SPARC Program

FARM BUREAU®

JUNE 14–16, 2016 • SALT LAKE CITY STRATEGIC POLICY, ADVOCACY, RESOURCES AND COMMUNICATIONS #FBSPARC

TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2016 Registration

9:30-10:00 a.m.

Bus Travel

Hours: 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.

10:00-11:30 a.m.

Location: Little America Hotel Grand Ballroom Foyer

Farm Tour (Lunch Provided)

Off-Site All attendees should wear comfortable clothing and closed toe shoes.

6:45 a.m.

Load Bus for Farm Tour Hotel Lobby Main Floor 7:00-8:00 a.m.

Leave for Farm Tour Bus Travel 8:00-9:30 a.m.

Lumber Mill Tour Blazzard Lumber Company was founded by pioneers in the mid-1800s in the mountains near Salt Lake City. This multi-generational family operation combines a lumber company with grazing cattle. We will tour the mill and discuss issues including public lands, logging, grazing and working with the Forest Service.

Thank You to Our Farm Tour Sponsor:

3:00-4:00 p.m.

Meet & Greet with President Duvall

Water Reservoir Tour The Jordanelle Reservoir in the Heber Valley is filled by the Provo River and provides water to three surrounding counties. We will tour the top and inside areas of the dam and learn about the necessity of water projects in the West.

Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor Join AFBF President Zippy Duvall as he shares his vision for the future of Farm Bureau.

Conference attendees are encouraged to come with questions during this informal Q&A session.

4:00-5:30 p.m.

11:30-12:30 p.m.

Bus Travel and Lunch

Welcome Reception

12:30-1:30 p.m.

Cheese Plant Tour Heber Valley Artisan Cheese was established by the fourthgeneration Canyon View Dairy Farm. We will tour the awardwinning creamery and family operated dairy while learning about agritourism and urban sprawl.

1:30-2:30 p.m.

Return to Hotel/Bus Travel

Uintah 2nd Floor Thank you to Our Reception Sponsor:

6:00-8:00 p.m.

Communications Awards Program Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor

FREE Wi-Fi (Wednesday & Thursday)

Network Name: SPARC2016 Password: fbproud16

Headquarters Office Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016 Registration Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Location: Little America Hotel Grand Ballroom Foyer

POLICY ADVOCACY

Engaging PAC Board Members Beyond Sitting On the Board Arizona: Main Floor

Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor

Political Action Committee board members are not only strong contributors to PACs, but they can also be critical in helping to educate eligibles and fundraise among their peers. Having the right people on your board is key. How can you make sure you have the right mix of members and that you are giving them the right tasks?

The Governor is expected between 8:10-8:30 a.m.

Attendees are encouraged to be at breakfast by 8:10 a.m.

Speaker: Nancy Bocskor, Author, Campaign Fundraising Professional and Professor, George Washington University

8:00-8:45 a.m.

Breakfast Welcome from Utah Governor Gary Herbert

9:00-10:00 a.m.

Breakout Session #1 Conference attendees - please choose one of the following breakout sessions of interest to you.

COMMUNICATIONS

PART 1: Putting the Strategy in Communications Grand Ballroom C Main Floor This dynamic two-part session will key in on strategic planning for communications and public relations professionals. Learn how to get out of the “day-to-day” rut and focus on long-term strategies that yield killer results. The second session will build on the first, but the sessions are designed to ensure there are takeaways for anyone who can attend only one part.

PUBLIC POLICY

Agriculture Economic Outlook Idaho: Main Floor Agriculture now finds itself on the back side of the economic curve. Commodity prices are down and interest rates are headed up one of these days.

Land prices are under pressure. How are our members likely to fare over the next few years? What challenges are they going to have to fight through? Are there warnings —even advice—we should be sending at this point? Dr. Alan D. Barkema served for more than 20 years with the Kansas City Federal Reserve, where he closely followed the agricultural sector’s financial picture.

Download the

2016 SPARC App The app can be found by searching “Farm Bureau & IDEAg Events” in your app store, or by scanning the QR code:

#FBSPARC Use the conference hashtag #FBSPARC to exchange thoughts about the sessions, ask questions, engage with presenters, share pictures and help others feel that they are a part of the conference.

