SPARK 2023 will unite practice excellence, innovation, and federal policy advocacy to advance our sector’s impact and help all families and communities thrive. This in-person event will elevate important conversations around our most vexing challenges and showcase insight and expertise from the field.
SPARK 2023 is designed for leaders who are fueled by a commitment to advance equity and improve the well-being of all people. Together, we will share inspiration and practical tools for implementing innovative practice, policy, and research. Our keynote speakers and breakout sessions will address new insight and promising approaches related to:
Igniting Advocacy Training and Hill Day
New to this year’s event will be Social Current’s first-ever Hill Day. Because federal policy advocacy is key to advancing our missions and achieving impact, SPARK 2023 will offer a two-day advocacy training and trip to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The training will teach participants how to translate knowledge, expertise, and lived experience into influence at the local, state, and national levels. All staff at community-based organizations are invited to participate. No prior experience or skills are required. See the schedule for exact times. This training overlaps with SPARK Session B and Session D workshops.
Registration must be received on or before Sept. 18 to receive the early bird rate. After that date, regular rates apply.
The deadline to register for the Igniting Advocacy Training and Hill Day is Sept. 18.
Organizations that Have an Enterprise Engagement Package and/or Achieved COA Accreditation
Early Bird Registration $550
Regular Registration $700
Igniting Advocacy Training and Hill Day $25*
Other Organizations
Early Bird Registration $650
Regular Registration $800
Igniting Advocacy Training and Hill Day $40*
*This fee covers transportation, congressional meeting scheduling, and logistics.
Multiperson Registration Discount
Register five (5) full conference participants from the same organization and receive $50 off all subsequent full conference registrations from the same organization. Only one discount per person; no other discounts apply. Once all five full conference participants are registered, contact Social Current to receive the discount code for all subsequent full conference registrations.
Cancellation by Participant
All cancellation requests must be made in writing. Conference cancellations are subject to a $100 processing fee. Cancellation requests received after Oct. 1 will not be refunded. Credit toward future Social Current events is not currently possible. Participants unable to attend the conference may send an alternate participant. Notice of written cancellation or alternate participant requests must be emailed directly to Social Current.
Cancellation by Social Current
If Social Current cancels this conference, all registration fees will be refunded in full.
SPARK 2023 participants will convene in Bethesda, Maryland, a prominent community in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Located on the Red Line Metro with the station located beneath the hotel, the conference hotel is just 20 minutes away from our nation’s capital. Bethesda offers exceptional restaurants, great shopping, and trendy hot spots.
The Hyatt Regency Bethesda is approximately 40 minutes by car from Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI).
Location
Hyatt Regency Bethesda
One Bethesda Metro Center
7400 Wisconsin Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
Hotel Reservations
Social Current has arranged a special room rate of $229 for single or double occupancy, plus applicable taxes. Reserve your room by booking online or calling the hotel at 301-657-1234 by Sept. 18 and mentioning the group name Social Current SPARK 2023 to receive the discounted rate. This rate is available for stays up to three days prior to and after the conference, but it is subject to availability at the time of booking.
| Sunday, Oct. 15 | |
| 12:30-4 p.m. | Registration/Info Desk |
| 1-5 p.m. | Pre-Conference Sessions |
| Monday, Oct. 16 | |
| 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Registration/Info Desk |
| 8-9 a.m. | Breakfast with Exhibitors |
| 9-10:30 a.m. | General Session |
| 10:30-11 a.m. | Break with Exhibitors |
| 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Session A Workshops |
| 12:30-2 p.m. | Networking Lunch |
| 2-3:30 p.m. 2-4 p.m. |
Session B Workshops Igniting Advocacy Training |
| 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Networking Reception |
| Tuesday, Oct. 17 | |
| 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Registration/Info Desk |
| 8-9 a.m. | Breakfast with Exhibitors |
| 9-10:30 a.m. | Session C Workshops |
| 10:30-11 a.m. | Break with Exhibitors |
| 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. |
Session D Workshops Igniting Advocacy Training |
| 12:30-2 p.m. | Networking Lunch |
| 2-3:30 p.m. | Session E Workshops |
| 3:45-5 p.m. | General Session |
| Wednesday, Oct. 18 | |
| 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. | Igniting Advocacy Hill Visits |
Elizabeth Carey
President & CEO
Starr Commonwealth in Albion, Michigan
Richard Davidson
COO
Family Service in San Antonio
Shannon Fisch
Compliance and Accreditation Manager
Children & Families First in Wilmington, Delaware
Julio Galan
President & CEO
