This is the ninth year we’ve made this list of the best government conferences. We published the full-year list in January, but as a reminder, here are the high points for the rest of 2023. Here, you’ll find brand new trainings, symposia, summits, forums, expos, seminars, workshops, conventions and conferences, as well as established events that might be new to you. If you work in federal, state or local governments, you’ll discover events worth checking out.
Although the COVID–19 pandemic isn’t over, most government events in 2023 are in person. Some in-person events have vaccine requirements or may announce health restrictions as the event approaches. A few events offer a hybrid of virtual and in-person participation, while some are virtual only. Plan to follow the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and health authorities at home and at your travel destination.
This list of the best government conferences will let you plan ahead and advocate for those precious professional development dollars. We’ve dug deep to find the dates for as many events as we can to help you have a great 2023. Since most of these events are annual, if you can’t attend one this year, keep it on your radar for 2024.
As a bonus for the social media savvy, the listings include event hashtags, when available, for those who can’t attend but want to participate in the virtual conversations. Note: If you don’t see relevant tweets when you click a hashtag link, it could be that no one has posted about the event yet or Twitter’s search results may not be working correctly. Instead, try visiting the hosting organization’s social media profile.
June
Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) National Training Program
June 20 – 22, 2023 | Tulsa, OK
SAIGE hosts this annual training featuring professional training sessions related to federal Indian law/Indian Country, equal employment opportunity/human resources and diversity issues, professional development, and cultural and natural resources. It also includes specialized training sessions for veterans and youth.
July
July 10 – 14, 2023 | San Diego, CA | #EsriUC
The Esri User Conference has long been a favorite at GovLoop. It’s a conference designed for users of the Esri platform and for those who want to learn more about geographic information system (GIS) technology. Explore the future of GIS capabilities and discover the innovative ways it’s being used to create a more sustainable and resilient world. Also check out the Esri Federal GIS Conference (FedGIS).
Federally Employed Women (FEW) National Training Program (NTP)
July 10 – 14, 2023 | Columbus, OH
This event trains federal, state, local and military workers for personal and professional career growth. The week-long training program has over 100 specialized courses on topics including equal employment opportunity, human resources, information technology, project management, management and leadership. Courses align with the Office of Personnel Management Executive Core Competencies.
July 11 – 14, 2023 | Gdańsk, Poland | #dgo2023
The dg.o conference is a forum for presenting, discussing, and demonstrating interdisciplinary research on digital government, information and communications technology, and public administration, political participation, civic engagement, technology innovation, applications and practice.
July 14 – 16, 2023 | Chicago, IL | #PointsOfLight23
The Points of Light Conference is a global gathering of people who are passionate about civic engagement. Attendees include nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders who connect, collaborate, gain and share the knowledge and resources needed to be a champion of social good.
USAging Annual Conference and Tradeshow
July 16 – 19, 2023 | Salt Lake City, UT | #USAging23
The USAging conference gathers local leaders in aging, government experts, policymakers, business leaders and other practitioners and partners to share knowledge, insights and new directions in the field of aging. Attendees will benefit from peer-to-peer learning, insight into federal policy and national trends that affect local communities, and other opportunities for learning.
AHEAD Equity & Excellence Conference: Access in Higher Education
July 17 – 21, 2023 | Portland, OR
The AHEAD Conference may be sponsored by the Association on Higher Education and Disability, but the topics are not just related to higher education. There is a heavy emphasis on diversity, disability, policy, technology, current trends and issues as they relate to the law and disability.
Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA) Veterans Affairs Healthcare Summit
July 18 – 19, 2023 | Alexandria, VA
The IDGA Veterans Affairs Healthcare Summit is designed for those supporting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ mission. Attendees include people from the military, government, private and nonprofit healthcare sectors, academia and consultant communities. Senior stakeholders, technology experts, industry innovators, clinicians, nurses and administrators will have the chance to learn, share and connect with our nation’s veterans to improve health outcomes, care access and delivery.
National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators (NAGARA) Annual Conference
July 18 – 21, 2023 | Cincinnati, OH | #NAGARA2023
Information management professionals charged with safeguarding and making available publicly owned information carry out their duties in an ever-changing environment. The NAGARA Annual Conference helps these professionals ensure citizens’ access to government records and guarantee that permanently valuable records are properly archived and made available to future generations.
Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Professional Development Training (PDT)
July 23 – 26, 2023 | Orlando, FL or virtual | #PDT23
AGA’s Professional Development Training brings together top financial officials in federal, state and local government, as well as from academia and the private sector, for valuable training and networking. Participants will gain skills and knowledge toward more effective leadership, performance in a cost-constrained environment, solutions to shared challenges and best practices.
