Thursday, September 21 from 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm

You asked for more time to gather and connect, so this year it’s part of the official program! Join us on Thursday after the keynote wraps for a fun and casual Networking Happy Hour. 

It’s an opportunity to meet with, or learn more about, LOCALs and Circles, our vehicles for participating with The Network all year around. With LOCALS, you can choose to gather based on your region, and with Circles, you have 7 issue areas, job roles or identity groups to pick from. (You could even pop into multiple rooms!). The ShowCase posters will also be on display in the main ballroom for you to walk through. 

Wherever you decide to mix and mingle, you’ll find drinks + snacks across the Lobby Level (400 + 500 rooms) and Atrium Level (600 + 700 rooms). 

Meet our Networking@Night room hosts and community builders (and find the room assignments) below. Make sure to stop in and say hello!

ComNetworkDC, Atrium Level, Room 601

  • Liz Eckert, PAN Foundation

  • Melanie Starkey, Teal Media

  • Emily Chow, The Pew Charitable Trusts

ComNetworkLA + ComNetworkSFBAY, Atrium Level, Room 706

  • Vanessa Schnaidt, Cause Communications

  • Sande Smith, The California Wellness Foundation

  • Teri Gardiner, Kenneth Rainin Foundation

ComNetworkDENVER, Lobby Level, Room 505

  • Katie Peshek, Rose Community Foundation

  • Curtis L. Esquibel, Boettcher Foundation

  • Latia Henderson, RootED Denver

ComNetworkBOSTON, Lobby Level, Room 503

  • Shaun Adamec, Adamec Communications, Inc

  • Mary Chalifour, Barr Foundation

ComNetworkDETROIT, Lobby Level, Room 506

  • Krista Jahnke, The Kresge Foundation

  • Natalie Fotias, The Skillman Foundation

ComNetworkSEATTLE + ComNetworkPORTLAND, Lobby Level, Room 507

  • Kara Palmer, Pyramid Communications

  • Erik Houser, We Are In

  • Maury Harris, Community Foundation for Southwest Washington

ComNetworkCHICAGO, Lobby Level, Room 508

  • Jacki Davidoff, Davidoff Strategy

  • Alison Gross, NORC at the University of Chicago

ComNetworkNYC, Atrium Level, Room 703

  • Fiona Guthrie, Innocence Project

  • Jessie Landerman, TCC Group

ComNetworkATLANTA, Atrium Level, Room 705

  • Keith Aikens, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

  • Thailla Crawford, Schusterman Family Philanthropies

LGBTQ+ Communicators, Lobby Level, Room 504

  • JD Schramm, JD Schramm Communications, LLC

  • Hancie Stokes, SMYAL

  • Steven Bond, Forum One

Management/Department Leads Circle, Lobby Level, Room 401

  • Betsy Reid, PEAK Grantmaking

  • LuAnn Lovlin, The Winnipeg Foundation

  • Stefan Lanfer, Barr Foundation

Black Communicators Circle, Lobby Level, Room 402

  • Stephanie Chrispin, Trinity Church Wall Street

  • Gail Fuller, Disability & Philanthropy Forum

  • Thamarrah Jones, Threespot

  • Renee Karibi-Whyte, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

One-person Comms Shops Circle, Lobby Level, Room 403

  • Rob Purper, SafeHouse Denver

  • Dale Wadman, Washington Research Foundation

  • Erin Leonard, Erin Leonard Events

Research Communicators Circle, Lobby Level, Room 404

  • Jess Tansey, UChicago Consortium on School Research

  • Marrianne McMullen, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago

  • Sarah Rand, University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab

  • Mara Jauntirans, Lurie Children's Foundation

Internal Communicators, Lobby Level, Room 405

  • Jeanni Hall, NORC at the University of Chicago

  • Rebecca Chamberlain-Creanga, The Kresge Foundation

Social Justice Communicators, Lobby Level, Room 406

  • Melissa Daar Carvajal, Schott Foundation for Public Education

  • Elizabeth Kaetzel, Narratur Studio

  • Ross Jensby, Health Forward Foundation