NAQ '25 Attendee Information

 What's New This Year?

 NAQ is celebrating and playing pickleball for our Wednesday evening Networking and Entertainment Event!

Chicken N Pickle is a unique, indoor/outdoor family-friendly entertainment complex that includes a casual, chef-driven restaurant and sports bar, pickleball courts, a variety of yard games and space to lounge outdoors. It is a warm and welcoming environment that brings people together. Their motto is, "Good Food. Good Friends. Great Fun." What a great place for all of us at NAQ '25 to gather and celebrate our 30th Annual Conference.

Please also note ALL conference registrants are automatically registered for the Wednesday evening Networking & Entertainment event. There is not a separate charge for the event and all conference attendees are invited and welcome to attend. You are welcome to bring a guest(s) to the event on Wednesday evening at Chicken N Pickle if you are willing to purchase a ticket for them for $100/each. Children are welcome. You can select this option and purchase the guest ticket(s) when registering for NAQ '25.    

  • Please wear or bring your NAQ Conference lanyard to Chicken N Pickle. This will be your entrance ticket. 
  • NAQ will provide transportation between the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Chicken N Pickle.
  • If you choose to play pickle ball, you'll need to complete a waiver. Guests can do that ahead of time 

    and save a screenshot to their phone, print it, or add it to their apple wallet. Chicken N Pickle staff will have to see the completed waiver before play. This is a PDF version with a QR code.

Why Come to NAQ '25? 

NAQ is the go-to organization for I/DD professionals, providing an avenue to learn, connect and share so they can better support people with disabilities to flourish and live their best possible lives.  

NAQ ’25 - New Frontiers: Inspiration, Innovation, Implementation is more than just a conference; it's a catalyst for professional growth, inspiration, and collaboration. Annual conference attendees have shared that they appreciate the opportunity to reenergize and reinvigorate themselves and their efforts and are able to bring back new ideas to share with their colleagues and organization.

Who Comes to the NAQ Conference?

Our attendees include professionals from the field of disabilities such as:

  • QIDPs/QDDPs
  • Case Managers
  • Support Coordinators
  • Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors
  • Licensed Clinical Social Workers
  • Licensed Nursing Home Administrators
  • Licensed Social Workers
  • Nurses-RNs, LPNs, APNs
  • BCBAs
  • CEOs and other C-Suite level leadership
  • Still others who come seeking the latest information, insights, products, and networking opportunities.

Preconference Session - Tuesday, August 5, 2025

The Americana actress Carol Grace was quick to remind us that, "There is no old age. There is, as there always was, just you."

The theme (and heart) of this work shop centers on the concept of  "just you" and how the case manager can better understand the challenges, rewards, options, perspectives and misgivings of aging with an intellectual and developmental disability. The astute case manager wears several hats and perhaps the most significant one is that of "the advocate." But to advocate and provide support you need to understand, control and often manipulate the terrain. Following a brief celebration of the increases in longevity we have both the obligation and responsibility to equip ourselves to ensure that marginalized individuals are not swept up in the mythology of aging with a disability. The attendee can profit both professionally and personally as they face "aging and dementia" in their clients and within their own lives and families. 

Registration Pricing 

General Admission 
  Early Registration (through/ 4/30/25) Regular Registration (5/1/25 - 8/4/25)
Members $520.00 $570.00

Non-Members

$570.00

 $595.00

 

Preconference Sessions
(held Tuesday, August 5)
 

Early Registration
(through 4/30/25)

 Regular Registration
(5/1/25 - 8/4/25)
Members $145.00 $170.00
Non-Members $170.00 $195.00

 

NAQ offers members significant discounts on all events so consider joining today if you are not already part of our professional community. 

Registrant Cancellations 

  • All registrants who cancel on or before July 14, 2025, 11:59 pm will be issued a 100% refund.  
  • No cancellation refunds will be issued after July 14, 2025, 11:59pm. 
  • Please call Beth Dyer at 815-320-7301 or email at [email protected] in order to cancel a registration. Cancellations are not considered complete until Beth Dyer has confirmed.
  • NAQ encourages registrants to attempt to find a substitute before cancelling.   

Registrant Substitutions 

  • NAQ is glad to accept registrant substitutions for another employee from the same organization at no additional charge to the registrant/organization.  
  • Registrant substitutions can be completed by Monday, July 28th by calling Beth at 815-320-7301 or emailing at [email protected].
  • Registrant substitutions can be completed at the registration desk at the conference as well.    

Hotel Pricing

NAQ '25 conference participants are being offered a discounted room rate of $219 (+$28 amenity fee) / night between Monday, August 4 and Friday, August 8, 2025 at the Gaylord Texan Hotel. The discounted room rate is available on reservations made by July 7, 2025. 

Make My Reservation  

The Gaylord Texan is a cashless hotel.

  Back to NAQ '25 Conference main page 

Please contact Beth Dyer at [email protected] or 815-320-7301 with questions.