2026 NDPC Spring Conference
April 30, 2026 | Gorecki Alumni Center, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND

Smart Communication. Strong Connections.
Exploring the many forms of intelligence that power effective communication today.

Spend the day learning from engaging speakers, gaining practical communication insights,
and connecting with professionals from across the state.

Register Now

Agenda

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Surley's Short or Tall, 2600 Red Jarret Way, Grand Forks

6:00 p.m., Casual dinner meetup

Thursday, April 30, 2026
Gorecki Alumni Center, 3501 University Ave, Grand Forks

8:00 a.m., Registration check-in, Continental breakfast available

8:30 a.m., NDPC's Annual Business Meeting

9:00 a.m., Welcome Remarks - Sarah Mudder, NDPC President

9:05 a.m., As AI Steals the Click, Steal Back the Answer - Tera Buckley, University of North Dakota
ChatGPT and Google’s AI summaries are shaping perception and delivering answers about your organization long before anyone visits your website. Using the University of North Dakota as a case study, we’ll unpack what happens when web traffic declines, why your website remains your most powerful asset, and how to adapt your content strategy so AI systems accurately represent you. Clicks are dying quickly. Become the answer.

9:45 a.m., Break

10:00 a.m., Voices of the West: How Community Insight Shaped SW North Dakota's Tourism Strategy - Marty Doll and Andrew Spratta, AE2S
Building a regional tourism strategy requires more than data. It requires listening. This session explores how eight counties, hundreds of residents, and diverse stakeholders shaped the southwest North Dakota Tourism Strategic Vision Plan through research, personas, digital insights, and community input. Discover how deep engagement can turn local voices into a shared vision for the future.

10:45 a.m., Break

11:00 a.m., Plan Once, Publish Everywhere - Matt Fern, The Creative Treatment 
This session shows how one thoughtfully planned interview or media shoot can generate 50+ pieces of content across platforms without increasing staff workload, shoot days, or budgets. Our speaker introduces a practical framework for planning content with reuse in mind, helping communicators turn a single shoot into video, social clips, written pieces, internal updates, and evergreen assets that strengthen audience connections.

12:00-1:30 p.m., Awards and Networking Luncheon
Celebrate excellence in communication during NDPC’s Awards Lunch, where we recognize the outstanding work and achievements of our members.

1:30 p.m., Signal Over Noice: Creating Connection in the Age of Distrust - Raquel Strand, AE2S; Nick Phillips, Applied Digital; and Eric Souvannasacd and Blue Weber, Bolton & Menk
Large infrastructure, technology, and public planning projects are becoming more complex and more visible to the communities they affect. At the same time, public trust in institutions continues to decline. For communicators, the challenge is no longer simply sharing information. It’s closing the trust gap. 
In this panel, communicators working on high-profile projects share lessons from the field, including rural North Dakota data center development, a municipal PFAS water treatment facility, and regional transportation planning. Panelists will discuss strategies for addressing skepticism, countering misinformation, simplifying complex topics, and designing engagement processes that create meaningful dialogue.
Move beyond one-way messaging. Build credibility, connection, and community partnership.

2:45 p.m., Break

3:00 p.m., Three-minute Thesis Presentation - TBA
A 3 Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic competition developed by The University of Queensland that challenges research students to present their complex, multi-year, 80,000-word thesis in just three minutes to a non-specialist audience. Participants in the University of North Dakota’s 3MT competition will join us to present their research and discuss the process to create these presentations.

3:45 p.m., This Title was Generated by AI - Tammy Jo A. Taft, Hanna Wieland and Sarah Monilaws, Valley City State University
AI won’t take your job but someone using it will. Take a stroll through the AI landscape that communicators are dealing with on a daily basis. This presentation will cover generational use of AI, AI use in various communication-related fields, how to spot AI generated content and the costs and benefits of use. Join us for a fun and interactive session where we will play a few games, have a few conversations and learn a little bit along the way.

4:30 p.m., Closing Remarks

Registration

Register by April 8, 2026, to receive the early-bird rate. Fees increase after that date. Registration closes at 5 p.m. on April 15, 2026. The conference fee includes all sessions, meals, and light refreshments.

• NDPC Member*: $120 early-bird | $150 late
• Non-member: $160 early-bird | $190 late
• Student Member: $50 early-bird | $75 late
• Student Non-member: $70 early-bird | $95 late
• Awards Luncheon Only: $30

*NFPW dues includes NDPC membership. If you are a national-level member and experience registration issues, contact NDPC for assistance.

Register Now

Registration is refundable, minus a $10 processing fee, if the request is received by April 15, 2026. No refunds will be issued after that date or for no-shows. Substitutions may be made at any time at no cost. To cancel or request a substitution, contact NDPC.

Student Scholarships

College students may apply for one of twelve $50 scholarships to cover their conference registration. Applications are reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis in the order received. Scholarship instructions and application. Final deadline: extended to April 8. 

First-timer Grants
NDPC members attending the spring conference for the first time may apply for one of two $100 professional development grants. Applications will be reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis. All available grants have been awarded.  

Sleeping Rooms

Sleeping rooms are available at the Hilton Garden Inn for a discounted rate of 145.00 per night. To reserve a room, call 701-775-6000 and ask for the “ND Professional Comm” block. The rate will be offered until March 29, 2026, or until the block is full.

Unfortunately, sleeping rooms are not available at the Hilton Garden Inn at the state rate during NDPC’s event.

Sponsors

 

Lou Richardson