Schedule

Please check back for a complete list of speakers for the 2026 OHSPRA Spring Conference.

Thursday, April 23, 2026

9:00–9:30 AM: Registration and Breakfast
Stop by the registration table between 9:00-9:30 AM to pick up your name badge and registration packet. A breakfast buffet will be available for all attendees as you arrive.

9:30–10:15 AM:
President's Welcome and Ice Breaker
Speaker: Patrick Gallaway, OHSPRA President

10:15–10:30 AM: Break

10:30–11:45 AM:
Thursday Keynote: Partnering with Your City or Township Communications Department to Enhance Communications with Your Community
Speaker: Christian Turner, Communications Director, City of Canton

11:45 AM–12:00 PM: Break

12:00–12:10 PM:
Gold Sponsor Presentation
Sponsor: TeachersList

12:00–12:30 PM:
Plated Lunch

12:30–12:45 PM: Break

12:45–1:45 PM:
Mental Health and Wellness in School PR
Speakers: Carrie Hennessy, MTSS Coordinator, Kettering City Schools; Christian Ross, Director of Communications, Olentangy Local School District

2026 OHSPRA Achievement Awards

Join us for the 2026 OHSPRA Achievement Awards celebration held at Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel located at 409 Altair Pkwy, Westerville, OH 43082 in the Admiral Ballroom.

This event will be hosted in tandem with our 2026 OHSPRA Spring Conference. At the end of day one of the conference, we will host a meet and greet at 1:45pm outside of the admiral ballroom for guests of the 2026 Achievement Awards celebration. The meet and greet will include light appetizers and beverages.

The ceremony will begin at 2:15pm. During the ceremony we will highlight and award the winners of the Mark of Distinction and Best of the Best Trophies.

Mark of Excellence winners will have the opportunity to pick up their certificates during this time.

For questions about the 2026 OHSPRA Achievement Awards please contact Mary Stephens at awards@ohspra.org.

1:45–2:15 PM: Awards Meet and Greet
2:15–4 PM: 2025 OHSPRA Achievement Awards Presentation

2026 OHSPRA Social

The Ohio School Public Relations Association invites you to celebrate the season at our 2026 Spring Conference Social! Join us for an evening gathering at the Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel on Thursday night.

Spring is the perfect time to reconnect and grow new ideas. Mix and mingle with colleagues from across the state while enjoying a variety of hot and cold appetizers and refreshing drinks.

Take time to unwind, share conversation and enjoy an evening that’s sure to leave you feeling inspired and refreshed. We hope you’ll join us for this special springtime gathering.

6:00–10:00 PM: OHSPRA Social

Friday, April 24, 2026

9:00–9:30 AM: Breakfast and Vendor Table Visits
Friday only attendees should stop by the registration table between 9:00-9:30 AM to pick up your name badge and registration packet. A breakfast buffet will be available for all attendees as you arrive. We encourage attendees to use this time to visit with our vendors.

9:30–9:45 AM:
PowerPro Announcement

9:45–11:15 AM:
It's Raining Resources Roundtables: Plant yourself at the tables of your choice for four 20-minute “mini” sessions, engaging with experts and fellow colleagues on these timely topics! Learn more about the Raining Resources Roundtable topics.

11:15–11:30 AM: Break

11:30-11:45 AM:
Gold Sponsor Presentation

11:45 AM–12:15 PM: Plated Lunch

12:15–12:30 PM: Break

12:30–1:30 PM:Friday Keynote:
Friday Keynote: The Importance of Having a Place at the Leadership Table
Speaker: Dr. Jocelyn Cosgrave, Director of Human Resources, Licking Heights Local Schools

1:30–1:45 PM: Break

1:45–2:45 PM:
Presentation: Digital Accessibility: The Road to Compliance for Dublin City Schools
Speaker: Cassie Dietrich, Public Information Officer and Media/District Spokesperson; Tara Allinger, Communications Specialist, Dublin City Schools

Raining Resources Roundtables

Key Communicators Groups

VICKI GNEZDA, WORTHINGTON CITY SCHOOLS

How to create a dynamic group of communicators from your school community who can both advise you on issues and help navigate and “debunk” social media misinformation about your schools.

Lakota Schools Gem Employee Recognition Program

BETSY FULLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & LAUREN BOETTCHER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SCHOOL/COMMUNITY RELATIONS, LAKOTA LOCAL SCHOOLS

Find out how Lakota Local Schools turned employee morale around with the Lakota Gem Awards, a creative staff recognition program that fueled retention, built trust, and rallied the community around its public schools. You'll walk away with ideas to replicate this cost-effective, high-engagement campaign.

Putting together a Successful Podcast

ALEX KINCAID, OHSPRA BEST OF THE BEST WINNER and DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER; and RYAN POOLE and ALEXANDER STEWART, VIDEO CONTENT COORDINATORS; DAYTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Join Dayton Public Schools for a practical conversation about launching and sustaining a successful school district podcast. We’ll discuss everything from choosing topics, selecting equipment, producing quality content with and without a dedicated studio, and promoting your episodes so people actually listen. Whether you're just getting started or looking to grow your audience, this session will share real-world strategies that work.

Educating Yourself and Your Community

ANNA DAVIES, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, LICKING HEIGHTS LOCAL SCHOOLS

Property tax reform? School choice? Vouchers? Why it’s important to understand what’s happening legislatively in Columbus and how it affects your district so you can communicate it effectively to your community.

How to Take Photos Like a Pro

MARY STEPHENS, PR & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, VANDALIA-BUTLER CITY SCHOOLS

Mary Stephens, an award-winning and self-taught photographer extraordinaire, will provide a lightroom walkthrough that will have you taking your own award-winning photos for your job and personal life!

Using Canto for Asset Management

KRISTEN MILLER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, SHAKER HEIGHTS SCHOOLS

Learn how to use Canto to seamlessly manage and organize your district’s digital content to make it easier to quickly find photos, reduce the need for generic stock images and keep visuals consistent across your district’s communications. The session will also highlight how Canto can streamline photo collection by allowing staff and others across the district to easily upload and share images, helping communications teams build a stronger, more diverse library of authentic photos to use in publications, social media and marketing materials.

School Safety is NOW

CASSIE DIETRICH, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER; and TARA ALLINGER, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST; DUBLIN CITY SCHOOLS

Keeping your staff, families and community informed on everything your district does to keep your schools safe needs to be on-going. Cassie Dietrich will outline her district’s dynamic school safety plan and how its publics are kept informed about the district’s ongoing safety efforts.

The Power of Parents: The Hidden Content Team You Already Have

EMILY WORRELL, CLASS INTERCOM

Emily Worrell formerly with Wawasee Community School Corp in Indiana, will introduce a practical, repeatable Parent Ambassador model that empowers families to help tell your school’s story while strengthening trust and community. Learn how to recruit, train, and equip parents to capture authentic moments, share positive messaging, and support communication goals—without adding to staff workload.