schedule
We’re currently planning the 2023 Convention schedule and will share more information soon.
The 2022 convention featured 40 speakers from across the Colorado and the country. The 40 sessions over two and half days addressed business evolution, selling ads, improving reporting, leveling up design skills, reimagining relationships with the community, and more.
overview of 2022 SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 15
- 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Understanding Audiences Through Design Thinking: A Pre-Conference Workshop
- 4:30 – 7 p.m.: Opening Night Kickoff & Reception
- 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Dine Around Denver
- 9 – 11 p.m.: Denver Press Club After Party (with jazz band)
Friday, September 16
- 7:30 a.m.: Registration opens, bus loop begins
- 8:30 a.m.: Opening keynote from Evan Smith
- 9:30 & 10:45 a.m.: Breakout sessions
- 12:00 p.m.: Two luncheon choices: Maria Hinojosa Keynote or Legislative Luncheon with Governor Polis and Democratic and Republican Leaders of the Colorado Senate
- 1:30 & 3:00 p.m.: Breakout sessions
- 2:30 p.m.: Ice cream break with Sweet Cow
- 4 p.m.: Plenary with Mike Blinder of E&P
- 5:30 p.m.: Friday-night Social with Brewpub Tour and CPA Trivia (with Denver Press Club)
- 8:00 p.m.: Last bus leaves Stanley Marketplace
Saturday, September 17
- 8:00 a.m.: Registration opens, bus loop begins
- 9: 00 a.m.: Roundtables, design session, past presidents breakfast, student sessions begin
- 10:00 a.m.: Reimagining Journalism’s Relationship with the Community plenary + design session
- 11:15 a.m.: Breakout sessions
- 12:30 p.m.: The State of Colorado Media luncheon
- 1:30 p.m.: Breakout sessions, annual meeting
- 3:30 p.m.: CPA Member Awards and Hall of Fame Celebration at Coors Field (with private tours, free parking)
- 6:00 p.m.: Last bus leaves Coors Field
Convention sessions
For times, rooms and descriptions, see this program schedule. The week of the convention, registrants will get access to the event app and website with full descriptions, bios, schedule planner and more.
Plenary / All Audiences
- Understanding Audiences Through Design Thinking (Lisa Rossi. Half-day workshop.)
- Conversation with NYT & Gazette Pulitzer-winning Reporter David Philipps with Lee Ann Colacioppio + Legislator Awards
- Reflections and Lessons From The Texas Tribune (Evan Smith)
- Legislative Luncheon (Governor Polis, Senator Fenberg, Senator Lundeen, Linda Shapley/Colorado Community Media)
- Maria Hinojosa Keynote
- What COLab Can Do for You (Laura Frank/COLab)
- Stop Overthinking & Just Do It! (Mike Blinder/E&P)
- Reimagining Journalism’s Relationship with the Community (Jennifer Brandel/Hearken, Joaquin Alvarado/studiotobe)
- Community Ownership: Applying the Green Bay Packer Model in Aurora (Eric Prock/Microsoft, Joaquin Alvarado/studiotobe, Laura Frank (COLab)
- The State of Colorado Media (Amanda Mountain/Rocky Mountain Public Media, Corey Hutchins/Colorado College, Kevin Dale (CPR News), Laura Frank (COLab), Melissa Davis/Gates Family Foundation & Colorado Media Project, Mike Blinder/E&P)
- Getting People to Pick Up Your Paper (Kevin Slimp)
Advertisers / Publishers
- Partnering Beyond the Page: Roundtable discussion on newspaper B2B opportunities with T-Mobile
- Planning for 2022 and 2032: Outlook for the rest of 2022 and why you need to prepare for the next decade NOW (Jim Brown/Borrell Associates)
- Audience, Audience, Audience: In the year of first-party data, learn why advertisers need you more than over (Charity Huff/January Springs, Kati Tucker/Omeda)
- Sales Prep: Put together a proposal that they can’t say no to 104 (Nitosha Ramirez January Spring)
- Economic Development Trends in Colorado (Patrick Meyers/OEDIT)
- Re-engage Local Businesses With New Ways to Reach Customers Digitally (Charity Huff/January Spring)
- Create Engaging & Profitable Sponsored Content (Charity Huff/January Spring)
- Creating & Designing More Effective Ads to Increase Ad Revenue (Kevin Slimp)
- Happy Life = Happy SALES TEAMS: Managing salespeople as individuals (Charity Huff/January Spring)
