Are you a seasoned PR professional or an emerging leader looking to expand your industry horizons?

We are excited to bring this fresh, informal networking initiative back for a second time in 2026. It is designed to spark meaningful conversations and build lasting connections across our diverse membership. We initially launched this programme in Auckland and now we are piloting the programme in Wellington and Christchurch as well.

This course is for communications, engagement and public-facing staff across all sectors who are looking to strengthen their organisational resilience to online harm.
It is delivered in two 3-hour sessions and begins with building a strong understanding of the drivers and impacts of false information and targeted harassment. The course covers best practice tools and processes that can be adopted for a range of sectors and scenarios, and all participants will leave with a clear idea of priority actions to help their team continue to do great work, even when experiencing online disruption, harassment and false information campaigns.

Join us for an engaging conversation with former New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom and digital marketing specialist Shawn Thomas as they explore how the digital communications landscape has evolved and what it means for communications and marketing professionals today.

Drawing on his experience as an early adopter of social media in campaigning and public engagement, Neil – a former communications professional – will reflect on the changing role of digital communications and share insights from his time in community leadership.
Shawn will bring a marketing and analytics lens to the discussion, examining the evolution of social media, how organisations can cut through the noise, and what the data is telling us about effective digital engagement.