The Future We Shape Together: Real Solutions for Families in Changing Times – 2026

The agenda is designed with the social ecological model as a framework, beginning with the very center of the model – the hearts and minds of children, youth and families. We meet up with the realities and opportunities in front of today’s generation, then overlay the current policy and systems context. From there, the focus is on ways states and communities can align and equip to ensure there are clear pathways to well-being with support along the way.

Day 1, April 30

Ascension Ballroom, 2nd Floor, Marriott Orlando Downtown

8:00 – 8:30    Arrival and Networking

Please be at your table and ready to begin by 8:30. Your name tag and materials will be located at the table in the ballroom where you will join your multi-sector group for the day.

the very center of the model  – the hearts and minds of children, youth and families. We meet up with the realities and opportunities in front of today’s generation, then overlay the current policy and systems context. From there, the focus is on ways states and communities can lean into community-based prevention to ensure there are clear pathways to well-being with support along the way. Our first day together, April 30, is focused on learning and processing, while the second day offers time to begin to translate knowledge into actions that can be taken individually and collectively.

Day 1, April 30

Ascension Ballroom, 2nd Floor, Marriott Orlando Downtown

Agenda Note: Breaks are not specifically listed in the agenda due to the need for flexibility. There will be breaks offered throughout the day.

8:00 – 8:30    Arrival and Networking

Please be at your table and ready to begin by 8:30. Your name tag and materials will be located at the table in the ballroom where you will join your multi-sector group for the day.

8:30               Welcome, Introductions & Convening Overview

8:45                Discovery Cycle #1: Centering the Experiences of Children, Youth & Families

The strength of families—and their connections to each other and their communities—is bedrock. The experiences and insights of family members are the first doorway to building pathways to well-being.

Connecting with Families Through Their Experiences

• Valerie Frost, Sunlight
• Michael Huesca, Paternal Opportunities Programs and Services (POPS)
• Dony JeanCharles, Children’s Home Society of Florida
• Derreasha Jones, Children’s Home Society of Florida
• Eshawn Peterson, National Child Welfare Center for Innovation & Advancement
• Darneshia Allen, Zero to Three, moderator

Connecting with Families Through Data

• Monisha Shaw, The RAPID Survey Project, Stanford Center for Early Childhood

10:15              Discovery Cycle #2: Neurodevelopment, Relationships, Experiences & Communities

Our understanding of how brains develop, how communities and systems shape experiences, and the essential role of relationships, offers a roadmap for change. As we experience major shifts in policies, financing streams, technology and the economy, what if we seized this moment to re-design systems, practices and programmatic interventions from this deeper understanding of how children, youth and families grow, connect and thrive? This two-part discussion invites us to pause and consider how the science of development, the wisdom of communities, and the power of relationships can lead us to windows of opportunity to do an even better job of building pathways to well-being.

Part 1: Influencing Systems Design & Practice

• Dr. Melanie Berry, Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
• Dr. David Willis, Thrive Center for Children, Families and Communities, Georgetown University; Nurture Connection
• Sandra Gasca, Annie E. Casey Foundation
• Dr. Jessica Pryce, College of Social Work, Florida State University, moderator

Small Group Reflections, led by the Table Hosts

Part 2: Bringing Vital Concepts to Life in Communities & States

• Laura Porter, ACE Interface
• Dr. Bob Sege, Center for Community-Engaged Medicine, Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute
• Miranda Lynch-Smith, Chapin Hall, moderator

Small Group Conversations, led by the Table Hosts

12:30 – 1:30 Lunch (Synthesizers convene in the Orange Room)

1:30    Discovery Cycle #3: Zooming Out – Policy & Financing Insights to Help Build What Comes Next

Change is a steady companion in today’s landscape. This session takes a wide-angle view of the broader policy and financing picture to pinpoint important considerations and signal opportunities for transformation. The aim is to move out of the daily news cycle and into an examination of the ways new structures are emerging and how clarity about these realities can help us imagine and build what comes next: systems that are more connected, adaptive, and grounded in what children, youth, families, and communities truly need.

Policy & System Opportunities for States and Communities

Miranda Lynch-Smith, Chapin Hall

Shifting from Firefighters to Architects

Zach Laris, Child Welfare Wonk

Small Group Conversations, led by the Table Hosts

2:30    Discovery Cycle #4: Community-Rooted Approaches to Prevention

Grounded in what we know from science about how people grow and thrive, this discovery cycle explores ways to build systems that support responsive relationships, strengthen core skills, and ease the stresses that overload too many families. It highlights frameworks, processes, and approaches that help build alignment among partners within and across communities, states and systems. The goal is to open up sightlines toward practical, community-rooted pathways to well-being—ones that honor family strengths, reflect shared values, and make connection and belonging central to how support is designed and delivered.

