Overview
2017 Annual Training Conference
NADO's 50th Year Anniversary
September 9 - 12, 2017
Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center | Anchorage, Alaska
Early Bird Registration Deadline Extended to Friday, August 25
Don't delay...register today to get the discounted rates!!
NADO's Annual Training Conference will occur in Anchorage, Alaska, on September 9 - 12, with special pre-conference tours on September 8. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to take part in training workshops, best practice panels, and networking sessions, all with a beautiful mountain backdrop.
Preliminary Agenda (As of August 8, 2017)
The conference is the premier event for professionals working on regional planning and economic development. This conference is a must-attend event for RDO executive directors and senior staff, along with board chairs and other board members. With a variety of professional development topics covered each day of the conference and numerous opportunities for networking, conference attendees can create an experience that answers their top questions about RDO programs and management, informs them of new trends, and gives them ideas to try back home.
Be sure to check out the mobile workshops that we are offering this year, including two on Friday, September 8, that will take attendees north to Palmer and south to Seward to learn about the impacts of a rich agricultural economy, a successful training program that helps Alaskans land good paying jobs, and the key role the SeaLife Center plays environmentally and economically.
Other workshops will take groups to two neighborhoods evolving into thriving communities, and a visit to a local accelerator that is playing a role in the city's entrepreneurial ecosystem. As always, all mobile workshops require pre-registration and an additional fee. Also, each mobile workshop has a limit to the number of participants.
Unfortunately, the Port of Anchorage, the freight and cargo operations center at Ted Stevens International Airport workshops are full...but check in at the conference registration desk when you arrive at the Convention Center to see if any cancellations opened up space.
Nine learning labs on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10, will provide a broad range of topics for executive directors, planners, program staff, and board members of your organizations. These hands-on, roll up your sleeves labs will cover several CEDS topics including data sources and uses, developing a CEDS that encompasses the purpose and intent of the 2015 CEDS Content Guidelines, and ways to innovatively incorporate regional resilience practices into your CEDS; topics related to RDO executive leadership such as current human resources practices and critical things to know for new and emerging senior staff and executive directors; issues and topics of particular interest to RDO board members (fiduciary responsibility and ways to become stronger advocates for the RDO); and two labs that address measuring and illustrating RDO relevance and ways to share your successes and impact with your various audiences.
We have an assortment of plenary and best practice sessions planned that will address understanding cultural competency, developing entrepreneurial ecosystems, RDOs and energy development and delivery, rural health indicators, workforce enhancement, trends in economic development, freight planning, GIS, economic development deal making, building local assets, the "silver tsunami" in rural and small metro communities and regions, and much more.
Check out some great tips for your travel to and from Alaska!
This is what attendees from the 2016 ATC in San Antonio had to say about the conference:
"I thought the ATC was very well done, good sessions, good venue, and good people. Thank you for all your work in putting the conference together, a lot of work but very much appreciated by all attendees."
"I want to say “Thanks” and commend all of you for an excellent job again this year at the ATC!"
"You all continuously deliver fantastic conferences. The work you do makes an impact on NADO members and it wouldn't happen without you. So, thank you and keep it up!"
"I'm feeling very inspired and ready to go to work after this!"
"NADO Innovation Awards Reception...where great ideas are shared by colleagues and brought back home!"
"So impressed! Been to a lot of national conferences and this is outstanding".
Questions?: Contact Laurie Thompson at or [email protected]
