Keynote Speaker Announced for 2026 Regional Conference and General Assembly
There is still time to register for the 2026 Regional Conference and General Assembly, May 7-8, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert.
The 2026 Regional Conference and General Assembly is Southern California’s largest gathering of elected and industry leaders. Join SCAG for panels, networking, and activities addressing the biggest challenges facing the region in resilience, housing affordability, mega-events, and the emerging AI economy.
SCAG is pleased to announce new details about the event program:
Keynote Speaker
Suneel Gupta, Bestselling Author and Healthcare Entrepreneur
The 2026 Regional Conference and General Assembly keynote speaker is international bestselling author and visionary entrepreneur Suneel Gupta, who brings a rare blend of insight, warmth, and storytelling mastery to this year’s keynote. Known globally for uncovering the habits and mindsets that fuel extraordinary leadership, Suneel has built a career at the intersection of innovation, wellbeing, and human potential. As the founding CEO of Rise, he partnered with former First Lady Michelle Obama to expand access to affordable healthcare. He now serves as a visiting scholar at Harvard Medical School and as the U.S. emissary for Gross National Happiness to the Kingdom of Bhutan—roles that reflect his deep commitment to helping people thrive from the inside out.
In his keynote, Suneel will explore one of the most urgent questions facing leaders today: How do we stay energized and effective when the world around us feels increasingly heavy? Drawing on global research, personal stories, and lessons from the world’s most resilient changemakers, Suneel will share practical strategies for sustaining energy, protecting purpose, and leading with clarity in turbulent times. Attendees will walk away with a renewed sense of possibility—and a toolkit for staying grounded, inspired, and ready to continue their essential work.
Plenary Session
The Future of Regions: Innovating Institutions for a New Era – Regions today face unprecedented disruption—from accelerating climate impacts to transformative technological advances and changing global dynamics. The forces reshaping communities demand adaptive, forward‑thinking public institutions, yet many agencies remain constrained by structures designed for a different time. This session brings together innovative leaders to explore how regional leadership, bold collaboration, and renewed institutional vision can unlock new pathways to progress. We will examine approaches and partnerships that break down silos and accelerate implementation, providing tools that rise to the demands of the moment and the future.
Panel Sessions
Aligning Land, Capital, and Infrastructure for Sustainable Communities – Southern California’s housing crisis requires holistically addressing systems of housing production. This panel will discuss how jurisdictions can effectively align land availability, financing, and utility capacity to turn housing goals into reality. Panelists from municipal leadership, finance, and technical consulting will demonstrate how integrated regional resources help communities bridge planning and implementation. Attendees will gain practical insights into how this alignment can accelerate the development of sustainable neighborhoods across the region.
Forecasting the Future of an AI-Fueled Economy – Economic progress in 2025 was characterized by AI expanding into an ever-increasing number of industries. AI technologies are generating high valuations and economic output, reducing the need for positions that have been pathways to stable, well-paying white-collar careers. However, AI will also create more high-demand positions over the next two years that can help to offset job losses. How are workforce development and training impacted? What defensible skills do the current and future workforce require? How can AI and AI tools be leveraged in the public sector to promote data-driven decision making, capacity building, and increased efficiency and cost savings? Experts from across sectors will share strategies to leverage opportunities and withstand challenges.
Harnessing Mega-Events to Accelerate Southern California’s Mobility – Mega-events like the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games present a unique opportunity for Southern California to accelerate mobility improvements, strengthen regional coordination, and globally highlight local communities. This panel will explore how public agencies, local jurisdictions, and private-sector partners are advancing multimodal transportation solutions to prepare for the LA28 Games. Panelists will discuss the scale of games-related travel demand and the governance structures guiding regional planning efforts, highlight resources and coordination that support cities and local partners, and share how communities are leveraging the LA28 Games to advance mobility projects and improve experiences for residents and visitors. Together, these perspectives will illustrate how cross-sector collaboration translates mega-event preparation into lasting mobility, economic, and community benefits.
Strategies for Planning, Building, and Funding Resilient Infrastructure – As Southern California faces intensifying shocks and stressors, jurisdictions are undertaking the critical work of planning and implementing resilient infrastructure that can support both daily needs and future disruptions. This panel will explore how to assess infrastructure vulnerabilities, identify priority projects, and strengthen community resilience. Speakers will share methods for evaluating resilience needs, lessons from recent projects, and practical funding strategies to help jurisdictions move from planning to implementation.
Join SCAG May 7-8 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert
Register today, while space is still available. Online registration is available until May 6. For more information about programming and accommodations, visit the 2026 Regional Conference and General Assembly website.