The DCI Marketing Summit is an intimate gathering of the economic development and talent attraction marketing community designed for professionals who want to think more strategically about how places compete for attention, investment and people. Across three days, attendees come together for candid conversations, collaborative learning and the kind of practical insight that are best achieved in an intimate, curated conference like the Summit. Whether you are new to the field or a seasoned leader, the Summit creates space for meaningful connection and honest dialogue about what is actually working in place marketing today.

The program blends data-driven insight with hands-on workshops led by DCI experts and industry peers. Participants explore how to protect credibility in a fragmented, AI-fueled media landscape, respond to geopolitical and economic shifts that influence location decisions and make smarter choices about how marketing, public relations and technology shape perceptions of place. Expect interactive sessions, real-world case studies and plenty of opportunities to exchange ideas with peers facing the same challenges.

With a limited number of attendees and sessions designed to encourage open discussion, the DCI Marketing Summit is intentionally different from traditional industry events. It is a chance to step away from the day-to-day, learn directly from colleagues across the field and return home with practical strategies, fresh perspective and new connections that will shape your work long after the Summit ends.

The DCI Marketing Summit is designed for professionals whose primary responsibilities are marketing for economic development and/or talent attraction and are ready to sharpen their strategy and connect with peers shaping the future of the industry.

Whether you lead a marketing and communications team—or are a team of one—manage digital campaigns, pitch media, support research and storytelling, or are just beginning your career in place marketing, this event offers insights and community for every level.

If you’re responsible for elevating how your city, region, state or province tells its story to businesses and talent, the DCI Marketing Summit is curated for you.

Full Registration Fee: $1,950

Registration for this event gives attendees access to the full 2026 DCI Marketing Summit experience, three days of insight‑rich programming, collaborative workshops, peer learning and dedicated networking designed to elevate the work of economic development and talent attraction marketers. Your registration includes all mainstage sessions, breakout discussions, welcome reception on 9/23, breakfast and lunch on 9/24, breakfast on 9/25 and event materials, ensuring you gain both practical knowledge and meaningful connections. Hotel, airfare and ground transportation are not included.

Registration is now closed.

The schedule for the 2026 DCI Marketing Summit is as follows. Times and topics are subject to minimal change. Additional details will be shared directly with registered attendees.

Wednesday, September 23 | Welcome & Marketing Best Practices from the Perspective of a Site Consultant

Opening session in Clayton Hotel Library

• 3:00 – 3:15 PM | Event Check-in
• 3:15 – 4:15 PM | Kickoff, Welcome & Introductions
• 4:15 – 5:00 PM | Site Selection Consultant Conversation and Q&A with Carlos Sánchez Pavón, Managing Director, Newmark
  • Carlos Sánchez Pavón is Managing Director at Newmark Global Strategy, where he advises corporate clients on location strategy, incentives negotiations and international expansion. Based in Mexico City, he specializes in data analysis, market evaluation and in-country due diligence, helping organizations across industries identify optimal locations for growth. Carlos also brings an extensive global network built through his experience as a diplomat with Mexico’s former investment promotion agency in London, Frankfurt and Mexico City, as well as his work with local economic development organizations. Join Carlos as he shares what corporate decision-makers are prioritizing in today’s site selection process and how economic development marketers can better position their communities to align with those priorities. Bring your questions for an interactive live Q&A.

Networking and dinner in Clayton Hotel Sunroom

• 5:00 – 7:00 PM | Welcome Reception
  • Continue the conversation over drinks, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and a buffet dinner as you connect with economic development marketers from across the country.

Thursday, September 24 | Focus on Economic Development

Full day of programming in the Margaret Ballroom (with breakouts in Richens Room)

