Merry Bruns: Upcoming Events

Celebrating ten years of "Content & Coffee"

1997-2007

DATE: March 20, 2007

"Web 2.0, Part I- The writing style of your company's Blog"

Do you write for your blog the way you write for your web site?

Blogs are about connecting and forging relationships with readers.But like writing for the web, this means more than thinking about the design and layout of your blog.Our panel will discuss how they've had to re-think communicating with their readers through their blog's writing style, and how it can affect what they write about.A
COST: Free & open to all.
LOCATION:
The American Public Power Assn. (APPA)
3rd Floor
2301 M St NW, Washington DC 20037
(location inquiries: 202-467-2955)
*Please note this location is on 23rd St NW and not on M St.

Metro: Foggy Bottom or Dupont Circle

RSVP: Reply on Evite
_________________
PANELISTS:

Scott Briscoe
ASAE's Acronym blog
Scott Briscoe is editor-in-chief of Associations Now, the flagship publication for ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, and creator of Acronym, ASAE & The Center’s blog. He has worked in publishing and communications for a dozen years at several different Washington, DC-area associations. His first venture into social media was a 2-week blog that covered the ASAE Annual Meeting in Minneapolis in 2004.
________

Robyn Tippins
Sleepyblogger.com
Robyn Tippins is a marketing/PR consultant, blogger, speaker, and podcaster. She's been involved in the social web since 1993 personally and 1998 professionally.

Her work has appeared all over the web in a variety of tech or marketing related publications and her consulting work has run the gamut from social networking to video games.
__________

Lorelei Brown
Manager, User Experience, REALTOR.org
National Association of Realtors

Lorelei Brown is the Manager of User Experience at the National Association of Realtors.

Lorelei has been making the internet a better place since 1997. She's worked in all over DC at non-profits, associations, media and agencies. She's currently the Manager of User Experience at the National Association of Realtors, working to make www.realtor.org a useful resource instead of a giant pile of electronic paper.

Lorelei speaks early and often about the business of user experience, or why really smart companies make strange decisions that don't always make good sense.

TOPIC: "RSS & BLOGSs-WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOUR BUSINESS?"
April 18, 2005

This special workshop edition of "Content & Coffee," will help you separate the hype from the substance, and position you to tap into the power of these new technologies.

Space is limited for this one - with a solutions-based and interactive format, you'll get to bring your questions and learn from our speakers how to make RSS and blogs work for your business.

See Speaker presentations

RSS, blogs - they're everywhere and you know they're hot. Major corporations, political candidates, and small businesses are adding these tools to their marketing mix.

Are they the latest techno-fad, or can they help your business?

Join our expert panel for an practical, interactive seminar on the business value of corporate blogs and RSS Feeds.

Gain practical take-home information!
If you use your web site to communicate with your customers, or potential customers, you'll see how these influential emerging technologies can help you get them the information they want, fast, while saving your time and sanity.

And if you're involved in e-mail marketing, you'll learn how RSS feeds can help you avoid getting lost in spam filters and reach a highly targeted, self-selected audience.

PANELISTS

Merry Bruns, Science Sites Communications, Moderator

Cheryl Contee, Senior Consultant
Issue Dynamics, Inc., Washington DC 20006
www.idi.net

Nancy McCord
nmccord@mccordweb.com
McCord Web Design
RSS/Blogs & New technologies
www.mccordweb.com

Sabrina I. Pacifici, Law Librarian
-Founder/Editor/Publisher, LLRX.com (webzine on law and technology resources, published since 1996)
-Author of beSpacific.com (www.bespacific.com,
the blog on law and technology news)

LOCATION: National Women's Business Center's office
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 919
Washington, DC 20036

TOPIC:"Political web sites 2004-facts or fiction?"

Sept. 27, 2004

Who's using the Internet to research candidate credibility?
How reliable are partisan political sites-can you rely on them for accuracy and truth?
Can you trust information you find on line? And how can you tell?

Join our panelists as we look at the changing face of politics online today-and how Americans are using the web to separate fact from fiction.

LOCATION: National Press Club (map and directions)
Washington DC

"CONTENT & COFFEE...with lunch!"
TOPIC: " Usable Content: Are you sure you've got it??"
A special lunchtime edition of “Content & Coffee," co- hosted with DC Web Women.

