Returning Attendee

Session handouts will be available ONLY in digital format within the event app. We recommend that you download and/or print the course materials for the sessions you are interested in attending before the conference begins because no physical handouts will be available.

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

*Pre-Conference Workshop #1: NEW! Words That Work: Mastering the Craft of Staff Reports, Agenda Titles, and Meeting Minutes

Stephanie Smith, Best Best & Krieger, LLP

Whether you’re briefing a board, informing the public, or capturing the official record, the words you choose matter. This full-day, pre-conference workshop is designed for clerks, executive assistants, analysts, and other district professionals ready to elevate their writing game and communicate with clarity, credibility, and confidence.

We’ll explore how to write staff reports that tell a compelling story and meet legal, administrative, and policy requirements. You’ll learn how to craft agenda titles and recommended actions that are precise, purposeful, and easy to understand. And when it comes to minutes? This session goes beyond the basics to focus on narrative techniques that ensure your minutes are both accurate and accessible, with just the right tone of neutrality and professionalism.

With hands-on exercises, real-life examples, and peer discussion, you’ll leave with practical tools, sample language, and confidence to write with authority, no matter the audience.

*Optional course, additional fees apply, see registration

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

*Pre-Conference Workshop #2: The Essential IT Toolkit for Board Secretaries and Clerks

Shantaé Hansen, VC3

This workshop is designed specifically for board secretaries serving California's special districts, focusing on essential IT security principles and practical guidance for using common technology tools safely and effectively. Participants will learn how to recognize and prevent cybersecurity threats such as phishing, ransomware, and data breaches, with an emphasis on their role in maintaining secure communications, protecting sensitive records, and upholding public trust. Real-world examples will illustrate how even simple mistakes can lead to serious consequences—and how to avoid them.

In addition to cybersecurity fundamentals, the session will cover best practices for using everyday tools like email, cloud storage, video conferencing, and document sharing platforms. The workshop will offer actionable tips to utilize tools more effectively while maintaining essential security to protect sensitive public data. Whether you're tech-savvy or still learning, this session will provide valuable insights and resources to help you confidently manage your digital responsibilities.

*Optional course, additional fees apply, see registration

4:15 - 5:15 pm

CSDA Benefits Bingo

We love maximizing the benefits we offer. Let’s all do what we love at the Board Secretary/Clerk Conference. We start with an exploration of membership benefits to make sure your district is taking full advantage of all we provide. Along the way, you’ll win prizes!

5:30 - 7:00 pm

Registration and Opening Reception

8:30 - 9:45 am

General Session with Brenda Viola: Settle Your Worth and Launch the Life of Your Dreams

Brenda Viola, Author, Speaker, Consultant

"You've been criticizing yourself for years. Why not try approving of yourself and see what happens?" - Louise Hay

Every person faces moments of self-doubt, insecurity, or impostor syndrome. But when these fear-filled feelings are pervasive, they undermine our ability to be and do more in life.

Until we settle our worth, we’ll settle for LESS in our personal and professional lives. And when we settle our worth, we’ve created a launching pad for our best life.

This session walks participants through seven steps to help navigate:

• The tendency to compare, which chips away at our sense of self
• Invasive, negative thoughts that create distress and depression
• How we perceive our own lives and the power of the stories we tell about them

10:15 am - 12:15 pm

NEW! Adopting a Positive Leadership Style: How You Can Transform Your Department and Yourself.

Dr. Neal Nybo, Workplace Positivity Expert

Negativity has become a pervasive force in today's organizations, threatening productivity, morale, and even profitability. But there's a powerful antidote: kindness. By expressing positivity and practicing effective kindness, we can transform our workplaces into thriving communities. In this session, Dr. Nybo will introduce simple yet impactful micro-actions that anyone can implement immediately. Discover how leaders can inspire their teams and how every individual can contribute to a culture shift towards positivity and compassion.

