IABC Master Classes are three-hour workshops that dig deep into pressing industry topics. Additional registration is required. To add a Master Class to an existing registration, email registration@iabc.com.
Please note that we are sharing our pre-conference events as they are confirmed.
Culture Is Your Unseen Competitive Advantage — Is Yours by Choice or by Chance?
Presented By: Shane Michael Hatton
8 June 2025, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. | $299 IABC Members | $349 IABC Non-members
Culture is influencing your team and organization’s success in ways that are often invisible but undeniably powerful. It’s the driving force behind team performance, engagement, trust, safety and connection. Yet, too often, culture is left to be experienced and interpreted by your people rather than being crafted intentionally and communicated explicitly.
In this train-the-trainer style masterclass, global culture and leadership expert Shane Michael Hatton will equip you with a tested conversation framework to shape your team or organizational culture with purpose. Backed by research with over 1,000 frontline managers, Shane’s approach combines insight with action — helping you understand, design and sustain the culture you want in your team or business.
Whether you’re a seasoned communication leader or consultant, this interactive session provides practical tools to elevate your influence and build a culture that lasts. You’ll leave this masterclass with more than just theory. You’ll have a roadmap to design, embed and sustain the culture your team, organization or clients need to thrive.
The Thought Leadership Blueprint: Why & How to Build a High-Impact Program
Presented By: Rhea Wessel and Peter Evans
8 June 2025, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. | $299 IABC Members | $349 IABC Non-members
Interested in thought leadership for your organization but unsure where to start? Already producing some thought leadership but want to refine and scale your
approach?
Whether you're a leader, communicator, marketer, or consultant exploring thought leadership, or part of a team looking to turn internal knowledge into publishable insights, this interactive, 3-hour masterclass will equip you with the strategy and structure you need.
You’ll learn how to uncover and articulate your best ideas, engage subject-matter experts, and establish a repeatable process that drives influence, leads, and credibility—both for your organization and your own career.
Join Rhea Wessel, author of Write Like a Thought Leader and founder of the Institute for Thought Leadership, for a live, interactive masterclass on how to design, launch, and sustain a strategic thought-leadership initiative.
You’ll also hear from Peter Evans, CEO of ExpertFile, who will share award-winning case studies that reveal the secrets to creating successful thought leadership programs that promote your subject-matter experts as industry voices. 
He’ll show you how organizations of all sizes are embracing this new trend of “expertise marketing” to build reach, relationships, reputation, and revenue.
While you don’t need new technology to begin, we’ll also discuss how AI and digital tools are already transforming how organizations accelerate and scale their thought leadership programs through better positioning, content creation, internal adoption and results measurement.
Why This Matters for Your Career
Leading or contributing to a thought leadership program is a powerful career accelerator. It positions you as a strategic communicator, an internal influencer, and an expert in shaping industry conversations. Whether you’re looking to increase your executive visibility, build your personal brand, or open new professional opportunities, mastering thought leadership strategy can set you apart.
Generative AI for Business Communicators
Presented By: Sean Alexander
8 June 2025, 1 - 4 p.m. | $299 IABC Members | $349 IABC Non-members
In this Master Class, Sean Alexander, a Microsoft veteran responsible for the first OpenAI partnership and leader in AI innovation, will guide participants through the transformative impact of Generative AI (GenAI) on business communication. This session will offer a mix of foundational knowledge and hands-on tools to help business communicators leverage GenAI to enhance their communication strategies.
During this Master Class, we will cover:
- The latest evolutions of GenAI and its current role in business communication.
- The ethical considerations of using AI-generated content, focusing on transparency and accuracy.
- Advanced GenAI tools for content creation, customer interaction, and internal communication.
- Best practices for automating workflows and optimizing customer service using AI-driven tools.
- Future trends in GenAI that will shape the future of business communication.
What you will take away from the Master Class:
- A deep understanding of how GenAI is transforming business communication and its applications across various domains.
- Practical knowledge of advanced AI tools for content creation, tone adjustment, visual design, and workflow automation.
- Insights into how AI can optimize internal communication, meeting management, and decision-making processes.
- A toolkit for articulating to C-Suite leaders the ROI of integrating transparent and ethical AI practices into your business, emphasizing long-term strategy and brand reputation with real-world examples of what to do (and not to do).
Improvisational Leadership
Presented By: Fred Cook
8 June 2025, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. | $299 IABC Members | $349 IABC Non-members
What does it take to be a successful leader in PR and communications? Confidence, creativity, curiosity, and courage—four key competencies that will set future leaders apart. This interactive workshop will challenge you to step outside your comfort zone, embrace new challenges, and think like an improviser.
Led by USC professor and former Golin Chairman Fred Cook, this session is inspired by his book, Improvise: Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO. Fred will share unconventional career lessons from his own journey—starting as a cabin boy, doorman, and tour guide before rising to lead one of the world’s top public relations firms. Along the way, you’ll gain insights from visionary leaders like Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and Herb Kelleher, while discovering new tools to grow your own leadership potential.
Walk away with fresh perspectives, practical strategies, and the confidence to take your career—and your leadership—to the next level.
Earn three (3) points toward Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC) recertification for each Master Class attended. Learn more.