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SUMMARY:Leveraging Messaging to Strengthen Legislative Advocacy
DESCRIPTION:Register				\n							\n		Legislative advocacy is most impactful when community-based organizations translate lived experience and program impact into clear\, compelling messages that resonate with decisionmakers. As our federal policy environment continues to shift rapidly\, it is becoming increasingly important that human services organizations are prepared to communicate succinctly\, strategically\, and with confidence\, as they detail the impact within their communities. \nOur April Grassroots Advocacy Network convening will offer a practical framework for strengthening legislative advocacy through effective testimony\, elevator pitches\, and tailored messaging. Participants will explore how to distill complex issues into persuasive narratives\, customize messages to different audiences\, and align advocacy communications with organizational values and goals. \nParticipants will also examine common challenges\, including responding to urgent situations\, adapting messaging across legislative contexts\, and ensuring community voices remain present. Through applied exercises and peer discussion\, participants will build skills to engage lawmakers and influence outcomes more effectively. \nTakeaways\n\nStrategies to develop and refine elevator pitches for policy and advocacy leaders\nTools to customize messaging for legislators\, staff\, and committees\nBest practices for aligning advocacy messages with organizational priorities\n\nWho Should Attend\n\nExecutive Directors and Senior Management: Leaders responsible for setting organizational strategy and engaging with policymakers and stakeholders\nAdvocacy and Policy Directors: Individuals who develop and implement advocacy strategies and engage in policy analysis and outreach\nCommunications and Public Relations Managers: Professionals focused on crafting and disseminating the organization’s message to the public and media\nProgram Managers and Coordinators: Staff who oversee program implementation and need to align program goals with advocacy efforts\nMembers of the Social Current Grassroots Advocacy Network: Join online\n\n	\n\n					\n\n										\n		\n	\n\n\n	\n		\n					\n\n									\n					\n						\n															\n													\n							\n								Blair Abelle-Kiser\, PhD\n								\n																	Senior Director of Government Affairs\nSocial Current \n								\n																										Biography\n									\n										\n											\n												\n													\n														\n													\n												\n												\n													\n														\n															\n																\n	                              	\n																																					\n																																			\n																	\n																		\n																			Blair Abelle-Kiser\, PhD\n																																							Senior Director of Government Affairs\nSocial Current \n																																						\n																				Blair Kiser\, Ph.D.\, joined Social Current in 2022 after working in health policy on Capitol Hill\, the non-profit sector\, and as a biomedical researcher. Most recently\, Blair served as Director of Government Relations & Advocacy for NephCure Kidney International. \nDuring their time in public service\, they served as a Professional Staff Member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. They led a corporate investigation regarding insider trading and financial improprieties\, conflicts of interest associated with Operation Warp Speed’s leadership\, and scientific information politicization. Prior to joining the Select Subcommittee\, they worked for Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)\, where they served as a Health Policy Fellow. In Senator Brown’s office\, they led a range of legislative and oversight efforts involving public health and healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic\, they worked with several community hospice advocacy organizations and a Republican office to help craft the bipartisan COVID-19 Hospice Respite Care Relief Act of 2020. \nPrior to public service\, Blair spent several years as a medical research scientist on several industry and NIH-funded projects. Their work focused on developing research projects and clinical trials to improve the lives of African Americans with Sickle Cell Disease. They earned a doctorate in Biomedical Science from Morehouse School of Medicine in 2017 and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Kentucky in 2011. \n																			\n																		\n																	\n																\n															\n														\n													\n												\n											\n										\n									\n								\n							\n						\n					\n\n									\n					\n						\n															\n													\n							\n								Abigail Levine\, MSW\n								\n																	Field Mobilization and Policy Manager\nSocial Current \n								\n																										Biography\n									\n										\n											\n												\n													\n														\n													\n												\n												\n													\n														\n															\n																\n	                              	\n																																					\n																																			\n																	\n																		\n																			Abigail Levine\, MSW\n																																							Field Mobilization and Policy Manager\nSocial Current \n																																						\n																				Abigail Levine\, MSW\, joined Social Current in 2024 as its field mobilization and policy manager. Abigail has worked closely at the state and local levels to implement robust trauma-informed programming\, increase children’s access to positive childhood experiences\, and promote safer experiences within schools for children with disabilities. In her previous role as a policy analyst\, Abigail worked closely with multiple stakeholders\, including parents\, educators\, and law enforcement\, to develop\, advocate for\, and implement legislation representative of their community’s unique needs.
URL:https://www.social-current.org/event/leveraging-messaging-to-strengthen-legislative-advocacy/
CATEGORIES:Policy
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