Former NASA astronaut and San Joaquin Valley native will have you reaching for the stars at the 2026 annual conference

By Cal Cities Education Staff

Former NASA astronaut José Hernández will recount his journey from California’s San Joaquin Valley to the International Space Station on the last day of the Cal Cities Annual Conference and Expo. Hernández will share how he overcame obstacles and is helping the next generation turn their dreams into reality.

Held in Anaheim, Sept. 23-25, the annual conference is the premier gathering of city officials in California where city leaders can learn, share, and grow together.

Hernández grew up working alongside his family as a migrant farmworker before pursuing an engineering career that ultimately took him to space. Prior to joining NASA, Hernández spent over 15 years at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he worked on the first full-field digital mammography system and nuclear nonproliferation efforts. Today, Hernández splits his time between leading an aerospace consulting firm and producing wine.

Information about other keynotes, sessions, meetings, and more is available under the “Program” tab of the conference webpage.

Hotel block and registration closing soon!

Discounted hotel rooms for the conference officially close on Sept. 1. While some hotels or days may have been sold out, cancellations do happen! We encourage you to check back often before the Sept. 1 cutoff date.

Conference registration closes Sept. 15! Full conference registration for city officials is $725 and includes access to general and concurrent sessions, the expo hall, CitiPAC and diversity caucus receptions, as well as grab-and-go breakfast on Thursday and Friday, and lunch on Thursday.

Scammers may contact you claiming to sell attendee lists or be the housing bureau/service for the conference. Cal Cities does not sell attendee lists or use a housing service. Only trust emails from @calcities.org or the official hotel you book with.