We Are Social Insurance:
2026 Policy Summit
Join the Academy and leaders across the field in Washington, DC, from February 17–19, 2026, for the Academy’s annual Policy Summit!
Event Overview
This year, the National Academy of Social Insurance celebrates 40 years of advancing understanding and collaboration around social insurance. As we mark this milestone during a time of profound change and debate about the future of our social contract, we invite you to join us in Washington, DC, from February 17–19, 2026 for the Academy’s annual Policy Summit at the National Press Club (529 14th St NW).
We are living through a moment of both disruption and possibility—a time to reimagine how we organize economic security, care, and collective responsibility. This convening will bring together Members, thought leaders, and advocates to chart the path forward.
Why Attend?
- Engage with a cross-disciplinary community working across social insurance policy.
- Explore emerging ideas and long-term visions for benefits and program design.
- Reconnect with colleagues and build new relationships across generations and sectors.
- Participate in conversations that center people and lived experience alongside research and policy.
Program
February 17
2:00PM – Membership Meeting Registration Open
2:30PM – Membership Meeting (Members Only)
5:00PM – Evening Reception (Open to All)
February 18
9:00AM – Registration Open
10:00AM – Welcoming Remarks
- Rebecca Vallas, National Academy of Social Insurance
Visioning the Future of Benefits in a Time of Change
- Alice Aluoch, Aspen Financial Security Program’s Person-Centered Community of Practice
- Megan Curran, Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University
- Tim Shaw, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program
- Katie Savin, National Academy of Social Insurance, Ford Fellow in Disability Policy Research, and Benefits Futures Studio
- Moderator: Rebecca Vallas, National Academy of Social Insurance
The Future of Health and Long-Term Care
- Alison Barkoff, National Academy of Social Insurance and GWU Milken Institute for Public Health
- Tim Engelhardt, Aging and Disability Health Policy Lab
- Narda Ipakchi, The SCAN Foundation
- Nicole Jorwic, Caring Across Generations
- Moderator: Kathy Hempstead, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Academy Board of Directors
Networking Lunch
Paid Leave: Unfinished Business from the New Deal
- Sharita Gruberg, National Partnership for Women and Families
- Nancy Altman, Social Security Works
- Molly Weston Williamson, Benefits Futures Studio
- Joshua McCabe, Niskanen Center
- Moderator: Indivar Dutta-Gupta, Academy
Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1 – People-Centered Policy Communications
- Joel Eskovitz, AARP
- Jen Burdick, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia
- Tracey Gronniger, Justice in Aging; Academy Board of Directors
- Eli Hager, ProPublica
- Moderator: Sabrina Siddiqui, Academy Senior Communications Advisor
Breakout 2 – The Future of Benefits: What Kids Need
- Timothy Klipp-Lockhart, Food Research and Action Center
- Amy Matsui, National Women’s Law Center
- Jennifer Rudisill, First Focus on Children
- Kathleen Romig, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Moderator: Chad Bolt, First Focus on Children; Academy Board of Directors
Breakout 3 – Workers Compensation: The Road Ahead
- Scott Szymendera, Congressional Research Service
- Yonatan Ben-Shalom, Mathematica
- Sebastian Negrusa, Workers Compensation Research Institute
- Moderator: Tyler Welch, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Coffee Break
Building Unemployment Protections and Workforce Development for the AI Economy
- Rebecca Dixon, National Employment Law Project
- Michele Evermore, National Academy of Social Insurance
- Michael Graetz, Yale University
- Angela Hanks, The Century Foundation
- Moderator: Maritza Silva-Farrell, Ford Foundation
Closing Plenary: Meeting the Moment When Insecurity is the New Inequality
- Alissa Quart, Columnist, Time Magazine; Economic Hardship Reporting Project
- Elizabeth Wilkins, Roosevelt Institute
- Moderator: Rebecca Vallas, National Academy of Social Insurance
4:55PM – Closing Remarks
February 19
9:00AM – Registration Open
10:00AM – Welcoming Remarks
Armchair Conversation: How Do We Meet the Moment?
- Rebecca Cokley, Ford Foundation
- Narda Ipakchi, The SCAN Foundation
- Moderator: Rebecca Vallas, National Academy of Social Insurance
“The People Say”: Centering People in the Future of Aging & Disability Policy
- Chelsea Mauldin, Public Policy Lab and “The People Say”
- Katie Savin, National Academy of Social Insurance, Ford Fellow in Disability Policy Research and Benefits Futures Studio
- Kathleen Romig, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Kevin Prindiville, Justice in Aging
- Joel Eskovitz, AARP
- Moderator: Indivar Dutta-Gupta, National Academy of Social Insurance
Understanding Social Security’s Role in the U.S. Economy
- Chad Bolt, First Focus on Children; Academy Board of Directors
- Tyler Bond, National Academy of Social Insurance
- Jason Fichtner, National Academy of Social Insurance
- Stephen Nuñez, Roosevelt Institute
- Chantel Sheaks, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Moderator: Lorie Konish, CNBC
Networking Lunch
Bringing SSI Into the 21st Century: Bipartisan Momentum for Reform
- Andrew Biggs, American Enterprise Institute
- Mia Ives-Rublee, Center for American Progress Disability Justice Initiative
- Wendell Primus, Brookings Institution
- Darren Webb, Mindset Care; Benefits Futures Studio
- Moderator: Tracey Gronniger, Justice in Aging; Academy Board of Directors
Intergenerational by Design: What Gen Z & Millennials Want for Social Security
- Sabrina Davis, Social Security Works
- Jacob Moore, Carnegie
- Casey Doherty, Center for American Progress Disability Justice Initiative
- Zane Snyder Cox, National Academy of Social Insurance
- Moderator: Kathryn Edwards, National Academy of Social Insurance; Benefits Futures Studio; Host of the Optimist Economy Podcast
2:45PM – Closing Remarks
Additional speakers to be announced!
2026 Policy Summit Pricing (not including fees)
| Registration Options | Academy Members | Non-Members | Academics & Public Servants | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reception Only (2/17) | Free | $50 | $25 | $10 |
| Day 1 Only (2/18) | Free | $150 | $75 | $25 |
| Day 2 Only (2/19) | Free | $150 | $75 | $25 |
| Full Policy Summit (2/17–2/19) | Free | $300 | $150 | $50 |
Members may attend all Summit events at no cost. Discounted rates are available for academics, public servants, and students. Please contact zsnydercox@nasi.org for details.