Note: This is part of a series of posts written by ONA staff and conference organizers recommending sessions or tips they feel will be particularly interesting or helpful. Previous recommendations came from Julie Westfall and Luis Gomez, co-chairs of the ONA15 Program Team, Jen Mizgata, ONA’s Senior Communications Manager, Jeremiah Patterson, ONA’s Digital Manager and Jess Strelitz, ONA’s Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships. These tips were created by Irving Washington, ONA’s Deputy Director.
ONA is back in LA and a lot has changed since we were last in the city in 2004. From a few hundred attendees to now over 2,000 people, the conference is one of the most exciting and energetic journo gatherings in the world.
This also will be our largest conference yet. As a self-proclaimed introvert, I know that in large crowds we can be the life of the party or the quietest person in the room. (As a PSA to our extroverted friends, introversion has nothing to do with shyness or social awkwardness — if I had a dime for every time someone doubted my introversion, I’d be rich — but more to do with our response to stimulation and need for renewal.)