What role is social media playing in the political process, and will it affect the outcome of the 2008 elections? Take part in a lively group activity -- creating a social media strategy for one of the top presidential contenders -- following a presentation by our panel of experts.

Moderator
* Mike Chapman, government affairs specialist and co-founding member of Social Media Club

Panelists
* Chris Leonard is the Governor's point person on everything that is social-media oriented and considered technical communications.  He has designed the Texas Republican Party's websites, and been involved with the Governor's blog, mailings, etc.

* Sam McCabe is a student at Texas State University. He has his own consulting firm, which has had a great impact on San Marcos and Hays County elections through the use of social media techniques in combination with traditional campaign strategies. Specifically, he has used Facebook, MySpace, and text messaging strategies to increase student voter turnout by more than 1,000 percent.  (Yes, that's one thousand.)

* Jon Lebkowsky is a social media pioneer.  He has written extensively and has been involved with national efforts on behalf of political candidates and issue campaigns.  He is co-editor of Extreme Democracy.

*Eileen Smith of In the Pink Texas uses her journalism degree to skewer politicians and the political process in her always irreverent and sometimes controversial blog. The Pink Lady is the diva of equal-opportunity snarkiness, delivering her barbs with a generous dollop of humor.

 

More information can be found at http://austin.socialmediaclub.com.

 

Social Media Club would like to thank Jerry Maddox of Rep. Patrick Rose's office for helping to coordinate the use of the legislative conference center.