Michael Kempner

How would you rate your executive presence? I recently attended an insightful session at the IABC World Conference led by communication powerhouses Theomary Karamanis, PhD, SCMP, IABC Fellow and Brad Whitworth, SCMP, IABC Fellow, focused on the critical topic of Executive Presence. The core messages I took away? Executive presence accelerates your progress and it comes down to how you act, speak, and appear. Here’s what stuck with me: 🔹 Act with confidence, calm, and decisiveness. 🔹 Speak to command the room — listen fully, show authenticity, and avoid filler or weak language. 🔹 Appear polished and aligned with your authentic self. They also shared some powerful "don'ts" and even as someone who coaches leaders, I found myself taking notes (and quietly saying “guilty” once or twice 😅): ❌ Touching your face or playing with your hair ❌ Leaning back or crossing your arms defensively ❌ Speaking too fast (guilty!) or using qualifiers like “I may be wrong,” “I just think,” or “perhaps” ❌ Appearing rushed, distracted, or interrupting others These might seem like small things, but they can chip away at the presence and credibility you’ve worked hard to build. Curious — what’s one “presence” habit you’re working on? (I’ll go first: slowing down my pace when speaking!) PS I forgot to take a pic of them onstage so sharing this one of the amazing bagpipe opening to the conference.

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I recently connected with Emilie Gerber, the voice behind the comms-focused newsletter On Background, for a conversation on how media is evolving and what it really means to show up with intention as a communicator today. A few reflections from our conversation: 💡 “Legacy vs. new media” divide is an outdated distinction - The label we give an outlet doesn’t matter - it’s where meaningful conversations are happening and how we show up in those spaces. The best storytellers today don’t put media into buckets. They listen, participate, and pay attention to the shifting cultural signals. 🔍 Media discovery is part of the craft - Read, listen, and engage always. You’ll encounter new opportunities by reading broadly, listening closely, and paying attention to who is influencing whom. 🎨 Nontraditional channels only work when the story belongs there - If you want to appear in unexpected places, you need to show up in unexpected ways; but the key is to make sure your brand genuinely aligns with the community you're stepping into. Huge thanks to Emilie for giving space to discuss the craft of communications, not just the outcomes. 💜 Comms folks: if you haven’t checked out On Background yet, it’s an essential read full of thoughtful industry analysis with tactical, behind-the-scenes strategy. Check out the story! https://lnkd.in/gXcCDvbe

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My colleague Julian Graham published this smart opinion piece in The Hill on the idea of a U.S. sovereign wealth fund. A good piece. Cc Ilan Berman may be a good topic for an AFPC conversation. https://lnkd.in/ekVQDf7X

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Last week, the Washington Post cut a third of its newsroom. Over 300 journalists. That's devastating — for the people affected, for journalism, and for the communities that rely on that reporting. But there's a signal here that communications leaders need to pay attention to. Many of these journalists will go independent. Newsletters. Podcasts. YouTube. The same path hundreds of talented reporters have already taken. The media landscape is decentralizing. If your comms strategy still revolves around pitching five marquee outlets, it's time to rethink the playbook. Read more on my Substack: https://lnkd.in/gFYaMYfP

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The worlds of journalism and technology are colliding—and the ethical stakes have never been higher. In this episode, I talk with Katy Culver (UW–Madison/UW Center for Journalism Ethics) and Rob Reich (Stanford) about what’s changing and what future leaders need to understand. You’ll learn: • How AI and algorithms are reshaping truth, accountability, and trust • Why traditional ideas of neutrality are breaking down • The real trade-offs behind journalism ethics today • How educators are preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet • What it looks like to rebuild community trust in local news • Why tech companies can’t ignore their moral responsibilities 🎙️ Listen now: https://lnkd.in/eRpGwwrV

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Nonpartisan institutions that rely on facts and research to shape public understanding are being left behind — not because they lack insight, but because they lack presence where it matters most. Today’s media ecosystem rewards authenticity, resonance, and networked participation — not credentials, citations, or carefully crafted op-eds. Institutions can’t afford to treat audience engagement as an afterthought. Renee DiResta and I just published a new paper with the Carnegie Endowment: "For Expertise to Matter, Nonpartisan Institutions Need New Communications Strategies." We argue that the old top-down comms playbook — press releases, Sunday shows, reports behind paywalls — isn’t just outdated, it’s increasingly speaking only to a niche audience. So we offer alternatives strategies for building trust, networks, and long-term partnerships, in a call-to-action for funders, think tanks, and public interest institutions: Read the whitepaper here. And if you're experimenting with new ways of connecting with audiences, we'd love to hear about them: https://lnkd.in/eHvKNaBN

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🎥 5 Crisis Comms Lessons from the NYC Boot Camp From navigating polarization to managing deepfakes and legal alignment—these are the biggest lessons shared by industry leaders today at the Crisis Communications Boot Camp in New York. Essential insights for every communicator in 2025.👇

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For a few years, I've seen the term "digital twin" pop up in pitches and headlines. This week, I had the chance to write about it. In today's Endpoints News Health Tech newsletter, I spoke with Rock Health's Julia A. Croxen about what this approach contributes in an area like metabolic care. (up until now, I'd mostly heard of digital twins used in research, rather than clinical care) Ngai Yeung's latest piece on Twin Health's $53M raise spurred my interest in digital twins, be sure to check out her piece on the fundraise. Also inside: - Ngai had the scoop on ALIGNMT AI's seed round - Walgreens has a new CEO and split up its business as the take-private deal closes Check it out (link in the comments) + be sure to subscribe!

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