Communications Workgroup Retreat July 25, 2018 | Harrisburg, PA

Welcome to the Communications Workgroup retreat. Hello! Welcome to the Communications Workgroup retreat. Hello! And welcome to the Communications Workgroup retreat. My name is Catherine Krikstan, and since 2017, I have served as Chair of the Communications Workgroup. Deb Klenotic is our Vice Chair; Rechel Felver is our Coordinator; and Rebecca Chillrud is our Staffer.

Today, we hope our members will: Learn something new; Discuss common problems and possible solutions; and Consider how we might support social marketing across the Chesapeake Bay Program. This is our second retreat of 2018, but our first in Harrisburg, Pa. Over the next six hours, we hope our members: Learn something new (whether it is about each other, about the Chesapeake Bay Program, or about the topic that ties our agenda together); Discuss common communications problems and possible solutions; and Begin to consider how this workgroup might support social marketing and behavior change campaigns led by the Chesapeake Bay Program.

But first… We want to introduce you to the partnership, the workgroup and the Communications Office. But before we begin, my colleagues and I want to introduce you to the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, the Communications Workgroup and the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Communications Office.

Our Guide We envision an environmentally and economically sustainable Chesapeake Bay watershed with clean water, abundant life, conserved lands and access to the water, a vibrant cultural heritage and a diversity of engaged citizens and stakeholders. The Chesapeake Bay Program is a regional partnership that works across state lines to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. Since our founding, we have been guided by science-based goals and written agreements. Our latest agreement was signed in 2014, and presents a vision of an environmentally and economically sustainable watershed with clean water, abundant life, conserved lands and access to the water, a vibrant cultural heritage and a diversity of engaged citizens and stakeholders.

Our Goals Sustainable Fisheries Land Conservation Vital Habitats Water Quality Toxic Contaminants Healthy Watersheds Land Conservation Public Access Environmental Literacy Stewardship Climate Resiliency This agreement contains ten goals. Each of these goals is linked to a set of outcomes, or time-bound, measurable targets that will contribute to their achievement.

Each of these outcomes has been assigned to a Goal Implementation Team, or to a workgroup that is housed within the Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting Team or within one of these “GITs.”

Where do we fit in?

Our workgroup occupies a unique place within the partnership’s organizational structure: we are neither an advisory committee, nor a Goal Implementation Team, nor a “workgroup” in the more commonly used sense of the word.

Our Role We work across the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership to maintain a consistent voice. We work with Chesapeake Bay Program groups to use effective communications and outreach achieve their goals and outcomes. In fact, we serve two roles within the partnership. First: We maintain a consistent voice across the partnership. Second: We work with Chesapeake Bay Program groups to use effective communication and outreach to achieve their goals and outcomes.

Our Mission To establish shared messaging and foster cross-jurisdictional communication across the partnership; To support skill-sharing and professional development; and To advise and guide Goal Implementation Teams toward fulfilling the communications-related actions that support progress toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Our mission is three-fold: To establish shared messaging and foster cross-jurisdictional communication across the partnership; To support skill-sharing and professional development among our members; and To advise and guide Goal Implementation Teams toward fulfilling the communications-related actions that will themselves support progress toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Our Members Communications and public relations professionals from the seven watershed jurisdictions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and those agencies, academic institutions and NGOs that are part of the partnership. Representatives from the Chesapeake Bay Program’s advisory committees, Goal Implementation Teams and Web and Communications teams. Our members include communications and public relations professionals from the seven watershed jurisdictions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and those government agencies, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations that are part of the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. Our members also include representatives from the Chesapeake Bay Program’s three advisory committees, six GITs and Web and Communications teams.

Our Meetings 60-minute monthly calls* Biannual, extended, in-person retreats *The first half of our calls will follow a standard agenda. The second half will address a topic or project of concern. We recently voted to modify our meeting schedule. In September, we will begin to hold 60-minute monthly calls (and continue to hold biannual, extended, in-person retreats). The first half of these calls will follow a standard agenda (e.g., shared messaging, Round Robin updates and Chesapeake Bay Program news), while the second half will address a topic or project of concern.

The Communications Office provides critical staff support.

Staff Communications Director (and Workgroup Coordinator) Web Content Specialist Multimedia Specialist Outreach Specialist Communications (and Workgroup) Staffer Interns

Responsibilities Media outreach. Web- and print-based products. Multimedia. Outreach and engagement. The CBP Communications Office handles the day-to-day communications needs of the Chesapeake Bay Program. We are responsible for media outreach – press releases, media events, pitching and other general media relations. Web – and print-based products: fact sheets, blog entries, social media, talking points, PowerPoints, etc. Multimedia services – photo and video. Outreach and engagement across the partnership and with stakeholders across the watershed.

Strategic Plan Developed in 2016. Intended to influence Chesapeake Bay Program partners. Includes activities to be taken over the next five years. The strategic communications plan contains three goals with a series of recommendations under each of them. The goals include: Enhance and strengthen internal communications. Increase outreach and communications to prioritize engagement with local elected officials, local governments and diverse stakeholders. Expand the public’s knowledge of the Bay Program, its partners and the importance of restoring/protecting the Bay. The CBP Communications Office strives to meet these goals through an action plan that is also in the plan, but overall, it is intended to influence other Bay Program partners and members of the Communications Workgroup. The plan currently goes through 2021.

Print Product: Bay Barometer Annual health and restoration report. Roundup of progress toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement The strategic communications plan contains three goals with a series of recommendations under each of them. The goals include: Enhance and strengthen internal communications. Increase outreach and communications to prioritize engagement with local elected officials, local governments and diverse stakeholders. Expand the public’s knowledge of the Bay Program, its partners and the importance of restoring/protecting the Bay. The CBP Communications Office strives to meet these goals through an action plan that is also in the plan, but overall, it is intended to influence other Bay Program partners and members of the Communications Workgroup. The plan currently goes through 2021.

chesapeakebay.net Main audiences are teachers, students, and the interested public. In 2017, received more than 2.75 million pageviews So far in 2018: 1.75 million pageviews Discover the Chesapeake Bay 101 videos Field guide (majority of our traffic) Facts and Figures Ecosystem Watershed History Photos and videos FAQs Glossary Learn the Issues State of the Chesapeake (includes things like bald eagles, osprey) Take Action Tips and How-To’s Groups Events Visit Newsletter signup In the News Blog Press releases Who We Are Staff, partners, and who’s who How we’re organized (GIT and workgroup pages) History and funding/financing Jobs What We Do What guides us (Watershed Agreement, outcomes, and adaptive management) Accomplishments, Grants and RFPs Programs and Projects (modeling, monitoring, quality assurange, BMPs, TMDL, WIPs) Publications, Data and Maps

The Communications Office puts out three newsletter Bay News is a daily newsletter that highlights the latest news stories, opinion pieces and blog posts about the Chesapeake Bay from news sources across the watershed. Bay Brief is a weekly newsletter for Chesapeake Bay professionals. Each issue includes job opportunities, restoration-related reports, as well as funding and professional development opportunities. Chesapeake Currents is a monthly newsletter that highlights Bay Program-produced news and features about the health and restoration of the nation's largest estuary. If you have watershed-related news highlights you would like included in Bay News, or jobs you want advertised in Bay Brief, you can email them to Rebecca.

The Bay Program has three social media accounts: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Each account is run by a different member of the team.

Thanks! Communications Workgroup resources: Meeting Information Google Listserv | Request membership by emailing rchillrud@chesapeakebay.net Shared Calendar Presentation template by SlidesCarnival. Images via Shutterstock.