MAY 7-8TH
9 AM PT-12 PM PT
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A must-attend virtual meet-up for passionate internal communicators, HR leaders, and IT professionals.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

The Employee Comms and Experience Virtual Summit brings together industry visionaries and practitioners to share cutting-edge strategies and real-world success stories. From unlocking the power of AI to amplifying employee engagement and collaboration, you’ll gain actionable insights to drive innovation in your organization.

Fresh-off-the-press insights from Simpplr Research that’ll have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about modern intranets

Game-changing sessions with leaders who’ve turned their digital workplaces from good to revolutionary

A front-row seat to how AI is reshaping our field (and no, it’s not taking our jobs – it’s making us better at them)

Speakers

Carolyn Clark

VP Communications & EX at Simpplr

Jim O’Gorman

Chief People Officer at Included Health

Lisa Colella

Managing Director, Strategic Communications & Leadership at CRA | Admired Leadership

Scott Ashen

Vice President, Digital Workplace at Integral

Sonya Poonian

Digital Workplace and AI Transformation Consulting Director at Gallagher

Shaun Randol

Founder of The Mixternal Comms Playbook & Digital Publications at Lam Research

Kerilynn Pajer

VP, HR Business Partnerships and Change Initiatives at Agero

Jill van der Poel

Director of Corporate Affairs at Moderna

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Agenda

09:00 AM –
09:45 AM

Inside Internal Comms: The State of Intranets Today

In an era where employee experience (EX) influences business success, internal communications (IC) and EX pros are being asked to do more than ever before. But what’s really shifting in the field? What strategies are actually working? And how are leading companies evolving their approach?
 
Join us for a dynamic panel of Simpplr customers as we unpack the latest findings from our new State of Internal Communications research. From aligning leadership to enabling managers to measuring what matters, this honest conversation will cover what’s working, what isn’t, and what’s coming next. You’ll walk away with practical strategies you can actually use to evolve your internal communications and intranet.
 
Whether you’re building a comms function from scratch or fine-tuning a mature strategy, this conversation will help you stay ahead of the curve and grounded in what really matters.
09:45 AM –
10:30 AM

Your Replacement Has Arrived: AI and the Future of Employee Comms

Shaun Randol, Founder of The Mixternal Comms Playbook, confronts a hard truth: artificial intelligence is no longer coming for comms—it’s already here. What was once considered untouchable, uniquely human work is now being replicated by machines in minutes. In this provocative session, Shaun offers a three-part exploration of what this means for our profession.

First, he delivers a reality check, sharing stats and trends that reveal how fast things are moving. Then, using a live demo (featuring tools like Claude Projects), he’ll show how AI can now execute complex comms work—from multichannel content creation to strategic planning—that once took days and entire teams. Finally, he outlines the path forward, urging communicators to adapt or risk becoming obsolete.

This session isn’t for the faint of heart—but if you’re committed to staying in comms, this wake-up call might just be your most important meeting of the year.

10:30 AM –
11:15 AM

Elevate Employee Experience with HR & IC

Great HR programs become unstoppable when paired with strategic communications and the right technology. 
 
This session will provide a dynamic conversation on how HR and Internal Communications teams can work together to create employee experiences that truly make a difference. 
 
Join this interactive session featuring Jim O’Gorman, Chief People Officer of Included Health, and Karla Stevenson, Senior Director, Internal Communications of Included Health as they share real success stories about strategic and effective partnership between HR & IC, key metrics tracked to measure communications and employee experience success, how to communicate business impact of your HR and IC initiatives to leadership, and what technologies are key for collaboration.
11:15 AM –
12:00 PM

Driving EX, Productivity & Efficiency in 2025

Join Andrew J. Cohen, VP of Technology Strategy and Operations at Hillel International and Vijai Shankar, VP of Product Marketing as they explore what’s driving this shift, the hidden costs of fragmentation, and how a unified EX platform—combining intranet and AI-powered search with extensibility—boosts engagement, productivity, and experience.
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09:00 AM –
09:45 AM

Expert Panel: The Future of Employee Experience

Employee experience is evolving faster than ever, with AI, automation, and consumer-grade workplace tech reshaping how organizations engage and connect with their people. As HR and internal communications become more intertwined, what trends actually matter—and how can you stay ahead?

Join our expert panel for a candid conversation on the future of employee experience, the new rules of engagement and workplace culture, and the must-have skills every HR and IC leader needs to thrive in this rapidly changing landscape.

09:45 AM –
10:30 AM

AI Isn’t Here to Replace You—It’s Here to Empower You

Let’s be real—internal comms can feel like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. Too many messages, not enough time, and everyone wants it “yesterday.” Enter AI: your secret weapon to getting things done faster and more effectively (if you know how to use it right).
 
Join Wyatt Semanek, Director of Corporate Communications at Sunrun, for a fun, real-talk session on how AI can actually help communicators—not replace them.
 
You’ll walk away with real examples of how AI is already improving comms and employee experience, time-saving hacks that preserve your human touch and brand voice, and tips for using AI responsibly while keeping your data protected. Plus, you’ll get a practical game plan for bringing AI into your workflow without the weird vibes.
10:30 AM –
11:15 AM

Making IT Champions of IC Initiatives

Successful IC programs rely on technology that enables agility, personalization, and data-driven decisions. However, accessing and deploying best-in-class tools such as intranets, newsletters, and surveys requires strong support from IT. Building that partnership is essential to driving success.
 
Join Wisam Latif, an IT champion and strategic partner to comms teams, to learn what IT teams really care about and how to gather the information they need to get buy-in. You’ll hear how Genesys’s IC and IT teams successfully partnered to deliver a best-in-class digital employee experience, along with practical strategies to identify, select, and implement the right employee experience technology—together with your IT partner.
11:15 AM –
12:00 PM

Making Intranet Investment a No-Brainer

Winning support for your intranet starts with a business case that speaks leadership’s language. This session shows you how.
 
You’ll hear from Christy Schoon, Simpplr’s intranet strategy expert, and Karly Menard, Director of Internal Communications at 1st Franklin Financial, as they walk through how to build a business case that secures buy-in and drives long-term value.
 
You’ll learn how to quantify ROI, uncover the hidden costs of disconnected tools and disengaged employees, and align your intranet investment with business goals. Plus, you’ll get guidance on what to do after buy-in and how to evolve your intranet into a unified EX platform over time.

Registration

A must-attend virtual meet-up for passionate internal communicators, HR leaders, and IT professionals.

Take your front-row seat for the Employee Comms and Experience Virtual Summit 2025