Udderly Scientific

I found something really fun in North Dakota’s Gateway to Science’s Einstein on Wine silent auction Friday night. Maybe only a former dairy person would think so, but I was still excited. Undeniably Dairy swag and a deliciously delightful copy of “The Dairy Good Cookbook” with several familiar faces.

The best part is both my kids outgrew their milk allergies last year, so I can finally share these recipes with them!

Sincere gratitude and thanks to Gateway to Science for the incredible work you do supporting science education. Cheers to another year ahead.

Now if you need me, I’m off prepping my grocery list… 🐄🥛🧀

Beyond Brick and Mortar

Every once in a while, I get a project that’s really fun – not just because of the work, but because of the people I get to talk to.

Agency MABU enlisted me to help Mayville State University create content that will build excitement for the renovation of its iconic Old Main building. For this first introductory story, I interviewed current students, faculty, and architects, using their anecdotes to explore how the project will impact the campus community.

That’s seven people I connected with about this project. I learned:

• A toilet flushed upstairs once burst a pipe and flooded a classroom below.
• You should be wary if maintenance guys came up to the second floor with a ladder and wearing gloves.
• 19th-century buildings were not designed for laptops.
• Exposed historic brick walls and timber trusses = classy chic.
• An elevator!

Read the story.

Partnering for Progress


If you’re fortunate enough to live by a river, then you’re familiar with the peace and tranquility it can bring to a community – especially if the riverfront remains largely untouched by industrial development. In sister cities Bismarck and Mandan in North Dakota, local partners like the Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) have big plans to turn the Missouri River into a vibrant recreational space for both locals and visitors alike.

CVB Chief Executive Officer Sheri Grossman gave me the scoop for the latest riverfront development plans. Read it on the cover of the latest issue of Focus North. Can’t wait for the next portion of the project to be completed by fall 2025!

Also, don’t miss other articles from Focus North too. A few of my favorites:

• Are Women in Associations Doing More Office Housework? And Is It Holding Us Back? – by Jodi Talley

• Start with People Magazine Content Then Lead to Wall Street Journal Content – by Justin Watson

• Rethinking Event Planning: The Power of Zeroed-Out Expenses – by Avi S. Olitzky

Broadcasting Resilience


I must admit that when I was telling my elementary school-aged children a little about this cover story for Associations North, I had to do some extra explaining about what AM radio is. They, like many of their peers, prefer to stream most content on-demand.

Side note: if you ever want to feel old, just start a discussion with a kid about the technology you had growing up compared to now. They will stare at you blankly when you try to describe what a cassette player or landline telephone are, and they cannot fathom that you could only watch your favorite TV show at a certain day and time – with commercials! You will make their heads explode when you tell them there was no internet.

It got me thinking that as exciting as new technologies like smartphones, podcasts, and artificial intelligence are, they are just some of the resources in our toolboxes. We need a blend of all types of media to reach various audiences with our message.

I enjoyed speaking with Wendy Paulson, the President of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association, as I was gathering information for this article. Local radio and TV broadcasters still play an important role in our communities. Even as a (nerdy) teen, I often had my car radio tuned to 830 WCCO to listen to the news. Ah, good memories.

If you have time, please check out the rest of the new Focus North issue too! In my role as managing editor, I loved connecting with the other authors about the stories they shared. A few highlights:

• Preparing for the Generational Shift: How Associations Can Cater to the Growing Gen Z Workforce – By Kim Davis

• The Power of AI in Storytelling for Associations: Lessons from Lumi – By Emilia DiFabrizio

• The Joy of Missing Out in a World of FOMO – By Angi Farren

IABC Offers the Gift of Communication to Local Nonprofits

I have a special place in my heart for nonprofits and the essential work they do for local communities. So it’s inspiring that the IABC Great Plains (of which I’m a member) offers a Gift of Communication event every November, providing free communications advice to North Dakota/Montana/South Dakota nonprofits who could use a little help. If this is you, please get in touch with IABC Great Plains to participate!

Why Storytelling Matters in Effective Communication

Have you ever noticed how even the youngest children have a penchant for listening to stories? I can’t count the number of times my kids would select a pile of books, climb into my lap, and we’d read them one after another – or sometimes the same one over and over. What is it about stories that so strongly attracts our attention?

Recently, I was able to dive deeper into this question at a local International Association of Business Communicators event. People are complex, emotional beings, and storytelling is a powerful way to paint a picture and share personal truth that adds depth to relationships.

