Explore the 27th International Families & Fathers Conference
Discover opportunities to learn, connect, and lead — join our movement to strengthen families and communities worldwide.
27th International Families and Fathers Conference
Next Generation: Leading Legacies, Building Futures
April 13–16, 2026 | Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel | Los Angeles, CA | In-Person Only
Plan Your Stay & Wellness Experience
Enjoy your stay, renew your spirit, and connect with others who share your passion for well-being and family health.
From Caring Deeply to Acting Effectively
FFCA helps professionals, parents, and leaders move from caring deeply → to acting effectively → to being recognized and resourced for their impact.
This is the 27th International Families & Fathers Conference — where compassion becomes competence, competence becomes confidence, and confidence becomes funded, sustainable change.
April 13–16, 2026 · Hilton Los Angeles Airport · In-Person
The One Problem We Solve
Too many people who care deeply about families are left without the clarity, tools, recognition, or resources to create lasting impact. FFCA exists to change that.
We help people who care deeply about families turn care into competence, competence into confidence, and confidence into funded, sustainable impact — in agencies, schools, communities, and systems.
A Personal Invitation from Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC
This is more than a conference. It is a place where people who care deeply about families learn how to lead effectively. For twenty-seven years, we have gathered to elevate father engagement, strengthen families, and equip professionals with tools that actually work.
If you are seeking clarity, community, and confidence in how you show up as a leader, practitioner, or parent — this is your room.
General Session Keynotes — Voices That Shape Practice
- Dr. Roderick Logan — I Was Loved: Embracing Positive Parenting to Foster Resilient Children
- Jackie Thu Hương Wong — Building Futures with Families First
- Allan Shedlin — Daddying Film Festival Showcase
- Madeline Anderson — Building Your Legacy Through Fatherhood
- Dr. Joyce James — A Groundwater Analysis of Racial Inequities
- Andrea Pesina — Rooted in Strength: Leadership That Builds Family-Centered Systems
- Dr. Rosina McAlpine — Rethinking Our Role in Preparing Children for Life
- Michael Duncan — The Healing Father
- Dr. Jarret R. Patton — This One Moment: The Power of Showing Up with Purpose
- Dr. James C. Rodríguez — Purpose Within: Rising Out of the Ashes Like the Phoenix
Specialty Training & Credential Add-Ons
Optional, high-impact professional development opportunities offered during conference week for practitioners, leaders, and educators seeking CEUs or certificates of completion.
Monday · April 13 — Pre-Conference Institutes
- OAR Leadership Institute™ — Culture, buy-in, accountability ($129)
- Nurturing Fathers® Curriculum Training — Program implementation ($129)
- AI-Led Family Engagement Practitioner Certificate — AI tools for engagement ($97)
- Certified Fatherhood Facilitator (Deep Dive) — Advanced facilitation ($100)
- One Heart, Two Homes™ — Co-Parenting Strategist Training ($159)
Wednesday · April 15 — Advanced Certifications
- DiSC® Certification (FFCA Model) — Trauma-informed practitioner pathway ($100)
- QPR Suicide Prevention Training — National Gatekeeper certification ($50)
Who Are the Stakeholders We Value and Want to Join?
Who Is This Conference For—and What Will It Solve for You Right Now?
Many people who care deeply about children and families are doing meaningful work—yet still feel the same pressure: too much responsibility, not enough clarity, capacity, or support. The 27th International Families & Fathers Conference exists to change that.
Impact: You leave with practical strategies you can apply immediately in your program, classroom, clinic, or community.
Confidence: You gain tools, language, and frameworks that strengthen credibility and professional effectiveness.
Ease: You find your people—clear pathways, welcoming spaces, and next steps that don’t require guesswork.
