Leadership Summit & Governance Transition

This event will bring together Academy leaders for a day focused on strengthening how they lead, communicate, and collaborate—both within their Academy roles and across the profession. General sessions will be followed by the Academy’s governance transition, a luncheon honoring the 2026 recipients of the Academy’s annual service and volunteer award, and leadership training. 

Featured speakers include:  

• Dr. Steve Swafford, IOM, CEO of Leadership Outfitters Inc. With 30+ years of experience helping associations, nonprofits, and organizations navigate leadership, strategy, communication, and change, Swafford will lead general sessions focused on (1) assessing your leadership strengths, and (2) interactive learning on leveraging your strengths within your Academy volunteer role and the profession. He serves as faculty for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management and teaches graduate leadership courses at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School. 

• Andrew Goldberg, principal at Agora, a Washington, D.C.–based public policy and advocacy consulting firm. Goldberg is a recognized leader in building effective advocacy programs, including support for the Academy’s annual Hill Visits, and brings deep experience in public policy, legislative strategy, and coalition-building. He’ll provide a post-midterm update. 

Following the general sessions, guests will gather for the Academy’s governance transition, which will include remarks from current President Tricia Matson and a look back on the Academy’s accomplishments for 2026 followed by remarks and a look ahead from incoming President Frank Todsico. The event will wrap up with  a luncheon honoring the 2026 recipients of the Academy’s annual service and volunteer awards. Following lunch, there will be Volunteer Leadership in Practice programming designed to support Academy volunteer leaders and prepare them for the year ahead. 

Space at the in-person event is limited to invited guests, but all Academy members are welcome to join us via livestream. Register for the livestream.