About this Event
2026 NCPRSA Strategic Communications Conference: In the Eye of the Storm: Navigating Crises in a Rapidly Changing World
Crises are unfolding faster, expectations are rising, and communicators are being called on to lead with clarity, confidence, and integrity. Join us for the 2026 NCPRSA Strategic Communications Conference, In the Eye of the Storm: Navigating Crises in a Rapidly Changing World, on Friday, November 20, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh.
This can’t-miss event will bring together public relations and strategic communications professionals to explore emerging trends, proven strategies, and practical tools for navigating today’s rapidly changing media, technology, and cultural landscape.
Secure your spot and connect with peers, learn from dynamic speakers, and strengthen your crisis communications toolkit.
Topics will include:
Truth Under Pressure: Communicating When Nobody Agrees on What’s True. In today’s fast-moving communications landscape, trust is harder to earn, misinformation spreads at lightening speed and artificial intelligence is reshaping how audiences consume and interpret information. For strategic communicators, the challenge is clear: How do you build credibility, guide organizations through uncertainty and maintain public trust when the facts are still unfolding? This thought-provoking keynote from Mikaya Thurmond, CEO of Milan Public Relations and former WRAL-TV reporter and anchor, explores how communicators can navigate competing narratives, respond to heightened scrutiny and lead with integrity when the pressure is on.
Build it Before it Breaks: Strengthening Trust in an AI-Driven World. When a crisis hits, organizations are judged not only by how they respond, but by the credibility they have already built. Audiences, journalists, search engines and AI tools rely on an organization’s existing public record to determine what and whom to trust. We’ll explore how strategic communicators can strengthen that foundation before the pressure is on.
Media as Watchdogs of Democracy: Have Journalists Lived Up to Their Role? Seventy-one percent of Americans say democracy is under attack. With the loss of local newsrooms and investigative reporting on the decline holding local government officials accountable for problems that affect our lives is in danger of being lost across the country. Is the fourth estate, its role as watchdogs — and, by default, our very own democracy — in crisis? What implication does this have for PR professionals? Our panel of journalists, educators, advocates join this important discussion and what it means for strategic communicators in the modern era.
This year, there will be a dedicated student experience track for up-and-coming professionals in the field.
Register now:
Event venue & nearby stays
The McKimmon Conference and Training Center at NC State, 1101 Gorman Street, Raleigh, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.