2019 Speakers
Our speaker line-up is drawn from our attendees - ensuring that content is relevant, bias-free, and engaging. You'll have the chance to connect with all our speakers during their sessions, and throughout the workshop, providing the basis for deep, lasting relationships.
LAKSHMI BALACHANDRA
Assistant Professor, Entrepreneurship
Babson College
MICHAEL WOOD-LEWIS
CEO and Co-Founder
Front Porch Forum
JOCELYN FLINT
Director of Employee Communications & Training
Academic Travel Abroad
PETER BROADLEY
Manager, Community Development and Engagement
CSA Group
ERIC SCHMAUTZ
Strategy, Team Member Social
Wells Fargo
LISA TALLMAN
Sr. Director, Knowledge Management
YMCA of the USA
GALI KLING SCHNEIDER
Senior Director, Community Strategy Lead, Developer & Community Relations
SAP
MELISSA WESTERVELT
Business Analyst, Knowledge Management and Collaboration
Cambridge Associates
KERI KERSTEN
Global Internal Communications and Change Manager
Stepan Company
ALLISON BROTMAN
Director, Learning
Ultimate Software
HEATHER AUSMUS
Director, Ciena Community, Customer Portal & Advocacy Program
Ciena
JEFF ROSS
Online Community Manager
Humana Inc.
JERRY GREEN
Senior Manager, Community Strategist
YMCA of the USA
ROSEMARY TIETGE
Technical Marketing Evangelist
FileMaker Inc.
HILLARY BOUCHER
Community Manager
Ultimate Software
EMILY GULLICKSON
Product Manager, Knowledge & Community Management
Cambridge Associates
BECKY SCOTT
Community Engagement Manager
Cloudera
BETSY MCMULLIN
Director of Community
Rally Health
MONICA SHROFF
Program Management, Community
Ultimate Software
MARIA OGNEVA
Director of Online Customer Experience and Community
FinancialForce
JANET STILES
Sr. Director of Member Engagement
Association of American Medical Colleges
CLAIRE FLANAGAN
Business Owner, Community & Content, Support Planning & Programs
Cloudera
LISA ALLISON
Enterprise Community Manager
Analog Devices
NICK EMMETT
Community Manager
FinancialForce
LORI HARRISON-SMITH
Project Leader + Community Strategist
Motorola
LOU WOODLEY
Director - AAAS Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement (CSCCE)
AAAS
RACHEL HAPPE
Co-Founder and Principal
The Community Roundtable
JIM STORER
Co-Founder and Principal
The Community Roundtable
AGENDA*
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
10 AM-5 PM ET
The Community Solutions Showcase is included with every Connect pass. Single day passes are still available. Learn more.
5:30-8:30 PM ET
Welcome to Boston Cocktail Party
Everyone attending the Community Solutions Showcase and everyone attending TheCR Connect is invited to this kick-off party on Monday night.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
10:00 AM ET
Welcome to Connect & Icebreaker
Kick-off the Connect experience with Jim Storer in this engaging and informative overview of the event. You'll get to know your fellow participants, and learn how to get the most out of Connect.
11:00 AM ET
The State of Community Management
Rachel Happe and members of the SOCM 2019 Working Group share highlights and insights from the 10th State of Community Management Report.
12:00 PM ET
Birds of a Feather Lunch and Networking
Bring your appetite and your challenges and ideas to lunch and connect with fellow community professionals. Birds of a Feather not your cup of tea? Don't worry, we've got you covered with an "Introverts Unite!" table - and some unlabeled choose your own adventure style seating.
1:15 PM ET
Lightning Talks - Communities Transform Organizations
Hear case studies showcasing the power of online community to transform organizations from innovative community programs including Wells Fargo, SAP, FileMaker and Academic Travel Abroad.
2:00 PM ET
Breakouts Case Studies - Architecting Success: Planning for a Growing Community
In these small group breakouts, community practitioners will lead interactive sessions on how to plan for the challenges of a growing community program.
Cultivate an Effective Team: Planning for a Growing Community Team
UKG
UKG
Stack Your Deck: Finding and Cultivating Supportive Community Stakeholders
Pave the Way to Success: Developing Effective Roadmaps
3:00 PM ET
Networking, Demos, and Break
3:30 PM ET
Big Idea Keynote: Lakshmi Balachandra, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College
The Power of Effective Pitching
Lakshmi Balachandra is an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College and her research examines the impact of trust, gender and other entrepreneurial characteristics in acquiring early-stage funding.
