By Erin Mason, 2026 Annual Meeting Program Committee Chair, Portia LaMarr, 2026 Annual Meeting Program Committee Vice-Chair, and Becky Fowkes, Director, Meetings & Events, AACRAO
Are you attending your State or Regional ACRAO conference this fall? Keep your eyes and ears open for sessions that truly stand out and consider nominating them for consideration as a “Best of the Best” session at the 111th AACRAO Annual Meeting. The AACRAO Best of the Best Program provides a unique opportunity to recognize exceptional presentations at the State and Regional levels and elevate them to the national stage.
Get your keyboards ready: the portal for Best of the Best nominations for the 2026 Annual Meeting opens on September 1, and nominations are due by 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, December 1. The AACRAO Program Committee will review nominated sessions and select up to three winning sessions for presentation at the 111th AACRAO Annual Meeting in New Orleans, April 19-22, 2026.
Previous Best of the Best winners have presented on a wide range of topics. Sessions that spark ideas, challenge thinking, or offer fresh approaches in the field are most likely to be selected as Best of the Best winners. The program also aims to highlight presenters who are new to the AACRAO Annual Meeting. By recognizing these sessions and presenters, the Best of the Best program ensures a broad mix of session content for Annual Meeting attendees.
Presenters (up to three per session) of sessions selected as Best of the Best winners will receive a waived registration fee for the 2026 Annual Meeting.
“When I received the email announcing that my session had been awarded ‘Best of the Best’ Winner ... I was both shocked and thrilled,” said Regina Middleton, Assistant Registrar at Texas Christian University, and Best of the Best winner at the 109th AACRAO Annual Meeting in 2024 for her session “Building Infrastructure for Optimal Training and Professional Development Programs.” Middleton was nominated after presenting at the 2023 TACRAO Conference.
“The recognition validated me as a presenter and reassured me that participants were truly gaining valuable knowledge from my workshop,” Middleton continued. Another exciting part of this honor was the opportunity to present my session at the Annual AACRAO Meeting. It was an incredible experience, especially since it was my first time attending the AACRAO conference. Since that event, I have become more engaged with AACRAO and even published an article with the College and University Journal, which was published in May 2025.”
”When I ... learned I had been nominated for ‘Best of the Best,’ I was both shocked and deeply honored,” said Curtis Clock, a Best of the Best winner at the 108th AACRAO Annual Meeting in 2023 for his session, “Teach Me How to Gen Z.” Clock was nominated after presenting at the Indiana ACRAO 2022 Annual Meeting.
“Still, I wasn’t sure how realistic winning felt, knowing my session was competing against presentations from across the nation,” shared Clock. “Then came the communication that I had been selected ... I was absolutely blown away. Simply saying I was honored hardly captures the depth of emotion I felt. It was my very first AACRAO conference in person, and to receive such a prestigious award made it unforgettable. Attending the conference in Colorado was an incredible experience filled with meaningful connections and opportunities, leaving such an indelible impact that I have sought out the experience every year since.”
The Best of the Best program reflects the AACRAO commitment to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity. By nominating standout sessions, members help elevate exceptional work, amplify new perspectives, and enrich the Annual Meeting experience for everyone. It is an opportunity to celebrate remarkable presenters and the remarkable contributions they are making at the annual State and Regional conferences.
If you’re attending a State and Regional Conference this fall, please consider nominating the standout sessions you come across for the AACRAO Best of the Best Program. If you have questions about the AACRAO Best of the Best Program, email meetings@aacrao.org for more information.