National
Conference
of Regions

Sunday January 22 through Wednesday, January 25

Conference Registration Now Open! 

2023 National Conference of Regions
January 22-25, 2023
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20001

Hotel Reservations

Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001 
+1 202.737.1234 

Hotel cutoff will be Thursday, December 29. 



Tentative Schedule 

Sunday, January 22  

Join us Sunday evening for the opening reception at our new conference location, the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill Hotel. During the day, attendees can visit the registration table to check-in and we invite you to attend the afternoon mobile workshop.  

PDF of Full Agenda can be found here.

12:00 pm – 5:00 pmRegistration Table Open 

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

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Mobile Workshop: Walking Tour to DC Central Kitchen 
Join us on a winter stroll from the Hyatt Regency to nearby DC Central Kitchen (DCCK). This nonprofit and social enterprise combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation in the DC metropolitan area. The organization provides hands-on culinary job training for individuals facing high barriers to employment while creating living wage jobs and bringing nutritious, dignified food where it is most needed. DCCK’s social ventures include serving scratch-cooked farm-to-school meals in DC schools, delivering fresh, affordable produce to corner stores in neighborhoods without supermarkets, and operating a fast-casual cafe. The workshop will include a tour of their volunteer facility.   

Please note attendees will need to sign a vaccination waiver prior to the mobile workshop, as required by DCCK.    

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm  Opening Reception: Welcome to DC 
The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) welcomes you to its National Conference of Regions, NARC’s forum to discuss policy issues and establish a legislative agenda for the year ahead. 

Monday, January 23

Please note this schedule is subject to change, so check back frequently. 

8:30 am  Breakfast Opens   

9:00 am – 9:30 am

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Opening Session: Federal Partners  
Join the leaders of NARC’s parent organizations – The National League of Cities and National Association of Counties – to discuss the post-election political climate in Washington and how things look for local concerns in the 118th Congress.  

Moderator:  
The Honorable Joy Fuchs, County Commissioner, Washington County, Texas; Brazos Valley Council of Governments; NARC President

Speakers:  
Clarence Anthony, Executive Director, National League of Cities    

Matt Chase, Executive Director, National Association of Counties  

9:30 am – 10:00 am 

What Does a Responsible Federal Budget Look Like?  
Each year, Congress passes funding bills and each year there are disagreements over federal funding levels. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) has been at the forefront of this debate for the past four decades. Hear from the Committee’s president on what CRFB believes are the fiscal issues that must be addressed in the years to come.  

Moderator:  
The Honorable Christian Dorsey, Board Member, Arlington County, Virginia; Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; NARC Board Member

Speaker:  
Maya MacGuineas, President, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget    

10:00 am – 10:45 am

Housing and Transportation: Thriving Communities  
Thriving Communities is an exciting new program that recognizes the important policy and practical connections between transportation and housing. Thriving Communities provides place-based technical assistance so communities can position themselves to take advantage of opportunities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Join policy experts from both DOT and HUD to hear about this important joint agency initiative. 

Speakers:  
Sarah Brundage, Senior Advisor for Housing Supply and Infrastructure, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development  

Carl Ringgold, Project Development Lead and Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Program Manager, U.S. Department of Transportation Build America Bureau   

Mariia Zimmerman, Strategic Advisor for Technical Assistance and Community Solutions, U.S. Department of Transportation  

10:45 am – 11:00 am Break

Breakout Sessions

11:00 am – 12:15 pm

Public Safety Committee Meeting: Mitigation and Resilience
The Committee on Public Safety and Emergency Management will focus on whether there is still time to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events on communities, ensure that our communities have the right emergency response mechanisms in place, and are sufficiently resilient to “bounce back” from these extreme events.  

This past year has seen a rash of significant weather events including drought, floods, fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Most importantly, no part of the United States is immune to these extreme weather events. To talk about what cities, counties, and regions can do to effectively mitigate and recover from the impacts of severe weather events, we have several speakers who will provide various perspectives — all important to effective mitigation and resilience efforts.  

Co-Chair: The Honorable Byron Ryder, County Judge, Leon County, Texas; NARC Past-President 

Co-Chair: Diane Rath, Executive Director, Alamo Area Council of Governments  

Speaker:   
Brett Mattson, Legislative Director for Justice and Public Safety, National Association of Counties

Josh Murphy, Program Manager, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency    

 

Transportation Committee Meeting 

Co-chair: The Honorable Fred Strong, Councilmember, Paso Robles, California; San Luis Obispo Council of Governments; NARC Board of Directors   

Co-chair: Greg Stuart, Executive Director, Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization 

12:15 pm – 12:45 pm

Economic Development Administration  
Welcome the Economic Development Administration to learn more about their work supporting regions and promoting sustainable local economies.

Moderator:  
The Honorable Joy Fuchs, County Commissioner, Washington County, Texas; Brazos Valley Council of Governments; NARC President  

Speaker:  
The Honorable Alejandra Y. Castillo, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, Economic Development Administration   

12:45 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch 
1:30 pm – 1:45 pm Break 
1:45 pm – 2:15 pm

Seeking Bipartisan Solutions on Climate 
Hear two Congressmen discuss how they reach across the aisle to work on a vexing political and environmental challenge: our changing climate.  

