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.
Stop Wishing, Start Growing: A Club Growth Workshop with Trustee Scott Sims
Presenter: International Trustee Scott Sims
Is your club ready to grow? Join Trustee Scott Sims for a dynamic, high-energy workshop that moves past passive goal-setting and into immediate action. Drawing on years of hands-on experience and proven success, Scott will share practical insights and a clear, actionable roadmap to revitalize your club and put you on a definitive path toward growth this year.
This session is a direct call to action: it challenges clubs to stop wishing for more members and equips you with the field-tested strategies needed to start recruiting new faces as early as next week.
What you’ll gain from this workshop:
The Power of New Blood: Explore the vital benefits that fresh perspectives and new members bring to your organization.
Proven Strategies: Learn field-tested, practical recruitment techniques derived from years of real-world success.
An Immediate Plan: Walk away with a concrete, step-by-step roadmap to jumpstart your recruiting efforts right away.
Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your club’s future. Turn your growth goals into reality today!
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.
Membership in the Attention Economy: Building Belonging Across Generations
Presenter: Suzanne Smith MBA
In today’s attention economy, Kiwanis clubs are competing for people’s limited time, energy and commitment. At the same time, clubs must create meaningful experiences for multiple generations from longtime members who value tradition to emerging leaders seeking flexibility, connection and visible impact.
Led by nonprofit strategist Suzanne Smith, this interactive session explores how clubs can strengthen belonging, modernize the member experience and engage people across generations without losing what makes Kiwanis special.
Participants will also take part in a facilitated design sprint to identify their most pressing membership challenges and develop practical, member-centered solutions together.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Build a club culture that values both institutional wisdom and new ideas.
Understand how changing expectations are reshaping membership across generations.
Identify traditions and club practices that strengthen or limit belonging.
Create more flexible pathways for members to connect, serve and lead.
Use a design sprint to unpack membership challenges and generate actionable solutions.
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.
Stop Wishing, Start Growing: A Club Growth Workshop with Trustee Scott Sims
Presenter: International Trustee Scott Sims
Is your club ready to grow? Join Trustee Scott Sims for a dynamic, high-energy workshop that moves past passive goal-setting and into immediate action. Drawing on years of hands-on experience and proven success, Scott will share practical insights and a clear, actionable roadmap to revitalize your club and put you on a definitive path toward growth this year.
This session is a direct call to action: it challenges clubs to stop wishing for more members and equips you with the field-tested strategies needed to start recruiting new faces as early as next week.
What you’ll gain from this workshop:
Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your club’s future. Turn your growth goals into reality today!
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:
Membership in the Attention Economy: Building Belonging Across Generations
Presenter: Suzanne Smith MBA
In today’s attention economy, Kiwanis clubs are competing for people’s limited time, energy and commitment. At the same time, clubs must create meaningful experiences for multiple generations from longtime members who value tradition to emerging leaders seeking flexibility, connection and visible impact.
Led by nonprofit strategist Suzanne Smith, this interactive session explores how clubs can strengthen belonging, modernize the member experience and engage people across generations without losing what makes Kiwanis special.
Participants will also take part in a facilitated design sprint to identify their most pressing membership challenges and develop practical, member-centered solutions together.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: