NASDDDS 2023 Directors Forum
and Annual Conference
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Will you be joining us?
November 14-17 | Alexandria, VA
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Join NASDDDS for our first extended annual conference! For the first time, attendees will benefit from two full days of targeted content following the directors forum. Presentations feature subject matter experts as they introduce participants to state systems and the professionals leading the charge to bring truly innovative approaches to the field. On November 17th, attendees will once again have an opportunity to take a deeper dive into key areas within the I/DD field. Participants will have the chance to choose between topics of interest to explore in smaller groups with colleagues and subject matter experts. The NASDDDS Directors Forum and Annual Conference will leave you both motivated and prepared to take your work to the next level!
Please join us for the only conference bringing together I/DD professionals from across the nation! Register below!
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Meet the Keynote Speaker: Haben Girma |
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Join us the morning of November 15th to welcome keynote speaker, Haben Girma. The first Deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School, Haben Girma is a human rights lawyer advancing disability justice. President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change. She received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and TIME100 Talks. President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Chancellor Angela Merkel have all honored Haben. Haben believes disability is an opportunity for innovation, and she teaches organizations the importance of choosing inclusion. The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, and TODAY Show featured her memoir, Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law.
Haben was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she currently lives. Her memoir takes readers on adventures around the world, including her parents’ homes in Eritrea and Ethiopia, building a school under the scorching Saharan sun, training with a guide dog in New Jersey, climbing an iceberg in Alaska, fighting for blind readers at a courthouse in Vermont, and talking with President Obama at The White House. Warm, funny, thoughtful, and uplifting, her book and her speaking engagements are a testament to Haben’s determination to resist isolation and find the keys to connection.
Book signing following keynote! Keynote sponsored by Strategic Systems!
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Not to miss sessions and SO MUCH MORE! |
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Conference Intensives
Conference intensives feature a deep dive into topic areas identified as top concerns by members. These extended sessions on November 17th utilize expert speakers, peer to peer learning, and small group exercises to provide the inspiration and concrete steps to catalyze real change in your systems. Have the opportunity to ask questions and apply learning directly to your state systems and fields of work.
During registration attendees will have a choice between:
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Leading from Where You Are: Collaboration to Spur Positive Disruption
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Data Literacy and Transparency: Innovating for a New Data-Driven Landscape
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Unique and Timely Sessions
In November, we will showcase a variety of submissions by states and organizations from across the country highlighting best practices in the I/DD field. We will provide the chance for our very popular affinity groups to meet in person and take a closer look at these focus areas. As we explore innovation and disruption, we will host a panel of the stars of Our COVID Story which premiered in 2020. The panel will discuss the long term effects of the pandemic on services for these advocates. AND we will kick off a new blog series, Three Questions, with a live panel of new, experienced, and alumni directors each answering the same three questions about their positions! Check out the agenda summary at THIS LINK!
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Director and State Staff Lounge
All staff from NASDDDS member states are invited to our private lounge area sponsored by FEI. Long gone are the days of leaving work at the office as all of us are more connected than ever. Enjoy a dedicated and comfortable sitting area and conference room to take phone calls, drop into a virtual meeting, charge your devices, or take a moment to yourself. This lounge offers a charging station and light refreshments.
NEW this conference! A complimentary massage chair for a little self care!
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NASDDDS Cares: Our Planet
NASDDDS chose our venue based on their commitment to environmentally friendly events. From locally sourced food using sustainable farming strategies to responsible waste, everything about your experience will have an eye toward creating a smaller environmental footprint resulting from our event.
Beyond our venue, NASDDDS has replaced bulky paper programs with our app and we not only recycle our badges but our badges are made from recycled materials. We are reducing our signage needs through digital kiosks sponsored by CareSource and so much more! Join us! Find out more about NASDDDS Cares at THIS LINK.
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NASDDDS Cares: Our Communities
At NASDDDS, we encourage both awareness and action on behalf of the social issues which concern all of us beyond our work in the I/DD field. During meals, breaks, or the reception please stop by the NASDDDS Cares Booth sponsored by Deloitte to complete a five minute service project impacting a variety of charitable causes across the United States. Bring your gently used shoes to the conference to benefit Soles4Souls and decorate a bag for DC Food and Friends. Our participant scavenger hunt will benefit public school children throughout our country at Donors Choose. Find out more about NASDDDS Cares at THIS LINK.
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NASDDDS Cares: Our Attendees
NASDDDS health and wellness initiatives sponsored by CareSource consider the mental and physical fitness of our attendees. From our Directors Forum Smoothie Station sponsored by eVero to our venue fitness options, it is our responsibility to ensure our attendees FEEL GOOD about attending our conferences! For the first time we are offering a complimentary night to relax sponsored by Mercer. On November 16th, attendees can choose between two options designed to provide the down time needed to be fully present during the conference. We also hope you join us for group stretch breaks and take advantage of our lounge sponsored by FEI- all designed to keep you ready to learn! Find out more about NASDDDS Cares at THIS LINK and NASDDDS Sees the Sights at THIS LINK.
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Thank you to our sponsors! |
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Aveanna
Consumer Direct Care Network
Guidehouse
Knowledge Services
Liberty Healthcare Services
LumiCare
NetSmart
PALCO
RSM
Technology First Shift
The Columbus Organization
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