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Monday, March 30, 2026
7:30 AM - 6:30 PM
CT
Help Desk & App Support
7:30 AM - 6:30 PM
CT
Help Desk & App Support
Location: Salon D (Lower Level)
7:30 AM - 6:30 PM
CT
Registration
7:30 AM - 6:30 PM
CT
Registration
Location: Salon D (Lower Level)
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
CT
First-Timer's Orientation
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
CT
First-Timer's Orientation
Location: Salon C5-6 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Meghan Murphy (she/her/hers)
– Online News Association
Adaptive Leadership
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
Safety Through Solidarity: Chicago’s Approach to High-Risk Reporting
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
Safety Through Solidarity: Chicago’s Approach to High-Risk Reporting
Location: Salon A1 (Lower Level)
Reporting and Editing
Brought to you by
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
Making AI Real: What Leaders Need to Know Before Scaling
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
Making AI Real: What Leaders Need to Know Before Scaling
Speaker:
Paul J. Cifarelli (he/him/his)
– Reuters
Speaker:
Arlyn Gajilan
– Reuters
Speaker:
Jonathan Leff (he/him/his)
– Reuters
Speaker:
Andy Sullivan
– Reuters
Brought to you by
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
From Grassroots to Fandom: How Hyper-Engaged Audiences and AI Are Reshaping Political Journalism
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
From Grassroots to Fandom: How Hyper-Engaged Audiences and AI Are Reshaping Political Journalism
Location: Salon A3 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Jonathan Franklin (he/him/his)
– Freelance/Georgetown University
Speaker:
Kirstin Garriss (she/her/hers)
– URL Collective Inc
Speaker:
Beatrice Peterson
– ABC News
Speaker:
Brandon Pope (he/him/his)
– Independent
Reporting and Editing
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
Generating AI Transcriptions Privately — Without the Cloud
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
Generating AI Transcriptions Privately — Without the Cloud
Location: Salon A4 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
David Huerta (he/him/his)
– Freedom of the Press Foundation
Reporting and Editing
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
Finding the "We" – Why and How to Integrate News Creator Strategies into Your Newsroom
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
Finding the "We" – Why and How to Integrate News Creator Strategies into Your Newsroom
Location: Salon A5 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Jeremy D. Gilbert
– Northwestern Medill
Speaker:
Ryan Y. Kellett (he/him/his)
– The Independent Journalism Atlas
Speaker:
Liz Kelly Nelson (she/her/hers)
– Project C
Speaker:
Kate Skelly
– Reuters
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
The ONA26 Braver Angels Debate
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
CT
The ONA26 Braver Angels Debate
Location: Salon C7-8 (Lower Level)
Moderator:
Sam Rechek
– Braver Angels
Adaptive Leadership
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
CT
Service Desk: Free 30-Minute Advisory Sessions
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
CT
Service Desk: Free 30-Minute Advisory Sessions
Location: Grand Tradition (Lobby Level)
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Bringing Readers Back: Real-World Tactics for Combating News Fatigue
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Bringing Readers Back: Real-World Tactics for Combating News Fatigue
Location: Salon A1 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Jennifer Kho (she/her/hers)
– Independent
Speaker:
Angela Pacienza
– The Globe and Mail
Audience Engagement
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Research Group: Supporting Emerging Informers
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Research Group: Supporting Emerging Informers
Location: Salon C1-2 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Amy Mitchell (she/her/hers)
– Center for News, Technology & Innovation
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Early Career Journalists Meetup
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Early Career Journalists Meetup
Location: Salon C Alley (Lower Level)
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
News Product Meetup
Technology and Product
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
News Product Meetup
Location: Salon D (Lower Level)
Technology and Product
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Strategies to Engage Immigrant and Non-English Speaking Communities
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Strategies to Engage Immigrant and Non-English Speaking Communities
Location: Salon A3 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Hillary Flores
– Borderless Magazine
