CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Keynote Speakers
Opening Keynote: William Ping
Keynote Description: Sharing information in the current social/political climate requires strong communication skills to connect authentically with diverse audiences, no matter what your role. The keynote speech will address the theme of the conference, Weathering the Storm, through Ping’s unique perspective on the world. As a journalist and storyteller, he will share his experiences reporting news and writing stories and reflect on the challenges Atlantic Canada faces.
Presenter Bio: William Ping is a novelist and journalist, born and raised in St. John’s. His debut novel Hollow Bamboo was published by HarperCollins in 2023 and was shortlisted for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the BMO Winterset Award, and the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, as well as being longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Book Award. He has previously been published in ‘Us, Now,’ Hard Ticket and Riddle Fence. William is also known for his contributions to CBC News, where he can most often be heard reading the news.