Mastering the Art of Planning an In-Person Advocacy Conference

Planning an in-person advocacy conference in Washington, D.C., involves numerous considerations. This session will guide you through the steps of organizing an advocacy day, from managing D.C.'s unique logistics to creating advocacy engagement, scheduling appointments, and equipping attendees with the necessary tools to effectively advocate for identified issues with lawmakers.

After completing this activity, participants will be able to:

Outline the steps involved in planning an advocacy day, from initial concept to final execution, ensuring a well-organized and impactful event
Review the tools needed to prepare attendees to successfully engage with lawmakers
Utilize social media and QR codes to encourage lawmakers to prioritize their support for the identified issues

Dawn Amaskane, CAE, CMP
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Dawn Amaskane, CAE, CMP, is the Vice President of Governance and Meetings at the American Osteopathic Association. In her position, Ms. Amaskane oversees all associations meeting services and provides strategic meeting management including developing revenue and managing expenses, oversees governance structure and operations in leading key initiatives, participates in strategic direction, and implements association-wide strategies and goals based on the strategic plan. Ms. Amaskane has over 20 years of association experience and meeting expertise as a business events strategist. She is a strategic operational executive professional with well rounded experience working with large, mid-sized, and small associations. She is an active member in the association community and is a member of the Association Forum of Chicagoland, the American Society for Association Executives and the Professional Convention Management Association. Ms. Amaskane serves as President of the PCMA Greater Midwest Chapter and in 2022 was honored and received the Association Professional Achievement award from Association Forum of Chicagoland.

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Colleen Bagnasco, CAE, CMP
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Colleen Bagnasco, CAE, CMP, is Vice President of Event Strategy and Industry Relations and leads a team of meeting and sales professionals in developing innovative and meaningful events that engage attendees, draw new audiences, and increase revenue for associations. As a leader, she believes in creating an inclusive, collaborative team environment, in which strategy, creativity, and innovation come together to optimize results for associations and their attendees. Colleen holds a Bachelor of Science in hospitality management and is an active member (and Board Member from 2022 to 2023) of the Greater Midwest Chapter, Professional Convention Management Association (GMC PCMA), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), and Association Forum. Colleen is a recognized thought leader in the industry and has presented at numerous association meetings and events. In addition, she serves on various industry customer advisory boards and is a significant contributor to the profession as well as the entire industry. She is the 2024 recipient of the PCMA Greater Midwest Chapter Robert J. “Bob” Donovan Award that is presented to an outstanding meeting professional who leads by example, inspires volunteerism, and is committed to the growth of the industry.