Unless otherwise noted in the program or on the schedule, all AIHA Connect 2026 events will be held at the:

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (ENMCC)
900 Convention Center Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-5823-3000

Evening events, committee meetings, and other social activities will be held at the:

Hilton New Orleans Riverside
Two Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-561-0500

The 2026 schedule features myriad educational and networking opportunities to empower you as an OEHS leader.

• The conference itself will be Monday, June 1 through Wednesday, June 3.
  
• Professional Development Courses (PDCs) will be held Thursday, May 28 (NEW!) and Friday, May 29 (virtual only), and Saturday, May 30; Sunday, May 31; and Thursday, June 4 (in-person only).
  
• Education sessions will be held Monday through Wednesday in one (1) hour-long time blocks with time in between for continued conversation, networking, and transition time to the next activity. Three (3) sessions in each time block will be live-streamed for the virtual audience.
  
• Education Pop-Ups will be held Monday through Wednesday in twenty-five (25) minute-long time blocks. Pop-Ups are exclusive to in-person attendees.
• The Expo is open Monday through Wednesday throughout the day, and each day the schedule offers dedicated Expo time allowing you time to visit exhibitors, attend Innovation Station and other sessions held on the show floor, or catch up on other content opportunities.
• Health and wellness sessions, technical tours, the Career Advantage Fair, and posters are also available Monday through Wednesday.
• The Academic Track will be held in The Nexus Lounge Monday through Wednesday, targeting education specific to students and early career professionals.
• Committee and volunteer group meetings will be held in-person (as noted on the conference schedule) during the week of conference and virtually in the weeks immediately before and after.

Unless otherwise noted in the program or on the schedule, all AIHA Connect 2026 events will be held at the:

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (ENMCC)
900 Convention Center Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-5823-3000

There will be two general sessions: Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon, both scheduled in Central Time. These energizing sessions offer insights into high-level issues faced daily by leaders.

That depends on whether or not you’re participating in PDCs. Virtual-only PDCs will be held Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29. In-person PDCs (half-day, full-day, and two-day PDCs) will be held Saturday, May 30; Sunday, May 31; and Thursday, June 4. The conference itself begins Monday morning, June 1, with the opening general session at 8:00 a.m. Central Time.

When registering, you have the option to select the experience you are most comfortable with:

• In-Person: Meaning you'll join us on-site at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (ENMCC) in New Orleans, LA, to attend in-person the education sessions, education pop-ups, expo hall, and networking events. You’ll also have access to the sessions being offered virtually via your device of choice AND receive the OnDemand package after the conference included at no extra charge (*One-day participants receive OnDemand recordings for the sessions held on the day of their participation). In-person participants may be required to adhere to health and safety protocols required of AIHA by local, state, or federal regulations (currently, none). In-person participants also have the option to register for virtual PDCs.

• Virtually: Meaning you'll participate online in the sessions and networking activities being offered virtually. We've also included multiple contact opportunities for you to engage with speakers, exhibitors, and attendees throughout the conference. You’ll also have access to the OnDemand package after the conference included at no extra charge (*One-day participants receive OnDemand recordings for the sessions held on the day of their participation).
  

We are pleased to offer two extended days of virtual-only PDCs on Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29. PDCs offered Saturday, Sunday, and Thursday will be on-site only (no hybrid component). This gives you the option to extend your learning in the way that works best for you.

We’ve taken all the things you love about the conference and elevated them to meet your needs, whether you’re headed to New Orleans or staying at home. We can't wait to see you... in whatever experience you choose!

In the Call for Proposals, we encourage professionals to submit session proposals that create engaging learning environments and actively involve the participants. With so many experienced attendees at AIHA Connect, the learning environment is enriched when sessions tap into the collective knowledge in the room.

AIHA Connect 2026 is being designed as a hybrid event, combining activities held on-site in New Orleans with live-streaming of selected programming to a virtual audience. During registration, you will decide whether to attend in person (with virtual access included) OR entirely online.

NOTE: All presenters are expected to deliver their sessions/courses in person. AIHA Connect 2026 will not feature a prerecorded or presenter live-streamed option. Presenters accepted to the program must register for the conference as full conference or one-day only attendees.

The Call for Proposals for PDCs, Education Sessions, Education Pop-Ups, Professional Posters, Student Presentations, and Student Posters opened June 9, 2025. Proposal deadlines vary based on submission type.

Proposals received after the stated deadline dates will not be considered in the review process.

All proposal types require the submitter to select a primary topic and up to two additional topics. By choosing a topic, the submitter agrees that, if selected, the proposal can be grouped with other sessions in that same topic. If the proposal cannot fit into the primary topic track, the Conference Program Committee (CPC) will use the secondary and tertiary topic choices for potential groupings. This is particularly important for case studies and scientific research presentations, which are 30-minutes-long and grouped into one-hour session blocks. You should choose a topic ONLY if you are okay with your presentation being included in that topic area track. You are not required to choose a secondary or tertiary topic.

