Recap: 2019 SRAI Annual Meeting
The 2019 SRAI Annual Meeting in San Francisco is over, but memories of this event will linger for some time. Over 1600 participants attended from all over the world to “lead change and inspire excellence.” Presentations this year were shorter in length to allow us to include more sessions. We also experimented with Quick Talks of 15-20 minutes in length to give new presenters a taste of the limelight and more experienced presenters a chance to try out and get a reaction to new cutting-edge material. Our first keynote presenter, futurist Michael Cushman, inspired us to get ready for days of learning and sharing information. Emiliana Simon-Thomas closed our meeting by encouraging us to think about work as our “happy place” where we can find meaning and express our authentic selves.
We also started the opening sessions each day at a more reasonable hour than in the past. To keep costs down breakfast was not served but plenty of coffee was available. It was great to see everyone in the exhibitors’ hall networking with colleagues and exhibitors.
The opening reception in historic August Hall was a bit of a drag at times, but everyone seemed to have a great time. We thank Cayuse for their sponsorship of this unique, entertaining and very San Francisco event. The challenge has been made Boston co-chairs, but we know that you are up for it.
The success of the annual meeting in San Francisco was due in large (enormous) part to our SRAI staff. They took our suggested (sometimes crazy) ideas and changes and made things work better than we could have even imagined. Problems that could have been show-stoppers seemed to miraculously disappear. This invisible force was always with us, and we cannot thank all of them enough for supporting us and the rest of you throughout the meeting.
We hope all of you had safe travels home, and you plan to join us next year in Boston. As Mark Twain once said, “In Boston, they ask, `How much does he know?” We hope you will join us there and find out!
Authored by
Pamela F. Miller,
Ph.DExecutive Director, Sponsored Projects OfficeUniversity of California, Berkeley#Catalyst#November2019#2019AM