Free monthly educational programs on a wide range of topics of interest to publishers
One of the most PCPA valued member benefits is our robust series of practical PCPA Third Thursday webinars!
As the name implies, these are 1-hour educational webinars on a wide range of topics of interest to those publishing for Christians. Generally, the facilitator speaks or offers a PowerPoint or video for 20 to 40 minutes, then the balance of the time is reserved for discussion and Q&A among the participants.
In addition, from time to time, we offer special webinars on timely topics on a day other than the "Third Thursday" of the month. These are also listed below in date order.
Please note: There is no PCPA Third Thursday webinar in February 2026 due to a scheduling conflict.
Interested in past PCPA Third Thursday webinars? They are recorded and may be found on our Vimeo Channel.
Do you have an idea for a topic or webinar presenter? Please contact Beth Lewis, Executive Director for PCPA.
Upcoming Webinars
Register to attend these upcoming webinars, which are all FREE for employees of PCPA member companies and are generally available about one week after the event at the PCPA Vimeo channel.
All PCPA Third Thursday webinars are scheduled for 1-2 p.m. ET (US & Canada) and are held on the Zoom platform.
Pre-registration is required. All pre-registrants will receive a link to the Vimeo recording of the webinar about 2 weeks after the event.
More details for each of these webinars will be coming soon, but for now...please save the dates!
Have ideas for topics or speakers you'd like to hear on a PCPA Third Thursday webinar? Please send your suggstions to PCPA Executive Director Beth Lewis.
2026 PCPA 3rd Thursday Calendar
- January 15, 2026 AI That Thinks With You: Custom GPTs in Publishing for Smarter Pitches and Market Insights led by Jannis Baltuttis of knkSoftware
- February 19, 2026 (no webinar due to scheduling conflicts)
- March 19, 2026 An Introduction to Audio Book Delivery Methods, and other accessibility aids", led by Dr. Skylar Covich
- March 26, 2026 Special PCPA webinar: How Christian Publishers Can Reach Gen Z with SPCK (note: This month's webinar will be at noon EDT/11 a.m. CDT/10 a.m. PDT because our facilitators will be Zooming in from London)
- April 16, 2026 China Market Developments: Impact on Publishing and Printing led by Michael Qian of LinkedPrint (note: This month's webinar will be at 9 a.m. EDT/8 a.m. CDT/6 a.m. PDT because our facilitator will be Zooming in from Shanghai where it will be 9 p.m.)
- May 21, 2026 Help all readers read better, led by Klaus Krogh of 2K/Denmark
- June 18, 2026 Future-Proof Your Metadata: Accessibility, AI, GEO & More, led by Joshua Tallent of Firebrand Technologies
- July 16, 2026 Effective Collaboration in the Design Process and Beyond led by Emma Elzinga of Inksplatter Design
- August 20, 2026 Print with Purpose: A Publishers Guide to Vetting Printers, led by Brandie Herrell of Friesens, Matt Kennell of Versa Press & Joe Upton of Gasch Printing
- September 17, 2026 Relieve some of the pains of publishing led by Klaus Krogh of 2K/Denmark
- October 15, 2026 topic TBD, led by Books International
- November 19, 2026 topic TBD, led by Virtusales
- December 17, 2026 topic TBD, led by IPG
Special Webinar: How Christian Publishers Can Reach Gen Z
March 26, 2026
note time
noon-1 p.m. EDT/11 a.m.-noon CDT/
10-11 a.m. MDT/9-10 a.m. PDT
Description
Join us for this educational webinar from the UK’s biggest Christian publishing house and PCPA member publisher, SPCK Group, exploring the recent increases in Bible sales and church attendance in Gen-Z. SPCK’s publishing director and head of marketing share their experience of reaching younger generations and strategies for engaging the new readership.
What you'll learn in this webinar:
- Understanding what questions Gen-Z is asking
- Commissioning strategies to appeal to younger audiences
- Building marketing campaigns that sustain growth
Your instructors:
Lauren Windle and Rio Summers of SPCK
Lauren Windle is the publishing director for PCPA Publishing Member SPCK’s adult division. She is also an author and journalist published in Vogue, Marie Claire, Huffington Post, Mail Online and others. She is the author of Drawing as Prayer, Notes on Feminism and Notes on Love.
