KC IABC

If you’ve wanted to join KC/IABC, but found the price too steep, there’s good news. Our new IABC Lite membership offers annual dues of just $115. Members receive discounted pricing at our educational and social events and support the work of our professional association. It also looks good on a resume. Good ahead, make it official. https://kciabc.com/membership

KC/IABC is a 100% volunteer-led organization. Behind the scenes, these committed board members make things happen.

𝗔𝗺𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘁
𝘊𝘰-𝘞𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗖/𝗜𝗔𝗕𝗖 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱?
I got started by helping with the Business Communicators Summit in 2009 and I was a board member for several years after that. Then I moved to the Pacific Northwest and got involved again when I moved back.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯?
I founded Amy Stewart Public Relations in 2023 and I help women-owned businesses, non-profits, and authors share their stories with the world. I’m also a mother to my six-year-old daughter and she’s the reason I started my business. I needed more flexibility with my schedule and now I have it.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯?
I love seeing my clients shine, whether that’s through a media spotlight, a partnership event, or a speaking engagement.

𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?
Watching live music. I recently went to a Kesha concert at the new amphitheater in Riverside.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘆. 𝗪𝗵𝘆/𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱?
Running my own business gives me more flexibility and I enjoy working with and learning from other communications experts in KC.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗞𝗖/𝗜𝗔𝗕𝗖?
Having a professional network and continuing education, no matter how far along you are in your career, are both very important. KC/IABC offers lots of great opportunities to help with both.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻?
Jazzercise instructor! Some would say it’s not too late, but I prefer not to be on stage. Similar to my work as a PR professional, I’m the one behind the scenes.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲?
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” – Kelly Clarkson

Our informal Coffee Chats focus on personal development for business communicators, helping us to grow in all aspects of our lives. We've had insightful conversations around resilience, mindset, overcoming challenges, building meaningful connections, and becoming the best version of ourselves.

Do you know a speaker who inspires others through their story, experience, or perspective?

We're looking for engaging individuals who can spark conversation, encourage growth, and leave attendees with something meaningful to think about long after the chat is over. Suggestions? Contact Brenda Poor at [email protected].

KC/IABC is a 100% volunteer-led organization. Behind the scenes, these committed board members make things happen.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻
𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗖/𝗜𝗔𝗕𝗖 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱?
I joined in 2008, first became involved with the Technology Special Interest Group, and have served on the board for 10+ years.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯?
I’m a Senior Product Marketing Manager for a payments software company where I create personas, product positioning, messaging, sales enablement materials and more to help drive revenue.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯?
Building relationships across the company.

𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?
Wherever friends and family are – live music, bingo, sip-n-paint, hiking, traveling.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘆. 𝗪𝗵𝘆/𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱?
The network I’ve developed through KC/IABC has been a great resource throughout my career. From job references and referrals to bouncing ideas off of others and professional development, I’ve found the organization and connections I’ve made very valuable. Volunteering to serve on the board is a great way to give back and continue to grow relationships.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗞𝗖/𝗜𝗔𝗕𝗖?
The importance of building intentional relationships.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻?
Not really. I’ve been fortunate to work in my degree field pretty much since I graduated. But I’ve always wanted to be a travel writer.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲?
“Assume good intent.”

Special thanks to Julie Masson, who joined us today at Messenger Coffee for “How to Think Like a CCO (Even Without the Title).” Julie offered unique, practical insights and our attendees responded with compelling questions of their own.

Coming up Wednesday: “How to Think Like a CCO (Even Without the Title)”, with Julie Masson, founder of the Nonprofit Comms Club. You'll walk away with practical tools and mindset shifts to help you plan strategically, build trust across your organization, and show up as the communications leader your team needs – no matter where you sit on the org chart.
Register: https://kciabc.com/events/how-to-think-like-a-cco-even-without-the-title
Details: Wednesday, June 10, 7:30-9 a.m., Messenger Coffee, 1624 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Mo.

Thank you Mike Swenson! Last week, the founder of Barkley Public Relations (and much, much more) joined GKC-PRSA and KC/IABC for a happy hour and conversation on crisis communications. Thank you for inspiring communicators!

You don’t need the title to think (and act) like a communications strategist. Join us for “How to Think Like a CCO (Even Without the Title)” with Julie Masson, founder of the Nonprofit Comms Club. You'll walk away with practical tools and mindset shifts to help you plan strategically, build trust across your organization, and show up as the communications leader your team needs – no matter where you sit on the org chart.
Register: https://tinyurl.com/yhrajbfd
Details: Wednesday, June 10, 7:30-9 a.m., Messenger Coffee, 1624 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Mo.

Join GKC-PRSA and KCIABC for a special co-hosted happy hour featuring networking and a conversation on crisis communications with Mike Swenson, founder of Barkley Public Relations. With a career spanning broadcast journalism, a press secretary role and decades leading one of the region’s most respected PR firms, Mike brings hard-won perspective on what it takes to protect a reputation when it matters most.
https://kciabc.com/events/gkc-prsa-x-kciabc-happy-hour-with-mike-swenson

Charitable nonprofits change the world. And leadership drives the change. The Kauffman Foundation is accepting nominations for a Kansas City-area leader for its Uncommon Leader Visionary Award. The award winner receives $75,000 along with $150,000 for the associated organization. Learn more: https://www.kauffman.org/visionary-award