Shaping Communications for Every Challenge
CommsNext@Tech is Georgia Tech’s first campuswide communications conference, designed to bring together storytellers, strategists, creatives, marketers, and communicators from across the Institute. The event will take place on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, on the Georgia Tech campus at the John Lewis Student Center and at Exhibition Hall.
The conference will feature engaging conversations with industry leaders, followed by a dynamic series of Buzz Sessions — interactive breakout workshops led by campus experts in writing, video, SEO and GEO, media relations, email marketing, interviewing, AI collaboration, and more.
Attendance is free for all Georgia Tech employees; registration is required due to limited space. Registration will open in January 2026.
The day will begin with check-in and a networking breakfast outside the Ehmer Theater in the Student Center and conclude with a panel of photographers and filmmakers exploring what makes for compelling visual storytelling.
Be Part of What’s Next
Check-In and Breakfast
Registrants are invited to check in outside the Ehmer Theater or inside the John Lewis Student Center starting at 8:15 a.m., followed by a networking breakfast.
Ehmer Theater (Atlantic)
Opening Experts Panel
9 - 9:30 a.m.
From Concept to Connection: Creating Video Stories that Move People
A panel of the industry's top visual medium experts discussing how to turn stories into compelling video experiences for today’s audiences.
Morning Track Schedule
9:45 - 10:30 a.m. in Exhibition Hall
Workshop includes three tracks, each offering two Buzz Sessions. To complete a track topic, attendees should plan to attend both the morning and midday sessions.
Track One: Smart Spend: Strategic Paid Media for Maximum Impact
Buzz Session: Smart Spend: Strategic Paid Media for Maximum Impact
Presented by:
| Laura Lee, VP of Media and Communications at Intermark Group |
Location: Exhibition Hall, Room: TBD
Track Two: Storytelling and Interviewing
Buzz Session: Story CPR: Breathing Life into Your Writing
Presented by
| Michelle Azriel, Research Writer/Editor for Research Communications |
| Julian Hills, Senior Writer/Editor for Institute Communications |
Location: Exhibition Hall, Room: TBD
Story CPR is an interactive workshop that challenges communicators to diagnose, revive, and breathe new life into stories by applying Georgia Tech’s unique people-first approach to complex research.
Track Three: Media Insights
Buzz Session: Getting Newsrooms to Care
Presented by:
| Blair Meeks, Assistant Vice President of External Communications for Institute Communications |
| Angela Barajas Prendiville, Director of Media Relations for Institute Communications |
Location: Exhibition Hall, Room: TBD
Join a panel of journalists from local newsrooms as they discuss newsworthiness of stories, providing a checklist of elements needed for most likely success. The session will explore email subject lines and how to make them compelling, examples of pitches that work and why, along with a gamified section where journalists will react to pitches they are sent.
Midday Track Schedule
10:45 - 11:30 a.m. in Exhibition Hall
Workshops includes three tracks, each offering two Buzz Sessions. To complete a track topic, attendees should plan to attend both the morning and midday sessions.
Track One: Marketing Tools
Buzz Session: Inbox Impact: Email Marketing Best Practices That Drive Engagement and Results
Presented by:
| Kala Daley, Sr. Manager for Email Marketing, Georgia Tech Alumni Association |
| Shannon Helton-Amos, Director of Marketing and Digital Strategy, Georgia Tech Professional Education |
| Tammy Parrett, Sr. Marketing Communications Consulting and Project Manager, Institute Communications |
| Kelly Pierce, Assistant Director, Marketing, Georgia Tech Professional Education |
| Nicole Whatley, Marketing Manager, Georgia Tech Professional Education |
Location: Exhibition Hall, Room: TBD
In a digital landscape saturated with messages, email remains one of the most powerful tools for building relationships, driving conversions, and delivering measurable ROI. This session explores proven best practices in email marketing—from audience segmentation and personalization to automation and performance optimization.
Track Two: Storytelling and Interviewing
Buzz Session: From Prep to Publish: How Writers, Video Producers, and AI Shape Stronger Interviews
Presented by:
| Melissa Alonso, Assistant Director of Communications for College of Design |
| Candler Hobbs, Visual Communications Producer for College of Engineering |
| Tess Malone, Senior Research Writer/Editor for Research Communications |
| Christopher McKenney, Video Producer for Institute Communications |
| Josh Stewart, Assistant Director of Communications for College of Engineerings |
Location: Exhibition Hall, Room: TBD
This session explores how video producers and writers collaborate to get the best interviews — and how AI can assist. The goal is to give attendees practical, usable methods for planning interviews, conducting them effectively, and shaping the resulting story — whether it becomes a video, feature article, social content, or campaign asset.
Track Three: Media Insights
Buzz Session: SEO on a Budget and Preparing for the GEO Future
Presented by:
| Megan McRainey, Director of Communications for Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts |
| Bryant Wine, Communications Officer II for College of Computing |
Location: Exhibition Hall, Room: TBD
Learn how to identify strategic SEO keywords, write content geared toward SEO to boost web traffic, and track results. Attendees also will see a tool that tracks, measures, and scores website Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) ratings.
Meet an Expert in the Field
Networking Lunch
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Grab a seat in the John Lewis Student center and network with a new or old colleagues before the afternoon sessions.
Bonus Afternoon Track Schedule: Photography and Video Tools
1:30 - 3 p.m.
Join us back in Ehmer Theater for two bonus tracks for the photographers or videographers on your teams!
Bonus Track: Beginner Photo
1:30 - 2:15 p.m. | Photography Made Easy
Presented by:
| Candler Hobbs, Visual Communications Producer for College of Engineering |
Location: Ehmer Theater
You will learn the technical aspects of a camera and how to use its features to capture the image you desire without having to schedule a campus photographer. You will gain a working knowledge of composition, proper lighting techniques, and how to position people to look their best on camera. By the end of the session, you will have the confidence you need to capture headshots and group photos for any of your communication needs.
Bonus Track: Basics of Video
2:15 - 3 p.m. | How to Make Quality Video Content Without a Huge Budget
Presented by:
| Brice Zimmerman, Director of Social Media for Institute Communications |
| Jason Maderer, Director of Communications for College of Engineering |
Location: Ehmer Theater
Learn how to make your videos look great using your phone. Attendees will discover the differences between “good video” and “bad video.” They’ll develop a toolbox of tips and tricks: the best angles and key shots to get, how to move the camera smoothly, and when to use camera movement.