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Welcome to the 2026 AAPPE APP Fellowship Conference!

We are delighted to welcome you to Chicago for the 2026 AAPPE APP Fellowship Conference! This year’s gathering marks an especially meaningful milestone as we come together for the first time as the Association for Advanced Practice Postgraduate Education (AAPPE), following the merger of APPAP and APGAP. As we honor the shared history of our organizations, we also look ahead to an exciting new chapter—one grounded in collaboration, innovation, advocacy, and a shared commitment to excellence in APP postgraduate education.

Over the next several days, we invite you to connect with colleagues, exchange ideas, learn from one another, and celebrate the work being done across our growing community. The program ahead reflects the expertise and dedication of educators and leaders from across the country, with opportunities to explore best practices, share innovative approaches, strengthen partnerships, and shape the future of APP postgraduate education.

Thank you for being part of this important moment in our organization’s history. We are excited to learn, connect, and celebrate with you in Chicago—and to begin this next chapter together.

Below, you will find the agenda for each day, including presenter information and PowerPoint presentations for each session. Please use this site as your central resource throughout the conference and as a place to check in each morning to review the day’s schedule and reorient yourself.

If you have any questions or need assistance during the conference, please contact us at appap@appap.org.

Welcome to AAPPE. Welcome to Chicago.
The AAPPE Conference Planning Committee

 

Thank you to our vendors!

 

Thank you to each of our speakers. To learn more about them, download our booklet here.

Pre-Conference (September 21st)

Faculty Development Track

Grant & Lincoln Rooms

(Level 1 - below lobby)

 

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Check In

 

Starting at 8:00 AM

90 Minutes (Alternating Rooms)

How to give a chalk talk & feedback

Presented by: Laura Erdman, PA-C; Joe Gulick, PA-C; Erin Szemak, DNP, APRN, AGACNP-BC

 

30 MINUTE BREAK 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM​​

 

90 Minutes (Alternating Rooms)

From Feedback to Growth

Presented by: Jaime Fox DNP, RN, CPNP & Laurie Newton DNP, RN, CPNP​

 

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Identifying & Responding to Struggling Learners

Presented by: Kaela White, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

 

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch at Your Leisure - Explore Local Dining Options!

 

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Optional Resources & Examples
Wellness Programs • Impact Reports • Coaching Programs • Preceptor Development • Handbooks

Return on Investment Track

Washington Park Room

(Level 1 - below lobby)

 

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Breakfast, Badge Pick-Up/Check In

 

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Defining ROI for APP Fellowship Programs

Presented by: Cate Brady, Melissa Bridges, Lisa Pierce, Frank Rizzuto, Virginia Valentin

MBA for the Program Director - Financial Concepts That Support Your ROI Story

 

30 MINUTE BREAK 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

 

10:30 AM - 12: 30 PM

ROI Metrics: What Data to Collect and How to Use It

Executive Buy In and Your Elevator Pitch

 

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch at Your Leisure - Explore Local Dining Options!

 

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Optional Resources & Examples
Wellness Programs • Impact Reports • Coaching Programs • Preceptor Development • Handbooks

Conference Day 1 (September 22nd)

SETTING THE STAGE FOR SUCCESS

Grand Ballroom

(Level 2 - below lobby)

 

6:30 AM - 8:00 AM

Registration & Check-In Open!

 

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Breakfast

 

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

The Benefits of a Centralized and Standardized Onboarding Process for Postgraduate Trainees

Presented by: Johannah Crogan, MN, PNP​; Kathleen Hennings, MSN, FNP​; Leyla Allum, MSN, PNP​; Suing Lockhart, MSN, PNP​

 

9:45 AM - 10:15 AM

Networking activity - Specialty Breakouts

 

30 MINUTE BREAK

 

FOCUS ON THE LEARNER

10:45 AM - 11:30 AM

Next-Gen Learning: Strategies to inspire and engage the next generation of APP learners

Presented by: James K. Tudhope DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, NPD-BC, NCE​

 

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Decoding Candidates: A Faculty Guide to Effective APP Fellowship Interviews

Presented by: Kristen Young, MSPAS, PA-C​; Shannon Gaasch, MS, CRNP​

12:15 PM - 12:25 PM

AAPPE Updates

 

12:15 - 1:15 LUNCH

 

ADVANCING APP EDUCATION

1:15 PM - 2:00 PM

Forecasting Success: Building a Data-Driven APP Fellowship Model

Presented by: Moneé Carter-Griffin, DNP, MBA, MAOL, APRN, ACNP-BC​

 

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Digital Learning Unlocked: Affordable Tools and Tech for Next-Gen APP Education Workshop

Presented by: Diana Brewer, PA-C​

 

15 MINUTE BREAK

 

3:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Beyond the Fellowship: Building Bridges, Sharing Knowledge, Strengthening Teams

Presented by: Sarah Vanderlinden, DMSc, PA-C​; Jennifer McMahon, MSN, APRN-NP

 

3:45 PM - 4:45 PM

From Recruitment to Retention: Building a Sustainable Preceptor Program for Postgraduate Education

Presented by: Frannie Lorenzi, MMS, PA-C, FHM; Lori McVay, DMSc, PA-C, CPAAPA, DFAAPA​

 

4:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Networking - Specialty Based

 

6:00 COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Conference Day 2 (September 23rd)

Building For the Future

Grand Ballroom

(Level 2 - below lobby)

 

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Registration & Check-In Open

 

8:00 AM - 8:50 AM

Sustaining Growth Through Structured Leadership: A Decade of Expansion in an APP Fellowship Program

Presented by: Meghan Weber, DNP, MBA, APRN, FNP-C​

 

8:50 AM - 9:20 AM

Accreditation Self-Assessment: Tips and Tricks

Presented by: Richard Cassa, PA-C, MPAS, MBA​; Madelynn Ahlborn, MPH​

 

20 MINUTE BREAK

 

9:40 AM - 10:25 AM

Accreditation Pro/Con - Panel Discussion

 

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Accreditation Panel

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

Fellowship Programs: A Workforce Strategy for Measurable ROI​

Presented by: Frank Rizzuto, MBA, PA-C​; Andrew Rotjan, DNP, NP-BC​

 

11:45 - 12:45 LUNCH

 

12:45 PM - 1:30 PM

Designing High-Impact APP Fellowship Assessments: From ACGME Alignment to Clinical Site Partnership

Presented by: Hannah Anderson, MSPAS, PA-C; Ryan Hunton, DHSc, PA-C​

 

1:30 PM - 2:15 PM

The Missing Rounds: Using Debriefs to Support Learner Well-Being

 

2:30 PM - 2:40 PM

Fellow Podium Presentations

 

2:40 PM - 3:00 PM

University of Lynchburg DMSc Program Sponsor Presentation

Presented by: Lexie Gallant, PA-C​

 

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Networking

 

3:00 - 3:45 CLOSING REMARKS