Welcome from the President

Welcome to the Association of Educational Therapists’ 48th Annual Conference!

We are delighted to have Leah Kuypers, MA Ed., OTR/L, as our keynote speaker on Friday, presenting “Understanding Regulation: A Beginner’s Guide to The Zones of Regulation.” Her expertise and insight promise to inspire us all.

Our program began early with the Susan Fogelson Memorial Ethics Panel, offered as a Pre-Conference Workshop on October 23rd, and continues this weekend with breakout sessions designed to deepen your knowledge, enhance your skills, and strengthen your professional network.

On Friday, we will gather for the Awards Ceremony, celebrating the recipients of the Nan Freund Distinguished Service Award, the Dorothy Ungerleider Founder's Award, and the Fellow of the Association of Educational Therapists designation, as well as volunteers completing their leadership service.

Be sure to join our morning Coffee & Tea Time 30 minutes prior to the first conference event, the “Eat and Greet” sessions,  and Friday and Saturday evening Happy Hour for casual conversation, collaboration, and community. 

Looking ahead, we will have hybrid workshops and webinars planned for 2027, and mark your calendars for AET’s 50th Anniversary Conference in 2028!

Our student members are vital to AET’s future. Special thanks to our AET-approved programs—CSU Northridge, Notre Dame de Namur University, and UC Santa Cruz Extension—for fostering student engagement. We’re proud to have awarded ten student scholarships for this year’s conference.

My heartfelt thanks go to Conference Chair Jess Durrett and all our committee and subcommittee members for their dedication and creativity, as well as to our Executive Director Peggy Moede and the AH management team for their steadfast support.

I hope you leave this weekend renewed and inspired, with new tools, ideas, and connections that enrich your work and strengthen our community.

Welcome to the 48th Annual Conference—let’s make it a great one!

Warmly, 

Marci Peterson, MEd, BCET®, C-SLDS
AET President