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General managers and emerging leaders from special districts across California gather at the General Manager Leadership Summit to engage in meaningful peer networking, gain fresh insights, and strengthen their leadership skills. This dynamic event features inspiring keynote speakers and expert-led breakout sessions covering governance best practices, legal updates, human resources, budgeting, operations, and more—all tailored to the unique challenges of district leadership. Attendees enjoy interactive networking opportunities throughout the summit, including receptions, meals, and collaborative discussions that foster lasting connections. You’ll return to your district energized and equipped with new strategies to elevate your board relationships, staff engagement, and organizational impact.

Monday, June 29, 2026

Employalty: How to Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of Work

Joe Mull, CSP, CPAE, Employee Commitment Expert, Hall of Fame Speaker, and Founder of Boss Hero School™

Sponsored by

In a time of constant change, shifting employee expectations, and heightened pressure on leaders, do you really understand what leads ordinary people to become extraordinary employees?

Hall of Fame speaker and award-winning author Joe Mull dispels the myths and misperceptions that prevent leaders from activating employee commitment (Hint: it’s not all about money, and it’s absolutely false that “no one wants to work”) and introduces a powerful framework that helps leaders finally make sense of why commitment shows up or disappears inside their organizations.

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

ON FIRE: Ignite a Radically Inspired Life

John O’Leary, #1 National Bestselling Author & Speaker

Sponsored by

We live in a world where “accidental living” – mindlessly moving through routines, wasting countless hours on social media, or complaining about what’s wrong in our jobs, families, and society – has become the norm. But John reminds us that just because we got out of bed this morning, does not mean that we are truly living.

What would our day, impact, and output look like if we lived a radically inspired life, every single day? Living radically inspired means you learn from past mistakes, rise above challenges, and thrive no matter the circumstances.

No one embodies this more than powerhouse inspirational speaker John O’Leary - who was nearly killed in a devastating fire at age nine.

In this talk, John:

• Shares the critical truth that “inflection points” - moments in time that change everything that follows - occur daily.
• Empowers audiences through mighty examples that life has far less to do with what happens to us, and much more to do with how we respond.

Uses key questions to explore the difference between a victim and victor mindset, sharing tactics for how to apply them in ways that can catalyze transformational growth in life and in your organization.