Reflections from Joe Little’s Keynote at CAPIO 2026

One of the standout sessions at this year’s CAPIO Conference was the keynote from NBC 7 San Diego storyteller Joe Little, who shared practical advice on how communicators can create more meaningful and memorable stories. His message was clear: great storytelling is not about projects, policies, or agencies. It’s about people. For public information officers and communicators working in or representing government and special districts, that reminder felt especially relevant. We often focus on explaining funding, timelines, policy decisions, or technical details. Joe challenged attendees to instead focus on the human experience behind the work. Joe joked, “I’d rather clip my neighbor’s toenails than go to your city council meeting.” The room erupted in laughter, but his point landed. Most audiences (and most journalists) are not drawn to dry policy discussions. They are drawn to stories that make them feel something.

Find One Person

Joe emphasized that every strong story begins with one person. Not a committee, not an organization, not a city official giving prepared remarks. He shared an example about pothole repairs. Instead of interviewing a public official talking broadly about the city’s road maintenance efforts, he focused his story on the street crew actually filling the potholes – or the homies as he called them. The workers became the story. Their experience, humor, challenges, and pride in the work created something audiences could connect with. That shift — from institution to individual — transforms information into storytelling. For public agencies, that means highlighting the maintenance worker repairing infrastructure, the resident benefiting from a service, or the operator helping keep systems running smoothly. Those voices make public service relatable. 

Let People Tell the Story in Their World

Another key takeaway was Joe’s advice to let people tell stories naturally and authentically. Instead of scripting every response or chasing polished soundbites, communicators should allow people to speak in their own environment and in their own words. That authenticity creates trust. Audiences respond to emotion, personality, and humanity far more than perfectly crafted messaging.

Ask Emotional Questions

Joe also shared practical interviewing techniques that help uncover meaningful moments.  Start with emotional questions like “How did that make you feel?” Then follow up with “why” and “how.”  According to Joe, that’s where the real story lives. The emotional response opens the door, but the follow-up questions uncover the meaning behind it. Those moments create the connection audiences remember. 

Look for the Loud Laugh

One of the most memorable takeaways from the keynote was Joe’s advice for identifying the main character in a story. He suggested if you don’t know who your story is about, close your eyes and listen for a loud laugh. In other words, look for the person who feels alive. Someone with energy, emotion, and authenticity. Someone who naturally makes people feel something.  That insight resonated with many attendees because it shifts storytelling away from perfection and toward humanity. 

Make Public Service Relatable

Joe encouraged attendees not to default to interviews with elected officials or executive leadership when creating videos or storytelling content.  While leadership perspectives matter, audiences are often far more engaged by hearing from the people directly impacted by the work — the residents, crews, operators, engineers, field staff, and community members who experience public service firsthand.  Those are the stories people remember. And in a time when attention is limited and public trust matters more than ever, human-centered storytelling can make government communication more engaging, accessible, and impactful. 

The Heart of the Story

Joe Little’s keynote was a reminder that effective communication is not just about sharing information. It’s about helping people care. As communicators, we already have meaningful stories all around us. The challenge is slowing down long enough to find the human voice at the center of them. Because when people feel something, they remember it.