Overview
2017 Annual Training Conference
NADO's 50th Year Anniversary
September 9 - 12, 2017
Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center | Anchorage, Alaska
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.
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]
Registration

Registration for the 2017 Annual Training Conference will begin on May 8, 2017
Registration for this event started on May 08, 2017 and is currently
Closed.
Registration fees for the 2017 Annual Training Conference are:
Early bird rate (deadline is Friday, August 25, 2017; after that rates will increase)
- $575 – Associate and General
- $550 – Sustaining and Sustaining Associate
- $525 – Platinum and Platinum Plus
- $715 – Non-member
- $200 – Spouses
- $100 – Student
Regular rate (register before Friday, August 11, 2017 and save on your registration fee!)
- $595 – Associate and General
- $570 – Sustaining and Sustaining Associate
- $545 – Platinum and Platinum Plus
- $735 – Non-member
- $220 – Spouses
- $100 – Student
To register online, click the green button below. To register by mail or email, please download and complete this PDF form.
PLEASE NOTE: You must be registered for the conference to attend a mobile workshop or learning lab.
If you wish to pay by check, please mail your payment to:
NADO
400 North Capitol St NW Suite 388
Washington, DC 20001
NADO staff are currently in the midst of planning an action-packed, robust agenda that will include our unique blend of learning platforms...from peer-to-peer exchanges to professional development training to thought-provoking plenary sessions to mobile workshops in and around Anchorage to roll-up-your-sleeves workshops to learning labs to conversation cafés. And, of course, we are building in lots of time for all attendees to network throughout the four day event!
Conference content is being designed for RDO executive directors and senior staff, planners (economic development, transportation, GIS), department managers (workforce, small business lending, aging programs), board members, and others engaged in regional approaches to economic development.
Come back and visit this page often as we will be updating it on a regular basis!
Agenda & Presentations

Click here to access the conference program!
Presentation Slides
Saturday, September 9
Harnessing the Power of Data to Improve Your CEDS
Marion Bentley, Director, Extension Business & Development Center, USU, Logan, UT
Russell Cowley, Executive Director, Six County AOG, Richfield, UT
Jody Gale, Sevier County & Southern Area Extension Agent, USU Cooperative Extension, Richfield, UT
Carol Rogers, Deputy Director and CIO, Indiana Business Research Center, Indianapolis, IN
Jeremy Shafton, Sales and Marketing Director, BlastPoint, Pittsburgh, PA
Taking the CEDS to the Next Level through the Content Guidelines
Nathan Ohle, Executive Director, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Washington, DC
What You Need to Know Now to Be an Effective RDO Leader
Monica Scamardo, President, Variate, Round Rock, TX
Sunday, September 10
RDO Board Members: Becoming a Strong(er) Advocate for the RDO
Monica Scamardo, President, Variate, Round Rock, TX
Best Practices to Incorporate Resilience into the CEDS
Cheryal Lee Hills, Executive Director, Region Five Development Commission, Staples, MN
Meilani Schijvens, Economic Development Director, Southeast Conference, Juneau, AK
Brett Schwartz, Program Manager, NADO Research Foundation, Washington, DC
Robert Venables, Executive Director, Southeast Conference, Juneau, AK
Monday, September 11
Opening Plenary: The Indispensable Regional Development Organization: Continuing to Make the Case for Why RDOs Matter
Tim Armer, Executive Director, North Central New Mexico EDD, Santa Fe, NM
Karl Elmshaeuser, Executive Director, West Central Nebraska Development District
Nicole Griensewic Mickelson, Executive Director, Region Nine Development Commission, Mankato, MN
Colleen Padilla, Executive Director, Southern Oregon Regional Development, Inc., Medford, OR
Martha Shickle, Executive Director, Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, Richmond, VA
Anthony Starr, Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Hickory, NC
Building Community for Prosperity and Inclusion
Moira Gallagher, Live. Work. Play. Director, AEDC, Anchorage, AK
Mara Kimmel, First Lady of Anchorage, City of Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Lourdes Linato-Crawford, President, Bridge Builders of Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Emerging Leaders: Leadership Competencies You Need to Become a Successful Executive Director
Monica Scamardo, President, Variate, Round Rock, TX
Leveraging Assets to Improve Health and Equity in Rural Communities
Michael Meit, MS, MPH, Co-Director, NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, NORC at the University of Chicago, Bethesda, MD
New Approaches to Economic Development: Looking Beyond the Norm
Emily Gojkovich, Economic Development Planner, Southwest NM COG, Silver City, NM
Al Lerma, Director, Business Development and Innovation, Sonoma County EDB, Santa Rosa, CA
Teri Provost, Program Analyst, SEDA-Council of Governments, Lewisburg, PA
Engaging Employees through Times of Transition
Jim Reed, AICP, Executive Director, Central Texas Council of Governments, Belton, TX
Dr. Lynette Reed, Where Expectations Meet Reality, Salado, TX
Regional Partnerships to Achieve Transportation Outcomes
Teresa Brewer, Senior Transportation Planner, Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions, Anchorage, AK
Vickie Williamson, Regional Development Coordinator, Ark-Tex COG, Texarkana, TX
How to Stay Connected in the Workplace
Sandy Reeser, President, VC3, Columbia, SC
Dale Graver, Vice President of Business Development, Columbia, SC
Tuesday, September 12
Plenary Session: The Power of Creative Placemaking
Sharon Yazowski, Executive Director, Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
Economic Development Integration (EDI): Breaking Down Silos to Build Up Local and Regional Economies
Angela Belden Martinez, Regional Director, U.S. EDA, Denver, CO
Linda Cruz-Carnall, Regional Director, U.S. EDA, Philadelphia, PA
Shirley Kelly, EDR, U.S. EDA, Anchorage, AK
Doug Lynott, Director, Economic Development Integration, U.S. EDA, Washington, DC
Matthew Suchodolski, Management Analyst, EDI, U.S. EDA, Philadelphia, PA
Building on Your Assets
Dawn Espe, Regional Planner, Region Five Development Commission, Staples, MN
Amanda Hoey, Executive Director, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, The Dalles, OR
Creating New Opportunities for Your Region’s Workforce
Jenifer Buford, Community Development Director, East Central PDD, Newton, MS
Lisa Hankins, REDI Director, Southwest Tennessee Development District, Jackson, TN
Danna Stansbury, Deputy Executive Director, Land of Sky Regional Council, Asheville, NC
Advocacy in Regional Development
Misty Casto, Executive Director, Buckeye Hills Regional Council, Marietta, OH
Matthew Dolge, Executive Director, Piedmont Triad Council, Kernersville, NC
Richard Hunsaker, Executive Director, Region XII, Carroll, IA
Josh Shumaker, Legislative Associate, NADO, Washington, DC
Susan Howard, Legislative Director, NADO, Washington, DC, Moderator
Travel & Venue
Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center
600 W 7th Ave,
Anchorage, AK 99501
NADO's 2017 ATC will be held at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center. We have room blocks set aside at two hotels--the Hilton Anchorage and the Anchorage Marriott.
As you make you travel plans, please note that the Hilton is offering a lower room rate but the Marriott is about 2 blocks closer to the Dena'ina Center than the Hilton.
Hilton Anchorage | 500 W 3rd Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
800.HILTONS | Room rate: $181 single/double
Click here to reserve your rooms at the Hilton by accessing their special NADO page.
Anchorage Marriott | 820 W 7th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
800.228.9290 | Room rate: $195 single/double
Click here to reserve your rooms at the Marriott by accessing their special NADO page.
Anchorage has become quite the "foody" town! Check out some great options for dining here.
~ Some or all of this information was provided by the hotel/venue ~
Getting from Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport to the Hilton or Marriott
Taxi: One way fare is about $17 (for one).
Rental Cars: Most of the rental car companies are now located in the new Rental Car Center across from the South Terminal. Free Airport shuttle buses travel between the South Terminal, North Terminal, and the Rental Car Center every 15 minutes, all day, every day.
Driving from the airport to the Hilton (500 W 3rd Ave, Anchorage): Exit airport heading east. Exit Minnesota Drive north. Take Minnesota Drive into downtown. Turn right on Third Avenue. The Hilton in on the corner of Third and E streets. The Hilton has valet parking only; the daily rate is $30. Check with the hotel concierge about off-property parking locations.
Driving from the airport to the Marriott (820 W 7th Ave, Anchorage): Take W. International Airport Road east, turn left (north) onto ramp, bear right (north) onto Minnesota Drive, turn right to stay on Minnesota Drive, keep right onto Minnesota Bypass; road changes name to I Street, turn right onto W. 7th Avenue. Marriott is on the right side. The Marriott has valet parking for $29 a day. Check with the hotel concierge about off-property parking locations.