Conference Agenda
Wednesday, May 6 & Thursday, May 7, 2026
The conference opens at 8 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. It will feature an exciting mix of topics from featured speakers, panelists and roundtable hosts that address best practices and critical issues trending in our industry. Plus, we’ll jumpstart the event with an interactive keynote presentation!
Keynote Session by Patrice Jetter
This year, we’re honored to welcome Patrice Jetter, advocate and Emmy Award–winning star of Patrice: The Movie, as our keynote speaker. Patrice’s life story is one marked by resilience, creativity and relentless self-advocacy. As a nationally recognized voice on disability rights and Medicaid access, she shines a powerful light on the barriers people with disabilities continue to face and the possibilities that emerge when those barriers are challenged. Her keynote will inspire, provoke thoughtful conversation and offer practical perspectives for professionals committed to advancing independence, inclusion and dignity.
Current as of 2/25/26 and subject to change at any time.
| Wednesday, May 6, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Speaker | Session |
| Patrice Jetter | Keynote Speaker |
| "Fun" Nate Danielson, Emily Smith | Empowering Choice: Least Restrictive Approaches to Financial Decision-Making OR Freedom First: Strategies for Client-Centered Financial Oversight |
| Jon Shipp | CRMs — The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly |
| Janelle Leonard, Kendra Vongratana | Best Practices to Advocate and Empower Across Intersectional Identities |
| Dorian Sylvester, Todd Weatherly, Drew Horowitz | From Crisis to Coordination: Collaborative Strategies for Supporting Trust Beneficiaries with Severe Mental Illness |
| Harriet Blank, Rena Schainholz | Staff Longevity: Is It a Blessing? |
| LeeAnn Fulena | Using a Social Service Committee to Improve a Trustee’s Operations |
| Melissa Rowland | Supported Recreation to Combat Loneliness |
| Nate Danielson | Non-Profit Growth Strategies Panel Discussion |
| Carlos Alanis, Emily Brager, Kevin Hayde and Kerry Tedford-Coles | Policies & Procedures Show & Tell: Real-World Practices Across the Trust Lifecycle |
| Thursday, May 7, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Speaker | Session |
| Brandi Spurling | Your Culture Is Knocking |
| Jennifer Morris, Brittany Spicer | Champions in Collaboration: Leveraging Special Olympics Partnerships to Enhance Pooled Trust Support |
| Martha Brown, Susie Germany | Medicaid State by State: Updates and Changes |
| Michael Cognetti | The Integration Playbook: When and How to Use Private-Pay Services to Strengthen Medicaid and Community-Based Plans |
| Kevin Hayde, Jill Fowler | Pooled Trust Management and Board Oversight: Structure, Strategy, and Stewardship |
| Tim DeWeese | Health Starts Where We Live, Work, and Play: Understanding Social Determinants of Health |
| Paige Kirstein | Using Feedback to Build Strong Relationships and an Inclusive Culture |
| Ashley Melero, Haley Greer | Back to the Basics: Examining Our Biases and Building Better Connections |