Friday October 17, 2025

APRIL Youth Conference

8:00 am (Regency Foyer CD) Registration for Pre-Conference and Youth Events ONLY

8:00 am (Regency B) Breakfast

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sensory Free Room is Open (Willamette 9)

 9:00 am - 4:00 pm APRIL Youth Conference: Camp APRIL

12:00 - 1:30 pm Lunch (Regency B)

2:00 – 5:00 pm (Regency Foyer CD) Registration opens for All Attendees 

6:00 – 7:00 pm (Regency A) Annual Membership Meeting

7:00 - 9:00 pm (Regency Foyer Main) Welcome Reception

• Meet & Greet with APRIL's New Executive Director, Elissa Ellis
• Light snacks provided

APRIL LEAD On Collaborative

8:00 am (Regency Foyer) Registration for Pre-Conference and Youth Events ONLY

8:00 am (Regency B) Breakfast

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sensory Free Room is Open (Willamette 9)

9:00 am - 4:00 pm APRIL LEAD On Collaborative: Make Your Mark

12:00 - 1:30 pm Lunch (Regency B)

2:00 – 5:00 pm (Regency Foyer CD) Registration opens for All Attendees 

6:00 – 7:00 pm (Regency A) Annual Membership Meeting

7:00 - 9:00 pm (Regency Foyer Main) Welcome Reception

• Meet & Greet with APRIL's New Executive Director, Elissa Ellis
• Light snacks provided

APRIL Pre-Conference Sessions

8:00 am (Regency Foyer) Registration for Pre-Conference and Youth Events ONLY

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sensory Free Room is Open (Willamette 9)

8:00 - 9:00 am Breakfast (Regency B)

9:00 am - 4:00 pm (Regency A)

• AM Sessions: Emergency Preparedness & Safety
  • 9:00 - 9:50 am: Teaching People with Disabilities How To Be Their Own First Responders - With a Little Help with Jackie Shelton, Mark Tadder, and Minerva A. Moreno-Rivera
    • For people with disabilities and older adults, having a solid plan in the event of an emergency is critical, as there are extra factors to consider in the event of a flood, fire, earthquake, or other emergency. That’s why NNCIL and SNCIL teamed up to create a statewide website, documentary, and short videos to help people with disabilities and older adults stay safe. These resources provide peace of mind — and could even save lives. In this session, we’ll share how we developed these tools, the partnerships that made them possible, and how we’re getting this life-saving information into the hands of people across the state.
    • Click here to download an Accessible PDF Version of the Presentation
  • 10:00 - 10:50 am: The ADA and Public Safety: Where We’ve Been, Where We are, and how to keep our voices heard with Patricia Kepler, Nakita Thomas, and Romla Shields
    • Our disabled young adults have grown up with the ADA in place. Many of them are unaware of the Capitol Crawl or the Independent Living Movement. Many don’t recognize the need to organize or invest in self-advocacy. One area in need of their voices is public safety and emergency management. The City of Portland’s Public Safety team, wants to provide some of the valuable background information and consult with conference participants on their thoughts on how we can get young adults with disabilities engaged in conversations about equity and inclusion with emergency services.
    • Click here to download an Accessible PDF Version of the Presentation
  • 11:00 - 11:50 am: Disability Inclusive Emergency Management with John Romano

    • As the frequency and intensity of natural hazards escalate, all governments are evolving their approaches to support communities as they prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. These approaches must be inclusive and accessible. Disasters do not discriminate and their impacts can be disproportionately severe for people with disabilities.

    •  Click here to download an Accessible PDF Version of the Presentation 

12:00 - 1:30 pm Lunch (Regency B)

• PM Session (1:00 - 4:00 pm): The Americans with Disabilities Act and Facilitating Recreation Programs: Considerations to Ensure Access and Integration with John Dorris
  • The presentation will provide a general overview of the ADA, discussion of Title II and III obligations to ensure access to programs and services through effective communication and modifications to policies and procedures, a review of relevant Department of Justice consent decrees to help illustrate ADA obligations, and information about the importance of recreation programs for people with disabilities.
  • Click here to download an Accessible PDF Version of the Presentation

2:00 – 5:00 pm (Regency Foyer CD) Registration opens for All Attendees 

6:00 – 7:00 pm (Regency A) Annual Membership Meeting

7:00 - 9:00 pm (Regency Foyer Main) Welcome Reception

• Meet & Greet with APRIL's New Executive Director, Elissa Ellis
• Light snacks provided