NAPD Changemakers – A Strategic Leadership Forum

Changemakers is A Learning Lab for the Future of Public Defense

The National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) cordially invites innovators, leaders, visionaries, and policy professionals in public defense to join us for a bold and reimagined Strategic Leadership Forum — designed as a hands-on learning lab for the field.

This is not a traditional conference. This is a working convening for people who are actively shaping — and must now reimagine — the future of public defense.

Across the country, public defense systems are facing unprecedented pressure. From funding cuts and threats to independence, to recruitment and retention crises, unsustainable workloads, immigration impacts, and long-term sustainability, the challenges before us require more than discussion — they require collective problem-solving, strategic planning, and courageous leadership.

This Forum creates intentional space for public defender leaders and emerging changemakers to think, build, and plan together — across jurisdictions, roles, and perspectives.

Who Should Attend

This learning lab is designed for:

•      Public Defender Leaders and Executives
•      Deputy and Managing Defenders
•      Policy and Legislative Staff
•      Innovators and Visionaries in Public Defense
•      Supervisors, Training Directors, and System Builders
•      Those preparing for future leadership roles

If you are responsible for navigating budgets, protecting office independence, addressing staffing crises, responding to immigration-related defense needs, managing workloads, or planning for long-term sustainability — this Forum was built for you.

If you are thinking about how to lead through uncertainty, protect your office, support your people, and design stronger systems for the future — you will not want to miss this event.

A Reinvented Format: From Conference to Learning Lab

We’ve reinvented the conventional institute format to create an interactive, collaborative, and action-oriented experience. While we will still host a small number of critical plenaries, the heart of this Forum is built around shared learning, innovation, and strategic design.

Spark Presentations

Hear from thought leaders and practitioners in 5–10 minute, high-impact talks focused on real challenges and real solutions. These sessions elevate ideas from those in the trenches and spotlight strategies that are working — or need to be built.

Open Space Sessions

These participant-driven sessions invite attendees to brainstorm, problem-solve, and design actionable strategies around the issues they care most about. This organic and highly participatory format fosters deep collaboration and practical innovation.

Strategic Action Planning & Expert Consultation

To ensure this work goes beyond ideas, the Forum will include guided strategy sessions and expert consultations to support participants in translating insights into concrete, executable plans.

You will leave not only inspired — but equipped with tools, frameworks, and next steps you can take back to your office, jurisdiction, or organization.

This Forum is not just another convening. It is a launchpad for real-world change in public defense.

Why This Matters Now

Public defense is at a critical inflection point. Leaders are being asked to do more with less, to protect constitutional rights amid shrinking resources, and to sustain systems under extraordinary strain.

This Forum offers a rare opportunity to:

•      Collaborate across jurisdictions
•      Share hard-won lessons and innovative practices
•      Strategically plan for funding challenges and sustainability
•      Tackle recruitment and retention with new approaches
•      Address workload crises with collective insight
•      Protect independence and strengthen systems
•      Build the future of public defense — together

Audience & Application

This event is open to innovators and leaders of all types. We are intentionally seeking a wide variety of experiences, roles, and perspectives in public defense through our application process.

If this event sounds like something you’d like to be a part of — you are exactly who we are looking for.
We encourage you to apply to join us.

Registration, Cost & Accessibility

To democratize participation, attendees are asked to cover their own registration and travel costs. This allows us to focus resources on delivering a high-quality, high-impact experience.  Scholarship applications not available at this time.

$800.00 For Members Only ($700 Early bird by COB February 20th)

Hotel Details

All attendees are responsible for their own accommodations.  Below is the information for the discounted room block associated with the NAPD event.