The 2026 District Convention in Albuquerque is the official launchpad for your club’s next chapter, moving beyond traditional meetings to deliver a high-impact, transformative experience for Southwest Kiwanians. By attending, you’ll break out of the “club bubble” to collaborate with the region’s brightest minds, while gaining a professional toolkit packed with actionable strategies for high-yield fundraising, modern service blueprints, and next-gen recruitment. This is a direct investment in your leadership, your club’s future, and the children who depend on us. So, get ready to elevate your impact and we’ll see you at the Pyramid!
Everyday AI Resources: Easy Solutions for Club Operations
Presenter: Bryce Kinder
Learn how AI can take the busy work out of running your club. This hands-on session shows you how to use publicly available tools for everyday operational tasks, such as creating meeting minutes and drafting emails. Through real examples and practical activities, you’ll discover straightforward ways to simplify routine responsibilities.
Marketing Magic: Simple Ideas That Make a Big Splash
Presenter: JodiLynn Diaz
Help your club stand out in the community! This session breaks down marketing into easy, practical steps any Kiwanian can use.
What you’ll learn: Simple tools, creative ideas, and tried-and-true approaches to telling your club’s story in a way that gets noticed.
Bonus: No tech skills required!
The Secret of Involving New Members
Presenters: Sue Hinchcliffe (Corrales)
Why do some new members fade away while others become lifelong Kiwanians? This session explores the challenges new members face when joining a club and offers practical strategies to help them feel connected from the start.
Participants will learn simple ways to design effective new member training, plus creative ideas for engaging members beyond their first few meetings. The goal: transform new faces into lasting contributors who strengthen your club for years to come.
Club Websites A–Z: From First Steps to Ongoing Success
Presenter: Bryce Kinder
Get your club’s website up and running, then learn to keep it current—all in one focused session. This efficient course covers the key steps: requesting your site, creating essential pages, updating content, and highlighting your club’s work. With straightforward demos and practical guidance, you’ll build confidence managing your online presence from day one.
Club Strengthening: The 10 Most Important Things
Panelists: Liz Wilson (Lt. Gov. Div 16) & Oliver Yandle (Tempe Club)
Join us for an insightful panel discussion featuring members from clubs with a proven track record for growth. They will share the top ten strategies and insights that can help revitalize your club and boost membership.
Meet Your SLP Family: Who We Are and What We Have to Offer Kiwanians
Moderator: Scott Sims (International Trustee, Past Governor Alabama District, and former Key Club District Governor)
Get to know the Service Leadership Programs (SLP) that make up our Kiwanis family and discover how they support our mission.
Panelists:
Circle K International (CKI): Bre Ann Springer (District Administrator), the CKI Governor, and one additional board member.
Key Club: Jennifer Moore (District Administrator), the Key Club Governor, and one additional board member.
Builders Club & K-Kids: Jaye Carballo-Braun (District Administrator) and a local Builders & K-Kids Club member.
Aktion Club: Liz Duncan (District Administrator) and a local Aktion Club member (pending availability).
Fundraising Through Estate Planning: Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Presenter: Alan Potter (Queen Creek)
Discover how thoughtful estate planning can secure the future of your Kiwanis club and ensure our mission thrives for generations to come. In this session, requested and led by Alan Potter, you will learn the fundamentals of estate planning and explore practical ways to leave a meaningful legacy behind. Come find out how your long-term financial planning can become a powerful tool for lasting community impact.
Sessions After Lunch:
Clubs Must Do More Than Meet! They Must Matter!
Presenter: Scott Sims, Kiwanis International Trustee
Membership is changing. Today’s volunteers are looking for meaningful experiences, measurable impact, strong connections, and a clear return on their investment of time and commitment.
Join Kiwanis International Trustee Scott Sims for an interactive workshop that explores what “value” really means in a modern Kiwanis context. Redefining club life far beyond routine meetings and standard service projects. Participants will walk away with practical, actionable strategies to:
Elevate the Member Experience: Deliver the high-value, engaging experiences that modern volunteers expect.
Deepen Community Relevance: Align your club’s focus with real local needs to amplify your impact.
Transform Club Culture: Build a vibrant, welcoming environment that naturally attracts and retains passionate leaders.
The New Currency of Service: Why Kiwanis Must Embrace ROI
Presenter: Drew Tulchin
In the social sector, Return on Investment (ROI) is no longer just a corporate buzzword. It is the baseline expectation for modern volunteers, donors, and partners. For Kiwanis clubs to thrive, they must transition from a model of “doing good” to a model of “maximizing impact.”
