119th Annual Conference Sessions: Leadership, Ethics, and Trust
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Sessions for Sunday, June 29
General Session & Sunday Keynote
Judy Smith is the founder and CEO of Smith & Company, a leading strategic advisory firm focused on crisis management. For more than 25 years, Judy has counseled presidents, world leaders, and other politicians, advised Fortune 50 CEOs through complex challenges, and helped manage the reputations of some of the world’s highest-profile individuals.
The Leader in You: Creating a Culture of Care and Engagement Through Responsibility, Accountability, and Authority
The ability to lead has never really been a function of your title. Rather, it’s about personal responsibility, accountability, and ethical influence. The best leaders recognize they need an appropriate mix of professional and personal attributes to engage their team.
Mentoring Made Easy
Many governments have identified a need to retain top talent and develop the next generation of leaders. Mentoring is a proven strategy that helps with both, while also improving employee engagement and fostering a better internal team culture. However, few organizations have built and sustained effective mentorship programs.
GFOA's Black Caucus: Annual Business Meeting and Harnessing the Strengths of the Local Economy
GFOA's Black Caucus is dedicated to supporting the aspirations and achievements of African American public finance officers, to pursuing professional development opportunities for our members, and to sponsoring projects to assist African Americans seeking careers in government finance.
Sessions for Monday, June 30
General Session & Monday Keynote
Mitch Albom is an internationally renowned, bestselling author, journalist, and philanthropist. His books, which include the #1 bestselling memoir of all time, Tuesdays with Morrie, have collectively sold more than 40 million copies in 48 languages worldwide. With over 20 years on ESPN, and through his work at the Detroit Free Press and as a panelist on The Sports Reporters podcast, Albom has been named the #1 Sports Columnist in the Nation by the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) 13 times.
Rise Together: Leadership Through Collaboration with GFOA’s WPFN
In alignment with GFOA's Women's Public Finance Network's (WPFN) 2025–2026 theme, "Rise Together," this session focuses on how women in public finance can leverage their leadership skills to foster collaboration and mentorship within their organizations and communities.
GFOA's LGBTQIA+ Forum: Annual Business Meeting and Creating Welcoming Communities
GFOA's LGBTQIA+ Caucus exists to advocate for its members within the profession and works to increase the visibility of LGBTQIA+ people within GFOA and the profession as a whole. At this session, the Caucus will highlight key issues, discuss the previous year's activities, and conduct our annual business meeting.
Why I'm a Finance Officer
There is no single path to becoming a finance officer. GFOA's 25,000+ members have just as many different motivations, stories, and journeys that have led them to this stage in their careers. However, they all now share the responsibility for maintaining trust, supporting their community, and working to build sustainable organizations despite increasing pressure from political polarization, workforce challenges, and overall distrust of government.
Sessions for Tuesday, July 1
General Session & Tuesday Keynote
Dan Heath is the co-author of multiple #1 New York Times bestselling books, including Switch and Made to Stick. His latest book, Reset: How to Change What's Not Working, offers a guide to identifying leverage points and concentrating resources to achieve goals. During his keynote presentation, Dan will provide strategies to unlock forward movement, accelerate change, and achieve dramatically better results.
Young Professionals Network: Leadership Skills to Accelerate Your Career in Public Finance
This session is designed for aspiring and current leaders in government finance who aim to accelerate their careers and enhance their leadership impact. Participants will explore essential qualities that define successful leaders in the public finance sector. Panelists will discuss various leadership styles, strategies for navigating organizational dynamics, and methods they have used to influence positive change within their organizations.
Sessions for Wednesday, July 2
Trust in Government: Applying GFOA's Code of Ethics
Trust is an asset as important as any that can be found on any government balance sheet. However, by several different measures, trust in government has decreased in recent years. This lack of trust can hamper the ability for local governments to provide needed services to the community, raise sufficient revenue, or demonstrate value. Similarly, distrust among colleagues within a government can stifle collaboration.
All on the Same Team: Managing Relationships with Elected Officials
Working with elected officials can be one of the most difficult parts of a government finance professional's job. The challenges are many: earning and maintaining trust, explaining technical concepts, balancing competing or conflicting priorities, and gaining support for unpopular—but necessary—decisions. It's enough to overwhelm even the most seasoned finance professional.
