Most conference activities (unless otherwise noted) are covered in the full registration fee.
Pre-Conference Trip | Sunday, March 29
Louisville Zoo
Please note: The cost of the trip is NOT covered in the full registration fees. See below for details of cost and maximum participant information.
Kick off your conference experience with a pre-conference trip to the Louisville Zoo, home to more than 1,100 animals. Explore habitats like Glacier Run, Gorilla Forest, and the Islands exhibit. The zoo combines conservation, education, and fun, offering an opportunity to connect with colleagues to start an exciting week ahead of learning and networking. The cost of the trip covers your admission and transportation to the zoo. Louisville Zoo will also generously be offering 50% discount on food and 40% discount on merchandise.
Cost: $55
Limited to 50 participants.
Full Day Workshop | 8:30 am – 4 pm, Sunday, March 29
Please note: The cost of this workshop is NOT covered in the full registration fee. All proceeds from this workshop go to our conservation fund. CEUs for certified trainers will be available from IATCB.
The Fine Art of Training Animals and Producing Inspirational Public Programs
This workshop will go beyond conventional positive reinforcement training lectures to describe the intricate details that trainers may not know or could overlook. This workshop will help attendees see how insightful observations, adjustments in perspective, and important changes to training strategies can produce extraordinary training outcomes that exceed expectations and promote better welfare for animals.
This workshop will also describe how to empower animals to do what nature built them to do and stage these natural behaviors for our guests to experience. Producing inspirational educational programs is a critical aspect of our relationship with our guests.
After attending this workshop, attendees will understand how:
1. Knowing and using the science of behavior change principles makes for a better trainer.
2. To dramatically improve their use of positive reinforcement to shape behavior.
3. To use positive reinforcement to replace unwanted behavior with desirable behavior.
4. To create trusting relationships with animals, including human animals.
5. To solve behavior problems and challenges.
6. To operationalize the terms ‘choice’ and ‘control’ and use these concepts to train desirable behavior, reduce stress, and promote enhanced welfare.
7. To gain voluntary participation from their animals in husbandry and medical behaviors.
8. To give animals a voice through their body language, and a vote in how we interact with them.
9. To shape behavior at the animal’s pace, which may be much faster than many think possible.
10. To produce engaging presentations that inspire caring emotions that lead to conservation action.
This workshop will be facilitated by Steve Martin, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Cost: $100
Unlimited participants.
Icebreaker | Sunday, March 29
Covered in the cost of the full registration fee.
Enjoy an evening of catching up with old friends and a chance to meet new ones. Our Icebreaker is always a great opportunity to make new contacts and meet fellow IAATE and ABMA members and like-minded people. Start the conference on a splashy note at the Newport Aquarium! Connect with colleagues while wandering through fantastic exhibits, from colorful tropical fish to curious penguins. Enjoy refreshments, fun activities, and the opportunity to meet new friends in the heart of Newport, KY. The views are stunning, and this is just the place to get off on the right flipper for an unforgettable conference! Our Icebreaker will include food and a cash bar.
Cost if not registered for full conference: $65
Professional Development Night | Monday, March 30
Covered in the cost of the full registration fee.
Bring your resume and interview questions and take advantage of this opportunity to gain valuable insights from hiring managers and leaders in the field. This session provides time to connect, network, and share experiences—whether you’re seeking your first position or eager to offer guidance from your own career journey.
Silent Auction | Tuesday, March 31
Covered in the cost of the full registration fee.
Join us for an evening of food, music, and great conversation while browsing and bidding on exciting auction items. All proceeds from the auction benefit the ABMA’s Behavior Management Fund, supporting continued learning and innovation in our field. This event is the perfect opportunity to relax, connect, and enjoy time with both new and longtime friends.
Cost if not registered for full conference: $65
Zoo Day | Wednesday, April 1
Covered in the cost of the full registration fee.*
Hosted by Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. Experience the world-renowned Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, one of the oldest and most beloved zoos in the country. The zoo is home to famous residents like Fiona the Hippo and Rico the Prehensile-tailed Porcupine. The zoo features beautiful botanical displays all year, and hopefully you will get to see the annual tulip display starting or in full bloom. You will have the opportunity to watch training sessions, enrichment experiences, attend workshops, and see some behind-the-scenes around the zoo. Conference attendees will enjoy a memorable visit exploring its rich history, conservation efforts, and inspiring connections between people and wildlife. All this, and lunch generously provided by the zoo as well.
*If you are not registering for the full conference and wish to come to Zoo Day, you still can. You will need to provide your own transportation to/from the zoo and purchase your zoo ticket at the zoo.
Workshops | Wednesday, April 1
The following workshops have limited capacity. Reservations will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. Space permitting, payment reserves your spot. These workshops are NOT covered in the full registration fee. All proceeds from these workshops go to fund our Walt Crawford Memorial Scholarship. CEUs for certified trainers will be available from IATCB.