Led by impact investing and social enterprise expert Drew Tulchin, this interactive session explores the critical intersection of Kiwanis service and ROI. Participants will learn how to measure the tangible value of their service hours, quantify club membership value, and use data-driven storytelling to attract the next generation of civic leaders.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Redefine ROI within a nonprofit, community-first framework.
Calculate the Social Return on Investment (SROI) of local Kiwanis service projects.
Audit Club Operations to ensure members receive a high return on their time and financial investment.
Pitch Potential Members and Donors using metric-driven value propositions rather than just emotional appeals.
2026 District Convention Classes
The 2026 District Convention in Albuquerque is the official launchpad for your club’s next chapter, moving beyond traditional meetings to deliver a high-impact, transformative experience for Southwest Kiwanians. By attending, you’ll break out of the “club bubble” to collaborate with the region’s brightest minds, while gaining a professional toolkit packed with actionable strategies for high-yield fundraising, modern service blueprints, and next-gen recruitment. This is a direct investment in your leadership, your club’s future, and the children who depend on us. So, get ready to elevate your impact and we’ll see you at the Pyramid!
Everyday AI Resources: Easy Solutions for Club Operations
Presenter: Bryce Kinder
Learn how AI can take the busy work out of running your club. This hands-on session shows you how to use publicly available tools for everyday operational tasks, such as creating meeting minutes and drafting emails. Through real examples and practical activities, you’ll discover straightforward ways to simplify routine responsibilities.
Marketing Magic: Simple Ideas That Make a Big Splash
Presenter: JodiLynn Diaz
Help your club stand out in the community! This session breaks down marketing into easy, practical steps any Kiwanian can use.
The Secret of Involving New Members
Presenters: Sue Hinchcliffe (Corrales)
Why do some new members fade away while others become lifelong Kiwanians? This session explores the challenges new members face when joining a club and offers practical strategies to help them feel connected from the start.
Participants will learn simple ways to design effective new member training, plus creative ideas for engaging members beyond their first few meetings. The goal: transform new faces into lasting contributors who strengthen your club for years to come.
Club Websites A–Z: From First Steps to Ongoing Success
Presenter: Bryce Kinder
Get your club’s website up and running, then learn to keep it current—all in one focused session. This efficient course covers the key steps: requesting your site, creating essential pages, updating content, and highlighting your club’s work. With straightforward demos and practical guidance, you’ll build confidence managing your online presence from day one.
Club Strengthening: The 10 Most Important Things
Panelists: Liz Wilson (Lt. Gov. Div 16) & Oliver Yandle (Tempe Club)
Join us for an insightful panel discussion featuring members from clubs with a proven track record for growth. They will share the top ten strategies and insights that can help revitalize your club and boost membership.
Meet Your SLP Family: Who We Are and What We Have to Offer Kiwanians
Moderator: Scott Sims (International Trustee, Past Governor Alabama District, and former Key Club District Governor)
Get to know the Service Leadership Programs (SLP) that make up our Kiwanis family and discover how they support our mission.
Panelists:
Fundraising Through Estate Planning: Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Presenter: Alan Potter (Queen Creek)
Discover how thoughtful estate planning can secure the future of your Kiwanis club and ensure our mission thrives for generations to come. In this session, requested and led by Alan Potter, you will learn the fundamentals of estate planning and explore practical ways to leave a meaningful legacy behind. Come find out how your long-term financial planning can become a powerful tool for lasting community impact.
Sessions After Lunch:
Clubs Must Do More Than Meet! They Must Matter!
Presenter: Scott Sims, Kiwanis International Trustee
Membership is changing. Today’s volunteers are looking for meaningful experiences, measurable impact, strong connections, and a clear return on their investment of time and commitment.
Join Kiwanis International Trustee Scott Sims for an interactive workshop that explores what “value” really means in a modern Kiwanis context. Redefining club life far beyond routine meetings and standard service projects. Participants will walk away with practical, actionable strategies to:
The New Currency of Service: Why Kiwanis Must Embrace ROI
Presenter: Drew Tulchin
In the social sector, Return on Investment (ROI) is no longer just a corporate buzzword. It is the baseline expectation for modern volunteers, donors, and partners. For Kiwanis clubs to thrive, they must transition from a model of “doing good” to a model of “maximizing impact.”
Led by impact investing and social enterprise expert Drew Tulchin, this interactive session explores the critical intersection of Kiwanis service and ROI. Participants will learn how to measure the tangible value of their service hours, quantify club membership value, and use data-driven storytelling to attract the next generation of civic leaders.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to: