Karen Freberg, Ph.D.

Karen Freberg is an Associate Professor in Strategic Communications at the University of Louisville. Freberg is also an adjust lead instructor for the Integrated Marketing Communications Graduate Online Program at West Virginia University. In 2019, Freberg received the honor of being named a visiting Adjunct Associate Professor in Creative Communication at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

In addition, Freberg has written several books including The Roadmap in Teaching Social Media (Amazon, self published), Digital Media Writing for Strategic Communication (TopHat with Emily Kinsky and Amber Hutchins) and Social media for strategic communications: Creative strategies and research-based applications (with SAGE).

Freberg has coordinated and advised various companies on the areas of social media pedagogy and certification programs, such as Cannes Lions (Co-Chair of the Cannes Lions Educator Summit), Hootsuite (Advanced Social Media Certification and #HootAmb), Meltwater (certification program and contributor), Adobe (EDUMax Thought Leader and Adobe Education Leader), Facebook Blueprint (Subject Matter Expert), and HubSpot (Education Founding Member). Freberg also launched a social media educators community on FB and Twitter (@SMprofessors and #SMprofs) for professors, practitioners, and professionals in the education industry to share resources, brainstorm ideas, and collaborate on projects to bridge the gap between education and practice.

1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT —

Panel: Balancing Duties as a Social Media Manager While Executing on New, Creative Ideas

There are so many areas where it’s incredibly important for a social media lead to have a seat at the table: in meetings about emergency/crisis communications, in higher-level brand-strategy planning and audience development, and in conversations with various university communicators about how to best coordinate messaging. 

But being in all those places can sometimes encroach on making time for the core job at hand: planning and executing on great posts that get people's attention. 

This panel will explore:

• What are (or should be) a social media strategist’s most important functions
• Consistently go back to the basics, like re-evaluating team objectives and individual roles to ensure social innovation gets the attention it deserves
• How you can regularly make room for new social ideas and initiatives without compromising your involvement in higher-level planning
• Prioritize your creative ideas (and make sure they don’t constantly get put on your back burner)
• Examples of universities executing on new ideas during challenging times