NCEMA Spring 2026 Conference

Emergency Management Professionals and Partners,

I want to take a moment to personally invite you to the NCEMA Spring Conference, scheduled for March 16–18, 2026, in Cherokee, NC. I am truly excited for the opportunity to gather with each of you as we continue to strengthen our profession and our partnerships.

Our Spring Conference continues to provide a valuable opportunity to meet in person, share experiences, and learn from one another. This year’s program will feature a full schedule of engaging sessions, timely topics, and knowledgeable speakers who bring practical insight from across the emergency management discipline.

We are proud to welcome practitioners from local, state, tribal, and federal government, as well as representatives from higher education, healthcare, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. No matter your role or area of focus, the conference is designed to ensure you leave Cherokee with ideas, tools, and connections that will support your work back home.

As our profession continues to grow and expand, so too does the importance of collaboration, preparedness, and shared learning. I encourage each of you to take advantage of this opportunity to network with peers, engage in meaningful discussions, and help shape the future of emergency management in North Carolina.

I look forward to seeing you in Cherokee this March and to working alongside you as we move forward together.

Sincerely,

Sandy Wood

President, NCEMA

Who: All Emergency Managers

Where: Harrah’s Cherokee

When: March 16-18, 2026

HOTEL BOOKING INFORMATION

Phone: 828-497-7777

Online: NCEMA Booking link

Group Code: S03NCEM

Group Price: $95.00 + $10 facility fee + tax

Attendee, Vendor, and Sponsorships Registration

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Speaker Registration

NCEMA is excited to launch its new Sponsorship Program, a way to help our corporate partners enhance their connections with Emergency Management Professionals across the state.

*** Special Sponsorships are reserved on a first come, first-serve basis. To discuss sponsorship opportunities, confirm availability, or customize a sponsorship package, please contact Kent Greene (email: Treasurer)

Cornhole Tournament!

2026 NCEMA Conference
March Cornhole Tournament

Single Elimination Tournament

16 Teams

All Rounds will be played on Monday night, beginning at 5:30 PM.

Players will score/officiate their own match and turn in a scorecard at the end of their round.

All matches will be played according to American Cornhole Association rules. https://www.playcornhole.org/pages/rules

Rounds 1, 2 and the Semi-Finals will be a non-bust, traditional rule game. First team to reach or exceed 21 wins.
The Final round (Championship Match) will play 21-exact scoring. A team must land exactly on 21 to win. If any team surpasses 21 points at the end of a frame, they bust and reset their score to 13.

Prize(s) to be determined and provided by a vendor sponsor and announced at the conference.

Registering before the conference is preferred; however, registration will remain open until the first 16 teams are registered OR until 1:00 PM on the first day of the conference.

Please register as a team. Only 1 person needs to fill out the form to register the team. There is an option for singles to register and be paired with other singles if you do not have a complete team.

We are in need of 4-5 cornhole board/bag sets. If you have a set you would be willing to bring to the conference to use in the tournament and for friendly play during the Presidents Reception and Banquet night please email Kevin Turner at kturner@burlingtonnc.gov.

Questions or issues with registration contact Kevin Turner at kturner@burlingtonnc.gov.

Professional Headshots

Professional headshots will be offered to all attendees during from 4:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, March 16, and during the Banquet on Tuesday, March 17.

Attendees who wish to have their portrait made should plan to dress appropriately.

NCEMA Spring 2026 Conference

From Our President

Conference Basics