MACo’s Summer Conference, “Build What’s Next,” is scheduled for August 12-15, 2026, in Ocean City, MD. With more than 70 hours of educational content, it might be hard to choose what to attend – check out our topic-focused tracks for help deciding!

MACo’s Summer Conference has “something for everyone” – whether you’re interested in affordable housing, cybersecurity, or employee relations, we’ve got a session (or several!) for you.

We’ve compiled several lists of topic-focused “tracks” that outline sessions for specific interest areas. Attendees don’t need to follow these tracks or register for sessions in advance, but seeing related topics together might help inspire you as you’re planning your time at the Summer Conference.

Some of our sessions might not be included in the lists below, so be sure to check out the full line-up in our Registration Brochure.

And remember – these are just suggestions! You can mix and match as you’d like!

We have developed tracks for the following topics and interest areas – scroll down for details:

• Administration
• Budget & Finance
• Communications
• Data Centers
• Economic Development
• Education
• Emergency Management
• Energy & the Environment
• Health
• Housing
• Human Resources
• Human Services
• Information Technology & Cybersecurity
• Land Use Planning/Infrastructure/Engineering
• Legal & Liability
• Public Safety

Academy for Excellence in Local Governance:
(Academy Fellows who take these courses can earn credit toward their certificates. See list.)

• To Bot or Not To Bot? The Promise and Panic of Chatbots
• AI That Works: Practical Use Cases for County Government
• Basics of Risk Management
• MACo Good Government Book Club
• Modernizing Citizen Engagement Across County Government
• Maryland in 50 Years and Beyond
• Public Information Act
• Data Centers in Maryland: Opportunity, Pressure, and Policy
• MACo County Administrators Affiliate Meeting (county and council administrators only)
• Building the Bigger Picture
• Elections in Uncertain Times: What Counties Need to Know
• The Electric Slide – AI, Data Centers, and Counties
• Trivia Competition: In the Public Interest
• NACo EDGE: The County Advantage
• What’s New at DHCD: Tools, Partnerships, and Opportunities for Counties
• Immigration Policy Shifts Across All Levels of Government
• Moving at the Speed of Need: Permitting for Maryland’s Future
• The Human Side of AI: Managing Risk, Trust, and Accountability
• Blueprint in Action: Building on Success and Finding Common Ground
• I, Teacher…Education in the Virtual Age

• Public Surplus – More Than Auctions: Tailored Surplus Solutions
• Building the Bigger Picture
• Chesapeake Employers’ 2026 Summer Report
• Funding the Future: Counties Confront Growing Costs, Limited Flexibility
• The Money Behind the Money: How Payment Modernization Frees Up County Budgets
• The Funding of Fun: Parks, Partnerships, and Public Value
• Trivia Competition: In the Public Interest
• NACo EDGE: The County Advantage
• MACo Budget and Finance Affiliate Meeting (county budget and finance professionals only)
• Reinvesting in Maryland: Cannabis Revenue, Community Repair, and Economic Opportunity
• From Need to New Units: Financing Affordable Housing Development
• Blueprint in Action: Building on Success and Finding Common Ground

• To Bot or Not To Bot? The Promise and Panic of Chatbots
• Modernizing Citizen Engagement Across County Government
• Public Information Act
• Better Communication, Stronger Environmental Health
• Preparing Communities for AI Risks Facing Older Adults
• County Public Information Officers & Communications Professionals Meeting
• You’re Digitally ADA Compliant. Now What?

• Data Centers in Maryland: Opportunity, Pressure, and Policy
• The Electric Slide – AI, Data Centers, and Counties
• The Critical Role of Existing Generation in Responsible Data Center Development

• MACo County Economic Development Partnership Affiliate Meeting (county economic development professionals only)
• The Funding of Fun: Parks, Partnerships, and Public Value
• From Pipeline to Paycheck: Aligning Workforce and Economic Growth
• From Broadband to Economic Opportunity: Building Maryland’s Digital Future
• Connecting Visitors to Maryland: Transportation, Tourism, & Regional Growth
• Reinvesting in Maryland: Cannabis Revenue, Community Repair, and Economic Opportunity

• Blueprint in Action: Building on Success and Finding Common Ground
• I, Teacher…Education in the Virtual Age
• Cafeteria to Classroom: How School Meals Improve Student Outcomes

• MACo Emergency Managers Affiliate Meeting (county emergency management professionals only)
• Prevention Matters: How Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center Is Leading the Charge Against Preventable Injuries
• Protecting County Infrastructure in the Digital Age
• From Risk to Resilience: Local Tools for a Stronger Maryland
• Beyond the Bench: Legal Shifts Shaping Local Government

• Building What’s Next – Strengthening Recycling Infrastructure Without Increasing Your Budget
• Data Centers in Maryland: Opportunity, Pressure, and Policy
• How Do You Build Your Own Supply Stack?
• From Risk to Resilience: Local Tools for a Stronger Maryland
• Customer Affordability and the Energy Crisis
• Bay Goals, Stormwater Realities: What Counties Need to Know
• The Electric Slide – AI, Data Centers, and Counties
• Building Maryland’s Next-Generation Fiber Infrastructure Across Counties
• The Critical Role of Existing Generation in Responsible Data Center Development
• Daikin – Perfecting the Air We Share

• Cost Control + Access: How CloseKnit Primary Care Supports Your Workforce
• Prevention Matters: How Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center Is Leading the Charge Against Preventable Injuries
• MACo Health Officers/MACHO Affiliate Meeting (county Health Officers only)
• Understanding the AHEAD Model and What Maryland’s New Hospital Rate Setting Model Means for the Future
• The Price They Pay: The Mental Health Toll on Working Moms
• Rewiring Corrections: Enhancing Security, Education, and Rehabilitation Through Technology
• Better Communication, Stronger Environmental Health
• Building the Future of Rural Health in Maryland

