ACSN 2026 Annual Conference
July 20 - 22, 2026 | Durham, NC
Make plans now to join us in 2026 on the campus of Duke University!
Over three days, you’ll hear from leading experts, learn alongside peers from across the country, and build meaningful connections that support your work.
Submit Your Proposal
The Call for Proposals are now closed. Anyone who has submitted will be notified of their proposal status by Friday, March 20th.
Registration
As the world of work continues to evolve, it has never been more important for alumni career professionals to connect, collaborate, and create opportunities for lifelong learning, strategic job search, and alumni engagement.
Whether you are new to alumni career services or have been doing this work for many years, the ACSN annual conference is an opportunity to build connections and share best practices and experiences with people who truly understand the work you do.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Fees >>
Early Bird Through April 30th
Members: $600
Non-members employed by an institution
of higher or secondary education: $700
Please note, you can register at the early-bird rate and be billed, with final payment due by June 20, 2026.
May 1st to July 13th
Members: $700
Non-members employed by an institution
of higher or secondary education: $800
NOTE: Non-members who join ACSN as part of the conference
registration will receive the membership rate.
Please click here to join.
Regular conference payment is due in full by Monday, July 13, 2026. No exceptions.
ACSN 2026 Agenda
Please note that this agenda is subject to change.
Keynote Speaker
Steve Dalton
Proactive Networking: Exact Instructions for Boosting Visibility and Advocacy on the Job
Visibility at work is no longer optional—it’s essential for effective collaboration, recognition, and career growth. Yet alumni and working professionals of all ages and stages -- especially those in Gen Z and those who are underrepresented, neurodivergent, or uncomfortable with in-office socialization -- struggle to connect beyond their immediate teams.
This session discusses step-by-step, research-backed strategies drawn from Steve Dalton's best-selling Penguin Random House books that make networking easier, more structured, and more inclusive—helping every professional proactively build the relationships that lead to stronger mentorship, advancement, and community.
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Steve Dalton is a nationally recognized career expert and the creator of the “proactive networking” system at the heart of The 2-Hour Job Search. First published by Penguin Random House in 2012, the book has sold over 100,000 copies and is trusted by job seekers and career coaches around the world for its clear, step-by-step approach to building professional relationships that lead to job offers.
Dalton is also the author of The Job Closer, which expands his time-saving, framework-driven approach to cover the full job search journey—from career selection to offer negotiation—and integrates AI tools to simplify complex, time-consuming tasks.
Prior to becoming an author, Dalton was a career coach at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where he helped thousands of MBA students over 17 years navigate an ever-changing job market. Before that, he was a twice-promoted strategy consultant at A.T. Kearney and a consumer brand marketer at General Mills—experience that gives him a broad and practical perspective on what today’s employers truly value. Through his company, Contact2Colleague, Dalton now helps individuals and organizations apply his structured methods to improve internal mobility, advocacy, and long-term career growth.
His work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company, and his instructional videos are among the most viewed on YouTube for job seekers. He holds an MBA from Duke University and a chemical engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University, and lives in Durham, North Carolina.
Pre-Conference
Make Work Human: Building Individual and Team Capacity in the Future of Work
Allison McWilliams
Monday, July 20th 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Tired of feeling disconnected in a high-tech world?Join this interactive pre-conference workshop and discover the tools, strategies, and competitive advantage for making work more human in today's high-tech driven world. You will gain 4 key strategies for effective team leadership and intentional individual personal and professional growth; a deeper understanding of why they are the most important skills for lifelong success, no matter your role or organization; and an individual action plan and toolkit to take back and implement.
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Allison McWilliams, Ph.D. is Assistant Vice President, Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development, at Wake Forest University, where she leads and provides education and support for mentoring relationships across the campus community and career development support for alumni. She has written for and spoken to national and international audiences about effective mentoring strategies, leadership, and management. Allison earned her bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest and holds a master’s and a doctorate from the University of Georgia.
Allison has written two books: Year One: How Young Professionals (And Their Managers) Can Thrive in Their First Job After College (2021; with Katherine Laws), and Five For Your First Five: Own Your Career and Life After College (2020, 3rd ed.), and regularly contributes to a blog for Psychology Today. Her team has won the Imaginative Spirit Award from the Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (2021); the Career Services Excellence Award from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (2022), and the Excellence and Innovation Award from the Alumni Career Services Network (2024). As well, Allison was awarded the National Mentor of the Year award from the National Association of Colleges and Employers in 2022.
Cost: $80 (includes a continental breakfast and lunch)
Register on the Conference Registration Form.
Speaker Workshop
LaVonne James
Beyond the Fear: Helping Clients Navigate Mid-Career AI Anxiety with Confidence and Compassion
This is not another session about the threats of AI. This is a session about hope, strategy, and the irreplaceable value of human-centered career guidance. LaVonne James will pull back the curtain on the real anxieties your clients are facing and equip you with the mindset, framework, and tools to transform that fear into fuel. She will move beyond the headlines to deliver a practical and actionable roadmap for career professionals who are ready to lead in the age of AI. This session is designed to be a catalyst for change, leaving you not just informed, but inspired and empowered to help your alumni thrive in an AI- driven career landscape.
