WHY COME TO PALOOZA?
IT’S THAT GOOD.
This isn’t our first time throwing an unforgettable conference—it’s our SEVENTH Peds-A-Palooza, and it just keeps getting better.
If you’ve been before, you know the vibe: electric energy, powerhouse speakers, real-world strategies, and a community that actually feels like your people. If you haven’t? Well… this is your year.
This is where the pediatric therapy world shows up, shows out, and gets recharged. Whether you’re looking to grow, connect, laugh, learn, or just feel inspired again—this is the place to be.
Don’t miss the magic. Come see why Palooza is the event everyone’s still talking about long after the confetti settles.
PRESENTERS
Javier Guerrero
Lead Trainer & Senior Consultant
Survival Strategies Inc.
to be announced!
to be announced!
IN-PERSON TICKET PRICES *
EARLY BIRD
April 26 to July 14
Owner tickets
$725
in the room block*
Owner tickets
$775
outside of room block*
Staff tickets
$595
in the room block*
Staff tickets
$645
outside of room block*
GENERAL PRICING
July 15 to September 17
Owner tickets
$775
in the room block*
Owner tickets
$825
outside of room block*
Staff tickets
$645
in the room block*
Staff tickets
$695
outside of room block*
LATE REGISTRATION
September 18 to October 9
Owner tickets
$875
no room block*
Staff tickets
$745
no room block*
The room block closes at midnight on September 17. After that, you’ll be hunting for a room like it’s Mardi Gras weekend—so if you want to stay where the Peds-A-Palooza Jazz, Jambalaya, and Joy are, book early!
*A room block is a section of the hotel that is reserved for our Palooza attendees and that offers a discounted rate. Tickets and hotel rooms are booked seperately. Book your hotel room at the link below.
IN-PERSON TICKET PRICES *
EARLY BIRD
April 26 to July 14
Owner tickets
$725
in the room block*
Owner tickets
$775
outside of room block*
Staff tickets
$595
in the room block*
Staff tickets
$645
outside of room block*
GENERAL PRICING
July 15 to September 17
Owner tickets
$775
in the room block*
Owner tickets
$825
outside of room block*
Staff tickets
$645
in the room block*
Staff tickets
$695
outside of room block*
LATE REGISTRATION
September 18 to October 9
Owner tickets
$875
no room block*
Staff tickets
$695
no room block*
*A room block is a section of the hotel that is reserved for our Palooza attendees and that offers a discounted rate. Tickets and hotel rooms are booked seperately. Book your hotel room at the link below.
Hyatt Regency New Orleans
601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113, USA
(504) 561-1234
Booked
Peds-A-Palooza room block* and discounted rates close on September 15, but the hotel WILL sell out before that. Don’t wait!
*A room block is a section of the hotel that is reserved for our Palooza attendees and that offers a discounted rate. When the room block is closed or sold out, there are no more discounted rooms available, but the hotel might still have regular rooms.
More Interactive
More Vendors
More Networking
More Staff Training!
Agenda
Agenda is subject to change
All times are in Central Time Zone
Under Construction
We’re fine-tuning every session to make sure this event hits all the right notes for you and your team. While the content is evolving, the event dates and start/end times are locked—so go ahead and mark your calendar!
Thursday, October 9
7:00 PM – 7:30 PM
First Time Attendee Orientation
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Meet & Greet + Registration
Friday, October 10
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
COFFEE & COMMUNI-TEA
The networking starts early! Join us for a Cup o’ Joe, start making friends and solving problems!
Location: Celestin Foyer
8:30 AM
GENERAL SESSION BEGINS
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Presented by Nancy Mura, Founder, Peds-A-PaloozaTM Community & Conferences and POPPEE
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
HOW TO TRAIN A LEADER
Hiring great people is only the beginning. To truly grow a clinic, you need team members who can lead with clarity, confidence, and consistency. This session dives into what it really takes to develop leadership at every level of your practice—from identifying potential to building the mindset and skills that make someone step up, not shrink back.
