Good communication is about more than finding the right words. In the cooperative world, it’s about understanding the people behind the message, anticipating what they need to know, and helping build trust when the stakes are high.
Communications Manager Shelbi Johnson recently took that work a step further, earning her Certified Cooperative Communicator (CCC) certification through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The CCC program is designed specifically for electric cooperative communicators and combines more than 110 hours of instruction, networking and hands-on learning. Participants strengthen skills in strategic communications, public relations, marketing, crisis communications and more while learning alongside communication professionals from cooperatives across the country.
For Johnson, the experience was about more than adding three letters to her title. It was an opportunity to sharpen the skills that help Sunflower communicate with purpose.
“The CCC program challenged me to think about communications differently,” Johnson said. “Not just the work of getting a message out, but as a strategic tool to help Sunflower build trust, navigate challenges, and better serve our member utilities and employees.”
The program encourages communicators to move beyond a task-oriented role and become strategic thinkers, planners and contributors. As part of completing the program, participants develop a strategic plan that can be put into action within their organizations, which makes the experience immediately applicable to their day-to-day work. Johnson’s strategic communications plan focused on navigating the ongoing industry changes surrounding large electric users. This gave her an opportunity to apply what she learned to an issue that is increasingly shaping conversations about communicating what these changes mean for the cooperative industry and our local communities.
The CCC program also emphasizes something just as valuable as the coursework: relationships. Through the cohort experience, participants build a network of cooperative communicators across the nation who can share ideas, collaborate, and serve as resources when challenges arise.
With her certification, Johnson joins four other CCC-certified communicators within Sunflower and its member utilities, including Jerri Whitley, also from Sunflower, Shajia Donecker and Alli Conine from Wheatland, and Chanda Schulte at Victory.
Congratulations to Shelbi on this accomplishment! Her CCC certification represents a significant investment in professional growth and will help us continue to tell our story, connect with our members and employees, and communicate with purpose.