International Personnel Assessment Council (IPAC) Conference
July 23 – 26, 2023 | Washington, D.C. | #IPAC2023
A collaborative environment for human resource professionals to learn about trends and best practices in recruitment and merit-based assessment practices and to work through input/output (I/O) related challenges.
July 23 – 26, 2023 | Nashville, TN | #NCMAwc
Professionals in contract management, procurement and acquisition attend this event hosted by the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). World Congress offers breakout sessions relevant to all career levels, engaging main stage speakers and many networking events.
Annual Conference on Independent Living
July 24 – 27, 2023 | Washington, D.C. | #NCIL2023
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) conference attracts grassroots advocates, members of Congress, government officials and people from organizations that work for justice and equity for people with disabilities.
National Homeland Security Conference
July 24 – 27, 2023 | Chicago, IL | #NHSC2023
The National Homeland Security Conference brings together professionals in homeland security, law enforcement, and fire and emergency management. Officials in federal agencies, nonprofit agencies, businesses and universities, as well as other decision-makers learn about emerging trends in homeland security and see the new equipment and technology available to support their mission.
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National Convention & Exposition
July 31 – August 5, 2023 | Albuquerque, NM | #LULAC23
The LULAC National Convention & Exposition draws participants that include top leaders from the government, business and the Latino community. Attendees discuss issues, set policies and elect the organization’s national leaders.
August
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Annual Conference & Expo
August 6 – 9, 2023 | Nashville, TN | #APCO2023
APCO’s conference and expo offers educational sessions, committee meetings, special events and exhibits for public safety communications officials. Attendees include emergency communications centers, law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical services, and government agencies, along with service providers and commercial vendors.
Federal Dispute Resolution (FDR) Training
August 7 – 10, 2023 | Orlando, FL | #FDRtraining
FDR Training helps attendees resolve workplace disputes and avoid situations that lead to complaints, which can reduce costly litigation for federal agencies. Over 60 workshops and sessions address the latest regulations and best practices to resolve equal employment opportunity, human resources, labor relations, employee relations, alternative dispute resolution and legal issues.
August 10 – 13, 2023 | Las Vegas, NV | #DEFCON
DEF CON is one of the world’s largest and longest-running hacker conventions. Government security researchers, cyber staff, developers, information technology employees and law enforcement join black and white hat hackers at this conference to better understand the significant vulnerabilities facing public and private sector technology, systems and products.
August 20 – 23, 2023 | Kansas City, MO | #GMISMEETS
GMIS International is a community of public sector information technology (IT) professionals. Each year, government IT leaders, vendors and speakers gather at GMIS MEETS Conference for four days of collaboration, networking and educational opportunities.
National Information Officers Association (NIOA) Training Conference
August 27 – 30, 2023 | Nashville, TN | #NIOA2023
The NIOA Training Conference organizes and trains public information officers (PIOs) through workshops, seminars and case presentations by PIOs who have handled some of the biggest news events of our time. The gathering also offers opportunities to meet and network with professional peers from across North America.
September
September 2023 date to be announced | #govtechlive
COVITS gathers public and private sector leaders to spread best practices and spur innovation in government technology. Topics include: cyberthreat landscape, cloud and devops, blockchain use cases, strategies for smart communities, the citizen experience, easing the pain of FOIA and e-discovery, election security, emergency response trends and technologies, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics.
Billington CyberSecurity Summit
September 5 – 8, 2023 | #BillingtonSummit
The Billington CyberSecurity Summit is a deep dive into the current state of cybersecurity and perspectives on the next challenges and opportunities. Attendees include senior leadership from the U.S. government, partners, industry and academia. Topics include proactive cyber defense measures, partnership building, offensive cyber and what the future may bring to the cybersecurity mission.
United States Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA)
September 6 – 9, 2023 | Washington, D.C. | #2023USCHA
The USCHA is the largest conference on HIV/AIDS in the nation. Hosted by the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), it attracts attendees from health departments and community-based organizations, people living with HIV, people on PrEP, members of national organizations, health center staff members, health care providers, donors, activists and federal leaders.
Global Security Exchange (GSX)
September 11 – 13, 2023 | Dallas, TX | #GSX2023
Global Security Exchange offers insights and best practices to security professionals at every stage in their career. Each year GSX attracts thousands of professionals from the private and public sectors, allied organizations, partners and solution providers.
September 12 – 14, 2023 | Location to be announced | #OESummit
The Out & Equal Workplace Summit brings together thousands of executives, ERG leaders and members and HR and DEI professionals and experts — all working for LGBTQ+ equality. The Summit is a place to network and share strategies that create inclusive workplaces where everyone belongs and where LGBTQ+ employees can be out and thrive.