Rio Summers is a writer and media producer with extensive experience shaping conversations at the intersection of theology, culture and public debate. She serves as Head of Marketing and Publicity at SPCK Group and has produced globally recognised podcasts including Ask NT Wright Anything and Unbelievable?
China Market Developments: Impact on Publishing and Printing
April 16, 2026
NOTE:
This month's webinar will be at 9 a.m. EDT/8 a.m. CDT/6 a.m. PDT because our facilitator will be Zooming in from Shanghai where it will be 9 p.m.)
Description
This presentation highlights the dual pressures of global inflation and China's evolving market on US publishers. It details rising costs in both onshore and offshore sourcing, identifies AI, robotics, and a critical sourcing model change as deflationary forces, and introduces an online marketplace solution to eliminate middleman markups, capturing instant savings from direct factory partnerships before China's costs rise further.
In this webinar you will learn:
- Understand the Risks: Gain clarity on the inflationary pressures and cost shifts impacting both US domestic and Chinese print/packaging sourcing.
- Identify Deflationary Forces: Learn about the three key deflationary trends (AI, robotics, and sourcing model change) reshaping the industry.
- Recognize Hidden Costs: Discover the significant markup added by traditional offshore intermediaries and how it erodes potential savings.
- See the Solution: Understand how a direct, online marketplace model can instantly eliminate middleman costs and capture the full benefit of offshore sourcing.
- Acknowledge the Urgency: Appreciate China's automation lead and the critical window of opportunity to secure favorable terms before costs rise further.
Who should attend:
Production/Operations Managers, Finance, C-Suite, Purchasing/Procurement, Supply Chain Managers
Your instructor:
Michael Qian of LinkedPrint
Michael Qian is a seasoned executive with deep cross-industry expertise in finance and industry. He serves as Co-Founder & CEO of Shanghai-based Everlasting Capital, a boutique investment firm focused on Greater China equities to capture systemic value premium. He is also Founder & CEO of LinkedPRINT, a self-service print and packaging online marketplace. Previously CEO of RR Donnelley Asia Operations, he began his career as a Financial Management Trainee at United Technologies. He holds finance degrees from SISU, SUFE and Shanghai Jiaotong University (EMBA), and is a China CPA.
Help all readers read better
May 21, 2026
1-2 p.m. EST/noon-1 CST/11 a.m.-noon MST/10-11 a.m. PST
Description
In this webinar, you will receiv an explanation regarding a number of elements related to reading and how publishers can assist readers, especially those with vision challenges become more engaged.You will learn:
1. Where do letters come from
2. Reading is recognizing beautiful words
3. Creating a Cloud Reading® experience
4. When reading gets difficult
– explaining The Grace Dyslexia Project®
Your instructor:
Klaus Erik Krogh
Founder
2K/Denmark
Klaus Erik Krogh was born on January 26, 1952, in Frederiksberg, Denmark. A designer, publisher, and visionary, he has shaped the art of communication across borders. Educated in Copenhagen and Oslo, he began his career in Norway before founding 2K/Denmark in 1987—today a world leader in Bible design and typographic innovation.
His creative ventures span publishing, children’s media, and digital development. Krogh has served as Honorary Consul of Mexico, chaired societies for book and Bible craftsmanship, and external examiner at Danish universities. Married to Liv Sødal Krogh since 1984, he is father to two daughters, Lea and Oda.
Future-Proof Your Metadata:
Accessibility, AI, GEO, & More
June 18, 2026
1-2 p.m. EST/noon-1 CST/11 a.m.-noon MST/10-11 a.m. PST
Description
Prepare your titles for the publishing landscape of tomorrow. This fast-paced session will explore how to future-proof your metadata in the face of constantly evolving industry standards.
We will discuss the immediate impacts of AI-driven search, the necessity of enhanced GEO-coding, and meeting current and future accessibility requirements. Join us as we look into the future to equip you with actionable strategies to ensure your titles are visible, compliant, and ready for whatever comes next.
