SPEAKER MILESTONES
The following information applies only to those speakers specifically invited by the Committee on Conferences & Meetings.
**indicates speaker action items
PRE-EVENT
October 2025
- Online Speaker Agreements, Follow Up Forms & Headshots Due via Speaker Portal HERE**
November 2025
- Registration & Housing Opens via Annual Session 2026 Website**
- Distribution of Social Media Toolkits via Email
February 2026
- Special Requests Due via Email**
- Content Freeze & Printed Onsite Program Materials Finalized
- Distribution of Annual Session 2026 Branding Assets for Presentations
April 2026
- E-handouts Due via Email**
- Distribution of Speaker Reference Guides via Email
EVENT | MAY 1-3
Upon Arrival
- Pick-up Name Badge in Registration Area**
24 to 2 Hours in Advance of Session Start Time (in Speaker Ready Room)
- Upload Presentation Slides**
- Pick-up Speaker Check, if applicable**
- Pick-up Speaker Badge Ribbon**
15-Min in Advance of Session Start Time
- Arrive at Assigned Session Room**
POST-EVENT
May 2026
- Expense Reports Due via Speaker Portal HERE, when applicable**
August 2026
- Expense Reimbursements Processed, if applicable
- Distribution of Speaker Certificates & Session Evaluation Summary Reports
SPEAKER REQUIREMENTS
Speakers are required to upload their presentation slides to the network onsite in the Speaker Ready Room at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.
Sessions must begin and end on time; the total duration is inclusive of session content and Q&A.
Guidelines for Presentation Slides:
- Must be either PowerPoint (Windows or Mac) or Keynote (Mac) file formats, preferably a current software version
- Must be in the aspect ratio of 16:9 (projection screens are in 16:9)
- Cannot be branded with a commercial product, service or company logo
- A Conflict of Interest Declaration slide is required, and additional slides may be provided and/or instructed as the meeting approaches
- Video files should be embedded, preferably mp4 file types
- Standard font collections packaged in Mac, Windows and/or MS Office are preferred; custom font packages are highly discouraged as they may cause formatting/alignment distortions
ROOM SPECS
AUDIO/VISUAL SET-UP
- In-room audio/visual tech staff
- One or two projection screens for slide presentation
- Floor confidence monitor with countdown timer
- Speaker lapel microphone
- Speaker slide advancer
- Aisle microphone(s)
If you cannot comply with each of the speaker requirements above and/or you would like to discuss alternate session room specs to enhance your session format/delivery, you must communicate these SPECIAL REQUESTS to Melissa McCulloch via email at mmcculloch@aaortho.org by March 6, 2026. Special requests received after this date risk foregoing accommodation.
FLOOR SET-UP
- Theater style audience seating
- Stage
- Podium with microphone & presentation laptop
- Bottled, room temperature water
FAQs
A Conflict of Interest Declaration slide is required (see instructions on the Conflict of Interest Declaration form). Additional slides may be provided and/or instructed as the meeting approaches.
No, you may use your own template, however, your template cannot be branded with a product and/or service (see Policy on Promotion from the Podium form).
In limited instances, our Committee on Conferences & Meetings reserves the right to review presentations in advance to ensure adherence to Speaker Agreements and/or Conflict of Interest Declarations.
No less than two hours in advance of your scheduled session start time in the Speaker Ready Room at the Orange County Convention Center.
Yes, however, please be mindful and courteous to other speakers and limit these to minor revisions.
Definitely and we highly encourage it! A practice mode will be integrated into presentation upload kiosks. These kiosks will be available in the Speaker Ready Room at the Orange County Convention Center on a first-come, first-served basis.
Unless otherwise indicated in your speaker agreement, checks for US speakers will be available for pickup onsite in the Speaker Ready Room at the Orange County Convention Center. Canadian and International speakers must submit an AAO expense report accompanied by itemized receipts no later than May 31, 2026.
It is a 42” LCD monitor positioned on the floor in front of the podium which will display the current slide of your presentation reflected on the projection screen. Presentation notes are not displayed on this monitor; notes can be viewed from the presentation laptop positioned on the podium.
Individual speaker presentations are not available for sale or complimentary distribution; however, you will be able to purchase the compilation of meeting recordings at a discounted speaker rate via registration. If you elect to participate, your presentation audio and/or slides will be included in this compilation. Preview a past recorded presentation HERE.
Concurrent sessions are attended in an a la carte fashion; they are not ticketed sessions. Please refer to the Program Grid for the estimated seating capacity in your assigned session room.
Yes, however, they may not attend other CE sessions and will not be eligible for CE.
- Exhibits – Elizabeth Cordes at ecordes@aaortho.org
- Sponsorships – Holly Kiel at hkiel@aaortho.org
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT:
MELISSA McCULLOCH
Learning & Professional Development Manager
mmcculloch@aaortho.org | 800-424-2841 ext. 557