2025 50 State Afterschool Network Leaders Meeting: Full Schedule

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10:45am MDT

Communications: Organizing Your Communications Efforts: Building Your Strategy

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT

This will be a hands-on session designed to help network staff make the most of their communications efforts. Together we will brainstorm and share insights to tackle topics like: How do we get the best return on investment with limited communications resources? What should I be promoting and when? How do I measure success? Whether you are just getting started or want to hone your existing strategy, you’ll leave with guidance and ideas to help you advance your most important goals.

Speakers

Annie Cornett

Consultant, Social Legends

Ursula Helminski

Sr VP External Affairs, Afterschool Alliance

Laurie Lennon

Sr VP of Communications, Burness

Maria Rizo

Afterschool Alliance

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT
Eagle AB

Sharing Sessions, Communications

10:45am MDT

Leadership: Exploring Equitable Leadership & Management Practices

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT

Bear AB

This session will provide a space to exchange ideas about how to be more equity-centered in the leadership and management of our Networks. Using a range of reflection tools, we’ll explore culture and conflict, relationship building, staff development and supervision, and organizational operations. We’ll share our experiences and surface tangible ways to make transformational shifts in mindsets, behaviors and structures towards more equitable organizations and thriving teams.

Speakers

Ruth Obel-Jorgensen

Consultant, Corazon Catalysts

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT
Bear AB

Sharing Sessions, Leadership

10:45am MDT

Policy: Policy Updates for OST Advancement with the STEM Next Fellows

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT

Tamaya Ballroom EFGH

STEM Next deploys Fellows in high-impact placements with Federal agencies to advance STEM and OST learning by establishing channels of communication between local communities and the federal government and disseminating funding opportunities to networks and programs. Join this session for the latest policy updates.

Access resources from this session HERE.

Speakers

Jodi Grant

Executive Director, Afterschool Alliance

Since 2005, Jodi Grant has been Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality, affordable afterschool programs. As Executive Director, she oversees federal... Read More →

Holly Miller

Research Fellow, IES

Dr. Holly Miller serves as the Advisor for Afterschool and Summer Learning in the Institute of Education Sciences at the US Department of Education.Dr. Miller is passionate about research-based educational policy that supports students and teachers achieving their full potential in... Read More →

Tasha Owens-Green

STEM Next Fellow, STEM Next

Tasha Owens-Green, M.Ed. & MFT STEM NEXT School-Aged and Early Care Fellow Tasha Owens-Green serves as the School-Aged and Early Care Fellow in the Office of Human Services Policy at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Tasha Owens-Green is dedicated... Read More →

Philip Steigman

STEM Next Out-of-School Time and Early Education Policy Fellow, STEM Next/HHS ASPE

Philip Steigman is an Out-of-School Time and Early Education Policy Fellow at the office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Philip’s primary interest is translating emerging research into practices that... Read More →

Sheronda Witter

Out-of-School Time Advisor, US Department of Education

Dr. Sheronda Witter serves as the Out-of-School Time Advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. In this capacity, Dr. Witter helps to drive and coordinate the Department’s Engage Every Student Initiative, which is a bold call to action to provide... Read More →

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT
Tamaya Ballroom EFGH

Sharing Sessions, Policy

10:45am MDT

Quality: Unified and Inclusive Quality Building Systems

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT

Puma ABC Meeting Room

Programs engaged in meaningful, ongoing quality systems produce better youth outcomes. Programs are often required to participate in multiple systems driven by multiple funding streams. Join us to explore how states can align, unify, and simplify quality systems to create more efficient and effective quality improvement.

21st CCLC
SACC
City-wide efforts
Funder driven efforts

Speakers

Kelly Frank

President & Owner, Social Legends

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT
Puma ABC Meeting Room

Sharing Sessions, Quality

10:45am MDT

Research & Data: Collecting Data for Impact Case Studies 1

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT

Hawk ABC

What type of data should states be collecting to demonstrate impact? How are they collecting, organizing, and using data for policy, research, and quality improvement? This session will feature an in-depth look at Utah’s data collection systems providing inspiration and guidance for other states wanting to implement similar practices. Then, New Mexico will demonstrate the maps created from their program level data collection efforts. Finally, North Carolina will share how they used their state specific data as a powerful tool to help tell their afterschool impact stories in their Landscape Analysis.

