Sept. 28 – 30 in the Washington, D.C. area
Registration for LAS 2023 has closed. We look forward to seeing you in September 2024!
Overview
Join your PA and PA student colleagues in the nation’s capital for AAPA’s premier Leadership and Advocacy Summit (LAS), Sept. 28-30, 2023, at the Ritz Carlton in Arlington, VA.
The summit kicks off with a full day dedicated to federal advocacy and afternoon visits with legislators on Capitol Hill. The remainder of LAS focuses on key developments facing the profession, association management, leadership best practices, and advocacy skill-building.
LAS provides a fantastic opportunity for PAs to network, meet old friends and new leaders, exchange ideas, and enjoy the Washington, D.C. area. First-time attendees often say LAS is one of the most important professional conferences; it helps them better understand issues facing PAs and how to make positive change.
Please contact us if we can answer any questions or provide guidance as you prepare for the event.
This program is has been approved for 13.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits from the AAPA Review Panel.
Registration
Registration Rates
Please note that the Leadership and Advocacy Summit is not included in the Fellow Plus or Premium Memberships.
Registration rate includes three breakfasts, coffee breaks, Friday luncheon, welcome reception, and entrance to all sessions.
LAS Registration Cancellation and Refund Policy
- Please submit your cancellation request in writing to [email protected].
- We can offer a full refund for cancellations received by June 30, 2023.
- From July 1 to Sept. 14, we will offer a 50% refund for cancellations.
- No refunds or credits will be granted after Thursday, Sept. 14.
- All hotel cancellations must be made directly with the hotel.
Agenda
Below is a list of all of the sessions taking place at LAS 2023. The sessions that are eligible for CME are noted with an icon. You will find a more detailed agenda here.
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September 28
THURSDAY
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7:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
On-Site Registration
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7:30 A.M. – 8:30 A.M.
Buffet Breakfast
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8:30 A.M. – 8:45 A.M.
Welcome
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8:45 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.
Congressional Speaker: The Honorable Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
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9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
Congressional Outlook
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10:00 A.M. – 10:15 A.M.
Networking Break
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10:15 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
You Got This: Preparing for Capitol Hill Visits
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12:00 P.M.
Depart for Capitol Hill
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12:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
AAPA Capitol Hill HQ (CVC 217)
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1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Appointments on Capitol Hill and Capital Hill HQ
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5:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
Welcome Reception
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September 29
FRIDAY
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7:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
On-Site Registration
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7:30 A.M. – 8:30 A.M.
Buffet Breakfast
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8:30 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.
Capitol Hill Debrief
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9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
Reimbursement Strategies for PA Leaders
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10:00 A.M. – 10:15 A.M.
Networking Break
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10:15 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.
Advancing Optimal Team Practice: Legislative Progress in the States
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11:45 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Networking Lunch
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1:00 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.
Board Leadership Q&A
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1:30 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.
Improving Quality, Equity, and Access in Medicaid and CHIP
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2:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.
Leveraging Earned Media to Boost Your Advocacy
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3:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.
Networking Break
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3:30 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.
Breakout Session (choose one)
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- Advocating for the PA Profession: How Can Students Get Involved?
- Governance Fundamentals for Association Leaders
- Improving Licensure Portability with the PA Licensure Compact
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September 30
SATURDAY
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7:30 A.M. – 12 P.M.
On-Site Registration
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7:30 A.M. – 8:30 A.M.
Buffet Breakfast
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8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.
Supercharge Member Engagement with AAPA Resources and Social Media Best Practices
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9:00 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.
Networking Break
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9:30 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.
Breakout Session (choose one)
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- Advocating for PA Mental Health and Wellness
- Learning to Rise – Brave Bounce backs and Resilient Leadership
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10:30 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
Networking Break and Hotel Checkout
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11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
PA Political Engagement
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This agenda may be updated or modified without notification. Further details will be posted as they become available.
Accreditation Statements
The 2023 AAPA Leadership and Advocacy Summit, offered September 28-30, 2023, has been reviewed by the AAPA Review Panel and is compliant with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 13.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Venue and Travel
Conference Venue
The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City
1250 S. Hayes Street
Arlington, VA 22202
Benefits of Staying at the Conference Hotel
Reserving within our block of rooms at the venue helps AAPA negotiate the best hotel rates and gives you easy access to sessions, meals, and countless networking opportunities. There’s really no reason to stay anywhere else!
Hotel Perks
- Complimentary Wi-Fi in guest rooms
- Direct access to The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, offering more than 250 dining and shopping options
- State-of-the-art fitness center
- Indoor access to the Metro station in Arlington
Hotel Reservation Update
Due to high demand for the conference, the host hotel, Ritz Carlton Pentagon City, has sold out of hotel rooms. AAPA has provided a limited number of rooms at the Crystal Gateway Marriott over our conference dates, just a 13-minute walk from the Ritz.
Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Richmond Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
Travel
This hotel is only 3.8 miles from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
Hotel shuttle service to and from the airport is not provided. However, the hotel is conveniently located next to the Pentagon City Metro Station on both the blue and yellow lines. Please visit http://www.wmata.com/ for more information.
Airline Discount With Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines® is proud to partner with AAPA to offer discounted fares to/from Washington D.C. area airports for eligible travelers attending the Leadership and Advocacy Summit!
