Washington Conference
May 12-13, 2026
It is vital for members of the association, like you, to impact the narrative taking place on and around Capitol Hill. AMCA leadership typically meets with federal agency staff to provide updates while in D.C. for Washington Days.
Gearing Up for Washington - Informational Call
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 | 11:00 AM Pacific Time | 1-Hour SessionDon't miss this important pre-conference call before the AMCA Washington Conference! This informational session will prepare you for effective advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill and ensure you're ready to maximize your DC experience.We will take Questions on:
- Appropriations Request Process
- Travel Stipend Applications
- Hill Visit Logistics
- Committee Staff Appointments
- Meeting Strategies
Who Should Attend:
- First-time DC Conference attendees
- Anyone applying for travel stipends
- Members planning Hill visits
- District managers and public health professionals interested in federal advocacy
AMCA's Advocacy Action Center
Contact Information
Appropriations Requests
Katherine Schmitz
Meeting Info and Registration
Natalie Perry
nperry@amgroup.us
Position Papers
Daniel Markowski, PhD
Mentorship Program
Angela Beehler
Resources
Preliminary Program
Updated April 9, 2026
Tuesday, May 12th
All educational sessions take place in the Grand Ballroom
8:00 am – 9:00 am Breakfast - provided
9:00 am – 9:15 am AMCA President’s Welcome, Introductions, and Recognitions – Isik Unlu, PhD. (AMCA President)
9:15 am – 9:35 am AMCA issues and conference materials overview – Herff Jones, (AMCA Past President)
9:35 am – 10:05 am Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Vector-Borne Diseases – Lyle R. Petersen, MD, MPH, FASTMH, (Director, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases in CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases)
10:05 am - 10:30 am Vector-Borne Disease Network, Tick Act Legislation –Erin Cadwalader, PhD. (Director of Strategic Leadership and Policy, Entomological Society of America)
10:30 am - 10:45 am Break
10:45 am- 11:05 am Hill staff on the Tick Act or the appropriations process
11:05 am - 11:25 am Laura Harrington, PhD. (Program Director, CDC Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases)
11:25 am- 11:40 am Lindsay Baxter (Project Manager, NEVBD Pesticide Resistance Monitoring, Northeast Regional Center of Excellence)
11:40 am – 12:00 pm Lyric Bartholomay, PhD., (Director, Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease)
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Lunch – provided
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Grassroots Training – key messages to effectively prepare for and set expectations with legislative and regulatory audiences. Karen Reardon, (Vice President of Public Affairs for RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment))
1:30 pm – 1:50 pm CDC’s Training and Evaluation Centers - Claudia Riegel, PhD. (Director, New Orleans Mosquito, Termite & Rodent Control Board)
1:50 pm – 2:10 pm VectorSurv - Chris Barker, PhD. (Director, Pacific Southwest Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases)
2:10 pm – 2:30 pm NPDES Permits for Mosquito Control - The Normandy Group, Gary Goodman, Ed Ruckert
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water – Speaker to be announced
3:00 pm - 3:20 pm Break
3:20 pm - 3:45 pm Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs – Speaker to be announced
3:45 pm – 4:00 pm Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory– Barry Alto, PhD. (Associate Professor, University of Florida)
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Reception - Get together with your team to practice delivering your message
Location: Outdoor Courtyard (Weather permitting)
Wednesday, May 13th
7:00 am – 8:00 am Breakfast - provided
8:00 am - 5:00 pm Capitol Hill Office Visits - Pre-scheduled meetings with your Senators, Representatives, and Legislative Aides
Thursday, May 14th
Safe travels
- For most attendees this will be a travel day. Before you go, check out all the history the area has to offer.
- Send thank you emails to Congressional offices with a review of the topics discussed.
- Let AMCA know if your Members of Congress need a follow-up visit
Hotel Reservations - Room Block is Open
Hilton Alexandria Old Town
1767 King Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
A special block of rooms has been secured for the AMCA Washington Conference attendees at The Hilton Alexandria Old Town Hotel, AMCA's official headquarter hotel for the conference.
AMCA is pleased to offer the following AMCA room block discounted hotel rates for our attendees:
Single/Double occupancy: $265.00 per room, per night
Booking Deadline is April 19th
Room rates are in USD($) and DOES NOT include the state and hotel tax of 15.5% (subject to change).
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 WASHINGTON CONFERENCE SPONSORS
2024 Event Information
Resources
Take a look at the following resources:
View and Download AMCA's 2024 Position Papers
AMCA's Advocacy Action Center!
Learn how to become an advocate
Learn to become a mosquito control activist with the ability to educate key legislators and policymakers on the importance of mosquito control, the work you do, and how federal actions impact your job and the communities we all serve.
Public health agencies face various challenges due to a lack of resources, misinformation, and lack of basic infrastructure, which became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. This requires immediate attention to avoid further public health deficiencies.
Those who work in and around D.C. can help you through targeted actions that strengthen existing vector control, advance the science that allows vector control to adapt to new challenges, and equip local agencies with the tools they need to be effective. Then it’s up to us to make vector-borne disease prevention and control programs sustainable. This conference will provide a deep dive into how you can help pave the way for the vector control programs of tomorrow.
Watch the AMCA Town Hall Meeting
If you'd like to participate at the 2024 Washington Conference but are apprehensive about meeting with congressional offices, watch the following video that will answer all of your questions and prepare you for a meaningful visit to D.C.