The PIO Calendar continues to grow as a resource for public information officers and communicators.
Today’s update introduces a new category designed to better reflect how professionals connect, collaborate, and grow within the field.
New: Networking Category
The PIO Calendar now includes a Networking category to highlight events focused on connection, relationship-building, and professional engagement.
This includes:
- Meetups and informal gatherings
- Association-hosted networking events
- Virtual networking sessions and roundtables
- Community-building opportunities across the profession
These events are often just as valuable as formal training, offering space to share experiences, exchange ideas, and build lasting professional relationships.
This addition helps ensure the platform captures not just where learning happens, but where connection happens.
Why We Built This
The PIO Calendar was created to make it easier to find training opportunities.
As the platform continues to evolve, it is becoming clear that professional development goes beyond courses and conferences.
Networking plays a critical role in:
- Building trusted relationships across agencies and disciplines
- Sharing real-world experiences and lessons learned
- Strengthening the broader public information community
This update was inspired in part by a recommendation from the National Association of Government Communicators leadership, reinforcing the importance of recognizing networking as a core part of the profession.
What This Means for the Platform
With the addition of Networking, the PIO Calendar now better reflects the full spectrum of professional development opportunities:
- Training
- Conferences
- Webinars
- Networking
This creates a more complete view of how PIOs learn, connect, and grow.
Help Improve the Calendar
If you are hosting a networking event and are not currently listed, consider submitting your event.
If you see opportunities to strengthen connections in your region, sharing those events helps grow the profession.