Facebook: FarmBureau

Twitter: @FarmBureau

Speaker: Dr. Alan D. Barkema, Economist, Apical Economics, LLC

Instagram: @farmbureau

Speaker: Dr. Laurie J. Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Communication, Brigham Young University

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016 (CON’T) 10:15-10:45 a.m.

Discussion Forums Session #1 Conference attendees are encouraged to participate in two discussion forums of interest to you. Each of the topics below will be offered from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. and then repeated at the 11:00 a.m. session.

COMMUNICATIONS

Stories of Ag Diversity Olympus: 2nd Floor From conventional to organic, specialty to row crops and heritage farms to new operations, Farm Bureau members are diverse but stand united so everyone’s voice is heard. The new Farm Bureau Cultivators Project will highlight our wide-ranging membership and underscore how Farm Bureau is pivotal to all walks of agriculture.

Join us for a preview of the project and to share ideas for featuring our diverse membership.

Discussion Leader: Kari Barbic, Media Specialist, AFBF

COMMUNICATIONS

Non-Rural Media Markets Teton: 2nd Floor Less than 2 percent of Americans live on a farm, and only a small percentage of those live in or around large cities. Yet, every major media outlet in the U.S. is based in or around population centers.

This discussion will focus on what works and what doesn’t when telling your story to the big-time media.

Discussion Leader: Will Rodger, Director, Policy Communications, AFBF

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COMMUNICATIONS

E-Newsletters Olympus: 2nd Floor What are the best ways for your e-newsletters to break through the e-mailbox traffic jam? Come ready to talk about content, layout, frequency, vendors, email management, Web platforms, open rates, engagement and much more.

Discussion Leader: Erin Anthony, Editor, FBNews, AFBF

COMMUNICATIONS

Polling on Policy Issues Teton: 2nd Floor Put more “pop” in your policy work by using issues polling.

AFBF has partnered with a D.C. polling firm, Morning Consult, and it has added another tool for policy communication, intelligence gathering and message development.

Discussion Leader: Mace Thornton, Executive Director of Communications, AFBF

COMMUNICATIONS

Instagram – The Beautiful Platform Olympus: 2nd Floor This beautiful social media platform is a way for consumers to connect in a deeper, more personal way with farmers and ranchers.

Stop by to learn which colors garner more likes, when you should be posting and why composition is so important.

Discussion Leader: Lyndsey Murphy, Digital Media Specialist, AFBF

POLICY ADVOCACY

All Hands on Deck: Aligning In-District, D.C. Fly-Ins & PAC Olympus: 2nd Floor 2016 will be a demanding year, with many organizations competing for the time and attention of elected officials and candidates. Join this session for insights on how to align your activities to ensure that your issues are a priority and your relationships are built on a foundation of ongoing communication.

Discussion Leader: Randy Dwyer, Director, Grassroots Program Development, AFBF

POLICY ADVOCACY

Establishing a Major PAC Donor Program Teton: 2nd Floor Looking for a jolt of energy to boost your PAC fundraising?

Join other state Farm Bureau PAC practitioners for new ideas and strategies to help you attract new donors and keep the ones you have happy and making ever-increasing contributions.

Discussion Leader Forum No. 1: Casey Gudel, Manager, Political Affairs, California Farm Bureau Discussion Leader Forum No. 2: Jordan Dux, Director of National Affairs, Nebraska Farm Bureau

POLICY ADVOCACY

What Capitol Hill Has to Say About the Future of Advocacy Olympus: 2nd Floor How do congressional offices use various forms of communications and advocacy strategies to understand constituent opinion? This discussion will focus on the findings of the

Congressional Management Foundation’s recent research and abundant survey data.

Topics include: What congressional staffers believe are the most effective communications tactics for influencing undecided members of Congress; how and whether the Internet has made legislators more responsive and accountable to constituents; and the differences in impact between different forms of communications (email, postal mail, in-person visits and social media.)

