Attention Communicators!
To All Those Invested in Church Communication:

Bishop Mathes strongly encourages all communication volunteers and staff members to attend the May 2 Leadership Academy at St. Bartholomew's in Poway. Four workshops will cover best practices, graphic design, working with the media, and asset mapping. Bring your whole team to get everyone up-to-speed. 

Register Online
Details
The day costs $15/person, or $20 on the day-of. Lunch and materials are included. Scholarship assistance is available. Please contact Canon Young for scholarship information. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Saturday, May 2
8 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
St. Bartholomew's
16275 Pomerado Rd., Poway, CA 


You may create an account or "Register as Guest." If you have any questions during registration, please contact Registrar Keren Rodriguez, 619-481-5455.
Workshop Descriptions

Graphic Design for Churches with Megan Stanton 
(Session 1: 10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.) 
Learn a few basic graphic design rules, including the basics of branding, to help you create attractive flyers, posters, signs, web banners, and newsletters. These guidelines will enhance your communications, entice people to read and take action. A pragmatic workshop with a hands-on project.

Communications Best Practices Panel with Ashley Graham-Wilcox, Gwynn Freund, Mark Turner and Donna Turner 
(Session 2: 12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.)
No matter how good our news may be, if it isn't relevant or communicated well, we may as well be speaking a foreign language. Knowing our audience, our method and our message is key for any congregation that wants to communicate more effectively. Come hear a panel of communications strategists who will share some of their best practices, from developing meaningful content to delivering information among many platforms.

Working with the Media with Susan Jester
(Session 3: 1:45 p.m. - 3 p.m.)
Learn how to talk to the media, create media-friendly events, organize a media strategy especially for crises, and build relationships with reporters. We will use the recent case of drunk driving by Bishop Heather Cook in Maryland as a case study and a jumping off point for creating our own communications plans.

Episcopal Asset Map: Disaster Preparedness and Ministry Roster
(Session 3: 1:45 p.m. - 3 p.m.)
Hannah Wilder will demonstrate the new Episcopal Asset Map platform (ww.episcopalassetmap.org) and discuss its utility in ministry resource sharing across the diocese, disaster preparedness and response. She will provide training and information to those who want to learn more about this free platform. If you would like to get started, navigate to your congregation and "Take the Survey."
Presenter Biographies

Ms. ashleyAshley Graham-Wilcox is the marketing and outreach manager at Camp Stevens, and director of marketing for Episcopal Camps & Conference Centers (ECCC). In her time at Camp Stevens, Ashley has overseen a 22% increase in summer camp enrollment, and through ECCC, she has trained over two dozen camp/retreat center directors in future planning strategies. While copywriting and social media are Ashley's passions, as a one-person marketing team, she's learned to push her comfort zone to include design, layout, and website development - and she sometimes even enjoys them! Prior to joining the Episcopal camping world in 2009, she worked in advertising and event marketing in Boston. Ashley and her husband, Trevor, live on-site at Camp Stevens in the mountains of San Diego with their goofball of a one-year old, Jude, and a very needy cat.

Ms. susanSusan Jester is a versatile community relations, political and organizational specialist with 35 years successful experience. She founded AIDS Walk San Diego in 1985. She has been a frequent guest commentator this past year on the Roger Hedgecock Show and America One. Susan is known for her unique ability to bring diverse people of different political and ideological beliefs together to achieve the common good, and to effect lasting change in the pursuit of human rights and civil rights. She lives in San Diego with her cat, Forrester, and attends St. Paul's Cathedral, San Diego. 

The Rev. GwynnGwynn Lynch currently serves as the vicar of St. Mary's-in-the-Valley, Ramona, a small church with a modest budget. Since 2011, she has successfully podcasted her Sunday sermons online for free, thus opening up the church to any and all who might have an internet connection. Gwynn has 30 years of experience in training and setting up training manuals, and is especially good at helping those with limited technical experience understand the technology at hand.  

Ms. megan Megan Stanton joined St. Michael's, Carlsbad in October of 2013. She is a technically trained artist with a bachelor's degree in studio art from UC Irvine. Her professional background is in graphic/web design and marketing. She and her husband, Bryan, decided to make Vista their permanent home in 2012. They spend a great deal of time serving in ministries with a focus on prayer, healing and deliverance. They have seen God work awesome miracles in peoples' lives! They are also adventurers, exploring the natural beauty of San Diego by motorcycle.

Ms. DonnaDonna Turner has a background in social media management and online marketing. Along with her husband, Mark, she is responsible for communications at St. Paul's Cathedral. This includes print news bulletin, weekly email newsletter, website updates and social media. She is co-leader of the Cathedral Center for Performing and Visual Arts at St. Paul's. Donna also produces the e-blast for St. James by-the-Sea, La Jolla.

Mr. MarkMark Turner is a 40-year veteran in arts leadership primarily in the Church spanning many denominations. He received his bachelor's in a special combination of writing, visual arts and media, from San Diego State University and has conducted extensive graduate work in filmmaking. Mark is a visual artist, musician/composer, playwright, poet, graphic designer, actor and filmmaker. He has produced and taught the arts on five continents with his wife, Donna, as the co-founder of Horizon Gate Productions. He and Donna are currently co-directors of St. Paul's Cathedral Center for the Performing and Visual Arts. He is also employed by the Cathedral as communications assistant to create the weekly print announcements, e-bulletins, selected web graphics and printed posters.

Ms. HannahHannah Wilder is the diocesan communications director. In this position, her main role is to support congregations as they seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. She is responsible for the diocesan communications strategy, creates and edits the diocesan magazine, the Messenger, manages the website (edsd.org) and creates newsletters. She is currently a postulant who attends the diocesan School for Ministry.