ANCOR Connect ‘25

In addition to the specified room rates, the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina applies a Resort Charge of $30.00 per room, per night. For our group, this charge is waived, with the included amenities provided at no additional cost.

• Premium high-speed internet access
• Morning yoga classes
• 1-hour cruiser bicycle use
• 5-hour paddleboard tour and lesson
• 1-hour daily tennis court rental with equipment for two
• Lawn games
• S’mores kits
• Unlimited local and domestic long-distance phone calls
• Electric vehicle charging

• Check-In: Guest accommodations will be available starting at 4 pm on the day of arrival.
• Check-Out: Guests must vacate their rooms by 11 am on the day of departure.

Guests seeking late check-out should inquire at the front desk on the day of departure. If late check-out is approved, the hotel may impose a half-day rate for the extended stay. For any questions about these policies, please contact the Sheraton directly at +1 619-291-2900.

Guests who depart the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina before their confirmed scheduled departure date will be subject to an Early Departure Fee of $299.00 per night (or the applicable rate for their room type, excluding additional fees). Exceptions for emergency situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the front desk manager in consultation with the Group’s Authorized Representative.

The Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina will honor the group’s specified room rates for attendees three (3) days before and three (3) days after the official conference dates, based on availability. Attendees are encouraged to book early to secure these extended rates as availability is limited. For questions or to check availability for pre/post dates, contact the hotel directly at +1 619-291-2900.

Innovative Solutions for Workforce and Housing: A Path to Stability

The workforce crisis, combined with soaring housing costs, presents challenges that impact stability and service continuity.

In this session, you will learn how a small nonprofit successfully established over fifty housing units for individuals accepting services and direct care workers within the last two years, significantly improving recruitment, retention, community engagement, and morale. We’ll outline actionable steps to assess and map your agency’s unique housing needs, emphasizing the importance of board engagement and buy-in.

This interactive session will provide valuable lessons on the complexities of combining employment with property management, addressing the details of creating a fair and equitable process for individuals accepting services and staff to access available housing. We’ll also explore the power of technology and collaborative partnerships, and how both can combine to enhance supports for people with disabilities.

Whether you’re an agency leader, manager, or executive, join us to explore how investing in housing solutions can positively impact your organization and the community you serve, creating a sustainable and empowering environment for all.

Presenters:

• Brad Hagan, Easterseals Arkansas
• Jennifer Putnam, Waypoint Maine

Taming the Management Monster: A Leadership Roadmap

Managers are pivotal in shaping workplace culture and fostering employee retention. They serve as gatekeepers of organizational values, capable of nurturing a positive environment or inadvertently undermining it. In this interactive session, we will explore how effective management is essential for establishing strong workplace cultures that enhance retention, engagement, and service quality.

Drawing on stories from the I/DD field and various industries, we will identify common challenges managers encounter and discuss strategies to “tame the management monster.” Through interactive discussions and real-world examples, participants will gain practical tools to support their workforce and drive meaningful change.

You’ll learn techniques for engaging both motivated and disengaged employees, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth, and fostering a culture rooted in trust and accountability.

Whether you’re a manager, director, or executive, you will leave this session inspired and equipped with actionable strategies to cultivate a thriving work environment where everyone feels valued and empowered.

Presenter:

• Pete Moore, Ohio Provider Resource Association

Beyond GPT: Using AI for Good in Disability Services

Artificial intelligence or AI-powered solutions are transforming how we deliver supports. This hands-on, interactive session will showcase how AI-enhanced software can address critical challenges such as workforce retention, service personalization, quality improvement, and operational efficiency.

Participants will explore real-world use cases, including predictive analytics for resource planning, intelligent scheduling systems, and back-office AI tools that streamline tasks like managing RFPs, ensuring compliance, and improving staff training. Attendees will see how AI can alleviate administrative burdens, allowing agencies to focus more on their core mission: enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Drawing on industry insights, this session will equip attendees with actionable strategies and practical tools to implement AI ethically, empowering staff and enriching the services you provide.