Discussion Leader: Cody Lyon, Director, Advocacy & Political Affairs, AFBF

POLICY ADVOCACY

Creating Good Grassroots Content (Videos, Images and Best Practice Management for Action Alerts)

Teton: 2nd Floor Today’s buzz is all about your content. Is it shareable? Does it have the potential to go viral? Is it visual? Does it tell a story? Is it interesting and informative? Can it be consumed in 60 seconds or less?

Advancing online advocacy relies on building a solid content strategy that uses well-designed creative elements that are strategically leveraged on the right platforms and targeted toward the right audience at the right time. Find out how.

Discussion Leader: Jordan Craig, Director, Grassroots Program Development, AFBF

POLICY ADVOCACY

Ambassador and Key Contact Programs That Work Olympus: 2nd Floor Super advocate. Leader.

Champion. These are all words you want to associate with the people involved in your grassroots program. Farm Bureau has been successful with the Grassroots Outreach Team (GO Team), and other states are following this model to build their own network of

highly trained advocates. But grassroots ambassadors who exceed expectations are made —not born. How do you reach the next level and move from cultivating advocates to empowering ambassadors? Find out how AFBF created the GO Team, our future plans and what other states are doing.

Discussion Leader: Johnna Miller, Director, Media & Advocacy Training, AFBF

PUBLIC POLICY

Endangered Species Act Olympus: 2nd Floor How is the Endangered Species Act impacting farmers and ranchers, and how can we fight back?

Discussion Leader: Ryan Flickner, Senior Director, Public Policy, Kansas Farm Bureau

PUBLIC POLICY

Water Rights Teton: 2nd Floor To effectively and efficiently deal with water issues, settlers in the arid West developed their own customs, laws and judicial determinations to deal with mining, agriculture and other domestic water uses. Out of this grew a fairly uniform body of regional laws and rights across the western states. Learn and discuss how recent federal agency actions threaten the security and viability of water rights in the West.

Discussion Leader: Ryan Yates, Director, Congressional Relations, AFBF

PUBLIC POLICY

Grazing/Federal Land Issues Olympus: 2nd Floor This discussion forum will examine all things related to federal lands including grazing leases, restrictions on grazing or other activities such as oil and gas development due to

endangered or threatened species listings, water rights, fire management and natural resource management (i.e. are the trees being harvested responsibly, are minerals being developed, are best management practices for grazing being followed, etc.). Discussion will also encompass the relationships between lessees and federal agencies, access to federal lands for recreation and the relationships between hunters and other recreationalists and farmers/ranchers who lease the federal land.

Discussion Leader: Gail Greenman, Director of National Affairs, Oregon Farm Bureau

PUBLIC POLICY

Antibiotics for Food Animals Teton: 2nd Floor New Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) guidelines will be implemented by the end of 2016. How prepared are the livestock producers in your state? Join this discussion for an update on VFD regulations and other antibiotics issues.

Participants are encouraged to bring examples of literature, presentations and other educational and outreach tools to share with state colleagues.

Discussion Leader: Trudy Wastweet, Director, Congressional Relations, AFBF

PUBLIC POLICY

Tax Policy Teton: 2nd Floor What can pass this year, and what will wait for the next Congress?

Discussion Leader: Pat Wolff, Senior Director, Congressional Relations, AFBF

11:00-11:30 a.m.

Discussion Forums Session #2 Same Topics and Locations as Session #1

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016 (CON’T) 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Breakout Session #2 COMMUNICATIONS

PART 2: Putting the Strategy in Communications Grand Ballroom C Main Floor This dynamic two-part session will key in on strategic planning for communications and public relations professionals. Learn how to get out of the “day-to-day” rut and focus on long-term strategies that yield killer results. This second session builds on the first, but both sessions are designed to ensure there will be takeaways for anyone who can attend only one part.

Speaker: Dr. Laurie J. Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Communication, Brigham Young University

POLICY ADVOCACY

Election Year Engagement Strategies Arizona: Main Floor Whether it’s launching a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) campaign, encouraging attendance at legislative town hall events or promoting political involvement in campaigns, this workshop will help enhance your engagement strategies. In addition, you will learn how developing your organization’s advocacy efforts can build stronger advocates and PAC donors.

