Schedule: Click a day above to view the daily schedule. 

Note: All times in EST.

Click here to visit our resources page to learn more about the educational session tracks! here

Breakfast is provided on June 19, 20, and 21

Lunch is provided on June 19

Dinner is provided on June 21

 Wednesday June 17 | Pre-Conference Programs

9:00 AM - 4:15 PM

Artificial Intelligence Pre-Conference Workshop, Day 1 (*Registration required)

View the full workshop schedule and presenters

 Thursday June 18 | Pre-Conference Programs

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Professional Certification Exams (FCS Composite, HDFS, HNFS, PFFE, NWE, BSP)

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Artificial Intelligence Pre-Conference Workshop, Day 2 (*Registration required)

The Principled AI Professional | Heather Carter and Joyce B. Miles

View the full workshop schedule and presenters

12:00-2:00PM

2026 IFHE-US Sharon McManus Cultural Event

3:45 - 4:45 PM

Affiliate President's Unit Meeting

6:00 - 7:30 PM

AAFCS Opening Ceremonies

8:00 - 10:00 PM

Mary M. Miller Boat Tour

 Friday June 19 | Day One Annual Conference

Morning

7:30 - 8:30 AM

Morning Refresher

8:00 - 8:45 AM

Meeting of the Colleges, Universities, & Research Community

8:00 - 8:45 AM

Annual Board of Trustees Meeting, International Home Economics Services, Inc

8:00 - 8:45 AM

 First Time Attendee Session 

9:00 - 10:00 AM

 2026 Annual Conference Keynote with Susan Weinstock

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Oral Research Presentations - Part 1
10:00 – 10:15

Who gets better auto loans? The roles of sex, life stage, and financial literacy
Corresponding Author: Robert Nielsen
 
10:15 – 10:30
Dare to Dream: The Future of Financial Literacy
Corresponding Author: Troy Anderson
 
10:30 – 10:45
Family Perspectives on Professionals’ Roles in Elder Family Financial Exploitation and Abuse
Corresponding Author: Virginia Vincenti

10:00 - 10:45 AM

 Plant-Powered, Planet-Friendly Protein for Your Plate

Diane Mora 

10:00 - 10:45 AM

 Storytime for Stronger Futures: Building Emergent Readers with Tonies®

Kyle Roberson 

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Lead with "Yes, And": Improvisational Tools for Agile FCS Leadership

Mia Russell

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Credit Card Debt in the United States - Trends, Causes, and Implications for Individuals and Families

Karen Alexander, Eugene Adu Henaku

10:00 - 10:45 AM

How Kentucky FCS Educators Empower and Connect Through the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

Anastacia Alvarez, Emily Pike, Mary Kerr, Maura Hartman, Brooklyn Pierce, Eliza Spinks

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Old Jeans to New Dreams: Denim's Role in Sustainability

Larissa Otterstrom, Natalie Hancock, Amber Williams

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Beyond the Textbook: Practical and Easy-to-Implement Activities for FCS Industry Career Exploration

Keely Post, Jon Losen, Landon Calderwood

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Empowering Maryland Communities Through UME FCS Wellness Programs for Older Adults

Jesse Ketterman Jr., Lynn Matava, Sung-Jin Lee, Carrie Sorenson

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Strengthening Communities Through FCS: Promoting Local Resources for Resilience and Sustainability

Ashley Nelson

11:00 - 12:00 PM

QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) A Suicide Prevention Program

Julie Patterson

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Utilizing AI-Generated Recipes in a College Food Pantry in Central Arkansas

Rebekah Luong, Kathryn Carroll

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Positive Employability: Building Ten Essential Soft Skills for Career Success

Melinda McCulley, Nichole Huff, Kelly May

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Advocacy in Action: A Traveling FCS Book Display Project

Janet Holden

Afternoon

12:00 - 1:45 PM

Salute to Excellence, Awards Celebration

2:00 - 2:45 PM

Privacy and Security in the Age of AI: Practical Strategies for FCS Educators and Professionals

Heather Carter, Richard Carter
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal Best Papers 2025

Mari Borr
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Safe and Sound: Proactive, preventative, and hands-on approaches aimed at empowering and protecting rural youth

Susan Turner, Jana Davidson
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Reasoning in Action: Engaging Learners in Critical and Creative Thinking Across FCS Classrooms

