Abstract/Presentation Call

The National WIC Association invites you to be part of shaping the future of WIC!

Join us at the 2026 NWA Annual Conference, May 27–30 in Dallas, Texas, where professionals, participants, and partners come together to engage, inspire, and energize. This event is a prime opportunity to enhance your professional skills, expand your knowledge, support and learn from your peers, and prepare for current and future WIC challenges and opportunities.

Who should Submit?

We welcome proposals from:

• WIC staff
• WIC participants
• Those featuring WIC staff or WIC participants as co-presenters. 

NWA ensures quality educational content for IBCLCs and RDN/DTRs that meets IBCLE* and CDR requirements. Submissions will be evaluated on the following: relevance to lactation, nutrition, and infant feeding*; innovation and originality, clarity and organization; applicability to diverse populations; and evidence-based or experiential grounding. To comply, sessions must be free of marketing and promotional content, bias, and any conflicts of interest must be disclosed for transparency. Having a conflict of interest does not disqualify a presenter. 

Share your research, clinical skills and expertise with our attendees! We look forward to receiving your abstract submission.

If you are a company or organization interested in promotional opportunities, please email [email protected].

Click here to Submit Abstract! 

Conference Topics/Tracks 

Submission Deadline: January 2, 2026 

If accepted, presentation Submission deadline: April 17, 2026

Conference Theme: Engage, Inspire, Energize

Please note: The points listed under each track are meant as a helpful guide and are not all-encompassing.

Breastfeeding Education

• Breastfeeding promotion and counseling techniques, including case studies, protocols, or innovative approaches to lactation support and education
• Guidance on pump usage and support for pumping parents
• Innovations in breastfeeding research, lactation science, public health or clinical practice

Nutrition Education

• Managing food allergies and feeding challenges
• Impact of implementing changes to the WIC food package 
• Nutrition counseling, including case studies, protocols, or innovative approaches to nutrition education
• Innovations in nutrition and nutrition education practice or research

Policy & Advocacy

• Legislative, institutional, or organizational policy strategies to protect, enhance, or expand access to WIC

Ethical Practices 

• Research integrity, data, and evaluation practices
• Confidentiality, consent, and reporting
• Privacy, security, and responsible use of technology, AI and digital tools

Community Engagement and Support

• Addressing community health through WIC partnerships
• Community-based models to increase positive maternal and infant outcomes

Mental Health & Family Well-being

• Maternal mental health and its impacts on lactation and nutrition outcomes
• Supporting perinatal mood disorders within WIC services
• Parenting support and trauma-informed care models

Workforce Sustainability & Retention 

• Mentorship and professional development pathways in WIC 
• Strategies for recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce
• Building resilience in the WIC workforce

• Building inclusive, supportive workplaces

Innovation in Service Delivery

• Hybrid models of WIC service delivery 
• Telelactation and virtual nutrition counseling outcomes
• Collaborative partnerships between WIC and healthcare systems and early childhood programs

When submitting an abstract you will be asked for the following:

• Abstract details: Title, Abstract proposal, short description (used to share with the public if selected), format (60-minute oral, 30-minute power, poster), objectives. 
• Tip: Your proposal should be engaging and thorough. Think of an elevator pitch. 
• Speaker details: Contact Information. Please note, there is a maximum of 3 presenters per presentation.
• Speaker Disclosure/Conflict of interest Policy (this includes non-presenting authors)
• Accept Media Disclaimer

The National WIC Association is committed to promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) in all aspects of our work. Abstracts submitted for the conference should incorporate these values into their content. Authors should be able to describe how they will utilize diverse and inclusive content, language, and references. Our committee will evaluate the submission to ensure that content, language, and references focus on EDIB principles.

Presentation Formats

• 60 Minute Oral: 45 minutes with 15-minute Q&A
• 30 Minute Power Session: This session will be paired with another presentation of the same track. Each presenter/group will have 23 minutes to present. Total session combined 60 minutes. Moderator will hold Q&A until the end of the full session.
• Poster Presentation: Poster presenters will print and bring their posters with them to the conference. There will be dedicated time for attendees to visit with presenters during breaks.

Before Submitting an Abstract

By submitting an abstract to be considered for the conference you acknowledge that all presenting authors are responsible for their own registration, travel, and hotel costs.

Before you begin, you must set up your profile in Ex Ordo. Once you are logged in you will navigate to the Submit Your Abstract link to get started. Submissions may be up to 300 words. For more information on how to submit an abstract see this guide. Check out this helpful article when it comes to submitting an abstract. 

Click here to Submit Abstract! 

Tip: When using Ex ordo, please use Chrome. You also may need to clear your cache from time to time.