Speaker: Cody Lyon, Director, Advocacy & Political Affairs, AFBF

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PUBLIC POLICY

Regulatory Reform Idaho: Main Floor Federal regulations impact nearly every aspect of farming and ranching. Learn what AFBF is doing to make the process more responsive, transparent and fair, and why your role is critical in making reform a reality.

Speaker: Paul Schlegel, Director, Environment & Energy Policy, AFBF

12:30-2:00 p.m.

Lunch Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor 2:15-3:00 p.m.

Breakout Session #3 COMMUNICATIONS

Creative Plagiarism for Communicators: Sharing Ideas That Work Grand Ballroom C Main Floor State Farm Bureau communicators are invited to share the “best of their best” ideas and tactics—and possibly a fantastic flop or two—implemented during the past year.

Moderator: Cyndie Shearing, Director, Internal Communications, AFBF

POLICY ADVOCACY

Strategies for Getting and Keeping Members Engaged Arizona: Main Floor A primary challenge facing grassroots managers is getting and keeping members engaged in advocacy programs. Join this discussion group to exchange ideas on how to better engage your advocates, how to align online and offline recruiting and what it looks like to generate highvalue engagements, whether it is in person or virtually.

Speaker: Randy Dwyer, Director, Grassroots Program Development, AFBF

PUBLIC POLICY

Importance of Trade to U.S. Agriculture Idaho: Main Floor The U.S. trade agenda is bursting this year with congressional consideration of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, the ongoing Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, a resumption of discussions on agriculture at the World Trade Organization, the continuing moves to improve agricultural trade with Cuba, and ongoing efforts to improve trade with China.

What will get accomplished this year, and what will continue into the next administration and Congress?

Speaker: Dave Salmonsen, Senior Director, Congressional Relations, AFBF; & Veronica Nigh, Economist, AFBF

3:00-3:30 p.m.

Networking Break Ballroom Reception Main Floor Thank You to Our Networking Break Sponsor:

more than 1,300 pieces of primary research and worked with scientists to create a new approach to crafting persuasive narratives. He will share effective narrative and storytelling techniques that transport audiences and open their hearts and minds to your message.

Speaker: Chris Graves, Chairman, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

6:30 p.m.

Meet in Lobby for Networking Dinners at Local Restaurants Sign-ups at registration desk or dinner on your own.

Hotel Lobby Main Floor

5:00-6:00 p.m.

3:30-4:45 p.m.

Combined Session No. 1

Combined Session No. 2 COMMUNICATIONS

COMMUNICATIONS

POLICY ADVOCACY

POLICY ADVOCACY

PUBLIC POLICY

PUBLIC POLICY

What Three Historic Accidents Can Teach Us About the Science of Influence: Why We So Often Get It Wrong Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor Chris Graves serves as both global chairman of Ogilvy Public Relations and chair of the Public Relations Council, the industry trade association.

Prior to joining Ogilvy more than a decade ago, he worked as a top executive in international news for 23 years at The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. For the past eight years, he has gathered

Share the Farm Bureau Future with Chris Graves Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor This session continues with Mr. Graves, offering conference attendees the opportunity to share thoughts, feedback, comments and ask questions after his presentation. In this interactive session, all three tracks will come together to share scenarios, share concerns and get feedback from one of the best public relations communicators in the United States.

Speaker: Chris Graves, Chairman, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

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THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016 Registration Hours: 7:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Location: Little America Hotel Grand Ballroom Foyer

7:30-8:30 a.m.

Networking Breakfast Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor 7:25-8:25 a.m.

Communication Directors’ Breakfast Cheyenne Main Floor 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Combined Session No. 3 COMMUNICATIONS POLICY ADVOCACY PUBLIC POLICY

2016 Presidential Election: An Analysis from Right to Left Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor Join one of the nation’s leading authorities on U.S. elections for thoughtprovoking insight into the political trends that have shaped the 2016 Presidential race so far. With the Republican and Democratic Conventions around the corner, this discussion will cover convention scenarios, along with possible outcomes at the election booths this fall. Known as the “Picasso

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of Election Analysts,” Cook will tackle the question on everyone’s mind: What is next in this unusual and historical election?

