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LOOK
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You Belong Here — Because This Conference Is About Becoming
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You Belong Here — Because This Conference Is About Becoming
27th International Families & Fathers Conference
Next Generation: Leading Legacies, Building Futures
April 13–16, 2026
Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel
5711 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90045
There was a time when people kept telling me, “You should write a book.” Not once. Not twice. But year after year.
At first, I resisted. Not because I didn’t have a story — but because I knew what writing a book would require of me. It would force me to look not only at my own journey, but at the journeys of others. It would require honesty. Courage. Stillness. And the
willingness to sit with pain long enough to transform it into purpose.
That process changed me.
Because as I began writing The Purpose Within: Like the Phoenix Out of the Ashes, something unexpected happened. People who read early chapters didn’t weep because of my story — they wept because they saw their own reflected in the lines. Not between
the lines. In the lines. The struggle. The doubt. The fire. The rising.
That is the power of authorship. Not performance. Not perfection. But
transcendence.
And that is why Meet the Authors 2026 exists.
At the 27th International Families & Fathers Conference – Next Generation, we are creating a space where stories are not elevated because of titles, but because of truth. Where authors, speakers, vendors, practitioners, parents, and learners
come together not to impress — but to connect, to learn, and to become.
This invitation is open.
Whether you are a conference attendee who loves books and wants to learn directly from those who wrote them, a vendor joining our Expo Hall with a mission to serve families and communities, a speaker who has carried a story quietly for years, or an author
— published, self-published, or emerging — who knows your words were written to help someone heal:
You belong here.
Meet the Authors 2026 is not about selling books. It’s about sharing purpose. It is a place where inspiration, community, and effectiveness come together — where lived experience becomes learning, and learning becomes legacy. A place where
people who may not have had the greatest beginnings choose to help others live their greatest possible lives.
I will be one of several joining Meet the Authors 2026 — not as a centerpiece, but as a participant in a shared moment. Because this is bigger than any one story. This is about the collective power of voices that refused to stay silent, stories that rose
from the ashes, and people who chose meaning over resignation.
This conference has always been about more than professional development. It is about
human development.
So if you’ve ever felt the pull to write… if you’ve ever wondered whether your story mattered… if you’ve ever found yourself standing in the ashes asking, “Is this the end?”
Let me tell you what I’ve learned: You’re just getting started. And
Meet the Authors 2026 is one place where that next chapter begins.
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LOOK
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THE HORIZON
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A Teenage Mom. An Advocate. An Author. A Leader.
When you listen to Chandra Brooks’ story, you don’t just hear a TEDx talk — you hear a life shaped by courage, justice, and the refusal to let labels define destiny.
Chandra became a teenage mother in a world quick to judge and slow to support. Instead of being silenced, she rose. Instead of retreating, she advocated. And instead of allowing her story to be used against her, she transformed it into a platform for change.
For more than 30 years, Chandra has been a fierce advocate for teenage parents, social justice, and families navigating systems that often fail to see their humanity. She is an entrepreneur, a leader, and an author whose work has always
centered dignity, access, and possibility.
At the 27th International Families & Fathers Conference, Chandra is not only joining us as an author — she will also lead a
Specialty Training on Monday, April 13th:
AI-Led Family Engagement Practitioner Certificate
This training reflects who Chandra is at her core — someone who understands that innovation must always serve people, and that technology must be guided by ethics, equity, and lived experience.
If you work with teenage parents… if you were once a teenage parent… if you are raising a teenager today… or if you are supporting a young person struggling with identity, belonging, or voice —
Chandra’s story will feel familiar.
She is not joining us because she is above the community. She is joining us because she is part of it — walking alongside others who believe that even when life begins with struggle, it can still lead to purpose, leadership, and impact.
Chandra Brooks is one example of the authors coming to Meet the Authors 2026 — not only to teach, but to be with us.
Because her story, like so many others at this conference, reminds us of something essential:
You are not alone. Your story matters. And becoming is always possible.
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LOOK
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THE HORIZON
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A Father. A Son. A Legacy That Changed the World.
Long before there was a national movement… long before there were credentials, frameworks, or conference strategies… there was a simple, powerful question:
How do we help young fathers build a better life?
In 1996, in Arizona, a diverse group of people came together — young professionals, seasoned leaders nearing the end of their careers, people of different races, cultures, faiths, and worldviews.
Native American. African American. Latino. White. Asian American. Muslim. Jewish. Catholic. Christian. Hindu. Spiritual. Searching.
What united them was not ideology. It was belief — belief in one another, and belief that young fathers, ages 16 to 26, living in poverty, deserved support, dignity, and hope.
In 2000, when we hosted our very first conference, we didn’t yet understand business models or conference economics. We did it for one reason only:
to bring people together.
That year, a man named Mark Perlman became our very first vendor. He sent in a simple flyer for a program called
Nurturing Fathers®.
