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2026 APA National Conference Presenter Information and Guidelines

Welcome, 2026 APA National Conference presenters! We're thrilled to have you contribute to our event. This page provides essential information and guidelines to help you prepare your presentation and make the most of your experience.

Please familiarize yourself with the general APA CE Course Guidelines and Procedures and the specific details for the 2026 conference below.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to Frances Ellington.

Important dates and deadlines

Mark your calendars! Timely submission of materials is crucial for a smooth conference experience.

Friday, July 11, 2025

Friday, August 22, 2025

Friday, November 7, 2025

Monday, January 5, 2026

Wednesday - Friday

January 21 - 23, 2026

Speaker information form including headshot due from presenters

Course information form due from presenters

Draft PPT due from presenters

Final PPT, any additional handouts, and signed AIA/CES Speaker Agreement form due from presenters

2026 APA National Conference

General conference information

Conference venue and travel

The 2026 APA National Conference will be held at the Austin Marriott North, located at 2600 La Frontera Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78681. You can reach the hotel directly at (512) 733-6767.

All presenters are responsible for securing their own hotel and travel arrangements. We've secured a block of discounted rooms at the Austin Marriott North for $145 per night. These rooms are available until they sell out or by Tuesday, January 6, 2026, whichever comes first. We strongly recommend booking your room early, as our block historically sells out quickly.

[Insert Link Here to Book Discounted Rooms]

Continuing Education (CE) credit for presenters

As a presenter, you're invited to attend all conference sessions without needing to register.

However, if you plan to use conference attendance for personal continuing education credit and need APA to provide course completion certificates and report your attendance, you'll need to register for the conference as an attendee - registration will open in November. APA will seek CE course approval for conference courses from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the APA Certification Program (APAC), the International Code Council (ICC), and the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP).

Meals provided

As a presenter, you'll receive the same complimentary meals and snacks provided to all attendees. This includes:

  • Wednesday: mid-afternoon coffee and snacks
  • Thursday: breakfast, mid-morning coffee and snacks, lunch, mid-afternoon coffee and snacks
  • Friday: breakfast, mid-morning coffee and snacks

Course promotion

APA is dedicated to promoting your valuable contributions to the conference. We will actively promote your course and your expertise through various channels, including:

  • Social Media: Dedicated posts and mentions on our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn channels
  • Website: Listing on the official 2026 APA National Conference webpage
  • Newsletter: Promotion in our quarterly newsletter, distributed to our extensive network of professionals

Policies & disclaimers

Evaluations

At the end of the conference, a survey will be sent to all attendees. The survey will include questions on each speaker and presentation. The results from that survey will be evaluated by the APA Education & Events Committee and considered when planning future conferences and training sessions. In addition to survey responses, the following factors will be taken into consideration:

  • The presentation was relevant and timely
  • Learning objectives were clearly stated and met
  • Course content met class description
  • The presenter was knowledgeable and prepared
  • The presenter was engaging and interacted with attendees appropriately
  • The course was unbiased and did not promote a product or service

Intellectual property

By accepting an invitation to speak at the conference, you warrant to APA that you have obtained all necessary permission to use the work contained in your presentation materials (including photos and drawings) and that you have the right to grant APA a license to repurpose your materials. Use presentation materials that contain only your work or the work that others have authorized you to use. You may not use the copyrighted work of others without their permission.

Repurposing programs

By agreeing to speak at the 2026 APA National Conference, you give APA permission to create handouts of your presentation to provide to attendees. Please be aware that presentations may also be recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded or have any questions or concerns regarding this, please email FrancesEllington@APAaccess.org.

Disclaimer notice

To maintain the integrity of our educational content, presenters may not promote specific products or services or distribute proprietary literature during their sessions. APA reserves the right to adjust your program materials to ensure they meet APA's content policies.

Additionally, all visual presentations and handout materials must include the following statement:

“This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.”

Presentation materials

Required course materials

To ensure a successful conference, please submit the following materials to FrancesEllington@APAaccess.org by the deadlines listed in the "Important Dates" section above.

  • Speaker Information Form - All speakers and panelists need to complete a Speaker Information form. The form will ask for you to upload your headshot.
  • Course Information Form - For courses with more than one presenter or panelist, only one individual needs to fill out the Course Information Form
  • PowerPoint (PPT) File: This must include a complete set of course slides, incorporating the APA Mandatory Slides. Please note: the APA Mandatory Slides have been updated, so even if you've spoken at a previous conference, please use the most current version. Also, APA will send you your course numbers when we receive them, likely sometime in the fall. You will need to include the course numbers in the final PPT and on the signed AIA/CES Agreement Form.
  • Signed AIA/CES Speaker Agreement Form
  • Any additional handouts you'd like shared with attendees

PPT presentation guidelines

To maintain a consistent and professional look throughout the conference, all presenters must use the official APA Mandatory Slides. These master slides cannot be altered. You may insert your own content slides within the body of the presentation, provided they do not contain proprietary graphics or information.

Please adhere to the following formatting guidelines for all your slides:

  • Font: Use Arial or Calibri.
  • Font Size: Use at least 20-point font, consistently applied throughout.
  • Text Alignment: Left align all text.
  • Line Spacing: Use 1.5 line spacing.
  • Content Style: Use succinct phrases instead of full sentences. Avoid unnecessary punctuation and paragraphs.
  • Headings: Ensure headlines and subheads at each level have consistent sizing and typeface.
  • Margins: Maintain at least one-inch margins.
  • Color Contrast: If you insert your own content slides, use dark-colored lettering on a light background or vice versa. Ensure sufficient contrast for accessibility. We recommend using a free online tool like Colour Contrast Analyzer to test your color choices.

Handouts

APA will generate handouts for attendees directly from your submitted PowerPoint presentation (three slides per sheet with lines for notes). If you wish to provide additional handouts to attendees, please include these materials when you submit your course materials to FrancesEllington@APAaccess.org.

Continuing Education: APA is a registered provider with the American Institute of Architects (AIA/CES Provider #G583), the APA Certification Program (APAC Preferred Provider #101), the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR Provider #0007855 / License #PVD312), and the International Code Council (ICC Preferred Provider #1321), and it offers pre-verified credits for the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP). Numerous organizations, including the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, accept APA training for CE requirements; attendees are responsible for confirming course requirements for their licenses and certifications.