National Association of the Deaf

The NAD announces program and sponsorship details for the Second Annual NAD Leadership Training Conference, to be held October 29-November 1, 2009 at the Hyatt at Capitol Square in Columbus, Ohio with the theme of Conquering Challenges: Leadership Beyond Barriers. The goal of this year’s conference is to address leadership challenges and opportunities that deaf and hard of hearing individuals face within rapidly changing nonprofit, educational, government, and corporate environments.

The success of this year's conference is made possible through the generous support of Communication Service for the Deaf, CSDVRS (The Z), Gallaudet University, National Technical Institute for the Deaf at RIT, Purple Communications, Snap!VRS, Sorenson Communications, and TracFone Wireless.

Conference training areas focus on promoting diversity and sharing of diverse viewpoints, characteristics of successful leaders, proactive change leadership, coalition building and teamwork, accountable leaders, communicating effectively, conducting leadership search efforts, running healthy meetings, conflict resolution, and harnessing the power of social media. Facilitators for these training areas are: Mark Apodaca, Shane Feldman, Shilpa Hanumantha, Pamela Lloyd-Ogoke, James Macfadden, Deborah Mayer, William McGee, Elizabeth Pollard, Julie Rems-Smario, Howard Rosenblum, and Darlene Goncz Zangara.

Regional and affiliate caucuses will also be held during the conference, to enable state association and affiliate representatives to confer on matters of importance within their respective areas. Resources support on youth leadership will also available during the conference, after which time the NAD Board of Directors will hold its quarterly meeting (observers are welcome to watch the board in action).

Registration is $150 for NAD members and $190 for non-members (membership is included), which includes plenary and breakout sessions; conference packet with PowerPoint files on DVD; opening/dessert reception; two luncheons; networking breaks with refreshments; and a closing/dessert reception. Hotel guest room rates have been negotiated at the Hyatt on Capitol Square where all activities will take place: $82/single plus tax; $107/double plus tax.

The entire conference will be conducted in American Sign Language (ASL). Interested persons who wish to register, request accommodations, and make their hotel reservations must do so before the October 2, 2009 deadline.

Learn more about the NLTC ’09 program/schedule, how you can register and make hotel reservations. Included is a link to a sample justification letter that you can use to secure workplace coverage for registration and travel expenses. We also welcome additional sponsors.