April 19, 2004

To make SURE your site's content is usable, you have to do more than say "Jakob told me so!" Managers want evidence-based proof that usability testing is worth it before giving the go-ahead.

Come prepared to talk one-on-one with Sanjay Koyani and Janice Nall, the usability experts who've conducted empirical research on what makes a site's content usable, easy to read and navigate. (In fact, they've written the book on it!).

SPEAKERS:
Sanjay Koyani and Janice Nall are among the team members who created “Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines" published by the National Cancer Institute, which is an outgrowth of the team’s experience with
the NCI’s usability efforts.

Download the book at at www.usability.gov, Please join us for a freewheeling roundtable discussion on making sure your content is usable.
WHERE: American Immigration Lawyers Assn. - 1st Fl. Conf. Rm.
918 F Street - NW, Washington, DC

TOPIC: " Usability & Content"
Feb. 3, 2004

Implementing sound usability principles on your site means more than understanding the technical issues - it affects how comprehensible your site’s content is to your readers.

• Can they understand the purpose of everything you’ve put online?
• Can they easily recognize content developed for them?
• Can they work their way through the links on your site without having to use guesswork?

Join our panel of usability professionals as they discuss how they handle these issues at private sector companies and at governmental web sites.

LOCATION: National Press Club

SPEAKERS:

Beth Martin
Senior Usability Specialist
Userworks
www.userworks.com

Kay Springer
Usability.gov
http://usability.gov/pdfs/guidelines.html

Sanjay Koyani
Usability Analyst
Communications Technologies Branch
National Cancer Institute

April 7, 2003

Please RSVP for Content & Coffee!

"Building a Web content team"

Who's on your team? Not every company has a big budget, or staff available to create a full-fledged content department. We'll hear how web editors have built an effective team, how much staff you really need, and how to do it if you're on a budget.

LOCATION: National Press Club
6:30-7:15 PM-Networking and coffee
7:15-9:00 PM-Speakers and Q&A

SPEAKERS:
Jacques Kapuscinski,Content Editor
Epa.gov

Karen Lee Ryan,Senior Manager, User Experience
Sapient

Beverly Godwin, Director, FirstGov.gov Operations,
FirstGov

Nov.11, 2002

Please note! This event is co-sponsored with the High-Tech Committee, National Press Club.

"Section 508 - Content and accessibility"
Section 508 is now a part of every governmental web site-or should be.

But how has it affected content development, writing, and editorial issues?

Do you need to think differently now about your content to meet these requirements? Our panelists will discuss these issues and the experiences they have with implementation, and answer your questions.

LOCATION: National Press Club
6:30-7:15 PM-Networking and coffee
7:15-9:00 PM-Speakers and Q&A

SPEAKERS:

Emma Kolstad Antunes
GSFC Webmaster
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Joy Gatewood Fulton
Senior Systems Developer
Altarum

Thom Haller
Information Architect & Trainer
Info.Design, Inc.

Jo Miller
Bending Line
Strategic Web Consulting
Government Usability/Section 508

Oct.28, 2002

"Information Architecture - Creating the structure of your site"
What exactly do information architects do? And how can using information architecture give you an accessible, navigable site that's easy for readers to use?

Join our expert team of panelists for an in-depth look at how information architecture works-and the benefits you can gain from it for your site.

LOCATION: National Press Club
Zenger Room
6:30-7:15 PM-Networking and coffee
7:15-9:00 PM-Speakers and Q&A

SPEAKERS:
Cinnamon Melchor
Senior associate of user experience
Sapient

Vera Rhoads
Senior Manager, Intranet
Fannie Mae

Sharyn Horowitz
Web Manager
Office of Science Planning & Assessment
(Contractor)
National Cancer Institute

Thom Haller
Information Architect & Trainer
Info.Design, Inc.

Feb.25, 2002

"Distance Learning: A dot.com success story?"

Co-hosted with: DC Web Women, and the High-Technology Committee, National Press Club.
Online courses have taken off, and the competition is heating up. Our panelists are producers, developers, analysts, and academics, and are right at the center of making it happen.

They'll be talking with us about making the courses, the business decisions of devlopment, and the future of taking the classroom online.

