Presentation proposal process FAQ

The Expo 2027 Call for Presentations will open on June 2, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page provides answers to common questions about the presentation proposal process and speaking at Animal Care Expo. Use this as a guide as you develop your presentation idea into a well-written proposal. If you have additional questions, please email tmoran@humaneworld.org. 

When and where is Animal Care Expo?

Animal Care Expo 2027 will take place May 6-9 at Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, just outside of Dallas.

Who attends Animal Care Expo?

Animal Care Expo is attended by those who work and volunteer in animal shelters, rescue groups, municipal organizations, veterinary practices and national animal protection organizations and includes content and workshops for leadership, operations staff, marketing and fundraising professionals, veterinarians and vet techs, kennel staff, animal care and control officers, trainers and behaviorists, and more.

What is the timeline?

The Call for Presentations for Expo 2027 will open in June 2026.  Presentation proposals were accepted until 11:59 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. After the Content Review Team has assessed all presentation submissions and made their selections, anyone who submitted a proposal will be notified of their status by early October.

May I submit a presentation proposal for a colleague?

Please only submit a presentation if you are one of the proposed speaker(s).  

All workshop presenters receive a complimentary full conference registration for Animal Care Expo 2027 but are otherwise responsible for their own travel and expenses. Please ensure that all individuals listed in the proposal have this information and will be available at the appropriate time during the event.

How many speakers can you have per workshop?

We recommend having at least two (2) speakers, with no more than four (4) speakers per workshop.  Learning Labs may be the exception to this. Please ensure each speaker provides a meaningful contribution to the objectives of the workshop..

What are the chances that my presentation will be selected?

We receive hundreds of presentation proposals each year on a wide variety of topics. The chances of a presentation being selected depends on the quality of the proposal, the total number of proposals received and the quantity of similar proposals. Please understand that opportunities are limited and not every proposal can be accepted. Humane World for Animals reserves the right to select presentation topics and speakers at its sole discretion and may decline a proposal for any reason.

Proposals will be selected based on the following criteria and tracks will not be determined until after presentation are reviewed and selected.

Core selection criteria:

• Relevance of topic: Is the topic timely, important and valuable to Animal Care Expo attendees?  Proposals that clearly describe innovative work not widely available elsewhere will be prioritized.
• Achievability of workshop outcomes: Is there a clear and realistic alignment between the stated workshop description and its stated learning objectives?
• Quality of submission: Does the proposal demonstrate clarity, accuracy, depth and a comprehensive understanding of the topic?
• Engagement and knowledge transfer: Will the workshop foster audience engagement, provoke discussion and promote learning or new skill development?
• Speaker qualifications and experience: Does the speaker(s) have the qualifications and experience to teach the workshop effectively?  Does the proposal reflect a variety of perspectives and real-world experiences?

What are some of the most popular presentation from last year's Expo?

The top presentations of 2025 in Las Vegas were:

• Building a better daily routine for cats and dogs in shelters
• Challenging the gold standard: Rethinking veterinary care to reach underserved populations
• Claws and effect: Innovative solutions for outdoor cat management
• Defending your point of view: The necessity of presence, persuasion, pivot and practice
• From leash to leadership: Empowering communities through pet-driven initiatives
• From stress to success: Improving cat welfare and save rates in shelters
• Happening now: Emergency fundraising
• Lessons from the burn zone: Community cats and disaster response after the Maui wildfire
• Managing and preventing house soiling
• New vaccination recommendations for neonatal puppies and kittens
• The overwhelmed dog: Helping dogs cope with a confusing world

What can I do to improve the likelihood of my proposal being selected?

• Fill out the presentation proposal form completely, correctly and on time.
• Consider submitting an advanced-level presentation that will appeal to attendees with many years of experience in the field.
• Be specific about your topic and focus. Subjects like "dog behavior" and "fundraising" are very general, so clearly indicate what aspect you will addresses. A better example would be "using clicker training to improve dog behavior in the shelter" or "how to attract new donors through Instagram."
• Make the most of the abstract description space by clearly and accurately describing what your presentation entails.

