2026 Conference Schedule
General Session
Field Services
Leadership
Shelter Operations
Day 1 – August 18, 2026
9–10am
Lakewood Ballroom
Rachel D.K. Finney
General Session
The Power of Perspective
10:30am-noon
City Lights 2-3
Jennifer Bolser, DVM, cVMA
10:30am–Noon
LakeWood Ballroom
Jenna Roth
Field Services
Legal Considerations for Animal Management Officers
10:30am–Noon
City LIghts 1
Rachel D.K. Finney
Leadership
How to Decide: A Balanced Decision-Making Model for the Most Difficult Choices
1:15-2:30pm
City Lights 2 and 3
Erin Romero, RVT
Shelter Operations
Common Wildlife Encounters, Myths, & Handling for Shelters
1:15–2:30pm
Lakewood Ballroom
Sergeant Audrey Borsick & Sergeant Noah Imai
Field Services
Wait, Your Officers Do What?!
1:15-2:30pm
City Lights I
Rachel Levine
Leadership
Unpacking the Hidden Impact of Bias: Building Inclusive Animal Welfare Practices from Shelter to Community
3-4:30pm
City Lights 2 and 3
Amanda Payne, DVM, CBCC-KA
Shelter Operations
Medications and Modifications: Supporting Our Canine Populations Both In and Out of the Shelter Environment
3-4:30pm
Lakewood Ballroom
Erin Romero, RVT
Field Services
Common Wildlife Encounters, Myths, & Handling for Field Officers
3-4:30pm
City Lights I
Rachel D.K. Finney
Leadership
Logistics of Drama at Work: When Toxic Team Dynamics Are Draining Your Energy and Compromising Effectiveness
Day 2 – August 19, 2026
9-10am
Lakewood Ballroom
Michael Simpson
General Session
Growing Humane Cultures: Coaching Skills for Animal Welfare Leaders
10:30–11:45am
Lakewood Ballroom
Jim Crosby
Field Services
Severe & Fatal Dog Attack Investigations
10:30-11:45am
City LIghts I
Susan & Michael Simpson
Leadership
Making Conflict Constructive: Practicing Courageous, Humane Conversations
10:30-11:45am
City Lights 2 and 3
Jill Wetzel
Shelter Operations
Enhancing Enrichment Offerings for Your Shelter & Community
1:15-2:30pm
Lakewood Ballroom
Phil Arkow
Field Services
“Women’s Best Friend”: Assessing the Impact of Animal-Inclusive Protection Orders
1:15-2:30pm
City Lights 1
Jonathan Liebert
Leadership
Leveraging AI for Non-Profit Impact
1:15-2:30pm
City Lights 2 and 3
Erina Van Dusen
Shelter Operations
Leveraging Data to Drive Systemwide Animal Outcomes
3-4:15pm
Lakewood Ballroom
Jace Huggins
Field Services
Master De-Escalation
3-4:15pm
City Lights I
Juliana Tetlow
Leadership
Animal Shelter Contracts: A New Approach to Negotiation & Compensation
3-4:15pm
City Lights 2 and 3
Ariel Fagen, DVM, DACVB
Shelter Operations
The Evidence for Behavior Modification in the Shelter Environment
Day 3 – August 20, 2026
9-10 am
Lakewood Ballroom
Kelly Bremken
General Session
From Inner Critic to Inner Guide: Cultivating Self-Compassion in Animal Welfare Work
10:30am-noon
City Lights I
Courtney Imhoff
Leadership
Coffee & Collaboration
Growing Great Leaders: Building Supervisor Training for Your Organization
10:30am-noon
City Lights 2 and 3
Kelly Bremken
Shelter Operations
Snap Back to Capacity: Rebuilding Reslience and Connection in Today’s Animal Sheltering Work
10:30am-noon
Lakewood Ballroom
Jace Huggins
Field Services
Evidence Collection
1:15-2:30pm
Lakewood Ballroom
Nick Fisher
Dr. courtney diehl
PACFA Presentation
2026 PACFA Program Updates