The AIHA Connect education sessions are organized into one-hour time blocks. However, it is possible to submit a proposal for a two-hour presentation. To do so, you should submit two Education Session proposals with the same title but identified as Part 1 or Part 2. Each part can have up to 3 speakers each (maximum session total of 6 speakers combined). The two parts should have different content, presenters, and be able to stand on their own should the Conference Program Committee decide to accept only one of them.

The sessions at AIHA Connect are arranged according to topic, and every effort is made to avoid overlap of similar topics within a time block. We also try to avoid having the same speaker in two sessions occurring at the same time. Given these constraints and the number of sessions and speakers at AIHA Connect, we are unable to accommodate individual requests to rearrange the schedule.

Scientific research and case study presentations are each 30-minutes-long, and as such, will be organized into groups of two to make 60-minute sessions. The Conference Program Committee (CPC) will arrange the sessions for the 2026 conference. Many of the CPC members are also Volunteer Group members, and collectively, they have expertise in a wide variety of topic areas. Committee members will group the case study and scientific research presentations into sessions based on topic. Each combined session will be given a new title. Volunteer Groups will provide names of moderators who will work with the presenters to ensure cohesion between the individual presentations.

In November, all presenters and any co-presenters will receive an email from AIHA regarding the status of their proposal and a link back to the Attendee Interactive portal. Speakers should log in to the Attendee Interactive portal where they will find the decision, as well as comments/feedback from reviewers, if any.

There is no formal funding process for main conference session speakers. Speakers are required to pay for their own registration, travel, housing, and other incidental costs.

Professional Development Course (PDC) instructors receive complimentary registration to the course(s) they are facilitating and an honorarium (paid post-conference). If PDC instructors participate in the main three days of the conference, they must register and pay for their registration, travel, housing, and other incidental costs.

AIHA, the Conference Program Committee (CPC), and the Continuing Education Committee (CEC) seek Volunteer Group members to serve as technical content reviewers for education session and PDC proposals. AIHA Connect's Call for Technical Reviewers opens in July. Volunteer Groups are asked to submit the names of at least four volunteer reviewers by August 15, 2025. If no names are received, AIHA assigns the entire committee leadership as reviewers. There is no limit to the number of reviewers a committee can submit if more members are interested in reviewing proposals.

Technical Reviewers are asked to rate proposals in their area(s) of expertise and recommend whether to accept or decline the presentation. The review will take place online within a two-week window of time from September 22–October 3. AIHA staff will provide thorough instructions on the review process. AIHA has a tight timeline, and the CPC and CEC begin making their selections immediately following the technical review by Volunteer Group members.

Proposal submitters are required to submit the name of a session moderator for the one-hour education session proposals. Be sure to notify the person you select; do not submit someone’s name without notifying him or her. AIHA staff will contact the Volunteer Groups to request moderators for Research Roundups (combined scientific research/case study sessions). Moderators will be responsible for working with the presenters to ensure a common theme and flow for a cohesive session.

The primary role of the moderator is to introduce each speaker; distribute materials, if any; keep speakers on track with time; ensure there is enough time for Q&A; and make any last-minute announcements (i.e., a presenter cancellation and replacement), general announcements (i.e., safety statements, location of exits, etc.), and reminders regarding the session evaluations.

Learn more about moderating sessions (and volunteer).

We will have an open call for PDC monitors who, in exchange for their service, will receive a complimentary course registration. The call will open when registration opens (early December 2025) and is first-come, first-served. All monitors must be current national members.

During registration, you will decide whether to attend primarily in person (with virtual access included) OR entirely online. Because the registration systems are combined, we can easily change you from one type to the other (*fee differences may be required).

No. The fees for AIHA Connect 2026 are the same as those charged for the 2025 conference. Registration rates are based on AIHA membership status. You must be an AIHA National member in good standing with 2026 rates paid in full to receive the Member rate.

To view the 2026 registration rates, visit Registration Rates.

The registration system will open in early December 2025. To receive the advance rate discount, registrations must be submitted with payment in full by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 29, 2026. Effective midnight on Monday, March 30, 2026, rates switch to standard prices.

AIHA negotiates rates at nearby hotels as a courtesy to our attendees. The hotels agree to the rates and reserve a block of rooms for us, with the expectation that those rooms will be sold. If they’re not, AIHA pays a penalty. As an incentive to encourage you to stay within the block, we offer the STAY AND SAVE discount on your registration fee for the conference.

The number of presenters willing to present hybrid PDCs has declined in the last several years. Presenters shared that they find it challenging to engage both in-person and virtual audiences simultaneously, and virtual attendees struggle due to delays inherent in live-streaming and questions/commentary in the room not being repeated into microphones.

Because of this, we are no longer offering hybrid PDCs. Instead, we will offer:

• Virtual-only PDCs on Thursday, May 28 (NEW) and Friday, May 29
• In-person-only PDCs on Saturday and Sunday, May 30 and 31, and Thursday, June 4

We also offer virtual PDCs throughout the year, giving participants more flexibility to earn contact hours at a time convenient for their schedules.

Hotel reservations should be made during the registration process or by logging back into your record after your registration is completed. The cut-off date to make a reservation at the discounted group rate is Wednesday, May 13. Click here to see rates and hotel offerings available.

