ACA Climate Symposium

Register Now

• Registration includes virtual program and recordings of sessions which will be available for 30 days following the event. 
• Thanks to an investment from one of our foundation partners,, registration fees for this event have been reduced for 2026
• Early bird registration rates through March 1
• Not an ACA Member? Join today for FREE and get the best rates for this event! 

1. Strengthen Preparedness Knowledge: Participants will gain a clear understanding of the importance of emergency preparedness and learn how to develop an effective Crisis & Emergency Action Plan.

2. Build Collaborative Capacity: Participants will learn strategies for establishing and sustaining partnerships that enhance emergency preparedness and response efforts.

3. Highlight ACA as a Key Resource: Participants will recognize the American Camp Association (ACA) as a trusted and valuable source of emergency preparedness guidance, tools, and information.

4. Expand Climate Awareness: Participants will deepen their understanding of climate change and explore how emerging climate-related risks may impact their organizations.

Lorraine Schneider is the Senior Manager of the Preparedness Network at the NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute (PRI), where she leads multi-sector partnerships across all five boroughs to strengthen community resilience. She supports PRI’s programming and governance, serving as a connector among government, industry, and community institutions citywide. Previously, Lorraine served as Chief Operating Officer at The Resiliency Initiative, a crisis management and business continuity consulting firm. Earlier in her career, she developed and delivered training, exercise, and preparedness programs for The Walt Disney Company and UCLA. Lorraine currently serves as Chair of the Board for Project:Camp and is the founder of the Emergency Management Growth Initiative. A Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), she holds an MSc from the London School of Economics, a certificate from UCLA Extension, and a BA from Freie Universität Berlin. Raised in Europe, she spent a decade in Los Angeles before relocating to Brooklyn, New York.

Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist whose research focuses on understanding what climate change means for people and the places where we live. She is the Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a Horn Distinguished Professor and Endowed Professor of Public Policy and Public Law in the Dept. of Political Science at Texas Tech University. She is the author of the book “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World,” has given a TED talk with over 4 million views, and hosted the PBS digital series Global Weirding. Katharine has been named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People, Foreign Policy’s 100 Leading Thinkers, and the United Nations Champion of the Environment. 

Preview Session Highlights

Day One Schedule

*All times are in Eastern

• 11:30 a.m. – 12:40 p.m.: Welcome and Keynote
• 12:50 p.m. – 1:40 p.m.: Educational Session I
• 1:50 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.: Educational Session II
• 2:50 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.: Educational Session III
• 3:50 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: Collaboration Hub

Day Two Schedule

• 11:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.: Collaboration Hub
• 12:20 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.: Educational Session IV
• 1:20 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Closing and Keynote 

Complimentary registration is available to attend this event. To request financial assistance, please email [email protected].

Call for presenters closed on February 2. All proposals will be reviewed by the planning committee and speakers will be notified by February 26. Session proposals need to be focused on emergency preparedness, response and recovery to natural disasters, and climate change impacts affecting camp organizations. 

Submit Proposal

Sponsoring this event is a meaningful way to support camps as they strengthen their emergency preparedness and resilience in the face of increasing climate-related challenges. Your partnership helps make this timely professional development accessible to more camp professionals while positioning your organization as a trusted supporter of safety, leadership, and preparedness within the camp community.

Sponsors receive thoughtful visibility before, during, and after the symposium, along with opportunities to build authentic connections with camp decision-makers from across the country. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Kim Fitzgerald.

Title Sponsor — $5,000 (1 available)

Our top-level sponsor receives premier visibility and direct engagement with all attendees:

• 2-minute speaking opportunity to address all participants before the first keynote
• Logo on all event marketing and event landing pages
• Premium virtual presence, including:
  • Branded waiting room / virtual lobby
  • Logo placement throughout the Zoom platform
  • Sponsored poll question during the event
  • Sponsor break slides between session
• Extended visibility post-event:
  • Sponsor branding on session recordings (on-demand content) – long shelf life

Session Sponsor — $1,500

A strong opportunity to engage a targeted audience within a specific session:

• 2-minute speaking opportunity during your selected sponsor session
• Logo on all event marketing and event landing page
• Visibility within the virtual experience, including:
  • Inclusion on sponsor slides