2026 APSA Best Practices Conference - Arizona Private School Association

The 59th Annual APSA Best Practices Conference was held Friday, October 30, 2026 at the Desert Willow Conference Center, Phoenix.

Congratulations to our Award Winners!

2026 Teachers of the Year: Patrick Abernathy, Maria de Lourdes Reyes Lozano, and Dr. Sylvia Hayashi

2026 Community Service School of the Year: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts

2026 Legislator of the Year: State Senator Shawnna Bolick

And Thanks to Life Long Learning for 17 Scholarship Winners!

View the detailed program here:

2026 APSA Conference Program Download

Thank you to our Gold Sponsor:

conext logo

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

Edwards Schoen logo

FA Davis Logo logo for CAMPUS CLOUD SERVICES

logo for AMERICAN MEDICAL CERTIFICATION ASSOCIATION

The G-W Publisher logo featuring red text inside a blue rectangle. kaplan nursing logo

The word clasp written in purple lowercase letters. logo for GRAGG ADVERTISING

McClintock & Associates company logo featuring a gold letter M

Sikich logo with a stylized geometric S symbol next to the brand name in bold text. elsevier graphic

Ancora High School Duane Morris Logo

Cyanna logo featuring a red stylized letter C next to the company name in black text. Champion Companies Icon

MarshMcLennan agency logo

cspen logo Logo for Unisa Inc. featuring a bridge and graduation cap above the text bridging the unfunded tuition gap.

Electronic Badge Sponsor:

Accredible

Breakout Sessions

Your insights shape the future of our Annual Conference

We invite you to partake in our online survey, reflecting on the sessions you’ve attended. Your valuable feedback is essential in refining our approach and elevating the quality of our event.

Please, invest a few moments to share your thoughts and help us continuously enrich our Conference. Thank you for your contribution!

Start the survey here:

Scheduled Sessions Included:

Morning Keynote: Making Meaningful Connections
AZ Office of Economic Opportunity: AI and workforce research, labor market trends, IDS
Best Practices for Successful Audits
Building Belonging When Students Aren’t in the Same Room
Legal Hot Topics – Washington Update
AI Anxiety- Dealing with the Inevitable
What is your strategy for default prevention
Visible Learning in Action: High-Impact Instructional Strategies That Increase Learner Success
AZPPSE Stakeholder Meeting and Review of Rules and Registration
Legislator of the Year: Arizona Senator Shawna Bolick
Community Service and Teacher of the Year Awards
Life Long Learning Awards Luncheon
The Admissions Escape Room Challenge
Turning Student Debt Relief Into a Retention and Placement Strategy
Effective Classroom Management for the Adult Learning Environment
Working with State/Federal Officials: featuring Jason Altmire (CECU); Trish Hart (AZ Lobbying), Kevin LaMountain (AZPPSE), and Tom Netting (CSPEN)

Speakers Included:

Dr. Jason Altmire: Career Education Colleges and Universities
Parker Charlton: McClintock & Associates, P.C.
Rob Exham: Sonoran Desert Institute

Mary Lyn Hammer: Champion Col-EDGE Solutions
Trish Hart: Arizona Lobbying
Jessica High: Duane Morris
Kevin LaMountain: Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
Christine Leavitt: Bryan University
Tom Netting: Career Schools Private Education Network
Lisa Olmedo: Gragg Advertising
Jeri Prochaska: Conext
Ferris Ramadan: Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity
Christina Thomas: G-W Publisher
Arin Whedbee: Clasp
Mike Wherry: McClintock & Associates, P.C.
John White: Champion Col-EDGE Solutions
Carol Woodard: YappyCarol