Jason Falls, a leading international and national social media educator, keynote speaker and workshop facilitator and a former athletic media relations professional, will headline the CoSIDA Convention programming during the workshop’s digital/innovative communications day on Wednesday, June 29.
The 2011 CoSIDA Convention takes place Sunday-Wednesday, June 26-29 at the Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, Florida.
Falls will address the Convention attendees on the final day of the Convention where programming revolves around
“Innovative Communications/Technologies of the Business.” Falls kicks off the morning’s programming with his talk on “Strategically Social Athletic Communications: Content Strategy and Measurement in Social Media.”
Falls was a former member of CoSIDA and Convention attendee while working as an athletics communications staff member at UAB, Birmingham-Southern College, Georgetown College and his alma mater, Morehead State University. In 2009, he launched his own communications and social media strategic communications consulting company – Social Media Explorer - and is the editor of
SocialMediaExplorer.com and its companion learning community
ExploringSocialMedia.com.
The Pikeville, Ky., native has the unique perspective of leading a national advertising agency’s interactive and social media efforts, working with Fortune 100 brands as a social media strategist and serving as an independent consultant in the social media, communications, PR and digital marketing industries.
“Having spent 12 years as a sports journalist and athletic communications professional, returning to the CoSIDA Convention is an exceptional thrill for me,” Falls said. “I’m excited to share some knowledge and ideas with my former colleagues that can help them embrace these emerging technologies and communications channels … almost as excited as I am to just spend time with old friends and colleagues.”
He will follow that one-hour presentation by serving on the next two panels. Falls will join Chris Syme, Chair of the CoSIDA New Media/Technology Committee and owner of cksyme.org along with Dr. Bill Smith, University of Arkansas Assistant AD/New Media and moderator Jay Stancil, Union College (Ky.) SID, to discuss “Building Reputation and Branding in Real Time.”
Falls then pairs with Chris Freet, University of Miami Associate AD of Communications, to discuss “The Integration of Social Media Within Your Media Practices and Website.”
Falls annually conducts numerous corporate training boot camps and seminars with corporations and management teams. His speaking resume includes presentation to IABC World (International Association of Business Communicators), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), PRSA International, South by Southwest, Blog World & New Media Expos, National League of Cities Annual Conference, General Motors, AMD and the American Marketing Association, among others.
Falls has advised major, regional and niche brands on digital communications including: NASCAR driver Robby Gordon, University of Louisville Healthcare, Humana, Louisville Slugger, Bionic Gloves, The National Center for Family Literacy and Jim Beam Bourbon. He has been interviewed on social media and digital communications strategies by inEntrepreneur, Inc., CNN Online, PR Week, Das Auto, The Dallas Morning News, Newark Star-Ledger, St. Louis Globe-Democrat and The Wall Street Journal’s online edition. Falls is also a regular contributor to Forbes.com.
Falls joins a distinguished group of speakers and presenters already announced for the 2011 Convention program.
On Monday, June 27, Ben Porritt, noted strategic and crisis communications expert and partner of the Outside Eyes consulting firm specializing in public strategy and crisis management, opens the day's dynamic programming with his talk on "Gaining Influence in Intercollegiate Athletics - Identifying Your Steps." Later in the day, he will be featured on the panel "Gaining Influece with Crisis and Strategic Communications."
Monday's Kickoff Luncheon keynote address will be given by Amy P. Perko, Executive Director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and a Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Famer. That afternoon, featured presenter Lou Holtz, ESPN TV broadcaster and legendary coach, will discuss his game plan for gaining influence.
Falls resides in Louisville, Ky., with his wife, Nancy, and children, Grant and Katie.