ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference 2026 has ended

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ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference 2026

8:00am EDT

Tour & Workshop Registration Terrace Lounge

8:30am EDT

Tour (additional fee): MET Bus Pickup: Main entrance of Rhode Island Convention Center

9:00am EDT

Tour (additional fee): Davies Career Technical High School Bus Pickup: Main entrance of Rhode Island Convention Center

9:30am EDT

Tour (additional fee): Providence Career & Technical Academy Bus Pickup: Main entrance of Rhode Island Convention Center

12:30pm EDT

Pre-Con (additional fee): Transform Your Internship Program: Design for Growth, Lead for Impact RotundaKristy Volesky Pre-Con (additional fee): Building & Scaling Work-Based Learning Ecosystems: A Hands-On Workshop 552 ABDr. Jeff Arnott • Dr. Jennifer Thomas

1:00pm EDT

Exhibitor Move-In & Registration Terrace Lounge

3:30pm EDT

WBL 101 Ballroom A-E

4:00pm EDT

Registration Terrace Lounge

4:30pm EDT

Welcome Reception Ballroom Prefunction

7:00am EDT

Breakfast Ballroom A-E Registration Terrace Lounge Exhibitor Time Ballroom Prefunction

8:00am EDT

Opening General Session Ballroom A-EKatherine Sutton • Matt Kirchner • Kathryn Dacier • Kadence Agin

9:45am EDT

Building Occupational Identities Through Work-based Learning 557Dr. Timberly Monaghan Building Pilina: Psychology and Place-Based Values in WBL Partnerships 552 ABChloe Yap Building Tomorrow's Workforce: The Power of Youth Apprenticeships 550 ABDr. Heather Handler Effective Work-Based Learning: From Shared Vision to Strong Outcomes 553 ABAmanda Daniels Embedding Practicum Work into Your Grow-your-own Education Programs 554 ABSarah Grossi From Findings to Action: Engaging Employers & CTE Educators for High-Quality WBL 555 ABDr. Cynthia (Cindy) L. Miller Making Higher Ed the New First Job 551 ABCasey Sechler • Mara Woody Reimagining Internships: Virtual Models for Equitable Work-Based Learning Programs Ballroom A-EAmber Adams • Nicole Pizzato • Allison Koelzer Nelson Tech & Talent Showcase: Students Demonstrate Skills to Industry Partners 556 AReeghon Williams Perception to Partnership: Branding Your Work-Based Learning Program RotundaDan Wyar Teaching Soft Skills Without the Eye Rolls 556 BKelli Lancaster

10:45am EDT

Break + Exhibitor Time Ballroom Prefunction

11:15am EDT

Building Rural WBL Pipelines: A Regional, Scalable Model Ballroom A-EDavid Rademacher • Sarah Rudofsky Connecting Local Partners: Practical Strategies for Strengthening Work-Based Learning Programs. 551 ABDr. Jeff Arnott • Dr. Jennifer Thomas Designing Your Experiential Learning Continuum: One Size Doesn't fit All. 555 ABDan Cocchiola Leadership 360 - Lead Yourself to Lead Others 554 ABHans Meeder Re-culturing the Educational System: Restructuring Schools for Economic Mobility through Work-Based Learning 553 ABScott Carr • Kristy Volesky Show-Me Work-Based Learning: Pathways to Student Success 552 ABDr. Kara Dalton • Katie Vargas Volunteer Power: Recruiting and Retaining Industry Partners in WBL 556 AKirsten Kirby • Stephanie Lapera Work-Based Learning from the Ground Up 557Dr. Shalonda M. Skidmore Networking Session Rotunda From Placement to Partnership: A Practical Framework for High-Quality Work-Based Learning 550 ABDavid Berg Igniting Pathways: Aligning Curriculum, Credentials, and Data to Power Future-Ready CTE 556 BKatie George

12:30pm EDT

Lunch & WBL Division Business Meeting Ballroom A-E

1:45pm EDT

Acquiring "YES": 7 Tips to Recruit Industry Partners for WBL Ballroom A-EJason Van Nus Beyond Partnerships: Designing the Future Through Co-Creation and Credentialing 555 ABBrenda Straley Building Lasting Business Partnerships in Education: Beyond Handouts to Handshakes 554 ABMac Beaton • Beverly Cocke Classroom to Career: Reimagining WBL in Rural Settings 556 ACarmen Choat • Keri Fitch Designing for Scale: Regional Work-based Learning Resource Hub RotundaAlexia Santiago Elevating Work-Based Learning: Strategies for Success in Career Education 552 ABCourtney Hundley • Susan Leon Enhancing Work-Based Learning Through West Virginia’s Classroom2Career Initiative and Youth Apprenticeship Expansion 550 ABAdam Canter • Emily Pearson Scaling Access: Universal Engagement in Work-Based Learning 553 ABEloy Garza Panel: Turning Student Interests into Real Career Experiences 551 ABMichael Robinson • Melissa Smith What Do You Have in Common with Top Executives at Nike, Keen, and Converse? Join the Live Ready or Not Business Game Demo and Find Out. 556 BEric Hedaa

