IABC Master Class: A Quiet Shift: How Polarization Is Reshaping Corporate Communication
Presenter: Fred Cook
Price: $199 for members, $279 for Member Lite and nonmembers
Dates:
- 26 October 2026 at 11:00 am - 12:30 pm CT
- 2 November 2026 at 11:00 am - 12:30 pm CT
The presentation and discussion will explore the impact of polarization on corporate communication. Over the past year, many of the world’s largest companies have remained silent on issues important to their stakeholders—raising important questions for communication professionals.
Who Should Attend
This Master Class is ideal for communication professionals responsible for corporate reputation, stakeholder engagement, and organizational messaging. Participants will explore how polarization is shaping communication strategies, and gain practical insights for navigating complex issues with confidence.
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Meet Fred Cook
Fred Cook is the director of the USC Center for Public Relations, a professor of professional practice at the University of Southern California (USC), and chairman emeritus of the global PR firm Golin. During his 35-plus years at Golin, he has had the privilege to work with a variety of high-profile CEOs, including Herb Kelleher, Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs, and to manage clients including Nintendo, Toyota, and Disney.
His book, "Improvise: Unconventional Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO," shares the wisdom he gained as a cabin boy on a Norwegian tanker, doorman at a 5-star hotel, and chauffeur for drunks. The book serves as the foundation for his popular USC honors class on Improvisational Leadership. As director of the USC Center for Public Relations, Fred leads its mission to connect corporations, agencies, academics, and students to define the future of the PR industry and to develop those who will shape it. He has connected a board of more than 70 corporate communications and agency leaders — including representatives from eight of the top 20 U.S. PR firms and 25 Fortune 500 or comparable-size private companies — who mentor students, shape curriculum, and help prepare the next generation of communications leaders.
IABC Master Class: Plan for Impact: AI Proficiency for Communication Professionals
Presenter: Sia Papageorgiou FRSA, FCCSE, IABC Fellow, SCMP
Price: $199 for members, $279 for Member Lite and nonmembers
Dates: 9 & 11 November | 9-10:45 a.m. CT
AI proficiency is no longer just about knowing how to use the latest tools. Communication professionals need to know where AI can genuinely add value, how to use it responsibly, and when communication expertise needs to influence wider organizational decisions.
In this practical 3.5-hour masterclass, IABC Fellow Sia Papageorgiou will take you from strategic use of AI in your own work through to responsible practice within the communication function and a stronger role in organizational AI adoption and governance.
Drawing on the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence’s Responsible AI Leadership Framework for Communication, you will explore how to use AI purposefully, navigate ethical and professional issues, establish practical safeguards, and contribute confidently when AI affects people, communication, trust, and reputation.
Who Should Attend
This Master Class is designed for communication professionals who are already using AI, exploring how it could support their work, or contributing to conversations about its use within an organization or client environment. It will be particularly valuable for professionals who want to move beyond basic AI tool use, make more considered decisions about where and how AI should be used, strengthen responsible practice within their team or function, and contribute more confidently to wider organizational AI conversations.
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Meet Sia Papageorgiou
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Sia Papageorgiou is internationally recognized as one of the communication profession’s leading strategic practitioners and thought leaders. With more than three decades of experience spanning journalism, public relations, corporate communication, and strategic advisory roles across government, business, and the not-for-profit sector, she has helped organizations strengthen communication capability, improve business outcomes, and elevate the role of communication as a trusted leadership function.
One of the world’s most awarded communication strategists, Sia has received more than 60 accolades for excellence in strategic communication, leadership, and professional contribution. She is the co-founder of the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence (CSCE), a global professional development and insights organization that works with organizations around the world to build strategic communication capability and advance professional standards. Sia is recognized internationally for her contribution to advancing the communication profession. Her work has influenced professional standards, certification, capability development, and strategic communication practice through the development of frameworks, learning systems, and thought leadership that continue to shape how strategic communication is understood and applied around the world.
A long-standing member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Sia has served as a board director of IABC Asia Pacific, president of the IABC Victoria chapter, and chair of the Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC), where she helped advance global communication certification aligned with internationally recognized ISO standards and strengthened professional practice worldwide. Her contribution to the profession has been recognized through its highest honors. In 2021, she was named IABC Asia Pacific Communicator of the Year. In 2022, she received the prestigious IABC Rae Hamlin Award for advancing the Global Standard of the Communication Profession. In 2026, she was inducted as an IABC Fellow — the association’s highest honor, recognizing an outstanding career and exceptional contribution to the global communication profession. The GovComms Institute has described Sia as "one of the superstars of the communication profession."
Today, Sia works with organizations to strengthen strategic communication capability, governance, and leadership. Her work continues to focus on raising professional standards, helping communication functions become more strategic, measurable, and influential, and equipping communication professionals to operate with the credibility, discipline, and business acumen the profession demands.