ACDIS update: Get ready to hit the road and meet the ACDIS team in Chicago!

While the ACDIS conference may feel like it’s just around the corner, it’s still not too late to join us in Chicago! Registration remains open and you can reserve your spot and join us and the empowering, action-packed agenda using this link!

Last-minute travel plans can be stressful, but the ACDIS conference may be closer than you think!

Here are some cities within driving distance:

• Approximately two hours or less: Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin
• Approximately three hours: Springfield, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana
• Under five hours: Detroit, Michigan; Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio; St. Louis, Missouri; Louisville, Kentucky

Engage with your curiosity and come ready to learn: with five tracks and more than 50 educational sessions, there are so many options. Plus, if it’s your first time attending, make sure you come by the first-time attendee’s portion of the opening reception on Monday, April 20.

For those headed to Chicago with us in a couple short weeks, make sure to consider some of the packing suggestions from the veterans of the ACDIS conference!

Day 1 (Tuesday) of the conference is always Purple & Orange Day, so bring your favorite purple and orange clothing and join us in celebrating your ACDIS pride! It’s always so fun walking into the event space and being greeted by a sea of purple and orange clad attendees. We often say that ACDIS is a family and this really solidifies it.

Then, on Day 2 (Wednesday) of the conference, we’ll celebrate State Networking Day! We encourage you to pack something emblematic of your state so you can identify peers from your region easily. During lunch, some state chapters will coordinate to decorate a table with festive state-themed décor, so you can meet and chat with state crew then. In previous years, Maine has worn lobster hats, Kentucky has hosted a Derby theme, and Arizona has gone full desert theme—just to name a few!

Finally, there are a few things you should pack for every day of the event:

• Layers—think cardigans, blazers, etc. No matter how much our wonderful event team tries, the temperature in large conference rooms is difficult to keep consistent, so you’ll want to be able to add or shed a layer as needed.
• Comfortable shoes are a must. You’ll be walking between sessions, through the exhibit hall, and back and forth to the event space.
• Business cards are also helpful for connecting with fellow attendees and exhibitors! And while we’re on the subject of networking, we always recommend throwing some hand sanitizer in your bag since you’ll likely be shaking lots of hands and may not always have a chance to run and wash your hands as frequently as you’d like.
• Though it’s more or less a given these days, make sure to bring your cell phone and charger too so you can easily access the event app, including the agenda, during the conference.
• And finally, a notebook and pen, or your laptop, will come in handy when you’re listening to our wonderful sessions! You can access the slides in the event materials, but it’s always helpful to have a spot to jot down your notes in the moment too.

If you have any additional must-pack items, let us know! At this point, the ACDIS team are somewhat expert-level packers, but we’re always open to upping our game and sharing good advice with the rest of the ACDIS community!

Still need to register? Click here to do so now!