🛠️Built for the Real Work of Association Meetings and Education

Association professionals are being asked to create more valuable experiences, demonstrate stronger returns, embrace new technology and deliver results with limited time and resources. The 2026 Meetings & Education Summit was designed for that reality.

Next Monday, September 14, meeting planners, education professionals and association leaders will gather at Weber’s Boutique Hotel in Ann Arbor for a day of focused, practical learning. The program moves beyond broad concepts to examine the decisions, systems and strategies that directly influence member experience, program performance and organizational growth.

💡 If meetings, conferences or educational programs are part of your work, this is a day built for you!

The day’s featured sessions tackle two of the most consequential opportunities facing association teams.

Designing for Engagement, Revenue & a Neuroinclusive Edge

The morning kicks off with a hands-on workshop, Events That Pay: Designing for Engagement, Revenue & a Neuroinclusive Edge. During the workshop, Tracy King, MA, CAE, will help participants rethink events as more than stand-alone programs. Using a Before-During-After framework, attendees will work on an actual event from their own portfolio and begin transforming it into a connected experience that engages members before they arrive, sustains momentum after they leave and creates new possibilities for revenue and retention.

Participants will also examine neuroinclusive event design as both an accessibility practice and a strategy for reaching and retaining a broader audience. Through individual reflection, collaborative problem-solving and guided exercises, they will assess their events through the lenses of sensory needs, executive function, participation norms and learning differences. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have a redesigned event concept and a specific action to move it forward within 30 days. The workshop itself will model the inclusive practices being taught, allowing participants to experience their value firsthand.

From Manual to Scalable: Practical AI Workflows

Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, WMEP, will bring AI firmly into the realm of practical application during From Manual to Scalable: Practical AI Workflows for Event Teams Who Can’t Keep Up. Participants will learn how repeatable AI-supported processes can reduce time-consuming work and improve event outcomes without sacrificing quality.

Robust & Relevant Breakout Sessions

Rather than focusing on isolated meeting-planning topics, breakout sessions connect directly to the larger responsibilities association professionals carry: serving members well, protecting organizational resources, generating revenue, strengthening partnerships and creating learning experiences that make participation worthwhile, including: 

• Examining the member journey from the member’s point of view and identifying the interactions that shape trust, loyalty and satisfaction.

• Designing more immersive experiences and increase the return associations realize from their events.

• Incorporating practical sustainability measures that are good for attendees, host communities and the environment.

• Using AI and social media tools to create stronger content, deepen engagement and extend an event’s reach.

• Navigating today’s hotel market with greater confidence through informed sourcing, contract negotiation and strategic partnerships.

• Finding opportunities for membership, education, events, marketing and sponsorship to work together, particularly in small-staff associations where responsibilities frequently overlap.

Connect & Learn from Colleagues and Experts!

The Summit also creates space to compare approaches, learn from experienced practitioners and connect with colleagues who understand the pressures and possibilities of association work. Attendees will leave with strategies they have already begun applying, along with practical next steps they can carry back to their organizations.

The 2026 Meetings & Education Summit takes place Monday, September 14, at Weber’s Boutique Hotel in Ann Arbor. Explore the complete program and register today!