Public information officers (PIOs) from around the country are headed to the Sunshine State in the coming days to learn from colleagues and subject matter experts, who will discuss incidents and review case studies involving some of the most high-profile events in the profession.

Organization: National Information Officers Association

Conference: 2017 Training Conference

Venue: Sheraton Sand Key

City: Clearwater Beach, Florida

Following Sunday’s full-day, interactive workshop and the president’s welcome reception that evening, NIOA 2017 will kick off on Monday morning with its opening ceremonies featuring staff and other experts in the industry. Also on the agenda:

Lessons learned. The deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history occurred last June when Omar Mateen opened fire inside the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Michelle Guido, a PIO from the Orlando Police Department, will discuss the event from her perspective, share lessons learned, and help attendees understand how to best lead during a crisis.

Game time. On Monday, attendees will get the chance to play Cyber Jeopardy. Formatted like the television show, this game is tailored to the PIO audience to include current issues involving social media, mistakes to avoid, and suggested best practices for the profession.

Negative to positive. While it’s sometimes said there’s no such thing as bad publicity, that doesn’t mean PIOs don’t have work to redirect the message after negative news coverage. One PIO will discuss the damage incurred from a negative news story and how he and his department worked to turn it around and provide greater understanding to the community.

More details can be found on Facebook and Twitter (#NIOA2017).

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