Speakers:  
The Honorable John Curtis (R-UT), Conservative Climate Caucus, U.S. House of Representatives   

The Honorable Scott Peters (D-CA), Climate Solutions Caucus, U.S. House of Representatives   

Breakout Sessions

2:15 pm – 3:45 pm

Economic and Community Development Committee Meeting: Updated FCC National Broadband Map and BIL Funded Programs
NARC’s Economic and Community Development Committee will bring together the nations’ broadband experts to discuss the Federal Communications Commission National Broadband Map and its implications on funding opportunities through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).  

Co-chair: The Honorable Jennifer Robinson, Council Member, Town of Cary, North Carolina; Triangle J Council of Governments; NARC Senior Vice President   

Co-chair: Betty Voights, Executive Director, Capital Area Council of Governments  

Speakers:    
Nicolas Alexander, Telecommunications Policy Specialist, US Department of  Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration   

Angelina Panettieri, Legislative Director of Information Technology and Communications, National League of Cities  

 

Energy and Environment Committee Meeting: Water Infrastructure
NARC’s Environment & Energy Committee will provide an update on potential environmental policy and regulatory changes under new legislation.  

Co-Chair: The Honorable Lee Constantine, Commissioner, Seminole County, Florida; East Central Florida Regional Planning Commission; NARC Board of Directors 

Co-Chair: Kristina Egan, Executive Director, Greater Portland Council of Governments 

Speakers:   
Carolyn Berndt, Legislative Director of Sustainability, National League of Cities  

Scott Berry, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, US Water Alliance  

4:00 pm – 6:00 pmExecutive Directors Council Meeting
4:00 pm – 6:00 pmCommunications & Government Affairs Working Group Meeting  

NARC’s Communications and Government Affairs Working Group brings professionals from regional councils together to talk about new and innovative ways to engage with citizens and elected leaders.   

Facilitator:   
Melissa Lowe, Communications and Membership Associate, National Association of Regional Councils    

Tuesday, January 24

Please note this schedule is subject to change, so check back frequently. 

8:15 am Breakfast Opens   
8:45 am – 9:15 am Opening Session

9:15 am – 9:45 am

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U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation 
The U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to combine expertise from the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation. Executive Director Gabe Klein will discuss implementation of several critical programs, including the deployment of a national network of electric vehicle chargers, zero-emission fueling infrastructure, and EPA’s Clean School Bus Initiative, and how these efforts contribute to fulfilling the recently released “U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization.”  

Moderator:  
The Honorable Chris Barnett, Supervisor, Orion Township, Michigan; Southeast Michigan Council of Governments; NARC Board Member   

Speaker: 
Gabe Klein, Executive Director, U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation   

9:45 am – 10:30 am

Parks and Open Space  
From helping to establish federally protected land to planning for open space preservation to parks planning, regions play varied roles in preserving essential land resources that contribute to the economic vitality of their communities and to the quality of life of their residents. Hear perspectives from the regional and federal levels about land conservation and the benefits that result.  

Speakers: 
Coleen Clementson, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, San Diego Association of Governments   

Ty Warner, Executive Director, Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission  

10:30 am – 10:45 amBreak

Breakout Sessions

10:45 am – 11:45am

Upcoming Supreme Court Cases  
 Census Bureau 
11:45 am – 12:00 am Break
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm Lunch General Session: Networking Lunch 
1:15 pm – 1:30 pm Break 

Breakout Sessions

1:30 pm – 2:30pm

Access to Healthy, Safe and Affordable Food  

Speaker:  
Shana Christrup, Public Health Director, Bipartisan Policy Center 

 

Aging Well:  Resources that Can Help Older Americans Live Healthy, Productive Lives 
More than 10,000 people turn 65 every day in the United States, and people are living longer, healthier lives. Healthy lifestyles, planning for retirement, and knowing your options for health care and long-term care are more important than ever.  Learn from the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center about a broad range of services provided through the Older Americans Act. This session will answer the question what are the things that contribute to aging well?  

Speaker: 
National Aging and Disability Transportation Center  

Breakout Sessions

2:35 pm – 3:35 pm

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How Regions Can Address the Lack of Affordable Housing and the Increase in Homelessness 
Cities, counties, and regions across the nation face a lack of affordable housing and an increase in homelessness.  In many regions the cost of housing is becoming out of reach for many low- and moderate-income residents, and the rise in homelessness reflects the inability to find adequate, affordable housing.  This session will focus on how the federal government can help states and localities respond to these on-going crises.  

Speaker:  
Sarah Saadian, Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Field Organizing, National Low Income Housing Coalition 

 What to Expect in the 118th Congress 
With a new Congress in place and a return to divided party control, learn from Washington insiders on what to expect from the 118th Congress.

 

Speakers:    
Andrew Buczek, Government Policy Advisor, Dykema   

Jennifer Covino, President, Simon and Company, Inc. 

Hal Hiemstra, Partner, Summit Strategies Government Affairs  

3:35 pm – 3:45 pm

Conference Closing: Final Remarks, Takeaways, and What’s Next 

 57’th Annual Conference in Detroit: NARC’s 57th Annual Conference & Exhibition will be held in Detroit, MI from June 4 through 7, hosted by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. 

Wednesday, January 25  

This is your opportunity to bring board members and local elected officials to Capitol Hill to meet with your Members of Congress and advocate on behalf of your region. Capitol Hill Day is an important advocacy event that connects Members of Congress and regional council advocates and professionals from across the country to talk about critical issues facing regions.  

Conference Countdown! 

Days

Future Dates

2024 National Conference of Regions: Sunday, February 11 through Wednesday, February 14

2025 National Conference of Regions: Sunday, February 9 through Wednesday, February 12