Changemakers Forum 2025 – Prep and FAQ
We’re thrilled to have you joining us in Baltimore at The NAPD Changemakers Forum.
Your contribution is vital in our pursuit to engage deeply with the challenges facing public defense today.
Scroll down to see information about what to do and be thinking about before you travel to Baltimore
May 19-22, 2025 at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel
Starting at 12:30 on May 19th. Ending 12:30 on May 22nd
This event will provide a platform to discuss and address the most pressing challenges facing the field of public defense today, such as workloads, retention, independence, and other key issues defined in the ABA’s newly revised 10 principles.
Click here to see structure of the event.
We will have 80 Public Defense Thought Leaders from throughout the country. They were selected through an application process to attend this unique event.
The conference is in the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel.
Our sessions are in the Chesapeake Ballroom.
Open Space is not a traditional, structured conference format with pre-decided speakers and topics. It’s not about passive listening but active participation. It doesn’t follow a rigid schedule set by organizers but rather evolves based on the interests and contributions of the participants.
The Open Space process is a participant-driven approach used in meetings and conferences. It allows attendees to create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around a central theme. This method emphasizes spontaneity, networking, and the sharing of ideas. Participants propose topics they’re interested in discussing, schedule sessions, and then convene in various spaces to dive deep into those subjects. The process fosters active engagement, with the content and flow of the sessions determined by the participants themselves, leading to organic, productive discussions & daily reports that are shared with all attendees.
Check out this 2 minute video introduction to Open Space
Yes, see below
The Open Space sessions at The Changemakers Forum are designed to foster spontaneous, interactive discussions on topics that matter most to our community. To prepare, we suggest:
Reflect on Your Experiences: Think about the challenges and successes you’ve faced in your role. What stories could you share that might help or inspire others?
Consider Your Passions: What are you most passionate about in the field of public defense?Is there a specific issue or idea you’d like to explore with your peers?
Bring Your Questions: The sessions thrive on curiosity. Have a list of questions you’re seeking answers to or feedback on from the collective expertise of your fellow attendees.
Stay Open: Be ready to engage, listen, and pivot. The best outcomes often come from unexpected discussions.
Facilitate Open Discussion: Begin by briefly introducing the topic, then encourage everyone to share their thoughts and experiences.
Keep Notes: Jot down key points, ideas, and conclusions throughout the session.
Prepare a Report: Summarize the discussion, capturing major insights, unresolved questions, and potential action steps. Aim for conciseness and clarity.
Submit Promptly: Ensure your report is submitted on the same day so it can be shared with all attendees.
Throughout the event, we will have short 5-8 minute presentations to “spark” discussion and ideas to fuel the open space sessions. These will be done by some of your fellow attendees and by our sponsors.
Be comfortable. Jeans and t-shirts are fine.
Plan ahead and bring your NAPD merch.
We will be providing a guided journal for you to use to take notes and create action plans during the Forum.
Feel free to bring a laptop or tablet, if you want to take notes. There will be wifi available.
- Search for “Sched” in app store
- Download
- Search for “NAPD”
- Log in to be able to see the materials
Our sponsors are excited to be part of this event. They will each be doing a Spark Presentation and will be participating in the Open Space Sessions.
Be sure to thank them for their support.
