Dear friends and colleagues,

Portland, Oregon is known for its gorgeous landscapes, tiny homes, signature coffees and brews, and a myriad of diverse, and sometimes quirky residents. I know this to be true of Portland not because I have ever been there, but because I have read about it in books, seen it in movies, heard about it from friends who have visited, followed images on social media, and even laughed at silly sitcoms featuring the extreme hipsters. Whether or not I have seen the city for myself, I feel connected to it in a way that I don’t feel with all places. That is the beauty of telling a story well, and Portland has mastered the art of telling the city’s story.

It is important that we as a community of parent and family professionals know how to tell our stories to our parents and families, to our students, to our faculty and staff colleagues, to our donors, to our campus communities, to our cities, and beyond. The pressure to quantify what we do for our constituents is more extreme than ever, and stories have a powerful impact on how we justify our programs and positions in our institutions and organizations. Over the last 10 years, AHEPPP has contributed to the curation of many outstanding family stories, and we should be proactively telling the world about our important work and lasting impact on our profession.

I hope that you will join me as we Share Our Story of parent and family engagement at the AHEPPP National Conference in Portland, Oregon, November 4-6, 2019, through powerful speakers, thoughtful educational programs, and intentional networking opportunities. Registration opens in May, and you will not want to miss this incredible opportunity to increase your story-telling potential.


All the best,


Nicki Jenkins 

2019 AHEPPP Conference Committee Chair