Upcoming Events
Members: $15 --- Non-members: $20 --- Full-time Students: $5 --- Join Today!
Networking starts at 11:30am and the speaker starts at noon!
September 24 - Register for this event!
Title: Video - How to navigate the challenges that can sink a good idea ... and good content
How videos are created, shared, and digested for social, web, and broadcast spaces is much different than in other mediums. Everyone wants their videos to get more views, engagement, and reach, and there's a lot of pressure to create the next big thing. The reality? Great videos start long before the camera starts rolling.
Speaker: Ryan Orr
Bio: Ryan Orr is a Quad City native whose passion for video and motion picture started at a very young age.
His journey in the industry began when he first experimented with video in high school, and led to a short tenure in broadcast news and eventually more than 25 years of creative video solutions for clients across the Midwest.
Most recently, he formed SquareOne in 2022 and continues to forge strong relationships with clients big and small as he helps them navigate the creative challenges of an ever-changing world of video content.
October 22 - Register for this event!
Title: Annual planning 101 (how does your strategy align with the organization and how do you support/compliment those goals and then determine a budget for it?)
Annual planning season can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to balance organizational priorities, communications needs, and budget realities. Join us for a practical conversation with Jennifer Walker, VP of Marketing and Communications at the Quad Cities Chamber, and Kristin Enright, Research & Account Executive at MindFire Communications, as they share how they approach annual planning and turn big-picture goals into actionable marketing and communications plans.
Speakers: Jennifer Walker & Kristin Enright
Jennifer Walker is a marketing and communications executive with nearly 30 years of experience in strategic communications, brand management, community engagement and organizational leadership. As Vice President of Marketing & Communications for the Quad Cities Chamber, she leads marketing, branding and public relations efforts for five organizations, overseeing advertising campaigns, brand storytelling, media relations and stakeholder engagement that support business growth and strengthen the regional economy.
Throughout her career, Walker has held leadership roles with United Way Quad Cities, UpStream Consulting and Renaissance Rock Island, where she developed award-winning marketing strategies, produced major community festivals and built strong partnerships with business, civic and community leaders. She earned a bachelor's degree in journalism, mass communications and English from the University of Iowa and has served in leadership roles with numerous community and arts organizations throughout the Quad Cities. Walker was the first woman to chair the Illinois Quad City Civic Center Authority (Vibrant Arena) and produced signature Downtown Rock Island festivals that drew more than 25,000 attendees.
Kristin Enright is a Research & Account Executive at MindFire Communications, where she has worked since 2019. She helps brands uncover what matters most to their audiences and translate those insights into meaningful brand and marketing strategies. Her work spans research and strategic planning, developing creative approaches to gather stakeholder and consumer insights and partnering with clients and internal teams to bring strategies to life.
Kristin is also an adjunct professor at St. Ambrose University, where she teaches Critical Conversations: Finding Your Voice and Building Relationships, helping students develop communication skills that extend beyond the classroom and into their professional lives.
Beyond her professional and academic roles, Kristin serves on the board of directors for Bethany for Children & Families and is a caregiver through Iowa's Consumer Choices Option program, supporting independence and community participation for a young woman with a disability. Kristin was named to the Quad Cities Business Journal Forty under 40 Class of 2025. She earned her bachelor's degree in strategic communication from St. Ambrose University and her master's degree in strategic communication from the University of Iowa.
November 19
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
December ??