2026 OctoPRfest Speakers

Heide Harrell, M.A., APR and PRSA chair
2026 PRSA National Chair and Director of Communications for Central Arkansas Water

Heide Harrell is Director of Communications for Central Arkansas Water, a metropolitan water system that serves almost 500,000 Arkansans in eight counties. She has more than 20 years of communications and marketing experience, and her many PRSA roles include serving as a member of the board of directors from 2020-2022, as Secretary in 2023 and as Senior Counsel in 2024. She has contributed to committees and task forces that support PRSSA students and PRSA’s annual conference. Harrell has also been chair and director of the Southwest District and President of the Arkansas Chapter. In 2023, she was awarded the Crystal Award, the highest award presented by the Chapter’s Past Presidents Council, recognizing significant and continuous contributions to both the public relations profession and PRSA.

Matthew Marcial, CAE, APR, and PRSA CEO

Matthew Marcial is a dynamic executive with over 15 years of leadership in driving growth and innovation for trade and professional membership associations. He has successfully grown key business areas including membership, education and events, certifications, sales and marketing, and strategic partnerships. Most recently, he provided strategic consulting, delivering revenue and growth strategies to associations and nonprofits.

Lauri Freking
Lead Trainer & Training Innovation Advisor, Wixted & Co.

Lauri Freking combines her wealth of training experience with her journalism background to provide fresh perspectives and customized training that gets results. Since 2004, Wixted clients have trusted her candid and professional communication coaching.

Lauri has a dozen years of experience in television news and video production in the public and private sectors. She worked as a television news reporter, photographer and video editor for the NBC affiliate in Sioux City, Iowa, and the CBS affiliate in Madison, Wisconsin, where she ran the station’s news bureau. As a general assignment reporter, Lauri covered a broad range of news events ranging from human interest stories to crime and business news.  As a producer and writer for Iowa Public Television, Lauri created award-winning educational content for K-12 schools and produced content for local programs.  A familiar face to Iowans, Lauri is a past host for Festival, IPTV’s fundraising broadcast. 

Katie Ward
Senior Trainer & Media Relations Advisor, Wixted & Co.

Katie Ward knows today’s ever-changing media landscape from the inside out. She spent more than a decade working in television news as a reporter and anchor before joining the Wixted team in 2014. Katie draws on her experience to provide clients with unparalleled training sessions to prepare for high-stakes media interviews.

In addition to training, Katie is a media relations advisor helping clients land key media placements. Clients benefit from her extensive knowledge of how to pitch stories as well as her many relationships with members of the media across the country.

Erik Dominguez
Speaker, trainer and consultant, Speak Up Stories

Erik Dominguez is a Des Moines, Iowa-based keynote speaker and communication coach who helps audiences transform fear into confident, authentic communication. A Master Trainer for Crucial Learning and Certified Enneagram Facilitator, Erik draws on his experience growing up between Mexican and American cultures to deliver engaging, real-world insights on confidence and connection. He has spoken for organizations including Mary Greely Medical Center, the Association of Change Management Professionals, and United Health Care.

William “Skip” Hidlay
Managing principal, W. Clair Communications

William "Skip" Hidlay is the founder of W. Clair Communications, a brand strategy and AI advisory firm. With more than 30 years in journalism and healthcare leadership, he served as Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Ascension Via Christi, the University of Chicago Medicine, and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, earning a Chicago Regional Emmy, a Webby Award, and 40 national eHealthcare Leadership Awards. He now helps CEOs, CMOs, and founders find and tell their organizations' most compelling stories.

Linda Zebian
Vice president of communications, Muck Rack

Linda Zebian is Senior Vice President of Communications at Muck Rack, where she leads internal and external communications strategy, including messaging, media relations, and issues management. She joined Muck Rack in 2022 as its first-ever director of communications, following a decade at The New York Times supporting growth, product, and technology communications. Linda was named a "Woman to Watch" by PRWeek in 2024 and recognized on Ragan Communications' 2023 Top Women in PR list.