Georgia Municipal Association and Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) hosted the tenth annual Georgia Government Communicators Conference on Oct. 22-24 in St. Simon’s Island. The conference, intended for city, county and state communications professionals, featured informative panel sessions, as well as engaging networking opportunities. More than 110 communicators, presenters, and sponsors from around the state attended this year’s event.
Organizers and attendees alike reflected on the changes that have shaped the conference over the past decade. Steve Jones, Digital Media Manager for the City of Douglasville, has attended nine out of ten conferences – and said the value of his attendance has only continued to grow over time.
“The biggest thing I’ve enjoyed is the networking, getting to know other communicators from across the state. We’ve really formed a great group that can count on each other,” he said.
Schuyler Harding, Director of Communications and External Affairs for ACCG, has been involved in the conference since its inception. She said that as attendance increased, the conference’s topics became more nuanced and advanced – covering topics ranging from budding technology such as AI, to helping navigate the complicated world of social media.
“The quality of the content has definitely increased. As times change, the needs of our communities change, and we’re doing our best to, whatever content we’re covering, ensure it can be taken back to the communities so that the communicators can be of better service,” Harding said.
First-time attendee Ehron Ostendorf, Public Relations Specialist with the Dawson County Government, found major value in listening to the experiences of industry peers.
“I’m finding a lot of specific experience and practical advice for the changing world, especially for AI. It’s very helpful,” said Ostendorf. “But it’s also nice to collaborate with other communicators, learn from their experience, and see that although we may be from various locations and sizes of communities, we experience similar challenges.”
This year’s conference featured panels on video and podcast production, training on First Amendment and open records law, managing issues and crises, and more. Joe Legge, Director of Public Relations for the Walker County Government, said the Georgia Government Communicators Conference stood out from others like it due to its specificity and relevance to his role, prompting him to return for his fourth conference.
“This year, I’m learning to better communicate with my elected officials, and ways that I can advocate better for communications,” he said. “We’ve always felt that communications was a strong point in our community, and I want to find a way to make it stronger."
GMA’s Deputy Director of Training Aileen Harris has taken part in coordinating and leading the conference since its inception. She helped the conference evolve from a one-day event to a three-day event, at the request of attendees who wanted more sessions and time to network. Apart from the education gained from the various panels, she said that the community-building aspect of the conference kept people coming back.
“Many attendees are the sole individuals in their department — or even in their entire city or county — who hold their specific role. Often, their colleagues don’t fully understand the responsibilities they carry,” Harris explained. “Through this conference and our quarterly meetings, they’ve built a network of peers they can rely on. In fact, some have even gone on to form their own regional communicator groups based on the relationships they’ve developed here.” Harris closed out the conference reflecting on ten years of connection and growth.
GMA’s CEO and Executive Director Larry Hanson echoed that sentiment in his video message meant to celebrate the ten-year anniversary: “What began as a small group sharing ideas has grown into a statewide community dedicated to connecting communities and residents through clear, meaningful communication. You’ve made a real difference in how Georgia’s cities tell their stories — here’s to the next decade.”