July 18, 2016

From those all-important presentation skills and using social media to the single audit and County 101 – the CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government some great classes in store next month. Check out the details below and register today. These classes will fill quickly!. Read on for details!

Download the Course Schedule for more details on all the classes offered by CSAC Institute and Register Now. Classes open to all county staff and elected officials. Classes are an affordable $129 each and include class materials and lunch. Discounts for multiple registrations.

Strategies to protect organizational assets and processes

IT Risk and Portfolio Management

Thursday, August. 4, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Sacramento County

Issues such as privacy, fraud, security, and organizational accountability mean that every organization should already have some process in place to monitor and mitigate organizational risks. Because the organization tasks IT with protecting organizational assets and processes, risk management often falls on its broad shoulders as well. However, the value of risk management is not inherently understood by county leaders, and more often than not IT departments find they must convince the organization to take it up in a formal capacity. This challenge is exacerbated in cases where IT leaders lack a fundamental understanding of what matters most to the organization. In this course, IT leaders will learn the questions to ask of their peers to identify areas of critical importance to organizational risk management, the knowledge required to build a formal risk management process, best practices for mitigating risks identified. 

For experienced presenters wanting to up their presentations

Polish Your Presentation: Advanced Practices in Communication

Friday, August 5, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Sacramento County

This intensive course helps senior managers and elected officials better present their ideas with convection, control, and poise - and without fear. The course covers specific skills and advanced techniques for delivering professional presentations that get results. Participants examine their presentation style, learn to use tools to organize their presentation and communicate their thoughts, and handle difficult situations. A straight-forward presentation model helps participants build their self-confidence and overcome the common mistakes which turn off audiences. Use of graphics and presentation tools are also examined. Through a lab, participants work on improving one of their own presentations. Instructor is Angela Antenore, president of Antenore and Associates and an accomplished presenter with city, county and state governments. 

The 211 on Social Media 101 to Avoid a Communications 911

Effective Use of Social Media and Electronic Communications

Thursday, August 11, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Sacramento County

Confused about social media, which platforms are right for your county, how to find time to manage it, what to post? In this high-energy, fast-moving workshop, former Sacramento County communicator-turned-social-media-specialist Kerry Shearer will help you understand what to focus on, how to implement it, and ways to quickly create compelling content using the latest photo, audio and video techniques! He’ll give you updates on current popular social media sites and upcoming platforms to watch, while giving you concrete tips, tools, apps, and hands-on interaction in an engaging way that will help you become a social media Ninja (or at least have a lot more confidence!). Kerry’s background as a public information officer, broadcaster, and social media guru means he can help even those who don’t consider themselves to be social media- or tech-savvy to come away from the class with newly developed knowledge, skills and techniques to begin implementing immediately. This will be valuable whether you’re a social media newbie or a seasoned practitioner. Instructor is Kerry Shearer, former Sacramento County Public Information Officer and a consultant and teacher specializing in social media. 

Exactly what are California counties responsible to do?

County 101: Duties, Authorities and Responsibilities of Counties

Thursday, August 18, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Contra Costa County

Counties have very broad authorities and responsibilities. Federal and state laws along with county-adopted policies and ordinances frame how each of the 58 counties implement those duties. With such broad responsibilities it is difficult for county officials and staff to be aware of all the duties and mandates across all departments. This class examines each county responsibility area and, at a policy level, highlights what is mandated, required and/or discretionary, and the roles and authority counties have for that service. It would also look at the history of counties in California. Instructor is Bill Chiat, CSAC Institute Dean and former executive director of the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions and CEO of Napa County. 

Be ready for this rigorous federal audit of federal grants and funds

Preparing for the Single Audit 

Thursday, August 25, 2016 – 9:30 to 3:30 – Sacramento County

Counties receiving federal grants or subgrant funds are frequently subjected to audits of those funds. The audit could be a Single Audit conducted under the provisions of OMB Circular A 133, a specific program audit or an audit conducted by a government agency. This course is designed to assist the recipients of federal grants to be prepared for any type of grant fund audit. It focuses on designing and implementing internal controls, complying with federal regulations, preparing adequate documentation, and correcting prior audit findings. Participants examine common audit finding areas and how to avoid them, and how to best prepare for the audit. Instructor is Sefton Boyars, CPA, CGFM, CFS from the California Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA) Education Foundation. Eligible for 6 CPE credits for CPAs. 

To register for courses or to learn more about the Institute, credential programs, and courses, please visit www.csacinstitute.org.