Young Professionals Summit
Schedule SumMit Program Justification Toolkit Fees Registration SponsorsWEF MA workshop AWWA YP Leader Training Day WEF Leadership workshop Housing Continuing Education Utility Scholarship Cancellation policy
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Young Professionals Summit 2026
The Next Wave: Navigating Water Sector Currents
Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, NC, March 22-24, 2026
The WEF/AWWA Young Professionals (YP) Summit is the premier water and wastewater industry workshop for young professionals. This standout event gives YPs the opportunity to develop your leaderships skills and industry knowledge. With over 400 water sector participants, you will be able to both learn from each other and create a diverse network to support your evolving career path.
YP Summit attendees in Dallas, Texas on February 11th, 2025.
Schedule
Plan to be in Charlotte March 22 - 24 to join us for all the YP Summit-related activities. Events that week include:
- Sunday, March 22
- Pre-Summit Activity
- Monday, March 23
- WEF Member Association YP Leaders (MAYPL) Workshop
- AWWA YP Leader Training Day
- WEF Emerging Young Professionals Leadership (EYPL) Workshop
- Welcome Reception
- Tuesday, March 24
- YP Summit
- Networking Reception
- March 24–27
Program
The summit offers a full day of interactive presentations, workshops, and other activities delivered by industry insiders, fellow YPs, and subject matter experts from across a variety of disciplines - all with a goal of fostering connections, developing skills, and building knowledge within the context of a water sector career.
This year’s summit is focused on The Next Wave: Navigating Water Sector Currents, creating the opportunity to explore the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly changing sector while understanding the trends and drivers behind those changes. Attendees will engage in discussions with senior leadership about trends, risks, and opportunities in the sector. The program also emphasizes foundational professional skills, such as impactful presentation and communication techniques, along with principles that strengthen our culture, collaboration, resilience, and sense of belonging to ensure inclusive opportunity and leadership across the water industry.
Hands-on experiences, including Operations Challenge tasks, interactive small-group problem solving, and in-person and online networking activities, give participants the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the sector while practicing real-world skills. Working within small learning cohorts, attendees will apply what they learn to complete challenges that reinforce technical knowledge, teamwork, and community building. The summit culminates in a networking reception where attendees can continue to build their network of other driven young professionals, as well as the industry-renowned speakers and organizational leadership from WEF and AWWA who will be joining the event.
Planned sessions include:
- Leading water into the future: perspectives on where we are and where we are going from a sector perspective with WEF and AWWA senior leadership
- Presenting for impact: in-depth, interactive presentation workshop with Rogue Water Lab Executive Director Chelsea Boozer
- Resilience through inclusivity: discussion panel with thought leaders Mariana Anguiano, Nicole Brown, Donnell Duncan, and Briana Huber
- Leading through a time of change: best practices from a visionary utility leader, Kishia Powell, General Manager/CEO at WSSC
- Being... ready: lessons learned from a career in the water sector with long-time leader Art Umble
- Water circuit challenge: sector-specific, fast-paced experiential learning on everything from operations to communications to AI
- AI/digital landscape in the water sector
Learn more about this event during a webinar on Wednesday, January 28th, 3 – 4 pm Eastern. Sign up today.
Attendance Justification Toolkit
Access several tips and a sample letter to guide you in your request for approval to attend YP Summit. Access the toolkit.
Super saver rates will be valid through February 20th.
| Registration Type | Member Super Saver | Non-Members Super Saver |
|---|---|---|
| Young Professional | ||
| 2026 YP Summit | $220 | $300 |
| 2026 YP Summit + UMC | $395 | $500 |
| Students | ||
| 2026 YP Summit | $0 | $80 |
| 2026 YP Summit + UMC | $75 | $175 |
Student rate: Upload a copy of your student ID or letter from your professor indicating your student status during registration to qualify for the student rate.
To qualify for member rates, you must be an active WEF or AWWA member. Join or renew today:
WEF
AWWA:
Registration
Register at this link.
Use promo code YPSUM26 for YP Summit registration.
The 2026 YP Summit is open to any water professional under 35 years of age and/or with less than ten years’ experience.
Access sponsorship opportunity information.
Questions about sponsorship? Contact Amy LaTessa.
WEF Member Association YP Leaders (MAYPL) Workshop
Monday, March 23, 2026, 8 – 11 am
With the theme Turning the Ship Around: MA Leaders Steering Challenges into Successes, the agenda will include:
- Member Association (MA) YP Leader Roles & Responsibilities
- Overcoming Current & Future MA Challenges
- Improving Local MA Event & Program Engagement
- Innovating MA Student & YP Programs
Member Association (MA) is a local state or regional chapter of WEF. MA YP Leaders may represent YP committee chairs, student activities committee chairs, committee members, YP board members, or YPs who are active participants in their MA’s activities. However, all YPs are welcome to attend the MAYPL Workshop, regardless of their current MA involvement.
Workshop registration is free with YP Summit registration.
AWWA YP Leader Training Day: Learn to Lead the Future of Water
Monday, March 23, 12 noon - 5 pm
Join us for an engaging day dedicated to developing skills as a leader in the water industry and within AWWA as an association. Participants will explore communication strategies for effective leadership, witness the importance of mentorship, and discover how to make an impact through leadership roles in AWWA. This will be a chance to connect with peers, gain insights from water industry leaders, and strengthen the skills that will shape your future career in water. Training registration is free with YP Summit registration.
WEF Emerging Young Professionals Leadership (EYPL) Workshop
Monday, March 23, 11:30 am – 5 pm
With the 2026 theme of Flowing Together, the agenda will include:
- Building a Network
- Self-Advocacy
- Conflict Resolution
Workshop registration is free with YP Summit registration.
Access reservation links for the co-host hotels.
YP Summit attendees might want to consider the Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Uptown, which has the lowest rate and a free breakfast.
Continuing Education
WEF will update the website with any prior state credit approvals closer to the event. Please check this site periodically for updates.
Last updated: January 2, 2026.
Utility Scholarships
The application deadline for 2026 has passed for these scholarships for attending utility representatives:
Cancellation and Substitution Policy
Cancellations: All cancellation or refund requests must be submitted in writing by March 13, 2026. Requests received on or before this date will be processed with a 25% cancellation fee, and 75% of the registration payment will be refunded. No refunds will be issued for cancellation requests received after March 13, 2026.
Substitutions: Organizations may submit a written request to substitute one attendee for another by March 13, 2026. After this date, substitutions will not be processed in advance and must be completed onsite at the conference, from March 23–27, 2026, at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Questions
Registration questions: registration@wef.org
Program questions: Claudia Trapp
Where the Water Sector Connects
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