Nahijee Cross, Marketing & Communications Manager, Philadelphia Youth Basketball

Managing a brand on social media can feel overwhelming—especially with a small team and competing priorities. This session will share a real-world look at how a small nonprofit manages its brand consistently across different platforms, keeping each audience in mind. We’ll explore strategies for prioritizing team time and activities, choosing where to focus your energy, and managing social media without losing sight of your bigger goals. You’ll walk away with practical ideas for delivering brand communications with clarity and confidence—without burning out your team.

Beth Brodovsky and Meghan Reilly, Iris Creative

Sometimes, a second opinion can be a huge help but not everyone has the skills to give valuable design advice. Here’s your chance to get input from the pros. Participate in this live work review session. We’ll offer critique without criticism, so you have a positive experience and get helpful direction.

In the weeks leading up to the conference, an request for submissions will be sent out.

Rob Feinberg, Chief Marketing, Sales, and Communications Officer, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

In today’s dynamic marketing landscape, organizations must balance consistency with creativity to effectively communicate within a defined brand structure. This session will explore how the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) navigates this challenge, ensuring its visual and written identity supports overarching goals while allowing for strategic flexibility. We’ll discuss key decision points, including when to adhere to brand guidelines and when to adapt them, how signature events and programs like the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show and PHS Pop Up Gardens maintain uniqueness while staying within the brand family, and strategies for evolving the brand over time. Additionally, we’ll touch on the tools and processes that help internal and external teams collaborate effectively. Attendees will gain insights into maintaining a cohesive brand identity while embracing the variety of marketing approaches needed for success.

• Sara Falconer, Director of Brand Communications, Canadian Hearing Services
  
• Janice Babineau, Senior Director, Digital Communications, Canadian Red Cross
  
• Stephanie Costa, President & CEO, New England Village, Inc.
  
• Kristen Scott, Founder & CEO, Change Strategist & Team Dynamics Consultant, Project Solved
  

Branding is more than logos and language—it’s about alignment. And the people who make your brand real every day are your staff. But involving your team in a brand project doesn’t mean inviting everyone to everything. So how do you decide who to include, when to bring them in, and how to build lasting support?

This candid panel discussion explores how to engage your internal team in ways that are meaningful, manageable, and mission-aligned. You’ll learn how to prepare your organization to take on a brand project, avoid common pitfalls in staff engagement, and walk away with strategies to turn internal voices into brand champions—without slowing the process down.

Beth Brodovsky, President, Iris Creative

Rebranding is expensive, time-consuming — and often ineffective. That’s because most organizations jump into design too fast. In this closing session, branding expert Beth Brodovsky will show how leading nonprofits create clarity first — through an audience-centered approach to branding. You’ll learn how to tell if you’re ready for a rebrand, how to choose the right kind of branding project, and why starting in the right place saves time, money and focus down the line.

Beth will share Iris Creative’s AMIE methodology, developed over 35 years working with mission-driven organizations, and guide you in thinking about what kind of brand work your team might really need. You’ll leave with inspiration, insight — and a next step you can take with confidence.