Astronaut, Purple Heart recipient to keynote NACo Annual Conference

Key Takeaways

More than 3,000 county officials and others will converge on New Orleans this week for NACo’s 91st Annual Conference & Exposition, where the nation’s counties will set their federal policy agenda and elect new leadership.

The four-day conference runs July 17–20 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in Orleans Parish. NACo, which represents the country’s 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs, holds the event each year as its largest gathering of elected and appointed county leaders.

Much of the week is built around policy. NACo’s 10 policy steering committees, its Board of Directors and the general membership will consider proposed resolutions and platform changes that guide the association’s advocacy before Congress and federal agencies over the coming year. 

Delegates will adopt those priorities — and elect NACo’s incoming officers, including a new president — at the Annual Business Meeting.

Two keynote speakers headline the General Sessions. Retired Army Ranger and Purple Heart recipient Master Sgt. Cedric King, a double amputee and endurance athlete, will deliver the address at Friday’s Opening General Session. 

On Sunday, retired astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield — a former commander of the International Space Station, business leader and five-time bestselling author — will speak on leadership and change, drawing on the parallels between space exploration and running an organization. 

That session will also feature NACo leadership’s remarks on the state of the nation’s counties and honor standout local programs through the association’s Best in Category Achievement Awards.

The conference also features dozens of committee and caucus meetings and educational workshops covering county responsibilities from public safety and infrastructure to health, technology and economic development. 

An exposition hall will connect attendees with companies and organizations that market products and services to county governments, and a Technology Innovation Forum will precede the main conference, focused on emerging tools.

NACo will also run mobile tours that take attendees outside the convention center to see local government and community programs firsthand. The tours require no advance registration and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. 

NACo has also partnered with New Orleans & Company on a visitor’s guide highlighting the host city’s restaurants, music and attractions.

The week closes Monday, July 20 with an all-conference reception from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Mardi Gras World, the working studio where Mardi Gras floats and costumes are built year-round. Hosted by the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, the event is open to all attendees with a conference or guest badge.

Parish leaders from across Louisiana are providing the food. The lineup includes St. Bernard’s chargrilled oysters, St. Charles’ fried alligator tacos, St. Martin’s crawfish étouffée-topped catfish and St. James’ red bean gumbo, alongside St. Helena’s pastalaya and Ascension’s jambalaya. Seafood options include Lafourche and Terrebonne’s fried shrimp, Cameron’s crab dip and Allen Parish’s mini crawfish po’boys. Desserts feature Jefferson Parish’s king cake, Tangipahoa’s strawberry shortcake and St. Landry’s sweet dough pies, with drinks that include Jefferson Davis Parish’s signature beverage, St. Tammany’s Abita root beer and Beauregard’s watermelon freeze. Organizers are billing the evening as a chance to “laissez les bons temps rouler.”

NACo will run complimentary shuttle service between the New Orleans Marriott and Sheraton New Orleans and the convention center for attendees.