Join us this September in Whitefish, Montana, at the Grouse Mountain Lodge for the 2025 NIC! The NIC is an award-winning conference that offers communicators a chance to reach new heights. This year’s theme is Expand Your Horizons: Big Ideas Under the Big Sky. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana, Whitefish offers visitors a charming mountain-town experience with easy access to outdoor recreation, local dining, and a vibrant arts scene. Whitefish is just 25 miles from Glacier National Park’s west entrance and serves as the perfect gateway to explore the park’s magnificent glacial-carved peaks, pristine alpine lakes, and over 700 miles of hiking trails.

Your NIC journey begins Monday, Sept. 22, with an optional volunteer event and networking opportunity, followed by a special welcome reception where you can connect with other attendees and vote on the Excellence in Communications contest photography entries. On Tuesday morning, Ginger Johnson, a Montana author and professional speaker, will set the tone of the conference with an opening keynote on the joy of belonging. Over the next two-and-a-half days, you’ll blaze new trails with sessions covering energy services, crisis communications, wildfire preparedness, renewable energy education, storytelling techniques, and practical applications of artificial intelligence. This year’s conference also features a Dine Around Whitefish networking dinner, an engaging Trail Mixer speed networking session, NIC at Night, and an awards banquet where we will honor winners of the 32nd Excellence in Communications contest.

Thursday is not to be missed, with valuable networking time, an engaging closing keynote, and an optional post-conference workshop. When planning your return travel, please keep in mind that Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, Montana, offers convenient afternoon and evening flights to major hubs such as Seattle, Portland, Denver, and Salt Lake City, allowing you to fully participate in Thursday’s valuable programming before departing.