PRSA ICON 2025: Connection and Inspiration
By Stefanie Macfarlane, APR
Attending PRSA’s 2025 International Conference (ICON) in Washington D.C. as a recipient of the PRSA Orlando ICON Grant and representing the chapter was a fantastic honor. The event was held at the historic Washington Hilton which has hosted presidents, notable figures, and prestigious events since 1965. The ballroom where we gathered for general sessions is home to the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner!
For those of you who have never been to PRSA’s International Conference (ICON), it’s like a marathon of professional development. Not only are there more breakout sessions than you can imagine (and will find challenging to choose which to attend), but each day includes an inspiring keynote speaker, networking opportunities at every turn and our industry’s leaders being honored and celebrated. Then, there’s the ICON Products and Exhibit Hall featuring the latest technology and tools to help you do your job better (and sponsors giving away everything from snacks and candy to the latest stuffed animals, ducks, t-shirts and totes). Although you’re exhausted by the end of the day, you head out to a wide variety of evening festivities and networking opportunities. It’s both exhilarating and exhausting!
ICON 2025 kicked off with the Opening General Session by honoring Hunter CEO Grace Leong, MBA, APR, Fellow PRSA with the PRSA Gold Anvil Award, PRSA’s highest honor. In her inspiring remarks, Grace reminded us of our purpose as communicators: “Communication is more than a profession — it’s a responsibility,” she said. “We live in a time when truth is being twisted, when myths move faster than facts, and when trust feels fragile. Our challenge is to use our voices not for spin, but for service; to bring clarity where there is confusion; to remind the world that truth, told with empathy and integrity, still has power.” Be sure to read this recap from O’Dwyer’s – You will be glad you did. I was lucky enough to begin my career interning at Hunter and it was an honor to see Grace receive the same award as her mentor, the legendary Barbara Hunter many years later.
Our first keynote speaker, Lauren Graham, award-winning actress, producer and New York Times bestselling author did not disappoint. Of course, she shared stories about her experiences in her amazing role as ‘Lorelai Gilmore’ on “Gilmore Girls”, but she spent most of her time talking about what really connects us: storytelling. Read this recap to learn where Lauren’s love of story began, the importance of finding your voice (it requires confidence), getting help when you need it (asking for help is a strength, not a setback) and tips for overcoming writer’s block (give yourself permission for imperfection).
After opening general session, it was time for the afternoon breakout sessions — and what a variety of sessions there were — 10 choices in the first breakout and 8 in the second. I attended “Get to the Point: How to Identify, Sharpen and Champion Your Most Important Ideas” with Joel Scwartzberg, Principal, Communication Coach and Executive Speechwriter. Filled with practical advice, I found this session to be a helpful reminder of strong communication skills—and using them to strengthen your message. If I tell you 10 things, you’ll only remember a few, but if I tell you one thing, you will remember it. He shared a metaphor about a book and the difference between the Table of Contents (TOC) and the blurbs on the back. The TOC describes the content, but the blurbs sell it. Don’t just describe the product/inventory/service, instead tell what happens if you buy it.
If you don’t already know that AI is the future, then you need to jump on board, or the AI train will leave you behind. Every breakout session included at least one session on AI (and often more). My favorite two were “What’s Next? The Future of AI in Public Relations and Strategic Communication” with Alexandra Merceron, Executive Vice President, Rubenstein and “The Ultimate AI Toolkit” with Elizabeth Edwards, Founder and President of Volume PR, which was my favorite breakout of the conference. In the standing room only session, Elizabeth shared both tools and practical tips for using AI tools. From tips on how to talk to your AI (hint: it’s not like Google), tools to record audio (and what to do with recorded audio), to demonstrating tools in action, everyone left the room with a long list of must try AI tools. My favorite: Auto presentation development with Beautiful.ai and Gamma.
Rob Bisenbach’s presentation, “The Ferris Bueller Guide to Smarter Storytelling” was a clever and fun session that inspired us all to be better storytellers by looking to the film’s core storytelling lesson—don’t get lost in the “dots” (the data, stats and info) that prevent you from delivering the big picture (the context, meaning and perspective).
Another great session focused on “Deciding When to Speak Up on Social Issues” with Jon Goldberg, Reputation Architects, Inc. Jon shared seven key questions organizations need to ask to make fully informed risk decisions and steer clear of self-inflicted reputational firestorms.
On the third and final day, I was inspired by another award recipient’s remarks, W. Patrick McSweeney, APR, Fellow PRSA. He was honored with the D. Parke Gibson Award for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in our field. His words, “Our strength as a nation is in our differences. Our national motto — E pluribus unum — One out of many — is the definition of diversity. It is in America’s DNA” truly resonated with me and inspired me.
As I left Washington, D.C., I carried with me more than notes and new contacts—I left with a renewed sense of purpose. ICON 2025 reaffirmed that our work as communicators matters deeply. I look forward to applying the ideas, tools and inspiration I gained to strengthen our chapter, elevate our profession, and continue serving with clarity, integrity and heart.
I’m grateful to PRSA Orlando for the opportunity to attend on behalf of our members and share these insights. I hope they will inspire you as they will me for years to come.
