Upcoming Events

Members: $15 --- Non-members: $20 --- Full-time Students: $5 --- Join Today!

Networking starts at 11:30am and the speaker starts at noon!

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 - Register for this event!

Title: Bridging the Gap: How to Understand and Engage with a Government Audience
In this session, presenter T.Y. Stone will show how to apply the four step process (Research, Planning, Implementation & Evaluation) to successfully engage Government Audiences. Drawing from front line experience, he will share actionable strategies for building credibility & how to leverage AI to sustain personal long term relationships.
Speaker: T.Y. Stone
A recent Augustana College graduate and the Community Resource Specialist at Heart of Hope Ministries in Rock Island, Illinois. He helps residents build résumés, apply for jobs, and work through the complex systems that stand between them and stability. Strategic planning is his strength, and the plans work because of the partnerships behind them. Building lasting relationships with residents, nonprofit and business founders, and community leaders. That network turns good ideas into real resources for the families who need them most. The results show up across the work. As Heart of Hope's grant writer, he has secured support for the food pantry's emergency boxes for families affected by the Tyson layoffs. Also working on building Gears & Opportunities, an automotive trade program for justice-involved youth and adults, alongside partners in education, housing, and city government. And he is working to bring a full-service grocery store to Rock Island's West End.

December - Enjoy the holidays with family!