27th Annual Georgia Association of Community Service Boards (GACSB) Leadership Conference
October 26–28, 2025
Legacy Lodge & Conference Center at Lake Lanier | Buford, GA 

EMPOWER, ENGAGE, EVOLVE: The Future of Inclusive Leadership 

Submission Deadline: July 10, 2025 

Established in 1994, the mission of the Georgia Association of Community Service Boards, Inc. (GACSB) is to provide support to all 22 Community Service Boards (CSBs) operating in Georgia. The GACSB holds an annual Leadership Conference in which stakeholders from all of the Association’s member organizations gather to network and discuss strategies for how CSBs can better serve their communities. 

GACSB invites you to submit presentation proposals for our 27th Annual Leadership Conference. This event brings together executive leadership, board members, clinicians, middle management, government officials, and key decision-makers from Georgia’s 22 CSBs for three days of shared learning, strategic dialogue, and innovative thinking. 

This year’s theme – “Empower, Engage, Evolve: The Future of Inclusive Leadership” – emphasizes forward-looking, inclusive approaches to service delivery, governance, and leadership in behavioral health and developmental disabilities. 

We are now accepting presentation proposal submissions for our in-person leadership conference until 5:00 PM EDT on July 10, 2025. You can submit for any one of the following presentation formats: 

• Workshops (60 or 90 minutes) – Interactive, skill-building sessions
• Panel Discussions (60 minutes) – Diverse perspectives on timely topics
• Spotlight Talks (30 minutes) – Focused, high-impact presentations 

Conference Focus Areas include the following: 

• Leadership development
• Clinical innovations in behavioral health and Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) services
• Board governance & development
• Workforce recruitment, retention, and resilience
• Strategic partnerships and system integration
• Community engagement and stakeholder collaboration
• Leadership during crisis and change
• Data-informed decision-making and performance improvement
• Emerging public policy and funding trends
• Financial management and strategy
• Telehealth and other technology-based solutions
• Emerging AI technologies in behavioral health and IDD 

Presenter Benefits 

Discounted registration for up to two presenters per accepted session 

Statewide exposure to an audience of nearly 200 CSB leaders, board members, and stakeholders 

Opportunity to help shape the future of Georgia’s public behavioral health and IDD system 

NOTE: Speakers are responsible for their own travel, lodging, and meals (outside of conference-provided meals). Desired honoraria or speaker fees should be included in the presentation proposal, but are not guaranteed. 

Selected presenters will be notified by July 31st. 

Instructions for Submission 

Please send your Presentation Proposal with the following information: 

• Presenter(s) bio(s), affiliation(s), and contact information
• Preferred presentation format (workshop, panel, or spotlight talk)
• Session title & topic area
• Abstract of session (up to 300 words) that includes: Relationship to the field of behavioral health and/or IDD: Summary of topic relevance and timeliness, and your expertise on the topic: Three (3) learning objectives and an explanation of why each would be considered essential knowledge 

We welcome submissions from CSB professionals, board members, statewide partners, subject matter experts, clinicians, and thought leaders. Whether you bring best practices, bold ideas, or lived experience—this is your platform to empower others, engage deeply, and evolve our systems together. 

For more information or to submit your proposal, please contact:
Cynthia Summers. DrPH 

[email protected]

917-684-7338