At the NASDDDS Directors Forum and Annual Conference in Chicago, Nierman gave state I/DD agency leaders the tools to earn public trust, field media inquiries and make the case for essential services to policymakers.
Chicago, IL, United States, 13th Nov 2026 – Evan Nierman, founder and CEO of reputation management firm Red Banyan led an interactive workshop for state disability services leaders at the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) Directors Forum and Annual Conference. Held Nov. 4 at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, “Navigating High-Stakes Communications” gave state agency directors practical tools to make a compelling case for the services they provide, earn public trust, engage with policymakers and prevent or respond to reputational risks.
The conference drew hundreds of attendees, from leaders of state intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) agencies nationwide, to advocates and the health plans, technology companies, consulting firms and service providers that support state systems. It opened Nov. 3 with a keynote from Connor Tomlinson, the neurodiversity advocate known for Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, and his mother, Lise Menard Smith. Earlier this year, Tomlinson’s testimony at the Georgia Capitol helped pass Rio’s Law, which requires training for first responders on interacting with people with autism.
Nierman’s session came the day after Election Day, as many agencies prepare to introduce their work to newly elected officials who may bring different budget priorities into office. Tailored to the challenges facing public agency leaders, the workshop drew on Red Banyan’s Powering Reputation model and Press The Truth® philosophy.
In hands-on exercises, Nierman took the room through the communications life cycle behind that model: building brand trust, planning ahead to prevent crises, and responding quickly to misinformation. Attendees crafted core messages and a communications loop to carry them, worked out who speaks and who needs to know first when a crisis hits, and practiced explaining essential services to policymakers, reporters and the public with messaging that resonates. The workshop also featured live media training, giving volunteers practice handling tough questions in mock interviews.
Attendees were provided with a specialized communications toolkit, developed for NASDDDS by Red Banyan earlier this year, which assists member agencies with making the case for community-based care, fielding press inquiries, establishing internal communications protocols and engaging with political officials.
“The leaders in that room run systems that allow people with disabilities to live full lives in their own communities, and that work deserves to be understood and defended,” said Nierman. “In order to protect essential services, you have to press the truth, which means getting accurate information out fast and making the value of your work impossible to ignore.”
As public agencies face a 24/7 news cycle and political change, strong communications skills are becoming as essential to protecting disability services as the policy work behind them. State agencies and disability service organizations looking to strengthen media readiness, prepare leaders for public scrutiny or develop a crisis prevention plan can reach Red Banyan at redbanyan.com.
About Red Banyan
Red Banyan® is an award-winning strategic communications firm specializing in high-stakes reputation management. The firm advises business leaders, organizations, institutions and high-profile individuals operating in scrutinized or regulated environments where perception, trust and brand equity directly influence outcomes. Drawing on deep expertise across strategic communications and brand building, crisis communications, legal and litigation PR, government relations, media training, and online reputation management, Red Banyan® delivers disciplined, strategy-led communications designed to support business growth and navigate moments that test it. Learn more at https://redbanyan.com.
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City: Chicago
State: IL
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Red Banyan CEO Evan Nierman Leads High-Stakes Communications Workshop at NASDDDS Annual Conference
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