Schedule of Events
ATRIUM LOBBY
Stop by the conference check-in desk to sign in and receive your name badge and conference materials. Then help yourself to coffee and morning refreshments!
DRAMA THEATRE
John Della Contrada
Vice President for Communications
John Della Contrada has served as the University at Buffalo’s vice president for communications since 2018. He leads a team of accomplished communications professionals responsible for advancing the university’s reputation as New York State’s flagship and one of the nation’s leading public research universities. He is responsible for the university’s brand strategy, issues management, media relations, internal communications, social media, trademarks and licensing, and crisis communications. Della Contrada is a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service and the May C. Randazzo Outstanding Practitioner Award from the Buffalo Niagara chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. He holds a master’s degree in communications management from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and a bachelor’s degree in English from SUNY Oswego.
Radical Creativity: How To Use Radical Creativity—Radical Being, Thinking, Doing and Collaborating—To Solve Challenges Big and Small
DRAMA THEATRE
Join Lee Kitchen, the Magical Dude and a Walt Disney Company veteran, as he showcases how easy it is to get to novel, innovative ideas and solutions simply by adjusting our behavior, changing our mindset, using lateral thinking and engaging in unconventional collaborations to level up creativity in business. Lee will show us real-time examples from his experiences both with Disney and as an entrepreneur to bring this concept of “radical creativity” to life.
PRESENTER:
Lee Kitchen
Lead Innovation Catalyst at Magical Dude Consulting
Lee is a five-star innovation catalyst, keynote speaker, workshop leader, culture-change agent, design-thinking trainer, Avengers and Stars Wars fanboy, and overall MAGICAL DUDE! Lee brings a wealth of experience as a Certified Master Facilitator and long-term innovation agent. During his 32 years at the Walt Disney Company, he helped create some of their most impactful marketing campaigns, memorable guest experiences and real-time operational efficiencies.
Now, Lee offers his magic and wisdom in a mix of trainings, interactive workshops, facilitated idea sessions and inspiring keynotes, both in person and virtually, around the world.
1. Inside the Student Experience: A Conversation With UB Student Ambassadors
DRAMA THEATRE
Join a thought-provoking panel discussion on the use of ambassador programs to help guide students through the admissions process and keep them engaged in the campus community. Hear directly from student leaders about how these unique programs shaped their UB experience. The panel will provide practical tools and creative techniques that will help your unit better recruit and retain students.
Moderators:
Katie Fox
Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, Office of Enrollment Management
Katie Fox is the associate director of marketing and communications in UB’s Office of Enrollment Management, and she has more than 15 years of expertise in driving engagement and enrollment through innovative marketing strategies.
Fox holds an MBA from UB and a bachelor's degree in sport and recreation management from Niagara University. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including the SUNY CUAD Excellence in Marketing Strategy Award and UB’s Blue Bell Award for Integrated Marketing Campaigns.
Marcene Robinson
Director of Communications, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Marcene Robinson is the director of communications for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He has worked in roles related to communications and diversity, equity, and inclusion at UB since 2012, where he has also held positions within University Communications and University Advancement. He has led numerous award-winning communications campaigns that have resulted in international recognition for the university. He is a former president of the Public Relations Society of America’s Buffalo Niagara Chapter, and in 2018 he received the chapter’s Ann R. Carden Rising Star Award.
2. The Brave New World of the College Student Communication Crisis
ATRIUM LOBBY
This presentation will take a deep dive into a decade’s worth of student needs assessment data and how best to address the challenges the data reveal. Derived from hundreds of surveys, focus groups and one-on-one interviews with UB students, this presentation will focus on how what students report can help and hinder their success in the classroom, with specific forms of communication and faculty interaction at the heart of it. These data reveal communication networks and pitfalls, of which faculty are found to be largely unaware. Strategies will be presented that may turn these communication challenges into opportunities for engagement and improved learning outcomes.
PRESENTER:
Lance S. Rintamaki
Associate Professor of Communication
Lance Rintamaki serves as the director of undergraduate studies and the director of internships for the Department of Communication at UB. Much of Rintamaki’s work involves pedagogical assessment and student professional development. His forthcoming book “The Science and Strategy of Career Success” distills his work with thousands of professionals and employers across myriad industries, focusing on the skills, experiences and attributes that can set our students apart from their competitors in the job market and facilitate thriving careers.
3. Keeping Content Fresh: A Conversation With a Local TV News Host
SCREENING ROOM
Join Lauren Hall, host of WGRZ-TV’s “Most Buffalo,” for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce a daily afternoon news show. Hear how Hall and her producers keep the show fresh every day through innovative story ideas and engaging guests.
