Turning Uncertainty Into Advantage: Key Takeaways From PRSA-NY’s 2026 Outlook Event
By: Linda Horiuchi, PRSA-NY Board Member, Marketing Committee
As 2026 begins, one thing is clear. Uncertainty is no longer the exception. It defines the environment PR professionals navigate every day. This theme set the tone for PRSA-NY’s kickoff event, which brought together PR leaders, recent CEO survey findings, and a standing-room-only audience at HUNTER’s spectacular offices at One World Trade Center.
Opening the evening, PRSA-NY President Paul Cohen captured the moment succinctly. 2026 “came in hot,” he noted, underscoring that the stakes for organizations and communicators have never been higher. He emphasized PRSA’s role in creating space for real-world dialogue and fresh perspectives while also building community and friendships.
The evening’s foundation was new research from The Conference Board, presented by Joseph DiBlasi, Senior Director of Communications. Drawing from the C-Suite Outlook 2026 survey of more than 1,700 executives, including over 750 CEOs across North America, Europe, and Asia, the findings revealed that uncertainty is the top economic concern for U.S. CEOs heading into 2026. Joseph highlighted that tariffs, civic and social unrest, AI disruption, and mental health were other top CEO concerns.
Those themes carried directly into a panel discussion moderated by Heather Landy, Senior Editor of Bloomberg News, with panelists Matt Panichas of HUNTER, Kim Wix, of Daiichi Sankyo and Paul Cohen of Attention Comms.
When Heather asked what skills communications teams need most when uncertainty is constant, the panel agreed that the fundamentals still matter. Matt emphasized that communications professionals must demonstrate credibility by understanding economic nuance and being conversant in how AI is affecting employees and change-management challenges. Kim reinforced that core PR skills remain critical, particularly fast decision-making in moments of uncertainty, informed by strong data. Paul framed the role of PR professionals as “creating clarity in a sea of randomness,” underscoring the responsibility to turn ambiguity into clear, credible narratives in information-poor environments.
AI emerged repeatedly, not as a future issue but as a present one. Panelists discussed the risk of mis-information and synthetic content, including deepfakes, shaping narratives ahead of critical corporate moments such as earnings. This presents communications teams with the challenge of assessing what is real and determining if, when, and how to respond. As Matt emphasized, this requires understanding whether the narrative forming is factually accurate, what AI and LLMs are producing, and whether intervention is necessary versus when restraint better protects credibility.
On sustainability, the panel’s message was clear. Organizations that continue to lead with sustainability today are guided by enduring business values, not by the heightened regulatory, investor, and stakeholder pressure that drove widespread action in 2020. Paul noted that during this period, a surge of performative and inauthentic messaging from organizations treating sustainability as a box to tick often drowned out those with genuine, long-term commitments. Today, those organizations stand apart as values-led. Kim added that anchoring communications in company values provides a “safe space” for navigating politically charged topics, while Matt framed sustainability through the lens of supply-chain risk and financial resilience, reinforcing its importance as a business imperative.
Audience questions reinforced the theme of discernment. Signal versus noise. Adaptability with a spine. And perhaps most powerfully, Paul’s reminder that PR professionals remain “the conscience of the company,” charged with protecting reputation, reducing risk, and guiding organizations through uncertainty with integrity.
PRSA-NY extends special thanks to HUNTER, an integrated marketing and PR firm, for hosting, to Sammy Deigh for providing pro bono photo and video coverage, and to Hunter College student volunteers Allyssa Comagon and Esther Tanis, for helping to welcome a full house of members and guests.
If February’s conversation was any indication, 2026 will test organizations in new ways. It will also reaffirm why strategic, values-driven communications leadership has never been more essential.