My First FPRA Annual Conference Experience
Hi! My name is Jessica Bohlman, Corporate Communications Manager at Travel + Leisure Co., and I was lucky enough to earn a scholarship from FPRA Orlando to attend FPRA’s 83rd Annual Conference held at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.
As I reflect on my experience, I have one major takeaway: FPRA has such a unique culture and sense of encouragement and camaraderie. This was emphasized by newly installed State President Jay Morgan-Schleuning, APR, CPRC as he unveiled the upcoming year’s theme — You Belong at FPRA. I found his speech to be so inspiring as he encouraged members to listen and learn from each other’s diverse experiences. As a first generation Cuban American, it meant a lot to hear the commitment members have for the next year.
I was amazed at the quality of all the guest presenters. As an internal communications practitioner, I was especially excited to see internal communications represented in so many sessions — my favorite was the fireside chat with Gina Pesko Laughlin, Vice President of Global Employee Communications at Delta Air Lines. The way she and her team tackled internal communications issues in her workplace gave me a lot to think about.
The social aspect was a lot of fun as well. I was able to meet with more members from my chapter, but also meet practitioners from around the state as well. It was so fun to see everyone get all dressed up for the Golden Image Awards. Congratulations to all of the winners, especially those representing Central Florida!
If you’re introverted like me and are unsure about attending a conference, I say, go for it! It’s good to push and challenge ourselves — I even worked up the nerve to ask a question during a general session, which is pretty big step for me, but one I knew was important. My advice is also to attend as many chapter events throughout the year as you can so you can have a few familiar faces in the crowd; I know for me that made all the difference! And finally, embrace the experience. Everyone is there because they love public relations and they want to learn and grow. Having that type of welcoming environment made it a little bit easier to flex my extroverted muscles.
Before I close, I wanted to say a few thank yous. First, I want to thank my team at Travel + Leisure Co., for valuing personal and professional development and always encouraging and supporting me. I also want to say thank you to FPRA Orlando for selecting me to receive the scholarship. Attending the Annual Conference has been something I’ve wanted to do for years and it was so amazing to finally get to go. And last, but not least, I want to thank my family for their support.