September 12 – 14, 2023 | San Francisco, CA | #DF23
A massive conference for users of Salesforce’s CRM platform and tools, with tens of thousands of attendees. In addition to the general sessions relevant to any Salesforce user, the conference also has several sessions designed specifically for government and public sector organizations.
National Association of Government Web (NAGW) Professionals Annual Conference
September 6 – 8, 2023 | Indianapolis, IN | #NAGW2023
Designed for local government web professionals, the NAGW conference provides peer networking, thought-provoking keynote speakers and interactive conference sessions.
Women in Data Science (WiDS) Worldwide Conference
September 14, 2023 | Virtual | #WiDS2023
WiDS Worldwide elevates women in the field by providing inspiration, education, community and support. The conference includes featured keynotes, technical talks, panel discussions and more. All are welcome.
African American Federal Executive Association (AAFEA) Annual Leadership Development Workshop
September 18 – 20, 2023 | Location to be announced | #AAFEALDW
The AAFEA workshop focuses on the programs, policies, practices and processes that promote career-enhancing opportunities and the core subjects needed to become successful senior leaders in the federal government. Designed for federal and military professionals with experience at the GS-13 and above levels.
Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Internal Control & Fraud Prevention Training (IC&FPT)
September 19 – 20, 2023 | Washington, D.C. or virtual | #Fraud23
The Internal Control & Fraud Prevention Training focuses on management’s responsibility for ensuring good systems of internal control, and the role of accountability professionals in minimizing the risk of fraud, waste and abuse. Leaders in government and private industry will discuss the latest discovery techniques, lessons learned and how governments are cooperating to improve services to residents and communities.
September 26 – 29, 2023 | Location to be announced | #GHC23
The Grace Hopper Celebration is a gathering of women and non-binary technologists. Produced by the Anita Borg Institute, in partnership with the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), the celebration brings together women and non-binary people in technology for discussions of research and career interests, networking and mentoring, an “Open Source Day” to develop humanitarian projects and more. Conference presenters are leaders in their respective fields, representing industry, academia and government.
September 26 – 28, 2023 | Las Vegas, NV | #MWCA23
Mobile World Congress is an industry event attended by global decision-makers in telco, tech, and adjacent industries with North American digital leadership at the forefront. At Mobile World Congress, the mobile ecosystem that includes technology industry and vertical industries affected by connectivity gathers together to explore the themes that are shaping our world.
International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference
September 30 – October 4, 2023 | Austin/Travis County, TX | #ICMA23
The ICMA Annual Conference for local government managers and staff has been going strong for more than 100 years. It offers educational, information-sharing and networking tools to help you manage your community in today’s complex environment.
October
National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) Annual Conference
October 2 – 5, 2023 | Long Beach, CA | #NATOA23
The NATOA Annual Conference is an educational event for local government telecommunications professionals working on communications, multimedia, programming, wireless, broadband, franchising and siting issues in today’s ever-changing landscape.
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) National Conference & Exhibition
October 6 – 8, 2023 | New Orleans, LA
NAHRO National Conference & Exhibition brings together leaders of the housing and community development industry for educational sessions, dynamic speakers, knowledge-sharing, networking and exploring the product and service exhibition.
National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA) Annual Conference
October 8 – 11, 2023 | Seattle, WA | #NAGDCA23
NAGDCA’s Annual Conference for public sector-defined contribution administrators offers plan sponsors and industry representatives the opportunity to build a national network of contacts, share ideas with peers, learn innovative techniques for improving retirement outcomes and more.
National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Annual Conference
October 8 – 11, 2023 | Minneapolis, MN | #NASCIO23
NASCIO conferences are the go-to events for state IT leaders. They include both a midyear event each spring and a larger annual conference each fall, which give state CIOs and members of their staff the opportunity to come together with many private sector solution providers for education and networking.
October 10 – 12, 2023 | Washington, D.C. | #mEnabling23
The M-Enabling Summit explores the latest innovations and major trends in business, government and education that are accelerating the pursuit of universal accessibility for digital products, contents and services. It brings together key decision-makers from all sectors, facilitating unique exchanges, collaborations, solutions-sharing and thought leadership activities.
National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) Annual Conference
October 11 – 13, 2023 | Pittsburgh, PA | #NASPAA2023
The NASPAA annual conference features speakers and breakout sessions on current public affairs education issues.
Women of Color STEM Conference
October 12 – 14, 2023 | Detroit, MI | #WOC23
The Women of Color STEM Conference is a multicultural event that helps women improve their education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math fields. Since 1995, this conference has opened up opportunities for attendees to achieve STEM goals and move forward in their STEM career paths.
