AUCD 2026 Conference Invitation

Image of Ilka Riddle, a white woman with short blond hair wearing a pink shirt and smiling.

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I am pleased to invite you to join us for the AUCD 2026 Conference, taking place November 8 through 11, 2026, at The Westin DC Downtown Hotel in Washington, D.C. I hope you will make plans to be part of this important gathering of the AUCD Network.

This year’s theme, Impact Through Innovation and Partnership, reflects the meaningful change that happens across our Network and because of our Network. Positive impact from innovation does not come from ideas alone. It comes from sharing those ideas, learning together, building together, and nurturing strong relationships that sustain the work.

The AUCD Network has a long history of collaboration and innovation. Across states, territories, and communities, your work improves the lives of individuals with disabilities every day. At the 2026 Conference, we will take time to recognize these accomplishments and also look ahead. Together, we will explore where deeper collaboration is needed and how we can expand our collective reach and influence.

Every member of the AUCD Network plays an essential role in this work. The experience, insight, and commitment you bring help shape our shared mission. Together, we advance services, education, research, which guide and challenges policy.

The last several years have brought real challenges at personal, local, and national levels. Yet through it all, AUCD’s member organizations and partners have continued to show resilience, determination, and deep care for the people and communities we serve. The strength of this Network is evident in the way we continue to support one another and stay focused on who and what matters most.

In November, we will come together to reconnect, learn from each other, celebrate each other, and focus this Network for the hard work ahead. Your voice, your experience, and your partnership matter. The impact we seek is only possible if we build it together.

I hope you will join us in Washington, D.C.

Warmly,

A. Pablo Juárez, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
AUCD President Elect and AUCD 2026 Conference Chair
Senior Associate in Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Special Education
Co-Director of VKC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Vanderbilt University Medical Center