Speaker Key Dates & Deadlines

Submit Speaker Listing Information (Headshot, Bio): As soon as possible; No later than Monday, April 22

Register for CHOW: As soon as possible; No later than Tuesday, May 14

Final PowerPoint Submitted: Tuesday, May 14

The Foundation does not make travel arrangements for speakers.

The Foundation has arranged a room block at the Hotel Washington (located at 515 15th St NW, Washington, DC) for you to make your own accommodations that is accessible to our Advisory Committee and CHOW speakers. If you wish to take advantage of the room block, please contact Shannon Colbert, Senior Vice President at [email protected] for details and booking instructions.

Please use the link below to submit your speaker listing information, bio (500 characters max), and photo.

Visit the Speaker Hub

Foundation staff will assist the moderator in scheduling and arranging all-panel conference calls.

Speakers are expected to make time for these conference calls to facilitate introductions, coordinate flow, and identify target priorities and questions.

Moderators and/or speakers may request assistance in arranging additional conference calls; Foundation staff will be happy to help.

If your panel will be using slides as part of the discussion, please use the CHOW slide template and submit it via this Hub and prior to the deadline listed above. Please work with the Foundation team if you plan on using multimedia (video/audio) content.

Please let us know in advance what we can do to ensure accessibility and comfort while you are on stage for the session. We will make every effort to meet needs and create a collaborative environment for you.

The stage is set up in a “living room style” with individual chairs for the moderators and speakers with low tables in the front to set up an inclusive discussion environment. Water and glasses are also provided on the stage.

For panel plenaries, all panelists will be seated on the stage, unless stated otherwise, for the duration of their panel session. Please remain seated at the stage for the moderated discussion and Q&A session.
For opening remarks and keynotes, there is a podium or an option for wireless lapel mics.

Foundation staff will hold a logistics briefing 15 MINUTES prior to the scheduled start of the panel. We will meet in the Green Room just off stage at the Ronald Reagan Building Amphitheater.

This pre-session meeting provides a quiet space for the participants to make re-introductions, review run of show and any last-minute details, and get fitted for personal lapel microphones.

Ronald Reagan Building technicians will help with the placement of the lapel microphone, but please consider this for your attire since we want to hide the microphone wire.

Each session can take on different formats and elements to support the best conversation and dialogue for that topic. Below is a “standard” session run of show focused on moderated discussion.

Welcome and Opening Remarks Introduction: Foundation staff will call the session to order, make any necessary announcements, then introduce the opening remarks speaker.

Opening Remarks: The opening remarks speaker(s) will provide brief remarks from the podium.

Session Overview: Foundation staff will introduce the session and introduce the moderator.

Panel Introduction: The moderator will introduce themselves, state the name of the panel, provide brief context-setting remarks, and then introduce each of the panel speakers. Brief bios of each speaker will be provided to the moderator in advance.

Moderated Discussion: CHOW focuses on bringing together the major experts and leaders on key issues to engage in a moderated discussion. This focus on collective dialogue rather than individual presentations or remarks provides unique access and insights into complex issues and connections that we need to make to advance ocean conservation. So, we encourage participants to help ensure that active dialogue continues between you, other panelists, and the moderator who will manage the discussion.

Q&A Session: Written question cards from the audience will be handed to the moderator throughout the session. The moderator will review the questions.The Foundation encourages the moderator to integrate questions for response/discussion directly into the dialogue and manage the flow of conversation.

Panel Close: The Foundation staff will return to the podium to provide closing remarks to formally end the session.