American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) National Conference
October 19 – 21, 2023 | Spokane, WA | #AISESNC23
The AISES National Conference focuses on educational, professional and workforce development for Indigenous peoples in STEM. Attendees include American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and First Nation high school students, college and graduate students, educators and workforce professionals, including representatives from Tribal Nations, Tribal enterprises and Indigenous-owned businesses. The conference also includes a large college and career fair for Indigenous students and professionals.
NextGen Government Training Virtual Summit
October 25, 2023 | Virtual | #NextGenGov
The NextGen Summit inspires government innovation and provides training and leadership opportunities for public servants. Since 2010, the summit has inspired thousands of federal, state and local govies to become the leaders that government needs. Registration is free and open to all. GovLoop is the summit host.
SecurityWeek’s Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Cyber Security Conference
October 23 – 26, 2023 | Atlanta, GA | #ICSCCS23
SecurityWeek’s ICS Cyber Security Conference focuses on industrial cybersecurity. It gathers ICS cybersecurity stakeholders from a variety of industries and attracts operations and control engineers, IT, government, vendors and academics.
October 29 – 31, 2023 | Hershey, PA | #ELC2023
The Imagine Nation ELC offers an experience designed to spark the imagination, inspire bold thinking and fresh ideas, foster collaboration and dialogue and spotlight the newest and most relevant technology. The conference brings together forward-thinking agencies and companies focused on improving mission delivery. It also provides a neutral ground where government and industry can work together as partners. Hosted by the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC).
Open Data Science Conference (ODSC) West
October 31 – November 3, 2023 | Location to be announced | #ODSCwest
The Open Data Science Conference gathers attendees, presenters and companies that are working on shaping the present and future of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and data science. It is one of the largest gatherings of professional data scientists. ODSC has two events in the United States: ODSC East and ODSC West. Registration discounts may be available to government employees.
November
Local Government Hispanic Network (LGHN) Biennial Conference
November 2023 date not yet announced | Orlando, FL
The LGHN Conference convenes delegates from various cities and states to explore ideas and solutions for advancing excellence and inclusiveness in local government. The conference takes place every two years. LGHN is an International City/County Management Association (ICMA) affiliate.
November 9 – 12, 2023 | Anaheim, CA | #oSTEM2023
The oSTEM Conference is a space for LGBTQ+ students and professionals in STEM fields to share their experiences and learn from one another. It includes programs ranging from safer spaces to talk about queer issues to discussing the latest research.
American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting & Expo
November 12 – 15, 2023 | Atlanta, GA | #APHA2023
The APHA Annual Meeting & Expo is where public health professionals convene, learn, network and engage with peers. Participants attend to strengthen the profession of public health, share the latest research and information, promote best practices and advocate for public health issues and policies grounded in research. Save the dates for future APHA annual meetings.
Behavior, Energy & Climate Change (BECC) Conference
November 12 – 15, 2023 | Sacramento, CA | #BECC2023
The BECC conference focuses on understanding the behavior and decision-making of individuals and organizations and using that knowledge to accelerate our transition to an energy-efficient and low-carbon future. Participants discuss innovative policy and program strategies, share important research findings and build dynamic new networks and collaborations.
Professional Services Council (PSC) Vision Federal Market Forecast Conference
November 15 – 16, 2023 | Arlington, VA and virtual | #PSCvision23
The Vision Federal Market Forecast addresses the defense, civilian and federal IT markets. It’s where industry and government convene to present and discuss the results of the Vision Federal Market Forecast. The Forecast delivers insights from government agency planners and decision-makers, think tank experts and Wall Street analysts about the issues facing the federal market, future programs and budgets.
November 16 – 18, 2023 | Orlando, FL | #arnova23
The ARNOVA conference is designed to create a public conversation and opportunities for presenting research about pressing issues and vital opportunities facing the voluntary or nonprofit sector. It is both a showcase for the best and most current research, as well as a seedbed from which new research is born.
UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28)
November 30 – December 12, 2023 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | #COP28
COP28 brings together tens of thousands of delegates, including heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to plan for coordinated action to tackle climate change.
December
Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) Conference
December 3 – 6, 2023 | Kansas City, MO
The COGEL Conference is an opportunity to learn what’s new in the fields of campaign finance, governmental ethics, elections, lobbying and freedom of information.
Annual Computer Security Applications Conference (ACSAC)
December 4 – 8, 2023 | Austin, TX
The Annual Computer Security Applications Conference brings together researchers and a broad cross section of security professionals, drawn from academia, industry and government, to present and discuss the latest security results and topics. With peer-reviewed technical papers, invited talks, panels, national interest discussions, workshops and professional development and training courses, ACSAC investigates practical solutions for computer and network security technology. Organized by Applied Computer Security Associates (ACSA).
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