TWO WAYS TO EXPERIENCE THIS HYBRID TRAINING INSTITUTE!
Numerous workshops will be offered focusing on topics related to best practices, current trends, emerging research, and policies that support effective program development and evaluation. APPA is offering unique Intensive Sessions to engage members in deeper conversations specific to community corrections.
What IN-PERSON attendees get:
- Access to 70+ accredited workshops touching on all aspects of pretrial, probation, and parole
- Entry to special plenary sessions featuring acclaimed guest speakers
- Half-day of intensive sessions on specialized policies, programs, and/or practices
- Unique networking exercises meant to build long-term partnerships
- Tour opportunities and community service projects
- Full access to the field’s best product demonstration center in our Expo Hall
- Wednesday Deep Dives: choose one of six topic tracks and stay with it for three consecutive 60-minute sessions (8:00am–9:00am, 9:15am–10:15am, 10:30am–11:30am) to take a focused, progressive dive with peers and faculty.
What VIRTUAL attendees get:
- Meet and network with probation and parole professionals on the platform seamlessly
- Early, on-demand access to over a dozen unique, accredited workshop recordings
- On-demand access to a bonus selection of previously released webinar recordings
- Enjoy access to e-learning suites, micro-animated shorts, master classes, and more!
Continuing Education Credits
APPA supports your continuing education needs
Hybrid CEU Oppotunities
Whether in-person or virtual, attendees will be able to secure certificates of attendance, APPA Contact Hours, and/or continuing education credits to support their professional growth.
In-person attendees receive full hybrid access, allowing them to attend live, on-site sessions as well as virtual sessions – this dual access provides maximum flexibility and expands credit-earning opportunities. Virtual and hybrid attendees can engage with livestreamed presentations, on-demand recordings, and pre-recorded sessions – making it easy to participate from any location while earning CEUs.
The American Probation and Parole Association is committed to supporting professional and personal growth through a wide range of educational offerings. Our training institutes feature workshops, symposiums, and other educationally packed sessions to help individuals build customized learning paths. Most sessions have been approved for credit hours. Continuing education is available through APPA Contact Hours, as well as partnerships with the Ohio Chief Probation Officers Association and California’s Board of State and Community Corrections. No matter your needs, APPA has you covered!
Join us this winter in Atlanta, where you can immerse yourself in an enriching learning environment, whether you choose to participate in person or virtually. Engage with industry leaders, gain valuable knowledge, and network with professionals dedicated to advancing community corrections.
*To register by Email, Mail, or Fax, download registration form. (Required for PO Payments)
MONDAY PLENARY
Monday, March 2, 10:15 am - 11:45 am
Commissioner Michael Nail
As Commissioner, Michael oversees the day-to-day operations of one of the nation’s largest community supervision agencies and is responsible for the adult felony supervision of over 200,000 individuals.
Michael was instrumental in casting the vision for the creation of the Department of Community Supervision and has served as (the first) Commissioner since its inception in 2015. Prior to his career with DCS, Michael has held multiple senior and executive leadership roles with the Georgia Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, including Director of Probation Training, Director of Probation, Corrections Division Director, and Executive Director of the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Notable accomplishments throughout his career include streamlining the prison diagnostic system, starting Georgia’s first Day Reporting Centers, creating the Probation Options Management program, implementing virtual offices and virtual hearings, leading transformative criminal justice reform legislation, contributing to implementation efforts of the Georgia Prisoner Re-entry Initiative, and being the first community supervision agency in the nation to issue body cameras to all community supervision officers.
With over thirty-five (36) years of experience, Michael is nationally recognized as a thought leader in the fields of corrections and community supervision and a recipient of multiple state and national awards, including the American Probation and Parole Association Walter Dunbar Memorial Award, the National Association of Probation Executives Dan Richard Beto Award, and the Governor’s Public Safety Award for Outstanding Contribution to Profession.
Michael was a member of the three-year Executive Session on Community Supervision at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, which led to the publication of "Less Is More: How Reducing Probation Populations Can Improve Outcomes".
Michael served in various roles and capacities on numerous councils and commissions, including the National Steering Committee for JusticeCounts and the Advisory Boards for Familiar Faces, and Council on Criminal Justice Correction and Reentry. Additionally, he actively engages with projects sponsored by the National Institute of Corrections, National Institute of Justice, and the American Probation and Parole Association. In addition, Michael served two terms as President of the National Association of Probation Executives (NAPE).
Michael holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbus State University, a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from the University of West Georgia, and is a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College.
Can I Get Some Situational Sauce with Those Leadership Nuggets?
Leadership is rarely one-size-fits-all. Every day brings new challenges, shifting priorities, and people who need different types of support to perform at their best. This dynamic and engaging session breaks down the “leadership nuggets” that matter most—practical, memorable principles that strengthen decision-making, communication, and team performance. The presentation explores what effective leadership looks like in practice, how leaders fail when they default to the wrong style, and how personal mission statements anchor leaders during complex or rapidly changing circumstances. Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies they can apply immediately, no matter their role or level of experience.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify what effective leadership looks like in day-to-day practice.
- Describe how to adjust leadership approaches to meet the needs of different situations and people.
