Read more about a few of the sessions below, along with related ICMA programs and resources offered year-round to help you and your team take the next step from learning to practical application.
There's still time to register for ICMA 2023 Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, September 30 to October 4! View the schedule at a glance, or the full agenda.
Art of Assistant Leadership: The ACAO Career Trajectory Four Part Series
When: (All times local) Saturday, September 30, 2023. 7:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting Room 15
What: The Art of Assistant Leadership is a free four-session series created by the ACAO Committee focused on the career path to and trajectory of the ACAO role in local government. Do I stay? Do I go? How do I perform well here and now with my CAO? These questions and more will be answered by a diverse group of assistants and deputies who have experience in taking the next step to the chief role—or remaining in the best job in the organization. Full session description.
What Next?
ICMA's Guidebook for Assistant and Deputy Managers
- Roles of an ACAO.
- Effective ACAO skills.
- Mentoring for an ACAO.
- Managing with multiple ACAOs.
Ethics Matter
When: Monday, October 2, 2023. 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting Room 7
What: This peer-to-peer session will be an opportunity to revisit those facets of the ICMA Code of Ethics where members have often sought guidance on how to best meet their ethical obligations and common ethical dilemmas. Full description.
What You’ll Learn:
- To understand your ethical obligations.
- How to navigate common ethical pitfalls.
- Ethical decision-making.
What Next?
Ethics education and confidential ethics advice is consistently named one of the top member benefits and services. Ethics is a cornerstone of the local government profession and the ICMA Code of ethics distinguishes its members. Learn more about ICMA's Ethics Program.
Infrastructure Resilience Workshop Promoting Partnerships to Power Through Chaos (Natural Disaster, Power Grid Failure, Cyber Attack)
When: Monday, October 2, 2023. 1:30-4:00 p.m.
Where: Hilton Austin: Meeting Room 616AB
What: It's not a matter of “if” an emergency situation will occur in your community it's “when.” Many of us want to believe that the worst case scenario will never happen, so why should we waste time and money preparing for it? However, we know from experience that disasters do happen. This workshop facilitated by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Full description.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to prepare for a scenario in which your community's critical services are impacted.
- Tools that you can implement now in order to be better prepared.
What Next?
ICMA's Veterans Programs are committed to partnering with our defense agencies to better prepare our communities for situations that could impact critical services such as water, fuel, medical care, trash removal, etc. Situations in which services are impacted most often come as a result of mother nature, but increasingly they are a result of cyber attacks. The homeland is no longer a sanctuary and the Department of Defense cannot be a community's emergency preparedness plan.
Form of Government Student Competition Symposium
When: Monday, October 2, 2023. 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting Room 15
What: Students present findings and research on what makes a mayor “strong” under a council-manager form of government. Hear from current students on research they conducted on form of government. Full description.
What to Expect:
- Learn more about form of government.
- Gain knowledge of research conducted by students on the form of government.
- Connect with peers and members.
What Next?
ICMA Student Chapters introduce and integrate students into the local government management profession and familiarize them with members, resources, and the ICMA Code of Ethics. The student chapter program provides opportunities for students to conduct research on the profession, host events on issues happening in the profession, and provide feedback on issues that matter to students and young professionals. The Form of Government Student Competition Symposium is an opportunity for students to showcase their research skills and engage with ICMA members.
Gen-Z & Millennials Disrupting the Traditional Local Government Workforce
When: Monday, October 2, 2023. 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting Room 7
What: Identify creative strategies to recruit the next generation into the profession. Full description.
What You’ll Learn:
- Recruitment challenges and creative recruitment strategies.
- Innovative strategies to address the retention crisis in the local government profession.
- Strategies to increase the local government talent pool.
What Next?
The Local Government Management Fellowship Program places recent MPA/MPP graduates into full-time management-track local government positions. Local governments need skilled and dedicated professionals to be prepared to take the helm of our cities, counties, and towns. The LGMF aims to develop capacity for the management profession and individual communities. Fellows’ expertise and skills allow them to assume real responsibility and thrive amid challenges while gaining unique exposure to local government.
County Administrators’ Idea Exchange
When: Monday, October 2, 2023. 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting Room 13AB
What: If you've ever felt the weight of making decisions that impact your community, this is your chance to lighten that load. Join your peers to be part of a collective that's bigger than any one county. By attending, you're not just absorbing knowledge, but contributing to a nationwide effort to innovate and elevate county administration. Learn powerful insights and make critical connections. It's time to shape the future collaboratively. Full description.