Flying Free
This workshop will focus on free flying birds, with a solid foundation in safety and welfare. Beginning with prerequisites and skills needed before you ever step foot outside, we will discuss the steps it takes to set birds up for success. There is much to consider when flying birds in an outdoor environment, from understanding what success looks like and how to measure it, evaluating the individual bird and the evaluation of trainer skill sets, to safety, consistency and more. Add in a few more challenges when flying multiple birds outdoors at once! We will aim to cover as much as possible in this 2-hour workshop with a focus on the challenges of free flight and lessons learned over years of experience.
This 2-hour workshop will be facilitated by Arianna Bailey, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Limited to 30 participants.
Cost: $35
Cooperative Care
All of us working with animals under human care know that they will all have to undergo various forms of medical treatment at some point during their lives. Some of them multiple times. We acknowledge that this medical intervention is often essential for the survival of the animal, but that sometimes the medical procedures are stressful (for us as well as the animal in question). There are however, a huge number of behaviors we can train our animals to be voluntary participants in, whether we are talking about injections, ultrasounds, footcare, dental or beak care, wound treatment, nebulization, x rays, and more. This workshop focuses on ALL species and aims to inspire creativity in your training sessions and encourage you to come up with clever antecedent arrangement solutions to teaching complex veterinary care behaviours. The workshop will feature video examples, discussion, and group work to get you thinking ‘outside the box’ and get some fresh ideas to take back to your facility, whatever species you work with.
This 2-hour workshop will be facilitated by Nicky Plaskitt, Shaping Behaviour.
Limited to 30 participants.
Cost: $35
Spread Wing Specimens
Using natural history specimens or biofacts in programming can help increase the impact and accessibility of your center’s education by creating a multisensory experience for guests and helping them notice details difficult or impossible to see on a living ambassador. Preparing your own specimens is practical, affordable, and helps you learn more about the birds we work with. In this hands-on introduction to specimen preparation, you will make a spread wing specimen, learning skills you can take back to your center and build new specimen collections. Spread wing specimens are great for teaching feather groups, different wing shapes & functions across birds, exploring patterns & colors, demonstrating size differences, and so much more..
This 2-hour workshop will be facilitated by Kit Ellsworth, University of Washington: Museology Masters Program, & Helena Echenique, Oakland Zoo
Limited to 20 participants.
Cost: $35
Open Board Meeting | Thursday, April 2
Join your organization’s Board to hear committee reports, financial updates, and general information about the business year in review as well as upcoming endeavors. This is your opportunity to stay updated on the business of your organization and ask any questions you may want to be answered.
Paper Session Days | Monday/Tuesday, March 30/31, Thursday, April 2
For a full list of speakers and featured speakers on our paper session days, please see the Speakers page. There you will also find a downloadable document including speaker bios and presentation abstracts.
Cost for each day if not registered for full conference: Member: $130 (pre-registration) $150 (walk-in); Non-member: $165 (pre-registration) $175 (walk-in)
Banquet | Thursday, April 2
Covered in the cost of the full registration fee.
The 2026 conference will wrap up in grand style at this year’s banquet. The banquet is a great time to recognize our fellow professionals through our High Flyer and Service Awards and celebrate a successful conference. Included at the banquet is our Photo Contest slide show and winners’ announcement. Our banquet features a full dinner and a cash bar. Great food and great times are assured.
Cost if not registered for full conference: $100
Post-Conference Trip | Friday, April 3
The Wilds
Please note: The cost of the trip is NOT covered in the full registration fees. See below for details of cost and maximum participant information.
Extend your conference experience with a visit to The Wilds in Ohio, one of the world’s largest wildlife conservation centers. Explore expansive, natural habitats home to rare and endangered species from around the world and learn about groundbreaking conservation and research programs. This trip offers the opportunity to connect with wildlife up close while enjoying the beauty of Ohio’s open landscapes. Lunch will be provided during your visit. Space is limited, so don’t miss out on this experience. Sign up for this trip and have a WILD time!
Cost: $120
Limited to 50 participants.
*If you want to drive on your own and meet the bus of excited attendees, please contact us.
Hospitality
The hospitality suite presents great opportunities to share information and unwind after a long day of intense learning experiences. This is one of the best ways to share ideas and become inspired by your peers.
Raffles
Help support IAATE! Money raised by our raffles goes to fund our Conservation and Education Grants. You will be able to purchase tickets for raffle drawings held throughout the conference. We will once again have our Conservation Raffle during the banquet. If you would like to donate items, please bring them to the conference or mail them ahead of time.
If you are shipping packages, please ship to:
Conference Grants and Contests
Don’t forget to submit your photos to our Photo Contest as well as your videos for our Behavior Showcase and or apply for a Conservatio or Education Grant. Deadlines for grant and contest submissions vary. Please see below for deadlines. For the 2026 conference, grant submissions will not be accepted after the deadline. This is to allow the committees adequate time to consider each entry. Please adhere to individual deadlines! Please see our Grants, Scholarships & Contests page to download application forms and for updated details on how to apply. You can’t win if you don’t apply!
Education Grant Submission Deadline: January 9, 2026
Conservation Grant Submission Deadline: January 9, 2026
Behavior Showcase Video Submission Deadline: February 28, 2026
Photo Contest Submission Deadline: February 28, 2026