From the President-Elect: ATA63: Looking Forward to Meeting In Person Again

Source: The ATA Chronicle

From the President-Elect
Veronika Demichelis
veronika@veronikademichelis.com

One of the highlights of 2021 for me was ATA’s 62nd Annual Conference in Minneapolis. It was wonderful to see old friends and colleagues and meet new ones—both in person and virtually. A huge thanks to ATA President and ATA62 Conference Organizer Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo, ATA Headquarters staff, and volunteers for pulling off a very successful conference and dealing with the logistical challenges of a hybrid event.

I’m very glad that ATA was able to make the conference accessible to virtual attendees, with all 120 sessions being live-streamed and recorded, and networking opportunities available online. Talking to conference attendees, it was clear to me that while the online conference experience was great, it was not the same as the in-person conference—for obvious reasons. From surprise encounters with old friends in the lobby to friendly chatter during coffee breaks or meeting new people over breakfast—there’s no replicating these things that we all know and love from past ATA conferences.

It’s safe to say that the Minneapolis conference was very special to all who attended. We’ve all missed seeing each other in person, and the conference felt like a big reunion. It was a safe, fun, rewarding, and uplifting experience that left us all with a much-needed feeling of optimism and excitement to meet again at the next conference.

It’s my pleasure to serve as the conference organizer for ATA’s 63rd and 64th Annual Conferences.

When past conference organizers say that planning for next year’s conference starts during the current year’s conference, they aren’t joking! Preparations for ATA63 are in full swing and I look forward to seeing everyone in Los Angeles. We’ll be visiting the conference hotel soon, and I’ll be sharing updates as they become available.

In the meantime, I hope you’ll consider submitting a proposal to give a presentation at the conference. Sharing your knowledge and experience with colleagues is an excellent way to build your reputation and résumé, widen your networking circle, and position yourself as an expert in your field! The call for proposals for ATA’s 63rd Annual Conference is now available online.

President Sánchez Zampaulo and I have recorded a short video on how to submit a successful conference proposal. In this video we share expectations for conference speakers, the process and timeline for selecting proposals, and tips on how to ensure that your proposal stands out.

If you have any questions about submitting a conference proposal, please contact Adrian Aleckna, ATA’s Professional Development Manager, at adrian@atanet.org.

I look forward to seeing you in Los Angeles, October 12-15, 2022!