Call for Speakers
The Keystone Emergency Management Association (KEMA) invites you to share your expertise and contribute to the emergency management community by submitting a presentation proposal for the 9th Annual Pennsylvania Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security Conference, #KEMACon2026. The Conference will be held on September 27th to 29th in Altoona, Pennsylvania, at the Blair County Convention Center. With the theme “Strengthening Connections, Assessing the Threats of Tomorrow,” the conference will highlight the critical need to build relationships and proactively identify emerging threats to improve emergency management across the state. Join over 300 emergency management professionals at #KEMACon2026 and share your knowledge by submitting a proposal today.
Download the Call for Speakers Information Guide
Call for Speakers: Frequently Asked Questions
We appreciate your interest in presenting at the 9th Annual Pennsylvania Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security Conference. As a token of our gratitude, up to two speakers per presentation will receive a 50% discount on their conference registration. Please note that while we are pleased to provide this benefit, presenters are responsible for all costs associated with their accommodations, travel, and meals. KEMA does not offer an honorarium, and all presentations must be provided on a pro bono basis.
We value the time and expertise that our presenters contribute to the conference, and we strive to make your experience as smooth and rewarding as possible. We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to network with other emergency management professionals, attend informative workshops and presentations, and gain valuable insights and skills to help you prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.
Thank you again for your interest in presenting at #KEMACon2026. We look forward to reviewing your proposal and working with you to deliver an outstanding conference. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
All applications must be submitted by May 5, 2026, by 5:00 pm U.S. Eastern Time to be considered.
There will be no exceptions to this deadline.
Conference Topics
The results of the 2025 KEMA Conference survey indicated the following topics are most requested and thus, presentations related to these topics may receive preference:
- Case Studies
- Private Sector Integration and Partnerships
- Artificial Intelligence in Emergency Preparedness
- Safe Schools
- Mass Communication Notification
- Resilience
- Cybersecurity
- Non-Profits in Emergency Preparedness
- Emerging Technology
- Volunteer Engagement & Recruitment
Proposal Submission
- Online Application: https://bit.ly/KEMA2026CallForSpeakers
- Presentations that are directly related to the theme of “Strengthening Connections, Assessing the Threats of Tomorrow” will be given a higher score by the selection committee.