MACo’s Summer Conference Solutions Showcase will feature innovative and effective ways to address county governance challenges. Join us to hear from industry experts and thought leaders on topics like AI in cloud computing, digital connectivity, benefits management, and more!
The Solutions Showcase schedule is listed below…
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Prevention Matters: How Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center Is Leading the Charge Against Preventable Injuries
Hosted by University of Maryland Medical System
This session will highlight the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center’s statewide initiatives to reduce preventable injury and violence across Maryland. Learn about key prevention programs, including STOP THE BLEED®, which empowers bystanders to provide life-saving aid, and fall prevention efforts such as the Fall Recovery and Prevention Program (FRaPP), focused on identifying at-risk individuals and reducing fall-related injuries through targeted interventions. Participants will also explore efforts to reduce motor vehicle crashes and head and spinal cord injuries, along with the hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP), which addresses the root causes of interpersonal violence. Attendees will gain practical insights into building safer communities and partnering in injury prevention.
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
Moving From AI Hype to Digital Workforces
Hosted by Workday
Everyone is talking about AI adoption, but county leaders need to look beyond the hype. While standard AI can help write an email, Agentic AI can autonomously manage workflows, streamline constituent services, and act as a force multiplier for overstretched teams. The benefits for daily operations, employees, and stakeholders are massive—but only if the organization is prepared to manage them. The Big Question: Is your jurisdiction truly ready to integrate digital agents into your workforce safely and effectively? Join former State CIO, Tracy Barnes, for some answers! Participants will walk away knowing how to identify where digital agents can solve immediate municipal bottlenecks; prepare your existing workforce to collaborate with autonomous AI; and govern and manage these new tools to ensure security, compliance, and public trust.
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 1:15 PM -1:45 PM
Modernizing Citizen Engagement Across County Government
Hosted by Mitel
Today’s residents expect county services to be as accessible and responsive as the experiences they have with banks, retailers, and healthcare providers. This session explores how counties can improve citizen engagement by connecting phone, email, SMS, web chat, and contact center interactions into a more seamless service experience. Join this session to learn practical strategies to reduce wait times, improve routing, minimize repeat explanations, and modernize communications while balancing budget, staffing, accessibility, security, and continuity requirements across county government.
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM
Thursday, August 13, 2026
What Claims Are Maryland Local Governments Facing? Understanding Today’s Employment and Liability Risks
Hosted by LGIT
LGIT is there when members face litigation, but what types of claims are local governments seeing most often today? This session will provide elected officials and management staff with an overview of the employment and liability claims frequently defended by LGIT, including discrimination, harassment and hostile work environment, retaliation, wage and hour, and Fair Labor Standards Act claims. Attendees will gain insight into how everyday decisions, workplace actions, policies, and documentation can create liability exposure for their organization. The presentation will also outline the litigation and claims defense process and share claim trends and statistics impacting Maryland local governments.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Cafeteria to Classroom: How School Meals Improve Student Outcomes
Hosted by American Heart Association
When students have consistent access to healthy meals, everything changes. Attendance improves. Test scores rise. Behavioral challenges drop. The data is clear, and educators see it every day. School meals are one of the most proven, cost-effective ways to close achievement gaps and support working families — but only if every child can access them. Yet too many Maryland children still arrive at school undernourished, putting their learning and long-term health at risk before the day even begins. By expanding and strengthening school meal programs across Maryland, a daily necessity can be turned into a driver of better outcomes for students, schools, and entire communities. Counties can directly influence student success while reducing future healthcare and social costs by investing in expanded access to healthy meals. Join this session and learn how building the path to stronger schools starts with making sure no child learns on an empty stomach.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
The Price They Pay: The Mental Health Toll on Working Moms
Hosted by Cigna Healthcare
By expanding and strengthening school meal programs across Maryland, we can turn a daily necessity into a driver of better outcomes for students, schools, and entire communities. Counties can directly influence student success while reducing future healthcare and social costs by investing in expanded access to healthy meals. Join this session and learn how building the path to stronger schools starts with making sure no child learns on an empty stomach.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
Digital Tools to Connect Families with the Safety Net
Hosted by Nava
Staff at county departments of social services often need to spend significant time and energy on paperwork and administrative tasks. Advances in AI provide an opportunity to use technology to handle some of these tasks – empowering staff to focus on the human aspect of their jobs. Nava Labs uses philanthropic funding to prototype safety-net innovations that counties can’t fund directly. Nava builds and tests new approaches to delivering public services, evaluates what works, and advocates for scaling proven solutions. Join this session where experts will showcase pilot results from a suite of open source AI-powered tools helping caseworkers and families navigate and enroll in public benefits.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM
How Do You Build Your Own Supply Stack?
