Best Practices and Innovations in CTE Conference 2023
The Best Practices and Innovations Conference is an annual event co-hosted by the NCLA and the Administration Division of the Association for Career and Technical Education® (ACTE®). This event is specifically focused on the professional development for administrators of both secondary and post-secondary career and technical education programs and institutions.
You’ll have the opportunity to hear and share the latest insights on:
- Instructional leadership
- Mentoring CTE teachers
- Best practices
- Marketing your district
- Tech skills and CTE
- Business and industry partnerships
- And much more!
Keynote Speakers
Thursday Opening
Sponsored by Microburst 
Dave Davlin
“The Game-Winning 3”–Making It Count …In Business And In Life
Whether it comes in creating a better product, helping to relieve someone’s stress or pain, bringing someone laughter or joy or helping someone get more out of their life, success is always about serving. This being the case, the key to success in any business lies not only in the development of great products and services, but more importantly in the development of great people. In this insightful presentation, Dave Davlin shares three essentials developing a purpose-driven mentality to achieve a fulfilling career and balanced life. This presentation is an hour of interaction, humor participation mixed with a powerful message. It is a roller coaster ride of emotion that will find the audience engaged in hilarious laughter one moment and brought to tears the next. The audience will be challenged to make the most of every moment in order to develop themselves personally and professionally while creating value and making a difference in the lives of others.
Thursday Lunch
Sponsored by Navigate 360 
Katherine Schweit
The Violence Landscape
Slowing firearms violence in the United States begins with understanding more than just numbers and percentages. Here we’ll break down the violence landscape to better understand where and how these deaths are occurring. We’ll discuss our most violent shooters and what triggers them to act. And finally, we’ll explore some of the most promising prevention efforts underway and how to harden your target and protect those in charge when other efforts fail.
Friday Closing
Sponsored by Schoolinks
Corey Flournoy
Making Real Change and Transformation through DEI
Many conversations and initiatives connected to diversity, equity and inclusion lead to transactional changes, if any, that fail to make the needed progress required to shift the culture of an organization or system. Corey Flournoy brings 30+ plus years of experience working in DEI with global corporations, non-profit organizations and educational institutions that has shaped his philosophies and practices to make transformative, lasting change for individuals and organizations. During this session, Corey will share his story of being the first Black and urban president of the National FFA Organization that has led him to develop valuable lessons that can help build individual cultural competencies and empathy and expand the support, appeal, and engagement of diverse students within career and technical education — ultimately leading more qualified candidates to careers in the growing fields of DEI.
Workshops & Tours
Workshops
Attract and Retain the Right Students, Staff & Stakeholders—Right Now!
Speaker: Mark Perna
Date: Wednesday, September 27
Time: 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Cost: $150
Kick off your conference experience with game-changing insight from generational and education expert Mark C. Perna! In a fast-changing world, student retention and completion are vital. Mark, who works daily with organizations nationwide, has evolved a cohesive framework to maximize retention, completion, and success rates with Generation Z. Discover how you can shift them from a passive class-taking mindset to a passionate program completion mindset—moving them from just showing up to being all-in on the value they receive every day. Mark will also shed fresh light on employee retention and the steps to become a proactive first choice not just for students, but also staff. Join Mark for the real strategies to make your organization a magnetic force for everyone: top talent, community leaders, and of course, the Gen Z students and families you serve!
Educating for an AI-Driven Future: Transforming Career Pathways through Innovative AI-Informed Education
Speaker: Rachael Mann
Date: Wednesday, September 27
Time: 8:00 am-12:00 pm
Fee: $150
One of the major technology trends shaping the landscape of all industries is Artificial Intelligence (AI). The use of AI in every industry is becoming increasingly prevalent, and it’s essential that we educate our CTE staff and students for an AI-driven future. AI will have a significant impact on the types of jobs that are available in the workforce, how we train people to do these jobs, and how we will need to work with students to prepare them for their future.
How, where, when, and even why we work is transforming with these advances in artificial intelligence. How is education transforming to keep up with the changes? How will AI impact the career pathways that we are equipping students to enter? Why is AI-informed education important to ensuring that every student is future ready? What are ethical issues that need to be addressed?