Speaker: Charlie Cook, Editor & Publisher, The Cook Political Report; Columnist, National Journal

9:45-10:30 a.m.

Breakout Session #4 COMMUNICATIONS

The Physiology of a Viral Campaign Grand Ballroom C Main Floor A case study on how to design and deploy campaigns that catch and hold the public’s attention. Topics will include developing strategic media plans in conjunction with campaigns, identifying messages that resonate with the public and measuring outcomes.

Speaker: Robert Grow, President & CEO, Envision Utah

POLICY ADVOCACY

Finding the Needle in the Haystack: Analytics and Micro-Targeting Arizona: Main Floor With every passing day, it becomes increasingly important to get your message to the right people, framed in a way that speaks specifically to them and saves everyone else from slogging through your message. But really mastering segmentation draws on different professional skills.

This session shows you how to leverage marketing skills to better target and customize your advocacy message and, most importantly, see greater engagement as a result.

Speaker: Jordan Craig, Director, Grassroots Program Development, AFBF

PUBLIC POLICY

Food Safety: Regulatory Implementation of FSMA Idaho: Main Floor The Food Safety Modernization Act is a broadsweeping law that is intended to prevent foodborne illness and that touches every sector of the food industry. The Food and Drug Administration has worked for the past five years to develop rules to implement this law—finalizing five of the seven major rules in 2015. We will discuss the final rules, focusing on the Produce Safety Rule, the impacts on farmers and what Farm Bureau is doing to ensure farmers are ready for compliance.

Speaker: Veronica Nigh, Economist, AFBF

10:45-11:30 a.m.

Breakout Session #5 COMMUNICATIONS

Blog, Sweat and Cheers Grand Ballroom C Main Floor Whether focused on advocacy or engagement, are you achieving the highest results from the writing you share on your blog platform? What works, what doesn’t work and what is worth trying?

Speakers: Heidi Larsen, Creator, FoodieCrush Blog; Kristi Spence, Senior Vice President, Dairy Council of Utah & Nevada; Luke Petersen, Farmer-Blogger and Salt Lake County Farm Bureau President

POLICY ADVOCACY

State Farm Bureau Group Discussion of Advocacy and Political Affairs, Grassroots and PAC Activities Arizona: Main Floor State Farm Bureau staff are invited to share expertise, ask fellow staff questions and get feedback on any and all outstanding issues in this area.

PUBLIC POLICY

Biotechnology Idaho: Main Floor Lessons Learned: Debrief and Therapy Session.

Speaker: Andrew Walmsley, Director, Congressional Relations, AFBF

11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Networking Grand Ballroom A-B Main Floor

“What a great way to help family farmers and ranchers get their voices heard in government.”

illustration by kriste

—buckeye86

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LITTLE AMERICA HOTEL: FLOOR PLAN Entrance

Entrance

Main Floor

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Second Floor

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SPARC 2016 SPEAKERS

Charlie Cook Editor & Publisher, The Cook Political Report; Columnist, National Journal Charlie Cook is Editor and Publisher of the Cook Political Report and a political analyst for National Journal magazine. Charlie is considered one of the nation’s leading authorities on American politics and U.S. elections. In 2010, Charlie was a co-recipient of the American Political Science Association’s prestigious Carey McWilliams award to honor “a major journalistic contribution to our understanding of politics.” In the spring semester of 2013, Charlie served as a Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Charlie founded the Cook Political Report in 1984 and became a columnist for Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill, in 1986. In 1998 he moved his column to National Journal. Charlie has served as a political analyst or election night analyst for CBS, CNN and NBC News; has been a frequent political analyst for all three major broadcast news networks; and has appeared on “Meet the Press” and “This Week”.

The New York Times has called Charlie “one of the best political handicappers in the nation” and has said the Cook Political Report is “a newsletter which both parties regard as authoritative.” The late David Broder wrote in the Washington Post that Charlie was “perhaps the best non-partisan tracker of congressional races,” while CBS News’ Bob Schieffer called the Cook Political Report, “the bible of the political community.”