Nicole Wanago
2:00 - 2:45 PM Meeting of the Past Presidents Unit
2:00 - 2:45 PM Council of Communities Meeting
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Your Data Story: Low-Tech Strategies for Making Data Meaningful in Research, Teaching, and Practice

Karleah Harris, Sara Kay
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Promoting FCS As a Force for Preventing & Addressing Societal Problems Societal Injustices [Also the Advocacy, Leadership, & Collaboration track]

Virginia Vincenti
3:00 - 3:45 PM

The Future is MAGICAL: Bringing AI to Life in the FCS Classroom

Tisha Richmond
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Teaching Vegan Cooking with Nooch: Flavor, Function, and Fun with Nutritional Yeast

Diane Mora
3:00 - 3:45 PM

What's Trending in International Culinary Tourism

Lisa Brooks
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Healing Through Connection, Culture, and Creativity: Integrating African-Centered Practices into Wellness and Communal Spaces

Wemimo Ayannubi, Meilana Charles
3:00 - 3:45 PM CFA/AHE Meeting
4:00 - 4:45 PM

Our Leaders, Who Were They? Part 2: Lesser-known home economics leaders from past, focusing on underrepresented populations

Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head, LynDee Lombardo, Meilana Charles, Jacqueline Holland, Carole Makela, Sue Byrd
4:00 - 6:00 PM

Meeting of the AAFCS Board of Directors
4:00 - 4:45 PM

Why Knot Be a Leader: Weaving Your Leadership Skills

Melissa K. Martin, Phi Upsilon Omicron Executive Director and Phi U Leaders

Evening

6:00 - 8:00 PM

Fun in the Expo Hall

 Saturday June 20 | Day Two Annual Conference

Morning

7:30 - 8:30 AM

Morning Refresher

8:00 - 8:45 AM

Joint Meeting of the Communities of Non-Traditional Careers, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Lifelong Professionals

8:00 - 8:45 AM

 Community of Extension Business Meeting
8:00 - 8:45 AM Lead FCS Education Member Meeting
8:00 - 8:45 AM NCBDFCS Business Meeting
9:00 - 9:45 AM Morning General Session
10:00 - 10:45 AM

HBA Demonstration

Sharon Davis
10:00 - 10:45 AM

Sewn into History - Interdisciplinary Learning through the AIDS Quilt with FCS and the Humanities

Rebekah Luong
10:00 - 10:45 AM

Beyond the Kitchen - Teaching Food Recovery, Advocacy, and Real-World Citizenship

Diane Mora
10:00 - 10:45 AM

Amplifying FCS Impact Through Podcasts

Quadarius Whitson, Lida Rahimi Araghi, Nina Roofe
10:00 - 10:45 AM

AI and Meal Planning: Who is Liable when Technology invades Nutrition. An Overview of the Ethical and Legal Implications for Families and FCSE Professionals

Blair Pott

10:00 - 10:45 AM

A Case Study: A Guide for Retention, Growth and Belonging for FCS

Bernard Green

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Reigniting Purpose through the Updated FCS Body of Knowledge: A Framework for Teaching, Leadership, and Advocacy

Douglas Youngblood, Amber Williams, Blake Mudd

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Creating Connections: How FCS Professionals Can Leverage the Registered Apprenticeship System to Anchor our Discipline to the Workforce

Taylor Spangler
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Strengthening Our Practical Intellectual Community-It Takes a Village-Promoting FCS Visibility

Jennifer Becnel, Janine Duncan, Mari Borr
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Communicating with Impact: Social Media Strategy and Confident Media Interview Skills

Aaron Lavalee
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Advanced Textile Manufacturing: Expanding the Understanding of the Apparel and Textiles Industry

Robert Finnegan, Gayla Randel
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Finding the FCS Facts in Fiction: Connecting Themes from Novels to FCS Through a Book Club

Alisha Barton, Misty Harmon, Lisa Barlage
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Building Money Habits in K-1 through Extension Financial Program

Olivia Leblanc, Jennifer Hedges, Mengya Wang
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Successful Models of Leadership and Collaboration to Recruit, Prepare, and Support FCS Educators-Regional Action Teams

Lori Myers, Jan Bowers, Karen Bergh

Afternoon

2:00 - 2:45 PM

The Science of Self Care: Practical Applications for FCS Educators

Amber Williams, Lacee Boschetto
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Baking Up Success: Developing Study Resources and Credentialing Tools for the New Baking Science Exam

Melanie Schmitt, Sharon Davis, Lori Myers
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Reflections from the 2025 Teacher of the Year and Tips and Tricks for Applying.

