The National Association of County and City Health Officials’ 2016 Annual Conference starts in Phoenix early next week.

Around 1,300 local health department leaders and other public health professionals will make their way to the Valley of the Sun in the next few days to connect with and learn from thought leaders and peers, discover research breakthroughs and new technologies, and find innovative solutions to their problems.

Association: National Association of County and City Health Officials

Conference: NACCHO Annual 2016

Venue: Sheraton Grand Phoenix

Location: Phoenix

NACCHO Annual 2016 will kick off on Tuesday with an afternoon general session called “Collaborative Pathways for Advancing the Future of Local Public Health.” Speakers will include John Auerbach, associate director for policy at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Karen DeSalvo, acting assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Other agenda items worth noting:

There’s no “I” in “theme.” This year’s conference theme is “Cultivating a Culture of Health Equity.” To help bring it to life, sessions have been organized around the four ways local health departments are addressing the underlying causes of health inequity and disparity: by assessing and investigating, building relationships and alliances, shifting public awareness and consciousness, and transforming locals from within.

Warm welcome to first-timers. In addition to offering first-time attendees a reduced conference registration rate, NACCHO schedules a special networking breakfast for first-timers and new members to help them meet colleagues and learn how to make the most of the conference experience.

Pro tip: Write a compelling abstract. With lots of sessions, workshops, and poster presentations to choose from, attendees have some tough decisions to make about where to spend their time. NACCHO helps speakers write compelling session descriptions by posting a list of do’s and don’ts [PDF].

Facebook and Twitter (#NA16) will have any other conference details you’re looking for.

(iStock/Thinkstock)