Milestones Are Worth Celebrating—and Leveraging

The conference’s 50th anniversary offered a fitting parallel to the opening keynote on America’s upcoming 250th—two milestones that highlight how moments of reflection can also create opportunities for engagement.

Speaker Nancy Bocskor, director of development for Business for America, encouraged attendees to think creatively about how their organizations might leverage the nation’s 250th birthday.

Despite the perception that the country is deeply divided, Bocskor pointed to research showing that 71% of Americans believe there is more that unites the country than divides it. “We’re not as divided as we think we are,” she said.

Bocskor shared ideas for how companies, associations, and nonprofits can mark the anniversary—from hosting civic initiatives to incorporating the milestone into branding and messaging campaigns.

Compliance Is Essential—But It Doesn’t Have to Be Intimidating

Compliance isn’t as daunting as it might appear. Meredith McCoy, partner in political and nonprofit law at Venable LLP, shared guidance for association PACs, reassuring attendees that strong compliance practices are achievable when PAC leaders have the right guidance and systems in place. Her advice was both practical and memorable: “If your lawyers are scaring you, you have the wrong lawyers.”

Ken Gross, senior political law counsel and consultant with Akin, reinforced that message while outlining the ground rules for corporate PAC compliance. Known for combining deep expertise with his trademark humor, Gross shared practical insights—and a few well-timed witticisms—about navigating the regulatory landscape. He recommended that PACs adopt bylaws, even though they are not legally required to. But he stressed that if you have them, “make sure you’re following them.”

Together, their message was clear: with strong processes, informed teams, and trusted advisors, PAC compliance can be managed with confidence rather than anxiety.

Choose Your Words Wisely

Choosing the right word for the moment matters – and precision is key.

Amy McIsaac, managing director at Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, explored this idea in her presentation, “Bridging the Gap: Communicating Across Divides.” Pointing to research that quantified how people respond to specific words, she demonstrated how even a single word can change how a message resonates with an audience. For example, respondents across groups consistently ranked words like “community,” “freedom,” and “unity” as unifying and positive.

McIsaac also highlighted how “cozying,” or pairing the right words together, can be a simple way to ensure you make the right impression.

Education Connects the Dots Internally

PAC professionals understand how their programs support an organization’s advocacy and policy priorities. But that connection is not always obvious to others.

Speakers on the keynote panel “Connecting the Dots: How Your Political Program Fits into a Best-In-Class Public Affairs Function” stressed that PAC professionals should prioritize educating colleagues and leadership about the role their PAC plays within the organization’s broader strategy.

Helping others understand how PACs operate, why they exist, and how political engagement supports policy and advocacy efforts is essential and can help “build that bridge from island back to mainland,” explained Taras Szmagala, consultant and retired CLO at Eaton Corporation.

Conduct Periodic “Health Checks” for Your PAC

All PAC programs can benefit from stepping back periodically to evaluate how they operate.

In the “PAC Health Check: Audit, Strategy and Planning for Success” breakout session, Charlie Ricciardelli, partner at Skadden, encouraged PACs to conduct regular self-audits.

Ricciardelli emphasized that these reviews should not be viewed simply as compliance exercises, but instead as a chance to reassess operations and identify areas for improvement.

“It’s an opportunity, in my view, to look at what you’re doing with fresh eyes and maybe squeeze out a little more efficiency,” he said.

Looking Ahead

These five takeaways are just a few of the thought-provoking insights shared during this year’s sessions, which were rich and engaging and reflected the remarkable depth of knowledge within the PAC community. For 50 years, this community has gathered at the National PAC Conference to share ideas—a tradition of expertise-sharing that remains as strong as ever. In a dynamic and at times tumultuous political environment, these exchanges help PAC leaders stay informed, adaptable, and prepared for what comes next.