WASHINGTGON, DC—A host of senior corporate communicators from companies such as Levi Strauss, Pfizer, Siemens and Starbucks will be part of the program at PRovokeGlobal, our public relations global summit taking place in Washington, DC, later this month.

One headliner in the group with be AJ Jones II, recently named executive vice president and chief communications officer, public affairs for Starbucks. He is responsible for leading Starbucks global communications and partner communications, Starbucks Stories, entertainment and more. He joined Starbucks a year ago and was named to his current role in August.

Before joining Starbucks, Jones was the chief corporate affairs and communications officer for Vanda Pharmaceuticals, held several executive roles at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and was policy director for Rep. James Clyburn, US Congressional majority whip.

At PRovoke Global, he will appear in conversation with Chris Foster, CEO of Omnicom Public Relations Group, in a wide-ranging discussion of the complex issues facing corporate communicators in general and Starbucks in particular.

A separate session on “Lessons from the Healthcare Frontlines” will feature a trio of senior communicators: Ed Harnaga, SVP, head of external communications and enterprise reputation at Pfizer;  Danielle Halstrom, senior vice president, head of global communications at Zai Lab; and Aaron Radelet, senior vice president, global communication officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance.

In a discussion moderated by GCI health chief executive Kristin Cahill, these three will discuss the ways in which the pandemic has changed the healthcare sector, and the challenges and opportunities going forward.

Meanwhile, Camille Johnston, chief communications officer at Siemens, and Elizabeth Owen, vice president of business performance and internal communication for Levi Strauss, will participate in a session on “Making Radical Values a Part of the Playbook,” sponsored and moderated by Finn Partners.

The corporate executives join a list of speakers and panelists that also features Jen Psaki, who recently joined MSNBC after serving as President Biden’s first press secretary during 2021 and 2022; journalist Frank Bruni, who spent more than 25 years at The New York Times; CEO of the Society of Huma Resource Management Johnny Taylor; and UK government communications chief Alex Aiken.

Tickets for the PRovoke Global Summit on October 25 and 26, the Entrepreneurs’ Forum on October 24, and the Global SABRE Awards dinner on the evening of October 26 are available now.