• 8:00 – 9:00 AM | Breakfast
  • Meet your marketing peers to get caffeinated, fueled up with a healthy breakfast and ready for a productive day of discussion.
• 9:00 – 9:20 AM | Marketing Summit Mission & Perspective on the Industry
  • As economic development marketing evolves amid shifting technologies, stakeholder expectations and competitive pressures, we’ll kick things off by sharing DCI’s perspective on where the industry is headed and what it means for place marketers.
• 9:20 – 10:15 AM | Navigating Thought Leadership and LLMs with Alyssa Stern and Melody Cheung, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions
  • As AI-powered search and large language models reshape how corporate decision-makers research locations and evaluate communities, economic development organizations must rethink how they build visibility and influence. In this session, we’ll explore why LinkedIn content is becoming a key source for AI-generated results, and the organic content, executive thought leadership and paid media strategies that can help your city, region or state get found, cited and considered during location decision-making. Learn how to strengthen your community’s digital presence and ensure your message reaches site selectors, business leaders and talent audiences wherever they are discovering information.
• 10:15 – 10:30 AM | Morning break (refill coffee, check emails, stand up, network)
• 10:30 – 11:25 AM | Maximizing the Moment: Turning Milestones into Economic Development
  • From America250 and the FIFA World Cup to high-profile cultural events, competitions and community milestones, this year offered no shortage of moments that put places in the spotlight. While the immediate tourism impact of these events is often easy to see, the economic development opportunity can be much bigger. This session looks at how places recognized and leveraged milestone moments to tell a broader story about who they are—showcasing industries, talent, creativity, quality of life and community ambition to audiences they may not otherwise reach. Through examples from 2026 and beyond, we’ll explore how economic developers can identify the moments worth paying attention to, find the economic development story within them, and turn temporary attention into longer-term place positioning. Because sometimes the biggest opportunity isn’t creating the moment. It’s recognizing when one is already happening.
• 11:25 AM – 12:20 PM | Inspiration from Abroad: How the World Is Promoting Place
  • The competition for investment, talent and visibility is global, yet many place marketers look close to home for ideas. In this session, we’ll explore how cities, regions and countries around the world are rethinking place promotion, stakeholder engagement and destination branding. Discover practical strategies and fresh perspectives that can help your community differentiate itself and compete more effectively.
• 12:20 – 12:30 PM | Group Photo
• 12:30 – 1:15 PM | Lunch Buffet & Banter Among Cities/Counties, Regions & States
  • Pull up a chair with peers from similar-sized places and organizations to swap ideas, share lessons learned and discuss the opportunities and challenges facing your EDO and marketers today.
• 1:15 – 2:45 PM | The Peer Exchange Trifecta: Ask, Solve & Share
  • In this interactive session, attendees will *break into peer groups by tenure and role to tackle real-world challenges, exchange practical insights and discuss the questions we rarely ask out loud. Bring a challenge your marketing strategy or organization is facing, discuss burning industry questions you’ve always wondered about, and discover new tools, technologies and AI-powered approaches your peers are using to work smarter. Equal parts candid conversation, crowdsourced consulting and rapid-fire knowledge sharing, this is your chance to learn from the collective experience of economic development marketers from across the country. *Note: breakouts will be pre-assigned and announced at session start.
• 2:45 – 3:00 PM | Afternoon break (for emails, snacks, networking)
• 3:00 – 3:15 PM | Reconvene to Share and Debrief on Key Takeaways from Breakouts
• 3:15 – 4:00 PM | The Business Case for Bold Creativity: Why the Most Successful Place Brands Don’t Play It Safe
  • In a world where site selectors, corporate executives and talent audiences are constantly inundated with marketing messages, playing it safe is no longer a proven strategy. This session explores how economic development organizations can use bold, strategic creativity to stand out, drawing inspiration from breakthrough place brands, world-class B2B campaigns and unconventional marketing activations from around the globe. Attendees will learn how differentiated marketing can drive awareness, build stronger emotional connections and influence real-world investment and location decisions. The session will also explore how to build support for bold ideas among boards, stakeholders and elected officials, turning creativity from a perceived risk into a competitive advantage.
• 4:00 – 4:55 PM | Applied Curiosity: The Secret Weapon for Teams to Outthink the Future – Keynote by Carla Johnson, Innovation Architect, Best-Selling Author and Speaker
  • The world around us is moving faster than ever before. While efficiency, productivity, and AI are the de rigueur of the day, teams are struggling to keep pace with change. They’re optimizing what already exists instead of discovering what’s possible. What if curiosity isn’t a distraction from performance but a catalyst for it? What if the most powerful driver of growth, innovation, and momentum isn’t another process, tool, or technology but a way of thinking that’s already hiding in plain sight? Organizations that thrive in uncertainty don’t just execute better, they question deeper, observe differently, and explore possibilities others miss. In this fast-paced keynote, Carla Johnson teaches audiences how curiosity works and how to apply it to drive smarter decisions, faster innovation, stronger collaboration, and deeper human connection. The result is powerful momentum that unlocks new ideas, elevates performance, strengthens trust, and reignites excitement about the future.
• 4:55 – 5:00 PM | Closing remarks
• 6:30 PM | OPTIONAL self-pay dine-arounds

