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2023 Strong Families AZ
Home Visiting Conference
2023 Conference Theme: Creating Connections
September 19-20, 2023
Gila River Resorts Wild Horse Pass and Conference Center
5040 Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, Chandler, Arizona 85226
Thank you for your interest in the 2023 Strong Families AZ Home Visiting Conference. Registration is now closed.
If you would like to be added to the wait list, please email
[email protected] with your contact information.
We will contact you if we are able to confirm your registration request.
We are still taking registrations for the September 18, 2023 Pre-Conference Self-Care Retreat with Kelly Lubeck.
If you are registered for the Strong Families AZ Home Visiting Conference and would like to add this retreat to your registration, please email [email protected] to update your profile and receive a confirmation. Tickets for this retreat are $80.50 per person and must be paid by September 1, 2023 to confirm participation. Credit card payments are accepted through a third-party card processing system called Stripe.
In 2023, the conference will include the following programs.
You may register for all or some of these conference agenda options.
Statewide Home Visiting Conference Agenda
September 19, 2023
Join us for an exciting agenda specifically designed for home visitors and supervisors working in evidence-based or evidence-informed home visiting programs serving expectant families and families with children from birth to age five throughout Arizona.
Tribal Home Visiting Conference Agenda
September 20, 2023
(Concurrent with HRPP Conference Agenda)
A special day for home visitors and home visiting supervisors providing evidence-based or evidence-informed home visiting services to Native American families who are expecting their first child or have children from birth to age five throughout Arizona.
High Risk Perinatal Program (HRPP) Conference Agenda
September 20, 2023
(Concurrent with Tribal Home Visiting Conference Agenda)
The annual meeting for home visitors, home visiting supervisors, physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, and other professionals working with patients in the High Risk Perinatal Program.
Hotel rooms are now available for reservations.
Note: If you would like to request educational support for accommodations provided by the conference, please click here for an application. You will need to reserve your hotel room first and obtain a reservation confirmation number to include on the application.
All allocated educational support accommodations have been claimed. You may still complete an application and we will happily add your request to our waiting list in case of cancellations.
If you are on the waiting list for one of these rooms, please be patient as we typically do not know if any of these educational support rooms become available until 1-2 weeks prior to the conference.
We will notify you by email if/when an educational support room becomes available. We appreciate your understanding.
2023 Strong Families AZ Home Visiting Conference
Presenter Line-up
Monday, September 18, 2023 – Special Session
Topic: Creating Connections and Resilience through Self Care

Presenter: Kelly Lubeck, MPH, RYT, CHHC
Healing and Holistic Health Coach
2:30pm – 6:30pm
*Requires pre-registration and individual ticket purchase which includes light buffet dinner.
*Home Visiting Conference attendance required to purchase individual ticket.
Tuesday, September 19, 2023 – Statewide Agenda
Topic: The Developmental Neuroscience of Relationships

Dr. Pat Levitt
WM Keck Provost Professor in Neurogenetics
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Topic: 21st Century Dadhood

Moderator: Allan Stockellburg, Executive Director, Parent Aid
Panelists: Ed Casillas, Family Involvement Center
Chod McClintock Parent Aid
Dennis Billie, First Things First Council Member.
Michael Ramirez, Family Engagement Program of the University of Arizona's Pima County Outreach Extension.
Lunch Keynote
Topic: Promoting Eating Competence in Community Nutrition Settings: Please Pass the Peas… or Cookies
Presenters:

Anne Blocker
MS, RDN, CSSD, LD, CDCES, CEDRD, Executive Director
Ellyn Satter Institute

Jennifer Harris
RDN, LD, CEDS-S, Dietitian and Trainer,
Ellyn Satter Institute
Afternoon Keynote
Topic: Changing the Game: Parenting Children in the Digital Age

Dr. Valora Washington
CEO & President. The CAYL Institute
Closing Keynote
Topic: The Joy of the Job: Take This Job and Love It!

Jody Urquhart, Humorist
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – Tribal Agenda
*Running concurrently with the High Risk Perinatal Program Agenda.
Opening Keynote
Topic: After the Pandemic: Lingering Health Status Repercussions and Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on AI/AN Populations
Presenters:

Alison Lovell
NREMT, WEMT, NASM-CPT - COVID-19 Health Disparities Grants Manager
Arizona Advisory Council on Indian Health Care / AHCCCS

Keye Garman
Epidemiologist
Arizona Advisory Council on Indian Health Care / AHCCCS
Topic: Native American
Historical Trauma

Madison Fulton (Navajo)
Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
Topic: Indigenous Fatherhood

Anthony Thosh Collins (On Akimel O'Odham)
WELL FOR CULTURE | Native Wellness Institute
Topic: Indigenous Foodways as Community Intervention: How It Works

Chef Nephi Craig (White Mountain Apache / Navajo)
Executive Chef and Founder, The Native American Culinary Association (NACA)
Closing Presentation
Topic: Navajo Highways – Language Preservation through Puppetry

Pete Sands (Navajo) and Company
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – HRPP Agenda
*Running concurrently with the Tribal Program Agenda.
Opening Keynote
Topic: Pediatric Feeding Disorder: Supporting the Family and the Continuum of Care
Presenters:

Heidi Van der Molen
Feeding Matters

Jaclyn Pederson MHI
Feeding Matters
Topic: Neonatal Death and Bereavement

Erica S. Schwartz, BA, MSSW, LCSW
Topic: Building Bridges of Support and Hope: Supporting Families through Child Loss
Pediatric Family Support and Bereavement Counselor
New Song Center
Topic: Providing Whole Person Care for Native American Families

Holly Figueroa (Hopi / Ohkay Owingeh) - Health Choice Tribal Liaison,
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Topic: Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Dr. Sophia Williams
Pediatric Pulmonologist
Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Closing Keynote
Topic: Transforming Care in the NICU: Lessons from the Tiny Humans

Sue Ludwig, OTR/L, CNT
Author and President & Founder,
National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT)
Certificate of Attendance
Certificate of Attendance - Strong Families AZ Home Visiting Conference
Evaluations
- Creating Connections and Resilience through Self Care
- The Developmental Neuroscience of Relationships
- 21st Century Dadhood
- Promoting Eating Competence in Community Nutrition Settings
- Changing the Game: Parenting Children in the Digital Age
- The Joy of the Job
- After the Pandemic
- Native American Historical Trauma
- Indigenous Fatherhood
- Indigenous Foodways as Community Intervention