Professional Development Seminar 2026
Comms in the Intelligent Age: Ethics, Trust and influence at a Global Scale
Join us for an enriching half day of professional development on June 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers a unique opportunity to learn from three distinguished speakers, celebrate our chapter award recipients, and have a chance to win exciting raffle prizes.
Date: June 25
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Thomas Center
Early Bird Cost: $45 for members, $65 for non-members and $30 for students. Register by May 25.
After May 25: $60 for members, $80 for non-members
Featured Speakers
Dr. Josh Gellers
The Ethics of Communication in the Age of AI
Dr. Josh Gellers is Dean of Professional and Lifelong Learning and Inaugural Faculty Fellow for Artificial Intelligence at the University of North Florida. He is also an expert with the Global AI Ethics Institute and a member of the City of Jacksonville Data Advisory Committee. He has published extensively, including the book Rights for Robots (Routledge, 2020), and is currently co-editing AI volumes for Oxford University Press and Edward Elgar. He has advised legislators, academic institutions, nonprofits, and media outlets on AI.
Myiah Hutchens, PhD
The Fragmented Media Environment and Trust in Institutions
Myiah Hutchens, Ph.D., is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Public Relations at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. A nationally recognized political communication scholar, her research explores how media and strategic communication shape public trust, polarization, and democratic engagement, particularly in how people encounter disagreement online. Her work has appeared in leading journals and has been cited more than 3,000 times. She advises journalists and organizations on misinformation, emerging platforms, and public discourse, serves on editorial boards, and has received major external funding, including from the Knight Foundation.
Ben Tobias
Thinking at Scale: How In-House PR Looks from Inside a Global Enterprise
Ben Tobias, former spokesperson for the Gainesville Police Department, is a public relations manager at a Fortune 500 company. As a police officer and the department’s official voice during critical incidents, he led media relations and community communication under intense public scrutiny. He now supports national media strategy, prepares executives for high-stakes interviews, and helps translate complex organizations into clear, credible stories. Tobias is a frequent speaker on in-house PR, crisis communications, and strategic communication at scale.