Measuring Your Internal Comms Initiatives

Sean Langston, Jr. leads internal communications at Reddit, and having spent the past ten years submerged in all things organizational communications, he calls it a passion and a hobby more than a career. He has partnered closely with c-suite executives and senior leaders to build, scale, and transform organizational communications programs at Autodesk, Glassdoor, A.P. Moller-Maersk, Paypal, and eBay. Langston, Jr. thrives in fast-paced and high-stakes growth environments and quickly positions himself as a cross-functional advisor and catalyst for change within highly diverse, globally dispersed organizations. Beyond his work with large enterprises and late-stage companies, he's also advised tech startups, marketing agencies, food and health brands, and e-commerce businesses. He's passionate about helping founders and small businesses drive impact at scale. Langston, Jr. earned his BA in organizational communication from North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He is devoted to mentoring young, aspiring technologists from marginalized communities, when not entrenched in all things communications. You may also find him playing competitive soccer or chess, searching for the best Pad See Ew, or anxiously working through how to not need to check a bag for an upcoming trip with friends or family—he aspires to one day under-pack, with particular focus on shoes.

Justin Joffe is the Editorial Director and Editor-in-Chief at Ragan Communications where he oversees the editorial strategy for Ragan across brands and products. In addition to his editorial duties, Joffe also advises the programming team on best-in-class conferences, webinars and workshops during a time of unprecedented change in the way that communicators and marketers learn and meet. He is also a freelance journalist and communications writer specializing in the arts and culture, media and technology, and ad tech beats. Before joining the Ragan team, Joffe worked for Muck Rack, PR News, and The Observer. Additionally, his writing has appeared in several publications including Vulture, Newsweek, Vice, Relix, Flaunt, and many more. You can find him on X @joffaloff.

Gemma Saint is passionate about enabling colleagues to collaborate, communicate and build connections. She has more than 15 years experience in internal communication channel management, internal digital transformation and content creation. Saint has managed global intranet projects and seen great success with rolling out enterprise social networks including Yammer and Workplace by Meta.

Jason Erkes is the Chief Communications Officer at Cresco Labs. He joined the Leadership team in 2018 and has been involved with the company since its inception. He is responsible for shaping and directing the company’s internal and external communications strategy and serves as the company’s media spokesperson. As a seasoned Communications strategist, Erkes has helped position Cresco Labs’ leadership in cannabis through education, transparency and relationships cultivated with influential journalists. His innovative efforts have helped build a company culture dedicated to connection, authenticity and community. In 2020, he developed a media strategy that attracted international media attention of the first adult-use cannabis sale at the company’s Sunnyside dispensary in Illinois. The initiative garnered over 1 billion impressions, significantly increasing visibility of Cresco Labs and its national retail brand.  In 2021, Erkes oversaw the in-house development and launch of an employee app, The Joint, which was thoughtfully designed to enhance communication among Cresco’s corporate and field workforce, share important news in real time, and serve as a place that celebrates cannabis culture and fosters diversity, inclusion and belonging. As the company spokesperson, Erkes has conducted over 100 media interviews sharing the company narrative with local and national media outlets, such as CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Chicago Tribune and MJBizDaily. Throughout his tenure with Cresco Labs, he’s also directed the internal and external communications approach for nearly a dozen corporate acquisitions, medical and recreational market launches, retail store openings, product launches and the company’s ongoing social justice and legislative efforts. Erkes has been a journalist, political advisor, entrepreneur, turnaround expert, community leader and philanthropist. In 2020, he was named one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Communications Professionals to Watch in Cannabis” by Green Market Report. Crain’s Chicago Business recognized him as a “Rising Star” in its 40 Under 40 list; he has won Emmy Awards for excellence in journalism while representing ABC News and FOX News; and he has received national political recognition as a recipient of the prestigious Reed Award from Campaigns & Elections Magazine. Erkes has demonstrated his thought leadership in cannabis at community functions, regulatory hearings and industry events, including Cannabis Business Times’ Risk Mitigation Conference, as well as guest contributed articles for Cannabis Business Times and Marijuana Venture Magazine.