Conference Policies

• Cancellations received on or before Jan. 31, 2027, will receive a FULL REFUND.
• Cancellations received Feb. 1– April 30, 2027, will receive a 50% refund.
• No refunds will be made for cancellations on or after May 1, 2027.
• You may cancel ticketed items and receive a full refund if cancellation is received in writing by April 30, 2027. No refunds will be given after this time.
• There will be no refunds for conference merchandise purchases after March 1, 2027. All conference merchandise must be picked up by on site at the Swag Spot prior to 12 p.m. on Tuesday, May 25, 2027, or it will be returned with no refund.
• Cancellation requests must be emailed to [email protected]
• Cancellation refunds requested via check can take up to two months to process.
• If you do not cancel in writing by April 30, 2027, and do not attend, no refund will be granted.

Membership must be current through May 31, 2027, to qualify for member registration rates. Should your membership expire prior to May 31, 2027, and you choose not to renew your membership, AAPA Customer Care will contact you for the payment for the difference between member and nonmember registration rates.

If you do not cancel in writing by April 30, 2027, and do not attend, no refund will be granted.

Space in ticketed CME and SIS sessions is limited. Registered participants should arrive on time to ensure their spot.

Ten minutes after the scheduled start of the session, any unclaimed spots may be released to other attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Ticket holders who have not arrived by that time will forfeit their reserved spot and may not be admitted if the session has reached capacity.

Forfeited spots are not eligible for a refund.

We encourage all registered participants to arrive early to allow time for check-in and seating.

The discounted registration rate for staying in the official AAPA hotel block is available until Wednesday, May 5, 2027, per availability.

AAPA’s hotel room and registration policy was enacted so that we can provide our attendees with discounted hotel room rates, low conference registration costs, a large and varied selection of properties, the best networking opportunities — and an extra $200 off registration!

When you book your room in the official AAPA hotel block, we’ll take $200 off your registration cost. We’ve done the work of scouting out great properties in our host city: This year in Phoenix, you can choose from 23 options, all convenient to the convention center via walking or the light rail. Plus, you’ll be surrounded by your colleagues, meaning you’ll make great networking and social connections.

To keep providing discounted hotel rates, we have to fill these rooms. That’s why we’re giving this $200 discount to attendees who book their reservation for the conference within any of the official AAPA hotels (minimum 2-night stay). Attendees will be prompted to book their hotel and register at the same time in order to apply the $200 discount.

If you live within a 50-mile radius of Phoenix, you are automatically eligible for the $200 discount on your registration rate.

If you are sharing a room with other attendees, you may still be eligible for the $200 registration discount, even if you’re already registered. Please contact us for more information.

AAPA, Phoenix Convention Center, and all official meeting hotels comply with the requirements specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you have any questions or require special accommodations or auxiliary aid relating to a disability for your conference attendance, please indicate this during the registration process on the “Badge Information” page.

Attendees with dietary restrictions or food allergies must indicate their needs during the registration process on the “Badge Information” page. Providing this information in advance allows AAPA to work with our catering partners to accommodate dietary needs whenever possible.

While we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate requests submitted during registration, we cannot guarantee accommodations for dietary restrictions communicated onsite or after the designated deadline.

Service animals for guests with disabilities are permitted. All other animals, including emotional support animals, are prohibited.

Children under the age of 18, including infants, are welcome in the public spaces of the Convention Center as well as the Expo on Sunday and Monday during show hours. Please be aware that the Expo is crowded, and that small children and infants should be in strollers or carriers.

Children under the age of 18, including infants, are not allowed in conference sessions, the Main Stage events, the Opening Reception, Challenge Bowl, or in the Expo during move-in and set-up or move-out hours due to safety concerns, audio recording, and maintaining an appropriate learning environment.

PA Night Out is a strict 21 years of age or older event.

For specific questions, please contact [email protected].

Conference attire is business casual. Dressing in layers is recommended since the temperature in meeting rooms can vary.

Guest passes are available for purchase onsite for $50. Guests must be accompanied by a registered attendee and are only allowed access to the Expo, Main Stage events, and the Opening Reception. Guests must be 18 years of age or older.

Separate guest tickets for PA Night Out can be purchased through the registration dashboard. You must be 21 years of age or older to attend PA Night Out.

Registered attendees must always wear their official conference name badge to access conference events. There will be a $50 fee to reprint a lost badge. The badge is nontransferable.

In accordance with the Smoke Free Arizona Act, ARS 36-601.01, a no smoking policy is in effect throughout all the Phoenix Convention Center facilities, including patios, interior docks, garages, stairwells, and restrooms. Designated smoking areas are clearly marked and are located at least twenty (20) feet from all facility entrances, windows, and air intake locations. The use of electronic cigarettes in all forms is prohibited inside all venues and within 20 feet of all entrances. The use of electronic cigarettes is allowed wherever smoking is permitted. For additional information about Smoke Free Arizona visit, smokefreearizona.org.

The AAPA 2027 national conference is intended for education, networking, and collaboration among PAs. AAPA is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and respectful conference experience regardless of a person’s race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, age, religion, disability status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical appearance, or other characteristics. AAPA expects conference participants to communicate professionally and constructively and to uphold the professional and educational purposes of the conference.

We expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe environment for everyone.

Harassment of conference participants or AAPA staff in any form is prohibited. Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited to offensive verbal comments, expressed or implied threat of physical or professional harm, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated. If you experience or notice others experiencing any of the above unacceptable behavior or have any other concerns, please contact AAPA conference staff at [email protected].

AAPA will investigate all incidents reported with discretion and confidentiality. AAPA reserves the right to bar any attendee who violates this Code of Conduct from attending future conferences and/or cancel membership without refund.

By submitting an attendee registration for AAPA 2027, attendees must acknowledge and agree that they are fully responsible for their own safety and actions while participating in the national conference and recognize that they may be at risk of contracting airborne viruses or other illnesses, through no fault of AAPA.

Be sure to practice everyday preventive actions, including but not limited to washing hands often, and monitoring your health daily.

AAPA provides roaming security personnel at Phoenix Convention Center during conference hours, and at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, Thursday through Sunday. Additionally, both the Convention Center and Sheraton Phoenix Downtown have internal security personnel to handle any situations that arise.

Admittance to AAPA’s House of Delegates Meeting at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown will be only by AAPA 2027 Conference Badge. There will be only one entrance to the meeting room and security personnel will be positioned to check badges for delegate and member access. In addition, a plain clothes officer will be present during the HOD proceedings.

As in any city, we remind conference attendees to be aware of your surroundings. If you see something, say something. We also recommend when you are walking around the city to remove your conference badge and have a buddy. We encourage all attendees to program the following security phone numbers in their cell phones before heading to Phoenix to ensure they are easily accessible should you need to reach security. Security at Phoenix Convention Center can be reached at (602) 262-7271. Security at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown can be reached at (602) 817-5388.

The following specific measures are being taken for our AAPA 2027 attendees:

• Firearms are not allowed on any premises during AAPA 2027, regardless of state laws.
• There is security onsite at Phoenix Convention Center and the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.
• PA Night Out will remain a private event, only open to conference registrants.
• There will be ample signage at the Phoenix Convention Center and the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown on what to do if there is a problem.
• Safety and security information will be provided in the AAPA app.
• Badges are required for all AAPA conference events.