If you’re looking for a place to make an impact, build effective change, and access resources that travel back home, you belong here. We value and welcome:
- Parents & Caregivers seeking tools, support, and community that strengthens families
- Social Workers, Counselors & Case Managers advancing practice, outcomes, and engagement
- Mental Health & Healthcare Professionals building trauma-informed, family-centered care
- Fatherhood & Family Program Providers improving implementation, fidelity, and results
- Child Support, Child Welfare & Juvenile Justice Professionals strengthening systems and reunification pathways
- Educators, Early Childhood & Head Start Professionals deepening family engagement and relational practice
- Policy Makers & Advocates translating values into sustainable systems change
- Academic Researchers & Students bridging evidence, practice, and community impact
- Faith-Based & Community Leaders convening trust, belonging, and healing supports
- Corporate & Philanthropic Partners investing in measurable, community-rooted outcomes
- Youth & Young Adult Leaders shaping the next generation with voice and vision
Your next smallest “yes”: If you see yourself in this community, take one step—review the schedule, explore the credential add-ons, or secure your registration. Small, clear steps create momentum.
Monday, April 13, 2026 — Pre-Conference Institute: Turning Leadership into Action
Many professionals begin conferences inspired—but return home unsure how to translate learning into real change. FFCA’s Pre-Conference Institute exists to solve that problem.
This full-day experience is designed for leaders, practitioners, educators, and clinicians who want to begin the week with clarity, gain recognized credentials, and leave equipped to act effectively in their organizations and communities.
Impact: You gain tools and frameworks that translate directly into
stronger programs, teams, and outcomes.
Confidence: You earn credentials and language that strengthen
credibility, leadership presence, and professional standing.
Ease: You choose one focused pathway, guided by expert faculty,
without overload or guesswork.
Monday’s institute represents the heart of FFCA’s global training platform—where learning meets implementation. Each credential track blends evidence-informed content, practical application, and nationally recognized frameworks you can immediately integrate into practice.
Pre-Conference Credential & Certification Institutes
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OAR Leadership Institute™ — “I AM Going Anyways”
Facilitator: Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC
Outcome: A purpose-driven leadership framework centered on ownership, accountability, and responsibility—designed to strengthen influence, resilience, and organizational culture. -
Nurturing Fathers® Program — Training of Trainers
Facilitators: Mark Perlman, MA & Corey Perlman
Outcome: Nationally recognized facilitator certification in an evidence-based fatherhood curriculum proven to increase engagement, emotional competence, and family stability. -
Certified Fatherhood Facilitator — The 100 Fathers Inc. Model
Lead Trainer: Dr. Franklyn Malone, PhD · Co-Presenters: Prince Hamn, Chris Beard, Chris Thomas
Outcome: Advanced facilitation strategies from FFCA’s 2024 Program of the Year, supporting systems change, re-entry, and community-based fatherhood initiatives. -
AI-Led Family Engagement Practitioner Certificate
Facilitator: Chandra Brooks
Outcome: Practical, ethical use of AI for documentation, communication, and engagement, with guardrails that prioritize equity and human connection. -
One Heart Two Homes™ — Co-Parenting Strategist Training
Facilitator: Tammy Daughtry, MMFT · Founder, CoParenting International
Outcome: Certification to deliver practical co-parenting tools for complex family systems, including single- and step-parent households.
This Pre-Conference Institute is an intentional investment for those seeking meaningful credentials, direct application, and access to national networks that extend well beyond conference week.
Begin the week grounded, prepared, and confident. This is where momentum starts.
Pre-Conference Registration Opens Soon
Credential tracks are limited in size to protect learning quality. Secure your preferred pathway early.
Register for Pre-Conference Day
Conference Schedule Highlights
Why Professionals, Parents, and Leaders Choose FFCA
Most conferences offer information. FFCA offers transformation with direction. People come to the International Families & Fathers Conference because they are ready to move from caring deeply to acting effectively — with clarity, community, and tools that last.
Impact: Learn strategies you can immediately apply in families,
classrooms, clinics, agencies, and communities.
Confidence: Gain frameworks, language, and credentials that strengthen
credibility and leadership presence.
Ease: Follow a clear flow — no guessing, no overwhelm, just intentional
learning and connection.
Rather than listing every session here, we want you to understand the experience arc of the week — how the conference is designed to build momentum day by day.
