Social media is widely used and talked about, but the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication wants to focus on social media in the professional world.

The Greenlee School Futures Forum, taking place at 4 p.m. today in the Design Building in room 101, will focus on social media in the workplace.

Four professionals in journalism, advertising or public relations will serve as a panel to lead a discussion on social media strategy, what students should know about using social media effectively and professionally and how this type of communication can be used to further a career.

Speakers include: Aaron Hepker, digital content director for WHO-TV; Don Moxley, senior vice president for FleishmanHillard communications agency; Emilee Richardson, marketing and communications manager for Science Center of Iowa; and Justin Wise, author and founder of Think Digital Academy.

Hepker oversees the web and social media content for WHO-TV in Des Moines. He focuses on building relationships and incorporating social media into TV newscasts. Hepker advises his staff on best practices for their own personal social media accounts, and often collaborates with the Des Moines Register digital team to share content between a newspaper and TV station owned by separate companies.

Moxley leads FleishmanHillard’s Portal Division, where he and his team develop products that help clients around the world participate in and track conversations relating to their business. Moxley’s team designed TruelQ, which allows brands such as Gatorade, AT&T, Philips and EA Sports to understand large amounts of real time data in simple terms. He started in big data when he was managing blood samples and later moved to electronic medical records, where he learned how to manage a crisis through data analysis.

Richardson works for the Science Center of Iowa as the marketing and communications manager, where she does marketing strategy, creative project management, media relations and monitoring social media. She has worked in nonprofit public relations since 2009 after graduating from Drake University.

Wise is the CEO and founder of Think Digital, where he and his team help clients build relationships with their audience. He focuses on showing business, organizations and individuals how to get results from digital marketing. He often travels to national conferences to speak on social media strategy.

The Futures Forum is sponsored by William F. and Linda Tubbs and will begin with the presentation of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s Equity & Diversity Award to the Greenlee School.