November 1-3, 2026 · Prairie Meadows, Altoona, Iowa
View the full Conference Program including Sponsors, Exhibitors, Session Descriptions, and Speaker Bios here:
2026 Conference Agenda & Program
Monday, November 2
6:15 - 7:00 AM Yoga with Jamie Varangkounh (Bishop)
7:00 AM Registration, Check-In & Help Desk open
7:00 - 8:00 AM Breakfast: Bishop Ballrooms
8:00 - 8:15 AM Welcome & Roll Call
8:15 - 9:30 AM Opening Keynote: Malcolm Mitchell
9:30 - 9:40 AM Morning Announcements
9:45 - 10:15 AM Exhibitor Interactions & Snacks
Breakout Session 1: 10:20 - 11:20 AM
| Room | Session | Presenter(s) | Audience |
| Skinner A | Voices Behind the Screen | Aimee Hospodarsky, AEA | K-12 |
| Skinner B | Drug Endangered Children: The Tools to Respond and Intervene | Nikki Romer & Carrie Jensen, National DEC | K-12 |
| Skinner C | Before They Can Learn: The Neuroscience Every Educator Needs to Know | Laura Overby, Elementary Counselor | Elementary |
| Salon 1 | Micro Moments Matter: Every Interaction is an Intervention | Brittany Roberts, Professional Learning Coordinator, Four Oaks | K-12 |
| Salon 2 | A Transparent and Team Approach to Section 504 Coordination | Shelby Bryce & Mackenzie Campbell, School Counselor/Assistant Principal | K-12 |
| Salon 3 | You Are Already an Advocate: Expand Your Reach | Lauren Cerqueira & Erin Lane, School Counselor/University of Iowa | K-12 |
Breakout Session 2: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
| Room | Session | Presenter(s) | Audience |
| Skinner A | More than the Score: Moving from ACE Awareness to Building Resilience | Jo Ann Lee, Iowa State University | MS, HS |
| Skinner B | 2D Drug Endangered Children: The Tools to Respond and Intervene (need to have attended the powerpoint session prior) | Nikki Romer & Carrie Jensen, National DEC | K-12 |
| Skinner C | Thinking Functionally About Behavior Across All Three Tiers | Diana Wood, AEA | K-12 |
| Salon 1 | Dual Enrollment: Maximizing Opportunities, Mitigating Challenges | Thomas Paulsen, Director of Admissions and New Student Programs, University of Iowa | High School |
| Salon 2 | Writing Our Legacy: One Data Point at a Time | Kelly Bergmann, Megan Johnson-Gott, Debra Brokaw, School Counselors/Debra Brokaw Consulting | High School |
| Salon 3 | Addiction Proofing Our Students | Kriya Lendzion, Retired School Counselor, Adolescent Therapist, Addictions Clinician, Prevention Specialist | K-12 |
12:30 - 1:30 PM Lunch & Awards Presentation: Bishop Ballroom
12:30 - 1:45 PM Exhibitor Interactions
Breakout Session 3: 1:45 - 2:45 PM
| Room | Session | Presenter(s) | Audience |
| Skinner A | Stop Reassuring Me: Recognizing and Responding to OCD in Schools | Angela Eisenman, LMHC | K-12 |
| Skinner B | 3D Experience (Invite Only): Drug Endangered Children: The Tools to Respond and Intervene | Nikki Romer & Carrie Jensen, National DEC | K-12 |
| Skinner C | Start Small, Dream Big: College Visits with Elementary Students | Aimee Hospodarsky, AEA | K-12 |
| Salon 1 | Character Strong Tier 2 | Sheila Kinyon-Johnson & Anita Townsley, School Counselors | Elementary |
| Salon 2 | Value-Added: Supporting School Counselors and Students Through Iowa ACAC | Juanita Zavala & Gail McMahon, Iowa ACAC | K-12 |
| Salon 3 | Yoga for Teacher/Counselor Care | Jamie Varangkounh, School Counselor | Focus on School Counselors/Adults |