- Examine common leadership missteps and understand how to avoid or correct them.
- Articulate a personal mission statement that supports consistent and purposeful leadership.
First Time Attendees Networking Event
Sunday, March 1 | 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
New to APPA training institutes or APPA in general? You're in good company at the First-Time Attendees Networking Event. Network with other first-timers, win prizes, learn more about APPA and have fun in a relaxed environment. Refreshments will be provided.
HEALTHY WALKING CHALLENGES
Monday, March 2 & Tuesday, March 3
Grab a friend and participate in the Healthy Walking Challenges during non-training institute hours on Monday and Tuesday in Atlanta! Hit your stride – push yourself to reap the many health benefits of walking. Walking can help you maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and toning and strengthening muscles; increase cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness; reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke; improve management of conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes; and build stronger bones and improve balance.
Come on – embrace your fitness through walking – aim to walk a mile in 30 minutes!
30-Minute Mile Instructions
● At 6:30 a.m., meet APPA’s Project Coordinator, Delores Johnson, at the Local Host Table to pick up the walking route instructions.
● Use your electronic device to monitor your distance and time.
● By 7:15 a.m., return to the Local Host Table to verify your accomplishment and claim your achievement medal.
Comfort Dog Meet & Greet
Monday, March 2 | 12:30 PM - 01:00 PM
Tuesday, March 3 | 12:30 PM - 01:00 PM
Take a moment during the Institute to unwind and meet K-9 teams who provide comfort, connection, and support to victims, communities, and justice professionals. APPA is hosting a relaxed, drop-in Comfort Dog Meet & Greet in the second-floor Pre-Function area of the host hotel.
Mandy & Asher
A Comfort K-9 team from the Georgia Office of Victim Services. Asher is a trained comfort/therapy dog who supports victims of violent crime, state employees, and communities across Georgia.
Shannon & Bodhi
From the Douglasville Police Department. Bodhi is both a service dog for his handler and a therapy/peer support partner, especially for children and individuals in crisis.
Kelly Lewis with Rowan and Cassy
Kelly is a Certified Animal-Assisted Interventions Specialist with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice’s Rescue 2 Restore program. She partners with her dogs, Rowan and Cassy, to deliver ethical, trauma-informed animal-assisted interventions within secure juvenile justice facilities. Their work supports youth and staff by promoting emotional regulation, positive behavior, and meaningful moments of connection.
Additional teams may join us, in coordination with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.
This is a drop-in, come-and-go space to say hello, learn about the work these teams do, and take a brief pause in the middle of a busy week.
Please remember: Always ask the handler before approaching or petting any dog, especially those who are also working service animals.
Justice-Involved Individuals Career Fair
Wednesday, March 4 | 09:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Co-Host
The American Probation and Parole Association and Honest Jobs are hosting the fourth Career Fair for Justice-Involved Individuals.
We are inviting employers who hire individuals with criminal records to take part in the career fair by hosting a no-cost recruitment table. Employers who participate in the career fair will gain access to a pool of reliable, loyal, and motivated job candidates – which research has shown have high levels of commitment and performance. Many justice-involved individuals are already engaged with job training, counseling, or mentoring programs, which can ease onboarding and reduce training costs. Hiring justice-involved individuals is not just a socially responsible action, it is a smart business strategy. It improves employee retention, strengthens communities, and can even boost your bottom line.
As justice-involved individuals strive to reenter their communities, they need opportunities to secure gainful employment and become productive, taxpaying citizens. These individuals have a variety of skills and talents that can easily benefit employers. They simply need a second chance at employment.
If you are interested in hiring prescreened Atlanta-area individuals who are on active probation or parole supervision and who have a strong desire to work, this event is for you. Contact APPA’s Project Coordinator, Delores Johnson, by email at djohnson@csg.org to reserve your spot now.
Sponsored By:
Cancellation Policy
- In-Person: A full refund, less a $50 processing fee, is available until January 30, 2026. No refunds are available after January 30, 2026. In order to receive a refund, written requests must be sent to the APPA Training Institute, c/o The Council of State Governments, 1776 Avenue of the States, Lexington, KY 40511 or emailed to Kimberly Mills. All requests for refunds must be postmarked or emailed by January 30, 2026. Registrants with an outstanding balance as of this date are still responsible for payment in full. Substitutions can be made at no additional charge.
- Virtual: Due to the cost of the virtual training institute platform, no refunds will be issued.
- Exhibitors: For booths cancelled in writing by February 2, 2026, 50% of the full payment may be refunded. After February 2, 2026, no refunds will be made, nor will previously paid monies be applied to any future APPA exhibit shows or other marketing areas. Additionally, these monies cannot be applied to offset another exhibitor’s booth rental fee. If you need to submit a cancellation, please email written cancellation request to: Darlene Webb, APPA's Director of Operations.
PLATINUM PREMIER SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSOR
BRONZE SPONSORS
Contributing Sponsors
Focus on the 40 - Post-Event Survey | LifeSafer - Expo Hall Bingo | Noble Software - Expo Hall Bingo | Sentinel Offender Services - Expo Hall Bingo | SCRAM - Lanyards | Smart Start - Attendee Badges |
Also, special thanks goes to our Corporate Members!