January 26 – 29, 2026 | Gila River Resorts – Wild Horse Pass, Phoenix, AZ.
Prices increase after January 9
THIS is where the Advocacy community convenes
Our can’t-miss event for anyone managing an advocacy function, engaging stakeholders or seeking to advance public policy. Participants learn best practices in grassroots, communications and digital strategy from the profession’s top experts.
Innovation Awards
Presented at The Advocacy Conference each year, these awards recognize outstanding initiatives that showcase creativity, inclusiveness, innovation and organizational relevance.
Innovation Award Winners
2025 Innovation Awards Winners
Grassroots Innovation: National Apartment Association
Communications Innovation: Trilogy Interactive
Lobbying Innovation: Grupo Estrategia Politica (GEP)
2024 Innovation Awards Winners
Grassroots Innovation: International Paper (IP)
Communications Innovation: Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
Lobbying Innovation: Grupo Estrategia Politica (GEP)
2023 Innovation Awards Winners
Grassroots Innovation: Feeding America
Communications Innovation: AAA – Auto Club Group
Lobbying Innovation: Community Associations Institute
Hotel / Travel
Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass
5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd.
Chandler, AZ 85226
As of our January 5 cut-off, our group room block is closed. As of this date, the hotel still had availability and the group link below may still work for you to book rooms over our conference dates, but can no longer be guaranteed. If the group link below under “HOTEL ROOM RESERVATIONS” is no longer offering rooms, please contact the hotel directly at 800-946-4452 or 520-796-4900 or via their website to determine availability and current rates.
WAIT LIST: If you would like to be placed on the wait list for a room at the group rate, please contact Kristin Hanley. Being placed on the waiting list is NOT a guarantee of a room. We recommend that you make an alternate reservation and note the cancellation policy for your reservation in the event a room does become available at the group rate. Rooms will be granted as cancellations are received. You will be contacted no later than January 16 if a room becomes available. After that date, the wait list will be released.
GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING GROUP ROOM BLOCKS
Once the rooming block is full or after the cut-off date (whichever comes first), you may not be able to obtain the Public Affairs Council group rate or a room at the conference hotel. Therefore, we recommend that you book a room as early as possible.
Also please note that the room rate is only valid for the nights of the conference (check-in taking place on the first advertised day of the conference and check-out on the final day.) Some hotels have been known to honor the room rate on the few days before and after our events, but please be aware that it is not guaranteed and that the room rate may be different.
SCAM ALERT
Please beware of SCAMS. The Council does NOT work with any third parties or intermediaries for booking reservations for our group room blocks. You will ALWAYS be instructed to book directly with the hotel for any Public Affairs Council conferences. Though you may receive reminders to book your hotel room and warning/notices as we get closer to our hotel cut-off date, those e-mails will always come from a pac.org e-mail address and no one will ever call you soliciting reservations or credit card information.
RESERVATIONS & HOTEL RESERVATION POLICIES
A credit card number or one night’s deposit is required to secure a room. Cancellations must be received 48 hours prior to arrival or one night’s room and tax will be charged as a cancellation fee.
In the event that you checkout prior to your reserved checkout date, an early departure fee of one night’s room and tax will be charged. To avoid this fee, please advise the hotel of your revised departure date at or before check-in.
Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass
5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd
Chandler, AZ 85226
Reservations: Reserve Online / 800-946-4452 or 520-796-4900 (when calling, please reference the “2026 Advocacy Conference” to secure the group rate)
Room Rate: $259++ per night*
Cut-off date: January 5 by 5 p.m. MT
Check-in: 4 p.m.
Check-out: 11 a.m.
* Please note that the resort fee has been waived for our group and you can disregard mention of these fees when booking.
More Information on the Resort Fee
Please note that the resort fee for this group has been WAIVED. Resort fee inclusions are subject to change. Currently, this charge includes the following:
- Valet/Self-Parking
- Standard high-speed wireless Internet access and Local Calls
- 24-hour fitness center
- Multiple Resort Pools
- Complimentary bottled water
- Business center access
- Shuttle Transportation (Phoenix Premium Outlets, Aji Spa & Whirlwind Golf Club)
- In-room coffee & tea, in-room safe
- Luggage storage for up to 12 hours
PARKING
Both valet and self-parking are available and complimentary at the resort.