• From Need to New Units: Financing Affordable Housing Development
• Building the Bigger Picture
• The Money Behind the Money: How Payment Modernization Frees Up County Budgets
• Federal Forum with U.S. Senator Van Hollen
• What’s New at DHCD: Tools, Partnerships, and Opportunities for Counties
• Moving at the Speed of Need: Permitting for Maryland’s Future
• Reinvesting in Maryland: Cannabis Revenue, Community Repair, and Economic Opportunity

• Cost Control + Access: How CloseKnit Primary Care Supports Your Workforce
• Moving From AI Hype to Digital Workforces
• Maryland in 50 Years and Beyond
• Understanding the AHEAD Model and What Maryland’s New Hospital Rate Setting Model Means for the Future
• The Price They Pay: The Mental Health Toll on Working Moms
• Chesapeake Employers’ 2026 Summer Report
• From Pipeline to Paycheck: Aligning Workforce and Economic Growth
• Preparing for Paid Family and Medical Leave: Updates, Requirements, and Next Steps
• Social Security: The Choice of a Lifetime
• MACo Human Resources Affiliate Meeting (county HR professionals only)
• Optimizing Pharmacy Benefits for Counties
• The Human Side of AI: Managing Risk, Trust, and Accountability
• Serving Those Who Served: Smarter Screening for Stronger Veteran Support

• Eric’s ID Law: From Policy to Practice
• MASSD and MACo Human Services Affiliate Meeting (county human services professionals and MASSD members only)
• Preparing Communities for AI Risks Facing Older Adults
• Immigration Policy Shifts Across All Levels of Government
• Serving Those Who Served: Smarter Screening for Stronger Veteran Support
• Rewiring Corrections: Enhancing Security, Education, and Rehabilitation Through Technology
• Digital Tools To Connect Families With the Safety Net

• MACo County Information Technology Directors Affiliate Meeting (county IT professionals only)
• Tech Expo Tradeshow
• To Bot or Not To Bot? The Promise and Panic of Chatbots
• AI That Works: Practical Use Cases for County Government
• Cyber Security Strategies for County Government
• Protecting County Infrastructure in the Digital Age
• Moving From AI Hype to Digital Workforces
• Modernizing Citizen Engagement Across County Government
• Outpaced and Outnumbered: The Case for Autonomous Cyber Defense
• Data Centers in Maryland: Opportunity, Pressure, and Policy
• Digital Tools To Connect Families With the Safety Net
• The Maryland National Guard – Critical Infrastructure Cyber Resilience Workshop: Building Stronger Partnerships for Maryland
• Preparing Communities for AI Risks Facing Older Adults
• The Electric Slide – AI, Data Centers, and Counties
• Building Maryland’s Next-Generation Fiber Infrastructure Across Counties
• The Digital Front Door to County Government: Better Services, Faster Outcomes, Lower Cost
• The Critical Role of Existing Generation in Responsible Data Center Development
• From Broadband to Economic Opportunity: Building Maryland’s Digital Future
• The Human Side of AI: Managing Risk, Trust, and Accountability

• Building What’s Next – Strengthening Recycling Infrastructure Without Increasing Your Budget
• Protecting County Infrastructure in the Digital Age
• Data Centers in Maryland: Opportunity, Pressure, and Policy
• The Maryland National Guard – Critical Infrastructure Cyber Resilience Workshop: Building Stronger Partnerships for Maryland
• Building the Bigger Picture
• From Risk to Resilience: Local Tools for a Stronger Maryland
• MACo Planners Affiliate Meeting
• Building Maryland’s Next-Generation Fiber Infrastructure Across Counties
• The Critical Role of Existing Generation in Responsible Data Center Development
• What’s New at DHCD: Tools, Partnerships, and Opportunities for Counties
• Connecting Visitors to Maryland: Transportation, Tourism, & Regional Growth
• Moving at the Speed of Need: Permitting for Maryland’s Future
• Daikin – Perfecting the Air We Share
• From Need to New Units: Financing Affordable Housing Development

• Basics of Risk Management
• Public Information Act
• What Claims Are Maryland Local Governments Facing? Understanding Today’s Employment and Liability Risks
• Ethics and Compliance Professionals Lunch Meeting (county Ethics/Compliance/Legal professionals only)
• Elections in Uncertain Times: What Counties Need to Know
• Beyond the Bench: Legal Shifts Shaping Local Government
• Preparing for Paid Family and Medical Leave: Updates, Requirements, and Next Steps
• MACo Attorneys Affiliate Meeting (private – Friday lunch ticket required)
• Immigration Policy Shifts Across All Levels of Government
• You’re Digitally ADA Compliant. Now What?

• Protecting County Infrastructure in the Digital Age
• Eric’s ID Law: From Policy to Practice
• The Maryland National Guard – Critical Infrastructure Cyber Resilience Workshop: Building Stronger Partnerships for Maryland
• Beyond the Bench: Legal Shifts Shaping Local Government
• Immigration Policy Shifts Across All Levels of Government
• Rewiring Corrections: Enhancing Security, Education, and Rehabilitation Through Technology

Haven’t registered yet? Our current low rates end on Aug 1 – don’t miss your chance to attend.

Register today!

Learn more about MACo’s Summer Conference:

• Attendee Registration Pricing
• Attendee Online Registration
• Sponsorship Opportunities
• Exhibitor Details & Pricing ALMOST SOLD OUT!
• Tech Expo Exhibiting Details SOLD OUT!
• Golf Tournament Details
• Discounted Hotel Room Rates
• 2025 Conference Photos
• Conduit Street Blog Coverage
• #MACoCon on Twitter
• Questions? Contact Virginia White