August 2026 Leadership in IDD

Perspectives Commentary from the field  The Importance of Role Play in Job Skills for Youth with Developmental Disabilities Lyliana Rivera Tirado, EdD Lean Education, Inc.   Role play is an effective strategy for youth with developmental disabilities to practice real-life job skills in a safe, supportive environment. Through role play, students rehearse workplace behaviors to build confidence and reduce anxiety before entering real work situations.   For students, role ploy provides an active learning experience that supports the development of executive functioning skills, including decision-making, self-regulation, and flexibility. Repeated practice reinforces routines and task completion, which enhance independence and job performance.   For educators and therapists, role play offers opportunities to observe strengths, identify challenges, and provide immediate feedback. Using role play can improve the employability, social competence, and workplace readiness of youth with developmental disabilities to successfully transition into meaningful employment. Notables  Recent awards, accolades, appointments, and other honors Rick Rader, MD, FAAIDD, Appointed to the National Advisory Board of the American Academy of Pediatrics National Council of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs The CYSHCN National Advisory Board (CYSHCN NAB) was convened by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to help address system siloes and other barriers to a system that meets the needs of CYSHCN and their families.  Bill Gaventa, MDiv, FAAIDD, Authors New Book, Preaching Disability: A Resource for Pastors Use code GAVENTA40 for 40% off your copy through the end of August. Interest Network News New Interest Network Formed: History of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities lead by Holly Hohmeister, MS, FAAIDD, Sharon Gomez, FAAIDD, & Matt Velissaris, MA.    Interest Network Adopts New Name:  Communication Disorders is now Communication Access and Supports  AAIDD is looking to feature notables and perspective pieces from our members in the field! Send us your commentary to be featured in a future Leadership in IDD Newsletter. Click here to submit your work to be featured. Produced by AAIDD, this monthly digest features the recent (first made available within last 3 months) and emergent (will be available within the next 4-6 weeks) work of AAIDD members only. Journal articles, while important, are not featured in this publication.  View the archive of the Leadership in IDD newsletter here. Not yet a member? Join AAIDD online!

Nominate a Deserving Network Member!

 

AUCD 2026 Awards Nominations are Open

November 8-11 | Washington, D.C. Nominate an Exceptional Leader! The AUCD 2026 Awards recognize individuals, programs, and organizations whose leadership and contributions have advanced the disability community. Award recipients exemplify excellence in leadership, advocacy, research, policy, and practice, helping to create more diverse, inclusive, and accessible communities for people with disabilities and their families. Awards are presented across ten categories and honor members of the AUCD Network, collaborating partners, and local, state, and federal leaders making a meaningful impact. Submit your nomination by August 28, 2026. Learn more about AUCD Awards AUCD is accepting nomination for the following awards: Awards are given in 10 categories and honor members of the AUCD Network, collaborating partners, and local, state and federal partners. Lifetime Achievement Award George S. Jesien Distinguished Achievement Award  Special Recognition Award Young Professional Award Anne Rudigier Award Gordon Richins Award for Leadership and Advocacy Gold Star Award AUCD International Service Award Council on Research and Evaluation Trainee Research Award Dalice Miller Hertzberg Nursing Impact Award Nominate an Exceptional Leader Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities The AUCD 2026 Conference, themed Impact Through Innovation and Partnership, brings together a national community dedicated to advancing opportunities and outcomes for people with disabilities and their families. Conference sponsors help AUCD create opportunities to learn, collaborate, and build partnerships that strengthen the field. In addition to the sponsorship opportunities outlined on our website, AUCD welcomes customized partnerships aligned with your organization’s goals. Opportunities may include support for trainee events, scholarships, conference tracks, speaker honorariums, networking activities, and other initiatives that enhance the conference experience. We welcome the opportunity to work with you to create a partnership that maximizes your organization’s impact and engagement. For any questions please contact Elizabeth Cleveland or Jackie Czyzia. Sponsor or Exhibitor Opportunities AUCD is excited to see and learn from you November 8-11 in Washington, D.C. Sign up to receive the latest AUCD Conference  Use #AUCD2026 to share about the Conference on social media!

3 deadlines you don't want to miss — NADD 2026

 

Volunteer Opportunity: Save $150 on Registration!

As we get closer to the 2026 NADD Annual Conference, there are a few important updates as several deadlines are coming up fast. Call for Session Monitors — Applications Close August 24th Interested in attending the Annual Conference and looking for an opportunity to discount your registration fee? Consider serving as a session monitor for the 2026 conference! Applications are open until August 24th. Serving as a volunteer session monitor can reduce your registration fee by an additional $150. All you need to do is complete an online training before the conference and assist with three sessions during the conference. (You may not sign up to assist with any sessions you're speaking at or otherwise supporting.) Already registered? All volunteers receive the $150 reduction as a credit back to their original form of payment after completing their onsite support. This is a great way to begin your involvement with NADD! VOLUNTEER INFORMATION VOLUNTEER APPLICATION   Room Block Update: Book Now — Rooms Are Almost Gone A limited number of rooms at the Omni William Penn are available to NADD conference participants at a discounted rate starting at $235 plus tax. The conference hotel block is nearing or may be sold out across some nights of the conference. You may continue to check for availability within the conference block until September 14th, at which time the special rate will end. You may also continue to check for availability at the Omni’s standard hotel rates. Alternatively, there are multiple other hotels within a less than 2 block radius of the conference hotel. Only 1 Month Left of Regular Registration Rate Regular registration pricing ends September 16th. Register now to lock in the current rate before it increases. We look forward to seeing you in Pittsburgh!

LOCK IN YOUR REGISTRATION

BOOK YOUR ROOM

Important Continuing Education Information NADD and our partner CE Learning Systems is currently seeking approval for up to 14 CE Credit Hours from 9 accrediting organizations. Registrants must attend "live" (in real-time) for the duration of the session to earn CE credits. After the event, registrants who attended approved sessions AND completed the required evaluation will receive access to their continuing education certificate via a personalized "attendee dashboard" link, hosted on the CE-Go website. Learn more HERE.   About Us

NADD is now considered the leader in education, consultation, and training related to intellectual/developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health conditions. NADD influences policies at the national, state, and local levels leading to more community-based, whole-person treatment for the mental health needs of those with IDD. NADD continues to host annual conferences, publish the most up-to-date research, and hold professionals to the highest quality of supports.   With the support of our members, partners and volunteers, NADD is able to provide a network for continued advancement of research and quality supports for people experiencing intellectual/developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health conditions. To become a member of this network and community, join us via the link below. Join NADD

www.thenadd.org

AAIDD FYI: End Summer Strong with AAIDD

 

August AAIDD Highlights Benefits AAIDD members are enjoying this month

Make the most of the final weeks of summer with an AAIDD membership! Unlock exclusive access to professional webinars, leading IDD journals, networking opportunities and more. Discover all the membership benefits waiting for you this month.

Join AAIDD Today!

AAIDD at Reimagining Quality 2026 Reimagining the future of quality supports for people with IDD

Register for the 2026 RQ Conference! AAIDD is proud to be a joint host of Reimagining Quality, taking place October 4-6, 2026, in Baltimore, MD. Join professionals, leaders, practitioners, and self-advocates from across the IDD field for three days of shared knowledge, practical strategies, and bold ideas to advance quality, person-centered supports and services. Register today!

AAIDD Interest Networks  AAIDD Members gain access to topic-focused networks where professionals connect, collaborate, and share resources

Expand Your Professional Network with AAIDD Interest Networks Looking to connect with professionals who share your interests? AAIDD Interest Networks bring together members from across the field to exchange ideas, discuss emerging issues, share resources, and build meaningful professional connections. Whether you're interested in education, families, social work, technology, public policy, research, or another specialty area, there's a community waiting for you. Interest Networks are an exclusive benefit of AAIDD membership - join today to become part of the conversation!

AAIDD Webinars  Ongoing professional education  Why pay $10? Members receive registration at no cost for all AAIDD webinars

Yoga Informed Practice in IDD Settings AAIDD Webinar August 26, 2026 2:00 - 3:00 pm Eastern  Register Here

AAIDD Journals Leading Peer-Reviewed Journals in the IDD Field Access articles at no cost for AAIDD Members

Volume 64, Issue 4 of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) is Available Now!  Read AAIDD Journals

Ready to Take the Next Step? Join AAIDD and enjoy all these member benefits and more! AAIDD's mission is to promote progressive policies, sound research, effective practices, and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Become a member today! Join AAIDD!