How can AI create efficiencies in your work and lessen the time-consuming tasks for teachers? Attend this pre-conference workshop to find out answers to these questions and more. Attendees will leave with a toolkit of resources to use with teachers and staff.
Tours
SLCC Jordan Campus and Jordan Academy for Technology and Careers Tour
Date: Wednesday, September 27
Time: 8:30 – 11:30 AM
Cost: $60
Come visit the Jordan Academy for Technology and Career and Jordan Campus at Salt Lake Community College. We will start at Salt Lake Community College and have the opportunity to explore Mortuary Science, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Dental Assisting, Surgical Technician and many more programs. We will then go to our Jordan Academy and Technology and Career South campus where we will explore how we turned a neighborhood nursery into a school. The programs will include, welding, nail technician, horticulture, criminal justice, fire science and more. This tour will visit both the high school and college programs and discuss the collaboration between the school district and our local college partners.
SLCC Westpointe Campus Tour
Date: Wednesday, September 27
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Cost $60
Come visit the Westpointe Campus at Salt Lake Community College. This campus focuses on heavy industry and advanced manufacturing. From a 3-acre truck driving range to a nearly 10,000 square foot welding lab, Salt Lake Community College is a shining example of Career and Technical Education in the state of Utah. Programs that will be viewed are injection molding, composites, machining, welding, diesel, and professional truck driving.
Special Event
Special Event: A Celebration of the Old West of Salt Lake City (Fee Required)
Join us for a visit to what Salt Lake City was like in the 1840’s. The Henry J. Wheeler Farm is a farmstead in the Salt Lake City area that is one of the few remaining late 19th century farmsteads in the Salt Lake Valley that has not been lost to expanding housing developments of metropolitan Salt Lake City. Wheeler Farm is a working farm and public park with 75 acres of natural landscape, park, trails, and backwoods area. A historic farm house, activity barn, stables, gardens, old-fashioned shop, pavilions, playground fort, and an outdoor education center are a few of the amenities available for our attendees to enjoy, at their leisure.
Transportation and a full dinner will be provided to registrants.
Thursday, Sept. 28 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Hotels
Hilton Salt Lake City Center Host Hotel
Address: 255 S W Temple St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phone: (801) 328-2000
Room Rate: $196 plus a 13.82% tax
Reservation Deadline: September 4, 2023
To make your reservation online, please click here
Please note, rooms may sell out before September 4, 2023. ACTE will do its best secure additional rooms if the block sells out prior to September 4, 2023.
Towne Place Suites by Marriott Salt Lake City Center Downtown
Address: 135 W 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phone: (801) 509-7500
Rate: $197 plus 13.82% tax (Includes breakfast)
Reservation Deadline: Tuesday, September 5, 2023
To make your reservation, please click here.
Please note, this hotel is approximately 3 blocks from the Hilton Salt Lake City Center. Therefore, there will not be a shuttle between the two hotels.
Hyatt House Salt Lake City Downtown
Address: 140 S 300 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phone: (801) 359-4020
Rate: $209 plus 13.82% tax (Includes breakfast)
Reservation Deadline: Tuesday, September 5, 2023
To make your reservation, please click here.
Please note, this hotel is approximately 3 blocks from the Hilton Salt Lake City Center. Therefore, there will not be a shuttle between the two hotels.
Travel
Air Travel
Delta Air Lines is pleased to offer special discounts for ACTE
Please click here to book your flights.
You may also call Delta Meeting Network® at 1.800.328.1111* Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (EST) and refer to Meeting Event Code: NM2LX
*Please note there is not a service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via our reservation 800 number.
Ground Travel
For information on arriving in Salt Lake City, please click here.
Car Rental
Hertz Car Rental is pleased to offer a special discount to conference attendees. To take advantage of this discount, please click here and use the following code “CDP 2188961”.
Exhibitor & Sponsor Opportunities
Would you like access to a national gathering of career and technical program administrators? ACTE and the National Council of Local Administrators (NCLA) will make it happen. NCLA’s core purpose is to serve members by helping them connect with the best professional development, contribute their expertise to make CTE better nationwide, and create a culture of innovative excellence. Every fall, ACTE and NCLA bring together this network of peers at the Best Practices and Innovations Conference.