Hundreds of electric cooperative directors from throughout the nation will meet at NRECA's Directors Conference in Florida this January to learn how best to govern their co-ops effectively and keep reliable power flowing to their communities.

The annual conference, scheduled for Jan. 25-28 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, has been permanently moved to earlier in the year and enhanced to offer improved networking opportunities for directors, who will have the opportunity to share new ideas and address evolving challenges facing their co-ops.

Nearly 700 directors have already registered to attend the event.

The conference also will provide more insights from experts. Directors can choose from more than 15 sessions led by nationally recognized speakers on such critical issues as power supply, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, cybersecurity and the growth of data centers.

The Directors Conference is NRECA's only national event designed exclusively for co-op board members, and a partnership with CoBank has contributed to the event's dynamic speaker roster and upgraded networking experiences, said Erin Pressley, NRECA's senior vice president for Education, Training and Events. It will be offered online as well as in-person.

“The 2025 Directors Conference is embracing a new location and a new time of year, but what hasn't changed is our commitment to educating electric cooperative directors to best serve their communities," Pressley said. “We're tackling some very hot topics, and if directors want to stay current with the forces shaping our industry, joining us in Florida this January is essential."

Here's a look at some of the highlights:

Speakers

The conference will feature two journalists as keynote speakers.

Michele Tafoya, an Emmy Award-winning sportscaster, will talk about overcoming adversity in her career and personal life. She will deliver the first keynote address at the opening general session and welcome dinner on Sunday, Jan. 26. NRECA CEO Jim Matheson and CoBank CEO Tom Halvorsen will share the stage in a brief discussion before Tafoya speaks.

The second keynote speaker, David Pogue, is a correspondent for “CBS Sunday Morning" and a former columnist for The New York Times. He is known for his humor and his ability to entertainingly explain complex technological topics such as artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and the future of technology in health care. Pogue will speak at the morning general session on Monday, Jan. 27, and will lead a separate roundtable discussion on AI afterward.

Breakout Sessions

Breakout sessions on Monday, Jan. 27, will cover such topics as good governance through member engagement, navigating the effects of AI data centers on energy markets, and the impacts of wildfires on co-op communities. There also will be a roundtable discussion on electric vehicles and EV charging strategies adopted by co-ops.

Another breakout session will offer a “reality check" on the energy transition and assess whether achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2025 is feasible with today's technologies.

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, breakout topics will include cybersecurity and CEO succession planning.

A roundtable discussion will focus on broadband and the success stories and lessons learned from co-ops that provide high-speed internet service to their communities.

The conference also offers intensive pre-conference workshops available for additional fees on Saturday, Jan. 25, and Sunday, Jan. 26. Topics include emotional intelligence in the boardroom, rate-making strategies, and effective governance in a crisis. There also is a new course on AI and electric co-ops.

Visit the Directors Conference page for registration info and more details.