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In a world where communication budgets are shrinking and impact expectations are rising, the development sector can no longer afford to see communication as “soft power.” This session will explore how ROI-based communication—a framework rooted in measurable outcomes, behavioral insights, and data-driven storytelling—can transform the way we approach visibility and advocacy in public health programs.  Drawing on real-world experiences from projects implemented across the globe with global health partners, governments and donors, I will share how strategic communication plans have directly influenced funding outcomes, partner engagement, and community trust. Participants will learn innovative and cost-effective ways to measure the impact of communication—from digital analytics to qualitative behavior tracking—and how to integrate these insights into program design from day one.  This interactive session is designed for communication professionals working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who want to move from awareness-based to impact-driven communication. Expect practical tools, relatable case studies, and frameworks you can apply immediately to prove that good communication doesn’t just tell stories—it drives results. Speaker: Areej Javed Areej brings over ten years of professional experience, having worked with a diverse range of organizations including Jhpiego Pakistan, PepsiCo International and United Nations, and others, across public health, development, research, and corporate sectors.  Areej’s expertise spans strategic communications, advocacy, knowledge management, business development, and visibility for large-scale development and corporate programs. Her work focuses on translating complex technical and programmatic initiatives into clear, accurate, and human-centered narratives through high-quality content, storytelling, campaigns, strategic partnerships and knowledge products.  Read more

Couldn’t attend IABC World Conference or missed a must-see session? We’ve got you covered. Our Session Takeaways are speaker-created summaries packed with key points, standout ideas, and actionable takeaways from each breakout session. Whether you were there and want a refresher—or couldn’t make it this year—these documents help you tap into the insights and strategies shared at the event. Read more

Everyone wants to be sold to, with Ron Ben-Joseph  Thursday 28 May 2026 | Noon Eastern | Virtual Conventional wisdom says no one wants to be sold to. Ron Ben-Joseph respectfully disagrees. People eagerly welcome solutions that address their specific needs—they just don’t want to feel like generic targets. This session flips the script on sales, transforming it from a pushy monologue into a collaborative discovery process. Ron is the founder of Artful Speaking™ and Artful Sales™, blending 25+ years of performance, teaching, and sales coaching to help mission-driven professionals sell with story-centred integrity. He has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and organizations, including Adobe, Medtronic, and 1871 Chicago, and has taught at Northwestern, DePaul, and Front Range Community College. In this session, you’ll learn how to:​ Develop deep listening skills to understand your prospects’ actual challenges. Ask insightful questions that help clients articulate needs they may not fully recognize. Craft compelling narratives that connect your solutions to your clients’ aspirations. Position yourself as a trusted advisor who genuinely understands their situation. You’ll leave equipped with practical techniques to uncover what clients truly want and demonstrate how your work helps them achieve their goals. When selling becomes about the client’s journey, people don’t just tolerate it; they embrace it. FREE for IABC members. Register via your member portal. About IABC's Consultants SIG The IABC Consultants shared interest group provides a space for communication consultants to develop business connections, exchange ideas with their peers, and advance their careers through collaborative learning. We serve as a trusted resource where members can find real-time support, thoughtful conversations and valuable partnerships that enhance the services they deliver to clients. Read more

What GLP-1 drugs can teach us about information overload at work 14 May 3:00 pm UK Time / 9:00 am CT Many organisations are suffering from what could be described as infobesity a constant stream of emails, alerts, updates and messages competing for the same limited slice of employee attention. The problem isn’t that communications teams aren’t working hard enough the problem is volume. When people are faced with hundreds of signals every day, the brain simply does what it’s designed to do: it tunes out. In this thought-provoking session, Sharon O'Dea uses the analogy of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to explore what organisations can learn about communication overload. Just as GLP-1 drugs change how people experience hunger, Sharon argues that organisations need to rethink the way they “feed” employees information. Instead of constantly pushing more content, the focus should shift to information restraint  creating communication systems that prioritise relevance, quality and timing. Please join live if your timezone permits it.  IABC members will be able to watch the recording through the OnDemand portal ——— Speaker Biography:  Sharon O'Dea is co-founder of Lithos Partners, a boutique digital workplace and internal communications consultancy based in Amsterdam. She works with major global organisations — including global banks, professional services firms and world-leading universities — on intranet strategy, digital employee experience and communications design. Sharon is co-author of Digital Communications at Work: Designing Channels for Employee Engagement and Experience (Kogan Page, 2026), written with Jonathan Phillips. A regular writer and speaker, Sharon is a recognised voice on the future of work, communications technology and digital culture. Before founding her consultancy, Sharon held senior leadership roles in internal communications, including Head of Digital Communications at Standard Chartered. Read more

Topic: Patients are turning to AI for Health Information; for Canadians, the result isn’t ideal   Date:    Tuesday, April 28 5 pm EST/ 3pm MST   This interactive session explores how artificial intelligence is shaping the way Canadians access and use health information. Following welcome remarks and an icebreaker facilitated by Nicole, participants will engage in live polling to share their experiences with AI in healthcare communication. Guest speaker Sophie Nadeau will present key findings from the Canadian Medical Association’s recent study on Canadians’ growing reliance on AI for health information and the potential risks involved. The session will conclude with a facilitated discussion on the opportunities and challenges AI presents for healthcare communicators, audience trust, and professional practice, along with a recap of key takeaways and insights to guide future conversations.   Agenda Item Description Details Welcome & Intro Nicole Housekeeping Introductions Sophie Nadeau - Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Canadian Medical Association, University of Regina, University of Ottawa | about.me Icebreaker Nicole Menti Exercise Where are you joining us from? Have you used AI to find health information? Were you satisfied with the results? Do you use AI as a healthcare communicator? Were you satisfied with the results? Ask group, then Sophie Presentation Sophie Doctors warn: Canadians are turning to AI for health information and it is hurting them Top level review and results of CMA study and data Provide link in advance for those who are interested: Doctors warn: Canadians are turning to AI for health information and it is hurting them | CMA [summary of key takeaways] Discussion Nicole Discussion Questions How is AI affecting your work? What opportunities and threats are you seeing? How is AI affecting your audiences? Do you have any solutions to the challenges you are seeing?   Conclusion & next steps Nicole Recap of key takeaways Menti Exercise Virtual engagement questions: What key takeaway will you apply from today’s conversation? Did this conversation meet your needs? Identify possible future topics and speakers for discussion   Read more

Case studies, patterns and mental readiness in a crisis Thursday, May 7 | 5:00 p.m. ET | 4:00 p.m. CT We are delighted to welcome Helio Fred Garcia for a 20-minute featured conversation, followed by a moderated panel discussion. Fred teaches management, leadership and communication at New York University’s Stern School of Business and at Columbia University’s graduate school of engineering. He is president of Logos Consulting Group, a management consulting firm advising leaders on making smart choices under stress, executive director of the Logos Institute for Crisis Management and Executive Leadership, and author of seven books, including The Agony of Decision: Mental Readiness and Leadership in a Crisis. For 45 years, Fred has helped leaders build trust, inspire loyalty and lead effectively. He is a coach, counselor, teacher, writer and speaker whose clients include some of the largest and best-known companies and organizations in the world.  Focus question for panel discussion How can communicators leverage case studies to help organizations make smart choices under stress – and execute them in ways that maintain or restore trust?   Learning outcomes ·       Identify common crisis response patterns ·       Reflect on how these patterns may manifest in your own organizational context ·       Coach decision-makers on how to use case studies as practical tools in crisis planning and training to strengthen judgment under pressure Read more