2026 Staff Professional Development Conference
Thursday, September 17, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The 6th Annual Public Service and Outreach Staff Professional Development Conference, sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, kicks off at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, at the UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel.
The morning professional development sessions are designed to inspire professional passion and support skill development. Enjoy a delicious lunch before participating in campus exploration activities, designed to feature resources and places at UGA. End the conference with an interactive town hall meeting where we collaborate and share ideas to help develop the next PSO strategic plan.
A preview of the opportunities for professional development and campus exploration is available below. Please review prior to registering.
Event Schedule
| Times | Description |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | Check-in at the Conference Registration Desk |
| 8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. | Welcome and Keynote Session |
| 9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. | Refreshment Break with Networking and Activities |
| 9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Professional Development Session 1 |
| 11:10 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. | Professional Development Session 2 |
| 12:25 p.m. – 1:25 p.m. | Networking Buffet Lunch |
| 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | Campus Exploration Activities |
| 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Refreshment Break with Hairy Dawg |
| 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Strategic Planning Town Hall and Closing Session |
Make Your Selections
A preview of the opportunities for professional development and campus exploration is available below as you plan for September 17. During registration, participants will select an option from Professional Development Session 1, an option from Professional Development Session 2, and an after-lunch on campus exploration activity. The keynote and afternoon general sessions will automatically be added to the schedule.
Keynote Session
8:30 – 9:15 a.m.
Finding Your Fit
Megan Ward (Opens in a new window), New Media Institute Director, New Media Institute
As director of the New Media Institute, housed in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Ward oversees its people, programs and operations while helping prepare students for careers in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. She is also the licensee and executive producer of TEDxUGA, where she has led the organization and curation of the university’s annual TEDx event since 2013. Her courses, including a new executive education partnership with the Georgia Center, focus on helping students communicate with confidence and purpose through the power of presentations. Ward is a Double Dawg, having earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public relations from UGA. She also serves on the boards of two nonprofits focused on strengthening Georgia’s foster care community.
9:45 – 11:00 a.m.
Professional Development Session 1 Options
- Communication Toolkit: Advocating for Ideas, Initiatives, and You
- Creating Your First Power BI Dashboard
- Digital Accessibility 101: PowerPoint Presentations
- Giving and Receiving Feedback with Radical Candor
- Mentoring Student Workers in PSO
- Navigating Change with Confidence
- PSO in Action: Mapping Our Collective Impact
- Strategic Networking for Professionals: Turning Conversations into Collaborations
- The AI-Enhanced Professional: Practical Uses for PSO
11:10 – 12:25 p.m.
Professional Development Session 2 Options
- AI Agent: 007
- Digital Accessibility 101: Word and PDF Documents
- How to Tell the Story
- LinkedIn and UGA: Promoting Your Programing Effectively
- Mindful Conflict Management: Moving Through Change
- Moving Work Forward: Learning Lab
- Setting Career Goals and Using UGA Resources
- The Energy Audit: Reclaiming Focus in a Distracted World
- Top Three Excel Skills to Improve Productivity
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Campus Exploration Activity Options
- Butts Mehre Heritage Hall Sports Museum Tour
- Coverdell Tour
- Founders Memorial Garden Tour
- Green Roof Garden Tour
- Georgia Center Culinary Experience
- Georgia Museum of Art Tour
- Latin American Ethnobotanical Garden (LAEG) Tour
- Live Insect Zoo Tour
- Manufacturing Living Labs Tour
- Ramsey Student Center Tour
- Special Collections Libraries Vault Tour
- WeatherDawgs Station Tour
- WUGA Tour
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Strategic Planning Town Hall and Closing Session
Help us develop ideas for where PSO is going! Join us for the PSO Strategic Plan: Staff Town Hall Meeting, where you can share your perspective, build on the ideas of your colleagues, and help identify the priorities that will shape PSO’s future. Together, we’ll chart a course for the next chapter of our impactful work across Georgia.
The session schedule is subject to change; the session locations will be posted on the on-site Georgia Center kiosks.
Additional activities will be held throughout the day to highlight ways to stay Forward, Focused, and Ready.
- Activity cards will be provided at registration so you can meet new colleagues and expand existing connections with colleagues across PSO. There may be a gift available during the closing session for those who participate.
- Recognition Wall: You will have the opportunity to recognize a colleague whose work, support, or attitude helps move you and/or PSO forward.
Cost:
The cost for the event is $35.00, which is paid by the participant’s home department, not by the individual. Registration for the event covers the entire day of professional development sessions and lunch.
Cancellations or Session Changes:
To alter your session selection or cancel your registration on or before September 1, 2026, log into the PSO Registration System with your login information. Once in the system you can alter, update and cancel your registration.
Continuing Education Information:
The University of Georgia awards Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to those attending professional development sessions. A UGA CEU transcript is available at any time upon written request. For questions regarding CEUs or transcripts, please email gc-questions@uga.edu.
Hotel:
You can reserve a hotel room using room group code 57074 (Opens in a new window) until August 25, 2026. After that date, please call the Georgia Center to request an available hotel room under the group rate of $159, which includes parking.
Note: reserving a hotel room does not register you for the conference. Please use the box titled REGISTER NOW to register for the conference.
To change or cancel your hotel reservation, call 800-884-1381 or 706-542-2134.
Parking:
Limited parking is available in the South Campus Parking Deck, adjacent to the Georgia Center ($15 a day). Contact your business manager for parking passes. Parking deck rates are set by UGA Transportation & Parking Services.
Program Contact Information:
Program Contact:
Laura Raiford
678-985-6775
lraiford@uga.edu
Registration Contact:
706-542-3537
gc-questions@uga.edu
Special Needs:
If you require special services, email Laura Raiford by September 4, 2026.
Dietary restrictions should be indicated during the registration process.