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New Frontiers in Facilitation

2026 MAFN Conference



WHEN: Friday, April 17, 2026 | WHERE: Mason Fuse Center - 3401 Fairfax Drive Arlington, VA 22201 


Don't miss out on this opportunity to Explore | Sharpen | Connect


We’re bringing the MAFN community together in person this spring - Join us!

What You will Experience

Expect a day filled with fresh ideas, meaningful conversations, and the energy of being in community. Attendees will direct their own agenda around the content themes through interactive workshops and meaningful opportunities to connect and network before and after the conference.

CONTENT Themes:

  • Business development in dynamic times
  • Technology shifts in facilitation
  • Facilitating amid polarization and conflict

Who Should Attend and Why

If you lead groups, facilitate change, or guide learning, New Frontiers in Facilitation is designed for you. This one-day, in-person conference brings together facilitators, trainers, educators, coaches, mediators, and organizational leaders to explore cutting-edge practices in business development, technology in facilitation, and working across divided contexts. Beyond the sessions, the conference emphasizes intentional networking to help you build meaningful connections that last well beyond the event. Join us and leave inspired, equipped, and connected for the future of facilitation.

At-a-Glance Schedule 

Full Session Descriptions - Click here


TIME ACTIVITY  
8.00-8.45 Registration, Coffee
9.00-10.00 Plenary- Rae Ringel (The Fuse) - Rupture & Renewal, How Facilitation Evolves in a Polarized AI-Driven World
10.00-10.15 Break & Transition
10.15-11.00 Workshop - Mike Burns (The Fuse) - AI and Facilitation: Asking Not What It Can Do, But What It Should Do Workshop - Nikki Frias (Van Metre 308) - Building Bridges in Conflict and Uncertainty with Applied Improv
11.00-11.15 Break & Transition
11.15-12.00 Workshop - Carly Chomer & Kim Fredrich (The Fuse)  - Make Your Business Development Meaningful Not Mechanical Workshop - Christine Gerson & Eboney Dixon-Crump (Van Metre 308) - Clarity, Curiosity and Connection: Coaching Through Polarization & Communicating Across Differences
12.00-1.00 Lunch
1.00-1.15 Transition & Networking
1.15-2.00 Workshop - Bola Audena (The Fuse)- Scaling with Purpose: Building a Thriving Facilitation Brand in the Age of AI Workshop - Jennie Toner-Algin (Van Metre 308)- Find the Beat: Using Musical Techniques to Reduce Polarization and Navigate Group Conflict
2.00-2.15 Break & Transition
2.15-3.30

Knowledge Cafe (The Fuse): Join table hosts for skills-based learning (opportunity to join TWO tables)

  • Lauren Green - AI and Facilitation—A Human/Robot Partnership (How AI and facilitation work together)

  • Maggy Sterner - Get Hired with a One-Sentence Pitch

  • Sharon Kniss - Block, Shift, or Embrace: Tools for Polarization

  • Susan Borke - Negotiate Better Now!

  • Gina Barber - Exploring the Human-Technology Relationship in Facilitation (Focus on ethics & emphasizing the human)

  • Eduardo Villavicencio-Vizcaino - Close the Listening Gap

 Open Space (Lounge Area): This Open Space formatted session will provide dedicated time for participants to reflect on learnings that happened throughout the day, collaboratively explore emerging questions, and engage in self-directed dialogue with peers.
3.30-4.00 Closing Session (The Fuse)
Informal Happy Hour & Networking

MAFN Thanks Our Conference Sponsors

It's our pleasure to introduce you to our sponsors: 

Thank you to Sterling Sponsor, The Bridge Badge:

          

Thank you to our Bronze Sponsors, Trainers Warehouse and GMU Schar school of policy :

Thank you to Copper Sponsor, StratSimple:

Registration Rates

Members
  • Last-minute Member Rate: $159.00
  • Membership Bundle (Membership & Registration): $259.00

Non-Members:

  • Non-member Rate: $159.00

Students:

  • Current/Active Student Rate: $79.00



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