Perspectives, Frameworks and Tools that Build Alignment Across Community & State Partners

• Jerry Milner, The Family Justice Group
• Tameka Caldwell, National Family Support Network
• Shana King, Indian Child Welfare Act Law Center
• Gabe McGaughey, Institute for Child & Family Well-Being, Children’s Wisconsin
• Katrina Lanahan, Bloom Works, moderator

Small Group Reflections, led by the Table Hosts

Bright Spots Showcase: Solutions That Are Working & the Insights They Offer  This interactive session invites participants to explore community-driven solutions taking root across the country and connect with the leaders behind them. Prevention and family strengthening happen in many places—schools, neighborhoods, health settings, child care, housing, courts, and beyond. The showcase lifts up nontraditional partners and approaches to spark fresh thinking, establish new partnerships, and expand what’s possible for building connected, community-based systems of support where children, youth, and families can thrive.

A listing of contributors is available in the Bright Spots Showcase document.     

5:15    Wrap Up

5:30    Adjourn

            Dinner on your own.

CHSA staff and board members will be in the hotel bar/restaurant area for

networking and to help form dinner groups and offer restaurant suggestions.

Day 2, May 1

8:30                Networking & Gathering

9:00                Welcome

9:15                Vision, Goals & Scope of the National Child Welfare Center for Innovation and Advancement (NCWCIA), Ballroom

Eshawn Peterson, Community & Systems Insights Lead, NCWCIA

Jacob Schmitt, Peer Services Lead, NCWCIA 

Christine Tappan, Executive Director, NCWCIA 

10:15              Delving into the Complexities of Prevention

In these deep-dive sessions, participants will work on a design challenge together and generate solutions. The topics were selected from input gathered from attendees through the registration process.

• Technology Innovations: Exploring new and needed solutions that technology can deliver
• New Financing Approaches: Developing alternative financing approaches to fund prevention
• Lived Experience: Centering community insight and sharing power when designing changes
• Family Support: Shifting from surveillance to support
• Community Partner Engagement: Strengthening community capacity and creating alignment across and among essential partners
• Workforce: Supporting and sustaining the child and family well-being workforce
• Federal Financing: Unlocking the Potential of Federal Funding Streams (FFPSA, Medicaid, and more)
• Early Childhood: Connecting key systems to prevent child welfare involvement among infants and toddlers, Amelia Room

12:00 – 12:15                        Pick Up Boxed Lunch

12:15 – 1:45  Bright Spots Salons

Choose one Bright Spot Salon to attend. Each Salon will open with a brief recap of the featured Bright Spots in the room, followed by an interactive process to  dive deeper into the lessons and insights gained through the work of these examples and the work participants are doing in their own communities/states.

Salon 1: Family Connection, Amelia Room

SOUL Family (KS)    

GRANDFamilies Program (UT)

Your Case Plan (12 states)

Family Engagement in Residential Placements (OR)

Canopy Link (MS)

Salon 2: Community Connection, Windward A Room

Economic Mobility Pathways (nationwide)

Canopy Anywhere (MS)

Family Keys (WI)

Family Success Centers (NJ)

Family Resource Centers (nationwide)

Community Partnership Schools (FL)

Salon 3: Systems Change, Orange Room

Connected Communities – Thriving Families (MO)

Culture is Healing (nationwide)

Kin Licensing Standards (nationwide)

Opt-In (SC; also in KY, OR, DC)

Workforce Retention & Well-Being (WI)

Standards of Quality (nationwide)

1:45 – 2:30 The Future We Shape Together: Visual Recap of Deep Dives, Closing Reflections & Building Shared Momentum, Ballroom

We’ll close the 2026 Wicked Problems Institute by coming back together to lift up the ideas, insights, and possibilities that have emerged over these two days. This is where threads connect—the sparks from deep-dive sessions, the takeaways from Bright Spots, and the bold “what-ifs” that point toward the future we can shape together.

2:30                Adjourn

The event will be held at the Marriott Orlando Downtown 400 W Livingston St, Orlando, FL 32801 

(407) 868-8686

We will gather in the Ascension Ballroom, 2nd Floor, for both days of the convening.

Questions contact:

Marlo Nash, marlo.nash@chsamerica.org Text: (202) 431-3532

Amy Ramirez, amy.ramirez@chsamerica.org Call or Text: (919) 604-3844

Getting there from Orlando International Airport (MCO)

Travel Time & Distance ● The Marriott Orlando Downtown is about 13 miles (21 km) from Orlando International Airport. ● Typical travel time is 20–25 minutes by car or rideshare under normal conditions. ● During weekday rush hours (7–9 AM and 4–7 PM), expect 30–40 minutes due to I‑4 and SR‑408 traffic.

Transportation Options ● Shared Shuttle Services — Available from the Ground Transportation Level; typically $25–$40 per person, with travel times of 45–60 minutes depending on stops. ● LYNX Bus #11 — Budget option ($2 fare); departs every 30 minutes from the airport and arrives near downtown in about 45–55 minutes. Note: The hotel does not offer an airport shuttle. Please plan transportation from/to Orlando International Airport accordingly.

Arrival Tips ● Pick‑up areas for taxis and rideshares are located on Level 2 of Terminals A and B. ● Public transit, follow signs to LYNX Bus Stop 11 on Level 1 (Ground Transportation). ● Allow extra time if arriving during late‑afternoon traffic or weekend event hours downtown.

