him 25 years of hands-on Fortune 50 experience in all aspects of communication and community relations. In addition to communication and community affairs, his career spans across politics, agency and government affairs.

He is particularly experienced in developing corporate business narratives, strategic media relations, reputation management, and crisis readiness and response. In such, he is passionate about bringing calm to the room and ​authentic language to even the most complex and catastrophic situations.

Corporate Communications Manager at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi (TMMMS)

As corporate communications manager, Tiffannie is responsible for managing all press, media, and external communications including community engagement, local government and the Toyota Mississippi Experience Center operations and staff.

US Corporate Practice Chair & General Manager, Atlanta Southeast Market, Edelman

Radina Russell is a seasoned communications professional with 20+ years of expertise in financial, corporate communications, and ESG strategy. She chairs the U.S. Corporate Practice and leads the Atlanta Southeast market at Edelman. Radina has a strong track record in advising on major capital markets transactions and offers strategic counsel on executive visibility, reputation, and crisis management. She's a staunch advocate for DEI and ESG, co-founding the Board Diversity Action Alliance in 2020. Radina has received accolades, including recognition as one of the 25 Influential Black Women in Business in 2021. She holds degrees from UNC Chapel Hill and Columbia Business School and actively contributes to nonprofit organizations and boards.

Executive Communications Director at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Elizabeth Whittington, MBA, APR, is the Executive Communications Director at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Formerly, she led the Digital Media team, earning the 2020 Silver Anvil Award for a rare disease gene therapy campaign. Her career began as a journalist at CURE magazine, where she later spearheaded their digital strategy, receiving accolades, including the 2010 FOLIO: award. Elizabeth also holds a Medicine in the Media fellowship from the National Institutes of Health. She is a mentor, National Association of Science Writers member, and serves on the board of the PRSA Memphis Chapter.

Senior Vice President of Marketing at CSPIRE

Jennifer Smodish Anderson is a seasoned digital marketing professional with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in brand management, SEO/SEM, social media, marketing automation, content strategy, and digital experience development. Anderson holds a B.A. in Journalism from Pepperdine University, an MBA from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and an M.J. in Online Journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.

Throughout her career, she has held key roles at prominent organizations such as the New York Times Company's Regional Media Group and the Bonnier Corporation, where she served in various communication positions. She later worked as the Executive Director of Digital Marketing and Social Media Engagement at the Sealed Air Corporation. Currently, Jennifer is the Senior Vice President of Marketing at CSPIRE.

Associate professor in the department of advertising/public relations / director of research for the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication in the Bellisario College of Communications at The Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Holly Overton is an associate professor in the department of advertising/public relations and the director of research for the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication in the Bellisario College of Communications at The Pennsylvania State University. She is also an affiliate with the Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence at Penn State. Before joining the faculty in the Bellisario College, Dr. Overton held a tenured position as an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina and a tenure-track position in the department of communication/journalism at Shippensburg University. She brings more than five years of practical experience to her teaching, including positions in corporate marketing, higher education, and the nonprofit sector.

Professor in the Department of Public Relations and Director of Internal Communication Research at the University of Florida

Dr. Linjuan Rita Men, a distinguished expert in communication, is a Professor at the University of Florida, specializing in internal and corporate communication. She has authored over 90 articles, co-authored four books, and received numerous awards for her contributions to the field. Dr. Men's expertise includes communication technology, leadership communication, and international communication. She's also an accredited PR professional with extensive consulting experience for global organizations.