How do you choose a good course, sight unseen?
What are the advantages-and disadvantages- over traditional courses?
What's the learning curve for development?
What about copyright issues?

LOCATION: National Press Club
6:30-7:15 PM-Networking and coffee
7:15-9:00 PM-Speakers and Q&A

SPEAKERS:
Deborah Everhart
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Georgetown University Product Manager, Blackboard Inc.

Martin Irvine
Founding Director, Communication, Culture, and Technology Program Associate Vice-President for Technology Strategy
Georgetown University

Sonja Moore
Director of Distance Education,
Virginia Commonwealth University

Stefan Gunther, Program Manager and Founder,
Online Distance Learning, Graduate School,
USDA, Washington, DC

Nov.12, 2001

TOPIC: "The State of Online Journalism Training"

Co-Sponsored by the High-Tech Committee, National Press Club

The web has dramatically changed the way breaking news gets out-and journalists are in the front line of online reporting.

So how can you train a journalist in online reporting - or is learning in the trenches the only way to go?

How does online journalism differ from CARR (Computer Assisted Research & Reporting)?

How effective are online journalism classes, and where do you find them? Our panel of experts will discuss the state of this training today, what works, and what doesn't.

LOCATION: National Press Club

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Callahan, Associate Dean
Philip Merrill College of Journalism
University of Maryland
Reporters Guide to the Internet
Personal web site

Jeff South, Associate Professor
School of Mass Communications,
Virginia Commonwealth University
http://www.people.vcu.edu/~jcsouth/

Chris Harvey, Journalism instructor & Online bureau director
Philip Merrill College of Journalism
University of Maryland
Personal Web site

Maggy Sterner, Special Project Producer
NPR Online

Oct.10, 2001

TOPIC: "Content Management Systems: Good news or headaches for editors?"

In the past 6 months, content management systems have been struggling to improve, with several going kaput, and others holding strong.

What does this say about CMS in general?
And what does this mean for companies investing in these systems?
Join our panel of developers and users as we take a second look at the CMS choices facing web editors today.

LOCATION: Georgetown University,
The Center for Professional Development
Car Barn, Suite 303
Washington, DC

SPEAKERS:
Tony Byrne, CEO, CMSWatch
Shelley Jackson, WestLake Consulting Group
Steve Drucker, President/CEO, FigLeaf Software
Chase Haddix, Business Development, IAPPS

June 4, 2001

TOPIC: "Online writers: Finding jobs in the new economy"

With the abrupt changes forced on most content sites today, both online editors and writers are being forced to reconsider hiring and work practices.

Are marketing, self-syndication, and personal web sites new models?
Is freelancing still an option, and is full-time even an option anymore?

Event transcript by Katherine Spivey.

SPEAKERS:
Lori Cuthbert, Managing Editor, News, Discovery.com.

Sacha Cohen, a Washington, DC-based technology and business writer.

Steve Klein, Principal, Advanced Interactive Media Group, Adjunct Professor, George Mason University.

Peter Ognibene, Independent Proposal Consultant.

March 19, 2001

TOPIC: "Copyrights and Content-Whose rights are they, anyway?"

Content & Coffee, co-sponsored this month with with DCWW, will take an in-depth look at the issues surrounding the growing furor over who owns the rights to online material and copyrights.

Whether it's an online writer negotiating contracts, or an editor needing to buy content, this is a hot issues that's threatening to grow even bigger.

LOCATION: National Press Club
CO-host: This event is kindly CO-hosted by DCWeb Women.

SPEAKERS:
Rochelle Lieberman
Lieberman & Brandsdorfer

Cliff Stone
VP & Legal Counsel, Washingtonpost.com

Joe Di Scipio
Cohn & Marks

March 5, 2001

TOPIC: "Content Management systems-good news or headaches for Web editors?"

LOCATION: Georgetown Networked Media Center

SPEAKERS:
Michael Shoag
Senior Project Manager
IAPPS

Aaron Kechley
Director of Consulting
WestLake Consulting Group

Shelby Rogers
Producer
Idev

Bret Peters
FigLeaf Software

Jan.29, 2001

TOPIC: "Paying for Content- Will readers buy in?"

