INDUSTRY LEADERS FORM “PUB-U BRAIN TRUST” TO RECRUIT EXPERTS AND DEVELOP TRAINING CURRICULUM IN FIVE TRACKS
One low price of $99 gives access to all programming and publishing communities
TEMPE, ARIZ., JUNE 22, 2020 – ECPA’s annual Fall training program – ECPA PubU – has been re-imagined as a virtual event called PubU Online, delivering potent, accessible training and connection for the industry this September. The ECPA PubU Online program will present over 20 webinars – one per day – in four training tracks: Editorial, Marketing, Data-Delivery-Workflow, and Diversity & Inclusion.
Each track will be developed by industry leaders who make up the “2020 PubU Online Brain Trust.”
Track sessions will occur on the same day of the week, Monday through Thursday, throughout the month. However, the one low registration price of $99 will allow attendees access to all webinars plus several plenary and “master class” training sessions, online communities, and Zoom meet-ups. The event will be open to ECPA members only.
“We’ve all been through an extreme year of crisis and change, yet the industry continues to make necessary pivots and weathers the effects,” states ECPA president Stan Jantz. “PubU Online will address head-on, the crisis that each level of publishing has undergone this past year, while providing a point of connection and practical training for the industry.”
“In a lean year for all, our hope is that the greatly reduced rate of $99 will gift every ECPA member company with the ability to participate extensively in this program and we are grateful to our sponsors for making that possible.”
The PubU Online conference theme is PUBLISHING IN A TIME OF CRISIS. In addition to the track webinars, ECPA will present three plenary sessions by gifted industry speakers:
- The Role of Publishing in a Time of Crisis – Dr. Theon Hill – Opening session on August 31
- Listening to Data in a Time of Crisis – Kristen McLean, NPD – September 2
- Art that Heals in a Time of Crisis – Closing session on October 1
All webinars will occur at 10-11 am (central time), Monday through Thursday, as follows:
- Diversity & Inclusion track | Mondays | Sept. 1, 14, 21, 28
- Marketing track | Tuesdays | Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29
- Editorial track | Wednesdays | Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30
- Data Delivery Workflow track |Thursdays | Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24
Associate Publisher of Moody Publishers Randall Payleitner leads the Brain Trust of industry leaders who are charged with developing the content and recruiting the speakers for this program.
Serving on the 2020 PubU Online Brain Trust are:
Brain Trust Lead:
RANDALL PAYLEITNER, Associate Publisher, Moody Publishers
Emerging Leader consultant:
DAVE SCHROEDER, Director of Publishing & Consumer Products, WTA Media
Data, Delivery & Workflow track co-leads:
REBECCA BURGOYNE, Exec. Director of Operations, United Methodist Publishing House
KATHY KRENZIEN, Director of Operations, Gateway Publishing
Diversity & Inclusion track lead:
DR. THEON HILL, Asst. Professor of Communication, Wheaton College
Editorial track lead:
AMANDA CLEARY EASTEP, Senior Developmental Editor, Moody Publishers
Marketing track co-leads:
MICHELE MISIAK, Marketing Director, Baker Publishing Group
JENAYE WHITE, Marketing and Publicity Specialist, B&H Publishing Group
“PubU remains an event that is put on BY the industry, FOR the industry and I look forward to working with these amazing professionals to deliver a program with actionable training, specific to the challenges we all face – yet with the hope of the mission we’ve been called to,” states Payleitner.
The program debuts a timely new track of sessions this year on Diversity & Inclusion, led by race scholar Dr. Theon Hill, who has been a part of ECPA events and programs the last several years. Dr. Hill will recruit speakers and topics that will give practical insights at each level of publishing for growing diversity and inclusion in the industry.
PubU Online also continues its commitment to those newer to the industry through the Emerging Leader scholarship program. Dave Schroeder, who has served on the PubU Brain Trust the past several years, will help direct this effort. The scholarship offers those newer to the industry, from under-represented voices, to attend at a 50% reduced rate of $49. The nominating process is open through mid-August.
Information and registration will be posted at ECPAPubU.org in the coming weeks. To receive program updates when they’re made available, sign up at ECPAPubU.org.
ECPA companies who have sustained their commitment to the industry through generous sponsorship of this program include Firebrand Technologies, Ingram, LSC Communications, Nord Compo, The NPD Group, and Thomson Reuters Core Publishing Solutions.
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The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities within the industry and throughout multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content. For more information about ECPA: info@ecpa.org ECPA.org @ECPA
Media contact: Stan Jantz, ECPA president/CEO, sjantz@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998