10:15 am - 12:15 pm

NEW! Smooth Transitions:  Mastering the Onboarding of New Board Members

Stephanie Smith, Best Best & Krieger, LLP

Proper onboarding is a cornerstone of effective governance, and the role of the clerk is pivotal in ensuring a successful transition for newly elected or appointed board members. But onboarding isn’t just about welcome packets and first meetings, it’s about building a foundation for informed decision-making, ethical conduct, and collaborative leadership from day one. This session will cover best practices for orienting new members, including tips for streamlining the process, setting expectations, and fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. We’ll also explore how to handle unexpected board vacancies, interim appointments, and the unique dynamics of bringing new members into an existing team. Whether you're preparing for an election cycle or facing a mid-term seat to fill, you'll walk away with actionable strategies to keep your board, and your agency, moving forward with confidence.

12:15 - 1:15 pm

Networking Luncheon

Sponsored by SDLF

1:30 - 2:45 pm

NEW! Communicating and Collaborating Across Generations

Erin Lebacqz, High Value Writing

Leading today's multi-generational teams requires cultural agility. Perceptions of respect, trust, and power can vary across generational perspectives. This session will help leaders communicate flexibly and lead collaborative multi-generational teams.

1:30 -2:45 pm

NEW! Streamlining Your Workflows with Google Tools

Shahla Hockensmith, Strike Streamlining

Discover how Google tools can streamline your workflows and enhance productivity in this transformative session. Learn to implement smoother, faster processes while eliminating excess paperwork, keeping information well-organized, and automating essential tasks. Gain insights into improving communication, fostering efficient collaboration within teams or committees, and maintaining precise records to ensure compliance and audit readiness—all designed to simplify your daily operations and drive success.

2:45 - 3:30 pm

Break and Networking with the Exhibitors

Sponsored by Umpqua Bank

3:30 - 5:00 pm

NEW! Crafting and Maintaining Effective Board Policies and Procedures

Christina Winnicki, Ross Valley Sanitary District

This session will guide Board Clerks through the essentials of developing, updating, and maintaining Board Policies and Procedures that are clear, compliant, and aligned with best practices. In today’s dynamic educational and regulatory environment, effective policy management ensures consistent governance and operational success.

3:30 - 5:00 pm

NEW!  Mastering Difficult Conversations at Work

Lorie Reichel-Howe, Conversations in the Workplace

Let’s face it: as a board secretary/clerk, you face numerous challenges, including managing the competing needs of executives, board members, and the public. Like it or not, addressing communication breakdowns, relational conflicts, and challenging personalities defaults to you.

By attending Mastering Difficult Conversations at Work, you will learn to implement a Safe Conversations communication framework. This framework will empower you to confidently and effectively deal with conduct concerns, unmet expectations, or challenging team dynamics.

You will walk away from this session with tools for transforming difficult conversations into opportunities for building trust while establishing a culture of respect and accountability. In this session, you will:

Develop the skill to have difficult conversations with clarity and empathy.

• Learn how to address team dynamics and challenging behaviors before they escalate.
• Cultivate a culture where diverse perspectives are valued and respected.
• Effectively address issues that reduce stress, improve collaboration and productivity.
• Resolve conflicts effectively and confidently.

8:30 - 10:00 am

NEW! Unlocking Efficiency: Time-Saving Tools for Special Districts

Mac Clemmens, Streamline

Did you know you can be a designer for your district with Canva? Or an expert in training videos with Colossyan AI? Or a prolific writer with ChatGPT? Or a master organizer of schedules and notes with Notion? Explore the exciting world of AI and cloud-based tools that are revolutionizing how special districts operate. This talk will introduce the latest technologies for streamlining operations, offer insights into AI-powered solutions for customer service and automated workflows, showcase collaborative platforms, and discuss the benefits of cloud-based data management. Participants will enjoy interactive demos and learn through gamified sessions, culminating in building a customized digital toolbox.

8:30 - 10:00 am

NEW! Improving Your Public Speaking for Influence and Success

Dr. Neal Nybo, Workplace Positivity Expert

Do you find public speaking daunting, or do your presentations often lack the impact you desire? This engaging 90-minute session, drawing insights from Dr. Neal Nybo's book, offers a revolutionary approach to communication. You'll discover six fundamental laws that empower individuals to overcome speaking anxieties, captivate any audience, and deliver messages that truly connect. Learn practical techniques for crafting compelling narratives, engaging the core instincts of your listeners, sharpening your message for maximum impact, and utilizing cutting-edge AI tools to enhance your delivery. Whether you're a seasoned speaker or just beginning, this presentation will provide you with actionable strategies and a transformative mindset to become a confident, influential, and memorable presenter. Your voice has power – let's explore how to make it resonate!