What You’ll Learn:
- Collaborative Innovation: Challenges faced by one county are often faced by others. County leaders come together to co-create solutions that are more efficient and broadly applicable.
- Future-forward Insights: This event provides a lens into the future, offering strategies and tools to navigate the coming years.
What Next?
The National Association of County Administrators (NACA), an ICMA affiliate group, encourages professional development for county administrators and provides information and resources to its members to improve the management of county government. NACA's purpose is achieved through sharing knowledge, assisting counties, encouraging professional development, developing and maintaining a professional association with ICMA, and assisting NACo.
International Strategies and Initiatives in Support of Economic Development
When: Monday, October 2, 2023. 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting Room 19
What: Attendees will learn how to work across jurisdictions to develop economic strategies that benefit community residents from across a region; create an international economic development strategy; develop public-private partnerships; and maximize the three phases of business recruitment (preparation, execution, and follow-up) to achieve maximum benefits in their community’s economic development strategy. Full description.
What You’ll Learn:
- Understand why local governments should develop an international development strategy.
- Identify the key elements of an international development strategy, including the export of products and services.
- Learn about other jurisdictions that have developed a strategy and/or increased foreign direct investment in their communities.
What Next?
Learn more or get involved with ICMA's Global Engagement Strategy, and a full Conference Global Events Guide and Economic Mobility Guide.
ICMA and Ukraine Meeting
When: Tuesday, October 3, 2023. 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Grand Ballroom Salon G
What: This session aims to address how ICMA and its members have been and can be more supportive of Ukrainian local governments and how ICMA can back Ukrainian local governments in both short-term reconstruction needs and longer-term economic development and recovery objectives. Full description.
What Next?
Learn more or get involved with ICMA's Global Engagement Strategy, and a full Conference Global Events Guide.
Prepare to Be Hired: Resources for Every Step of Your Local Government Career
When: Tuesday, October 3, 2023. 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting Room 14
What: This event will provide attendees with the resources they need to succeed in their current or next role. ICMA members are encouraged to drop by this event to help resume review, headshots, sessions on executive and general hiring practices, and receive career guides and handbooks. Full description.
What Next?
The ICMA Job Center offers employers and job seekers hiring resources for every step of the process, from user-friendly and cost-effective posting to career guidebooks and handbooks. Like the ICMA Job Center, this event provides participants with resources to help them succeed in their current position or propel them to the next position.
Making Local Gov the Next New Trend: How to Eng@ge Youth in Your Community
When: Tuesday, October 3, 2023. 2:45-3:45 p.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting Room 7
What: An opportunity to hear from youth about the best ways to engage youth in your community. Full description.
What You’ll Learn:
- To emphasize the value and goals of engaging youth in local government.
- Develop youth engagement techniques and strategies to incorporate in the participant’s community.
- Identify the youth values and strategize ways to incorporate the youth voice in your community’s strategic plan.
What Next?
The Turner Scholars Internship Program allows local governments to shape the future for high school students and show them the impact of local government through a hands-on learning opportunity. Students learn about a values-based career that will carry with them throughout their career path. Internships are just one of the ways local governments can engage youth in their community.
Ramallah’s Resilience Journey: How We Learned from Different International Best Practices and We Created Our Own City Vision
When: Wednesday, October 4, 2023. 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Where: Austin Convention Center: Meeting room 19.
What: The presentation will include background on the city of Ramallah, as well as its vision and main challenges. Ramallah has adopted the 2030 U.N. Agenda as a framework for city planning. They're working on the three main dimensions of sustainable development: social inclusion, economic development, and environmental protection, as well as culture, which Ramallah has added on as a fourth dimension. Full description.
What You’ll Learn:
- Recognize leadership tools for crisis management and building resilience .
- Transfer the knowledge shared into their own contexts to build resilient communities.
- Implement international best practices in your own communities.
What Next?
Learn more or get involved with ICMA's Global Engagement Strategy, and a full Conference Global Events Guide.
Watch for an in-depth preview of 2023 ICMA Annual Conference:
New, Reduced Membership Dues
A new, reduced dues rate is available for CAOs/ACAOs, along with additional discounts for those in smaller communities, has been implemented. Learn more and be sure to join or renew today!