Breakout Session 4: 2:50 - 3:50 PM
| Room | Session | Presenter(s) | Audience |
| Skinner A | Providing GPS to COA’s: Guidance, Protection and Support to Children of Addiction | Kriya Lendzion, Retired School Counselor, Adolescent Therapist, Addictions Clinician, Prevention Specialist | K-12 |
| Skinner B | Power in Prevention: Fostering Felt Safety and Belonging at Tier 1 | Brittany Roberts, Professional Learning Coordinator, Four Oaks | K-12 |
| Skinner C | GED to PhD! Every Broken Story Deserves a RESET! | Dr. Craig Boykin, CEO, Educator | K-12, Postsecondary Transitions |
| Salon 1 | Authoring Access: Ditching the Tow Truck for Predictable K-12 Counseling Systems | Debra Brokaw, School Counselor | Middle School, High School |
| Salon 2 | Beyond the Diploma: Measuring What Matters in Career Readiness | Brittania Morey & Carrie Talbot, ICAN | K-12 |
| Salon 3 | ICAP Inspiration: Success Stories & What’s Next with Xello | Delfina Manocchio, Xello | K-12 |
4:00 - 4:15 PM Prize Drawings & Closing Remarks
Tuesday, November 3
7:00 AM - 12:00 PM Registration & Help Desk: Bishop Ballrooms
7:00 - 9:00 AM Breakfast on the Go Stations
7:00 - 7:45 AM Morning Wellness Sessions
7:00 AM - 12:00 PM Exhibitors Open
Breakout Session 5: 8:30 - 9:30 AM
| Room | Session | Presenter(s) | Audience |
| Skinner A | Partnering with the Field: Supervision Models and Site Supervisor Support Across Iowa School Counseling Programs | Andrew Eisenman; Erin Lane; Renee Fensom; Chambray Burk; Branis Knezevic; Bengu Erguner-Tekinalp; Scotti Hagensick, Counselor Educators | K-12 |
| Skinner B | Small but Mighty: Writing a Legacy of Statewide Support for Every School Counselor | Aimee Hospodarsky, Diana Wood, Tara Christiansen, Kathy Hanafan, AEA School Counselor Consultants | K-12 |
| Skinner C | Writing Your Legacy Through Systems, Not Survival Mode | Janine Gacke & Kate Gerber, Director of SPED/School Counselor | K-12 |
| Salon 1 | The Power of Parents | Shannon Allen, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) | Middle School, High School |
| Salon 2 | Beyond Behavior: Neuroscience & Brainspotting-Informed Strategies for Student Regulation and Counselor Resilience | Elise Healzer, DM, LMFT, Owner, Seasons of Life Family Therapy | K-12 |
| Salon 3 | Partnering For An Ag-Business Experience | Chris Conover, 6-12 Counselor | High School |
9:30 - 10:00 AM Exhibitor Interactions
Breakout Session 6: 10:00 - 11:00 AM
| Room | Session | Presenter(s) | Audience |
| Skinner A | Mind Over Mountains: Building a Legacy of Resilience, Wellness, and Student Success | Tia Banks, Chief Executive Officer, Mind Over Mountains | K-12 |
| Skinner B | Mapping the Mission: Evaluating and Designing Systems for College & Career Preparedness | Amy Smith, Karey Hawkins, Gear Up Facilitator, Education Program Consultant | K-12 |
| Skinner C | Understanding Iowa’s Redesigned Behavioral Health System: Resources and Supports for Schools, Students, and Families | Abbey Ferenzi, LMHC | K-12 |
| Salon 1 | Recognizing & Addressing Anxiety in Children & Adolescents in the School Setting | Diana Wood, AEA | K-12 |
| Salon 2 | Building Leaders: Using Empathy to Teach Leadership and Community Building | Kelly Holand, Middle School Counselor | Middle School |
11:00 - 12:00 PM Exhibitor Interactions
11:30 - 12:00 PM ISCA Annual Meeting, Prizes & Farewell