Navigating high-stress environments, complex public scrutiny, and workplace fatigue requires practical tools. We are excited to announce two powerful Game Changer sessions coming to ICMA 2026 in Long Beach:

Game Changer Sessions Spotlight 

Spotting the Invisible Forces that Fuel Incivility (and How to Neutralize Them) 

Brady Wilson | Sunday, Oct 18 | 10:15 – 11:15 AM 

Grounded in brain science, human energy architect Brady Wilson reveals how high-stress environments overtax the human brain. Learn to spot relational strain early, shift from judgment to curiosity, and rebuild trust in polarized communities. >> Read more

How a Little Becomes a Lot: Small Changes for a Job That Never Lets Up 

Eric Zimmer | Monday, Oct 19 | 1:15 – 2:15 PM 

Author, coach, and host of The One You Feed podcast shares simple, high-impact habit shifts to manage self-talk under pressure, identify energy drains, and sustain personal resilience through demanding schedules. >>Read more

Earn Preconference Micro-Certifications 

Planning your Saturday/Sunday schedule or already registered? Boost your professional edge with one of 18 practical preconference workshops. Earn certificates in high-demand areas like AI Strategy, High-Performance Government, and Future-Ready Leadership. >> Sign up for a Micro-Cert 

Check out three new micro-certificate workshops that we are particularly excited about. 

Municipal Hospitality: Creating Moments That Matter in Local Government | October 17, 2026 |  8:00 am to 12:00 pm  
Christopher Gilbert, founder of Municipal Hospitality Advisors and a local government leader with more than 25 years of experience, leads this practical session on how a hospitality mindset can improve internal culture and the way people experience local government. Municipal Hospitality helps participants see everyday interactions not merely as transactions, but as opportunities to build trust, create connection, and leave people feeling seen, respected, and cared for. This micro-certificate explores the difference between service and hospitality, why hospitality is a strategic advantage in local government, and how it can be applied across departments, roles, and everyday touchpoints.

Placemaking: From Vision to Reality | October 18, 2026 |  8:00 am to 12:00 pm 
Presented by Project for Public Spaces, this session will introduce attendees to the concepts and principles of placemaking as a collaborative way of thinking about and improving community destinations. Participants will be encouraged to consider the variety of existing and potential places within their communities, including streets, roadways, sidewalks, parks, plazas, open spaces, the grounds of civic and cultural institutions, parking lots and even vacant spaces and explore ways to improve them. Project for Public Spaces presenters will introduce attendees to the practical tools and techniques of placemaking and will participate in a hands-on workshop to practice their learnings.

Finding Time: Process Innovation for Better Public Services | October 18, 2026 |  8:00 am to 12:00 pm  
This workshop is presented by Brian Elms, CEO and founder of Change Agents Training, author of Peak Performance and previous director of the Peak Academy for the City and County of Denver for more than five years.  Discover innovative process improvement techniques to eliminate time waste and find time for high-priority tasks. Learn how to recognize challenges in your work that cause you to lose opportunities and make your services better. Participants will learn to set up problems based on services and diagnose where opportunities exist to improve within their sphere of control. No matter where you sit in the organization, improvement in your services and process is always possible.

Flexible Registration and Ways to Save 

Whether you are bringing a group or looking for single-day attendance, explore registration options designed for your schedule and budget:

• Join, Go, Save (Active through Oct 17): Not a member yet? Join ICMA before registering to instantly unlock member-only rates on full conference registration and one-day passes.
• Group Rates (15% Off): Register 4 or more colleagues together to take 15% off each registration fee. Both members and nonmembers on your team qualify for the group discount! 
• One-Day Passes: Short on time? Pick the specific day that aligns best with your schedule:
  • Member One-Day Pass: $475
  • Nonmember One-Day Pass: $960 

(Note: One-day passes are not eligible for group discounts).