Amplify: Mastering Public Communication in the AI Age

Amplify: Mastering Public Communication in the AI Age is a live workshop series for professionals who shape public messages at all levels of government. The series supports their core mission to inform, connect, and serve. It also explores how AI tools—when used responsibly and transparently—can strengthen communication, broaden outreach, and counter disinformation. The series is hosted and curated by Jill Abramson and John Wihbey, who will also serve as part of the faculty, alongside Henry Griggs. Together, they will guide participants throughout the series as lead coaches—drawing on their deep expertise in journalism, public messaging, and strategic communication. Workshop recordings will be posted for those who cannot attend synchronously. 

Workshops

Effective Communication for the Public Good
Jill Abramson, Distinguished Professor of Practice and Senior Fellow, The Burnes Center for Social Change
Congressman Brian Baird, Founder and Chair, National Museum and Center for Service

January 14, 2026

2:00 PM ET

60 minutes

Telling Public Stories with Data
Lee Rainie, Director, Elon University's Imagining the Digital Future Center
John Wihbey, Director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab (AIMES Lab) & Associate Professor, Northeastern University

January 27, 2026

2:00 PM ET

60 minutes

Explaining Public Service: Strategies for Clear, Credible Communication
Jill Abramson, Distinguished Professor of Practice and Senior Fellow, The Burnes Center for Social Change
Max Stier, President and CEO, Partnership for Public Service

February 3, 2026

2:00 PM ET

60 minutes

Thinking Like a Reporter — What Makes News
Strategic Storytelling in the Public Sector
Jill Abramson, Distinguished Professor of Practice and Senior Fellow, The Burnes Center for Social Change
Michael Kimmelman, Founder and editor-at-large of Headway and architecture critic of The New York Times

December 2, 2025

2:00 PM ET

60 minutes

AI-Assisted Writing: Lessons from the Field
Luciana Herman, Communications Consultant, Lecturer in Law Stanford University
Phil Malone, Director of the Juelsgaard Intellectual Property and Innovation Clinic at Stanford Law School
John Wihbey, Director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab (AIMES Lab) & Associate Professor, Northeastern University

November 17, 2025

2:00 PM ET

60 minutes

AI 101 for Communicators — What You Need to Know
John Wihbey, Director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab (AIMES Lab) & Associate Professor, Northeastern University
Welcome to Amplify — Strategy, Skills, and The Stakes of Public Communication Today
Jill Abramson, Distinguished Professor of Practice and Senior Fellow, The Burnes Center for Social Change
John Wihbey, Director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab (AIMES Lab) & Associate Professor, Northeastern University

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