Publishers
- Forming a Nonprofit Newsroom (Sue Cross / Institute for Nonprofit News)
- Optimize Print Workflows (and Gain Back Time for Digital Innovation) (Michael Grant/Get Current Studio)
- 10 Best Practices to Increase Audience Loyalty (Tina Xiao/Google)
- Turn Reputation into Revenues: How to Capitalize on Ethical Journalism (Beth Potter/JTI)
- Avoiding Lawsuits, or At Least Trying to Do So (Rachael Johnson/RCFP, Steve Zansberg)
- The Unique Challenges & Opportunities of Ethnic Media (Michael Grant/Get Current Studio)
- Annual Meeting
Reporters / Editors
- Public Notices: An treasure trove for investigative reporting (Jim Lockwood / Scranton (Pa.) Times-Tribune)
- Democracy SOS: Meeting Community Needs in a Polarized Electorate (Jennifer Brandel/Hearken)
- 10 Best Practices to Increase Audience Loyalty (Tina Xiao/Google)
- 10 Best Practices for Growing and Launching Newsletters (Tina Xiao/Google)
- Turn Reputation into Revenues: How to Capitalize on Ethical Journalism (Beth Potter/JTI)
- Investigating Inequities: Tips, Tools and Sources (Burt Hubbard, Tina Griego/COLab)
- Avoiding Lawsuits, or At Least Trying to Do So (Rachael Johnson/RCFP, Steve Zansberg)
- Elections 2022: Tools and tips for reporting on online political messaging, ads and misinformation (Nancy Watzman, Sandra Fish)
- The Unique Challenges & Opportunities of Ethnic Media (Michael Grant/Get Current Studio)
- “Let the Sun Shine In” – Using Colorado’s Laws to Advance Your Reporting (Rachael Johnson/RCFP, Steve Zansberg)
- Economic Development Trends in Colorado (Patrick Meyers/OEDIT)
- Free the Docs: Tools, data and grants from DocumentCloud and MuckRock to super-power your sourcing (Michael Morisy/MuckRock)
- Twenty Tips for News Reporters (Susan Greene/COLab)
- Various topics in roundtable discussions
Designers
All design sessions are on Saturday an and are presented by Kevin Slimp
- Getting Your Photos to Pop Off the Page (Advanced Photoshop Skills)
- Advanced Skills for Newspapers in InDesign
- Creating & Designing More Effective Ads to Increase Ad Revenue
- Getting People to Pick Up Your Paper
Students
Half-day sessions on Saturday aimed at students, including tips on getting a job in journalism, professional review of work and resumes, real-world reporting tips and more.
socials
Thursday, Sept. 15
- Opening Reception, 5:30-7:00 p.m.: Following the conversation with David Philipps and a brief awards presentation to Colorado legislators, join your colleagues and legislators on the rooftop of Buell Public Media Center. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres provided.
- Dine Around Denver, 7:00 p.m. – ?: Following the reception, make some new friends and dine with colleagues. CPA will reserve tables for 6-10 people at various restaurants around Denver. The cost of dinner is not included (unless you happen to dine with a very generous colleague or sponsor).
Friday, Sept. 16
- Friday-night Social with Brewpub Tour and CPA Trivia, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: After a long day of information-packed sessions, unwind with your colleagues at a private event at Cheluna Brewing Company in Stanley Marketplace. CPA will provide drink tickets and hors d’oeuvres, and you can order dinner from nearly a dozen restaurants with international cuisine, right from your table. Cheluna will provide a tour of their small brewery, and CPA will give you the opportunity to show off your knowledge of Colorado and journalism with team trivia.
Saturday, Sept. 18
- Past Presidents Breakfast, 9:00-10:00 a.m.: Past CPA presidents reconnect over breakfast at the Lowry Conference Center.
- CPA Member Awards and Hall of Fame Celebration at Coors Field, 3:00-6:00 p.m.: Celebrate excellence in Colorado journalism at a special event held at Coors Field. CPA will unveil winners of the Better News contest, as well as member awards and Hall of Fame inductees. In the fun atmosphere of the ballpark, with great views of the field and scoreboard, attendees can enjoy drinks, music, plenty of hors d’oeuvres, private tours of Coors Field, a jazz band, and time to socialize and network.