National Conference

2013 ACA National Conference

Save the Date!!!
Join us for the 2014 ACA National Conference in Orlando, Florida.
February 5-8, 2014

Please note the conference will begin on Wednesday and end on Saturday. It will be held at the Hilton Orlando.

February 12-15, 2013
Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion
Dallas, Texas

Keynote Speakers

Madeline Levine PhD
Tuesday, February 12
Madeline Levine, PhD, is a psychologist with close to thirty years of experience as a clinician, consultant, and educator. She is the bestselling author of the books The Price of Privilege, and Teach Your Children Well, was a co-founder of Challenge Success, and has been featured on television programs from The Early Show to The Lehrer Report and on NPR stations. Learn More

Peg Smith

Tuesday, February 12
With nearly three decades of experience as a change agent in youth development and transformation, Peg L. Smith is the chief executive officer of the American Camp Association® (ACA). ACA is the champion of better tomorrows — providing resources, research, and support for developmentally appropriate camp experiences. Learn More

Mawi Asgedom
Wednesday, February 13
Nationally recognized educator and author of eight books, Mawi has spoken to over 1,000,000 in more than forty states. As a child, Mawi fled civil war in Ethiopia and survived a Sudanese refugee camp for three years. He has been featured by The Oprah Winfrey Show, ESSENCE, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Seattle Times, Harvard Magazine, and Ebony Magazine. Learn More

Dr. Lorena Garza Gonzalez
Thursday, February 14
Lorena is a nationally recognized leader and strategist in strengthening Hispanic communities. Prior to her work at Urban Strategies, she led efforts in developing, designing, implementing and evaluating family, parent and community leadership programs with AVANCE. Recently, she co-authored a book, “Inheritance: Discovering the Richness of Latino Culture and Families.” Learn More

Paul Tough
Thursday, February 14
Paul Tough challenges our culture’s belief that intelligence, endlessly measured by test scores, is the sole indicator of value in our education system. In How Children Succeed, he ushers in a tidal change in thinking and argues that non-cognitive skills—or, character—are better indicators of success: curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, self-control, and grit. Learn More

Gary Krahn, PhD
Friday, February 15
Gary has been an invited speaker at the National Academy of Sciences, National Science Foundation, Mathematics Association of America, and universities around the world. As the head of Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, he has been part of an educational team that guides students to become leaders of character who can anticipate and respond effectively to the uncertainties of a changing technological, social, political, and economic world. Learn More