2026 NASAGA Conference Schedule

TENTATIVE
Our strategy is emergent - schedule will change as more information is known

Wednesday

Thursday

  • 8:00am - 9:00am: Breakfast and Networking

  • 9:00am - 10:30am: Keynote

    • The Other Side of the Table: Games and Critical Empathy - Trent Hergenrader

  • 11:00am - 12:30pm - Breakout Session 1

    • Kobolds Ate My Nervousness: Flexible Thinking Through Kobolds Ate My Baby - Dr. Maryanne Cullinan

    • The Dream Game for Transformational Leadership - Mia Cellucci

  • 12:30pm - 1:30pm: Lunch on your own

  • 1:30pm - 3:00pm: Breakout Session 2

    • Building Connection and Mastery: Tabletop Roleplaying Games for Children and Patients - Timothy Kreider

    • EscapeIF: Using Storytelling and Found Objects for Low-Resource Escape Games - Scott Nicholson

  • 3:15pm - 4:00pm: Rapid Fire Breakout Sessions 1

    • Raymond A. Kimball - "Plastic Pals": AI Assistants for Educational RPGs

    • Playing Through Uncertainty: Game Mechanics for a BANI World - Anna Heinrich

  • 4:00pm - 5:30pm: Breakout Session 3

    • Gaming to Enhance Trans Empathy - Jasper Wojtach

    • CTRL+ALT+CONNECT: Rehumanizing Learning Through Play - Nakia Avery

  • 6:00pm - 10:30pm Dinner on own and Game Night

    • Details to follow

Friday

  • 8:00am - 9:00am: Breakfast and Networking

  • 9:00am - 10:30am: Breakout Session 3

    • Creating the Friendship-Building Sabotage Game - Julia Bueno

    • For Those Who Come After: Processing Grief and Loss through Games - Brian Stauber

  • 11:00am - 12:30pm: Breakout Session 4

    •  Riddle Race - Jessica Andrews-Wilson

    • 200-Year-Old Vampires: Reflecting on Motion Picture - Christopher Jeansonne

  • 12:30pm - 1:30pm: Lunch on your own

  • 2:00 - 4:00 PM: Strong Museum of Play

    • Optional Curator-led tour from 23:30 - 3:30 pm

  • 5:00pm - 6:00pm: Interactive Expo and Poster Presentations

  • 6:00pm - 8:00pm: Silent Auction, Gala, and Annual Business Meeting

  • 8:00pm - 10:30pm - Game Night

Saturday

  • 8:00am - 9:00am: Breakfast and Networking

  • 9:00am - 10:30am: Breakout Session 6

    • Serving The Table: Building Belonging and Community for TTRPGs - Mark Bylancik

    • Negotiating with Dragons: An experiential negotiation game exploring how creativity and connection emerge - Dr. Joe Lasley

  • 10:45 - 11:30: Rapid Fire Breakout Sessions 2

    • Immersion Beyond Visuals: Storytelling Through Pressure Meter - Christyana Walker

    • Carolyn Noe

  • 11:30pm - 2:00pm: Lunch and Facilitator Discussion

  • 2:00pm: Optional Visit to Millennium Games