What’s in Store for the NACCHO360 2026 Conference

Get ready to race forward and swing big for public health with us at NACCHO360! We’ll be in Louisville, Kentucky from July 14 to 17 for the largest convening of local health department leaders and public health professionals in the United States.  

Check out these sessions featuring our staff and partners, and visit us at Booth 111 in the exhibit hall. Our friendly staff will be handing out swag and ready to chat about initiatives like the National Commission on Local Public Health Leadership, the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS), and much more.  

Note: This list will be updated as more information on sessions becomes available. 

Tuesday, July 14: 

Going for Gold: 10 Years of Motivating Health and Well-Being in Cities Using Legal Epidemiology 

3:30–4:30 pm | M112 

For 10 years, CityHealth has spurred local community health improvement by advancing evidence-informed policies across the largest U.S. cities. This presentation will describe scoring criteria development, detail the 2025 results, and demonstrate a sample assessment to show how legal epidemiology and medal motivation can improve local public health laws. 

Wednesday, July 15: 

General Session-Public Health 2031: The Future We Choose—and What It Takes to Get There 

9:30–11:30 am | Ballroom C-E 

The next five years will redefine public health. Artificial intelligence, changing expectations, new partnerships, and a transformed workforce are rewriting the rules. The question isn’t whether public health will change — it’s who will lead that change. Join four visionary leaders for a lively debate about the future of the field and leave inspired, challenged, and equipped with practical ideas to build a stronger, more influential health department by 2031. 

Good Health is Good Governance: Practical Tools for Building Public Health and Local Government Partnerships 

1:30–3:00 pm | Ballroom B 

Hear a national perspective on the future and opportunity of local public health leadership, learn from former elected officials and public health leaders during a fireside chat, and explore practical recommendations from the National Commission on Local Public Health Leadership’s toolkit. 

AI for Public Health Track-AI and Public Health Communication: Message Development and Outreach 

3:30–4:30 pm | Ballroom C-E 

This session highlights applied research led by the Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) examining how AI tools can support public health communication while maintaining accuracy, equity, and trust. Participants will leave with evidence-informed lessons and practical considerations for responsibly exploring AI in public health communications. 

Turning Insights into Action: Bridging Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey Data and Workforce Change Through Cohort-Based Coaching 

5:00–6:00 pm | Ballroom A 

Public health agencies are sitting on a gold mine of workforce insights. This session shows how health departments across the country turned PH WINS data into meaningful change through the cohort-based Insights to Action Coaching Intensive. 

Thursday, July 16 

General Session-Caring for the Caregivers of Public Health

9:30–11:30 am | Ballroom C-E

This plenary session starts with a review of the the latest national data on the public health workforce, and a review of organizational best practices.

AI for Public Health Track-AI & Health Communication: Multilingual Messaging, Targeted Outreach, and Trust 

1:30–2:30 pm | Ballroom C-E 

Through practical examples, participants will consider AI-assisted content development, multilingual translation, and targeted outreach, along with risks such as misinformation and over-automation. With an emphasis on human review and community context, attendees will learn about how best to use AI in communication efforts.

PH WINS Pulse Check: Workforce Strain, Turnover Trends, and What Comes Next

3:30–4:30 pm | L005 & L009

This session presents findings from the PH WINS Pulse Check and insights into a new analysis on trends in turnover in the government public health workforce. Attendees will explore implications for workforce stability and discuss strategies to support recruitment, retention, and leadership development in public health.

Communicating with Business Leaders: A Research-Based Toolkit to Strengthen Local Partnerships for Public Health

5–6 pm | Ballroom A

Public health and business share a stake in healthy, thriving communities — but too often speak different languages. This session introduces a new, research-based toolkit that helps local health departments communicate effectively with employers. Panelists from the de Beaumont Foundation and the field will share insights, tested messages, and real-world applications.

Friday, July 17 

TRUST in Action: Building Local Capacity for Rumor Mitigation and Trust in Public Health 

8:00–9:00 am | L015 & L019 

Learn how local health departments are adapting practical tools to counter harmful public health rumors and rebuild trust. Drawing on real-world pilots across the U.S., this session shares early insights, barriers, and enablers from a new capacity-building project — offering actionable strategies to strengthen communication, community trust, and emergency preparedness. 

Sustaining Health, Safety, and Purpose: Trauma-Informed Approaches to Build Resilience in the Public Health Workforce 

9:15–10:15 am | M107 

In the face of polarized public discourse and emotional fatigue, public health professionals remain committed to their communities. Attendees will learn how to integrate trauma-informed practices into their work and workplaces, including how these practices can improve their ability to communicate and build trust with communities.