3 Things You Can’t Miss at ENGAGE 2026

ENGAGE 2026 will be an action-packed conference, planned around your interests and needs. Expect educational sessions, peer connections, and the kind of practical conversations that only occur when public sector teams gather together. You’ll leave with new ideas, new contacts, and clear action steps.

This year’s theme sets the tone: Be the Hero. Build the Future. Last year’s “hero-grade” rebrand signified our renewed commitment to the everyday heroes who keep communities running. Whether you’re on the front lines or behind the scenes, you deserve modern solutions built for the realities of public service.

That’s why ENGAGE is back and better than ever in 2026. Keep reading to discover three things that will shape your experience at this year’s conference: the keynote, the agenda, and the community.

Setting the Tone: Travis Mills

ENGAGE has a few moments that reset your focus on what truly matters, no matter where you are in the schedule. The keynote is one of them. It pulls you out of the day-to-day details, reconnecting you with the purpose behind the work.

This year, that paradigm shift comes from retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills. He is one of only five surviving quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since recovery, he has committed to serving others. He is the founder of the Travis Mills Foundation, which supports post-9/11 injured veterans and their families through programs and an accessible retreat.

His motto is “Never give up. Never quit.” That mindset reflects what hero-grade is really about. Resilience under pressure. Leadership when resources are tight. Service that shows up, even when it’s hard. It’s the kind of perspective that stays with you—long after the conference ends.

Agenda Built for Impact

The keynote resets the “why.” The agenda is where you sharpen the “how.” It’s where ideas turn into next steps you can bring back to your agency.

ENGAGE 2026 is built for real-world value. It includes hands-on training you can apply, roadmap sessions that help you plan with confidence, and thought leadership that connects technology decisions to service delivery. The schedule is designed to equip you after you get home, not just inspire you for a few days.

If you want to prioritize big-picture learning, start with the BIG IDEAS sessions. They’re built to challenge assumptions and spark better conversations inside your agency, including:

• Making Local Government Work Smarter, Not Harder, with Workflow Automation
• Unlocking the Power of AI in the Public Sector
• How Dispatch and Patrol Keep Schools Safe: Building Bridges Between Schools and Local First Responders
• Avoid Single Points of Failure to Combat Retention Challenges

One practical tip is to download the agenda and map out your preferred sessions early. The ENGAGE event app will include the full agenda and session registration, so you can lock in your schedule and maximize your time at this government technology conference.

Community and Recognition

ENGAGE Awards: Nominations Now Open

ENGAGE is about learning what’s next. It’s also about recognizing the people doing the work right now.

The ENGAGE Awards celebrate the heroes who power our communities. They spotlight the agencies and teams bringing hero-grade purpose, innovation, and commitment to public service every day.

Nominations are open to all CentralSquare customers through February 6, 2026. It’s your chance to recognize a team in your organization, or an industry peer, whose impact deserves a bigger stage.

Winners will be notified privately the week of February 9 and celebrated live at ENGAGE 2026 in Washington, DC.

Hero-Grade Playlist

The ENGAGE conference isn’t only about sessions and strategy. It’s also about community, connection, and remembering you’re not doing this work alone.

That’s the idea behind the Hero-Grade Playlist. It was created to power heroes like you, fuel your mission, and celebrate what inspires you along the way.

For February, the theme is “The Soundtrack of Heroes.” You can submit a song to the monthly playlist, and it may be featured during ENGAGE. It’s one more way your voice shows up beyond the sessions and speakers.

Be the Hero. Build the Future.

ENGAGE 2026 is more than a public sector conference. It’s your chance to step back, refocus, and return to your agency with clarity and purpose. Pay attention to the moments that inspire you, the skills that sharpen you, and the conversations that connect you to others.

This year, those special moments will show up in three places: the keynote, the agenda, and the community. Let the keynote reset your perspective. Use the agenda to build practical skills you can bring back home. And lean into the community, because the best ideas often come from those facing the same problems as you.

Don’t miss out on our most exciting event of the year. Register for ENGAGE 2026 today and build a schedule that moves your work forward.