2026 NAGARA Annual Conference

Preliminary Program & Event Schedule

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (July 21–24, 2026)

The conference schedule outlined below reflects the general framework of events and sessions planned for this year's Annual Conference. The schedule is subject to change as details are finalized.

The 2026 program is designed to balance education, networking, and time with exhibitors. Each day will feature a mix of general sessions, concurrent educational sessions, exhibit hall engagement, and structured networking opportunities.

What to Expect During the Week

  • Opening Welcome Reception at the Museum of the American Revolution 
  • Daily General Sessions with featured speakers
  • Multiple concurrent session blocks
  • Dedicated exhibit hall hours
  • Breakfasts, lunches, and scheduled coffee breaks
  • Closing "themed" networking reception

Downloadable a PDF version of the full preliminary conference schedule and session lineup for easy reference and printing.

Use the links below to view the preliminary schedule for each day of the conference.

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7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Conference Registration Open
7:45 AM – 8:45 AM
Exhibit Hall Opens (Coffee with Exhibitors)
8:45 AM – 10:15 AM
Opening General Session & Breakfast (Sponsored by Strategic Partner Preservica)
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Session Transition Time
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Government Networking Groups
11:30 AM – 11:45 AM
Session Transition Time
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Concurrent Session Block 1
  • SESSION 01: Clutter to Clarity: Building a Paperless Future with Governance, Metadata, and Risk Management
  • SESSION 02: Building a Comprehensive Digital Repository: Strategies for Collaborative Collection Development
  • SESSION 03: Training the Trainer: Creating Records Management All Stars
  • SESSION 04: From Chaos to Clarity: How the City of Seattle Transformed File Shares into an AI-Ready Data Governance Powerhouse
  • SESSION 05: Preserved and Found: Ending the Compliance vs. Accessibility Trade-Off in the Era of Digital Government 
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Annual Awards Luncheon (Sponsored by Thought Leader CivicPlus)
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM
Session Transition Time
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Concurrent Session Block 2
  • SESSION 06: AI Didn't Break Your Content Strategy (It Exposed It)
  • SESSION 07: Commemorating Katrina in the New Orleans City Archives & Special Collections
  • SESSION 08: A Deep Dive Into ICRM Certification
  • SESSION 09: Failing Forward: How a Federal Audit Sparked the Framework of a Strong RIM Program
  • SESSION 10: Unlocking Intelligent Records: How AI‑Driven Document Scanning Transforms Government Workflows
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Beverage Break in Exhibit Hall
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Concurrent Session Block 3
  • SESSION 11: Managing Electronic Messaging at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
  • SESSION 12: Starting from Scratch: Lessons Learned from a New Program in a Historic State Agency
  • SESSION 13: You Belong Here: Building a Culture of Belonging and Resilience for First Generation Information Management Professionals
  • SESSION 14: Shorter, Faster, Longer? How Chunking Training Increases Retention of Information at University of Illinois
  • SESSION 15: Beyond the Gold Rush: A Records Manager's Field Guide for AI Governance
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Evening Networking Happy Hour
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Open Evening (Dinner and activities on your own)

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