03/01/2026
Resilience, Dynamic Solutions and the Global Career Development Conference
By Mary Ann Powell and Melanie Reinersman
Convened by the premier career development association, the National Career Development Association (NCDA) conference is an annual opportunity to learn, earn continuing education, network, meet leaders in the association and the field, explore a vibrant city, and gain significant professional and personal resources for another year of service. The collaborative effort of many individuals and organizations makes this three-day event (or four, if professional development institutes are added on) full of 90+ presentations, three keynote sessions, constituency and committee meetings, receptions, and exhibitor interactions. Up to 15 hours of continuing education (CE) are available for attendance at the full conference from Tuesday through Thursday, with more options for CEs with additional registrations. Full details are posted on the NCDA conference website at www.NCDAconference.org.
Quality Presentations
Presentations (60 minutes), Roundtables (25 minutes) and more are offered in seven different sessions. NCDA received over 340 proposals for conference presentations. From these, the conference program committee, chaired by Dr. Kathy Evans, had the difficult job of selecting valuable and unique presentations to be part of the conference. The NCDA President, Dirk Matthews, personally selected the following keynote speakers.
Dr. Bidhan “Bobby” Parmar is the Shannon Smith Bicentennial Professor of Business Administration and teaches First Year Ethics, Second Year electives on collaboration, and creative and critical thinking at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. He was named one of the top 40 business school professors under 40 in the world and has won several teaching and research awards. Parmar's research interests focus on how managers make sense of uncertainty and collaborate to create value for stakeholders. His latest book, Radical Doubt, helps decision makers turn doubt into a catalyst for learning.
Azizi Marshall is an award-winning film and theatre director, licensed clinical psychotherapist, international keynote speaker, and CEO of Content Studio Lab. She helps leaders, organizations, and public-facing professionals translate their expertise into clear, compelling communication that builds trust, influence, and long-term visibility. Azizi is the creator of the Visibility Power System and Influence Rewired. Drawing on her background as a SAG-AFTRA union actor and licensed psychotherapist, Azizi trains executives to communicate with grounded presence, emotional intelligence, and impact. She partners with organizations internationally to elevate visibility, strengthen leadership communication, and ensure their stories are heard with clarity and credibility.
Dr. Jaana Kettunen is a Professor of Guidance and Vice-director at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research (FIER), at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland and a Research Associate at Florida State University's Center for Career Research. She currently serves as President of the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG). Dr. Kettunen´s research has a strong international orientation with a special interest in the design and use of information and communication technology including AI in career guidance. She was awarded the NCDA International Practitioner of the Year Award and the IAEVG–APCDA Academic Excellence Award.
Professional Development Institutes
Do you have a special interest in a particular topic, such as storytelling, or a special population such as those over age 50? Would you like to learn more about organizational career development or how to align values with career choice? The NCDA conference offers the option to register for Professional Development Institutes (PDIs) for a more in-depth look into specific career topics for those interested or needing more continuing education. (PDIs require additional registration fees). Scheduled for Monday June 29, the eight PDI options and descriptions for these four-hour courses are posted on the conference Agenda webpage.
Annual Virtual Conference
This year, the virtual conference option will offer select recordings from conference presentations for a separate registration fee. Ten CEs are available, with access open from July 14 – Oct 31, 2026. All three keynote sessions from the in-person conference will be recorded and available in the virtual conference platform.
New Livestream Options
On Tuesday, June 30, the Opening General Session and two select 60-minute presentations will be livestreamed from Minneapolis for those registered for the Virtual Conference.
CEs for Career Centers and Organizations
A separate low-priced registration for the Livestream option on June 30th offers career center staff or other organizations three CEs for up to 20 people. This option only includes the Livestream General Session and two select 60-minute presents, but not the Virtual Conference.
DEI Symposium
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Symposium features more than fifteen presentations that will take place throughout the conference on select topics. View the conference Agenda webpage for the list, which includes “Dialogue with Dignity” and “Breaking Barriers” and more.
Career Development Exhibitors
The conference welcomes exhibitors and sponsors from public and private corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and professional associations who offer career-related products and services such as books, media, computer-based systems, assessment instruments, and online services. Watch for their speaking engagements in the exhibit hall, social media posts, and stage recognition during the Welcome Reception, free lunch on Tuesday, coffee breaks or anytime you visit the Exhibit Hall. To participate as an exhibitor or sponsor, view the 2026 Exhibitor Prospectus for details or contact Brianna Navarro at bnavarro@ncda.org.