There was something different about it. Something that spoke about bonding. About presence. About nurturing — a word rarely associated with fatherhood at the time.
Nearly 30 years later, Mark Perlman remains a stalwart supporter of this conference and this movement. His life’s work — becoming a better man, a better father, a better husband, and a better grandfather — has shaped tens of thousands of
professionals and impacted families across the globe.
But the legacy goes even deeper.
In a powerful and honest moment, Mark’s son, Corey Perlman, shares the truth of what it means to grow up, to witness a father’s transformation, and to carry forward a mission that required humility, accountability, and change.
Corey is not simply continuing a program. He has taken up the mantle — alongside his father — to help
transcend the Nurturing Fathers® movement for new generations, new families, and a changing world.
Together, Mark and Corey represent what this conference is truly about:
Legacy across generations. Growth across a lifetime. Impact that reaches globally.
They join us not just as authors, trainers, and leaders — but as father and son, walking the journey many families are still navigating.
Their story reminds us: transformation is possible. Healing is learned. And fatherhood, when nurtured, becomes one of the most powerful forces for change.
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LOOK
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THE HORIZON
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A Daughter First — Then a Mother, a Leader, and an Author
One of the most important truths about the International Families & Fathers Conference is this:
Everyone belongs here.
This is not a conference only for researchers, executives, clinicians, professors, attorneys, or professionals with titles. It is a place for
sons and daughters — for people whose lives shaped their work, and whose work is shaped by their lives.
Years ago, our conference welcomed an affiliate from across the world —
Lone Fathers of Australia, under the leadership of the Honorable Barry Williams. He traveled from Australia to find something simple, yet profound: a place where he belonged, and something meaningful he could take back home.
That relationship led us to Dr. Rosina McAlpine. And in one conversation, it was clear — her work was born not only from research, but from lived truth.
Rosina shared how she created a parenting program for the corporate world — not for nonprofits or schools, but for organizations who understood that when employees do better as parents, they lead better, work better, and live better.
But that program was not written from a boardroom. It was written from the heart of a daughter.
As a young girl, Rosina grew up under a father whose discipline was strong, whose protection and provision were constant — yet she questioned whether she was truly loved. It wasn’t until the final moments of his life that he said, “Of course I loved you.”
That moment — like so many in families around the world — revealed a truth many fathers struggle to express:
“If I provide for you, if I protect you, that is my love.”
And it revealed why so many sons and daughters struggle with identity, belonging, and voice.
Rosina wrote her work from that place — as a daughter, as a mother, as a wife, and as a doctoral-level educator and global leader. Her work bridges family and corporation, heart and strategy, because families do not stop at the office door.
Dr. Rosina McAlpine joins us as an author, a speaker, and a living example of what this conference represents:
When we honor our story, we expand our impact.
Her journey invites an important question — not just about her story, but about yours:
Do you see yourself as someone whose story could help others?
Maybe you come to 2026 as an attendee. Maybe as an author and a vendor. Maybe you return in 2027 as a teacher.
That is how movements grow. That is how legacies are built.
Just like Mark Perlman. Just like Chandra Brooks. Just like Corey Perlman. And just like Dr. Rosina McAlpine.
This conference is not about where you start. It’s about who you become — together.
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LOOK
BEYOND
THE HORIZON
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Where Do You Belong in This Story?
The International Families & Fathers Conference has never been about spectators. It has always been about participants — people who show up not just to attend, but to contribute, connect, and grow.
Some come as learners. Some come as teachers. Some come with a book in hand. Some come with a mission, a service, or a solution.
And many come simply because they are searching for a place where their work, their voice, and their story are welcomed.
If you are an author or storyteller who believes your words can help others heal, grow, or see themselves more clearly —
Meet the Authors 2026 was created with you in mind.
If you are an organization, practitioner, entrepreneur, or community partner whose work strengthens families and communities — our
2026 Expo Hall is a purpose-driven space designed for connection, visibility, and shared impact.
And if you are still discovering where you fit — know this:
Belonging is not about having it all figured out. It’s about being willing to step forward.
This conference has always been a place where people arrive as they are — and leave with greater clarity, confidence, and connection.
Join
Meet the Authors 2026
Become
an Exhibitor
However you choose to join us — as an author, a vendor, a learner, or a future leader — we invite you to be part of a community rooted in purpose, relationship, and the belief that families matter.
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think outside the box // seek first-class solutions
to drive your business in a new direction.
I N N O V A T E
W I T H U S
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Where Do You Belong at Next Generation 2026?
Choose how you want to participate—author, vendor, attendee, or partner— and build the experience that fits you.
Start With Purpose
Authors share stories. Vendors share solutions. Both shape the community we build together.
Plan Your Conference Experience
Negotiated conference rates • No upfront payment required • 50% off self-parking & valet • Expanded networking space & exclusive on-site events
Explore What’s Possible
This is not just where you attend. This is where you belong.
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