Chris Graves Chairman, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Christopher Graves was one of the founders of the Wall Street Journal Report on TV (now three decades old), Vice President of News and Programming for CNBC Asia, Vice President of News and Programming for CNBC Europe, Managing Director of Business Development (EMEA & Asia) for Wall Street Journal Online (WSJ.com) and Managing Director of Far Eastern Economic Review magazine, which won magazine of the year twice in Asia during his tenure.

Chris is a frequent public speaker and moderator, appearing as a guest host on CNBC Squawkbox and at such events as the Clinton Global Initiative, World Economic Forum, World Islamic Economic Forum and Boao (China’s most influential forum).

In 2010, Chris was elected life member to the Council on Foreign Relations, one of the most influential foreign policy think tank in the United States.

Chris serves on the board of the Council of Public Relations Firms, is a trustee of the Institute for Public Relations, is on the board of Caring for Cambodia (a foundation that builds schools) and on the Leadership Council of Opportunity Nation (a bi-partisan coalition of 200 NGOs devoted to restoring social and economic mobility). Chris is also a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and of The Seminar.

Awards include: WPP Atticus Grand Prix for original writing, Agency of the Year, Asia Pacific PR Professional of the Year, Asia Pacific Consultancy of the Year, an EMMY nomination and more than a dozen awards from The New York Film and Television Festivals and the Asian Television Awards. In 2011, Chris was chosen to serve on the jury for the Cannes Festival of Creativity (PR Lions).

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SPARC 2016 SPEAKERS

Robert Grow President & CEO, Envision Utah Robert Grow holds degrees in engineering and law from the University of Utah and the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He was the primary architect of Envision Utah’s grassroots, bottom-up, stakeholder driven, values based approach.

For his role in helping shape the strategy for the Salt Lake region’s future transportation system, Robert received the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Distinguished Service Award in October 2003.

Over the last couple of decades, he has created multi-generational visions for more than 80 metropolitan regions including San Diego; Laie, Hawaii; and the 175,000-acre Superstition Vistas property in Arizona.

In addition, he directed the Utah-based team of O’Melveny & Myers LLP with legal issues relating to environment, planning, entitlement, infrastructure and development for Kennecott Land Company’s 93,000acre land holding on Salt Lake’s West Bench plan, as well as the 4,000acre Daybreak Community, Kennecott Land’s first model sustainable community. Robert was also previously the president of a large manufacturing company and chaired a national trade association.

Heidi Larsen Creator, FoodieCrush Blog Heidi Larsen, creator of the FoodieCrush Blog, says her biggest culinary moment was when she won a blue ribbon at the Utah State Fair for her Snickerdoodle cookies in fourth grade. Since then, she has merged her love of making food with her former career as a creative director in publishing to become a photo-taking, storytelling, magazine and e-cookbook designing food blogger.

Heidi likes to create and share recipes that are fresh, seasonal and mostly simple…often healthy comfort food—sometimes with a little cheese and butter mixed in.

“The Web has become a virtual food buffet and I’m lucky enough to be a part of it,” she says.

Luke Petersen Farmer-Blogger and Salt Lake County Farm Bureau President Petersen Family Farm is the continuation of a fifth-generation farming heritage. Luke and Hilarie Petersen are committed to preserving an agricultural tradition for their children and the community. Riverton, Utah, has a rich agricultural history that needs to be maintained. At Petersen Family Farm, the mission is to Cultivate People, Food and Community—instilling and preserving traditional values learned best on the farm and providing wholesome, natural food to our friends and neighbors.

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SPARC 2016 SPEAKERS

Kristi Spence Senior Vice President, Dairy Council of Utah & Nevada As the Vice President of Health, Wellness and Industry Communications for the Dairy Council of Utah and Nevada, Kristi Spence is a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sport dietetics. Kristi blends her passion for food and health with her science background in order to communicate with health and industry professionals. Prior to her role with the Dairy Council, Kristi developed nutrition-education programs and hands-on cooking workshops for youth and adults as a sport dietitian with Intermountain Healthcare. She has given lectures around the country on a variety of topics related to health, wellness, school nutrition and sport nutrition. She is called upon regularly as a nutrition expert for radio and TV interviews, and enjoys the challenge of offering practical real-life nutrition tips for today’s consumer.

Dr. Laurie J. Wilson Emeritus Professor of Communication, Brigham Young University Dr. Wilson is a recently retired, award-winning professor, consultant and author of “Strategic Communications Planning for Public Relations and Marketing” (6th Ed.), which is used in over 200 universities nationwide and several internationally. Over her 20-year professional career and 24-year teaching career, she has received dozens of national and local awards for outstanding service, teaching and research contributions.

Wilson received her Ph.D. from American University in Washington, D.C. She joined the BYU faculty in 1989, where she has served as chair of the communication department and the public relations program. At the same time, Wilson co-chaired a national Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) task force on internships, which created the first-ever standards for quality public relations internships. She has also served as national chair for a number of education initiatives and task forces in PRSA. She has served on site teams accrediting communications programs for the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and led site visit teams certifying schools in public relations education for PRSA. She is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Public Relations Research and the Journal of Promotion Management.

Wilson’s areas of expertise, research and publication include strategic planning and issue management, corporate social responsibility and building community partnerships. She consults regularly in those areas and is an educational consultant to communications programs. She also serves at the local United Way where she was a member of the executive board for 20 years.

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Economist, Apical Economics, LLC Dr. Barkema is the founder of Apical Economics, LLC and has served as Senior Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. As an economist, Dr. Barkema writes and speaks widely on developments in the economy and agriculture. Dr. Barkema retired from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in February 2012 as Senior Vice President and Director of Research. He also served as professor and head of the Agricultural Economics Department at Oklahoma State University from 1996 to 1999. A native of Alexander, Iowa, Barkema holds B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Iowa State University, and an M.S. degree from Cornell University, and is a graduate of the Executive Program at Stanford University.

Nancy Bocskor Author, Campaign Fundraising Professional and Professor, George Washington University Nancy Bocskor founded the Nancy Bocskor Company in 1990. She has raised money for more than 100 members of Congress and political candidates and trained activists and leaders in all 50 states and more than 20 countries. She is also a professor at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management and author of “Go Fish: How to Catch (and Keep) Contributors: A Practical Guide to Fundraising.” Nancy received the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater Otterbein College.

Nancy serves on the board of directors for Running Start, a non-profit organization that encourages young women to run for office, and is an advisory board member for the Center for Second Service, a program that trains veterans for public service. She has also served for seven years as a director on the board of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale, where she chaired the school’s Curriculum Committee for five years.

Tell us what you think!

Take the short conference survey at http://sparc2016.questionpro.com.

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SPARC 2016 SPEAKERS

Dr. Alan D. Barkema

Thank You 2016 Planning Committee Communications

Gail Greenman, Director of National Affairs, Oregon Farm Bureau

Steve Ammerman, Manager of Public Affairs, Associate Director, New York Farm Bureau

Nicole Rolf, National Affairs Director, Montana Farm Bureau

Matt Hargreaves, Vice President of Communications, Utah Farm Bureau

Trudy Wastweet, Director, Congressional Relations, AFBF

Cyndie Shearing, Director, Internal Communications, AFBF

Elizabeth Wolters, Associate Director of National Affairs, New York Farm Bureau

Mace Thornton, Executive Director, Communications, AFBF

Ryan Yates, Director, Congressional Relations, AFBF

Political Advocacy Planning & Logistics

Jordan Craig, Project Coordinator, AFBF Casey Gudel, Manager, Political Affairs, California Farm Bureau Cody Lyon, Director, Advocacy & Political Affairs, AFBF

Megan Bidelman, Administrative Assistant, AFBF Jennifer Bond, Director, Meetings and Events, AFBF Kathleen Early, Director, Legal Services and Assistant Secretary, AFBF

Jim Sartwelle, Former National Legislative Director, Government Affairs, Texas Farm Bureau

Creative Services

Public Policy Ryan Flickner, Senior Director of Public Policy, Kansas Farm Bureau

Mary Burns, Director, Creative Services, AFBF

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR JUNE 6-8, 2017 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA WYNDHAM GRAND PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWN