Monday, December 8
Filter by topic using the dropdown menu, or search by time, speaker name, keyword, or session detail using the search bar.
You can use both together to refine your results.
Monday
View MondayTuesday
View TuesdayWednesday
View WednesdayFree-ish Speech: Regulating Political Speech in the Age of Misinformation
In a time when the public is bombarded daily with misinformation, false claims, and fake images on social media and other platforms, what can regulators do when campaigns start blurring- or abandoning- the truth? This panel will explore the Constitutional limits of regulating truth in campaign speech and will discuss potential solutions and strategies for combating misinformation and other falsities disseminated by campaigns.
Lindsey Nakano (Moderator)
Senior Legislative Counsel, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Dave Bainbridge
General Counsel, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Shanna Ports
Senior Legal Counsel, Campaign Finance, Campaign Legal Center
Ethics Update I
For the latest developments in government ethics in the US and Canada, please attend this perennial favorite session. Our seasoned presenters will talk about new laws, new advisory opinions, new enforcement actions, new technologies, and new organizational developments among COGEL’s many ethics members. Here’s your chance to raise your agency’s challenges up for your colleagues—undoubtedly you will learn things in this session that will help you in the coming year. This session works best when you share and participate!
Cathryn Motherwell
Integrity Commissioner of Ontario, Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario
Paul Nick
Executive Director, Ohio Ethics Commission
Steve Berlin
Executive Director, Chicago Board of Ethics
Navigating Workplace Investigations: The Intersection of Access and Transparency, Privacy, and Ethical Considerations
This session will explore the complex intersection of freedom of information and ethics laws within the context of workplace investigations. By attending this session, participants will gain valuable insights into the legal complexities at these intersections, enabling them to navigate challenges with greater confidence and effectiveness as they arise. Panelists will share their experiences and perspectives, highlighting lessons learned and best practices.
Danielle McGee (Moderator)
Staff Attorney, Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, The Pew Charitable Trusts
Cynthia Isales
Compliance Officer, CT State Community College
Lisa Thornton
Public Records Officer, University of Oregon
Anthony Hightower
Interim VP of Audit, Compliance, Ethics & Risk Management Chief Compliance Officer, Augusta University
Flexible Voting Models as a Response to Crisis
Election administrators are facing increasing challenges from weather, supply and staffing related risks. Appreciating these pressures, this panel will explore how flexible voting models have allowed election management bodies (EMBs) to respond to crisis. Just as these administration methods improve accessibility and the capacity of EMBs to respond, adapting administration methods to emerging circumstances can introduce new integrity concerns and charged public discourse around risks to elections.
Amanda Melillo (Moderator)
First Deputy Director, NYC Campaign Finance Board
Dan Posey
Director, Voter Services, Elections British Columbia
Karen Brinson-Bel
Executive Director, North Carolina State Board of Elections
Using AI and Tech Tools to Improve Your Office and Compliance
From streamlining disclosures to enhancing public access and spotting red flags, AI and tech tools are transforming how ethics and oversight offices operate. This session highlights innovative ways agencies are leveraging technology to boost efficiency, strengthen compliance, and modernize public service. Learn what tools are working and how to implement them responsibly.
Renata Ramsini (Moderator)
Chief Ethics Officer & Campaign Finance Administrator, City of Columbus
Dan Newman
President & Co-Founder, MapLight
Donnie Beamer
Senior Technology Advisor, City of Atlanta
Think Like a Writer! A Workshop in Creating Content for Effective Training and Public Communications
Effective content manages to breathe life into abstract rules by connecting them with the lived experience of its audiences. Rules don't only need to be clear, they must also be convincingly relevant. This hands-on workshop offers a practical toolkit of writing techniques to help you craft engaging training and public communications. Learn how to use vivid examples, relatable language, and storytelling strategies to draw people in and make your message stick.
Alexander Kipp
Director of Education & Engagement, New York City Conflicts of Interest Board
Campaign Finance Update I: Litigation Update
The Campaign Finance Updates remain a mainstay of the annual COGEL conference, with two sessions. This session focuses on major litigation developments in campaign finance in the U.S. and Canada since the last conference. The panel will delve into high-profile enforcement actions, consider cutting edge challenges to campaign finance laws and identify emerging trends at the local, state, provincial and federal levels. We invite active audience participation, including in an annual pro/con debate! The popular COGEL Campaign Finance Blue Book, with comprehensive documents related to litigation provided in response to a questionnaire completed by COGEL members, will be available in a new format as a professional resource.
Jason D. Kaune (Moderator)
Partner, Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leioni, LLP
Megan McAllen
Director of Campaign Finance Litigation, Campaign Legal Center
Sophia Golvach
Attorney-Advisor, Federal Election Commission
Building the Case I: Up Your Investigative Game with Real Tools for the Modern Investigator
In Part 1, we will introduce a case that you can follow along with, implementing ideas, techniques, and resources from experienced investigators to utilize when you go home. In our session, you will learn what investigative tools are available, how to use these tools in the COGEL case, and how to maintain one's skillset in the ever-changing world of investigative resources. You will be provided with information and tips that can be obtained at every cost level.
Dawn Widman (Moderator)
Senior Investigator, Detroit Board of Ethics
Kenneth Hardy
Director of Enforcement, Los Angeles City Ethics Commission
Staying Steady in the Storm: Lessons for Local Ethics Amid Washington's Chaos
As ethics crises unfold in Washington, the work of local and state ethics commissions becomes more crucial—and often more challenging. With the national spotlight on federal missteps, how can local agencies maintain focus, uphold integrity, and inspire confidence in their communities? This session will explore actionable strategies to keep morale high, momentum strong, and ethical standards intact, and learn from the turbulence at the federal level.