You’ll walk away with:
• A practical framework for developing leaders in a pediatric therapy setting
• Tools for mentoring, coaching, and accountability
• Strategies to build a team that thinks like owners, not just employees
Presented by Diane Crecelius, PT, Founder ABC Pediatric Therapy Network.
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
“STEAL & SHARE” NETWORKING
“Steal and Share” is a collaborative exercise where participants build on the knowledge gained from a presentation. Attendees go around the room, sharing key takeaways with each other. They ‘steal’ an insight or idea they find valuable and then ‘share’ their insight or successful actions, creating an exchange of ideas that enhances everyone’s learning experience. It’s a great way to foster connection and ensure that the information sticks long after the session ends.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A LEADER: THE CHEERLEADER VS THE CRITIC
Leadership isn’t just about giving feedback—it’s about giving the right kind at the right time. Inspired by the book Hidden Potential by Adam Grant, this session explores the powerful balance between encouragement and accountability. You’ll learn why being only a cheerleader can stunt growth, and why being only a critic can kill motivation.
In this session, we’ll unpack:
• The science of effective coaching and feedback
• How to challenge your team without crushing them
• The difference between praise that empowers and praise that pacifies
Presented by Nancy Mura, Founder, Peds-A-PaloozaTM Community & Conferences and POPPEE
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
PEDS-IN-A-POD ROUND TABLE
Owners and Staff stay in the room to grow as a team.
Breakout for small to medium Clinics: WHY CAN’T I GROW? THE OBSTACLES EVERY SMALL TO MEDIUM PRACTICE OWNER DOES NOT SEE
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
Breakout for larger clinics: NO-FAIL SCALE
Location: Celestin F
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM
INSPIRATION STATION
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Break
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
WHY ONSITE LEADERSHIP IS MANDATORY?
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
Evening (time TBD)
Outing – Let’s all gather and network! Location TBD
Saturday, October 11
9:00 AM – 10:45 AM
USING AI TO TURBO CHARGE YOUR PRACTICE’S MARKETING
Presented by Matt Hanses, CEO of Uplift Marketing
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Break
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
BREAKOUTS
OWNERS-ONLY: TO LEASE OR TO BUY, THAT IS THE QUESTION!
Tune in as a dynamic panel of your peers tackle the ultimate question. Get insider tips and real-world advice from those who’ve been in your shoes, and discover which option could unlock the future of your practice.
Moderator and Panelists TBD.
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
STAFF: LEAD UP! – BY DEPARTMENT BREAKOUTS
We’re rolling out an exclusive breakout for your staff, with personalized sessions by department to supercharge their skills and keep them at the top of their game!
• Front Desk
• Office Managers, Clinic Directors and Therapists
• Marketing
• Billing
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
BREAKOUTS
RTMs MADE SIMPLE: REMOTE THERAPEUTIC MONITORING FOR OUTPATIENT THERAPIES
Who is this for? Owners and Staff involved or interested in the billing process.
Presented by Rick Gawenda, PT. Compliance, Coding & Billing Expert.
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
DIGITAL DOMINATION: HOW TO MAKE POWERFUL VIDEOS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
Have you ever been stumped about creating content for social media? Wish you could make videos for your practice? In this hands-on workshop, you will be guided through the steps of making content for your practice … right there in the workshop. Learn a simple, practical system anyone can use to easily create valuable content for their marketing campaigns.
Presented by Matt Hanses, CEO of Uplift Marketing
Location: Celestin F
4:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Group Photo
4:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Break
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
SURVIVAL HOUR – HOW TO CONDUCT THE PERFECT STAFF MEETING
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
Sunday, October 12
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM
BREAKOUTS – More Details Coming Soon!
