The Florida Public Relations Association's PR & Comms Summit returns to Orlando Aug. 9-12, 2026, with a speaker lineup that includes the head of press operations for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the founder of Help a Reporter Out, and the editor-in-chief of PR Daily. The four-day program at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate targets the profession's biggest shifts: artificial intelligence, generative engine optimization, media pitching, and executive credibility.
The summit, designed for PR, marketing, and social media professionals at all career stages, combines keynote sessions with more than 20 breakout workshops. New this year, a Tech Pitch series will offer interactive demos from Meltwater, Muck Rack, and Podchaser, focusing on media intelligence, podcast outreach, and analytics.
Featured speakers span sports, media, and entertainment
The speaker roster includes Aarti Parekh, head of press operations for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games; Peter Shankman, entrepreneur and founder of Help a Reporter Out; Leslie Patterson, senior director of communications at Morgan & Morgan; Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise at The Poynter Institute; Allison Carter, editor-in-chief of PR Daily at Ragan Communications; Connor Hachey of Virgin Music Group; Everett Brothers, formerly of Madison Square Garden Entertainment; and Matt Korn of MGM Resorts International.
General sessions will pull back the curtain on communications planning for the 2028 Olympics, explore the future of artificial intelligence in the industry, and examine how music, entertainment, and hospitality brands build audiences in a fragmented digital world.
Breakout sessions tackle AI, pitching, and measurement
More than 20 breakout sessions will cover artificial intelligence and generative engine optimization (GEO), award-winning media pitching, executive credibility, internal communications, nonprofit communications, measurement, podcast PR, legal issues around AI, crisis leadership, and audience engagement. The summit's emphasis on AI reflects the growing importance of AI for PR & Communications.
For practitioners who want to deepen their skills, an AI Learning Path for Public Relations Specialists offers a structured curriculum that complements the summit's practical sessions.
Quotes from FPRA leadership
FPRA President Lindsay Hudock, APR, CPRC, said: "As communicators continue navigating rapid changes in technology, media and audience expectations, professional development has never been more essential. The PR & Comms Summit brings together respected voices from across our profession to share practical strategies, fresh perspectives and real-world experiences that attendees can immediately apply in their own organizations."
Elise Ramer, MBA, APR, CPRC, vice president of the PR & Comms Summit, added: "Communicators today are expected to understand artificial intelligence, build executive visibility, navigate crises, earn media attention, communicate internally and demonstrate business impact, often all at the same time. We intentionally built this program around those realities by bringing together the experts leading these conversations every day. Whether attendees are early in their careers or seasoned communications leaders, they'll leave with practical ideas, new connections and strategies they can put to work immediately."
Registration and awards
The summit also hosts FPRA's Golden Image and Pinnacle Awards, recognizing outstanding public relations programs and individual excellence. Full-summit and single-day passes are available, with registration covering educational programming, networking events, and six meals. For the complete agenda and registration, visit the PR & Comms Summit website.
Why this matters for PR & Communications
The 2026 PR & Comms Summit arrives at a moment when practitioners must juggle AI tools, media fragmentation, and heightened demands for measurement. The event's concrete focus on generative engine optimization, legal aspects of AI, and executive visibility gives attendees tactics they can use immediately, not just trend watching. With sessions led by the people actually running press operations for the Olympics or building media brands at Virgin Music, the summit offers a rare chance to hear from operators who are solving the same problems the audience faces daily.
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