Friday, September 25 | Focus on Talent Attraction

Half-day of programming in the Margaret Ballroom

• 8:00 – 9:00 AM | Breakfast
  • Meet your marketing peers to get caffeinated, fueled up with a healthy breakfast and ready for a productive day of discussion.
• 9:00 – 9:05 AM | Opening remarks
• 9:05 – 10:05 | Fault Lines: Cracks in the Global Labor Market, Presented by Josh Wright, Executive Vice President of Growth at Lightcast
  • Three major forces are converging that have the potential to reshape the global labor market for decades to come: AI disruption, demographic decline and geopolitical instability. Drawing from Lightcast’s recent Fault Lines research, Josh Wright will explore how these trends are changing the talent landscape and what they mean for employers, economic developers and communities. Following the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a live Q&A discussion.
• 10:05 – 10:30 AM | 10 Years of DCI’s Talent Wars Research: An Interactive Celebration
  • Over the past decade, the competition for talent has transformed from a workforce issue into a core economic development strategy. Join DCI’s Patience Fairbrother for an interactive look at how talent attraction priorities have evolved over 10 years of Talent Wars research, what has stayed remarkably consistent and how communities can better connect with relocation-ready talent to grow their populations, strengthen employer pipelines and drive economic growth. Through live polling, discussion and audience participation, attendees will help unpack the trends shaping the next decade of talent attraction.
• 10:30 – 10:45 AM | Morning break (refill coffee, check emails, stand up, network)
• 10:45 – 11:45 AM |  Case Study: Philadelphia’s Regional Talent Attraction & Retention Strategy; Led by Jennifer Kebea, President & CEO, Campus Philly, and Ileana Fortuño, Director, Regional Brand & Attraction Strategy, Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia
  • Philadelphia has become one of the nation’s leading examples of regional collaboration around talent attraction and retention. In this case study session, leaders from Campus Philly and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia will share how their organizations are working together to attract, engage and retain students, young professionals and skilled talent across the region. Attendees will learn how Philadelphia has leveraged authentic storytelling, civic pride, higher education partnerships and a strong regional brand to strengthen its talent pipeline and convert visitors, students and prospects into long-term residents.
• 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM | Wrap-up and closing remarks

This year’s Marketing Summit will take place in Denver’s vibrant Cherry Creek neighborhood at the Clayton Hotel & Members Club, offering attendees the perfect blend of inspiration, walkability and modern comfort just outside of downtown.

We’ve secured a limited room block at the hotel, so be sure to reserve your room early before it fills. Your room is not included as part of event registration. Attendees are responsible for booking their own hotel accommodations and flights.

Book room here.

What’s included in my DCI Marketing Summit registration?

Full DCI Marketing Summit registration includes:

• Wednesday, Sept. 23 | half-day programming and welcome reception/dinner
• Thursday, Sept. 24 | breakfast, lunch, full-day programming
• Friday, Sept. 25 | breakfast & half-day programming

Are travel and accommodations included in the registration cost?

No, travel and accommodations are not included in the DCI Marketing Summit registration cost. We recommend flying to Denver International Airport (DEN), arriving by 1:00pm MT on Wednesday, September 23 and departing after 3:00pm MT on Friday, Sept. 25. Please book your hotel using our room block.

Is there an option to attend the DCI Marketing Summit virtually?

No. This event is open to in-person attendees only and will not be recorded.

What is the DCI Marketing Summit cancellation policy?

If you cancel before May 31, 2026 you will be refunded 50% of your registration fee.
If you cancel between June 1 and July 31, 2026, you will be refunded 25% of your registration fee.
If you cancel after August 1, 2026 no refunds will be provided.

If you are unable to attend, you are also able to transfer your registration to a colleague or someone from a qualified organization and responsibilities, with approval from the DCI team.

Who can attend the DCI Marketing Summit? 

The DCI Marketing Summit is open to marketing, communications, public relations and related professionals working in economic development and talent attraction for an economic development organization, chamber, municipality, government or related employer. There is no requirement for experience. Vendors and media are not permitted to attend unless invited to speak. Should you register and not be eligible, the DCI team will reach out to process a refund.

Who are the speakers?

Speakers are a mix of your peer attendees (we will elicit requests for show-in-shares as the attendance and agenda are finalized), the DCI team, and industry experts.

What is the format of the sessions? Will information be shared after the event? 

Sessions are a mix of panel, lecture, small group and roundtable. All sessions encourage discussion and will be open to Q&A throughout. Slides will be shared after the event.

What networking is available?

Both informal and organized networking time will be available throughout the event, from our welcome reception and mealtimes to breaks between sessions. In addition, all attendees will be added to our exclusive, private LinkedIn group for current attendees and alumni.

What accessibility accommodations are available?

If you require any dietary, mobility, vision, hearing or other accommodations, please reach out to Hanna (email below).

What should I pack?

We suggest bringing your laptop or a notebook for taking notes. While the dress code is business casual, we encourage you to dress comfortably and let your unique style shine. Please check the forecast frequently before travel, as the weather in Denver can vary.

Can I share photos or content from the summit on social media?

Absolutely, we encourage sharing photos from the DCI Marketing Summit. Please tag DCI on LinkedIn at @Development Counsellors International and on Instagram at @AboutDCI with the hashtag #DCIMarketingSummit.

Who do I contact with additional questions?

Please reach out to Hanna.Gbordzoe@aboutdci.com.

Extending your trip or have a little free time between the DCI Marketing Summit and heading to the airport? Check out all that Visit Denver has to offer.