PIN Points: February 2023

Congratulations 2023 Innovation Award Winners!

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Heading to the PAC Conference? Read This Advice First!

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• I’ve attended the PAC conference for more than 20 years and hands down, I’ve never once left the conference without learning something new that I later implemented as part of my PAC strategy.  My advice to all conference attendees is to take advantage of the in-person experience, meet new people, ask lots of questions and take good notes. Also, ask the Council staff and advisory committee or board members to help introduce you to attendees.  Strike up a conversion with as many people as you can.  You never know if that one tidbit of advice could change your entire program! – Shari Dexter, Director, Political Action, American Hospital Association 
• Whether this is your first conference, 10th conference, or you’ve stopped counting, you can maximize your conference experience by reviewing the agenda for the sessions most relevant to what you want to learn, meeting as many PAC professionals at the conference as you can, and prioritizing your action list before you get on the plane home. – Ellie Shaw, Director, Federal Government Affairs, American Express 
• PAC professionals are an incredible and kind community. When attending the National PAC Conference, my best advice is to introduce yourself to as many PAC professionals as possible. The PAC Conference provides an opportunity to network, share ideas, and exchange experiences with the best of the best. With the Council’s curated agenda and opportunities to network, be sure to attend the roundtables and meet-ups to introduce yourself and get to know  other PAC professionals.  – Ann Swade, Advisor, Government Relations and Political Operations, Cardinal Health 
• Identify three to five key actionable takeaways that you can share with your manager and/or PAC Board to implement with your program this year. – Kelly Eaton, Vice President, Consulting, Aristotle 
• Try to be deliberate about sitting next to someone that you don’t know at the lunches and sessions, and then introduce yourself to them and ask them about their PAC experiences or about what they have learned so far at the conference. – Mike Young, Senior Vice President, Technology & Software Services, Aristotle 
• Attend as many sessions as possible and soak up institutional knowledge and suggestions. Whether you’re a new or seasoned PAC professional, don’t be overwhelmed by implementing every new idea.  PAC success is built on incremental change. – Katie Anderson, Senior Vice President, Consulting, Aristotle 
• Spend a few minutes thinking through your PAC challenges before the conference and make a list of questions that you want to get answered. Once you get to the conference, seek out expert advice from your peers, the presenters, and Council staff.  Seek out and network with PAC professionals who live in your city/state and make plans to reconnect when you get home. I started NJ PAC PALS with another NJ PAC professional I met at the conference a few years ago.  The Public Affairs Council provides a list of attendees. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the presenters after the conference with questions as you begin to implement new strategies.  Take detailed notes and reflect on all that you learned when you return home. – Christina Meyer-Garfinkle, Senior Federal Affairs Representative, Wakefern Food Corp. 
• Be prepared to walk away with tons of fantastic ideas! Whatever your method for taking notes – old school pen and paper like me, or contemporary laptop/tablet – there will be many opportunities to soak in all the great tips and tricks you learn from others, so make sure you’re ready to write. There isn’t a single PAC conference I’ve walked away from without a stack of notes and a plan to take action.  – Ashley Cravens, Assistant Director of Political Engagement, Illinois Farm Bureau 
• While the content is always top-notch, don’t miss all you can learn at the conference by making new connections among your fellow attendees. Some of the best insights I take away from the conference each year come from casual conversations in the lobby or at a reception. Sit with new people. Strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know. You’ll bring home new ideas, new connections, and even a few new friends. – Amie Adams, President, Dunn Associates 
• There’s no other time or place you’ll have this many PAC professionals in one place so go to every session, meet people during the networking breaks, and make sure to keep in touch with them after the conference. – Michael Giblin, Regional Political Director, American Medical Association 

• A week before the conference: 
  • Clear your schedule and proactively reach out to your supervisor and co-workers to let them know you will be out at the conference.  There is nothing worse than dealing with work issues while there. 
  • Download the app. 
  • Look at the attendee list (it’s in the app) and see if there are PAC Managers from similar organizations in terms of PAC size and type of organization.  Reach out to them on the app or by email.  Make a point to try and connect with as many of those folks as you can. They probably have similar challenges. Don’t be shy! 
  • Pack clothes for the afternoon off (bathing suit, shorts etc.) 
  • Remember your device chargers! 

• At the conference: 
  • Network – don’t sit next to the same person twice at breakfast, lunch or any sessions. Meeting other PAC managers is part of the experience. 
  • Plan to follow up with folks after the conference. If you meet someone who has solved a problem your PAC has, talk to them about it, or better yet, ask if you could meet for lunch or coffee or virtually after the conference. 
  • Attend the sessions.  I try to learn one thing at each session that is new or helpful. 
  • Get a good night’s sleep the last night.  Nothing is worse than being tired on the way home.  Trust me, it’s not worth it. 
  • Plan to exercise in the AM if you can – sitting in the sessions can be draining and taking a morning walk or 20 minutes in the gym will help you stay focused during the day.  You’ll thank yourself later if you make the effort. 
  • Pack your bag on the half day before the last reception – that way you’re not stressed trying to get packed up on the last day. 

• On the plane ride home or airport: 
  • Make a to-do list of follow-ups from the conference and the relevant things you learned. 
  • Reach out to the people you want to connect with after the conference.
    -Mark Reilly, VP of PAC & Professional Services, Quorum

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