Vermont Association of Broadcasters
- Classes for broadcast professionals lead by experienced and inspiring instructors
- VAB Content of the Year competition awards ceremony
- Coffee social with continental breakfast
- “Southern Inspired” Hot Lunch
- “Broadcast Proud” keynote presented by Derron Steebergen
- Peer Networking
- VAB Annual Meeting & College Scholarship Presentations
VAB Summer School 2026 Schedule:
“Homeroom” 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM:
Coffee, continental breakfast, networking and welcome remarks in the Roy Room. Suggested attendance for this is everyone.
“First Period” 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM:
Class for Radio, TV & Digital Advertising/Underwriting Sellers
Topic: “Time Management: Doing More with Less”
In today’s fast-paced broadcasting world, many professionals are wearing multiple hats, juggling overlapping roles, and facing tighter deadlines than ever before. As stations downsize or shift responsibilities, the challenge isn’t just getting it all done—it’s getting the right things done, with less time and fewer resources. This interactive workshop will help you rethink how you manage your time, prioritize your tasks, and stay focused under pressure. Whether you’re producing content, managing a team, handling sales, or all of the above, you’ll leave with practical tools and strategies to maximize your productivity, protect your energy, and reduce burnout. This session is designed for anyone in broadcasting who feels stretched thin—and is ready to take back control of their time.
Instructor: Amanda Fontaine, She Gets Success
Classroom: Edmundite Solarium (3rd Floor)
Class For Radio & TV Station Owners, GMs, GSMs, All Managers & HR:
Topic: “Closing Broadcasting’s Canyon” Broadcasting has a silent but threatening issue creating a deepening canyon within staffs. We are blessed with an incredible numbers of veterans, but struggle to grow new employees into productive, long term broadcasters. This divide is a problem and it is important that leadership begins to take action. This session will outline how we got to this point and offer solutions to start building the staff of the future. Don’t miss this deep dive into the growing canyon so we can build the bridge before the gap is too wide.
Instructor: Derron Steebergen, Swagger Institute
Classroom: Roy Room (3rd Floor)
“Second Period” 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM:
Class For Radio, TV & Digital Advertising/Underwriting Sellers & Sales Managers:
Topic: “How Successful Sellers Take Care of Business and Have FUN Doing It” Step into the mindset of top-performing sellers and learn how to run your sales strategy like a thriving business. In this session, you’ll dive into the habits, tools, and frameworks that successful sales professionals use to drive consistent results and sustainable growth. Discover how to manage your pipeline with precision, set and exceed targets, and build a strong personal brand that resonates with clients. From time management and goal-setting to leveraging data and creating value-driven strategies, this session will provide actionable insights to elevate your approach. Gain the confidence and skills to run your sales territory like a business, maximizing your impact and achieving new levels of success. Oh, and get reminded why it’s so important to have some fun!
Instructor: Derron Steenbergen, Swagger Institute
Classroom: Roy Room (3rd Floor)
Class for Radio & TV Station Owners, GMs, All Managers & HR:
Topic: “True Colors: Why Great Leaders Don’t Lead Everyone the Same Way”
Great leaders know that one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work. Every team member brings a unique personality, communication style, and set of motivations to the workplace—and understanding those differences is the key to building stronger, more effective teams. In this engaging and practical workshop, participants will explore the True Colors Personality framework to better understand themselves and the people they lead. Through interactive discussion and real-world application, attendees will learn how to recognize the four core personality types, adapt their leadership style, and communicate more effectively across differences. This session is ideal for leaders who want to move beyond managing tasks and start leading people in a more intentional, personalized, and impactful way. Participants will walk away with tools to identify and appreciate diverse personality styles on their team; adjust leadership approaches to motivate and engage each individual; improve communication and reduce workplace conflict as well as build stronger relationships that drive performance and trust.
Instructor: Amanda Fontaine, She Gets Success
Classroom: Edmundite Solarium (3rd Floor)
Tour of WWPV-FM from 11:15-11:45 AM:
WWPV-FM is Saint Mike’s campus radio station. After we held a class outside of their studio “fish bowl” on the 2nd floor of the Dion Student Center last year, someone said it would be nice to see the inside of the station, so we’ve arranged it! Joe Tymecki has volunteered to lead radio programmers, TV creative services or anyone who is interested in how college radio operates today through the station and answer questions from 11:15-11:45AM.
General Assembly 12:00 – 2:00 PM in the Roy Room (3rd Floor)
12:00 – 12:30 PM: Southern-inspired Hot Lunch served buffet style
12:30 – 1:00 PM: “Broadcast Proud” keynote by Derron Steenbergen
1:00 – 1:15 PM: VAB Annual Meeting & College Scholarship presentations
1:15 – 2:00 PM: VAB Content of the Year competition awards presentation
VAB Summer School Tuition:
Classes, Annual Meeting & Content of the Year awards presentation are open to all VAB members at $0 cost, but you must pre-register.
Add Breakfast & Lunch (register by 5/31): $30
Add Breakfast & Lunch (register after 6/1): $40
Non-VAB Members: $100
Speak to your manager about group enrollment or CLICK HERE to enroll in VAB Summer School individually
VAB Summer School is generously sponsored by Eastlan Ratings!
VAB Summer School Instructors:
Amanda Fontaine is a seasoned nonprofit executive, speaker, and consultant with more than 25 years of experience in fundraising, leadership, and organizational development. She currently serves as President of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters and is also President and CEO of She Gets Success, a leadership and professional development organization. Known for her energetic, engaging and practical approach, Amanda delivers presentations that are both insightful and entertaining. Her sessions combine real-world experience, relatable stories, and actionable strategies that inspire audiences while equipping them with tools they can immediately apply. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles with more than 40 organizations across the nonprofit and business sectors. Amanda holds an MBA from Delta State University, where she also served as an instructor in management and marketing, helping students connect business theory with real-world applications. Her commitment to service and excellence has earned numerous honors, including Top 50 Women in Business by the Mississippi Business Journal, Mississippi Delta’s Top 50 Women in Business, recognition by the International Who’s Who of Professional and Business Women, Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi, Visionaries of the Year Candidate for Mississippi with Blood Cancer United, and the Silver Medal Award winner from the American Advertising Federation. Through her work as a speaker, consultant, and executive leader, Amanda has coached and trained more than 100 organizations, helping them strengthen leadership capacity, improve organizational performance, and achieve long-term, sustainable success.
Vermont Association of Broadcasters 