Real change requires strategic communications: A conversation with Farra Trompeter
Hosted by Coalesce Live
May 1, 2026 1:30 pm–May 1, 2026 3:00 pm
Communication is the foundation, but too often it’s treated as an afterthought. And we see the cost of that everywhere— misinformation, uninformed communities, lack of engagement, and organizations struggling for funding because there isn’t a clear, compelling narrative guiding the work.
If we’ve learned anything in the past 10 years, it’s how we communicate is fundamental to how people understand the vision, the work and choose to invest in it.
Farra Trompeter, co-director, Jonathan Meagher-Zayas, and Sonya Shields, co-founders at Coalesce Live, unpack the real tensions shaping how organizations communicate today.
From operating in constant crisis mode, to trying to reach “everyone” and reaching no one, to navigating the pressure to sound fundable instead of truthful.
This is a conversation that goes beyond best practices to examine what’s actually getting in the way.
Together, we’ll explore what it takes to move communications from a reactive function to a leadership discipline to build trust, strengthen alignment, and support real change.