Presenters:

• Heather Janci, SETWorks
• David Lindell, SETWorks
• Erik Nelson, SETWorks

Laying the Foundation: The DBT Model for Supportive Living

When working with individuals with intellectual and neurodiverse, it can be difficult to understand the reactivity that can be caused by a traumatic past. This interactive workshop will equip you with a structured framework on how to stabilize and provide ongoing support to people with complex needs in community settings. The Dialectical Behavior Therapeutic (DBT) Model for Living creates supportive environments for both individuals and caregivers.

In this workshop, participants will learn to apply the Risk Screening for Best Practices Tool to identify individualized needs and implement strategies that foster wellness and recovery. By teaching essential skills, we can help reduce the frequency and intensity of challenging situations. And, if effective supports are identified and put into place, risks to overall wellness can be minimized, and people’s lives can be enhanced.

Come prepared to share insights and explore innovative strategies that can transform how we support the people we serve in our communities.

Presenters:

• Robin VanEerden, Merakey
• Kimberly Katruska, Merakey

Mid- to Late November
Early Bird Registration Begins (Members Only) + Hotel Room Block Opens

Mid- to Late November
Exhibitor Registration Opens

December 21
Standard Pricing Begins (Open to All)

March 17
Late-Bird Pricing Begins

Session proposals are now closed!

Members of the ANCOR team have reviewed all completed submissions, and notifications of approved proposals were sent in mid-November.

September 11
DSP of the Year Nomination Process Begins

November 1
DSP of the Year Nominations Due 

Early December
ANCOR Foundation Awards Application Period Begins

Mid-January
ANCOR Foundation Awards Application Period Closes 

By January 31
DSP of the Year Winners Notified 

Early April
Public Announcement of DSP of the Year Award Winners

ANCOR Connect, formerly the ANCOR Annual Conference, is our nation’s premier gathering of providers of long-term supports and services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those who are dedicated to providers’ success. With nearly 1,000 participants expected this year, ANCOR Connect convenes you and your colleagues to:

• Learn from one another about pressing challenges and emerging innovations. 
• Share best practices that enable providers to support more people with high-quality services. 
• Connect with leaders, up-and-comers and newcomers to the field. 
• Advance our shared vision for fully inclusive communities. 

All staff from I/DD provider agencies are welcome and encouraged to attend ANCOR Connect, including:

• Executive leaders
• Program directors & program managers
• Frontline supervisors
• Direct support professionals
• Care coordinators & support coordinators
• Nurses & other clinical staff
• Administrative support staff
• Board members

In addition to staff from provider agencies, ANCOR Connect draws a diverse range of other participants, including:

• Self-advocates & other individuals with I/DD
• Family members of individuals with I/DD
• Researchers
• Federal, state and local policymakers & regulators
• Corporations offering products & services used by I/DD providers
• At-large members of the disability advocacy community

Given the diverse range of ANCOR Connect participants, there’s something for everyone—including YOU! 

ANCOR Connect 2025 will take place April 7-9, in San Diego, California, at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. 

Generally speaking, pricing depends on whether you’re an ANCOR member and how far in advance of the conference you register. Additionally, special pricing is available for direct support professionals. Visit the “Register Now” tab of the Conference website to learn more.

What does my registration include?

Your ANCOR Connect registration includes full access to the entire array of activities on offer in San Diego on April 7-9, including:

• Keynote presentations and plenary sessions
• Breakout sessions
• The presentation of the 2025 Direct Support Professional of the Year Awards
• Multiple networking receptions and events
• The chance to connect with leading companies in the Exhibitor Lounge

Your registration does not include access to ticketed events, namely our Pre-Conference Workshops on April 7. These tickets can be added to your registration at the point or purchase or at a later date, space permitting.

Make sure you already have an ANCOR account since you will use the same information to login to our registration platform. If you don’t yet have one, create one. If you have an account but you need to reset your password, see our troubleshooting guide. If you already get ANCOR emails but haven’t yet set up your password, view this video. If you have difficulty, send a note to [email protected].  