Information Table: There will be an Information Table outside the Ascension Ballroom on the 2nd floor if you need assistance.

Registration: Your nametag, program, and other materials will be set at your table on Thursday morning. Simply come to the Ascension Ballroom on the 2nd floor of the Marriott Orlando, Downtown between 8:00 – 8:15 am on April 30 and find the place with your name — that’s your seat. Team members will be moving around the room to assist as needed.

For Your Comfort Dress & Weather ● Dress is business casual. ● Expect highs in the upper 80s, and meeting rooms can run cool — layers are recommended.

Convening Times ● Day 1: Thursday, April 30, 8:00 – 5:30 pm Eastern ● Day 2: Friday, May 1, 2026, 8:30-2:30 pm Eastern

Meals ● Breakfast will not be served as part of the convening, so we highly encourage you to eat at the Marriott or grab breakfast on your way. ● If you’re staying at the convening site (Marriott), breakfast for one guest is included in your hotel stay. Offered in the Shade Bar & Grill on the 1st floor of the hotel beginning at 6:30 am each day. ● Lunch will be provided as part of the convening. ● Day 1, Thursday: Hot buffet lunch ● Day 2, Friday: Boxed lunches ● Dinner is on your own.

Join fellow participants in the hotel lobby on the evening of April 30 to network and coordinate dinner plans.

Several coffee, tea breaks will be offered during the two days. Water stations will be available at all times — you are invited to bring your refillable water bottle. There is a full-service Starbucks inside the hotel.

The Wellness/Comfort Room is a dedicated, peaceful space that will be located near the main meeting area and noted with a sign. It is offered as a space for participants to recharge or decompress. During the convening, support will be available from: ● Sonia Cohen, Child + Family Wellbeing Advocate and Sound Healing & Breathwork Practitioner ● Paola Kalb, MSW, RCSWI, Clinical Counselor ● Sandra Nonez-Mera, Clinical Counselor

All three individuals will be wearing pink nametags. You are encouraged to reach out to them and/or visit the Comfort Room during breaks or when you need access to comfortable seating, a quiet moment, water, snacks, and/or support.

Tips & Ideas for Your Stay

Hotel amenities include: ● Downtown location in the Orlando Arts District; restaurants and Lake Eola are nearby. ● Shade Bar & Grill on‑site, 1st floor — American menu ● Outdoor pool and 24/7 fitness center, 2nd floor ● Parking: Valet only ($38/day); self‑parking available at Livingston St. city lot (pay at kiosk).

Getting Around ● LYMMO Bus — Free downtown circulator; stops near major attractions. Ask the hotel front desk for information about where to catch the bus. ○ Walking — Downtown spots are usually within a 10‑minute walking distance of the Marriott. However, check with the hotel desk for walkability as some locations require walking under an overpass. ○ Rideshare — Rideshare services are typically available for farther destinations. ● Scooters & Bikes — Rentable throughout downtown for short rides.

Dining Options and Fun Things to Do Nearby (5–10 min from Marriott Orlando Downtown) (expense levels reflect typical dinner range per person.) ● Craft & Common — Chic café for coffee, wine, and small plates. 407‑723‑8078 • 💰($10–20) ● The Monroe — Stylish comfort‑food spot with modern décor. 407‑734‑2102 • 💰💰($20–30) ● Elixir Kitchen & Bar — Global pub fare and DJs in a rustic‑hip space. 407‑985‑3507 • 💰💰($20–30) ● Gringos Locos Downtown — Casual Mexican café with outdoor seating and late hours. 407‑841‑5626 • 💰($10–20) ● Kres Chophouse — Historic steakhouse with modern flair and late‑night dining. 407‑447‑7950 • 💰💰💰($100 +) Things to See and Do ● Lake Eola Park ● Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts ● CityArts Gallery & Wall Street Plaza ● Thornton Park District

Helpful Resources ● Visit Orlando — visitorlando.com for dining, attractions, and local events. ● Downtown Orlando Partnership — downtownorlando.com for maps and neighborhood guides.

Centering the Voices of Families 

Before you arrive in Orlando next week, please listen to this 16-minute podcast “Unlocking the Power of Lived Experience: A Call to Action for Today’s Wicked Problems.” This will prepare you for the opening panel, which will pick up from the podcast content.

Seven changemakers remind us that families navigating today’s challenges carry the insight we need to lead differently — and that listening deeply is where meaningful change begins. Their perspectives illuminate both the barriers and the possibilities for building a better future with families, not just for them.

• Listen directly here: Unlocking the Power of Lived Experience.

Note to Listeners: This Bonus Episode of the Overloaded: Understanding Neglect podcast was recorded when we planned to convene for Wicked last November. It remains effective in setting the stage for our time together now.  

For more great content, the Overloaded: Understanding Neglect podcast, produced by CHSA member – the Institute for Child and Family Well-being at Children’s Wisconsin, now has four seasons available. Listen and subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

Click here to access speaker bios.

Click here to view all of the bright spots!