Flipping the 80/20: How Hybrid Human + AI Workflows Supercharge School Communications
Date: 7/20/2026
Time: 3:45 - 4:45 PM
Room: Grand Ballroom C (Floor 1)
Skill Session - Live lecture, panel discussion or interactive session with time for Q&A. 60-minutes.
AI–Artificial intelligence in communications and public schools
Session Description
School communications teams face growing demands with limited resources. This session shows how to “flip the 80/20” by using AI to automate routine work and reinvest time in high-value strategy and storytelling. Through real examples from LACOE’s Public Affairs & Communications team, participants will learn specific AI workflows they can implement immediately: from content generation and repurposing, to improved audience segmentation, to rapidly producing multilingual communications. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use prompts, templates and a roadmap for introducing AI into their own teams.
Presenter(s)
Elizabeth Graswich Ed.D.
Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Dr. Elizabeth Graswich is an accomplished executive leader with over 20 years of experience driving communications strategy and organizational change at scale. As Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications at the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), she leads comprehensive communications initiatives while co-leading artificial intelligence implementation for the nation's largest regional education agency, serving nearly two million students across 80 school districts.
Elizabeth specializes in crisis communications and reputation management, building consensus among diverse stakeholders with competing interests, and leading digital innovation while establishing responsible implementation frameworks. Her work encompasses managing communications during high-stakes organizational changes, directing award-winning content production, and crafting strategic narratives that drive transformation. She leads a video production team and hosts a video series and a podcast that collectively highlight challenges and opportunities across the diverse public education landscape of the most populous county in the United States.
Her groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence has earned national recognition. In 2025, ASU GSV named her a Leading Women in AI. Her team received the top award from the California School Public Relations Association for LACOE's AI guidelines, achieving a perfect score. She is also a 2024 Women in AI Fellow through EdSafe AI, an international program advancing ethical AI implementation in education.
Elizabeth's doctoral research in responsible leadership at the University of Southern California reinforced her commitment to developing leaders who prioritize ethical decision-making and stakeholder engagement. That research led her to co-author the 2025 book, “The Human Loop: Leading with Reflection in the Age of AI.”
Throughout her career, Elizabeth has championed digital innovation and equity-minded leadership. She led high-stakes initiatives including a $266 million federal COVID-19 testing grant supporting 80 school districts. Early in her career, she helped create California's first public K-12 virtual school, the Elk Grove Virtual Academy, establishing protocols that became essential during the pandemic years later. Her strategic partnerships and initiatives have promoted diversity, equity and inclusion, EdTech, digital citizenship and literacy, safety, and staff wellbeing.
Prior to education leadership, Elizabeth was a journalist at The Sacramento Bee, reporting on breaking news, public safety, and education, an experience that honed her storytelling expertise and deepened her understanding of community narratives. She has held cabinet-level communications leadership roles with the San Ramon Valley and Elk Grove unified school districts in Northern California. She has also served as a board member on education foundations for almost 20 years and is currently a board member of the non-profit, A Thousand Joys, and serves on the Los Angeles Area Committee for Clean Air Day. She holds a doctorate in organizational change and leadership and a master's degree in communication management, both from USC.
Elizabeth is passionate about the intersection of technology and human connection, believing that storytelling elevates voices, fosters understanding, and inspires growth in organizations and communities. Her commitment to ethical leadership underscores her belief in the transformative power of technology-driven education that creates opportunities for all. LinkedIn Profile
Drew Mathias
Co-Founder
Heartfelt Strategy
Drew Mathias is co-founder of Heartfelt Strategy, helping mission-driven organizations, like the Los Angeles County Office of Education, integrate AI in responsible, people-first ways. With 20+ years in marketing and organizational change, Drew equips education leaders and communicators with tools to streamline workflows, drive consistency in messaging, and lead through change, with people at the heart of that change. Her work bridges strategy and implementation, making emerging tech both accessible and impactful for public agencies and schools to transform work. LinkedIn Profile
Flipping the 80/20: How Hybrid Human + AI Workflows Supercharge School Communications
Category
Skill Session - Live lecture, panel discussion or interactive session with time for Q&A. 60-minutes.