The first day of the 64th Annual WACO Conference is coming to a close. The day was full of insightful affiliate trainings, discussions, and interactions with friends and peers that we haven’t seen in over a year! The night is quickly ending in the Hospitality Suite as we post this blog article – but we wanted to take a moment to highlight the President’s Reception that took place earlier in the evening.
WACO is extremely thankful for the time and dedication that all of our trustees put into guiding our work – in particular, we are thankful for the guidance provided by our President. The annual President’s Reception is just a small way that we can show our gratitude. This year, WACO celebrated the expertise, innovation, and passion of our current Board of Trustees President, Stacie Prada.
In addition to being President, Stacie also serves on the Conference Committee and made the final choice on the 64th Annual Conference theme. When we got a chance, we asked her how she ended up picking Make a Difference:
“We’ve had fewer opportunities to connect in person the last couple years. The conferences are a terrific way to get to know each other beyond pre-planned agendas, and they help us learn from each other through unscripted conversations.
We have 259 members of WACO, and I know each person is doing a lot within their organizations, their communities and their families. With this conference, I hope to celebrate the incredible work of all of our WACO colleagues and those who make a difference in each of our lives.”
To Stacie, the conference is a peer collaborative event - you learn, you give, you take. She believes that when we get together and attend trainings, we become a collective that builds more skills. Networking to be able to make the difference together, but with different approaches and strategies.
Coming together to talk, train, and just coexist can be paradigm shifting. We all have unique skills and stories, and our varied backgrounds come together to make us stronger.
“I originally started working for the county for career opportunities, stability and the benefits.” Stacie told us, “I’d been self-employed, and I had other jobs without any benefits. My employers didn’t include health care benefits, sick or vacation time, built in retirement planning, or opportunities for advancement. It was stressful trying to pay for medical insurance let alone feel I could afford to go to the doctor or dentist.
As the years passed and my job titles and responsibilities changed, I realized how important it was to me that I work in an environment that contributes to my community. Working for the county in a position of public service allows me to help my neighbors one-on-one and my community as a whole.”
Stacie’s passion for county government and, more specifically, her dedication to impacting those in her life, has made her an invaluable asset to not only her county, but to WACO membership. Her compassionate approach and ability to truly connect with others has allowed WACO to flourish.
Tonight we celebrated all the work you’ve done, and the work you will continue to do. Thank you, President Prada!
There are still more trainings, keynotes, and group discussions to come – join us in-person or virtually for conference events until 9/29!
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Thank you to WACO Annual Conference Sponsor Kofile for sponsoring the President’s Reception. 
Kofile, Inc. brings document digitization, restoration, preservation, and storage to modernize local government. Kofile, Inc. helps county and state governments digitize operations and improve citizen engagement. Learn more about Kofile here: https://kofile.com