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM – 12:30 AM
SPECIAL PRESENTATION by RICK GAWENDA
Presented by Rick Gawenda, PT, President Gawenda Seminars and Consultin
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
SURVIVAL HOUR – CULTURE CLUB: CREATING A POSITIVE WORKPLACE THROUGH POLICY.
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
TOPIC TBD
*Agenda is subject to change for improvement purposes.
AGENDA
Agenda is subject to change
All times are in Central Time Zone
Under Construction
We’re fine-tuning every session to make sure this event hits all the right notes for you and your team. While the content is evolving, the event dates and start/end times are locked—so go ahead and mark your calendar!
Thursday, October 9
7:00 PM – 7:30 PM
First Time Attendee Orientation
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Meet & Greet + Registration
Friday, October 10
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
COFFEE & COMMUNI-TEA
The networking starts early! Join us for a Cup o’ Joe, start making friends and solving problems!
Location: Celestin Foyer
8:30 AM
GENERAL SESSION BEGINS
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Presented by Nancy Mura, Founder, Peds-A-PaloozaTM Community & Conferences and POPPEE
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
HOW TO TRAIN A LEADER
Hiring great people is only the beginning. To truly grow a clinic, you need team members who can lead with clarity, confidence, and consistency. This session dives into what it really takes to develop leadership at every level of your practice—from identifying potential to building the mindset and skills that make someone step up, not shrink back.
You’ll walk away with:
• A practical framework for developing leaders in a pediatric therapy setting
• Tools for mentoring, coaching, and accountability
• Strategies to build a team that thinks like owners, not just employees
Presented by Diane Crecelius, PT, Founder ABC Pediatric Therapy Network.
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
“STEAL & SHARE” NETWORKING
“Steal and Share” is a collaborative exercise where participants build on the knowledge gained from a presentation. Attendees go around the room, sharing key takeaways with each other. They ‘steal’ an insight or idea they find valuable and then ‘share’ their insight or successful actions, creating an exchange of ideas that enhances everyone’s learning experience. It’s a great way to foster connection and ensure that the information sticks long after the session ends.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A LEADER: THE CHEERLEADER VS THE CRITIC
Leadership isn’t just about giving feedback—it’s about giving the right kind at the right time. Inspired by the book Hidden Potential by Adam Grant, this session explores the powerful balance between encouragement and accountability. You’ll learn why being only a cheerleader can stunt growth, and why being only a critic can kill motivation.
In this session, we’ll unpack:
• The science of effective coaching and feedback
• How to challenge your team without crushing them
• The difference between praise that empowers and praise that pacifies
Presented by Nancy Mura, Founder, Peds-A-PaloozaTM Community & Conferences and POPPEE
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
PEDS-IN-A-POD ROUND TABLE
Owners and Staff stay in the room to grow as a team.
Breakout for small to medium Clinics: WHY CAN’T I GROW? THE OBSTACLES EVERY SMALL TO MEDIUM PRACTICE OWNER DOES NOT SEE
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
Breakout for larger clinics: NO-FAIL SCALE
Location: Celestin F
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM
INSPIRATION STATION
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Break
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
WHY ONSITE LEADERSHIP IS MANDATORY?
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
Evening (time TBD)
Outing – Let’s all gather and network! Location TBD
Saturday, October 11
9:00 AM – 10:45 AM
USING AI TO TURBO CHARGE YOUR PRACTICE’S MARKETING
Presented by Matt Hanses, CEO of Uplift Marketing
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Break
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
DUAL TRACK LEARNING
OWNERS-ONLY BREAKOUT:
TO LEASE OR TO BUY, THAT IS THE QUESTION!
Tune in as a dynamic panel of your peers tackle the ultimate question. Get insider tips and real-world advice from those who’ve been in your shoes, and discover which option could unlock the future of your practice.
Moderator and Panelists TBD.
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
STAFF-ONLY BREAKOUT:
CRACK THE CODE: CUSTOM BREAKOUTS BY ROLE & CHALLENGE
We’re rolling out an exclusive breakout for your staff, with personalized sessions by department to supercharge their skills and keep them at the top of their game!
