RESNA hits pause on annual conference
By HME News Staff
Updated 9:29 AM CDT, Tue October 31, 2023
WASHINGTON – RESNA's board of directors has decided to take a one-year break from hosting the organization’s annual conference. RESNA will develop new events and explore partnerships for future conferences, the organization stated. “Sponsors, attendees, and solution providers really enjoyed our New Orleans conference this past July, and we got great feedback from our customer focus groups and surveys,” said Carmen DiGiovine, PhD, ATP/SMS, RET, president of the board. “But with manufacturers, public institutions and rehab facilities cutting their budgets, we felt we could not get the attendance we needed to make a 2024 conference financially feasible.” RESNA pointed out that in recent years it has developed several partnerships to increase education, like its educational track at this year’s International Seating Symposium. Additionally, RESNA Learn includes courses on product design, smart technologies and power wheelchairs, engineering concepts in AT, and robotics wheelchairs, among other topics. “Member needs have really changed due to the pandemic,” said Andrea Van Hook, executive director. “For example, RESNA now has year-round continuing education available through RESNA Learn, which is free to members. The hands-on and in-person component of assistive tech is very important, though, so we’re actively looking for ways to engage live, especially with partners. Since conferences are planned years in advance, we simply couldn’t make it happen for 2024.”
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