Hybrid Event – The Arc of Illinois 76th Annual Convention in Normal

An in-person and online (hybrid) convention for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, their families and providers

Join The Arc of Illinois for its 76th annual convention on April 29-30. at the Marriott Hotel in Bloomington-Normal. This year’s diamond anniversary theme is “Honoring Our Legacy and Embracing Our Future.”

Online and in-person attendees will participate in two full days of presentations, breakout sessions, an art show, awards and an exhibitor hall. Only the presentations marked “Live Streamed” will be available for virtual attendees.

Both days will feature keynote speakers starting at 9:15 a.m.:

• Resilience coach and author Kris Burbank will present, “Reframe, Refresh and Resilience: Adjusting Our Caregiver Lens.” She will provide a dynamic, interactive experience that blends powerful storytelling, research insights and real-life learnings. Participants will explore shared challenges and learn a practical framework to build resilience, restore perspective and strengthen their capacity to thrive, both personally and professionally.
• Author and comedian Zach Anner will blend laugh-out-loud stories with the legacy of disability rights activism in “Joyful Grit: How Embracing Obstacles Unlocks Optimism.” He will highlight how progress comes from both trailblazers and everyday acts of kindness, urging us to face obstacles with humor, resilience and joy as our constant companion.

The Division of Specialized Care for Children’s Title V Transition Specialist Claire Cook and Integrated Program Support Specialist Courtney Kerfoot will present “My Health, My Future: Encouraging Self- Determination in Healthcare Transitions” on April 29 from 11:30 to 12:15 p.m. This session will help youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families learn about:

• Health care transition
• Building confidence
• Strengthening communication
• Actively participating in managing health and future care decisions

Other breakout session topics will include:

• “Beyond Traditional Staffing: Remote Support that Transforms Lives”
• “Special Needs Legal & Future Planning…The Who, What, Where, Why, and How of Special Needs Trusts, ABLE Accounts and Related Topics”
• “Redefining Strong: Masculinity, Resiliency, and Fatherhood in the Disability World”
• “From Vision to Action: Self Advocates Leading Change”
• “We’re All Connected”
• “Families Leading the Way: Transforming Supports for Adults with Complex Disabilities”
• “Anticipatory Grief: Understanding, Supporting and Living Through Ongoing Loss”
• “Home-Based Boot Camp”
• “Menstruation Management: Practical Ways to Support Girls and Women with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities”
• “Getting from A to B – Starting and Running a Successful Transportation Program” and more!

See the 2026 The Arc of Illinois 76th Annual Convention brochure for more details, including the cost to attend and a registration form.

You can also register online for the 76th Annual Convention and see the speaker bios, agenda, art show and more.

Virtual participants will receive a Zoom link before the conference. They will also have access to all breakout session recordings after the convention.

Stay tuned for more information about the virtual-only Spanish Conference coming soon!