a presenter holding a microphone glances behind him as the audience looks on
Photo by Cheryl Gerber/AP Images for the HSUS

The Call for Presentations closed on July 31, 2023 - additional information on the process below.

Each year Animal Care Expo features nearly 100 professional development workshops and educational opportunities with clear learning objectives. We strive to include speakers and panelists who are industry leaders in their subject areas for tracks ranging from veterinary medicine to access to care, field services and global spotlight. Workshops provide a deeper dive into trending topics and specific best practices. Animal Care Expo speakers provide conference participants with tools they can use to gain inspiration and strategies to implement in their own organizations.

The Humane Society of the United States is committed to increasing the inclusiveness and diversity of our movement and our work, as reflected in our statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Animal Care Expo is the ideal venue to integrate a wide range of perspectives in our approach to create a humane and sustainable world for all animals. We make every effort to ensure a range of backgrounds and perspectives among our speakers, conference participants and session content.

To make our conference more welcoming for all, and to ensure participants get to hear and learn from the best possible group of speakers, we will:

  • Support speakers who need financial assistance to present at the conference, including hotel and travel, by inviting them to complete a grant-subsidized speaker application that could offset travel expenses associated with presenting at Animal Care Expo.
  • Ask speakers who are able to cover expenses associated with presenting at the conference to forego making a request for financial assistance. By covering their own attendance, for-profit companies, exhibitors, sponsors, and non-profit organizations that have a budget for training can help us offer grants that will help us welcome and support speakers for whom attendance might otherwise be a challenge.
  • Continue to provide all speakers with complimentary full-conference registration including a learning lab, (3) lunches, (2) evening receptions with dinner, and the Expo party.

As a part of the presentation submission process this year, speakers will be asked to indicate whether they will need financial assistance via a question on the presentation proposal form. A speaker's need of financial assistance will not be factored into the process for selecting presentations.

We receive many fantastic presentation proposals for Animal Care Expo every year, and not every submission can be selected. We strive to select proposals that will advance the current trending challenges that animal welfare professionals and volunteers are facing. Note that if your presentation is selected, each speaker will be required to sign an Event Speaker Agreement.

Selection Process

Proposals are selected to ensure the conference offers a comprehensive, non-promotional, not commercially biased, objective and diverse program.

Proposals will be reviewed using the following selection criteria:

  • Relevance of Topic: Is the topic of relevance, importance, value, and/or interest to Animal Care Expo attendees? Proposals that clearly describe innovative and creative work unavailable through other sources will receive the highest priority.
  • Workshop Outcomes Achievability: Is there alignment between the stated session outcomes and the proposal description?
  • Quality of Submission: Does the proposal demonstrate quality, as measured by accuracy, clarity, comprehensiveness, and depth of demonstrated understanding of the topic?
  • Engagement/Knowledge Transfer: Does the proposal provoke discussion, audience engagement, and/or facilitate knowledge transfer and development of new competency?
  • Speaker Qualifications and Experience: Does the speaker(s) have the qualifications and experience, ensuring a range of backgrounds and perspectives?

The Call for Presentations process has closed. If you have any questions please review the presentation proposal process FAQ or email Hannah Houser at hhouser@humanesociety.org with questions.

Document

Event Speaker Agreement 2024
Event Speaker Agreement 2024

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