Speaker:
Nissa Rhee
– Borderless Magazine
Reporting and Editing
Audience Engagement
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Methods of Field-Based OSINT-Driven Investigative Journalism
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
Methods of Field-Based OSINT-Driven Investigative Journalism
Location: Salon A4 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Yousur Al-Hlou
– Freelance, Nieman Foundation at Harvard
Speaker:
Masha Froliak
– freelance
Reporting and Editing
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
AI and Leadership: Practical Takeaways on the Ups and Downs of Navigating Change
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
CT
AI and Leadership: Practical Takeaways on the Ups and Downs of Navigating Change
Location: Salon A5 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Tess Jeffers (she/her/hers)
– The Wall Street Journal
Speaker:
Jonathan Leff (he/him/his)
– Reuters
Speaker:
Ryan Struyk (he/him/his)
– CNN
Speaker:
Giovanny Vega (he/him/his)
– El Vocero de Puerto Rico
Adaptive Leadership
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Community Journalists Meetup
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Community Journalists Meetup
Location: Salon C Alley (Lower Level)
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Visual Journalists Meetup
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Visual Journalists Meetup
Location: Salon D (Lower Level)
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Civic Journalism Engages Communities, Informs Audiences, and Empowers Action
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Civic Journalism Engages Communities, Informs Audiences, and Empowers Action
Location: Salon A1 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Vanessa Maria Graber (she/her/hers)
– Free Press
Speaker:
Qing Saville (they/them/theirs)
– Free Press
Adaptive Leadership
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Scaling Small: What We’ve Learned from 27 AI Projects in Local News
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Scaling Small: What We’ve Learned from 27 AI Projects in Local News
Location: Salon A2 (Lower Level)
Moderator:
Liam Andrew
– American Journalism Project
Speaker:
Matthew DeFour (he/him/his)
– Wisconsin Watch
Speaker:
Eve Lacivita (she/her/hers)
– City Bureau/Documenters
Speaker:
Cynthia Tu (she/her/hers)
– Sahan Journal
Technology and Product
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
The Creator Journalism Playbook 2026: What’s Working? What Can We Borrow?
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
The Creator Journalism Playbook 2026: What’s Working? What Can We Borrow?
Location: Salon A5 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Liz Kelly Nelson (she/her/hers)
– Project C
Speaker:
Matt A. Brown
– Extra Points
Speaker:
Rahim Jessani (he/him/his)
– Bottom Up Media
Moderator:
Adriana Lacy (she/her/hers)
– Field Nine Group
Speaker:
Amber Sherman (she/her/hers)
– Freelance
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
Brought to you by
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
5 Questions To Ask Before Your Team Starts A Podcast
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
5 Questions To Ask Before Your Team Starts A Podcast
Location: Salon A4 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Shawn C. Allee (he/him/his)
– Wolf Point Media
Speaker:
Erin Allen (she/her/hers)
– Chicago Public Media & Wolf Point Media
Speaker:
Alyssa Edes
Speaker:
Jessica Pupovac (she/her/hers)
– Wolf Point Media
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Steal This: AI Projects Newsrooms Actually Shipped and How They Got It Over the Line
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
Steal This: AI Projects Newsrooms Actually Shipped and How They Got It Over the Line
Location: Salon C3-4 (Lower Level)
Moderator:
Emily Brown (she/her/hers)
– Microsoft
Speaker:
Aaron Brezel (he/him/his)
– ProPublica
Speaker:
Tristan Loper
– The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
Speaker:
Aron Pilhofer
– Chicago Public Media
Technology and Product
Brought to you by
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
How To Talk to Funders
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
CT
How To Talk to Funders
Location: Salon C7-8 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Megan Griffith-Greene (she/her/hers)
– The Poynter Institute
Revenue and Operations
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
CT
The Business of Creator Journalism: How Do I Make Money?
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
CT
The Business of Creator Journalism: How Do I Make Money?
Location: Salon C7-8 (Lower Level)
Moderator:
Francis Zierer
– Creator Spotlight
Speaker:
Matt A. Brown
– Extra Points
Speaker:
Sky Dylan-Robbins (she/her/hers)
– The Video Consortium
Speaker:
Matt Kiser
– What the Fuck Just Happened Today?
