Registration Open Now! 2026 SPE Annual Conference

Get ready for an exciting gathering! We are thrilled to invite you to the 2026 SPE Annual Conference, taking place in San Antonio, Texas, from September 15–17, 2026.

This year, we will be hosted at the beautiful Hilton Palacio del Rio, located in the heart of San Antonio.

We are currently finalizing an engaging lineup of activities and sessions designed to foster collaboration and share best practices among our community. There will be opportunities to engage in dynamic conference sessions covering state and federal updates, SARA institution convenings, SPE best practices, and more.

The registration link was sent via an individualized invitation from Zoom Events on Wednesday, June 10. Please use the business email address where the invitation was sent to register. Registration includes information about hotel room reservations, how to book your flight and the draft agenda.

Important Details:

  • Meeting Format: The 2026 SPE Annual Conference will be held in person. As the sessions are designed to be collaborative and hands-on, there will be no virtual attendance option.
  • Who Should Attend: Attendance is open to up to two SPE staff members per state. Additionally, regional education compact SARA staff, NC-SARA staff, NC-SARA board directors, and invited presenters are welcome to attend. If there are two or more SPE staff members in the state that regularly and substantively perform SARA duties, please submit an email request including contact information for additional attendees to Shannon Walker at swalker@nc-sara.org. We will do our best to accommodate more than two SPE staff members per state based on availability.
  • Registration:
    • Opens: June 10, 2026
    • Closes: August 7, 2026
  • How to Register: An individualized invitation was sent via email from Zoom Events on Wednesday, June 10. Please use the business email address where the invitation was sent to complete your registration. Upon completion of your registration, you will receive a confirmation email containing important information for arranging your flight and other travel logistics.
  • Registration Fee: There is no registration fee for the conference, but please ensure you register by the August 7 deadline.
  • How to book your flight: Once you complete your registration for the conference, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to submit your flight registration. After submitting, a travel agent from Cain Travel will review your details and email you a flight proposal for your approval, typically within three business days. If you don’t receive your proposal within this timeframe or have any questions, feel free to reach out to the travel team at gma@caintravel.com (available Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time).
  • Travel Expenses: NC-SARA will cover all approved travel expenses for up to two SPE staff members per state, including airfare, two nights of hotel accommodation, meals, and other related costs (e.g., mileage, airport parking, and gratuities). If you prefer to drive, or if driving is more cost-effective, please contact Shannon Walker at swalker@nc-sara.org to discuss travel parameters.

If you have any questions regarding conference logistics, please reach out to Shannon Walker at swalker@nc-sara.org or (303) 931-0828.

We look forward to welcoming you to San Antonio for an engaging and productive conference!

Past SPE Annual Conferences

2025 SPE Annual Conference materials
2024 SPE Annual Conference materials
2023 SPE Annual Conference materials