Through our State of Community Management research, we’ve uncovered parallels between a typical community journey, and that of a start-up, so when we started reading Dr. Balachandra’s work we had an a-ha moment.
Why don’t we prepare for internal pitches the same way you’d plan for an external pitch?
Dr. Balachandra will join us at Connect 2019 and share her perspective on the power of a thoughtfully crafted pitch, and ways to really connect with your intended audiences.
4:30 PM ET
Presentation of the 4th Annual TheCR Awards
6:00 PM ET
Community Leaders Connect: Cocktails and Conversation
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2019
8:30 AM ET
Breakfast and Networking
9:15 AM ET
Insights from Day One
9:30 AM ET
Lightning Talks - Community Engagement for Growth
Online community experts from Rally Health, Ultimate Software, Cloudera and more will share best practices and tactical ideas for engaging your audience.
10:30 AM ET
Networking, Demos, and Break
11:00 AM ET
Community in Action Keynote: Michael Wood-Lewis, CEO and Co-Founder, Front Porch Forum
Michael Wood-Lewis, CEO and Co-Founder, Front Porch Forum will join us to share his experience in building a community-focused organization.
“Common sense and a growing body of research tell us that well-connected neighborhoods are friendlier places to live, with less crime, healthier residents, higher property values, and better service from local government and public utilities.”
Michael, and his wife Valerie, launched Front Porch Forum in 2006 as a way to connect with their neighbors in their hometown of Burlington, Vermont. Now, over two-thirds of Burlington households subscribe to the Forum and they’ve expanded to serve all of Vermont’s communities.
12:00 PM ET
Birds of a Feather Lunch and Networking
Bring your appetite and your challenges and ideas to lunch and connect with fellow community professionals. Birds of a Feather not your cup of tea? Don't worry, we've got you covered with an "Introverts Unite!" table - and some unlabeled choose your own adventure style seating.
1:15 PM ET
Show + Tell - Executive Dashboards
In this interactive session, community leaders from Analog Devices, Humana, Inc. and more will share their executive dashboards and the lessons they've learned sharing their community success with stakeholders and executives.
2:15 PM ET
Breakout Roundtables: Cultivating Community Leadership
In these small group breakouts, community practitioners will lead interactive sessions on how to cultivate community leaders through advocacy, community careers, executive support and more.
Thinking Strategically About Community Careers
Wrestling with Internal Advocacy & Change Management
Locating and Activating External Advocates
Pitching Executives on Community Value
3:15 PM ET
Networking, Demos, and Break
3:45 PM ET
Panel: Bringing Connect Home - Strategies & Tactics to Move the Conversation Online
4:30 PM ET
Closing Remarks
FAQ
When is Connect this year?
TheCR Connect will take place on September 24-25 in Boston, MA. There is an optional pre-conference Community Solutions Showcase on Monday, September 23rd that is included in your event pass price.
What does my event pass include?
Your Connect pass includes the full two-day Connect workshop experience, and our new pre-conference Solutions Showcase. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks (and unlimited coffee!) are provided all three days.
Your pass also includes parties on Monday and Tuesday nights.
I work for non-profit, is there a special rate?
Yes! Qualified participants can save an extra $100 off the current price. Email us to learn more.
Is Connect at an accessible location?
Yes! The Revere Hotel is ADA-compliant and has a dedicated hospitality team. If you have accessibility questions or requests please let us know.
Where is Connect this year?
TheCR Connect will take place at the Revere Hotel in downtown Boston, MA.
What if I just want to go to the Solutions Showcase?
You can! Solutions Showcase passes are available here.
How can I be a speaker at Connect?
The majority of our speakers are taken from our member attendees.
If you are currently a member you'll be asked to indicate your interest when you register. If you aren't a member you can join TheCR Network here.
How can I pitch Connect as a great investment to my stakeholders?
Download our Connect 2019 Justification letter and share all the powerful reasons Connect is a great investment for any online community professional.
REGISTRATION
SPONSORS
TheCR Connect 2019 is made possible through the support of our sponsors:
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Why is TheCR Connect a can't miss event?
100% of past participants would recommend TheCR Connect to a community peer or colleague.
Really, 100%.
Check out this short video to see why our participants love TheCR Connect so much.
PAST EVENTS