Important Deadlines

Please, add the following important dates to your calendar if accepted.

• January 2: Abstract Submission Deadline
• Week of January 26: Notification of Acceptance/Rejection
• February 4: Speaker Confirmation/Acceptance
• February 17: Online Speaker Details Due – First Draft of Agenda Posted
• February 17: Registration & Housing deadline for Presenters
• April 20: Presentation Submission deadline
• May 27 – 30: 2026 NWA Annual Education and Training Conference

By submitting an abstract to be considered for the conference you acknowledge that all presenting authors are responsible for their own registration, travel, and hotel costs.

• Discounted Presenter Registration Rate: TBD
• We have negotiated a discounted rate with the hotel of $170 (per diem) plus taxes and fees per night.
• By agreeing to present, you acknowledge that your session may be scheduled for presentation on any of the 4 days of the conference, which runs from May 27 - 30. You must be available all days. Please note that these days are Wednesday – Saturday. Your session date and time will be confirmed once the program is finalized.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this process or the conference in general, please contact our Conference Support Team at [email protected]

Click here to Submit your Abstract! 

Registration Details

Registration for the 2026 Annual Confernece will open soon!

***To help with your planning, please refer to the fee chart below. Please note that while unlikely, NWA reserves the right to adjust rates prior to the official opening of registration.*** 

Registration Fees:

To receive the BULK rate discount!

• To be considered a BULK group you must have ten (10) or more from one facility. All must be entered at the same time.
• You must be an NWA Member to receive the group discount.
• Group promotions/discounts are not retroactive and cannot be applied to previously purchased individual registrations. No exceptions.
• Enter "BULK" in the Promo Code Box, and the system will automatically apply the discount. 

NWA Partner Registration Benefits 

• Business Council Partners - 2 comps/conference 
• Supporting Parners - 1 comp/conference 
• Associate Partners - 1 comp /year

Last Chance Registration Fees (Starting April 18 2026)

  *No discounts are available at the last chance rate. This includes speaker and host rates.

Payment Details

• Please see our payments information page on the NWA website.
• Payment by debit/credit card is most preferred followed by check!
• If paying by check, full payment is due by April 17, 2026.
• No POs will be accepted!
• Starting April 18, 2026 all payments must be submitted by Debit/Credit Card.
• Attendees MUST be paid in full to access the Conference. 
   

Cancellation and Refund Policy

• Deadline for receipt of cancellations: 11:59 p.m. ET on April 17, 2026.
• Cancellations must be submitted in writing to [email protected] and should include the registration ID number and registrant name(s).
• Cancellations are not accepted by phone.
• Cancellations received before February 26, 2026 will receive a 100% refund.
• Cancellations received starting February 27, 2026 will receive a 50% refund.
• No refunds will be issued for cancellations received after April 17, 2026.
• Promotions/discounts are not retroactive and cannot be applied to previously purchased individual registrations. Limit one special offer/discount code per registration.
• Refunds are not issued for no-shows.
• If you DO NOT CANCEL YOU WILL STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT! 

Make Checks Payable to the National WIC Association

National WIC Association
Attn: NWA Annual Education and Training Conference Registration
1099 14th Street, NW Ste. 510
Washington, DC 20005 

NWA’s federal tax ID is 52-1482678 

Please find more detailed information on payments here. 

How to Register and Access your NWA account

• Registrations are processed via our web-based system. 
• Each registrant must have or create a profile (account) to register online. 
• Please make sure each user’s email address is correct before registering!
• Credit card payments will be processed via our secure stripe site.
• Registrants using a Purchase Order (PO) or check, must select the "Bill Me Later" option from the online registration system when registering.
• The system will automatically email a registration confirmation to the email provided. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact [email protected].
• You may print invoices, receipts, and event confirmations and view other personalized NWA information and activities by logging into your My NWICA account.

Log in:

• Visit www.nwica.org and click "Log in" in the top right corner of the homepage.
• Then enter your username (your email) and password.
• Click on the Purchases Tab, and you will be able to view/print copies of your invoices and receipts.

Create an account (for those that do not have an account)

• Visit https://www.nwica.org/auth/register
• Click here for FAQs to assist with account creation and more.

Questions?

Contact the conference team at [email protected]

Agenda

Draft agenda coming February 2026

When planning your travel, please consider the following

• The conference will officially kick off with an opening General session on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 27.
• Registration will open for a few hours on Tuesday, May 26.
• The Conference will end on Saturday, May 30, 2026 between 12:00PM – 1:00PM.

*Subject to change

Conference will take place in person only. 

