Storytelling That Actually Moves People - Nick Hanson
The stories that move people most are almost always the ones built with intention. In this session, Nick Hanson breaks down what makes a story resonate, from the fundamentals of narrative structure to the harder-to-teach elements like vulnerability, grace and the courage to be specific.
Nick draws on his own experience to bring these principles to life: his work in healthcare communications, where he's seen firsthand how the right story can shift a convo, build trust and move people to action. He'll also share what he learned writing his own book, the decisions about structure, voice and what to leave in or cut that turned personal experience into something others could see themselves in.
Whether you work in communications, lead a team or just want to tell better stories, you'll leave this session with a clearer sense of what storytelling actually requires and how to start doing it better.
Your Phone Is a Production Studio: Video Basics for Healthcare Communicators - Erica Hanna
Most healthcare communicators aren't video people by training. But today, creating compelling content for employee newsletters, internal events, and community updates is just part of the job. So how do you make it actually look good, without a crew, a budget, or a film degree?
Six-time Emmy Award-winning director and producer Erica Hanna brings years of professional production experience down to earth, in a session built for communicators who need results fast. Expect practical techniques on lighting, workflow, and on-camera tips for real humans (not actors), plus the quick fixes that make an immediate difference in your video quality. You'll also leave knowing when DIY is totally fine and when it's worth calling in a pro.
This isn't a sit-and-listen session. Get ready to get up, get hands-on, and actually try this stuff in the room.
No fluff. Just the good stuff.
Learn more about our speakers
Nick Hanson is a Communications Strategist at Gillette Children's, where he has spent more than a decade shaping how one of Minnesota's most recognized pediatric health systems tells its story. With nearly 20 years in healthcare communications, his career has taken him through some of the state's most respected institutions — the University of Minnesota Medical School, Mayo Clinic and Gillette Children's — building expertise in crisis communication, thought leadership, social media strategy, media relations and storytelling campaigns along the way.
He is also the author of A Fragile Utopia: Escaping the Elaborate Façade of Alcoholic Bliss, a memoir and early sobriety guide that draws on his own recovery journey. The book has earned him features in the media and reflects a second dimension of his public voice focused on advocacy, mental health, vulnerability and helping others find meaning in recovery.
Nick is a 2023 SHSMD Rising Star Award recipient, a national recognition for outstanding promise in healthcare strategy. He also served as a board member and past president of the Minnesota Health Strategy and Communications Network (MHSCN) and has earned numerous marketing and communications awards throughout his career.
Nick lives In Richfield with his wife and three children. He enjoys the outdoors, martial arts, fitness, cooking and pop culture.
Erica Hanna is a six-time Emmy Award-winning video director, producer, and storyteller based in Minneapolis. She's the founder of Puke Rainbows Creative, and has spent two decades in video working with everyone from Fortune 100 companies to small nonprofits, as long as changemaking is at the center of the mission. Her clients include AARP, Mayo Clinic, National Menopause Foundation, Black Voters Matter and Women Winning.
Erica has a gift for making complicated things approachable, whether she's directing a high-stakes political ad or teaching a room full of non-video people how to stop being afraid of their phone camera. She co-founded an AI video startup that worked with Microsoft and the Democratic National Convention, and she's now one of the most sought-after voices at the intersection of storytelling, AI, and media literacy.
Her path into entrepreneurship started with a career-defining moment: directing a shoot with Prince, who told her what she made wasn't video, it was art. She took that seriously. When she's not on stage, she's cuddling her maine coon, singing karaoke with her partner, or spending time in the pool.
