2025 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference
Victory Institute hosts the largest gathering of LGBTQ+ public officials in the world each year for a 3-day event with panel and workshop discussions, awards presentations and social gatherings. Communications is at the center of this event leading multiple workstreams to execute the conference.
As the VP of Communications, I designed and implemented the integrated communications strategy for the event, led the execution of multiple workstreams and was the point of contact for contractors and external firms.
Project Description
Communications for the International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference includes event staging and design, event marketing and promotion, media relations, live event production and content production across all owned channels. In 2025, we were honored to award former President Joe Biden with the Chris Abele Impact Award, which added security and logistics communications as well as high-level vetting of all communications materials.
Communications worked in lockstep with the Conference planning team to build and develop conference marketing and programming collateral, an external digital firm to launch a new Conference web portal, with an external PR firm to increase our media relations reach and collaborated with an event production partner for the fabrication and execution of event visual collateral, signage and live event production.
Project Phases
Pre-Registration
During the Pre-Registration phase Communications led the creation of a new Conference website and developed the conference visual marketing identity.
Event Marketing & Production
During the event marketing & production phase, Communications led the development of event staging and collateral, designed and executed a cross-channel marketing strategy including direct mail, email, text, influencer, and earned media.
Live Event Production
During Live Event Production phase, Communications led the scripting and graphics production process for plenary sessions and award presentations, as well as managed media relations and on-site digital influencers.
Key Media Coverage
I led the media relations and outreach campaign for the conference including developing media outreach plans and strategies, expanding our reach by adding a high-visibility PR firm to support our pitching and media engagement efforts. We pitched nearly 200 reporters across local, national and international media, with a focus on broadcast and top-tier digital.
We leveraged our high-profile speakers and attendees to execute a robust outreach strategy leading to the conference events being live streamed for the first time in the organization’s history on CSPAN, while CBS transmitted pool coverage to all major networks. More than two dozen reporters were in the room, with many others covering remotely via feeds.
We build a detailed outreach list of reporters and editors, developed briefing materials for stakeholders and developed an information release schedule to alert media of key coverage opportunities.
TIME: Biden urges pushback against Trump’s efforts to ‘Distort our Fight for Equality’
New York Times: Biden slams Republicans for using LGBTQ+ identity as ‘Political Football’
Huffington Post: Joe Biden Lashes Trump for ‘Trying to Distort our Fight for Equality’
Washington Blade: Victory Institute honors President Biden
LGBTQ+ Nation: ‘Real Impact’: Nation’s largest LGBTQ+ political org awards Joe Biden for his inclusive presidency
Advocate: Joe Biden says MAGA republicans want to make LGBTQ+ people seem scary
Impact
500+
Media hits across media outlets including live event broadcast/streaming on CSPAN, PBS Digital, and on CBS digital, CNN
11 M+
Video views of President Biden’s remarks across digital platforms including news outlets and influencer accounts.
27K
Website views in the 10 day period prior to and after the conference, from over 10K site viewers
5.4%
Social content engagement rate for VI owned posts for 14 days surrounding conference.
Brand development
We developed the initial brand for the event referencing previous design iterations and adding new visual elements such as mesh colors and a swish element to differentiate this year from years past. The brand development process begins with a cross-departmental meeting to address goals and objectives for the event, and to begin the ideation process on visual and messaging elements.
Digital Design
Communications designed the entire digital collateral portfolio from ideation to execution based on the Conference brand book.
Content Production
I worked with our Digital Director, and external web content producers, videographers and photographers to capture elements throughout the conference and maximize their reach on social
Staging and Wayfinding
I led the creative design process in conjunction with our graphic design contractor and event production company. We developed the core visual identity, color palette and elements, which the event production company built into signage, staging and visual presentation elements.
Creator and Honoree Engagement
For the first time, we actively deployed a test strategy granting full access to Conference to a key group of TikTok and Instagram creators to generate content before during the conference, interview elected officials and build buzz around conference activities. The events included a curated Capitol Hill tour pairing creators with LGBTQ+ elected officials. We also encouraged honorees and attendees to share content directly from conference.
Our communications team collaborated with Government Affairs officials at TikTok to coordinate office visits for a handful of popular LGBTQ+ creators, allowing them to meet with LGBTQ+ leaders and create 1:1 content on Capitol Hill.
Live Event Programming
Communications supported the Conference team by scripting plenary and award session elements, speeches by Victory staff and Board, and by providing broadcast support for internal AV production. I led the drafting process for all executive speeches and talking points, as well as drafting award presentation speeches for presenters. I was also in the production booth as one of the announcers and production lead for the organization.