The National Freedom of Information Coalition and the Virginia Coalition for Open Government bring you the 2010 FOI Summit on Friday, May 7, and Saturday, May 8, from the Hyatt Arlington in Arlington, Virginia.

Columbia, MO and Williamsburg, VA — Access to information is protected and expanded by a vibrant FOI community at all levels.

The FOI Summit helps promote that, and your participation is vital.

May 7 - 8, 2010
Hyatt Arlington

About registering for the conference and hotel reservations

The two-day event commences Friday, May 7, with registration and a reception at 5:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Arlington in Arlington, Virginia.

The Summit continues Saturday, May 8, with registration (cont.), breakfast, and NFOIC members' meeting beginning at 9:00 a.m., followed by the panel, Coalition Sustainability and Fundraising.

Then, join us for Saturday's lunch as we launch a full afternoon of freedom of information gathering and sharing with a keynote address from Miriam M. Nisbet.

Ms. Nisbet is the inaugural director of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), National Archives and Records Administration, the new FOIA ombudsman office created by the 2007 amendments to the federal Freedom of Information Act.

In addition to stimulating panels with expert panelists, we'll also award a worthy individual with membership into the State Government Hall of Fame.

Following the afternoon's panels—Transparency in the Digital Age and FOI Litigation—we'll enjoy yet another reception.

Scheduled panelists for this year's conference include:

• Lucy Dalglish, executive director of Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and a director on the NFOIC board.
• Andrea Flynn Mogensen, sole practitioner specializing in open-government litigation and general counsel for two Florida citizen groups whose mission is to enforce Florida’s open-government laws.
• Chris Pabon, director of development for Project on Government Oversight.
• Ginger W. Stanley, executive director of Virginia Press Association/Virginia Press Services, Inc.
• Douglas Stewart, director of foundation relations with the Center for Health, Environment & Justice.

Scheduled panels include:

• Freedom of Information Litigation: The State of Advocacy — The state of the news media economy has FOI advocates concerned about who funds the battle for open government, and litigation is no exception. Hear from some of the country's leading FOI litigants, and learn more about the new Knight FOI Fund.
• Transparency in the Digital Age: The report card, thus far — Governments large and small are embracing the rise of digital transparency. Hear from the experts working to transform access to governmental information and see what you can take home in the form of best practices.
• Coalition Sustainability and Fundraising — How do you keep that fledgling FOI group going, or take the next step? What fundraising strategies and tactics work best for nonprofits? Hear from those who've successfully conducted the never-ending search for funds.

Get registered now!

For more information, contact:

• Charles Davis, Executive Director, National Freedom of Information Coalition
• Phone (573) 882-5736
• E-mail daviscn@missouri.edu