In this webinar you will
o Learn to optimize metadata immediately for AI and semantic search, ensuring your titles are found by modern algorithms and leading to increased discoverability and sales.
o Understand evolving global accessibility metadata requirements to avoid future penalties and costly remediation work.
o Gain a clear view of next-generation metadata standards and emerging market demands, allowing you to proactively build sustainable workflows instead of reactively patching problems.
Your instructor:
Joshua Tallent
Director of Sales & Education
Firebrand Technologies
Joshua Tallent is the Director of Sales and Education at Firebrand Technologies, where his focus is on helping publishers of all sizes learn about, and find solutions to, their workflow and metadata problems.
Joshua’s background is deeply rooted in ebook development, metadata, and other publishing technologies, and he is an acclaimed teacher and guide on the role of data in publishing. He serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the BISG Board of Directors and is the host of the BookSmarts Podcast which features practical discussions and interviews about publishing data and technologies. In his spare time, Joshua enjoys teaching Bible studies, playing complex board games, and fiddling with his home automation system.
Effective Collaboration in the Design Process and Beyond
July 16, 2026
1-2 p.m. EST/noon-1 CST/11 a.m.-noon MST/10-11 a.m. PST
Description
Publishing relies on effective collaboration between your team, your authors, and often externally contracted artists. The design process presents a unique challenge in incorporating feedback and ideas from multiple parties throughout the creative process. In this webinar, designer Emma Elzinga will share practical strategies to improve communication and creative flow between in-house teams, authors, and freelance artists, drawing on her work at Inksplatter Design with a wide range of publishers and authors.
You will learn approaches and strategies for collaboration with authors and artists that you can apply in the design process and across departments.
Your instructor:
Emma Elzinga
Founder & Designer
Inksplatter Design
Emma Elzinga is the founder of Inksplatter Design, a book-focused design studio providing strategic design solutions for authors and publishing houses. An experienced designer with a creative approach, Emma is drawn to the intersection of visual art and storytelling and specializes in designs that uniquely highlight the written word. Learn more about her book design studio at www.inksplatterdesign.com, or view her personal portfolio at www.emmaelzinga.com.
Print with Purpose: A Publishers Guide to Vetting Printers
August 20, 2026
1-2 p.m. EST/noon-1 CST/11 a.m.-noon MST/10-11 a.m. PST
Description
A panel discussion with Q&A with experts from three PCPA Adjunct Member printers, Friesens, Gasch Printing and Matt Kennell.
In this webinar you will learn about the various printing options available, how to ask the right questions and provide helpful insights about your varied printing needs as you interview prospective printer partners for your ministry of publishing. Communication is key in customer/vendor relationships and identifying the printer who will be the very best fit for each type of print job will start your relationship off on the right foot. It will serve you as publisher, your printer partner and, ultimately, your customers!
Your instructors:
Brandie Herrell of Friesens
Joe Upton of Gasch Printing
Matt Kennell of Versa Press
Relieve some of the pains of publishing
September 17, 2026
1-2 p.m. EST/noon-1 CST/11 a.m.-noon MST/10-11 a.m. PST
Description
When publishing gets difficult
1. Production line costs increase
2. Limitations of book prices
3. Readers demand for better readability.
4. CO2 emission awareness
Can Sustainable Typesetting® help solve all the above?
A both hands-on and eyes-on experience
Your instructor:
Klaus Erik Krogh
Founder
2K/Denmark
Klaus Erik Krogh was born on January 26, 1952, in Frederiksberg, Denmark. A designer, publisher, and visionary, he has shaped the art of communication across borders. Educated in Copenhagen and Oslo, he began his career in Norway before founding 2K/Denmark in 1987—today a world leader in Bible design and typographic innovation.
His creative ventures span publishing, children’s media, and digital development. Krogh has served as Honorary Consul of Mexico, chaired societies for book and Bible craftsmanship, and external examiner at Danish universities. Married to Liv Sødal Krogh since 1984, he is father to two daughters, Lea and Oda.