What Expo participants want:

• Deep dives into topics
• Specific best practices, strategies and tools they can use
• Audience engagement
• Clear learning outcomes
• Advanced, hands-on workshops that go beyond the basics

What Expo participants do not want:

• A presentation dominated by basic content or an overview of your organization’s programs
• Presentations that do not match the presentation description
• Presentations that focus on sales pitches for products or services
• Unprepared speakers presenting on a topic they aren't well-versed in

Are there additional opportunities for speakers to connect with attendees?

All speakers receive complimentary full-conference registration including a Learning Lab. We encourage your participation at the conference before and after your presentation. There are a variety of networking opportunities to connect with conference participants. We also invite you to apply to host a round table discussion to further engage with conference participants.

Can I submit more than one presentation?

Yes, we encourage you to submit multiple proposals for consideration. If you choose to submit more than one presentation, please be sure to complete a submission form for each one. 

How much time is allowed for the workshops?

Standard workshops are 75 minutes and Learning Labs are 5.5 hours including a 60 to 75-minute lunch break.

Do Expo speakers receive compensation?

All workshop presenters are responsible for their own travel and expenses. However, we do not want the inability to cover travel expenses to prevent a speaker from presenting at the conference.

To make our conference more welcoming for all, and to ensure participants get to hear and learn from the best possible group of speakers and presenters, we will:

• Support speakers who need financial assistance to present at the conference, including hotel and travel, by inviting them to submit an application during the proposal process that may help offset associated travel expenses.
• Ask speakers who are able to cover expenses associated with presenting at the conference to forego making a financial support request. By covering their own attendance, for-profit companies, exhibitors, sponsors, and non-profit organizations that have a budget for training can help us offer support to speakers for whom attendance might otherwise be cost prohibitive.
• Continue to provide all speakers with complimentary full-conference registration including a Learning Lab, (3) lunches, (1) evening reception with dinner, and the Expo party.

As part of the presentation submission process this year, speakers will be asked to indicate whether they will need financial assistance via a question on the presentation proposal form.  A speaker's need of financial assistance will not be factored into the process for selecting presentations.  Financial support requests will only be considered if submitted during the proposal process.  We are unable to support requests made after speakers have been selected.

Can representatives of for-profit companies submit presentation proposals?

Yes, but make sure your proposal isn’t simply an advertisement for your company. Presentations must aim to educate animal welfare professionals about a relevant topic, not sell them a product. Overtly commercial submissions will be declined.

What are the requirements to be a speaker at Expo?

For a full list of requirements, please refer to the Call for Presentations requirements or email tmoran@humaneworld.org.  In addition to meeting all communicated deadlines, key requirements include:

• Upon acceptance, each speaker must sign an Event Speaker Agreement.  Speakers must be available for any workshop date and time, which will be included in your acceptance email.  Schedule requests cannot be accommodated.
• Each speaker must submit a short biography and headshot.
• Unless local, all speakers are required to stay within the official Expo group housing block, regardless of financial assistance from Humane World for Animals.
• Each speaker must prepare a PowerPoint presentation and bring that to Animal Care Expo on a USB drive. Co-speakers must collaborate on one unified presentation.
• Each workshop must upload at least one digital handout by the specified deadline for attendees to access.  A PDF version of the PowerPoint presentation slides is also recommended.

What should I expect if I am selected to present at Expo 202?

If your proposal is selected for Animal Care Expo, we will contact you via email by early October to confirm your availability and proposal content. You will have access to a speaker management portal that will include information and deadlines for registering for the conference and submitting your headshot, bio, PowerPoint, relevant handouts and more. We reserve the right to edit your workshop and/or Learning Lab title and description and/or ask you to co-present with another speaker(s).