To help you kick off 2026, we asked our industry partners and Pioneer storytellers to share their storytelling predictions for 2026. How will the way we share stories shift? Is this the year AI reigns or will digitally overloaded consumers rely more on tactile storytelling? Use their insights to guide your story tactics this year!
What if every staff member at your utility felt confident answering energy questions? In this episode, Benton PUD’s Jodi Henderson shares how its Empowered program turns staff into energy pros through training built on employee needs.
When you walk into a legislator’s office, will your story stick or slip away? In this episode, Inland Power & Light’s Andy Barth shares how utilities can move beyond numbers to craft stories lawmakers care about.
Getting lineworkers to relax and share stories isn’t easy—unless you’ve got a mic and a clever idea. In this episode, Mason PUD 3’s Asia Cline shares how her award-winning staff podcast, “Over the Line,” opens conversations, builds trust and keeps internal communications fresh.
Artificial intelligence can feel like magic one moment, madness the next. That was the theme of last week's Madness & Magic: Peer Ideas for Marketing with AI session at NWPPA’s Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference. The conversation was lively, practical and occasionally hilarious as Utility Pioneers swapped stories of wins, worries and lessons learned. Get our top five takeaways.
At StoryConnect 2026, every session has a porpoise. Yes, there will be plenty of puns. Meet four of next year’s storytellers and sign up for our First Wave Savings of $50 before Sept. 30!
Who is LIAM.Ai, Union Power’s Virtual Energy Specialist? John Huneycutt shares how his utility responsibly taps artificial intelligence to energize efficiency tips.
What started as a selfie contest to help us feel connected during the pandemic became a celebration of utility storytellers and our evolving content channels. Pioneer’s Content in the Wild contest returns in September with a $50 winner every week. The content is out there. Are you wild enough to find it?
Good storytelling design doesn’t care what platform you use. Listen to Danny Weston's four design principles to strengthen the way you show your story, and hear how he saves time by design.
B-4 you C-2 staff storytelling, hear Patrick Wood share how Co-Mo Connect uses fun to figure out what hits, what channels miss and how to tell if the battleship is on the board at all.
Have you held a rural digital equity summit for your community? Hear how Kanokla teamed up with AmeriCorps to identify local technology needs and work together to meet them!
Oregon experienced a record-breaking year for wildfires in 2024, with 1.9 million acres burned. In response, cooperatives across the state teamed up to develop shared wildfire resources.