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
Brought to you by
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
CT
From Principles to Practice: Building Open Publishing Platforms for Responsible AI Adoption
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
CT
From Principles to Practice: Building Open Publishing Platforms for Responsible AI Adoption (By invite only)
Speaker:
Alan Smodic
– WordPress VIP
Speaker:
Tyson Evans
– ProPublica
Luncheon brought to you by
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
CT
Journalists of Color Meetup
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
CT
Journalists of Color Meetup
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Hard-Won Lessons: Global Reporters on Journalism Under Autocracy
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Hard-Won Lessons: Global Reporters on Journalism Under Autocracy
Location: Salon A1 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Dana Coester
– 100 Days in Appalachia
Speaker:
Jin Ding
– International Women’s Media Foundation
Speaker:
Mohamed Mandour
– Committee to Protect Journalists
Speaker:
Jeje Mohamed (she/her/hers)
– Aegis Safety Alliance
Adaptive Leadership
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Founders and Entrepreneurs Meetup
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
Adaptive Leadership
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Founders and Entrepreneurs Meetup
Location: Salon C Alley (Lower Level)
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
Adaptive Leadership
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Freelancers Meetup
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Freelancers Meetup
Location: Salon D (Lower Level)
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Empowering Better Business Decisions with AI & Data
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Empowering Better Business Decisions with AI & Data
Location: Salon A2 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Becca Aaronson (she/her/hers)
– News Product Alliance
Speaker:
Elizabeth Couch
– Crain’s City Brands
Speaker:
Mariah Craddick (she/her/hers)
– The Atlantic
Speaker:
Nick Hagar (they/them/theirs)
– Knight Lab
Revenue and Operations
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Building Blocks of Leadership
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Building Blocks of Leadership
Location: Salon A3 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Tara Puckey (she/her/hers)
– Radio Television Digital News Association
Adaptive Leadership
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Human in the Scoop: AI for Investigative Journalism
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Human in the Scoop: AI for Investigative Journalism
Location: Salon A5 (Lower Level)
Moderator:
Rubina Fillion (she/her/hers)
– The New York Times
Speaker:
Garance Burke (she/her/hers)
– The Associated Press
Speaker:
Dylan Freedman
– The New York Times
Speaker:
Sisi Wei (she/her/hers)
– CalMatters & The Markup
Reporting and Editing
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Chicago in Focus: Building Bridges With Independent Voices
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Chicago in Focus: Building Bridges With Independent Voices
Location: Salon C3-4 (Lower Level)
Moderator:
Justin Banks
– Independent Journalism Atlas
Speaker:
Tracy Baim (she/her/hers)
– Press Forward Chicago
Speaker:
Kimbriell Kelly
– Chicago Public Media
Speaker:
Natalia Pérez-Gonzalez
– beehiiv
Speaker:
Mackenzie Warren
– Northwestern Medill
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Don't Quit Your Day Job (Yet): How To Sustain a Side Hustle — and Still Have a Life!
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CT
Don't Quit Your Day Job (Yet): How To Sustain a Side Hustle — and Still Have a Life!
Location: Salon C7-8 (Lower Level)
Speaker:
Shelby Blackley (she/her/hers)
– WTF is SEO?
Speaker:
Jessie Willms (she/her/hers)
– WTF is SEO?
Entrepreneurship and Creator Journalism
Audience Engagement
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
CT
Opening Remarks + Featured Presentation: Defunded, Not Defeated: Reimagining the Public Media Model
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
CT
Opening Remarks + Featured Presentation: Defunded, Not Defeated: Reimagining the Public Media Model
Location: Grand Ballroom (2nd Level)
Moderator:
Ashley Alvarado (she/her/hers)
– Texas Public Radio
Speaker:
Thomas Evans (he/him/his)
– National Public Radio
Speaker:
Tim Isgitt (he/him/his)
– Public Media Company
Speaker:
Kimbriell Kelly
– Chicago Public Media
Revenue and Operations
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
CT
ONA26 Welcome Reception
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
CT
ONA26 Welcome Reception
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