10:00 - 10:30 am

Break and Networking with the Exhibitors

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

NEW! The Public Servant's Guide to Banishing Burnout

Brenda Viola, Vici Communications

Work is often stressful, but in recent years have written entirely new chapters in all of our lives. It can be overwhelming and challenging to remain energized about your difficult (but so important) work.  There’s never been a better time for a survival guide! We can’t afford dedicated and talented professionals to surrender to the stress.

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Legal Update 2025: What Every Board Secretary and Clerk Needs to Know

Nicolle Falcis, Jeff Frey, Jamie Bowker - Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo

Staying on top of new laws and evolving legal requirements is essential for Board Secretaries and Clerks who serve as the procedural backbone of special districts. This session will provide a comprehensive update on the most critical legal developments impacting board operations, governance, records management, and compliance. Attendees will gain practical insights into recent legislation, court decisions, and regulatory changes affecting the Brown Act, Public Records Act, ethics requirements, remote meeting protocols, and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to prepare your district for the year ahead and strengthen your role as a trusted advisor to your board.

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Luncheon

1:15 - 2:30 pm

NEW! Navigating Neutrality: Political Astuteness for the Modern Board Clerk

Stephanie Smith; Best Best & Krieger LLP

This session explores how Board Clerks can develop and apply political acumen while maintaining their neutrality. Learn how to identify key stakeholders, understand the dynamics at play, and provide elected officials with the insights they need to navigate issues effectively.

1:15 - 2:30 pm

Form 700 - Easier than It Looks

Inder Khalsa, Richards Watson Gershon

As a public official or designated filer, you have a legal duty to file a Statement of Economic Interest, commonly known as a Form 700. How do you fill it out? What do you need to disclose? Given the recent headlines, the expectations for transparency in government have grown. This training will explain the “ins” and “outs” of the Form 700 geared toward current filers on how to satisfy your state-mandated financial disclosure requirements. We will also discuss ways in which the Form 700 can be used to help staff identify and avoid conflict.

2:30 - 2:45 pm

Break and Networking with the Exhibitors

2:45 - 4:00 pm

The Person in the Middle—How the Board Secretary/Clerk Can Support an Effective Board, Manager, and Staff Team

Martin Rauch, Rauch Communication Consultants
Tawnia Pett, Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District

Secretary/Clerks, through their work with the Board and Management team, often find themselves needing wide-ranging skills to deal with issues that may be out of their formal scope of work, such as: supporting boards and managers to work effectively together, improving board meetings, supporting a productive staff culture, dealing with internal board conflict or micromanagement of the staff, resolving board and manager conflict, responding effectively to the public, and more.

An expert in Board/Manager roles and relationships and an experienced Clerk will provide general insights and concrete ideas for how the Secretary / Clerk can effectively support the Board and Manager in dealing with these and other related issues. This will be an engaging session, with time to share your experiences, ask questions, and learn from the session leaders as well as from your peers.

2:45 - 4:00 pm

NEW! Meeting Mastery: From Preparation to Post-Meeting Action

Sylvette Wake, CPS HR Consulting

Whether you're planning, leading, or supporting meetings, effective meeting management is a must-have skill. In this focused and practical session, participants will learn how to prepare strategically with clear agendas, timelines, and participant expectations; start meetings with purpose by setting the tone, reviewing goals, and confirming ground rules; and facilitate effectively to encourage focused discussion, manage time, and ensure inclusive participation. The session will also cover how to manage common challenges such as off-topic discussions, dominant voices, or disengaged attendees; capture key outcomes through accurate note-taking or minute preparation; and follow up efficiently by distributing summaries, confirming action items, and tracking next steps. You'll leave with practical tools and approaches to run meetings that are productive, purposeful, and well-received.

4:00 pm

Graduation: Certificates Awarded

Event Concludes