Presenter:
Lauren Hall
Anchor of “Most Buffalo,” WGRZ-TV
Lauren Hall, who recently assumed the role of anchor of “Most Buffalo” weekdays, has been a reporter with WGRZ-TV since 2019. She began her broadcast career locally at WIVB-TV as producer and host of the station’s lifestyle and entertainment show “Winging It! Buffalo Style,” before joining its morning news team as the traffic anchor and feature reporter. In addition, Hall has experience working as a team multimedia journalist for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, where she hosted and produced video features for the teams’ web, broadcast and digital platforms, which earned her two New York State Emmy nominations.
4. Bringing Innovation to Video Content
SCREENING ROOM
A panel discussion with three accomplished video content creators who use different methods to produce engaging content and reach new audiences. The panel will discuss navigating trends and carrying new ideas to fruition, as well as how they keep their creativity flowing through each project.
PRESENTERS:
Dawnavyn James
Educator, author and researcher of Black history
Dawnavyn James is currently pursuing her PhD at UB and is a fellow at the Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education. James uses her social media platforms—including TikTok, where she has almost 50,000 followers—to discuss her research and share Black history-centered books and educational tools with her audience. One of her social media posts spawned her 2023 book “Beyond February: Teaching Black History Any Day, Every Day, and All Year Long.”
Peter Johnson
Actor, director and screenwriter
Peter Johnson, who earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from UB, is an actor, film director, writer and casting director. A member of the Screen Actors Guild, he has appeared in or produced more than 40 movies and television commercials. Johnson currently hosts the Office of Student Life video series “That UB Life,” which takes a behind-the-scenes look at campus life. His recent documentary “The Blackness Project” provides in-depth interviews on race and culture from the minority perspective. He also produced “Together We Stand,” a documentary on the 1958 UB Bulls football team.
Tyler Bostock
Multimedia producer, University Communications
Tyler Bostock joined the University Communications social media team in 2024, where he is tasked with creating new video content to help UC elevate its presence on YouTube. His work aids institutional accounts and helps UB better connect with prospective and current student audiences. Bostock has previous experience as a video producer, editor and director, and he has created content for organizations that include Fisher-Price, Daemen University, Canisius University and Pegula Sports and Entertainment.
5. Radical Creativity Deep Dive: So How Do You Get Radical? By Going ‘Lateral’ With Being, Thinking, Doing and Collaborating To Help Get Those ‘Next Level’ Ideas!
DRAMA THEATRE
Now that we know what radical creativity is, let’s try it. In this hands-on, active workshop, Lee will take participants through some simple exercises to showcase how easy it is to collaboratively build ideas, using lateral thinking tools to think differently and create novel solutions for any problem—together!
PRESENTER:
Lee Kitchen
Lead Innovation Catalyst at Magical Dude Consulting
Lee is a five-star innovation catalyst, keynote speaker, workshop leader, culture-change agent, design-thinking trainer, Avengers and Stars Wars fanboy, and overall MAGICAL DUDE! Lee brings a wealth of experience as a Certified Master Facilitator and long-term innovation agent. During his 32 years at the Walt Disney Company, he helped create some of their most impactful marketing campaigns, memorable guest experiences and real-time operational efficiencies.
Now, Lee offers his magic and wisdom in a mix of trainings, interactive workshops, facilitated idea sessions and inspiring keynotes, both in person and virtually, around the world.
ATRIUM LOBBY
Join John Lambert, Student Life Senior Director for Marketing, Communications and External Engagement, Paul Peck, the voice of the UB Bulls, and Consensus All-American and MAC Defensive Player of the Year Shaun Dolac as they facilitate a conversation about the historic 2024 UB football season.
Complimentary lunch will be served. Vegetarian options will be available.
moderator:
John Lambert
Senior Director, Marketing, Communications and External Engagement, Student Life
5x5 Best Practices Presentations
SCREENING ROOM
A rapid-fire presentation format in which five speakers each have exactly five minutes to present.
1. Photography out of the Classroom: In Buffalo and Beyond Our Borders
Douglas Levere
Photo | Video Manager, University Communications
2. All in Good Taste
Ray Kohl
Director of Marketing and Communications, Campus Dining & Shops
3. Earned Media, Learned Mistakes: Crafting a Strategy To Promote Faculty Work
Lisa Mueller
Vice Dean for Communications, School of Law
4. Celebrating Milestones: 30 Years of Memorable Experiences at the Center for the Arts
Jamie Enser
Executive Director, Center for the Arts
5. Spicing It Up: “Hot Ones” as a Retention Tool
Anne Mecca
Associate Director for Admissions and Student Services, College of Arts and Sciences
Katie Brigham
Associate Director of Communications, Marketing and Outreach, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; former Associate Director of Communications, College of Arts and Sciences
DRAMA THEATRE
John Della Contrada will present the 2025 UB Communicators Awards and give closing remarks to conclude the conference.