Passport to Careers
State Conference

May 12 & 13, 2027 | Virtual

  
Passport to Careers 2027

Paths Unbroken

Celebrating 20 Years of the passport program

May 12 & 13 | Virtual 

We are thrilled to celebrate 20 years of the Passport Program—our “porcelain anniversary”—marking two decades of meaningful impact. As we reflected on this milestone and the 2027 conference, we wanted a theme that honors the journey it has taken to get here and the powerful work you continue to do every day. From that came “Paths Unbroken: Celebrating 20 Years of Passport”.

“Paths Unbroken” was drawn from the program’s 20-year porcelain anniversary and the Japanese art of Kintsugi, the practice of mending damaged pottery with gold, silver, or platinum, transforming imperfections into something even more beautiful and resilient. In a way, each one of you represents the gold, silver and platinum materials used. Through your dedication, advocacy, compassion, and everyday actions, you help mend and strengthen the paths of the youth you serve—sometimes even creating entirely new ones.

Your work leaves a mark. Every connection you make and the support you provide helps restore possibility and plants seeds of growth that will continue to thrive for years to come.

Introducing the new conference format

For the 2027 conference, we have taken into consideration the amount of effort that it takes for our partners to dedicate their time to participate in a one-day virtual conference. With this in mind, we have decided to move forward with a new format in hopes that the event programming will be more engaging and accessible. The 2027 virtual conference will be broken into two half-days on May 12 and 13 with both programming schedules to begin at 9:00 AM (PST) and end at 12:00 PM (PST). This format will allow for more affordable registration options and less screen fatigue, ensuring that the 2027 conference can leave a lasting impression for our partners.

Workshop & Panel Submissions

Submissions to present a workshop, participate in our lived experience panel, or nominate our keynote speaker are now open! If you are still interested in submitting a workshop proposal, please contact us.

We are eager to highlight the amazing thought-leaders, innovators, and change-makers in our community and can’t wait to spotlight your insights, successes, and experiences. Through your advocacy, assistance, care, every little thing you do has repaired the path for many young people and will continue to because you have planted that seed. This year’s conference invites us to reflect on the ways our work in teaching, research, and service nurtures not only the minds before us today, but also the generations yet to come.

We invite professionals, people with lived foster care or homelessness experience, and community members to submit proposals to present a 75-minute workshop session.

submit your workshop!

We are looking for four people with lived foster care or homelessness experience (or both) to speak on a lived experience panel on May 14. Panelists’ first-hand experience offers insight into how providers can support young people who have experienced foster care or unaccompanied homelessness to persist with their education.

Apply here!

We are looking for someone with lived foster care OR homelessness experience (or both) to moderate the lived experience panel on May 14. The moderator is responsible for asking the questions (some are pre-planned and some may be live) and moving the panel in a way that feels comfortable for the panelists.

apply here!

Do you know someone who you think would be an engaging and invigorating keynote speaker? We’d love to hear your suggestions!
Broadly, we’re looking for:

  • Experience: We are particularly interested in speakers with lived experiences that resonate with our conference theme.
  • Expertise: Candidates with a background in higher education and/or apprenticeships are highly desirable.
  • Location: Ideally, our speaker would live in Washington.

Do you know someone who fits this description? Please email Giselle Blanco with their name and a brief overview of their qualifications, experiences and LinkedIn or personal webpage if readily available. Thank you for your contribution!

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for more information? Find answers about registration, payment, accommodations, and more on our conference FAQ page.

View FAQ