- Book your flights by visiting www.swabiz.com using Company ID: 99352105 to qualify for eligible discounted rates and bonus rapid reward points.
- Qualifying discounts on eligible fares are for reservations booked through SWABIZ between April 1-Sept. 23, 2023, for travel Sept. 23, 2023–Oct. 4, 2023.
- As a reward for our partnership, travelers will receive 25% more Rapid Reward bonus points* on all qualifying flights* booked via SWABIZ during April 1 through September 23, 2023 and flown to or from IAD, DCA, or BWI airports between September 23 through October 4, 2023.
*Restrictions apply. Visit southwest.com/rrterms for more information.
Things to Do
Take advantage of your time in the nation’s capital!
The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City is conveniently located next to the Pentagon City Metro Station on both the blue and yellow lines, making access to the Washington, D.C. National Mall a breeze!
- Take the time to check out the area’s many monuments and memorials.
- Visit one of the FREE Smithsonian museums.
Feeling a shopping spree?
You’re in luck – the hotel is adjacent to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and Pentagon Row. Shop ‘til you drop!
Attendee Information
On-Site Conference Registration and Tips
- Registration will open at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28. Please pick up your registration and Hill Day materials before heading into the sessions. You only need to check in once at the on-site registration desk.
- Meeting rooms might get cold. Don’t forget your sweater or light jacket.
- Bring along your business cards and get ready to network!
Electronic Handouts
There is no paper syllabus for this course. Lecture materials will be available in AAPA’s Learning Central before the conference start date.
Accessing the Course Evaluations and CME Certificates
Your feedback helps us plan future conferences; therefore, your completion of course evaluations is a prerequisite for a CME certificate. The course evaluations/CME certificate will be available in AAPA’s Learning Central beginning Thursday, September 21, 2023. Please complete evaluations by Tuesday, October 31, 2023. Use the following steps to complete the course evaluations and receive your CME certificate:
- Log in to Learning Central using your AAPA username and password. If you don’t know your user credentials, or are unable to log in, please contact [email protected].
- From your Dashboard, locate 2023 Leadership and Advocacy Summit
- Navigate to the different sessions by selecting the navigation tabs at the top of the screen.
- Click the session title to navigate to Session Overview and scroll down to Session Evaluation.
- At the end of each session, complete the evaluation for that session. Be sure to ONLY complete the session evaluations for the sessions that you attended.
- Complete the Conference Evaluation at the end of the conference.
- The CME certificate will not be viewable until the overall conference evaluation is completed.
- View your certificate under Transcript.
Testimonials
“LAS is great for all experience levels in advocacy. I would recommend it to new PAs, PAs wanting to learn more about advocacy, and leaders of constituent organizations. There was something for everyone!”
“This conference provides a great foundation for PA advocacy and an opportunity to network to with other PA leaders.”
“This [summit] teaches so much about being a leader in our profession. A truly unexpected rewarding experience. The atmosphere is very welcoming. Great networking opportunity.”
“The conference was a great opportunity to hit the ground running with advocacy and to network with fellow leaders. I met some amazing people and know that we will all be doing great things in the near future.”
“What a blast it is to go to Capital Hill, and find out how instrumental we can be as advocates for our profession!”
Partnering With AAPA
AAPA’s Leadership and Advocacy Summit brings together current and future leaders, administrators, managers, and decision makers. Get in front of PAs and PA students addressing professional issues and developing their advocacy skills.
Top Five Specialties
Family Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Internal Medicine
Hospital Medicine
Dermatology
Based on 2022 attendee registration data
Years of Experience
28% Less than five years
18% Five-10 years
54% More than 10 years
Based on 2022 attendee registration data
Primary Work Setting
50% Hospital
33% Outpatient Clinic or Physician Office
2% School/College/University Health Clinic
1% Urgent Care Center
14% Other
Based on 2022 attendee registration data
Attendees by Profession
69% PAs
30% PA Students
1% Other
Based on 2022 attendee registration data
Sponsorship Opportunities
Increase your ROI with exciting networking and sponsorship opportunities and enhance your visibility at LAS.
Become an Event Sponsor to extend your brand exposure, reach the right audience, amplify your message, and create a memorable attendee experience. AAPA offers a variety of different opportunities to fit your budget and needs.
- Industry Session (formerly Product Theater)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Wine & Cheese
- Conference Registration*
- Welcome Reception*
- Shuttle Buses*
- Creative Corner
- Hospitality Lounge
- Local Tour
- Refreshment & Snack Breaks*
- Digital Web Banner Ad
- Hotel Room Drop
- Attendee Conference Bag*
- Attendee Bag Insert
- Swag Bag Items*
In addition to the sponsorship benefits for each item, sponsors will also receive:
- General event sponsor recognition – conference website, pre-promotional materials, and onsite signage
- Access to the pre- and post-conference attendee registration list (available four weeks before conference)
For questions or to start partnering with AAPA, please contact Heather.
*SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY NOT AVAILABLE IF: The company is a for-profit entity that develops, produces, markets, or distributes drugs, devices, services, or therapies used to diagnose, treat, monitor, manage, and alleviate health conditions.
Thank you to our LAS 2023 sponsor!
Questions?
We’re here to help! Email us about LAS 2023.