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NAGC's Webinar Wednesdays will recharge your batteries and give you fresh ideas, new perspectives, and useful solutions to the unique problems we face as government communicators. Presentations are held the third Wednesday of each month. Members participate for free. Non-members pay a $49 fee, applicable to a year’s membership within two weeks of the event. Have to miss a webinar? Not to worry. Presentations are recorded and available a couple weeks after the live session in the NAGC Members Area.Webinar Presenter Opportunity! Are you an expert in a hot topic? Got tips and tricks communicators can use in our day-to-day work? Know someone who would make a fantastic presenter? Let us know! Complete the Webinar Presenter Interest Form online. January 14, 2026: How to Prepare a Winning Entry for the Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET Learn tips for submitting a successful entry to the Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards in this webinar with NAGC Competitions Director Andrea Iglar. We will allow plenty of time for Q&A, so come prepared with questions about this prestigious government communications recognition program. Whether you’ve submitted before or this is your first time applying, you’ll get the inside scoop to help prepare a successful application. This session is free to NAGC members and non-members. Meet Your Speaker: Andrea Iglar, NAGC Competitions Director, Director of Communications and Community Development, South Fayette Township, PA
After more than a decade as a newspaper reporter, she joined South Fayette in 2014 as the municipality’s first-ever communications professional. Since then, she has launched a website, social media channels, a branding package, a TV channel and a quarterly magazine, South Fayette Connect. In partnership with Parks and Recreation, she plans and promotes community events, raising funds through an innovative Sponsorship Advertising Program. A member of the National Association of Government Communicators since 2017, she is a 9-time winner of the Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards, including Best in Show in 2021, and has served as a program judge since 2019. She holds bachelor’s degrees in English and psychology.
January 28, 2026: Igniting Trust: What the Bonfire Collective Is Teaching US About Public Confidence 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET In 2024, a group of government communication leaders formed the Bonfire Collective, a national collaboration dedicated to exploring one question: What must government communicators do differently to meaningfully restore trust in government? In partnership with NAGC, the Collective convened practitioners from across the country to identify real-world, high-impact strategies rooted in everyday work. In this fast-paced, insight-rich webinar, Bonfire Collective founders Thomas Reeves and Kim Newcomer, along with special guests, will share the six core themes that emerged from the Collective’s May convening:
Participants will learn practical, replicable approaches contributed by Collective members: from eliminating barriers to participation and telling your organization’s story first, to strengthening internal champions, owning mistakes, and elevating real community voices. You’ll leave with actionable tactics, model examples, and a clearer understanding of why NAGC is supporting this emerging movement. This session is ideal for communicators seeking immediately applicable strategies to elevate trust, transparency, and credibility in their day-to-day work. Meet Your Speakers:
As the top communications official for Baytown, Texas, Thomas has direct leadership over the City’s public relations, tourism, and legislative affairs. Prior to city work, he worked as a lead public affairs liaison for the largest investor-owned utility in California and as head of the public affairs divisions for a passenger rail agency. In his time serving the public, Thomas has also worked for members of the state legislature and U.S. Congress. Thomas has a master’s degree in communication & leadership studies from Gonzaga University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Simpson University. He is also an adjunct professor of communications studies at Lee College. He and his wife have three children and reside in the southeast corner of Texas.
Kim Newcomer Kim Newcomer has 21 years’ experience in communications and marketing for communities, proven success blending traditional communication tools with progressive engagement techniques. She currently serves as the CEO/Founder of Slate Communications; an agency focused on helping public agencies connect with their communities. Prior to starting Slate, she worked for the communities of Vail, Durango, and Fort Collins, CO. She holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration/Marketing from the University of Denver.
Chad Lewis Chad Lewis is the Public Affairs Manager for the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks in Seattle, the nation's largest metropolitan natural resource agency. He previously served as the Deputy Director of Communications for the King County Executive and as the Director of Communications for the Washington State Department of Corrections. Since 2023, his team has won a combined 10 Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards, a Northwest Regional Emmy for outstanding feature video, and the Golden Post Award for social media.
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Thomas Reeves, NAGC Treasurer, Director of Public Affairs, City of Baytown, TX