Updates, the App and Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to learn more about the NCDA conference? Read the FAQs, such as this description of who typically attends: career development practitioners, facilitators, counselor educators, counselors, specialists, and more. Graduate students are encouraged to attend. NCDA Board members, committee chairpersons, state career development association leaders, and honored award winners are all an active part of the conference. All registered conference participants are given access to the free conference app, where each sessions is described in detail, user schedules are customized, and electronic outreach to participants is possible.
NCDA looks forward to seeing you and your career development contemporaries at the Global Career Development Conference in Minneapolis, MN, June 30-July 2, 2026. Online registration is open until June 8th. The residents of Minneapolis and tourism industry are in need of the support of others during these challenging times. The City of Minneapolis is committed to providing safety and security for all people in Minneapolis. Read the FAQs related to immigration enforcement activity released by Meet Minneapolis. Likewise, the needs of international travelers are being addressed in this message from the NCDA executive board. NCDA welcomes the exploration of creative resilience in relation to the work of career development professionals throughout the 2026 conference and beyond.
Program Review Committee
NCDA wishes to thank this year’s Program Chair: Dr. Kathy Evans and the team of conference proposal reviewers:
Mario Alvarado, Reedley College
Shadin Atiyeh, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County
Carrie Bazar, Raritan Valley Community College
Jackie Belle, Florida State University
Ne'Shaun Borden, Jacksonville University
Nathanial Brown, John Hopkins University
Jake Bucher, Florida State University
Brian Calhoun, Wake Forest University
Lisa Cardello, The College of New Jersey
Kimberly Cartledge, Lexington High School
Carla Cheatham, Seattle University
Amanda Chenkin, Choice Career Counseling, LLC
Young Choi-Plass, Soka University
Mylene Culbreath, University of Georgia
Terry Cummings, Penn State University
Mark Danaher, Careers by Design LLC
Ira Disman, Cornerstone Career Advising
Kaletra Dispennett, Seeger Memorial High School
Kathy Evans, No Dream Deferred, No Life Unlived
Linda Evans, Launched by Linda, LLC
Richard Fajardo, Ohio State University
Regina Finan, Agnes Scott College
Paris Gamble, PG Consulting
Ellen Goldman, Northeastern University
Celeste Hall, Virginia Community Colleges
Chaiqua Harris
Latoya Haynes-Thoby, University of Connecticut
Emad Helmy, Career Advisory Tools International LLC
Kyle Inselman, Pride in Your Path, LLC
Sujata Ives, Connecting the Neuro-Dots
Lynn Jennings, TTUHSC
Natalie Kauffman, KauffmanNcareers,LLC
Brandon Ray Keene-Orton, Central Michigan University
Bea Keller-Dupree, Northeastern State University
Deanna Knighton, North Carolina State University
Christopher LaFever, Florida State University
Qiong Li, Florida State University
Madeline Liggett, Cedar Springs Public Schools
Ayla Ludwig, Western Michigan University
Sophia Marshall, George Mason University
Jen Money-Brady, Seattle University
Thuy Nguyen, San Jose State University
Jennifer Niles, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Emile Ofori, Galeed Institute of Science & Technology-Ghana
Deb Osborn, Florida State University
Jacob Perez, Florida State University
Amy Policastro-Schroeder, NC Department of Public Instruction
Delasia Rice, Fordham University
Yulanda Riley, Arkansas Workforce Connections, Office of Adult Education
Sharon Rouls, Your Career Tapestry
Aubrey Sejuit, Winthrop University
Azra Karajic Siwiec
Miranda Snead Yates, Mountain Empire Community College
Barbara Suddarth, Career Development Alliance
Tarae Terry, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Mirna Villa, UpSkilling U
Carlin Weinburg, Florida State University
Kelly Woods, Mount Holyoke College
Galaxina Wright, Nova Southeastern University
Caitlyn Ybarra, Truman State University
Mary Ann Powell is the NCDA Conference Director. She can be reached at mpowell@ncda.org
Melanie Reinersman is the NCDA Website Director. She can be reached at mreinersman@ncda.org