Hotel Information

Host Hotel – Sheraton Dallas Hotel 

The Sheraton Dallas Hotel is pleased to accept hotel reservations for the upcoming 2026 NWA Annual Education and Training Conference. To receive special rates, you must book through our dedicated booking website created especially for NWA Attendees! We encourage confirmed registrants to make your room reservations early to ensure that you will be in the host hotel at the guaranteed room rate starting at $170 (prevaliing Federal Government Per-Diem, plus taxes and fees). The deadline to secure rooms is April 26, 2026, or once the reserved block has reached capacity.

Click here to Make Reservatios!

Benefits of booking at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel

• Special negotiated room rates starting at $170 (Federal Government Per-Diem, plus taxes and Fees)
• We want to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. To do so, please make sure to book within NWA’s room block. Otherwise, you may risk not securing a room at this great rate.
• Stay at the official conference hotel with other conference attendees    
• Sheraton Dallas Hotel, located in the heart of downtown, hotel offers a welcoming blend of sophistication and comfort
• Five onsite resturants, outdoor pool and 24 hour fitness center
• Easy networking with other confernece attendees
• Save time booking    
• Support the conference and NWA by staying at the official conference hotel.

Hotel Policies:

• A credit card is required at the time of booking to guarantee your reservation.
• All reservations must be accompanied by a first night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card. 
• Upon checking in, each guest will be asked to provide a valid government issued ID and a major credit card to guarantee your room reservation.
• Hotel will place a hold of $50 per night at time of check-in accordance with Hotel’s standard procedure.
• You may cancel your hotel reservation for no charge before 11:59 PM local hotel time 3 days before arrival date. Please note that the hotel will assess a fee of 1 night room rate and tax if you must cancel after this deadline. If you have made a prepayment, hotel will retain all or part of your prepayment. If not, hotel will charge your credit card.

Sheraton Dallas Hotel

400 North Olive Street,

Dallas, Texas, 75201

United States

Tel: +1 214-922-8000

Click here to make reservations

ALERT: Beware of Housing Scams!

Be aware of nonofficial housing companies that contact exhibitors and attendees claiming to be able to secure hotel rooms at a better rate. These “poachers” are not authorized to represent NWA. If you are contacted by another housing company trying to sell hotel rooms, please share with [email protected].

NWA Conference Policies

By registering for this conference, you agree to all conference policies.

General Policies

• All individuals and/or entities are strictly prohibited from electronically recording or broadcasting any Conference events without prior written consent from NWA.
• Press representatives attending a Conference must register and receive a Press Pass and photo/recording permission from NWA.
• Seating at all sessions/events during Conferences is on a first come, first served, basis, excepting certain seats which may be reserved for those with disabilities, or at the discretion of NWA.
• Information presented in sessions and posters during a Conference may or may not represent the views or standards of NWA.
• In the event of any cancellation of a Conference, NWA shall not be held liable for any costs, fees, damages, or losses to registrant beyond a refund of any registration fee paid by Registrant to attend such cancelled Conference (with any refund subject to deductions both as set forth herein and to reflect the partial providing of a Conference prior to cancellation).
• In the event the attendee is a “no-show,” the attendee is responsible for all fees and penalties in connection with being a “no-show.”
• NWA is not responsible for finding, securing, or returning items lost during the Conference to Registrant.
• NWA does not claim to be allergen free. Registrants are encouraged to take all necessary medical precautions to prepare for the possibility of exposure to allergens.
• We kindly ask Registrants who are parents and guardians of children under 18 to complete a waiver of liability if they plan to bring their child to the conference venue. Please reach out to [email protected] to receive such waiver.
• Anyone ten (10) years of age or older attending the Conference must be registered and have a conference badge. Fees may be applicable. Please reach out to [email protected] for assistance with registration.
• Anyone ten (10) years of age or older attending the Conference must be registered and have a conference badge. Fees may be applicable. Please reach out to [email protected] for assistance with registration.
• We encourage everyone to share their voice, but ask that on event platforms participants avoid posting repeatedly in a short period of time. Help us create a balanced, engaging feed where all voices can be heard. NWA reserves the right to review and remove posts that do not align with these guidelines or that disrupt the event experience.
• Only individuals and entities which have registered as Exhibitors are permitted to distribute promotional materials or advertise their business during the Conference. While NWA acknowledges and encourages networking and making connections, attempts by a Registrant to act in a capacity similar to an Exhibitor is not permitted. Any Registrant who violates this is subject to removal, without refund, from the Conference, and having both Registrant and any company employing or contracting with Registrant prohibited from attending and being an Exhibitor at future NWA events and conferences.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

