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Your Commitment to Speak

It is an honor and a privilege to speak at an ATD conference. By sharing your expertise, you make a valuable contribution to the profession's field of knowledge and the individual learning of our participants. If selected, please view this opportunity as a commitment and ensure you can deliver the session by securing your organization's support and managing your workload and clients to keep this time open. We understand things happen and would appreciate your advance notice if extreme circumstances prevented your attendance.

Honoraria, Travel Expenses & Complimentary Registration

ATD is a nonprofit educational association responsible for its members' careful management of resources. Delivering an education session is voluntary and unpaid. The speaker's individual travel and living expenses are at their own expense. ATD provides one complimentary full conference registration per speaker. This year, we will not be offering session-only passes. If you plan to bring additional guests to help assist you, they must purchase a full conference registration to attend.

Noncommercial Policy

ATD conference education programs are learning experiences first and foremost, and as such, must be noncommercial in content and delivery.

Speakers must:

  • Avoid using brand names and endorsing specific products.

  • Eliminate any form of direct promotion of the speaker's product, service, or monetary self-interest.

  • Refrain from overt statements, harsh language, or pointed humor disparaging any individual or group's rightful dignity and social equity.

Proposal Submission, Session Delivery, and Speaker Limits

Proposal Submission:
ATD continues to seek and provide a balanced slate of speakers with diverse backgrounds, viewpoints, and organizational affiliations. Each individual or organization may submit up to two (2) speaking proposals. Any proposals submitted exceeding this limit will be deleted based on the submission date. Please submit your absolute best proposals and coordinate with your colleagues when submitting from large organizations. Proposals are selected based on the information submitted. Submitters must follow the instructions and supply all requested information. Missing or incorrect information could make the proposal ineligible for consideration. For example, there are missing/incorrect speakers listed in the proposal. Exceptions to these limits must be pre-approved by ATD.

Speaker Limits:
The number of speakers is limited based on the session type. Education, Innogizer, New ATD Speaker, On-Demand, and Panel sessions are limited to two (2) speakers. Panel sessions are limited to four (4) panelists plus one (1) moderator for a total of five (5) speakers. All panelists must confirm their acceptance individually (if accepted).

Session Delivery Limits:
Most speakers will be limited to one education session, except for repeated sessions. Speakers may also serve on a panel and deliver one education session. Exceptions are at ATD's discretion.

Intellectual Property

All work that you submit should be original to you. To the extent the work includes any third-party materials, ensure you have the appropriate permissions for using those materials and that the work does not infringe the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, and right of publicity.

Speaker Release

All speakers must sign a speaker release if your proposal is selected. You cannot speak at the conference if you do not sign the release. Here is an example of the speaker release.


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