FRONT DESK
Scheduling Chaos
• Cancellations, no-shows & reschedules
Parent Expectations
• Managing emotionally charged conversations with stressed-out caregivers
• Dealing with complaints, delays, or policy pushback
Communication Gaps with Clinical Staff
• Chasing down therapists for notes, availability, or follow-ups
OFFICE MANAGERS, CLINIC DIRECTORS AND THERAPISTS
• Balancing leadership duties with day-to-day operational or clinical work
• Policy enforcement
• Effective leadership without full decision making power
• Assertive leadership v.s. aggressive demands
• Making time for strategic thinking
MARKETING & PR
Reputation Management & Online Reviews
• Monitoring Google/Yelp reviews and responding professionally to complaints—even when they’re unfair
• Trying to get happy patients to leave reviews without sounding desperate or violating ethical boundaries
Crisis PR & Messaging Gaps
• Scrambling when negative press, online drama, or internal issues infect the clinic
• No plan for how to handle messaging when leadership changes or controversies arise
BILLING
Productivity Pressure
• Being expected to submit, post, and collect faster without mistakes
• Metrics like days in AR, collection percentages, and write-offs constantly under scrutiny
Denials & Rejections
• Managing denials and accounts receivable in a timely manner
• Effectivement Reimbursement put into action
H&R
Recruiting in a Competitive Market
• Finding qualified pediatric therapists and support staff is tough—and keeping them is even tougher
• Candidates ghost, salary expectations are rising, and smaller practices often can’t compete with hospitals or schools
Retention & Turnover
• Managing burnout, disengagement, and “job hopping” trends
• Keeping morale high while also enforcing policy
• Front Desk
• Office Managers, Clinic Directors and Therapists
• Marketing
• Billing
• Hiring & Retention
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
BREAKOUTS
RTMs MADE SIMPLE: REMOTE THERAPEUTIC MONITORING FOR OUTPATIENT THERAPIES
Who is this for? Owners and Staff involved or interested in the billing process.
Presented by Rick Gawenda, PT. Compliance, Coding & Billing Expert.
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
DIGITAL DOMINATION: HOW TO MAKE POWERFUL VIDEOS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
Have you ever been stumped about creating content for social media? Wish you could make videos for your practice? In this hands-on workshop, you will be guided through the steps of making content for your practice … right there in the workshop. Learn a simple, practical system anyone can use to easily create valuable content for their marketing campaigns.
Presented by Matt Hanses, CEO of Uplift Marketing
Location: Celestin F
4:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Group Photo
4:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Break
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
SURVIVAL HOUR – HOW TO CONDUCT THE PERFECT STAFF MEETING
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
Sunday, October 12
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM
BREAKOUTS – More Details Coming Soon!
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM – 12:30 AM
OUT OF NETWORK, NOT OUT OF OPTIONS: STRATEGIC TRANSITIONS, PITFALLS, AND FINANCIAL CLARITY FOR PRACTICE OWNERS
A strategic guide for healthcare practice owners who are either being forced out of insurance networks or are considering opting out due to unsustainable reimbursement rates. The session will cover:
• Operational considerations of going out-of-network.
• How to proactively transition and communicate with patients.
• What to do if you’re being pushed out by payers.
• The role of Good Faith Estimates in compliance and patient trust.
• Best practices for maintaining cash flow, reputation, and patient retention out-of-network.
Presented by Rick Gawenda, PT, President Gawenda Seminars and Consulting
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
SURVIVAL HOUR – CULTURE CLUB: CREATING A POSITIVE WORKPLACE THROUGH POLICY.
Location: Celestin E Ballroom
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
TOPIC COMING SOON!
*Agenda is subject to change for improvement purposes.
REQUEST TICKETS
Please fill out the form below and we will be in touch with ticket purchasing information!