More Than a Conference: Reflections on On Brand 2026
We set out to build On Brand 2026 as a conference of outcomes, not just output, creating the kind of experience professionals need at every stage of their journey. Whether starting out after school, navigating a pivot, working in a nonprofit or leading teams after decades in corporate roles, July 16 was designed to meet people where they are. Seeing that vision come to life in community with all of you was extraordinary.
When I stepped up to open the day, I started with a simple message of thanks. By the time we closed, that gratitude had only deepened.
While it was an honor to welcome local leadership like Greater Omaha Chamber President and CEO Heath Mello and Mayor John Ewing Jr. to the stage, the true heart of the day lived in the quieter, transformative moments we shared.
We felt it in the still, awe-inspiring room as Raj Lulla delivered the opening keynote, grounding us in authentic connection and honoring the human behind the professional title. We felt it during lunch as editorial cartoonist Jeff Koterba challenged each of us to stay relentlessly curious. And we carried it with us as JT Martin closed the day with a visionary call to think boldly about the future.
Between those keynotes, our dynamic breakout sessions delivered on the promise to bridge public relations, communications, brand and marketing, offering tailored spaces for the recent graduate, the nonprofit storyteller, the midlevel professional and the leader supporting a new generation.
That spirit of human-centric impact extended directly to our main stage. We had the privilege of witnessing a powerful milestone in real time as Access Period Executive Director Kristin Lowrey presented the organization's symbolic 5 millionth product to Sophia Ibrahimi and the team at the Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement (CIRA). It was a tangible, moving reminder of what happens when empathy and community action meet.
To everyone who spent the day with us listening, learning and honoring the human element of our work: thank you for your time, your energy and your presence. I still carry the gratitude of our shared time together.
Jara Sturdivant-Wilson, APR
