Stay sharp. Stay connected. Stay ahead.

Our monthly events bring together Austin's PR and communications professionals for the conversations that matter — from AI's impact on our industry to crisis communications in a 24/7 news cycle. Whether you're looking to sharpen your skills, hear from top practitioners, or build relationships with peers who get what you do, this is where it happens.

Events are typically held the third Thursday of each month. Members and students receive discounted pricing. Have a suggestion for a topic or speaker? We'd love to hear it — reach out at info@prsaaustin.org.

PAST EVENTS

PRSA Austin Connect: Brews & Bites | July 20, 2026 | Lazarus Brewing Co.

July in Austin is not a subtle month, and a patio event in the middle of it comes with certain conditions. Everyone showed up anyway.

Members and guests filled the picnic tables at Lazarus Brewing Co. for an evening of drinks, bites, and conversation with no agenda attached. The crowd spanned career stages and specialties — first-year professionals and decades-deep practitioners, agency and in-house, across most corners of the communications field. That range is what makes these mixers work: the conversations you don't plan are usually the ones worth having.

Thanks to everyone who came out and sat in the heat with us, and to Lazarus Brewing Co. for hosting. More events are on the way — keep an eye on your inbox. Not a member yet? Join us

Beyond the Booking: Travel Trends and Brand Storytelling | June 25, 2026 | Visit Austin

With the World Cup drawing global attention to North America and Fourth of July weekend on the horizon, the timing was perfect for an evening on travel and tourism trends, and how PR pros are turning data into stories that land.

Melanie Fish (Expedia Group Brands), Wesley Lucas (Visit Austin), and Elsa Morales (Giant Noise) covered a lot of ground, from how Austin promotes itself during major moments like F1, SXSW, and ACL, to how AI is reshaping travel journalism, to "set-jetting" — the trend of traveling to destinations made famous by hit shows like The White Lotus. Alison Kwong (Vrbo) moderated a conversation that balanced industry insight with some honest behind-the-scenes hits and misses. Within days, two of the trends discussed made national headlines: Vrbo's "Readaways" in The New York Times, and Expedia's budget-first travel data in Fast Company — real-time proof of the trend-spotting our panel described.

Thanks to our panelists for a candid, practical session, and to Visit Austin for hosting us in their downtown space. Stay tuned for what's next on the PRSA Austin calendar. Not a member? Join us

What's Working in Tech PR | May 19, 2026 | Amplify Credit Union

This panel brought together four communicators doing interesting work at the intersection of technology, brand, and public trust — and the conversation didn't disappoint.

Evi Sinopidou, Destin Singleton, and Ashley Houk-Temple covered a lot of ground: how to build credibility in a crowded media landscape, what it actually takes to land coverage for a technical story, and how the channels and tactics that worked two years ago are being rethought right now.

The through-line across all four perspectives: the fundamentals still matter, but the context keeps changing, and the communicators who are winning are the ones staying curious.

Thanks to our panelists for a candid, practical session.

PRSA Austin Coffee & Cocktails | May 7, 2026 | Cosmic Coffee and Beer Garden

If you've been to a PRSA Austin mixer before, you know the format: good people, good conversation, low pressure. Coffee & Cocktails delivered exactly that.

Members and guests gathered for an informal evening of networking that crossed career levels and industry sectors — the kind of room where a senior agency VP and a communications coordinator can end up in the same conversation and both walk away with something useful. That's the point.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made it a great night. More events are on the way — keep an eye on your inbox. Not a member yet? Join us.

PRSA Austin Lunch & Learn Live | Bridging the Gen Z Divide | March 25, 2026

If you missed last month's Lunch and Learn Live, here's what attendees were talking about on the way out.

Elizabeth Birdsong and Olivia Tompkins from Edelman's Gen Z Lab walked PRSA Austin members through their special report on how Gen Z is evolving — and why communicators can't treat this generation as a single, predictable audience anymore.

The central argument: there are effectively two Gen Zs. Gen Z 1.0 (ages 23–29) came of age during progressive movements and still believes brands and institutions can do good — they're trusting until proven wrong. Gen Z 2.0 (ages 13–22) grew up in a pandemic, content overload, and political chaos — and they're skeptical until proven credible. Same generation on paper. Very different audiences in practice.

A few numbers that landed: 79% of Gen Z trust brands to do the right thing — significantly more than they trust media (56%) or government (19%). That's an opportunity, but also a responsibility. The same research found that 70% will fact-check what brands say, and 65% have boycotted a brand over silence on a societal issue.

The session also touched on what Gen Z actually wants from brands — not new platforms or flashy campaigns, but presence in the spaces they already occupy, experiences that feel personal rather than performative, and a sense of community. That last one — 58% say they want brands to provide it — felt particularly relevant for a room full of people who run member organizations for a living.

Thanks to the Gen Z Lab for a great session. If you'd like to dig into the full report, reach out to info@prsaaustin.org and we will share the slides.