LOCATION: National Press Club

Our panelists will look at the viability of the latest pay-for-content models on the web, and the impact of the new economic climate on content-rich dotcoms. We've expected everything to be free so far, but this may be changing-how will it affect the growth of the web, and what kinds of sites will be affected?

SPEAKERS:
Peter Stonier
Director of Online BBCAmerica

Marylin Keyes
Vice President for Marketing
ScienceWise
The Workplace for Science & Engineering)

Brian Hecht
Pres./CEO
Enews.com
The Electronic Newsstand

Steve Klein
Principal, Advanced Interactive Media Group
Adjunct Professor, George Mason University
Co-Founder, SportsEditor.com

Oct.5, 2000

TOPIC: "Is Digital Media Surplanting Radio and TV?"

LOCATION: National Press Club
Zenger Room

Initial findings of the UCLA Center for Communication Policy's Internet Report show that more than two-thirds of respondents who use the Internet gave it an individual rating higher than either TV or radio as an important source of information.

What does this say for the future of digital media?
Is the Internet gaining momentum in displacing traditional media sources?

Why have print sources remained the strongest sources of important information?

SPEAKERS:
Valerie Nozick, Project Manager
National Public Radio

Susannah Fox, Director of Research
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Mike Donatello, Director of Research
Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive

July 20, 2000

TOPIC: "Content & Coffee" at Webfest 2000

"Content & Coffee" , during Webfest2000, at the National Press Club, drew a standing-room only crowd to hear a panel of terrific speakers! We had a write-up in Washtech.com, and were featured on Epress.com.

Convergence - how traditional media "brands" (i.e.: NY Times, Post, ABC.com, etc.) are increasingly dominating content on the web.

Why's this happening?

Are consumers already comfortable with these 'brands' and trust them? Is the web becoming a place where only big-money players can take part? And what does this say for emerging niches and independent voices?

LOCATION: National Press Club

SPEAKERS:
Jim Sheppard
The Washington Post

Michael Rogers
Editor & General Manager
Newsweek.com

Kevin Anderson
BBC News Online, Washington

May 8, 2000

TOPIC: "Publishing Hits the Web: Changes Ahead"
(Thanks to all who came to May 8's event-we had a terrific discussion about online publishing -I thank all who participated!)

LOCATION: National Press Club
First Amendment Room.

SPEAKERS:
Andrew Clary-Discovery Channel -
Managing Editor , Discovery News
Andrew will discuss Discovery Channel's challenges with the advent of the Web in publishing. As an innovator in traditional media, he'll talk about Discovery's move into the online world.

Ron Krannich-Impact Publications
"Career and Travel Publishing--New Online Content, Sales, and Advertising Initiatives"
Ron Krannich, President of Impact Publications, will share his most recent initiatives into the on-line worlds of career and travel publishing, including the launching of two new e-commerce sites -- http://www.winningthejob.com and http://www.ishoparoundtheworld.com.

He'll discuss how "Impact Everywhere" content strategies are transforming the nature of his business, both on-line and off-line.

Anne Holland-CEO, MarketingSherpa.com and Publisher ContentBiz.co
Anne will be discussing how print publishers are selling digital versions of their content online.

She's proud to announce ContentBiz.com's new site, which features exclusive interviews with leading content players , practical know-how, and much, MUCH more.

April 19,2000

TOPIC: "Writing Good Content for E-Mail Newsletters"
Co-hosted with DCWW.

SPEAKERS:
Lora Meisner,
E Com Communications
and Editor of MarCom News.

Katherine Spivey,
IACP- Newsletter editor for DCWW and IACP

Feb.7, 2000
TOPIC: "Web Editors at AOL"

LOCATION: National Press Club
First Amendment Room.

Speakers:
Andrea Spiegel,
AOL/Time-Warner
Dir., Kids, Teens & Entertainment Channel

Nov. 1, 1999
TOPIC: "Making the move from print to online journalism"

LOCATION: National Press Club
F irst Amendment Room.

SPEAKER:
Jeff South
Associate professor , Virginia Commonwealth University,

Making the transition from writing for print to online media. Jeff South is training coordinator at the University's 21st Century News Center, a professional development program for journalists. He has been a reporter and editor at newspapers in Texas, Arizona and Virginia.

Last update: 6/7/10