Mercena Ross, Mia Battistone
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Healthy Choices for Your Recovering Body: A Community Nutrition Education Curriculum for Limited Resource Adults in Substance Use Recovery

Sara Jenkins
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Empowering FCS Educators: Using Research to Shape Future Professional Development

Melissa Wood
2:00 - 2:45 PM

A Comprehensive Approach to Preparing Students for the Future Workforce

Rholine Rose
2:00 - 2:45 PM

Teaching the Future of Food: A Review of AI Integration in Fast Food Chains

Samantha Martin
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Oral Research Presentations - Part 2

3:00 – 3:15 
Bridging the Gap: Strengthening Workforce Readiness Through Intermediary-Supported Work-Based Learning Partnerships 
Corresponding Author: Cynthia Miller 


3:15 – 3:30
Consumer-Driven Approaches to Improve Household Food Management and Reduce Waste: Perceived Ease of Implementation and Success
Corresponding Author: Karen Byrd


3:30 – 3:45
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Consumer Labeling Research
Corresponding Author: Aaron Lavallee
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Libraries: Supporting and Empowering FCS Professionals

Gregg McCullough
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Let's CHAT: Mapping Interdisciplinary Competencies in FCS for Advocacy with a Collaborative Theoretical Approach and Developmental Work Research

Virginia Parker, Melynda Folley
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Perceived Food Insecurity Beyond Income: A Behavioral Model Linking Food Literacy and Waste Attitudes

Jacinta Hinson
3:00 - 3:45 PM

AI-Driven Food Industry: Case Studies, Challenges, and Future Trends

Karen Alexander, Irina Mikheeva
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Healthy Eating on $6/Day: Rethinking Food Affordability and Purchasing Decisions

Carol Smathers
3:00 - 3:45 PM CFA/AHE Meeting2
4:00 - 5:00 PM Afternoon General Session
5:00 - 5:30 PM Afternoon Networking

Evening

5:30 - 6:15 PM

Public Policy Matters: Tools to Help

5:30 - 6:15 PM

 FCSEA: Regional Action Team Grant Working Session

5:30 - 6:15 PM

 History and Archives Community Meeting/OCR Scanning for Digital Accessibility Educational Session

5:30 - 6:15 PM

 Alliance for FCS Meeting

5:30 - 6:15 PM

 Student Unit Meeting

Fast Talks

2:00 - 2:15 PM

"Green Bean Casserole for Good"- A Collaborative Campaign Between Phi Upsilon Omicron and Celebrity Chef Chadwick Boyd to Fund Trailblazing Research in Family and Consumer Sciences
Melissa Martin, Phi Upsilon Omicron

2:20 - 2:35 PM

 K-12 Personal Finance Graduation Requirements and the Role of FCS Professionals
Taylor Stanek

2:40 - 2:55 PM

 Trash-to-Treasure Teaching: Upcycled Projects in Housing & Interior Design
Sadie Hooker

3:00 - 3:15 PM

 Updates from Active Parenting Publishers

3:20 - 3:35 PM

 When Context Shapes Performance: Narrative Task Effects in African American English-Speaking Students
Bryan Murray

3:40 - 3:55 PM

 What's In Your Bag
Leigh Southward, Lance Cheramie, Laurie Apple, Shari Moxley, Treisha Peterson

4:00 - 4:15 PM

 New Mexico Advocacy Work in 2025, A Case Study
Dianne Kemp

4:20 - 4:35 PM

 National Carbon Monoxide Awareness
Charon McNabb

4:40 - 4:55 PM

 Home Baking Association Demonstration
Sharon Davis

 Sunday June 21 | Day Three Annual Conference

Morning

7:30 - 8:30 AM

Morning Refresher

8:00 - 8:45 AM

Community of Taking it to the Streets Community Networking Session

8:00 - 8:45 AM

IFHE-US Members Meeting

8:00 - 8:45 AM

National Carbon Monoxide Awareness

Charon McNabb
9:00 - 9:45 AM Morning General Session
10:00 - 10:45 AM Oral Research Presentations - Part 3

