Conference News: What I learned this week – April 19, 2019

 A New Brand EmERges: Working Mother Media has changed the name of their NALC ERG leadership conference to the clever EmERGe Leadership Summit. The reason for this rebrand, according to the organizers, is that they are shifting their content to explore “the rich and diverse talent pipeline that ERGs bring to organizations.” Conference attendance is typically comprised of network and affinity group members and leaders, ERG program managers, diversity or HR professionals, ERG executive sponsors, mid-level managers, and other professionals from companies considering the business benefits of network & affinity groups. The next EmERGe Leadership Summit will be held from 11-12 June in Newark, NJ.

From Vegas to the Cloud: The American Marketing Association (AMA) is making a big change to its Marketing Week Live event in 2019. Last held onsite in Las Vegas, this year’s program is moving to the cloud — that is to say, AMA Marketing Week Live 2019 will be held as a virtual event over the course of two days (1- 2 October). Marketers can still expect a lot of thought leadership bang for their buck, with a focus on video and augmented reality, native advertising, and AI tools. Keep an eye on the AMA website for more details, such as how to register and confirmed speakers.

Speaking Opportunity: CompTIA ChannelCon is seeking speaker proposals for the General Education Program, including the BizTech and Future Trends tracks; and the IT Pro Track powered by CompTIA Pro. Topics for the IT Pro Track must be technical topics eligible for CompTIA Continuing Education credits for at least one CompTIA certification. Topics of interest include: Big Data; Business Strategy Planning; Business Transformation Agility; Channel Account Management; Cloud Computing; Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity; Financial Management; Help Desk; Internet of Things; IT Security; Managed IT Services; Managed Print Services; Marketing (Digital/ Interactive/Mobile); Mobility; Networking; Operational Efficiency; Partnering with Vendors; Sales/Solution Selling; and Strategic Partnering. Speaker proposals must be submitted via their online form by 1 May.

Lunchtime Learning: The SXSW EDU Conference & Festival, which takes place just prior to SXSW in Austin every year, is self-described as an event that “cultivates and empowers a community of engaged stakeholders to advance teaching and learning.” For four days attendees can participate in compelling sessions, engaging learning experiences, film screenings, startup events, business opportunities, and networking. A few of this year’s standout sessions included: Tiffany Aliche (The Budgetnista), Jean Chatzky (HerMoney Media), Andrea Delbanco (TIME), and Drew Willis (TIME) discuss what can be done to bring personal finance into the educational mainstream; Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in a conversation with The Washington Post reporter Laura Meckler on disruptive policies that can transform today’s classroom into tomorrow’s ideal laboratory of learning; and Lee Ann Womack, Astronaut Clayton Anderson, and Barry Zito, explore why music matters in shaping the next generation.

Coming Up Next Week: In San Francisco, Professional Business Woman of California (PBWC) Conference (23 April) showcases another knockout speaker lineup featuring women at the top of their game representing some of California’s highest profile industries – tech and Hollywood, for example – as well as political and justice system leaders. Another CA event is VentureBeat Games Beat, which will be held 23-24 April in Los Angeles. Games Beat features fireside chats and panels with some of gaming’s most prolific developers, execs, and investors. Across the pond, IOT Tech Expo Global runs 25-26 April in London alongside concurrent shows covering AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity. And at the Spark Executive Forum Spring (24-25 April; Napa Valley), attendees enjoy more than just wine. The invite-only executive forum touts a “no media or sponsors policy” aimed at providing an intimate networking opportunity for business and tech leaders. Bonus for attending? Our founder, Amy Scarlino, will deliver a visionary address on building your brand with external speaking opportunities!