2026 PACE Awards and Professional Development Day

This year, CMPRSA's PACE Awards will again join forces with Professional Development Day.
About this Event

Professional Development Day

What does the future of public relations, communications and marketing look like for Lansing-area professionals? Find out at this year’s CMPRSA Professional Development Day that brings back engaging speakers, cozy networking opportunities and valuable insight to help boost your career. 

Join us at the University Club from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, to hear from national and local experts on future predictions, trends and the information you need to improve your PR performance.

You'll learn more about:

• A Futurist’s Forecast by Ray Day, PRSA Detroit Past President

• Changing Media Relations moderated by John Truscott, Truscott Rossman and featuring panelists: Kyle Melinn, MIRS; Craig Mauger, Detroit News; Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit News & Substack

• Accelerating the Speed of Trust by Dan Olsen, MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences

• Paid Media in the Multimedia Mix by Eman Hubbard, Spark Foundry (Taco Bell, United Way)

• AI, Ethics and the Human Value of PR by Chuqing Dong, M.P.P., Ph.D., MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences, and Morgan van den Berg, M.A., Piper & Gold Public Relations

• New Media Influencers by Hannah Lupi, Bellwether PR, and Halutu Musa, Living OutRagisly

We’ll start the day with a scrumptious brunch buffet and snack at the break on fall favorites like cider, donuts and apples. While the agenda is solid and the food will be delicious, we know the best part of the day will be catching up with old colleagues and meeting new acquaintances. Plus, APR pros can earn a 1.0 CEU credit toward accreditation for attending.

2026 PACE Awards

The CMPRSA PACE Awards celebration is an annual event that recognizes public relations practitioners who have successfully addressed a contemporary issue with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. More than 300 mid-Michigan organizations in the nonprofit, corporate, public and private sectors have been recognized for excellence over the past two decades.

This year’s event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 8 at the University Club of MSU. The Gallery of Entries will open at 5 p.m., including cocktails and appetizers, and the ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m.

PD Day

🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Registration, Networking and Brunch Buffet
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Keynote Speaker - A Futurist’s Forecast
Host: Ray Day, past president of PRSA and PRSA Detroit
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Break
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Session #1 – Paid Media in the Mix
Host: Eman Hubbard, Spark Foundry

Info: Paid media isn’t replacing earned media — but it’s reshaping the way communicators build visibility, reach key audiences and drive measurable results. In this session, Eman Hubbard of Spark Foundry, whose portfolio includes national brands like Taco Bell and United Way, breaks down how paid, earned and owned channels now work together in a modern media strategy. You’ll learn how to evaluate when paid placements make sense, how to stretch your budget across platforms and how to integrate paid tactics without losing authenticity or audience trust. Whether you’re pitching more, paying more or trying to balance both, this session gives you the practical framework you need to make smarter media decisions.

🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Session #2 – New Media Influencers
Host: Hannah Lupi, APR, Bellwether PR

Info: Influencers drive results, even in our state and local areas. Learn how to work with these new professionals in a professional manner.

🕑: 01:15 PM - 01:30 PM
Break
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
Session #3 – AI, Ethics and the Human Value of PR
Host: Chuqing Dong, M.P.P., Ph.D., MSU College of CommArtsSci

Info: As generative AI rapidly reshapes public relations, communicators are being asked to work faster while thinking more critically about trust, ethics, and the enduring value of human expertise. Drawing on current research, industry trends, and professionals’ lived experiences, this workshop will first examine how AI is changing communication work and why human judgment, creativity, and relational skills remain essential. Participants will then engage with cases and scenarios directly relevant to public relations, exploring how AI can be used critically, strategically, and ethically across different communication tasks. By bringing together AI ethics and the human values at the heart of public relations, the workshop will provide practical, research-driven strategies for using AI responsibly, strengthening professional talent, and keeping trust at the center of the profession’s future.

🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
Session #4 - Accelerating the Speed of Trust
Host: Dan Olsen, MSU College of CommArtsSci

Info: While any PR pro worth their salt knows trust is essential to building and maintaining relationships with constituents, they also know it’s getting harder to navigate that road. So much noise. So much mis- and disinformation. The onslaught of AI. So how do we do it in this new age of here-today, gone-tomorrow allegiances? With more than a decade of comms experience, Dan Olsen brings a practical, people-centered approach to communication that emphasizes clarity, transparency and leadership under pressure. A two-time Michigan State graduate, he believes the most effective communication is not just about messaging, but about trust, empathy and the courage to act. He’ll share his perspective on how things have changed, why and what we need to do to keep those precious, trusted relationships.

🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM
Networking

Info: Networking! That’s why you’re in PR. Take a break with your peers while enjoying cider, donuts and apples from the Michigan Apples Committee.

🕑: 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Panel Presentation: Our Changing Media Landscape
Host: Moderator - John Truscott, Truscott Rossman

Info: As newsrooms shrink, deadlines tighten and platforms multiply, the rules of media relations are shifting under our feet. In this candid, end‑of‑day conversation, moderator John Truscott of Truscott Rossman leads a powerhouse panel of working journalists who cover Michigan’s most consequential stories. Kyle Melinn of MIRS, Craig Mauger of the Detroit News, and Phoebe Wall Howard of the Detroit News and Substack will break down how reporting has changed, what they need from communicators today and how PR pros can build stronger, more responsive relationships in a rapidly evolving environment. Expect straight talk, practical insight and a rare look behind the curtain of the state’s most influential media voices.

2026 PACE Awards

🕑: 05:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Gallery of Entries
Host: Keith Minaya - Live Music

Info: View this year's Gallery of Entries and enjoy an hour of cocktails, heavy appetizers and networking with your fellow PR professionals.

🕑: 05:30 PM - 07:00 PM
Awards Presentation

Info: Join us in celebrating the outstanding work done in our community this past year.