The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation will host its next Link and Learn session on Tuesday, July 7, from noon to 1 p.m. in The Hub, 301 North Union Street in Olean located on the fourth floor.
The session, title “How to navigate conflict and disinformation in a divided world,” will be presented by Dr. Pauline W. Hoffmann, associate professor in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University and a New York State senior public health fellow with the Cattaraugus County Health Department.
In today’s polarized information environment, productive dialogue can be difficult. This Link & Learn session explores how disinformation fuels conflict and offers practical tools for recognizing misleading information, navigating disagreement, and fostering constructive conversations across differences.
Drawing from insights featured in her book, Fake News, Witch Hunts & Conspiracy Theories: An Infodemiologist’s Guide to the Truth, participants will gain strategies for building understanding, trust, and resilience in their workplaces and communities.
“Whether you are leading a nonprofit, working with a team or simply trying to navigate difficult conversations, these skills are increasingly important,” said Kirk Windus, CRCF executive director. “We’re excited to bring Dr. Hoffmann’s expertise to our community through the Link and Learn series.”
Hoffmann is a scholar-practitioner whose research and teaching focus on infodemics, conflict management, conflict resolution and corporate health and communication strategies. She earned her doctorate and master’s degrees in communication from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Bonaventure University.
As well as being a published author, Hoffmann publishes the LinkedIn newsletter WTF? (What the Facts?) and recently opened The Beekeeper’s Bookshop in Franklinville, N.Y. Hoffmann also completed the World Health Organization’s Infodemic Manager Training Program and previously served as dean of the Jandoli School of Communication and dean of graduate studies at St. Bonaventure University.
The session is free to attend. Lunch and refreshments will be served.
Attendees can register at cattfoundation.org/nonprofit-link-and-learn-series
The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is the area’s supportive, responsive and trusted community foundation. Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).