Speakers

Terri Foulkes

Executive Director, Missouri AfterSchool Network

Terri Foulkes is the Network Lead for the Missouri AfterSchool Network. The Missouri AfterSchool Network builds systems across the state that improve, support, and sustain high quality afterschool programs.

Monday April 14, 2025 10:45am - 12:15pm MDT
Hawk ABC

Sharing Sessions, Research & Data

1:30pm MDT

Communications: Communicating Impact: Demonstrating the Value of Your Network

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT

Eagle AB

This workshop will focus on tips and strategies you can use to help different audiences–from funders and policymakers to providers and partners–understand the unique value of your state network. Hear how your peers communicate about their network and impact, see what materials they’re using, and learn how they’ve addressed common challenges. Everyone will have time and space during this session to workshop messages and ideas, brainstorm, and learn from other networks.

Speakers

Annie Cornett

Consultant, Social Legends

Ursula Helminski

Sr VP External Affairs, Afterschool Alliance

Laurie Lennon

Sr VP of Communications, Burness

Maria Rizo

Afterschool Alliance

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
Eagle AB

Sharing Sessions, Communications

1:30pm MDT

Leadership: The Changemaking Power of a Network

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT

Bear AB

Network models have the power to create movements that make the impossible possible. Join us to explore the why and how of a network approach and learn how to build your network to advance OST in your state ecosystem.

What makes a network model unique?
What is the value of a network approach?
Examples of how OST has benefited from the network approach – we would not have achieved this if it had not been for a network model.
Examples of how states have built and cultivated their network model:
- Policy Example
- Quality example
- System building example
- Investment in OST example
- Increasing awareness/value of OST example

Speakers

Kelly Frank

President & Owner, Social Legends

Kelly Riding

Consultant, Social Legends

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
Bear AB

Sharing Sessions, Leadership

1:30pm MDT

Policy: Developing Policy Strategies: State Policy Approaches to Advancing Afterschool and Summer

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT

Tamaya Ballroom EFGH

How are state afterschool networks supporting local afterschool and summer programs through the policy process? Hear from six networks about how they are using particular policy strategies to increase access to quality afterschool and summer programs in their states including through engaging youth in the policymaking process; developing and executing policy agendas and frameworks; and partnering with state agencies and allied organizations. Sharing and discussion will allow all states to lift up successes and challenges to their state policy work.

Speakers

Erik Peterson

SVP of Policy, Afterschool Alliance

Erik joined the Afterschool Alliance in July 2009 and coordinates and advances the Afterschool Alliance’s policy efforts at the federal level by helping develop policy goals and implementing strategies that advance access to quality afterschool programs for all. Erik works to build... Read More →

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
Tamaya Ballroom EFGH

Sharing Sessions, Policy

1:30pm MDT

Quality: Building an Afterschool Workforce Pipeline to Meet Today’s Needs and Tomorrow’s Opportunities

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT

Puma ABC Meeting Room

Programs are struggling to attract and retain workers to ensure high-quality programs that can serve the maximum number of youth. Join us to explore how we can create a career pathway including apprenticeships, credentials, and leadership development experiences to better staff our diverse programs.
Focus Topics

Apprenticeships/CTE dollars
Credentialing models
Leadership development
Alignment with NAA priorities/work

Speakers

Erin Busk

Consultant, Social Legends

Kelly Riding

Consultant, Social Legends

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
Puma ABC Meeting Room

Sharing Sessions, Quality

1:30pm MDT

Research & Data: Collecting Data for Impact Case Studies 2

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT

Hawk ABC

What type of data should states be collecting to demonstrate impact? How are they collecting, organizing, and using data for policy, research, and quality improvement? This session will feature an in-depth look at Missouri’s data collection systems providing inspiration and guidance for other states wanting to implement similar practices. Then, Georgia will demonstrate the maps created from their program level data collection efforts, along with reports and materials featuring their BOOST grant data. Finally, Iowa will share how they used their state specific data as a powerful tool to help tell their afterschool impact stories in their State of Afterschool Research Report.

Speakers

Terri Foulkes

Executive Director, Missouri AfterSchool Network

Monday April 14, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
Hawk ABC

Sharing Sessions, Research & Data