National Institute 2026

National Institute 2026

Lisa Stanek

6:00pm EDT

Opening General Dinner Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom A-G

7:00pm EDT

Opening Keynote with Angie Thomas Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom A-GAngie Thomas • HarperCollins Publishers

8:00pm EDT

Exhibits Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Regency BallroomScholastic, Inc. • Brodart • Teach My Kid to Read • Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Book Signing: Angie Thomas Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Regency BallroomAngie Thomas • HarperCollins Publishers

8:00am EDT

Registration Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Registration Desk (Mezzanine Level)

8:30am EDT

Friday Big Ideas: Creating Reading Rainbow Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom A-DBarbara Irwin • Tony Buttino • Pamela Johnson • West Herr Auto Group

10:15am EDT

Innovative Play Programs for Babies & Toddlers to Boost Language, Early Learning, and Parent Engagement Embassy Suites Buffalo | AvantAngele Deneve • Emma Gordon • Kelly Smith • Rachel G. Payne • Jessica Ralli

PBS Stations & Libraries Are the Dream Team! Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Delaware A-CTonia Burton • Cara Rager • Jackie Stapleton • Beth Fronckowiak

11:15am EDT

12:45pm EDT

Connecting Generations: A Library – Children's Museum Partnership to Foster Genealogy Learning for Children & Families Embassy Suites Buffalo | AvantWill Kawalec • Susan Buttaccio • Rhonda Hoffman

Information Literacy through Children's Literature Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom E-FBrooke Gross

2:15pm EDT

Examining Early Literacy Spaces: Are We on the Right Track? Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom GKim Bolan • Erin Jennings, IIDA, AIA, NCIDQ, NCARB

Fostering a Culture of Connecting Through a County-wide Initiative: Disconnect 2 Reconnect Embassy Suites Buffalo | AvantPatricia Brigham • Janet Donat • Terry Kirchner

Leading from the Middle: Building Consensus Through Influence, Not Authority Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Delaware A-CKristin Williamson • Emily Williams

3:45pm EDT

Collaborative Tools for Thinking about Children’s Play Embassy Suites Buffalo | AvantRebekah Willett • Jacqueline Kociubuk • Lynn Montague

Strengthening Early Literacy with Tubs, Toys and Training Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Delaware A-CJennifer Wardlaw • Jeannine Birkenfeld

8:00am EDT

Registration Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Registration Desk (Mezzanine Level)

8:30am EDT

Saturday Big Ideas: Dive Deep Into Discovery - Celebrating Children's Nonfiction Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom A-DMarc Aronson • Lesa Cline-Ransome • Candace Fleming • Scholastic, Inc. • Candlewick | Holiday House | Peachtree • Macmillan Children's Publishing

9:30am EDT

Exhibits Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Regency Ballroom

10:15am EDT

Children’s Librarian to Public Library Director Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom GKristi Dougherty

The Powerful Impact of Play: How Play Can Engage Your Community and Strengthen Early Literacy Skills Embassy Suites Buffalo | AvantNichole King • Raina Tuakoi

12:45pm EDT

Create a Critical Thinking Program Recipe Embassy Suites Buffalo | EncoreMichelle Muller

2:15pm EDT

Feel-Good Family Learning Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom E-FAmanda “Mandy” O’Brien

Scalable STEAM Programs for Any Budget and Bandwidth Embassy Suites Buffalo | SalonAbby Jean Duvall

3:30pm EDT

Saturday Closing Session: Playful Picture Books featuring Kari Lavelle, Deborah Marcero, and Rhode Montijo Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Grand Ballroom A-DDerek Ivie Reed • Rhode Montijo • Kari Lavelle • Deborah Marcero • Sourcebooks • Little, Brown Books for Young Readers • Penguin Young Readers

4:30pm EDT

Book Signing: Kari Lavelle, Rhode Montijo, Deborah Marcero Hyatt Regency Buffalo | Regency BallroomDeborah Marcero • Kari Lavelle • Rhode Montijo