NAD Relocates 2006 Biennial Conference to Southern California

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is pleased to announce that its 48th Biennial National Conference will be held at Desert Springs – a J.W. Marriott Resort, in Palm Desert, California, June 29-July 3, 2006, which is in close proximity to the Palm Springs International Airport. Mother Nature, in the form of Hurricane Katrina, forced the NAD to find a new location for the conference originally scheduled for New Orleans, Louisiana.

"We grieve with the rest of the nation on the destruction caused to several states by the hurricane. Because of the uncertainty about the New Orleans city infrastructure, the NAD Board of Directors felt that it was in the best interest of all involved to move the 48th Biennial National Conference in 2006 to Region IV and return to New Orleans in 2008," said NAD President Andrew J. Lange.

The Desert Springs Resort sits on over 450 acres of lush grounds and lakes and is one of the largest resort complexes in the southwestern United States. Located 11 miles from Palm Springs International Airport, 78 miles from Ontario Airport and 130 miles from Los Angeles International Airport, the resort is a self-contained, thriving oasis with gorgeous meeting space all on the same floor, two championship golf courses on the property, tennis and swimming facilities, and one of the finest resort spas in the United States. Five restaurants, Starbucks and several small food outlets will sure that attendees will not go hungry.

"This is the perfect place to have a conference," said NAD Chief Executive Officer Nancy J. Bloch, "the meeting space is wonderful and everything is under one roof. This conference is about change, a unique and different kind of conference site, a change in dates, and most importantly -- we will all be changed in the most positive way after the 2006 NAD Conference experience!"

The Conference officially begins on Thursday, June 29 with forums and workshops starting in the afternoon and Opening Ceremonies and a Welcome Reception that evening. Pre-conference sessions for the NAD Board and official delegates take place on June 28. The NAD College Bowl Competition is on Saturday, July 1. The NAD 125th Anniversary Celebration Banquet is scheduled for Sunday evening, July 2, and the NAD Miss Deaf America Pageant finals will be held on Monday evening, July 3, the last night of the conference week.

Exhibits, workshops and forums will all take place in two huge ballrooms that easily accommodate all NAD Conference plans, with major evening events taking place right next door to exhibits and workshops.

"The California Association of the Deaf is thrilled to welcome the NAD Biennial National Conference to our beautiful state," said Richard Ray, President. "We look forward to working with the NAD to make this a most memorable event."

The basic 2006 NAD Conference schedule is now on the NAD website at: http://www.nad.org/2006confschedule [2]

Detailed information will be posted on the NAD website within the next few weeks. "Our focus, in respect to the conference, the last few weeks since Hurricane Katrina was finding a new location for our large and unique meeting," said President Lange. "Now the NAD Board of Directors and NAD Headquarters staff are hard at work to ensure a successful national conference in Southern California," he continued.

To keep up-to-date on 2006 NAD Conference news, please subscribe to the NAD Conference eNews at:
http://www.nad.org/eNewsletters [3]

The NAD will also honor 2006 NAD Conference pre-registrations at the new location. If you have questions about your pre-registration, please contact:
conference@nad.org [4]