10:00 – 10:15
Consumers’ Perceptions and Practices of AI in the Fashion Industry
Corresponding Author; Kathleen Heiden


10:15 – 10:30
Exploring Students’ Perceptions of Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools in Fashion Design and Creative Processes
Corresponding Author: Geetika Jaiswal


10:30 – 10:45
We Need a New Name for the Wifebeater T-shirt
Corresponding Author: Leigh Southward
10:00 - 10:45 AM Diversity and Inclusion Community Meeting
10:00 - 10:45 AM Building Leadership Capacity Community Business Meeting
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Oral Research Presentations - Part 4

11:00 – 11:15
How Mothers Conceptualize Invisible Work: An Exploration Using Cultural Consensus Analysis 
Corresponding Author: Nicole Wanago


11:15 – 11:30
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Preparation Retrospective: Historical Analysis of Curriculum in Home Economics and FCS Teacher Education Programs
Corresponding Author: Micheal Rowley


11:30 -  11:45
Structured Leadership Pipeline Development: Experiences of Six Family and Consumer Sciences Programs
Corresponding Author: Barbara Stewart
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Fifty-Two Weeks of FCS: Strengthening Member Awareness and Engagement Through Strategic Social Media Outreach

Sydney D. Cox, Jordy Larsen, Margaret Schindler and Karleah Harris
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Guiding Difference Makers: Leadership Principles for People-Focused Organizations

Matthew Thornton
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Super Seniors Staying Strong: Creating a Community Nutrition Education Program for Older Adults

Darci Bell, Allison Coutinho
11:00 - 11:45 AM

One Design. One Voice.: Unifying Family and Consumer Sciences through Visual Marketing

Michelle Clouse
11:00 - 11:45 AM

On the Front Lines: Advancing FCS Support for Military-Connected Families

Kayla Reed Fitzke, Nichole Huff, Kristen Jowers

Afternoon

1:30 - 2:30 PM Afternoon General Session
3:00 - 3:45 PM

From Classroom to Career: Co-Designing Dual Enrollment to Grow the Next Generation of FCS Professionals

Nicole Wanago
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Highlighting the Value and Transitional Impact of the FCS Profession

Mia Russell, Monica Lieblong
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Rooted, Rising, and Resilient: The AgriFCS Academy in Year 3

Ethel Jones, LaToya Johnson
3:00 - 3:45 PM

Dual-Language Education in Early Childhood Education

Francisco Castaneda
3:00 - 3:45 PM Leadership Council Meeting
4:00 - 4:45 PM

Organize This! Legal and Financial Must-Haves

Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head
4:00 - 4:45 PM Meeting of the Community of Elementary, Secondary and Adult Education

Evening

5:30 - 6:30 PM

Closing Reception

7:00 - 9:00 PM

Closing Celebration

Fast Talks

10:00 - 10:15 AM

What's New in Hands-On Human Development
Denise DuBois, Realityworks

10:20 - 10:35 AM

 The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese
Beverly Card

10:40 - 10:55 AM

 Cyber Connection with Caution and Curiosity: Empowering the next generation of digital citizens to explore while prioritizing their digital security and online safety
Riece Hamilton, Right-to-Be

11:00 - 11:15 AM

 The Dress Up Box: Using Dress as a Tool to Communicate Elements and Principles of Design
Hannah Upole

11:20 - 11:35 AM

 Mentoring Connections for Future Educators, New Teachers, and Colleagues
Michelle Tweardy

11:40 - 11:55 AM

 Sustain the Love: Meeting our Unit mission through student-led service-learning activities
Amy Yates

12:00 - 12:15 PM

 Projector Sewing: Utilizing Technology for Cutting Out Sewing Projects
Melissa Clark

12:20 - 12:35 PM

 Just a Game? Youth Sports Betting and the role of FCS
Terra Aquia

12:40 - 12:55 PM

 Abraham Maslow and the Blackfoot Nation: A Montana Initiative
Gayla Randel

Exhibit Hall Hours

June 19 - Early set up (You must sign-up to set up early)

June 20 – 

  • Exhibit set up - 8-11am. 
  • Exhibit hall open – 1:30-6:00pm.
  • Networking reception in the Exhibit Hall – 5:00-6:00pm.

June 21 -  

  • Exhibit hall open: 10am-1pm.
  • Exhibit breakdown: 1-3pm.