W.A.C.E. Academy 2026: A Week of Learning, Leadership, and Lasting Connections

​Chamber professionals from across the region gathered recently at the Hyatt Centric Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco for another successful year of the W.A.C.E. Academy and Academy-Plus program. From August 2–6, participants dug into the fundamentals of chamber management, tackled the strategic challenges shaping the future of the profession, and — as always — built the kind of peer relationships that outlast the week itself.

A Program Built for Every Stage of a Chamber Career

W.A.C.E. Academy remains a three-year, high-quality summer program designed to give chamber executives and staff a solid foundation in the essentials of chamber management. For 2026, the curriculum got a refresh, following nearly two years of review by the Academy Steering Committee.

​Highlights of what's new:

• First-year participants now take Chamber Operations, combining former budget and financial policy coursework with a stronger focus on technology and operational efficiency.
• Second-year participants have three updated courses: Community Development (strategic partnerships, coalitions, and community initiatives), Policy Development (financial and operational policy), and Revenue & Program Development, which goes beyond fundraising to explore how programming itself can fund the mission.
• Third-year participants get a more focused Economic Development Basics course covering business retention and expansion, attraction, and workforce development.

Academy also introduced strengthened cohort engagement, with structured sessions in the months following the program to deepen peer relationships and help graduates work toward the Accredited Chamber Executive designation — plus more flexibility to earn elective credit through professional service, not just workshops and webinars.

For leaders further along in their careers, Academy-Plus offered a space to engage the bigger strategic questions facing the profession, through expert insight and candid peer exchange.

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What Attendees Are Saying

Nothing captures the value of Academy quite like hearing directly from the people who experienced it. Across cohorts, a few themes came through loud and clear: the caliber of instruction, the strength of the peer network, and a renewed sense of purpose in chamber work.

Cat Hayes, Marketing Manager at Vail Valley Partnership, put it this way:
"W.A.C.E. Academy is invaluable for chamber executives, regardless of role or rank. The knowledgeable instructors and course material provide a foundation for learning and growth, while the group setting offers camaraderie and community that can be hard to find outside the chamber world... It definitely reminded me of the importance of what we do every day as I gathered inspiration from my classmates, both in and out of sessions. I'm already looking forward to year 3!"

James Alves, Director of Partnership Development at the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, attended as a first-year participant and called it one of the best professional development experiences of his career:
"The Academy reinforces that every role within a chamber is essential, and that you are a valued part of your organization's success, even if you're a team of one. I left inspired, better equipped, and with a network of colleagues I'll continue to learn from for years to come."

For Marisa Ozburn, Business Relations Manager at the Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce, the program lived up to its reputation right out of the gate:
"As a Year One Academy attendee, I can say that this was a well-thought, well-planned program that provided me with a great foundation for my Chamber work... I'm looking forward to Year Two and Three!"
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And Elizabeth Bolton, Partner Services Development Manager at the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, came to the Academy from a sales background and found it opened doors she didn't expect:
"Attending Academy gave me the opportunity to learn more about the Chamber industry while also building valuable connections and relationships with people from Chambers across the region... I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate. I've learned a lot and truly appreciated the experience, the connections, and everything you and the team put into making Academy such a valuable program."

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Academy-Plus: Peer Exchange as a Core Strength

Feedback from this year's Academy-Plus sessions reinforced something the program has long believed: some of the most valuable learning happens when experienced chamber leaders get structured time to solve real problems together. Sessions built around practitioner panels, candid peer exchange, and take-home planning tools resonated strongly with attendees, and that feedback is already shaping how future Academy-Plus content gets built — with an eye toward faster pacing, more real-world case studies, and a practical, usable takeaway from every session.

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Looking Ahead

Each year, the Academy also awards Wayne Griffin Memorial Scholarships — named for the co-founding chair and longtime instructor of W.A.C.E. Academy — to help defray the cost of attendance for both Academy and Academy-Plus participants. Applications open annually each spring.
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As one cohort heads into its second and third years, and a new group of first-year participants gets started, the throughline stays the same: chamber work is better when it's not done alone. Thank you to every participant, instructor, and volunteer who made this year's program a success — we'll see you next August.