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National Leadership Conference

National Leadership Conference

Grow Your Garden

DENVER, CO - Feb. 6-9, 2025

Just as a gardener plans, nurtures, and cultivates their garden to see it flourish, our 2025 Leadership Conference will guide you through the essential steps to grow and strengthen ESA. Under the theme Grow Your Garden, we’ll dive deep into strategic planning, personal growth, and community impact to ensure that your year is rooted in purpose and ready to blossom.

In Map Your Garden, you’ll chart your course for success, identifying where your leadership and chapter can thrive. Gather Your Tools and Prep Your Garden offers you the practical skills, resources, and insights needed to navigate challenges and cultivate strong relationships. During Nurture Your Garden, we’ll focus on sustaining growth, leading with intention, and fostering collaboration within the ESA community. Finally, in Evaluate Your Harvest, you'll reflect on your progress, celebrate wins, and gain inspiration for the future.

Whether you're a seasoned leader or new to ESA, this conference will provide the knowledge, support, and inspiration you need to plant the seeds of success and watch your chapter thrive. Join us and grow your leadership skills, your chapter’s impact, and ESA’s future!

REGISTER TODAY: 

               
*Login to the member center before you try to register online. If you have trouble, click "My Account," click the "Events" tab, click "Browse Events," click on the grey date box next to the event name, click the blue "Register" button. 

The conference is open to all ESA members who are interested in learning communication and leadership skills within ESA and anywhere else you consider yourself a leader. Join us for interactive presentations, games, and skill building with ESA members from across the country.

Note: We will continue to make every effort to ensure the health and safety of all attendees. Please note that we currently do not have plans to require proof of vaccination or a negative test to attend the conference, but appreciate your understanding should requirements necessarily change. Any changes will be communicated to participants prior to the event week.

Tentative Agenda
  • Feb. 6 Thursday
    • Registration, 2 - 5pm
    • Welcome Event, 7 - 9pm
  • Feb. 7 Friday  
    • Program, lunch, and activities, 9am - 4pm  
    • Party hosted by Incoming IC President, Celeste Webb, 5:00 pm
  • Feb. 8 Saturday
    • Program, lunch, and activities, 9am - 4pm 
    • Farewell dinner and fun, 6pm - 9pm
  • Feb. 9 Sunday - Travel home
Conference Workshops and Sessions:
  • Map Your Garden | Planning high level goals
  • Gather Your Tools and Prep Your Garden | Determining what you need 
    • Facilitating difficult conversations/meetings (Guest Speaker: Laurie Steele)
    • Community Outreach – finding partners (Guest Speaker: Kaylene Weingardt)
  • Nurture Your Garden | Executing your plan
  • Evaluate Your Harvest | (Guest Speaker: Erin Rodarmel)
  • '25-'26 Reveal | Incoming President’s Theme and Focus Reveal
  • Incoming State Presidents | A special track dedicated to preparing you for taking office in 2025
  • Updates from ESA entities (St. Jude, ESA Foundation, Hope for Heroes)
  • ...and much more! 
Additional Changes based on previous attendee feedback:
  • Color wars is back again! Come prepared to meet your new team and bond over small team challenges throughout the weekend.
  • All attendees are invited to join the event Facebook group (join information provided in your registration confirmation email). The group will be a place to virtually meet other attendees, share ideas, and hear more updates on the event.
Hotel Information

A room block at the Doubletree by Hilton DIA Hotel will be available for attendees to make their own reservations. Attendees can room with whomever they want and with however many people they want (for example, if your state has three members attending, there is now the option for all three to share a room).

If you do not have a roommate coming to the event and would like one there will be an option on the registration form for ESA Headquarters to match you with a roommate. Once the match is made each member will receive the other’s contact information and be able to independently manage your lodging bill with the hotel.

Alternative lodging is allowed, but members are responsible for transportation to and from the conference hotel.

Reservations for the event will be made by the individual attendee directly by online reservation link or by calling the Hotel at 303-574-1300. Attendees should identify themselves by the Group code “Epsilon Sigma Alpha” to receive the group room rate.