From the Women in T&S happy hours to the Intermediary Liability Roundtable, last year’s Birds of a Feather events were a big hit with attendees, so we’re bringing them back! Birds of a Feather are optional networking opportunities hosted and organized by the community. We are looking for a wide range of activities, such as an event that centers around a topic like child safety, building a skill like interviewing, or focusing on a wellness activity like a nature walk.

Our intention with Birds of a Feather is to create a space for our community to network and exchange ideas. While we welcome discussion on topics of interest to the group, please note that these meetups are not designed for formal presentations. We encourage you to use this opportunity to build relationships with fellow community members and share your own experiences and insights.

Apply to Host a Birds of a Feather

Anyone can submit an application to host a Birds of a Feather and TSPA will review all proposals. A limited number of proposals will be selected each day to be included at TrustCon.

When to host: We recommend that Birds of a Feather events take place outside of TrustCon programming. Official TrustCon Programming will be from 9 am - 7 pm on Tuesday, July 11, and from 9 am - 5 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, July 12-13. 

Host responsibilities: Once selected, TSPA will organize sign ups via the registration process and promote the event through TrustCon channels. The host will be responsible for identifying the location of the Birds of a Feather, organizing logistics, paying for any costs associated with the event, and managing attendees based on the sign up list provided by the TSPA. 

Number of attendees: Because these are optional events, we cannot guarantee a set number of attendees. Furthermore, we may not be able to provide a final list of attendees until closer to the event as attendees will be registering up until then. Hosts will need to determine the number of people they are able to host upfront. (We suggest planning for a smaller number of attendees, with the ability to expand if necessary.) In 2022, Birds of a Feather attendance ranged from 20-65 people per event. 

Applications are due April 28, 2023.

TSPA Selection Process

We are looking for events that meet the wide range of needs and interest of the professionals in our community. In addition to traditional happy hours, we will be looking at the following as we consider applications: 

• Events that occur at different times to offer a variety of events attendees can choose from; for example, could your event take place in the morning? 
• Events with and without alcohol. We love a good happy hour, but we also love a good event with other ways to connect. 
• Events that allow connections for a specific community (e.g., parents, engineers, new to T&S, etc.).
• Events that connect attendees interested in a specific topic (e.g., extremism).
• Events that incorporate wellness (e.g., nature walks and yoga proposals are welcome!).

How Do I Sign Up to Attend?

We will post descriptions of the selected Birds of a Feather on this page once they are confirmed. You can sign up via the registration process. Even if you have already registered, you can always come back to your registration to select a Birds of a Feather when we are ready to collect sign ups.