Location: Russell House, 1400 Greene St, Columbia, S.C.
Friday, October 9, 2026
8:30 – 9 a.m.
Registration, Coffee & Networking
- Registration opens
- Continental breakfast / coffee
- Networking / Sponsor exhibits
9 – 9:15 a.m.
Welcome
- Presenting Sponsor Remarks: SCRA
9:15 – 10 a.m.
Opening Executive Forum
How Leaders Are Preparing Their Organizations for an AI-Powered Future
An opening leadership conversation exploring how organizations are preparing for an AI-powered future. The conversation will examine leadership, innovation, organizational transformation, trust, and the evolving relationship between human expertise and artificial intelligence.
Panelists:
- Porter Berry, President and Editor-in-Chief, Fox News Digital
- Ben Vaughan, Head of AI Research, Vurvey Labs
- Peter LaMotte, President of Strategic Communications, Chernoff Newman
- Ken Ray, Client Executive, Nvidia
Discussion Leader:
- Damion Waymer, Ph.D., Director, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina, moderator
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. – Morning Breakout Sessions
Breakout Session 1 - Directing the AI Newsroom
How today's newsroom leaders are integrating AI into reporting, editing, workflows,
audience engagement, and newsroom leadership.
Panelists:
- Porter Berry, President & Editor-in-Chief, Fox News Digital
- Robby Thomas, VP/GM, WIS-TV, Columbia, S.C.
Discussion Leader:
- Peter Baniak, AI Cross Fellow and Visiting Professional, University of Kentucky
Breakout Session 2 – Leading Communications in an AI-Powered World
How AI is changing strategic communications, reputation management, executive communications,
and trust.
Participants:
- Peter LaMotte, President of Strategic Communications, Chernoff Newman
- Jennifer Vickery, EVP of Product Marketing, Nebo PR
- Jeff Stensland, AVP, Communications, University of South Carolina
Discussion Leader:
- Kristin Walker, Instructor, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina
Breakout Session 3 – Workshop: Human Creativity in the Age of AI
- Sabrina Habib, Ph.D., School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina
AI is quickly becoming part of how we imagine, learn, and create, raising questions about what it means to be creative. In this engaging talk based on her upcoming book “Human Creativity in the Age of AI” and her published research, Sabrina Habib will share frameworks and strategies for human-AI co-creation.
11:15 – 11:45 a.m. - Lunch Pickup, Networking
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. - Leadership Conversation
A featured leadership conversation exploring creativity, leadership, culture, and preparing organizations for an AI-powered future.
- Andrew Robertson, Chairman, BBDO Worldwide
- Valerie Vargas, SVP, Creative Content and Advertising, AT&T
Discussion Leader:
- Clay Owen, Professor of Practice, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina
Audience Q&A
12:45 – 1 p.m.
Networking Break
1 – 2 p.m. - Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1 - The Next Generation Newsroom
How educators, editors, and student leaders are preparing journalists for AI-powered newsrooms.
Participants:
- Robby Thomas, VP & GM, WIS-TV, Columbia
- Hailey Brown, USC Broadcast Journalism Student, Intern at 12News (KPNX)
Discussion Leader:
- Peter Baniak, AI Cross Fellow and Visiting Professional, University of Kentucky
Breakout 2 - The AI-Powered Agency
Industry leaders discuss how AI is reshaping creativity, research, strategy, and client
service while preserving human creativity.
Participants:
- Jennifer Vickery, EVP of Product Marketing, Nebo PR
- Stephen Brown, President, Cookerly Public Relations
- Ben Vaughan, Head of Research, Vurvey Labs
Discussion Leader:
- Shannon Bowen, Ph.D., School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina
Breakout 3 – Workshop: Beyond the Prompt: Directing AI with
- Jason Porter, Senior Instructor, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina.
Great AI work doesn't start with better prompts. It starts with better creative direction.
This hands-on workshop explores how professionals can move beyond generic prompting by intentionally shaping AI through narrative language, structured prompting, and visual references. Jason will examine how specificity, composition, and style influence AI outputs, and how creative professionals can maintain authorship while collaborating with increasingly capable AI systems.
You'll leave with practical strategies they can immediately apply to campaigns, storyboards, concept development, and visual ideation.
2:15 – 3 p.m. - Preparing Organizations for an AI-Powered Future
Executive Panel featuring:
- Stephen Brown, President, Cookerly PR
- Peter LaMotte, President of Strategic Communications, Chernoff Newman
- Jennifer Vickery, EVP of Product Marketing, Nebo PR
- Ben Vaughan, Head of AI Research, Vurvey Labs
Discussion Leader:
- Damion Waymer, Ph.D., Director, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina