Mind the Gap: Leading and Communicating Across Generations with Julie Thannum, APR and Nicole Kirby, APR
Mind the Gap: Leading and Communicating Across Generations
In school communications, we’re working with teams that span several generations, which can lead to gaps in understanding or even values. Whether you’re a Boomer, a Gen Xer, a Millennial or a Gen Zer, you’re working with people whose lived experiences are different from yours, which means their approach to their work is different as well. You’re also communicating with families and staff who come from different generations, so their priorities and information preferences vary. In this session, CESO senior strategists and past NSPRA presidents Julie Thannum, APR, and Nicole Kirby, APR, will share the latest data about the generations and how to best work together to close those generational gaps and take advantage of the different perspectives to make your team and work even stronger.
Julie Thannum, APR
Julie Thannum, APR, has more than 30 years of experience working as a strategic problem-solver and communications advisor. She believes truth and transparency, over time, build trust. Prior to joining CESO Communications in 2021, Julie served as the assistant superintendent for board and community relations for a high-performing K-12 public school district in the Dallas-Fort Worth (TX) area. Her work includes launching the inaugural communication programs in two successful Texas districts. Julie successfully shaped a struggling marketing program at her district into a stable, yet profitable, revenue stream and found creative solutions to school budget stress by first strengthening employee relations and then engaging all staff in the budget reduction process. She specializes in mentoring and coaching school leaders to effectively incorporate sound communication strategies into their everyday work. Julie has extensive experience in crisis communications and school safety, as well as community engagement and policy development. She is skilled in conflict resolution and helps guide school leadership teams through problem-solving while building stronger, more meaningful relationships. Having served as president of both the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in 2016-2017 and the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) from 2000-2001, Julie remains active in both organizations. In July 2022, Julie was honored with NSPRA’s Presidents’ Award. She is a frequent presenter at local, state and national conferences on the topics of ethics in educational leadership, school safety and strategic communications through research, planning, implementation and evaluation.
Nicole Kirby, APR
Nicole Kirby, APR, is a senior strategist for CESO Communications. Before joining the CESO Communications team, she led the communications program in a Kansas City district for 23 years. She served as president of the National School Public Relations Association in 2021-2022, as well as earlier terms as NSPRA regional vice president and the president of the Missouri School Public Relations Association. She is an NSPRA Learning and Liberty Legacy Leader, and she received the NSPRA Front-Runner Award, the NSPRA Award of Excellence for publications, the MOSPRA Professional of the Year Award and the MOSPRA Distinguished Service Award. In 2019, she received the NSPRA Gold Medallion, the school public relations profession’s top award for programs, for her comprehensive, strategic, year-round communication program. Kirby has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from Kansas State University, a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from the University of Kansas, and her accreditation in public relations.
