2025 ISHA Convention Recap
Published in the March 2025 issue of the ISHA Voice.
By Nichole Mulvey, ISHA Convention Coordinator
With spring just around the corner, it’s hard to believe the 65th Annual ISHA Convention was a month ago! If you were among the 1,000+ attendees, we hope you experienced the energy, connection, and community that make ISHA Conventions so special. Each year, we build on past successes to enhance the ISHA experience, and we’re excited to keep that momentum going!
The most notable change this year was moving to a Thursday-Friday format. We hit the ground running on Thursday at 8 a.m. and were able to offer a full two days of professional development opportunities. In that short period of time, we were able to offer 83 sessions and 1.75 ASHA CEU opportunities. Most of our sessions were from submitted speakers this year, and I was amazed by the knowledge and work being done by our own members and colleagues. The Division for Educational Development (DED) committee is grateful to those who presented and brought applicable and thought-provoking information to audiences.
The format change shifted the ISHA Awards Ceremony to a dinner/evening event on Thursday so we could maximize time available for CE sessions. Once again, it was a stellar event in which our own very deserving members were honored. Another hour of CE was provided by the guest speaker, Dr. Karen Dudek Brannan, and attendees left with a sense of how to be an advocate in multidisciplinary teams. This event also served as a fundraiser for student scholarships, and we are grateful to participants donating to support students and future ISHA members.
After a long day on Thursday, the arrival of a large group of student attendees for Student Day on Friday brought vitality and excitement. When the 250 student attendees descended onto the convention center, most of them first-timers to the event, the energy was palpable! There were student-specific sessions, presentations about student research through posters and short talks, the job fair, and the annual knowledge quest. It was a great way to promote ISHA to the future of our professions as students networked, learned and had fun!
Did you have a chance to visit several of the 37 participating exhibitors in the sold-out exhibit hall? We hope you took the time to find new materials, consider job opportunities, and learn about specific programs. These exhibitors as well as convention sponsors (AnthroMed Education, Caption Call by Sorenson, Waukegan District 60), pen sponsor (Dr. Jeanane M. Ferre), and product giveaway sponsor (WPS) support the success of the convention each year!
I am incredibly thankful to the DED committee members who work so hard behind the scenes all year long and during the convention to make for a great event. Planning and pulling of a convention of this size is no easy task! I want to send a special shoutout to Cierra Lorio (senior convention co-chair), Elia Olivares (junior convention co-chair), and Debbie McGee (student volunteer coordinator) for their dedicated teamwork and problem solving that resulted in another successful convention this year. The Bostrom staff always plays a vital role in the success of the convention, and I truly appreciate the support they provided the DED committee each year.
Mark your calendars for the 2026 Annual Convention on February 19-20 at the Tinley Park Convention Center, in Tinley Park, IL. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!
Do you have ideas or want to make a difference in the professional development experience of ISHA members? We would love to have you on the DED committee! Reach out to membership@ishail.org to learn more. Planning for 2026 starts now!