Kedric Payne (Moderator)
Vice President, General Counsel, and Senior Director, Ethics, Campaign Legal Center
Omar Ashmawy
Staff Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC)
Tom Albritton
Executive Director, Alabama Ethics Commission
Jeremy Farris
Executive Director, New Mexico State Ethics Commission
Shaking The Trees: Getting Responses To Records Requests Out The Door
Open records laws are essential for government transparency and accountability, but navigating them effectively to ensure timely compliance can be complex. Join this session to learn from experts in the field regarding best practices in compliance with public records requests. Panelists will share records management and request processing tips, strategies for training and managing staff, tips for leveraging technology to streamline processes, and much more.
Ethan Watson
City Clerk, City of Albuquerque
Kristen Denius
Chief Transparency Officer, City of Atlanta
Amber Robinson
Division Chief, Department of Law, City of Atlanta
On the Record: Mic'd Up Tips for Working with the Media
Executive Director? Commissioner? Media professional? If you work with the media, this is the session for you. Learn new tips and tricks for delivering your message with intention and ease.
Susan Willeke
Education and Communications Manager, Ohio Ethics Commission
Michelle Renaud
Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario
Sam Harvey
Outreach & Education Officer, Nevada Commission on Ethics
Justin Gray
Investigative Reporter, WSB-TV Atlanta Channel 2
We're Listening: What Campaigns Really Need from Compliance
What do campaigns wish regulators understood? What do regulators need campaigns to know? This interactive panel invites you to speak openly about what's working, what's not, and what resources or changes would help everyone do better. We’re not just talking, we’re taking notes.
Andy Szekeres (Moderator)
City Clerk, City and County of Denver
Jordan Chinouth
President and CEO, War Room Strategies
Joe Cusack
Assistant City Attorney, City of Roswell
Matt Westmoreland
Councilmember, City of Atlanta
Building the Case II: Planning, Drafting, and Executing Your Blueprints for a Successful Case
You've learned about the tools available to the modern investigator. Learn how to use those tools to build your case from the ground up. Hear from experienced professionals as they take you step-by-step through the life cycle of an investigation, including overall strategy, investigative planning, checklist creation, evidence collection, and report writing. See, in real-time, how our veteran panelists would approach our conference hypothetical and gain valuable insight that you can take back to your home jurisdiction.
Richard Barzaga (Moderator)
Senior Staff Attorney, City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics
Ron Cook
Supervisory Investigator, DC Board of Ethics and Government Accountability
Carlos Santiago
Deputy Ethics Officer, City of Atlanta
Lobbying Update: U.S. and Canadian Federal, State, Provincial, and Local Lobbying Laws
Join us for the annual lobbying laws update – one session for federal, state, provincial, and local! Hear about updates and trends, implementation challenges and successes, and interact with the panel and fellow attendees on lobbying developments and the laws' positives and negatives.
Matthew Bobys (Moderator)
Counsel, Skadden
Theodore Grodek
Associate, Skadden
Michelle Renaud
Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario
Elections Update
From AI-generated disinformation to global democratic shifts, 2025 is shaping up to be another pivotal year in the world of elections. This essential session will provide a dynamic overview of recent developments in election administration across North America and beyond. It will provide an opportunity to share learnings from the 2025 Canadian federal election and provincial elections over the past year. It will also offer the opportunity for a retrospective on the 2024 presidential general election with an eye to coming contests. Whether you're focused on policy, planning, or administration, this session will equip you with timely insights and practical takeaways to navigate the evolving electoral landscape.
Peg Perl (Moderator)
Chief Deputy Clerk and Recorder, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder
Dr. Michael Boda
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Saskatchewan
Dr. David Levine
Director of Elections and General Registrar, City of Richmond
Jonathan Stonestreet
Senior Associate Director, Democracy Program, The Carter Center
New Kid on the Block: How to Help New Leadership and Board Members Help You
New board member? No problem! This panel will explore how agencies can create successful programs for onboarding and continuing education for new chairs, board members, and commissioners of COGEL agencies. Veteran executive directors and a current chairperson will share their tips, past missteps, and successes for bringing new leadership up to speed and priming them for a successful term. The panel will discuss methods and strategies for educational programming, effective communication, and promoting a collegial agency culture and environment.
Galena West
Executive Director, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Leanne Davis
Executive Director and Ethics Officer, City of Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board
Colleen Murphy
Executive Director and General Counsel, Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission
Jameel M. Smith, Ph.D
Chair, Detroit Board of Ethics
Foundations: Building Your Training Program from the Ground Up
Have you ever felt lost when developing a program to train people on any topic? Is training new to you or your organization? Hear from experienced training professionals to learn an easier way to stand up a new program. Get tips for dealing with common speed bumps and learn to evaluate what is working and what isn’t. Participants will walk away with an idea of how to build a training program from scratch and a list of resources they can use to aid their success! Follow up the Foundations session with Leveling Up: 10 Tips to Revamp and Improve Your Training Program as a companion session to continue the stand-up of a successful training program.
Michael O'Connell
Training Specialist, Detroit Board of Ethics
Delanté Thomas
Chief Ethics Officer, City of Cleveland