NFDA invites current and aspiring leaders to the 2025 Leadership Conference, taking place August 3–6 at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California. With the early-bird registration deadline of June 1 quickly approaching, now is the time to secure your place at this premier event focused on equipping funeral service professionals and association leaders with the tools to lead effectively in a changing world.
This year’s conference features an impressive lineup of expert speakers, each offering practical insights and real-world strategies:
- Sharon Gai, AI and innovation expert, will present AI: How to Do More With Less, offering practical tools to integrate AI into your work, and lead a hands-on session, Ask AI Anything, where attendees will test AI’s problem-solving power against real workplace challenges.
- Avi Olitzky, president of Olitzky Consulting Group, will lead Leadership That Lasts, a session on building leadership pipelines, and offer an optional workshop on Rethinking Membership Models for associations seeking deeper member engagement.
- Ruth Graczkowski, facilitator of the National Emerging Leaders Program, will guide attendees through The Real Work of Leadership, a reflective session on navigating the complexity of leading with empathy and purpose.
- Lesley Witter, NFDA’s Senior VP of Advocacy, will deliver an essential legislative update on funeral service policy priorities.
- Chris Farmer, NFDA Legal Counsel, will discuss the latest legal issues affecting the profession.
- The conference concludes with a forward-looking roundtable, Beyond Tradition: Charting the Future of Funeral Service, featuring respected leaders in a dynamic peer exchange.
Attendees will also participate in Breakout Discussions by Office, where presidents, presidents-elect, secretaries/treasurers, past presidents, and state executive direcors will gather for peer-led dialogue on shared challenges and solutions.
Additional highlights include:
Register and view the full agenda at NFDA.org/Leadership. Early-bird pricing ends June 1; registration closes July 25.