Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Our panel of experienced communications professionals will provide valuable insights and actionable takeaways to advance your writing and storytelling in 2025. Our panel participants come from diverse backgrounds with a range of experience including speechwriting, freelance writing, advertising copywriting, corporate communications, journalism and much more.
NEW Location
Riverport Grille, 224 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN 37402
OUR PANELISTS
MATTHEW TEAGUE
Matthew Teague’s writing ranges from large multi-national projects to more personal stories. His original work crosses an array of media and platforms, from war-zone dispatches to profiles of influential figures.
He recently co-authored THE STEAL for the Atlantic Monthly Press, a book the New York Times called “A lean, fast-paced and important account.” He is also the executive producer of his own story, called OUR FRIEND, a feature film from Universal Pictures.
He has won numerous awards and been included in several anthologies. He currently serves as a speechwriter at the Tennessee Valley Authority.
ABIGAIL BOWMAN
Abigail Bowman is the Copywriter and Content Manager at Maycreate, a creative agency in Chattanooga, TN. In her role, she crafts compelling copy, leads photography projects, and strategizes clients’ social media presence and brand positioning. With a diverse portfolio of clients including Chattanooga Airport, Warehouse Row, Wind River Built, Dalton Utilities, Bogo Jewelry, and First National Bank of Middle Tennessee, her creative work spans multiple industries.
Previously serving as the Communications Director for RMHC of Greater Chattanooga, Abigail is an active member of the Chattanooga community. She has served on committees for the Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute, was chosen as an emerging leader in Common House’s “Common Ground” program, and is currently participating in the 2024-2025 Protégé class, a mentorship program of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.
Recognized for her creative direction and storytelling abilities, Abigail has earned numerous American Advertising and Associated Press awards throughout her college and professional career. In her free time, you can find her cooking complex meals from scratch, hiking with her dog Birdie and husband Taylor, or enjoying a bagel and coffee from Niedlov’s.
BILL SITTON
Bill Sitton is an executive speechwriter for the Tennessee Valley Authority. He has spent 14 years telling the stories of TVA’s mission of service, including producing communications on the region’s energy system, river management and flood control, and environmental stewardship efforts. He served as the site communicator for six years during the start-up of TVA’s Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2 in Spring City, Tennessee, leading both external and internal activities.
Prior to joining TVA, Bill worked for public relations and marketing agencies in Kansas City, Missouri, and Omaha, Nebraska. He began his communications career working in community newspapers in Iowa and Wyoming. Bill earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and his MBA from the University of Phoenix.
MARY FORTUNE
Mary Fortune has wrung a living from words for 30 years, spending 15 years as a newspaper and magazine journalist and 15 more in corporate and executive communications. She now works as a freelance writer and communication strategist.
In her corporate roles, Mary worked in public relations, employee communications, crisis and business continuity communications, and as a ghostwriter for senior leaders. During those years, she made it her personal mission to persuade corporate executives to hate jargon as much as she does; results were mixed.
As a local newspaper and magazine journalist, Mary covered divergent topics including crime, education, the local impacts of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, immigration, public housing, and the area business scene. From 2002 to 2015, she published a personal column in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. (Her writings from that period are still holding down a tiny scrap of the internet at thirtytensomething.blogspot.com.)
Mary graduated from UTC at a time when Apple stock traded for 24 cents a share. She is now finishing up a master’s degree at UTC in creative nonfiction. Her thesis is a braided memoir focused on the reality-bending power of family storytelling and myth-making across generations.