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An authentic voice at the intersection of artificial intelligence and career development, LaVonne James is President of AI4 Career Success, where she empowers professionals to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace while helping companies understand the human component of AI adoption. She is the host of the Mid-Career Makeover Show, a podcast where mid-career professionals learn to take control of their story, elevate their career brand, and unlock the success they deserve.
LaVonne is dedicated to demystifying AI and helping professionals understand what makes them irreplaceable in an AI-driven world. Through her AI-Powered Professional Accelerator Bootcamp and the 5W Precision Prompting Method™ Course, LaVonne transforms career anxiety into actionable strategy, helping professionals navigate AI adoption with confidence. Her vision is a world where mid-career professionals don't fear AI; they master it, and emerge more valuable, more confident, and more in control of their careers than ever before.
Closing Plenary Workshop
Alissa Clark and Alex Beard
Design Thinking as a Catalyst for Turning Silos into Shared Solutions
Advancing alumni career support requires breaking down silos and building meaningful partnerships across campus. This interactive closing session will equip participants with practical design-thinking methods to foster collaboration among alumni relations, career services, academic departments, development, and other stakeholders working toward shared goals.
Participants will engage in hands-on activities using two proven design thinking methods they can apply to real-world institutional challenges. These accessible design thinking methods enable teams to identify successes worth celebrating, challenges requiring attention, and opportunities for future growth, while collaboratively generating innovative solutions.
Through facilitated practice, attendees will apply these methods to real scenarios in alumni career support. Participants will leave with ready-to-use templates, facilitation tips, and actionable strategies for leading collaborative design sessions that catalyze meaningful change on their own campuses.
Whether you're navigating complex partnerships, seeking faculty engagement, or building programs that serve alumni across demographics and career stages, this session will provide immediately applicable skills for collaborative innovation.
Alissa Clark leads Alumni Career Solutions at the University of Pittsburgh, designing strategic programs and resources that connect students and alumni with meaningful career opportunities and support. She applies design thinking principles to create scalable systems and collaborative relationships across the University. Alissa previously directed graduate career development at the University of Rochester, building curriculum and internships for students exploring careers beyond academia. She holds an M.S. in Higher Education, where she researched equitable career support for trans* students, and is a Certified Practitioner of Human-Centered Design Thinking from the LUMA Institute.
Alex Beard is the Associate Director of Alumni Career Development at William & Mary and founder and principal consultant with Beard Collaborative. At W&M, he supports career development, and lifelong connections across the university's global alumni network. Before joining W&M in 2023, Alex served on the Federal Reserve's Industry Relations team, where he led the Financial Services Speakers Bureau and co-designed a national external engagement framework, expanding the Fed's Key Influencer portfolio. Earlier in his career, he spent over a decade with Loudoun County Government focusing on young adult trajectories and community-based program development. Through his consulting work, Alex brings over 15 years of experience as a facilitator and systems designer. He holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Virginia Tech and is a Certified Practitioner and Facilitator of Human-Centered Design from the LUMA Institute.
Sponsorships
Interested in sponsoring the ACSN Conference? Sponsoring is a great way to connect with engaged professionals, increase your visibility, and support the work our members are doing every day. Sponsors have the opportunity to showcase their brand, build meaningful relationships, and be part of conversations that move the industry forward. We offer a range of sponsorship options to fit different goals and budgets, and we’re happy to work with you to find the right fit.
Hotel Information and Reservations
JB Duke Hotel
230 Science Drive
Durham, NC 27708
Hotel Room Rates: $235 per night
Hotel Block Deadline: Friday, June 19, 2026 at 5:00 pm ET
Check-in time: 3:00 pm / Check-out time: 12:00 pm
If you need to speak to the hotel Reservations department, please contact the JB Duke Hotel at (919) 660-6400 and request Reservations.
When inquiring about your group please reference the following:
Alumni Career Service Network (Group ID #1155106)
Parking
There is free parking for guests of the J.B. Duke Hotel (230 Science Drive, Durham, NC).
AirportsThe nearest airport is Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) (16.1 miles). Driving directions from the airport can be found here. Ride share services to the hotel can range from $25-40.
Ready to Explore Durham and the Triangle?
Consider extending your trip to explore more of Durham, the Triangle, and beautiful North Carolina.
ACSN invites all alumni career services professionals to join us for our annual conference at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Learn more about Durham (or ‘Dur’m’ to locals).
Durham, North Carolina has a rich cultural history and a thriving present, with a celebrated food and arts scene and a buzzing start-up culture. Don’t miss strolling through downtown, where former tobacco warehouses have been turned into restaurants, bars, galleries, and living spaces, and where you can see the creativity of entrepreneurs who build on the historic legacy of the city’s Black Wallstreet. In addition, Durham is part of the Research Triangle area, which includes the cities of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill as well as UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, NC Central University, the Research Triangle Park and major employers such as Red Hat, SAS, Lenovo, GlaxoSmithKline, and IQVIA. The Triangle area has been ranked as the #6 best place to live in the United States and a top 5 place for recent college grads.
Local attractions:
NC Museum of Art (30 min)
Carolina Tiger Rescue (45 min)
Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park resort (2 hours)
Asheville NC and the Blue Ridge Mountains (3.5 hours)
Wilmington NC and surrounding beaches (2.5 hours)
Outer Banks (4 hours)
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