- Monday — Begin with Clarity: Pre-Conference Institutes provide focused credentialing, leadership development, and applied learning so you start the week grounded and prepared.
- Tuesday & Wednesday — Learn, Connect, Apply: General Sessions, workshops, and facilitated conversations help you deepen skills, exchange ideas, and connect with people who understand your work.
- Thursday — Integrate and Leave Renewed: Closing sessions, certifications, and celebration bring meaning to the learning and prepare you to return home with purpose.
Every part of the conference is intentionally designed to support learning that travels with you — not inspiration that fades by Friday.
What You Will Walk Away With
People don’t attend FFCA just to listen — they come to leave with direction, confidence, and momentum.
- Clear frameworks you can explain, teach, and defend in your organization
- Practical tools you can use immediately with families, teams, or communities
- Credentials and certificates that support professional growth and recognition
- Language that helps you advocate for resources, funding, and systems change
- Relationships with people who share your values and understand your work
Most importantly, you leave knowing you are not alone — and that the work you care about deeply is shared, supported, and worth investing in.
Men2Men Cafe
As a special gathering during the conference, the Men2Men Cafe will bring together fathers, grandfathers, mentors, leaders, and men from all walks of life in a unique space dedicated to dialogue, healing, leadership, and community building.
Led by Bishop Henry W. Hearns, MSEgr, Chairperson of the Fathers and Families Coalition of America Board of Directors, in collaboration with Dr. Chacko Abraham, the Men2Men Cafe is an opportunity to foster deeper connections and promote a culture of positive masculinity and leadership. This forum honors the strength and contributions of men while creating safe space to address challenges and opportunities facing today’s fathers and male caregivers.
When: Wednesday, April 15th, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: La Jolla A
Women2Women Cafe
The Women2Women Cafe will provide an inspiring space where women—mothers, grandmothers, daughters, caregivers, professionals, and community leaders—can come together in reflection, dialogue, and empowerment.
This gathering is designed to honor the voices and experiences of women, to strengthen connections, and to foster leadership and self-care within the context of family and community well-being. The Women2Women Cafe will run simultaneously with the Men2Men Cafe, creating parallel opportunities for healing and leadership among both women and men.
When: Wednesday, April 15th, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: La Jolla B
Meet Our Conference Leadership Team
Meet Our Conference Leadership Team
Conferences feel meaningful when the people guiding them reflect the values they teach. FFCA’s leadership team is intentionally diverse, deeply experienced, and united by a shared commitment: creating spaces where people feel they belong, are supported, and are equipped to lead effectively.
Together, this team brings wisdom earned through lived experience, professional excellence, and decades of service across faith, education, mental health, leadership, and community systems. You are not entering a room of strangers—you are being welcomed into a community of guides.
Bishop Henry W. Hearns
Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Fathers and Families Coalition of America
Bishop Henry W. Hearns embodies the kind of leadership that builds belonging before building institutions. With more than six decades of service, his life’s work reflects faith in action, resilience in the face of injustice, and an unwavering belief in community uplift.
From becoming the first African-American civil engineer in the USDA Soil Conservation Service, to serving as the first African-American Mayor of Lancaster, California, Bishop Hearns has consistently transformed barriers into bridges. His leadership helped shape civic infrastructure, educational access, and community pride—often in places where exclusion once prevailed.
As a pastor, civic leader, and mentor, Bishop Hearns reminds attendees that leadership rooted in love, faith, and service creates environments where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to grow.
Dr. Chacko Abraham
Conference Registration & Strategic Oversight
Dr. Chacko Abraham brings clarity, structure, and a global educational lens to the FFCA leadership team. With more than two decades in education and academic leadership, his work ensures that systems, processes, and participant experiences are intentional and accessible.
A scholar of parental engagement and father involvement, Dr. Abraham’s research and lived experience reinforce FFCA’s belief that families thrive when leadership is relational, inclusive, and grounded in evidence. His role helps participants feel confident that their conference journey—from registration to completion— is thoughtfully guided.