Family & Youth Counseling Agency in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Louis GrowMiller
Senior Director of Family Services
Turning Points for Children in Philadelphia
Tine Hansen-Turton
President & CEO
Woods in Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Patricia Hillis-Clark
Executive Director of Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health in Villanova, Pennsylvania
Keith Kozerski
Chief Program Officer
Catholic Charities Twin Cities in Minneapolis
Lynn Kyle
Executive Director
Lampion Center in Evansville, Indiana
Justin Loehr
Senior Director of Campus Life Services
The Omaha Home for Boys in Nebraska
Eric Masi
President & CEO
Wayside Youth & Family Support Network in Framingham, Massachusetts
Gabriel McGaughey
Director of Child Well-Being
Children’s Wisconsin Community Services in Milwaukee
Brent McLaughlin
President & CEO
Branches in Miami
Kim Peterson
Vice President of Change Management
Aviva Family and Children’s Services in Los Angeles
Eric Schindler
CEO
Child & Family Resources in Tucson, Arizona
Lorita Shirley
COO
Bethany Christian Services in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Marlena Torres
COO
Children’s Home Society of Washington in Seattle
Mona Way
Director of Contracts and Grants
Boys Town in Nebraska
Social Current’s robust network of organizations and individuals across the country provides a unique opportunity for sponsors to reach C-suite decisionmakers in their target demographics. Simultaneously, sponsorship will allow brands to assess challenges unique to the sector, collaborate, and access network expertise.
Through our network, we can reach more than 12,000 human services professionals representing more than 1,800 organizations that serve nearly 70 million individuals.
Please view the SPARK 2023 prospectus and contact Marisa Collins, director of strategic partnerships and partner communications, to learn more.
Intensive Accreditation Training (IAT)
Oct. 15 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
The Intensive Accreditation Training (IAT) is designed to prepare organizations to get the most out of their COA Accreditation experience. It provides an overview of the COA Accreditation process and standards, tips on how to manage the work, and advice for preparing for the site visit.
Performance and Quality Improvement Training (PQI)
Oct. 15 from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
This performance and quality improvement (PQI) training is designed to help organizations pursuing COA Accreditation develop a comprehensive approach to a quality improvement process that will advance an efficient and effective service delivery system and enhance organizational capacity to deliver quality services.
Hardwired for Fear, Hardwired for Connection: The Intersection of Brain Science and EDI
Oct. 15 from 1-5 p.m.
Through thought-provoking discussion, this session will explore the connection between brain science and equity, diversity, and inclusion. Participants will build a shared understanding of foundational brain science and EDI concepts, and consider key frameworks, research, and tools that use brain science to improve EDI.
Volunteer Appreciation Celebration
Oct. 15 from 6-8 p.m.
We could not do what we do without our COA Accreditation volunteers. All active COA Accreditation volunteers are invited to join us as we gather and celebrate all that you do. Catch up with colleagues, share site visit stories from the road, and get ready for the start of SPARK 2023. There will be dinner, prizes, and a host of swag – so you will not want to miss this event.
Coming Soon!
Kai Kight
Violinist, Composer, Creativity Keynote Speaker
Whether in education, business, health care, or government, the systems and routines we depended on for so long have disappeared. While this void has been devastating, it also leaves us with an incredible opportunity: a blank page on which we can compose our future. We will look back at this time as the moment we made leaps forward by creating more innovative technologies, more human-centric businesses, and more inclusive workplaces.
As a violinist and keynote speaker, Kai Kight believes that music can be used not only as an escape during this difficult time, but as a guide for us to learn from as we look to redesign our lives and work environments.
About Kai
As a classical violinist turned innovative composer, Kai Kight uses music as a metaphor to inspire individuals and organizations across the world to compose paths of imagination and fulfillment. Kai is on a mission to spark a global mindset shift in which ingenuity is the norm, not the exception.
Kai’s unique background is one of both art and science. As a musician, Kai has performed his original music for thousands in venues across the world, from the White House to the Great Wall of China. As a product of Stanford University’s design and engineering program, the d. School, and the Behavior Design Lab, Kai studied how to help people create healthy and transformative habits in life.
Co-founder of Tea at Shiloh, a late-night teahouse in Los Angeles, Kai aims to reimagine nightlife by designing environments that calms the senses and foster authentic connection. On stage, Kai fuses his experiences to create presentations that are not only designed to stir the soul, but spark concrete action.
Kai Kight’s appearance arranged through Gotham Artists.
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