Hosted by WGL Energy Services
As Maryland’s 2026 energy legislation accelerates local solar deployment, energy storage, and grid modernization initiatives, counties and municipalities have new opportunities to take greater control of their energy future. This session explores how local governments can build their own “supply stack” through strategic procurement, on-site solar, battery storage, community energy programs, and renewable integration strategies that improve resiliency, stabilize long-term energy costs, and advance sustainability goals. Attendees will gain practical insights into leveraging Maryland’s evolving policy landscape to create a more independent and reliable energy portfolio.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Chesapeake Employers’ 2026 Summer Report
Hosted by Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company
Attend this session for information about how Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company – Maryland’s largest writer of workers’ compensation insurance – can serve your county! Learn about 2026, including new rates, corporate dividends, and best practices.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Friday, August 14, 2026
Preparing for Paid Family and Medical Leave: Updates, Requirements, and Next Steps
Hosted by American Fidelity
This dynamic presentation equips employers with the critical insights they need to confidently navigate Maryland’s evolving Paid Family and Medical Leave requirements. This presentation highlights key updates, compliance obligations, funding structures, and implementation timelines, while clearly outlining employer options for choosing a private plan or the state plan. Attendees will gain practical guidance on preparing their organizations, avoiding costly missteps, and supporting employees effectively. Most importantly, the session showcases streamlined solutions—including guidance and innovative leave administration tools—to simplify complexity, understand compliance obligations, and reduce administrative burden, empowering employers to move forward with clarity, confidence, and a competitive advantage.
Date/Time: Friday, August 14, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Building Maryland’s Next-Generation Fiber Infrastructure Across Counties
Hosted by Maryland Broadband Cooperative
Maryland Broadband, an all-fiber network, is building for future scalability, resilience, and the ever-growing capacity needs of Maryland counties. Learn about the real-world fiber and conduit systems across Maryland and the active infrastructure development aligned with future industry growth. Explore where broadband infrastructure is headed, including increased throughput, expanded reach, and smarter deployment strategies. Attendees will gain insight into how counties can leverage modern infrastructure investments to support long-term community growth and strengthen economic development.
Date/Time: Friday, August 14, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Trivia Competition: In the Public Interest
Hosted by three+one
Your county’s cash is full of possibilities, and In the Public Interest is here to explore them. This fast-paced, high-energy trivia showdown powered by cashVest by three+one is open to all county leaders, no finance background required. Contestants go head-to-head exploring how county cash can work harder, smarter, and safer for the communities they serve. Every round uncovers real opportunities to generate more revenue, protect public dollars, and make a greater impact for your county. Fast rounds. Live competition. Prizes awarded on the spot. Come ready to play, leave inspired to do more.
Date/Time: Friday, August 14, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
The Digital Front Door to County Government: Better Services, Faster Outcomes, Lower Cost
Hosted by DMI, Inc.
Maryland counties face rising resident expectations with limited resources. This panel explores how counties are building a “digital front door” to government — centralizing service requests, improving transparency, and accelerating outcomes across departments without large-scale, multi-year transformations. County leaders, DMI, and ServiceNow will share practical, real-world insights on modernizing constituent services, internal operations, and case management. Whether your goal is faster resolution times, better visibility for leadership, or a stronger employee experience, this session delivers actionable ideas you can bring back to your county immediately.
Date/Time: Friday, August 14, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Social Security: The Choice of a Lifetime
Hosted by Nationwide Retirement Solutions
Filing for Social Security benefits is one of the biggest financial decisions employees will make. That’s why it’s called the choice of a lifetime. How and when an individual files could increase their annual benefit by as much as 80%! In this session, participants will learn many filing rules and strategies so they can make the choice that fits their overall retirement income plan.
Date/Time: Friday, August 14, 2026 | 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
What’s New at DHCD: Tools, Partnerships, and Opportunities for Counties
Hosted by Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
Join the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for an engaging update on new initiatives, resources, and innovative approaches that can help Counties address community development and housing challenges. Get the latest on DHCD’s newest offices, including the services and information being made available by the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs and the Office of the State Housing Ombudsman. Attendees will also learn about how to partner with DHCD to bring down housing costs through factory-built and modular housing construction methods.
Date/Time: Friday, August 14, 2026 | 11:30 AM – Noon
Optimizing Pharmacy Benefits for Counties
Hosted by MedImpact
For most employer-sponsored health insurance plans, pharmacy benefits are the most frequently used and challenging. MedImpact seeks to make these benefits easy to understand and cost effective. While PBMs are under scrutiny from heavy-handed mandates that pull business away from Maryland pharmacies and retailers, the State of Maryland’s current employee benefits contract may be leveraged to the advantage of Maryland counties. Join this session to learn strategies to drive pharmacy benefit savings while enabling Maryland businesses to thrive.
Date/Time: Friday, August 14, 2026 | 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM
MACo’s Summer Conference, “Build What’s Next,” will be held at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, MD, on August 12-15, 2026.
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