Registration

Stop by registration to check in, pick up your materials, and get ready for a great event.

Breakfast

Individuals staying at the Embassy Suites will have breakfast provided by the hotel. All other participants are responsible for their own breakfast arrangements. Coffee will be available in the meeting area.

General Session

Leadership Wellness – Healthy leaders create healthy workplaces, inclusive of mental, emotional, and physical wellness.  Join us to hear from and discuss the critical ingredients of practices and systems to manage leader wellbeing.  

– Personal Wellness 

– Organizational Wellness 

– Community Connections 

Lunch

Enjoy a provided lunch while connecting and networking with fellow participants

General Sessions

On the Horizon – During this session, a member of the ELC will outline in detail both headwinds and tailwinds impacting our community organizations.   

Affinity Groups 

Peer to Peer – In this session to be facilitated by Cynthia Yao and selected attendees, individuals will team up with peers for directed discussions.  

– CEO/ED 

– Fiscal/Human Resources/Operational 

– Head Start Directors/Deputy Directors 

General Session

Government Relations – The good, the bad, and everything in between!  Navigating Federal and State regulatory partnerships. During this session, led by an experienced advocate, attendees will discuss the national landscape impacting human service organizations.

Happy Hour

A well deserved happy hour! Relax, enjoy refreshments, and network with fellow attendees.

Breakfast

Individuals staying at the Embassy Suites will have breakfast provided by the hotel. All other participants are responsible for their own breakfast arrangements. Coffee will be available in the meeting area.

Registration

Stop by registration to check in, pick up your materials, and get ready for a great event.

General Session

Office of Head Start Update– Join us for insights from a special guest from the Office of Head Start. The session will wrap up with a Q&A

Breakout Sessions

Emerging Issues – At this time, individuals will be welcomed to choose one of three topics for discussion. These discussions will be guided by Issue Guides developed by Cynthia Yao of RISE Partners.

– Preventing Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

– Administration for Children and Families 2026 Priorities

– Appropriations & Head Start Program Performance Standards

Lunch

Enjoy a provided lunch while connecting and networking with fellow participants

This is both the conclusion of the Executive Leadership Council and the start of the Workforce Summit 

General Session

Workforce 2026: This general session will explore key workforce strategies that help us recruit, support, and retain an engaged, high-performing team. A panel of leaders will highlight recruitment, outreach, onboarding, and retention efforts designed to reflect and strengthen our community and culture. 

Workforce Breakout Sessions 

Selected attendees will facilitate this session, creating space for peer-to-peer learning and the sharing of effective, real-world practices.

– Succession Planning

– Compensation & Benefits

– Professional Learning

Happy Hour

Join us at Stout Street Social – Enjoy a hip setting and an eclectic menu featuring everything from New England clam chowder to sushi rolls. This is a no host meetup 

Breakfast

Individuals staying at the Embassy Suites will have breakfast provided by the hotel. All other participants are responsible for their own breakfast arrangements. Coffee will be available in the meeting area.

Registration

Stop by registration to check in, pick up your materials, and get ready for a great event.

General Session

During this session, both the keynote and panel experts will center on Career Pathways and Applied Practice. Speakers will highlight research-to-practice strategies, with a focus on:

– Apprenticeship

– Coaching

– Community Partnerships

Emerging Issues – Breakout sessions 

Selected attendees will facilitate this session, creating space for peer-to-peer learning and the sharing of effective, real-world practices linked to outcomes in monitoring and Head Start Program Performance Standards.

– Human Resources Systems & Compliance

– Data, Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

– Engagement/Wellness/Program Wide Support

Lunch

Enjoy a provided lunch while connecting and networking with fellow participants

General Session

Next Generation of Leadership – During this final general session the 2026 Workforce Summit with a forward-looking focus on developing the next generation of leaders. From cultivating strong organizational culture and expanding professional learning to embracing flexible work structures, emerging leaders will share the insights, expectations, and evolving demands shaping the future of their organizations.  

Action Planning  

Facilitated Commitment and Evaluation – We will conclude the Executive Leadership Council and Workforce Summit by empowering attendees to translate learning into action, developing clear plans to implement in their programs.