5 Reasons to Attend the HECMA Roundtable

5 REASONS TO ATTEND THE HECMA ROUNDTABLE

It is hard to believe, but the annual HECMA Roundtable is only 44 days away!  On a personal note, attending the Roundtable has been one of the most impactful professional development opportunities in which I have participated.   Whether you are a friend of HECMA, a new member, or a seasoned case management professional, we think there are many reasons to attend our annual event; here are 5:
 
1. Build your network
HECMA’s greatest strength is our membership.  Whether you are communicating through the listserv or benefiting from the generosity of others through the library, we are an Association built on the work of many.  It’s no secret that we are a small field, and spending time and learning from professionals who do similar work gives us the chance to meet, connect in person, forge relationships, and grow and develop our own professional practice.
 
2. Learn from national experts
HECMA is fortunate to have grown large enough to have the resources to host nationally recognized leaders in the fields of threat assessment, violence prevention, and case management.  This year, Dr. Marisa Randazzo, a national expert on threat assessment and targeted violence, will provide our keynote.  She previously served for ten years with the U.S. Secret Service as their Chief Research Psychologist, directing all Secret Service research on school shootings, insider threats, stalking, and other types of targeted violence.  Additionally, this year representatives from Maxient and Advocate Symplicity will be present to share information about their platforms with interested parties, and NaBITA representatives will be there to present on their threat assessment tool, SIVRA-35, and to present a case law update on legal issues that impact our work.  Where else will you find a such talented, experienced, and qualified group of experts all in one place to discuss topics that directly impact YOUR work?
 
3. Attend educational sessions
Your colleagues across the country are doing amazing work, and are willing to share it with you!  This annual conference is the only one that focuses exclusively on case management, and presenters often share freely of their methods, resources, and example policies and procedures that you can take back and adapt on your own campus.  The Roundtable also offers chances to connect more informally with presenters and other attendees, so you have ample opportunity to touch base with presenters at other times for more information or to establish a more personal relationship.
 
4. Explore a new city
Because the Roundtable location changes each year, there is always a chance to go somewhere new. The Roundtable committee makes a considerable effort to build both a comprehensive and robust schedule, while balancing opportunities for personal time to explore what our host city has to offer.  Denver in particular boasts a wealth of attractions, shopping, and arts and culture activities available.  You can explore some of these here: https://www.denver.org/things-to-do/ 
 
5. Reignite a passion for your work
And lastly, it’s nearing the end of our academic year.  We are all tired, as are our students.  It becomes easy to forget why we do this work in the first place.  Attending the Roundtable is a time to focus on ourselves, our professional development, our skillset, and reignite a passion for our work.
 
There is still time to register for the annual conference and pre-conference sessions.  For the five reasons above, and more, I hope you will consider joining us in Denver.  For those of you who have attended before, what are your top reasons to attend the Roundtable?  Please comment below!
 
Sincerely,
Katherine Zilmer
 
Senior Assistant Dean of Students
Behavioral Intervention Team Case Manager
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign