Maximizing Growth and Connection at Conferences

Attending conferences isn’t just an opportunity for individual professional development. It is a collective chance to cultivate meaningful community, support our peers, and return to our local teams with fresh, actionable insights.

True leadership in our field means showing up with intentionality. Whether you are a first-time attendee or a seasoned presenter, navigating a convention with a focus on lifting others up ensures that every interaction becomes an opportunity to add value to the broader professional community. When we approach a conference with a focus on collaborative mentorship, we ensure that our presence reflects a shared commitment to clinical excellence.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you intentionally navigate conference attendance, elevate your colleagues, and champion our collective mission.

Intentional Preparation: Aligning Values and Logistics

Mindful leadership begins well before the conference begins. Taking the time to anchor your schedule in what matters most ensures you maximize your development.

• Curate with Purpose: Instead of trying to rush through every single presentation, practice mindful attendance. Review the agenda ahead of time via the conference schedule and select sessions that align with your clinical role, your values, and your team’s future aspirations. Equally important, challenge yourself to intentionally pick at least one session on a topic you know less about. Stepping outside of your immediate comfort zone not only expands your own perspective, but it also brings fresh, diverse insights back to your team.
• Coordinate with Colleagues: Reach out to fellow team members who are attending the same sessions. Coordinate schedules so you can cover a broader range of topics and share notes later, ensuring that those who couldn’t attend still benefit from the collective knowledge.
• Refine Your Message: Prepare a brief, clear introduction of yourself and a 30-second elevator pitch about youself. Practice this with your leader before the trip. This isn’t about self-promotion; it’s about clearly communicating how we support families and clinicians, inviting others into meaningful dialogue.

In the Session Rooms: Active Listening and Community Building

When we enter a presentation room, your posture should be one of humility and curiosity. We can use session blocks to actively build up the professional community around us.

• Arrive Early to Connect: Make it a habit to arrive a few minutes early to sessions. Introduce yourself to the people sitting next to you and to the presenters. This small gesture can put a nervous speaker at ease and makes a large conference environment feel welcoming.
• Sit with New Faces: It is natural to gravitate toward the colleagues we already know, but challenge yourself to sit with different groups at each session. Look for independent practitioners or first-time attendees who might appreciate an inviting place to sit.
• Engage Thoughtfully: During Q&A periods, ask questions that advance the clinical conversation and highlight the presenter’s hard work. Additionally, take note of audience members who ask interesting questions so you can follow up with them during breaks to validate and expand on their thoughts.

Between Sessions: Creating Safe Spaces for Organic Dialogue

The gaps between scheduled programming are where the most profound connections often occur. We can intentionally design these moments to be inclusive and supportive of others.

• Utilize Natural Gathering Points: True community building happens just as much outside the lecture halls. Make it a point to attend evening socials, receptions, and poster sessions. If you notice an attendee standing alone or browsing a poster by themselves, take the initiative to bridge the gap. Asking about their research or sharing a reflection on a recent presentation is a simple, welcoming way to put someone at ease.
• Listen Twice, Speak Once: Apply the “listen twice, speak once” rule to your networking. Be genuinely curious about other people’s clinical work, geographic regions, and experiences. Active listening builds genuine trust far faster than talking about our own accomplishments.
• Model Balanced Well-Being: Large conventions can easily become overwhelming. Look out for your peers and yourself by prioritizing food, liquids, and movement. Step out for a brief break if you feel overstimulated, stay hydrated, and try the 20-20-20 rule to rest your eyes during long presentations. Lastly, practice a buddy system so no one walks alone after dark, and wear comfortable, professional footwear for navigating the venue.

A Checklist for Conference Success

To keep these supportive practices top of mind, here is a quick-reference checklist as you navigate the convention floor:

Bringing it Home: Elevating the Entire Team

Our leadership job isn’t finished when the closing remarks conclude. The true value of a conference is realized in how we disseminate that knowledge to the teams waiting for us back home.

Block out dedicated time on your calendar within one week of returning to organize your notes. Schedule a structured debrief meeting with your local team to share key insights, surprising learnings, and industry trends. By translating what we learned into concrete internal improvement opportunities and actionable takeaways, we ensure that our experience serves the growth of our entire organization.

Be ready to learn, but more importantly, ready to support, connect, and light the way for our clinical community.

About the Author

Dr. Elizabeth Sanabria-Fitter serves as Director of Behavior Technician Training and Development at Centria Autism, where she leads comprehensive staff training initiatives and develops innovative learning programs. With a Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School, Dr. Fitter is passionate about staff development, learner-centered program design, and fostering collaboration across teams.