NASW National Conference to Focus on Connection, Purpose, Power

“We want attendees to feel supported, better prepared, and part of a larger community that is ready to lead.” —Kyle Hillman, Conference Team Leader

By Paul R. Pace

Social workers often are the first to see the impact policy decisions have on individuals, families and communities.

These frontline experiences will be part of the conversation with leaders, researchers and policymakers during NASW’s national conference this summer. The event will offer a space to name what is difficult but also to focus on solutions, says Kyle Hillman, the 2026 conference team leader.

“We want attendees to feel supported, better prepared, and part of a larger community that is ready to lead,” he said.

Registration is open for the conference, with the theme “Beyond the Breaking Point: Connection Through Purpose and Power.” It will be held June 10-13 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C.

More than 2,000 social workers, like-minded professionals, and social work thought leaders are expected to attend the event, where there will be opportunities for professional development, continuing education and networking.

Hillman noted the theme for this year’s event fits the current times.

“Our members have been holding up fragile systems for a long time,” he said. “Many are at what feels like a breaking point. The conference acknowledges that reality. But it also focuses on connection and power … It is about turning frustration into coordinated action.”

“This conference was built by social workers, for social workers,” Hillman added. “We listened carefully to what people told us they need right now: more relevant CEUs, stronger conversations about policy and ethics, space to connect with colleagues who understand the weight of this work, and tools they can use immediately.”

“We genuinely believe this is one of the strongest lineups we have put together,” he said. “This feels like one of those moments that will matter long after the conference ends. The conversations happening in these rooms will shape how we practice, how we advocate, and how we support one another in the years ahead. People are going to look back and say they were glad they were there.”

Breakout Sessions

The conference will feature keynote speakers, timely breakout sessions, and meaningful opportunities for attendees to connect with and strengthen the social work community. Among the breakout sessions is presenter Sherronda Banks, DSW, LCSW, LISW-CP, owner and clinical director of Intentional Steps Counseling Services, PLLC, in North Carolina.

She will present “Radical Preservation™: Moving Beyond Burnout — Reclaiming Purpose, Power, and Peace in Social Work Practice.”

“Social workers are carrying extraordinary emotional, systemic, and cultural weight,” said Banks. “I felt called to contribute something both practical and transformative, a framework that affirms resilience and rest as professional responsibilities.”

Banks said those who attend her session will walk away with more than inspiration; they will leave with a strategy. “I guide participants through the four pillars of Radical Preservation™: Protecting Peace, Preserving Energy, Practicing Intentional Rest, and Pursuing Purpose with Boundaries. We will examine how burnout, racialized stress and moral distress show up in our bodies, our leadership and our decision-making.”

“My goal is for every attendee to leave with language, tools and permission,” she said. “If we are not intentional, burnout can quietly erode our ethical judgment, boundaries and compassion.”

Addressing burnout is not indulgent, it is ethical, Banks pointed out. “Our Code of Ethics calls us to competence and integrity, and sustained exhaustion compromises both.”

From self-care to cultural awareness, Milagros Marrero-Johnson, MSW, senior director of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement at the UConn School of Social Work, will present the preconference workshop “Cultural Competence Standards and Indicators: Leading the Change You Want to Be as Social Work Practitioners.”

Given the current political climate, this year’s conference theme deeply resonates with Marrero-Johnson as the chair of the NASW National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity (NCORED).

“It reminds me of my purpose and commitment to remain hopeful and to continue to fight the good fight,” she said. “It is also essential to have representation of this equity committee included in the conference program. I honor the many brave individuals who paved the way for me to have the privilege of fighting and advocating for human rights for all, and participating in a continuing education program is one of the ways I stay true to that commitment.”

The workshop focuses on the importance of social work ethics and the responsibility of social work practitioners on the micro, mezzo and macro levels to consider when applying the Standards for Cultural Competence and Indicators to working with culturally, racially and ethnically diverse populations, she said.

“Cultural competence is a standard of practice for all social workers, as culture influences human actions, values and norms,” Marrero-Johnson said. “As social workers, we must be able to ‘meet others where they are’ and respect their autonomy to be different and thrive and survive on their own terms.”

In addition to more than 50 sessions taking place, the conference will include an Advocacy Day, offering attendees the opportunity to visit their representatives on Capitol Hill. There will be a film festival, more than 100 exhibitors, and other events taking place during the conference. Visit the NASW conference page to learn more and to register.