By Kayla Black, MPH, CCLS

Each year, the ACLP Conference Program Committee works diligently to develop an inclusive and universally interesting schedule (also called the education program) for the annual conference. In partnership with abstract reviewers, each abstract is reviewed using a scoring rubric that reflects the criteria in the call for abstracts. This data is then analyzed and discussed, without identifying information, and placed into the conference program by the Conference Program Committee in partnership with ACLP staff members. The committee works purposefully to create a program that offers a variety of options during each session time slot and advocates for add-ons throughout the conference to enhance attendee experience by utilizing previous years’ attendee feedback.

In this Q&A, Kayla Black, chair of the ACLP Conference Program Committee, offers an inside look at how the education program comes together and shares what attendees can expect when they gather in Chicago this year.

How many abstract submissions did you receive vs how many were you able to accept?

For the 2026 ACLP Conference in Chicago, 201 abstracts were submitted with capacity for 54 concurrent sessions, six intensives, and 10 posters. The total number of abstracts submitted breaks down into the following session types for 2026:

• 151 concurrent sessions (60- or 90-minute sessions)
• 17 flash sessions (20-minute sessions)
• 14 intensives (preconference sessions)
• 12 posters
• 2 webinars

The overall acceptance rate for the 2026 conference was 35% after removing the two webinars, which were sent to the ACLP education team for review and follow-up.

Does the committee try to highlight certain themes in the sessions they plan or offer a wider variety of topics?

Both! The committee works diligently to provide learning opportunities that span a wide spectrum of interests and professional levels of attendees. We know that attendees come from a wide range of backgrounds, including students to seasoned professionals/leaders, as well as from diverse workplaces, including academics, one-person programs, private practice, community-based programs, and large hospital-based institutions.

Because of this, the goal is to provide sessions on a wide variety of topics for a wide variety of audience levels. This is just one piece of the puzzle that we are evaluating when looking at the conference program each year. As you can imagine, this is a tall task for committee members when trying to fit all the pieces together to ensure that all attendees are satisfied within the number of rooms and sessions that we have available.

As far as specific topics that are requested from year to year, the call for abstracts is updated yearly to request different topic areas of interest. This list comes directly from feedback gathered after the previous year’s conference.

How are the locations for the conference chosen? What about the timing of the conference?

Just like with most things, finances play a role in where and when the conference takes place. In recent years, the conference was offered in late May to aid in reducing the cost of the event venue, which helps to reduce the cost for attendees. The location of the conference each year is finalized multiple years in advance, by searching for and evaluating venues that are easily accessible, in diverse geographic places, have the capacity to host the ACLP community, have exciting things to do nearby for attendees, and that fit the budget for hosting this large-scale event.

For this year, the conference was moved up by a day to accommodate those with holiday weekend plans and life events, like graduations, due to the time of year. So far, feedback from presenters and attendees regarding this change has been positive! Looking ahead, ACLP staff is working to align conference dates with a schedule that works better for all parties, including attendees, presenters, and the ACLP community as a whole.

Are there any new experiences at this year’s conference that you wish to highlight?

Each year, the committee collaborates with ACLP staff to incorporate new ideas into the conference based on attendee feedback. New for this year are 20-minute flash sessions! These have been grouped together by domain and topic to fill one 60-minute session slot; we are excited to hear feedback on this session type from attendees to evaluate if we keep them in the conference program. Join these presenters for their sessions on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10:15 a.m.

While not a new experience, Bubbles & Bites is back by popular demand as a networking opportunity to kick off the conference and introduce attendees to the amazing exhibitors who will be in attendance. Likewise, if you have attended a conference previously, you might remember having a closing keynote speaker. This is back for 2026! We are excited to welcome a speaker who will hopefully spark joy and renew spirits as we close out our time of learning together.

As the chair of the committee, what has been your favorite part of planning the conference so far?

My favorite part of the conference planning process is always getting to learn from the vast knowledge of our peers. I have had the privilege of reading hundreds of abstracts throughout my five years as an abstract reviewer and committee member, and I am continuously impressed by the depth and breadth of knowledge and skills that exist within our field. From large, freestanding children’s hospitals to individual community-based and private practice practitioners and everyone in between, it is evident that Certified Child Life Specialists are making a difference in the lives of so many patients and families throughout the world.

This year, I am excited to attend the conference and see firsthand the hard work that this committee and ACLP staff have put into making an enjoyable conference experience for all. I look forward to collaborating with peers and leaving with a renewed spirit for the work that we all do.

Please share anything else you think people should know about conference planning.

The Conference Program Committee and abstract reviewers are a vital part of the largest gathering of child life professionals each year and care deeply about planning an experience that is universally interesting and accessible to all. I appreciate the volunteer time commitment and how diligently our team utilizes feedback to select innovative, cutting-edge offerings for attendees. If you

have been part of the abstract review or the conference planning process this year or in past years, thank you!

If you are interested in being an abstract reviewer, look for the call for reviewers later this summer. Typical time commitments for this volunteer opportunity include one to two months of time-sensitive work during abstract review, which typically takes place between the months of August and October.

We are excited to come together for a high-quality conference this year, as we learn from experts and leaders in our field. Keep an eye out on social media for more details and announcements, like who our keynote speakers will be. We look forward to seeing you in Chicago with open minds and hearts full of creativity, collaboration, and purpose!

Kayla Black, MPH, CCLS, is the chair of the ACLP Conference Planning Committee.