Schedule-At-A-Glance
All Meetings and Program Sessions will take place at the Oregon Convention Center, unless otherwise noted.
Following is an overview of each day of the conference. New this year - browse the entire official conference program book online!
Saturday, September 12
Click here to view a PDF of the official Conference Program for Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Accreditation Hearings (Hilton Hotel)
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Pre-Conference Tour of the Oregon Coast Aquarium (additional fee required)
Sunday, September 13
Registration will be open from 7:00 am - 5:30 pm
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Accreditation Hearings (Hilton Hotel)
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Committee and Conservation Program Meetings
Session A, Part 1: Sunday, 8:00 am–12:00 pm; Part 2: Monday, 8:00 am–12:00 pm
Session B, Part 1: Sunday, 1:00 pm–5:00 pm; Part 2: Monday, 1:00 pm–5:00 pm
BONUS Workshop! Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter: Working with Community Perceptions to Achieve Your Goals (additional fee required)
Monday, September 14
Click here to view a PDF of the official Conference Program for Monday, September 14
Registration will be open from 7:00 am - 5:30 pm
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Accreditation Hearings (Hilton Hotel)
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Committee and Conservation Program Meetings
Session A, Part 1: Sunday, 8:00 am–12:00 pm; Part 2: Monday, 8:00 am–12:00 pm
Session B, Part 1: Sunday, 1:00 pm–5:00 pm; Part 2: Monday, 1:00 pm–5:00 pm
BONUS Workshop! Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter: Working with Community Perceptions to Achieve Your Goals (additional fee required)
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Icebreaker at the Portland Center for Performing Arts
Tuesday, September 15
Click here to view a PDF of the official Conference Program for Tuesday, September 15
Registration will be open from 7:00 am - 5:30 pm
Exhibit Hall will be open from 10:00 am - 5:30 pm
8:30 am–10:00 am
Opening General Session
Sponsored by Saint Louis Zoo
10:00 am–10:30 am
Exhibit Hall Grand Opening
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Program Sessions
- Accreditation A Thru Z
- Advanced Inquiry: Deepening Engagement in Science and Conservation at Zoos & Aquariums
- Connectivity, Climate Change, and Corals - Oh My!
- Embracing Diversity: Education for the 21st Century
- Getting Great Grants!
- Recent Advances in Population Management
- Regional Collaboration: Diverse Models for Effective Local Conservation
- Striking the Balance: Redesigning Volunteer Training for Content and Interpretation
- The Polar Bear Sustainability Alliance: A Collaborative Effort to Conserve the Species
- Where Did All of the Sponsors Go? Sponsorship In a Down Economy
12:15 pm – 1:45 pm
Exhibit Hall Lunch
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Program Sessions
- A ROARING SUCCESS – Bringing the Pride Together
- Accreditation A thru Z
- Achieving Your Mission - Building Organizational Capacity Through Staff Engagement
- Best of RAW: Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome in the Aquarium Community
- Business Operations: What if PerCaps Are Not Enough?
- Condor Come Back: The Case for Returning the Condor to the Pacific Northwest
- Directors’ Meeting
- Jane Goodall’s ChimpanZoo: A Collaborative Approach to Chimpanzee Care
- Social Media in Action
- Training Zoos to Train Animals
- Youth Volunteer Programs
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Program Sessions
- Best of RAW: Aquatic TAGs Moving Forward
- From Species Recovery to Ecosystem Conservation in the Pacific Northwest
- Fulfilling Our Vision for Elephants
- It’s Easy Being Green!
- Nature Education
- Safety Workshop - Meeting the Standards, Meeting Our Needs
- Staff-Volunteer Relations
- The Power of Youth is Global: Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots
- Trends and the Impact to Zoos and Aquariums
- Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter: We Know, Do You?
Wednesday, September 16
Click here to view a PDF of the official Conference Program for Wednesday, September 16
Registration will be open from 7:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Exhibit Hall will be open from 1:30 pm - 7:00 pm
8:00 am – 8:30 am
Light Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 10:00 am
General Session: AZA and the State of the Industry
Sponsored by Disney's Animal Kingdom
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Program Sessions
- Building a Community of Volunteers
- Communication Conservation Through Messaging and Advertising
- Connecting Visitors to the Ocean Through Partnerships with Ocean Protected Areas
- Exhibit Design - On the Boards!
- Global Climate Change: Wildlife and Conservation
- How to Hire and Train Employees and Seasonal Workers
- Improving Citizen Science Networks Through Engagement, Enthusiasm, and Shared Experience
- Leveraging Public Sector Support with Private Sector Donations
- PASA and AZA: Helping African Sanctuaries Create International Solutions
12:15 pm – 1:45 pm
Honors & Awards Lunch
Sponsored by San Diego Zoo and KMIT Solutions
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Program Sessions
- Aim…Shoot…Score: Evaluating Guest Experiences
- Business Operations Open Forum
- Climate Change: Innovation and Collaboration in the Pacific Northwest
- Exhibit Design - What's New and Innovative?
- How to Build Your Brand and Increase Revenue Through Group Sales
- Managing and Growing Endowments: Reality and Possibilities in a Challenging Economic Environment
- New Trends and Topics in Zoo Animal Welfare Science
- The Evolving Role of Docents
- Working with NOAA to Interpret Oceanic and Atmospheric Research for Aquarium Visitors
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Program Sessions
- An Adventure Play Approach to Conservation Education
- Integrating in situ Conservation with Other Aspects of Zoo Operations
- Marketing That Matters: 10 Practices to Profit Your Business and Change the World
- Members to Donors – Converting the Value Member to a Mission Supporter
- Message in a Minute - A Holistic Approach to your Conservation Message
- Preshipment Testing and Disease Risk Assessments: How to Protect Your Animals Without Breaking the Bank
- Towards a Common Framework for Climate Change Action by Aquaria
- Volunteer Management Through Volgistics: Beyond the Basics
- Wanted: Zoo Director...Leadership for a New Generation...Traits for Successful Management
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Poster Reception
Sponsored by Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo and Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood WATCH
Thursday, September 17
Click here to view a PDF of the official Conference Program for Thursday, September 17 and Friday, September 18
Registration will be open from 7:00 am - 1:00 pm
Exhibit Hall will be open from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Program Sessions
- Collection Sustainability: A Potential Roadmap for the Future
- Creating A Strong Volunteer-Friendly Organization by Being Your Volunteer Program's Best Advocate
- Cutting Edge Public Opinion Research on the Ocean, Climate Change, and the Environment: Findings and Implications for Aquariums and Zoos
- Going Green Can be Good Business: Sustainability Planning as Policy and Practice
- Marketing Award Winners and Creating Great Advertising
- Membership Myth Busting: The Truth About: Life Members, Members Becoming Donors, Cannibalizing Admission, And More...
- Regulations, Regulations, Regulations
- RSP: Revenue Survival Plans
- Sustainable Life Support Design Principles
10:15 am - 10:45 am
Sponsor Presentations
- Business Operations Track Sponsor Presentation by KMIT Solutions: Using Software Technology to Generate Revenue During Economic Downturns
- Public Relations/Marketing and Education Tracks Sponsor Presentation by RealD: How 3D can improve visitor experience and generate revenue.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Closing Ceremonies in Exhibit Hall
12:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Zoo Day at the Oregon Zoo
Friday, September 18
8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Post-Conference Tour of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (additional fee required)