At FFCA, Dr. Abraham ensures that every attendee’s pathway is supported with clarity and respect, allowing participants to focus fully on learning and connection.
Dr. Alicia L. Jackson
Conference Program Oversight & Executive Fellow
Dr. Alicia L. Jackson serves as a bridge between clinical excellence, academic rigor, and community care. As a licensed psychologist, professor, and faith leader, she brings a holistic lens to conference programming that honors both professional standards and human experience.
Her leadership ensures that sessions are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and grounded in practical application. Dr. Jackson’s presence signals to attendees that mental health, faith, and leadership can coexist with integrity and compassion.
Participants often feel an immediate sense of safety and belonging in spaces shaped by Dr. Jackson’s thoughtful oversight and commitment to dialogue, healing, and growth.
Dr. Wendy Thelese Talley, LCSW, DSW
Corporate Wellness Strategist • Executive Leadership Coach • FFCA Leadership Institute Faculty
Dr. Wendy Thelese Talley brings a powerful blend of clinical insight, executive leadership, and wellness strategy to the FFCA leadership team. With more than twenty-two years of experience, she is widely respected for guiding leaders and organizations from chronic stress and burnout toward clarity, resilience, and sustainable performance.
As a Certified Trainer of the FFCA DiSC Training Model and Leadership Institute Faculty Member, Dr. Talley helps translate self-awareness into action. Her work equips leaders to understand behavior, manage complexity, and lead with emotional intelligence—skills that directly shape healthy families, teams, and communities.
Through her work with corporate, federal, and nonprofit organizations—including onsite leadership support for Sony Pictures Entertainment and the FDIC—Dr. Talley models what it means to lead well without sacrificing well-being or purpose.
Her presence on the FFCA team reinforces a core message to attendees: you belong here as a whole person. Leadership, wellness, accountability, and humanity are not separate—they are deeply connected.
Together, this leadership team represents the heart of FFCA—leaders who listen, guide, and walk alongside you. Their collective experience ensures that this conference is not just informative, but relational, affirming, and designed to help you move from caring deeply to leading effectively.
Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC President & CEO
Ready to Shape the Next Generation?
Ready to Turn What You Care About into Real Impact?
Many people come to this conference because they already care deeply about families. What they are looking for now is clarity, confidence, and direction — a place where purpose turns into action.
FFCA exists to help people who care deeply turn care into competence, competence into confidence, and confidence into sustainable, supported impact.
The 27th International Families & Fathers Conference is grounded in a shared sense of purpose — not just inspiration, but alignment between who you are, what you do, and how you serve.
- Impact: Practical tools, models, and strategies you can apply immediately in families, programs, and systems.
- Confidence: Clear frameworks, shared language, and credentials that strengthen credibility and leadership presence.
- Ease: A thoughtfully designed experience that removes overwhelm and replaces it with belonging, clarity, and momentum.
Throughout the week, participants engage in 50+ applied workshops led by experienced practitioners, researchers, and system leaders across early childhood, behavioral health, social work, child welfare, education, and family engagement.
These sessions are intentionally designed to bring together parents, practitioners, executives, educators, and policymakers — not to talk past one another, but to solve real challenges together.
This Is a Conference Where You Belong
FFCA is more than an event. It is a space where people are seen, valued, and equipped — regardless of title, role, or background.
- Be Effective: Strengthen your ability to create change that lasts
- Be Connected: Build relationships with people who understand your work
- Be Resourced: Leave with tools, language, and support you can rely on
- Be Recognized: Grow professionally without losing your values
Conference themes span fatherhood, family engagement, trauma-informed care, behavioral health, education, justice systems, leadership, and collaboration — all unified by one question: How do we better support families in ways that actually work?
FFCA remains committed to access and affordability, ensuring that professionals, parents, and leaders can participate without unnecessary barriers.
Empowering Families. Strengthening Communities. Building a Legacy of Leadership.
© 2025 Fathers and Families Coalition of America
www.fathersandfamiliescoalition.org
Email: james.rodriguez@fathersandfamiliescoalition.org
Phone: 1-424-225-1323