By Lael Wageneck, APR, Immediate Past President and Public Information Officer, Santa Barbara County Public Works

Over the past few years, CAPIO has had the wonderful problem of figuring out how to grow responsibly while maintaining a supportive culture that helps advance public communicators no matter their career stage. In 2024, the Past President’s Committee was formed to explore and implement new ways to help our members grow as communicators. While past presidents have continued to support CAPIO informally, there hasn’t been a formal structure to help use that “brain trust” to help with planning and problem-solving. So far, this group held a free “Ask Me Anything” webinar and helped judge this year’s special awards.

In 2025, the Past Presidents Committee is adding two new ways to help you grow as a public communicator at this year’s conference.

Mini Mentorships

CAPIO is offering up to 15 mini-mentoring sessions with a past president or “seasoned” CAPIO member. Looking for career advice? Have a communications problem you can’t figure out how to fix? Is there a topic you want to discuss with someone who has been around PR for a while? You can schedule a half-hour meeting to help brainstorm solutions and provide advice.

Leadership Roundtables

These facilitated group discussions (up to 20 people) are designed to help us learn tips, tricks, and best practices from each other that will help us better serve our communities.  The four roundtable topics are as follows:

Leadership Book Club – Lincoln on Leadership

One thing many Americans agree on is divisiveness. In a 2024 Johns Hopkins University poll, nearly half of the U.S. electorate thinks “members of the opposing party aren’t just wrong for politics—they’re “downright evil.” In this session, Roseville Environmental Utilities PIO Maurice Chaney and Santa Barbara County Public Works PIO Lael Wageneck will facilitate a discussion on how we can apply Abraham Lincoln’s compassionate, courageous, and empowering leadership style to build relationships. Participants should read the book “Lincoln on Leadership” by Donald T. Phillips (it’s a quick read) and prepare to share their ideas for being leaders that bring people together.

Preparing for and Facilitating Meetings with Your Community

Holding a meeting is more than logistics; it’s about how you prepare. There is much to consider, whether you are having a town hall to discuss a significant capital project or a planning session with a half-dozen stakeholders. How have you prepared yourself and your team mentally and emotionally? What are your goals? What are the needs and goals of your community? Have you reached out to all the segments of your community? Are you making sure all voices are heard? Davenport Institute Executive Director Maureen Tobin will lead a discussion on how to prepare yourself and your team, determine if an outside facilitator is needed, set clear agendas with defined goals, manage time, pivot when necessary, and encourage participation. Participants will submit examples of meetings they expect to hold and tips and tricks for prior successful meetings.

Unpacking the Power of Community Branding

What makes a strong community brand, and how can public agencies use branding to build trust and engagement? Join us for an insightful conversation with Jenny Windle, JPW founder and past CAPIO president, who has successfully branded more than a dozen communities and organizations across California. With a deep understanding of what makes a brand resonate with the public, Jenny will share expertise on creating an identity that reflects your agency’s values, fosters community connection, and stands the test of time. Bring your questions, share your challenges, and gain insider knowledge on what works (and what doesn’t) in community branding. Whether you’re launching a brand from scratch, refining an existing identity, or just curious about best practices, this session will leave you with actionable insights to take back to your agency.

Ask Me Anything

Due to the popular demand for our December webinar, we’re bringing back the Ask Me Anything session in-person at the CAPIO conference. Sacramento City Manager Chief of Staff Amy Williams, Folsom Communications Director Christine Brainerd, and Cucamonga Valley Water District Government and Water Use Efficiency Program Supervisor Erin Morales will share their expertise and lead a discussion on your questions about career advancement, crisis communications, and anything else. Attendees can submit questions ahead of time and ask questions during the session.

To learn more and sign up for these new opportunities at the conference participants can “modify” their registration by logging back into their registration and updating their schedule, here. 

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