• Deadline for receipt of cancellations: 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 17, 2026
• Cancellations must be submitted in writing to [email protected] and should include the registration ID number and registrant name(s).
• Cancellations are not accepted by phone.
• Cancellations received before February 26, 2026, will receive a 100% refund.
• Cancellations received starting February 27, 2026, will receive a 50% refund.
• No refunds will be issued for cancellations received after April 17 2026.
• Promotions/discounts are not retroactive and cannot be applied to previously purchased registrations. Limit one special offer/discount code per registration.
• Refunds are not issued for no-shows.
• If you DO NOT CANCEL PRIOR TO THE CANCELLATION DEADLINE, OR ONLY RECEIVE A PARTIAL REFUND OF ANY CANCELLED REGISTRATION, YOU WILL STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT! 
• If registration balance is not paid, a hold will be placed on Registrant’s account, preventing Registrant from accessing your NWA Membership Benefits.
• Full payment is due no more than four (4) weeks after initial registration submission.
• If payment is not submitted within four (4) weeks after Your initial registration Your registration is subject to cancellation. 
• If canceled, NWA will not honor the original rate. Registrants must submit a new registration.
• NWA reserves the right to cancel or postpone any or all Conference activities due to circumstances beyond the reasonable control of NWA, which includes, without limitation, computer-related attacks, hacking, earthquakes, governmental regulation, fire, flood, labor difficulties, civil disorder, public health crisis, acts of terrorism, or acts of God (“Force Majeure Events”). In the event the Conference is canceled due to Force Majeure Events, NWA reserves the right to either retain the entire registration fee and credit it toward a future NWA event for Registrant or reimburse the Registrant after deducting costs already incurred by NWA, which could not be recovered from third parties.

COVID-19 Policy (No Vaccination Requirements)

NWA shall not be held liable for COVID-19 cases arising because of event attendance.

• NWA will no longer require proof of vaccination to attend an in-person meeting or event. 
• Mask-wearing at meetings and events is optional.
• NWA expects attendees to take responsibility for following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on measures to reduce infection from COVID-19 and to protect against severe complications. 
• NWA encourages attendees to follow the CDC’s recommendations and guidelines. https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html?
• Please do not attend if you test positive or have symptoms of COVID-19. NWA will not require proof of negative test; however, we expect all individuals to act responsibly and consider the health and safety of others.

NWA’s Meetings & Events Entry Policy is subject to change based on guidance from CDC and/or federal or state officials. NWA may update these requirements at any time at its sole discretion.

Privacy Policy

Data privacy and security are important to us. When You register for this Conference, NWA will process Your data in accordance with NWA’s legitimate interests for hosting an industry event and for being a community-based organization. Please review our privacy policy, available on the NWA website, including how to exercise your rights.

In the event You register with a hotel offering a discounted or reduced rate for conference attendees, You expressly agree to allow such hotel to provide information regarding Your stay to NWA for the purposes of allowing NWA and the hotel to verify any and all contractual obligations between NWA and the hotel have been met.

Liability Waiver

You understand that travel and gathering involves risk of sickness, including sickness from COVID-19 and injury. You (and on behalf of Your guest(s) waive, release and shall hold harmless and indemnify, NWA and its sponsors and exhibitors, and their employees and agents, from and against claims, liabilities and expenses arising from injury, sickness or death due to travel to or attendance at the Conference.

This waiver and release is binding on You and Your heirs and successors.

Code of Conduct

NWA is a listening organization focused on its participants. The Conference is designed to increase interaction, engagement, collaboration, connectivity, and community, in a fun and safe environment.

We value the participation of each member of the community and endeavor to deliver an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Conference participants are expected to conduct themselves with integrity, courtesy and respect for others and maintain the highest level of professionalism at all conference programs and events, whether officially sponsored by NWA or not. All attendees, guests, speakers, organizers, volunteers, partners, vendors, and staff at any NWA event are required to observe the following Code of Conduct.

NWA is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of diverse backgrounds and cultures. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for the conference.

Be kind to others. Do not insult or defame participants. Harassment in any form, sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not condoned at NWA Events.

Participants violating these rules may be asked to leave the conference at the sole discretion of NWA and shall not receive any refund or repayment. Thank you for helping to make this a welcoming event for all.

Media Disclaimer 

NWA intends to record, take photographs and video of this event for use in NWA news, educational material, and promotional material, in print, electronic and other media, including the NWA websites. By participating in this event, You grant NWA the right to use any image, photograph, voice, or likeness, without limitation, in its promotional materials and publicity efforts without compensation. All media becomes the property of NWA. Media may be displayed, distributed or used by NWA for any purpose.

ALERT: Beware of Housing Scams!

Be vigilant and aware of nonofficial housing companies that contact exhibitors and attendees claiming to be able to secure hotel rooms at a better rate. These “poachers” are not authorized to represent NWA.