Registrations canceled on or before March 14, 2025. will be fully refunded, less an 8.5% administrative fee. No refunds will be issued on or after March 15, 2025.

Our online registration system does not permit transfers, but you are permitted to cancel your existing registration and establish a new one. Please note, however, that you will incur an 8.5% administrative fee in the event that you cancel your original registration. Please also ensure that additional registrations are available before cancelling your existing registration; if we are operating a waiting list when you attempt to establish the new registration, the new registrant will be added to the end of the waiting list and may not be approved to register if space does not become available.

When establishing a registration, you will be asked to log into our event management system. To do so, you will use the same email address and password that you use to log into any ANCOR website (e.g., ancor.org, the ANCOR Connected Community, etc.).

If you don’t yet have an ANCOR account, create one! Then use the same login credentials to sign into our event management system. If you have an account but you need help to reset your password, see our troubleshooting guide. If you still need support, email [email protected].  

Once you have logged in, click “View Product” to the right of “Full Conference.” Assuming your identity has been authenticated, the non-member pricing should be crossed out and next to it, the member pricing should be displayed.

If you still aren’t seeing the member pricing, it may be because you have been newly added to our database and our backend systems have not yet fully synced. Please wait until at least two business days following the addition of yourself or your colleague to our database before attempting to complete the registration.

Yes. Creating an account is fast and simple, and it’s the only way we can discern your eligibility to participate and the pricing you should see. Therefore, we ask that you create an account.

Yes, each registrant must have their own ANCOR account to register for ANCOR Connect. At this time, the “Add a Colleague” function is not available, but it will be soon.

ANCOR Connect is the premier gathering of community-based I/DD service providers and the community of professionals who support these providers. The organizations that exhibit at ANCOR Connect offer products and services that are relevant to leaders at all levels of the organizations that comprise the conference audience. Featured exhibitors each year include ANCOR’s Diamond, Platinum and Gold Partners. Nonprofit, for-profit, academic and provider organizations are all welcome to exhibit at the conference.

We have a limited number of exhibit spaces available. Please login to the ANCOR Connect registration website using your ANCOR login. Create an ANCOR account first if you haven’t already since it’s required to register.

Please see page 24 of the ANCOR Connect ’25 Sponsor & Exhibitor Prospectus to learn more about costs and add-ons.

If an exhibitor, after submitting payment, is no longer able to attend, a request must be made in writing to ANCOR no later than March 7, 2025. The exhibitor fee will be refunded less a $250 administrative fee. Absolutely no refunds will be made after March 7, 2025.

All decisions regarding session acceptances were sent via email in mid-November. If you have questions about your submission, email Alli Strong-Martin.

Yes! Not only are DSPs welcome and encouraged to attend, but there is special programming available for DSPs, including the presentation of the annual Direct Support Professional of the Year Awards. To encourage DSPs to participate in ANCOR Connect, deeply discounted registration rates are available.

Yes! Here’s what to do if any of the following apply to you:

• Direct Support Professionals: A Direct Support Professional is defined as someone whose primary role is as a direct care worker, in-home support worker, personal assistant or attendant who works directly with people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities to ensure that they have the supports needed to live, work and enjoy life more independently in a community-based setting.  If you are a DSP, you are eligible for a discounted rate. To register as a DSP, send us a message and include your name, the organization where you work, and the address of your organization. We will get back to you within two business days.
• 100% State Association members: Before registering, make sure you ask your state association for a special promo code! This code must be used at the time of purchase and no refunds can be given after registration is complete.
• Speakers: All speakers will receive an email with a link to register at the speaker rate, so please hold off on registering until you get that message. If you have any questions, email Alli Strong-Martin.
• Self-Advocates and Family Members: We will publish information on attending as a self-advocate soon! To access these rates, send us an email.
• Students: If you are a student interested in attending ANCOR Connect, send us a message and include your name, the college/university you attend, and the address of your school. We will get back to you within two business days.

ANCOR is happy to provide certificates of attendance upon request. Information about how to request a certificate of attendance will be made available onsite.

Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re happy to help! Simply drop us a line at [email protected].