Overview

Celebrate a milestone with us at the 30th CIVSA Annual Conference! Get ready for a week packed with diverse learning opportunities for everyone from first-time attendees to seasoned professionals! We’ll reflect on where we’ve been and get ready for where we’re going. 

Our schedule includes educational sessions, plenary sessions, group discussions and informal programming events, all designed to help you develop new ideas, share experiences, discover best practices, and make connections with others in your field.

You can expect to bring back great ideas, practical takeaways, and a renewed sense of energy to help make you and your institution stronger. Topics include event planning, daily visit programming, student/staff development, operations management, diversity initiatives, cultivating campus partnerships and much more.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Programming

Contribute your expertise and highlight your institution at the 2023 Annual Conference by submitting an educational session proposal! Our Programming & Education committee will review all proposals to curate a diverse slate of sessions that encompass all facets of the visitor services industry, whether you are a new or seasoned professional.

Proposals are due by Wednesday, January 11. Check out our 2023 Educational Session Tracks for detailed descriptions on what you can expect. Not sure where to start? Review our Educational Session Proposal Submission Guide and our Tips for a Successful Educational Session Proposal.

Speakers

KIM BECKING

Keynote Speaker

Kim Becking, J.D. inspires leaders, teams and organizations to build a Momentum Mindset® to boost resilience, reduce stress and overwhelm, conquer change and accelerate success no matter what life or work throws at them. She is an engaging, high energy-energy and impactful speaker, best-selling author, change consultant and leadership coach who has also been featured in People, SELF, The New York Times, USA Today, Good Morning America and Lifetime Television for her thought leadership on adapting to change and building everyday resilience. Her strategic insights and practical solutions to adapting to change and boosting resilience have been utilized by hundreds of happy clients – including Fortune 100 companies, national and statewide associations, governmental entities and non-profit organizations. After hearing Kim, audiences leave ready to take her relatable lessons and strategies and put them into immediate action.

EBONÉ BELL

Closing Speaker

Eboné Bell is a business owner, speaker, and trailblazer who shines bright in the world of entrepreneurship, LGBTQ issues, media, and activism. She is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Tagg Magazine and Tagg Communication LLC. After seeing a lack of LGBTQ women represented in local publications, she decided to start a magazine and website to tell stories, provide resources, and create events. In 2018, Eboné founded the Tagg Scholarship Fund—a scholarship created specifically for young, queer, women of color who can’t afford to attend school. She was recently featured in Forbes Magazine as an “Inspiring Black Entrepreneur Changing Our World.” As a keynote speaker, Eboné is well known for her warm energy and transparency. She is not afraid to have tough conversations. Her humor makes her approachable, and her commitment to connection is what makes her a dynamic and unforgettable speaker.

Tours

Washington University in St. Louis, founded in 1853, is a private, prestigious research university with its main campus located in St. Louis County and Clayton, MO. Their over 15,000 students come from more than 100 countries and all 50 states and are among the world’s leaders in teaching, research, patient care, and service to society.

Participants choosing to tour WashU will take a bus ride to campus. You will join WashU Admissions staff to experience what it means to them to be in and with St. Louis. The approximately 3 hour experience has been curated to get to know their institution and a chance to choose your own adventure. This tour takes place on Tuesday, June 6 from 9am-1pm.

Hotel & Travel

Our conference hotel is the Sheraton Grand Seattle, located at 1400 6th Avenue. Rooms will be $199+ tax per night for single or double occupancy. A reservation link will be included in conference registration confirmation emails. The last day to book a room in the CIVSA block is May 6, 2024. Rooms booked outside of the group block, through the hotel’s main booking page or through any third-party channels will be subject to standard hotel rates. 

Centrally located at 6th and Pike St., the hotel is within walking distance of Seattle’s most iconic local attractions, shopping and dining, including Pike Place Market. Start your day in downtown Seattle at our modern Starbucks® marketplace and upscale coffee bar and relax in the newly refreshed rooms, which offer views of Puget Sound. Visit shops, restaurants, bars and attractions just blocks from our hotel, such as the Space Needle, Climate Pledge Arena and Chihuly Garden and Glass.

More information about the hotel, including amenities, parking and driving directions can be found online.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is located 14 miles from the conference hotel. The average taxi/rideshare rate between the airport and hotel is $40. Uber and Lyft operate at this airport.

Link Light Rail provides an affordable alternative to taxi and rideshare options. For just $3 one-way, you’ll travel from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to the Westlake stop which brings you within two blocks of the hotel. The train ride takes about 35 minutes, the same time it will take you in a rideshare car. More information can be found at https://www.portseattle.org/page/public-transit-link-light-rail

Additional information about ground transportation between the hotel and the airport can be found at https://www.portseattle.org/sea-tac/ground-transportation

Getting around Seattle via public transportation is a great option. This website lists many options.

Registration

Registration Date Member Non-member
Oct 3 – Oct 31 $340 N/A
Nov 1 – Dec 31 $390 $540
Jan 1 – Jan 31 $490 $640
Feb 1 – May 19, 5p PT $540 $665
after May 15 we can’t guarantee new registrants a pre-printed nametag, inclusion in the program book, or other material items

Please note that registration fees are non-refundable.

A credit for all fees paid less a $50 administrative fee will be issued if requested in writing by March 1. The registration credit has no cash value and is valid for the next CIVSA Annual Conference only. Cancellation requests must be submitted to civsaHQ@civsa.org and include the registrant’s name and institution. No credits will be issued after March 1.

Credits will not be offered for campus tour registrations.

An Annual Conference registration may be transferred to another professional staff member from the same institution. If the registration was paid at the CIVSA member registration rate, it may be transferred to (a) another CIVSA member at no additional charge or (b) a non-member with an additional $150 transfer fee. Transfer requests must be received in writing to civsahq@civsa.org. If a registration transfer is requested after May 1, the change will not be reflected in the conference program book or conference app.

Sponsorships

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Promote your business and increase brand recognition with campus visit and information services professionals by sponsoring the 2024 CIVSA Annual Conference in Seattle. We offer a number of sponsorship opportunities and are happy to work with you to develop advertising suited to your needs. For more information please contact Betty Spengler, Conference and Events Manager, at events@civsa.org.