AIRPORTS
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is less than 15 miles from the resort (~15 minutes by car.) Estimated taxi fare from the airport to the hotel is ~$30-60 one way. Fares will vary based on the service, car type, and time of day.
Sponsorship
Put your brand front and center at The Advocacy Conference. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to network with peers, reinforce existing relationships and develop new partnerships. Speaking and branded collateral opportunities are available.
Becoming a sponsor is simple:
1. Download the sponsor packet and review our offerings
2. Fill out the form to indicate your selections
3. Email your form back to us
Alex Dickinson, Beekeeper Group
Alex Kolb, AT&T
Alfred Campos, AARP
Alisa Mairone, BAYADA Hearts for Home Care
Andrew Holt, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors
Andrew P. Fimka, Narrative Strategies
Austin Hodge, AARP
Austin O’Boyle, Aristotle International
Brandon Graham, National Alliance on Mental Illness
Bryan Joy, i-360, LLC
Caitlin Demchuk, BD Becton Dickinson
Candy Garman, Albertsons Companies
Chauncey Southworth, Cross Screen Media
Cristina Minasian Nurnberger, Kaiser Permanente
Crystal Espie, AARP
Danielle Bubnis, Blood Cancer United
Darlene Bright, S&P Global Inc.
Diana Arevalo, The ALS Association
Elizabeth Bartz, State and Federal Communications, Inc.
Elizabeth C Parks, NFIB
Emily Festa, Toyota Motor North America
Hannah Calvert, American Academy of Dermatology Association
Jeff Michaud, eBay, Inc.
Kate M. Zaykowski, McGuireWoods Consulting, LLC
Kristen Prather, Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Lisa Wagor, Target Corporation
Meghan Cox, Impact Advocacy Group
Michael Harinstein, Think Big Media, LLC
Michael Sokoloski, BAYADA Hearts for Home Care
Mike Lord, The Washington Campus
Monica Michaan, FiscalNote
Nicholas Scoufaras, U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association
Paul C. Rohde, Waterways Council, Inc
Phoebe E. Neseth, ESQ, Community Associations Institute
Sarah Yi, CTIA – The Wireless Association
Sherry Whitworth, The Advocacy Coach
Stephanie Koch, National Alliance on Mental Illness
Stephen M. Sementilli, Mower
Sue Zoldak, The Zoldak Agency
Thomas Donnelly III, American Farm Bureau Federation
Thomas Tucker, Safelite AutoGlass
Travis Smith, Boys and Girls Club of America
Tyler C. Irwin, Icebreaker Strategies
Wade Patrick Balkonis, Harley-Davidson, Inc
“The Public Affairs Council’s Advocacy Conference is now the only advocacy conference I attend – it’s that valuable. If you are involved in the advocacy field, this is the event to attend for best practices and innovative ideas.”
— Jeff Michaud, Head of Advocacy & Policy Programs, eBay, Inc.
“I was a first-time attendee in 2018, and I walked away from the conference energized and full of new ideas. Each session gave me the opportunity to hear from experts and interact with my peers. The lessons I learned paid immediate dividends by giving me actionable ways to improve the public relations and grassroots strategies at our association. The conference is also the gift that keeps on giving. The numerous networking opportunities allowed me to make connections with folks from across the spectrum, connections that I reach out to on a regular basis for advice or new ideas.”
— Sean Brown, Vice President, Communications, Federation of American Hospitals
Please visit our Conference Policies page for a full breakdown.
This conference is eligible for: 6 Grassroots credits toward the Certificate in PAC & Grassroots Management, 6 credits toward the Certificate in Government Relations and Lobbying and 6 Elective credits toward the Certificate in Public Affairs Management.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Visionary
Leader
Patron
Supporter
Marketing
Register
January 22 – No refunds or credits will be granted on or after this date
Please visit our Conference Policies page for a full breakdown.
Multiple Registrant Discount
In conjunction with the National PAC Conference – applies when registering employees from the same company for either event.
- First employee: No discount
- Second employee: 10% off
- Third employee: 15% off
- Fourth employee and beyond: 15% off for all additional employees.
Members-Only Bulk Discount
- If 4 or more members register together for either event in a single shopping cart, each employee pays a flat rate of $1,250.
Questions
Laura Brigandi
Senior Manager, Advocacy & Influence Practice
202.787.5976 | [email protected]