Speaker & Moderator Instructions

Steps to Complete ASAP

  • As soon as possible, please submit your bio and additional information by completing the Speaker & Moderator Details form. Upon completion of this form, the Meetings & Events team will register you for the conference. Note: If you are speaking or moderating in more than one workshop, you only need to complete the form once, but include all workshop names within the form if possible.
  • Speakers Only: When ready, submit your presentation by completing the Speaker Presentation form. Presentations must be received by Wednesday, July 5, 2023 to be uploaded to workshop room laptops onsite at the conference. If not submitted by this date, or if your presentation changes after submission, please bring your presentation on a USB thumb drive to your workshop.

Presentation Tips

The conference is 3 days of workshops, so time management is critical to keeping things on track. To that end, please work closely with the Alliance staff person who is coordinating your workshop and your co-presenters to establish and agree upon presentation lengths and formats. Most workshop presentations will range from 15-20 minutes.

A solid benchmark for most presenters is one slide for every three minutes of presentation. The best thing to do is time yourself in advance!

Looking for more tips on how to deliver a great presentation? Check out these resources:


Moderators

Moderators guide the discussion within the allotted time, making sure both panelists and audience members stay on track. A strong moderator can be the key to a focused and engaging session. Without strong moderation, sessions may run over the allotted time, speakers may be forced to abridge their presentations, and Q&A can veer off course or be dominated by a small number of participants. A Strong moderation helps ensure that all speakers and audience members can fully and equitably participate.

For tips on how to effectively moderate a session at the National Conference to End Homelessness and Capitol Hill Day, download our Moderator Guide. The guide explains 10 ways to keep your session on track:

  1. Know your job!
  2. Prepare the physical environment in advance.
  3. Know your timing and keep to it!
  4. Don’t read panelist bios.
  5. Beware of stories.
  6. Don’t offer your own opinions.
  7. Come back to the juicy bits.
  8. Summarize
  9. Call on people.
  10. Wrap up by thanking the panelists.

For additional insight, see Scott Kirsner’s (Innovation Economy Columnist for the Boston Globe) How To Moderate a Panel Like a Pro.