There has been an increase in the number of fraudulent companies and organizations presenting themselves as official partners of Connect and offering rooms that might not be guaranteed or available. Should you be contacted by someone other than Maritz or AIHA, please let us know at connect@aiha.org.

AIHA has reserved blocks of rooms at several different hotels in New Orleans. Depending on popularity, the room block at one hotel may sell out sooner than at another, so it’s important to make your reservations sooner rather than later.

We book sleeping rooms on a bell curve, with the most rooms available Sunday and Monday nights. If the hotel you want doesn’t show up when you search for your arrival and departure dates, try changing one of the dates (later if it’s arrival, and earlier if it’s departure). If the hotel appears in the list, book it and add a note in your housing record of the dates you would like the reservation extended. You may also contact Maritz customer service (864-208-3388) to request that they ask the hotel for the additional nights. If the hotel you want does not appear after changing your arrival or departure dates, it is sold out.

Yes, U.S. government employees must select "Yes" to the profile question, "Are you a U.S. government employee" during the registration process. When you reach the housing section of registration, per diem-rated rooms will appear as options for you. We have government rooms reserved at every contracted AIHA Connect hotel.

We will offer shuttle service to/from the Hilton New Orleans Riverside (AIHA Connect HQ) and the convention center daily beginning Saturday, May 30 through Thursday, June 4. Schedule will vary by day.

There is no housing deposit required for Connect attendees when booking in the block.

Cancellation policies vary by hotel. Please check the cancellation policy noted in the housing system for your specific hotel. Hotel cancellation policies will also be included in your confirmation if you book housing as part of your registration.

In-person and virtual participants are eligible to receive up to 17 contact hours for attending Monday through Wednesday. AIHA Connect 2026 and PDC transcript updates will be available no later than July 2, 2026.

• For the main conference, each in-person attendee will have a transcript update indicating their verified participation for up to 17 contact hours (more pending). AIHA will not report attendee participation at the session level for in-person attendees.
• For the main conference, each virtual attendee will have a transcript update indicating their verified participation at the session level for participation up to 17 contact hours total. Sessions eligible for credit on an AIHA transcript include those tagged as Education Sessions, Research Roundups, and General Sessions. Education Pop-Ups and Health & Wellness sessions do not qualify for credit. Note: Virtual attendees can receive credit for only one live session in each time block.
• For each PDC, each attendee will have a transcript update indicating the total number of contact hours for that specific offering.

Online AIHA educational transcripts allow you to:

• Review and track educational credits
  
• Print a complete history as often as you like

AIHA maintains attendance records for seven (7) years. Individuals are responsible for retaining all documentation for future reference and/or certification audits.

AIHA does not track instruction and presentation points for authors, instructors, or speakers. Full attendance and participation is required to earn credit; partial credit is not awarded.

To access your transcript, log in to your AIHA dashboard, scroll to AIHA University (in the right column), and look for the link titled Educational Transcript.

OnDemand will be available in AIHA's Learning Management System (LMS) within three (3) weeks following AIHA Connect. When the recordings are ready, you will receive login instructions that will allow you to access the library of session recordings from AIHA Connect 2026. At the conclusion of watching each recording, you’ll be asked to complete an evaluation and submit for credit. Detailed instructions will be sent along with the login instructions.

You can earn contact hours for each additional session recording you watch as long as you follow the procedure for submitting for credit explained in the instructions. You will have access to these recordings through December 31, 2026 and can view as many as you’re interested in.

Please dress in business casual attire—neat and professional, but comfortable. Comfortable shoes are encouraged, as the convention center is large and you may be on your feet or walking between sessions. Layers like a blazer or sweater are also recommended, as indoor spaces may be cool.

• Basic wireless internet will be provided complimentary to AIHA Connect attendees throughout the Connect space at NOENMCC.
• A Wellness Room provides a private space for nursing mothers to pump or breastfeed. It is located in NOENMCC, level 2, outside of Hall G/H.
• Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) will be on-site in case needed.
• The Quiet Room, located in room 399, provides a calm space that reduces stress and helps the mind focus. It allows attendees to rest, think clearly, and restore their sense of balance before heading back to Connect.

This year, AIHA Connect is bringing new excitement to the Expo Hall. In addition to our wonderful exhibitors, we’ll be bringing back Innovation Stations, Main Stage presentations in the AIHA booth, and student and professional poster presentations. You can also expect lunch for full conference attendees on Tuesday, taking a break with adoptable puppies at our Bark Park, and an array of local and philanthropic activities in our activation areas.

More than 40 Volunteer Group meetings will be held during AIHA Connect 2026. These meetings will be held at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside and are open to all attendees. The schedule can be found on the AIHA Connect website, in the Final Program, and in the Mobile App.

Your feedback provides session leaders with the critiques they need to improve their presentation skills, and it enables the AIHA team to know what worked well and what could be done better.

We will provide links to session evaluations on the conference schedule and in the mobile app. At the end of the conference, you'll receive an overall conference evaluation. And we encourage you to reach out to the conference team at any time!