2025 MEDA Fall Conference Speaker RFP

The 2025 MEDA Fall Conference will be held on October 30, 2025, from 8 AM to 2 PM, at the Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort in Chesapeake Beach, MD.

Theme: “Talent is the Driver: Building Communities Where People Want to Live and Work” 

Call for proposals: MEDA is seeking speakers for sessions at the 2025 Fall Conference. The sessions must be relevant to the conference theme and be of interest to a wide audience from across Maryland. We are seeking a keynote speaker, success stories, and panel discussion ideas.

Suggested topics include (but are not limited to):

  • What people are really looking for in a place to live and work
  • The future of remote and hybrid work and what it means for communities
  • Creating vibrant, livable communities that draw and retain talent
  • The role of housing, childcare, transportation, and affordability
  • How placemaking and public spaces support talent attraction
  • Talent attraction and retention strategies that work
  • Attracting the right talent – knowing your talent gaps and the culture of your community
  • Making communities welcoming to diverse populations
  • What practical innovations can make Maryland the ideal place to live and work?

Submission Process:

Please complete the online form (below) no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, August 15, 2025.

Late proposals will not be considered. MEDA does not permit sales-oriented activities (such as product promotion, services, or consultations) as part of the Fall Conference. If a commercial representative is included on a panel, they are asked to speak broadly about industry best practices, with a minimal focus on their particular commercial entity, and only as it relates to the topic or project being discussed.

MEDA’s educational sessions are typically 1 hour to 1.5 hours in length and focus on issues of interest to economic development professionals. It is strongly recommended that a proposed session aligns with the conference theme. To ensure that MEDA presents a balanced conference with diverse viewpoints, MEDA’s Fall Conference typically features two panels and one to two keynote speakers.

MEDA’s Program Development Committee may add or substitute speakers to achieve its desired level of diversity. MEDA will make the final decisions on speakers and invite them directly.

Contact Information:

Any questions regarding this process may be directed to Sandy Dubay, sandy@medamd.com.

2025 MEDA Fall Conference - Request for Speakers

  • Individual completing this form:

  • Submission Idea

  • An abstract of the proposed talk or activity, including the draft title of the presentation (750 character max)
  • Max. file size: 50 MB.