Education, employment, and equity expert Dr. Lande Ajose announced as annual conference keynote speaker

In three weeks, over 1,800 city officials from throughout the state will converge in Long Beach for three days of learning, collaboration, and celebration during the Annual Conference and Expo. During the Thursday morning general session, attendees will hear from Dr. Lande Ajose, a public policy expert whose research focuses on addressing issues of inequality through education and employment.

During her Sept. 8 presentation, Dr. Ajose will share insights on key economic, environmental, demographic, and political trends, as well as their implications for public policy and California’s biggest challenges.

It is important that city officials stay informed about these trends as they grapple with changes in their economies, workforces, and communities and make policy decisions to strengthen their communities. Dr. Ajose’s research and data will provide city leaders with new ways to promote opportunity, equity, and sustainability.

Dr. Ajose is vice president and Walter and Esther Hewlett Chair in Understanding California’s Future and a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). Her work at PPIC intersects with some of the state’s biggest challenges, such as climate change, housing, and homelessness.

Before working at PPIC, Dr. Ajose was the senior policy advisor for higher education for Gov. Gavin Newsom. She has also held leadership positions in numerous education governance bodies and commissions.

Registration, hotels, and pre-conference planning tips 

Conference registration is required to attend all conference activities, including department and division meetings and the General Assembly. Full conference registration includes access to educational sessions, most receptions, Thursday lunch with exhibitors, and Friday’s closing luncheon. 

When making travel plans, first check the Annual Conference and Expo schedule to see if you need to attend pre-conference activities, such as the AB 1234 Ethics Training, professional department meetings, or regional division meetings.

If none of those activities apply to you, consider traveling to the annual conference on the morning of Sept. 7 as there are only a few discounted hotel rooms remaining for the evening of Sept. 6. The official start of the conference is the Opening General Session, which begins at 1:30 p.m. 

Additionally, take a moment with your team to review the full schedule of sessions in the “conference schedule” section of the Annual Conference and Expo webpage. Then, divide them among your group to maximize the conference’s full educational benefits.

Registration for all three days starts at $650 for city officials from a member city. The sharing of registration is prohibited. For questions, please email education@calcities.org.

Individuals falsely claiming to be the housing bureau/service for the 2022 Annual Conference and Expo may attempt to contact you. Cal Cities has contracted with LiveCon as the official housing service for the annual conference. Official emails regarding the conference will come from a calcities.org or live-con.com email account and the actual hotel.