When I was growing up, I’d raptly listen to stories my parents would tell about our family. Did you know that Midwest farmers several generations ago would tie rope between the farmhouse and the barn so they wouldn’t get lost in a blizzard? If the snow was deep, they’d break out the sleigh, hitch it to a horse, and ride across the icy fields to get to church on Sunday mornings – a real-life one-horse open sleigh!

I’ve heard stories of ancestors who lost their farm in the Great Depression yet resiliently made it through. Stories about family who survived catastrophic flooding but were able to rebuild their lives again. Even swimming with my kids in the hometown pool takes on a deeper meaning because I know the story of how their great-grandfather was one of the volunteers who built that pool, and how one of the lifeguards is their fourth cousin. (Try doing that math in your head!)

Now my children are telling stories of their own, like recounting the time our dog dashed into the cornfield hunting deer, and we frantically chased after to bring her back.

Stories can bridge the gap between the past and present, teaching us who we are, where we come from, and where we’re going. A good story, even about someone you’ve never met in person, can draw you in and give you a deeper understanding of someone’s reality.

Of course it’s easy to highlight stories from your personal life; it gets trickier when you’re writing a press release or your CEO’s monthly column. But stories are everywhere. They’re part of what makes us human. If you’re willing to put in the time and practice, you can use stories to artfully create content that connects.

The Recipe for Success

It’s like any other high school sport: practicing five days a week, competing with other schools at the state level, and earning the chance to compete against other states at the national level. But the challenge is making a three-course meal with no running water or electricity.

Thanks to Angie Whitcomb for collaborating with me on this Associations North cover story about Hospitality Minnesota‘s ProStart program! It’s inspiring how they encourage high school students to develop skills – like time management, working under pressure, and organization – that will encourage success in any career they choose.

The #1 Rule of Communication

If you’re like the average person these days, your inbox is flooded with messages. The most valuable emails are sent with thought and care from family and friends. Some aren’t particularly exciting but still important, like notifications for bills, insurance, appointments, or newsletters for organizations that we follow. Most emails, however, fall into the marketing or spam category and are frequently deleted without opening – especially the ones that we never signed up for the first place. (So annoying…)

I’ve been a light Shutterfly user for a long time, ordering something once or twice a year. At some point, I was added to their email list (give us your email address for an additional 10% off!), but I usually delete without opening, uninterested in the standard marketing messages.

Recently, I received two Shutterfly emails that caught my attention, piquing my curiosity enough to open and read (and write a blog post). In the weeks before Mother’s Day and then again in advance of Father’s Day, Shutterfly sent emails giving subscribers the option to pause emails related to these two events. It was the first time I’d noticed Shutterfly do something like this, and I was impressed. Instead of sending their entire subscriber list the same content, they took time to consider the number one rule of communication:

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

For whatever reason, feelings around Mother’s or Father’s Day are not always positive. Allowing subscribers the ability to opt out of related emails demonstrates respect and authenticity. In turn, it gives Shutterfly more respect and credibility as well. Gone are the days when businesses could blast the same marketing messages from a megaphone. Now it’s about cultivating relationships. People do business with people, and one of the best ways to connect is to simply show that you care.

Join the Conversation for Food Allergy Awareness Week

How many people get to say they live under the same roof as their real-life heroes? My children are my heroes because it takes courage, strength, and resilience to navigate life with food allergies. As we recognize Food Allergy Awareness Week across the U.S., I’ve been reflecting on how grateful we are to be surrounded by a community of support:

• Our allergist and their team who create the foundation on which everything else is based.
• Our family who no matter what the occasion – birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, sporting events, and more – put in the extra effort to make sure the food is safe.
• A network of trusted friends who are unfazed by an EpiPen and make their own kids’ birthday cakes safe for my kids, so they are fully included.
• The teachers, lunch team, principal, nurse, counselor, and aides at school who work together to make sure my children are safe while they’re learning.
• Advocacy groups like Food Allergy Research & Education and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America who lead at a national level and speak on our behalf.
• Scientists who are working on new food allergy treatments and – hopefully someday – a cure.
• Other people like me touched by food allergies who are brave enough to speak up and let us know that we’re not alone.

There are many more not listed here, but please know how thankful we are for the love and encouragement. Join the conversation for Food Allergy Awareness Week!

Celebrating Local Moms in Stride at Mother’s Day Family 5K

Many thanks to MOMS Club® of Bismarck for the opportunity to help coordinate the Mother’s Day Family 5K with Laughing Sun Brewing and the Abused Adult Resource Center. What an exciting day! Not only was it a unique way for families to celebrate Mother’s Day, but the proceeds and a mountain of diaper donations will go to local moms and children in need.