SIG-Marcomms meeting at TNC26 (8 June, 2026)

SIG-Marcomms @ TNC26: From Tactical Response to Strategic Influence: Elevating the Role of Communications

Welcome & Introductions

Jane Gifford, AARNet | Ela Yazdani, CANARIE

Crisis Communications in Practice: What Holds Up Under Pressure

Faciliator: Ela Yazdani, CANARIE

This session will explore how communications operates in high-stakes situations, and what capability is required beyond process and planning. The discussion will include:

• What holds up under pressure in practice
• Where communications adds the most value
• What participants are seeing in their own environments

PRESENTATIONS

• Lessons learned from crisis management exercises and and real-life experiences (Zoe Fischer, GÉANT and Davina Luyten, Belnet) 
• Five lessons learned from incidents and table tops exercises (Richard Tatnall, Jisc)

Coffee Break & Group Photo

Making the Shift from Execution to Influence

Ela Yazdani, CANARIE | Stela Tsirakis Toti, RNP | Lonneke Walk, SURF
Moderator: Jane Gifford, AARNet

During this panel discussion, speakers will provide practical insight into what strategic communications looks like in practice, and how communications professionals can operate more strategically across roles and environments to:

• Influence outcomes - not just deliver outputs
• Build credibility with stakeholders
• Navigate complex or technical environments

Lightning Talks 

Brand Audits in the Wild: What We Learned Asking Our Community "Who Are We to You?" - Meredith Lovelace, Internet2

A Look Back at GEANT's Cybersecurity Awareness Month Campaign - Rosanna Norman, GÉANT

FileSender: News and Updates - Olga Popcova, RENAM

GÉANT's New Visual Identity - Paul Hasleham, GÉANT