3:00pm EDT

AI Meets Apprenticeship: The Future of Work-Based Learning Instruction 550 ABJason Van Nus Blueprint for Future Planning: Workforce Board Partnering to Enhance WBL Ballroom A-EMariel Fedde • Alicia Fales • Jaime Sheggrud • Jamie Bell Empowering Students for Career Fairs: A Formulatic Approach 551 ABChristian Cruz • Esau Molina • Aditi Agrawal From Vision to Action: Building Powerful Partnerships that Drive High-Quality Work-Based Learning 556 APaula Chaon Launching High School Students into Successful Careers: The Power of Apprenticeships 554 ABChris Shaw Leveraging AI Tools to Enhance Work-Based Learning Programs 552 ABAmey Creasy • Leslie McHann • Cindy Quinlan Maximizing WBL Resources in a Rural Setting 555 ABSuzanne Mitchell • Lori Sexton Scaling Work-Based Learning Policy and Practice at Your School 553 ABMadeline Burke WBL Liability: Navigating the Legal Landmines 557Kristy Volesky Roundtable Session 1: Let’s Go Fish! Cast for the Right Partners and Opportunities RotundaMiranda Ziegler Roundtable Session 2: Dare to Dream: A coordinated, systemized Career Week for Elementary Schools RotundaJessica Seevers • Jody Bennett Roundtable Session 3: Optimizing Pathways for Student Success Through Aligned Experiences: Strategies for Educators RotundaAshley DeVore • Amanda Vandergrift Roundtable Session 4: MAP-IT: Using Technology Tools to Support Career Exploration and Planning RotundaT.J. Vari Roundtable Session 5: Partner up and Propel CTE into the Future RotundaNakesha M Dawson, Ed.D Roundtable Session 6: An Invention and Entrepreneurship Research-Focused Internship Program Model RotundaJim Egenrieder Lincoln Tech High School Share, Career Connected Early College for the Trades 556 BLincoln Technical Institute

4:15pm EDT

Break + Exhibitor Time Ballroom Prefunction

4:30pm EDT

Building Work-Based Learning Through Strategic Partnerships 555 ABJarett Guy • Julie Rodriguez Exploring Work-Based Learning in California High Schools: A Strategic Approach 553 ABRachel Russell • Jackson Yan • Edward Matthews Exploring, Equipping, Experiencing: A K–12 Framework for Work-Based Learning 551 ABEmily Hall • Nia Hodge • Sue Venable-Shelton From Classroom to Courtroom: Teen Court as Work-Based Learning for Tomorrow’s Justice Leaders 554 ABTarnisha Tilson From K–12 to Career: Building Pre-Apprenticeship Pipelines That Actually Work 550 ABCarlos Vazquez Streamlining Work-Based Learning Through Data and Organization Ballroom A-EAngie Fraser • Susan Journell • Derek Kaufman • Kirsten O'Grady • Kelly Robucci WBL Ecosystems: Igniting Student Success and Community Vitality 552 ABJan Jardine • Kristy Volesky • Jason Van Nus “CTEats” Doing More WBL with Less in Rural School Divisions through Community Engagement RotundaTerri Rinko “Innovating Work-Based Learning Through a Community College Approach” 556 AJacqueline M. Tiermini, Ed.D. From Exploration to Evidence: How Micro-Credentials Turn Career Curiosity into Work-Based Readiness 556 BDan Weidmann Scalable WBL through Student Run Manufacturing Enterprise 557Rebecca Knight

5:30pm EDT

EXPO Happy Hour Ballroom Prefunction

7:15am EDT

Breakfast Ballroom A-E Registration Terrace Lounge Exhibitor Time Ballroom Prefunction

8:00am EDT

Rhode Island Industry and Workforce Panel Ballroom A-EWillie Barber • Heather Singleton • Bill Bryan

9:15am EDT

Apprenticeship Skeptics to Advocates: Gaining Institutional Buy-In 555 ABJeramiah Reed • Justin Siler CANCELLED: From Intake to Impact: Six Steps to Student–Industry Projects 556 ANatalie Stromberg Navigating Together: Schools and Industry Aligned for Student Impact Ballroom A-ECrystal Everett • April Fleming • Sean Stalling • Breona Ward • Dr. Sara Wickham Rural Reach: Mastering Social Media & Marketing to Amplify WBL 552 ABJill Denton • Megan Harris • Amanda Johnson Scaling Apprenticeships: Innovating to Deliver on Investments 554 ABJenn Stein Unlocking NC’s Work-Based Learning Manual: Supporting District Success 553 ABJeanne Turner Unlocking Potential, Empowering Communities: Rural Success Stories in Work-Based Learning 550 ABJason Butcher • Dawn Ulmer Workforce Rx: Healing the Healthcare Talent Gap 551 ABJenny Johnston • Marshall Behringer • Greg Benz • Greg Granberg • Annie Johnston • Bridgett Willey Smarter Approach to Tracking Work-Based Learning: Tools, Processes, Best Practices 557Popy Graham Stukent CTE - Courses, Simternships, Certification Prep, & Certifications 556 BHayley Johnson

10:20am EDT

Break + Exhibitor Time Ballroom Prefunction

10:45am EDT

Aligning Strengths to Opportunities: A Process for Personalizing Work-Based Learning 552 ABBethany Orban Chew • Cindy Schluckebier From Connection to Collaboration: Building Business Partnerships That Last 555 ABStacey Turner From Start-Up to Standout: Building a Sustainable District-Wide Internship Program 550 ABDr. Ni\'Shawn L. Stovall From Touchpoint to Career: DPS Career Exploration Initiatives for Pathway School Students 551 ABAdam Arellano • Monica Schultz Give me TEN: A Business First Approach to Work-Based Learning 556 ASue Dickson Pre-Apprenticeships: Building the Future of Education Through Georgia’s Teacher Pipeline 554 ABDr. Laura Ergle • Heather Finley WBL Event Inspiring Girls to Pursue their Dreams 553 ABDr. Rod Belnap • Kyle Stanger Networking Session Ballroom A-E Fueling the Workforce Development Engine: Leveraging student aptitudes to ensure the best fit work-based experiences 557Alex Palmer Stronger Together: Building Regional WBL Programs Through District Collaboration 556 BSusan Scott • Madison Hendrick

11:00am EDT

Exhibitor Move-Out Ballroom Prefunction