Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Attendees listen to a workshop presentation during Connect 351 early this year. The upcoming Connect 351 conference will feature 17 engaging workshops covering timely municipal topics.
At MMA conference workshops in January, attendees can learn how to lead strategically, adopt best fiscal practices, and become more adept at crisis communications, among many other topics.
Connect 351 will offer 17 timely and informative workshops at the Menino Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston on Jan. 23 and 24. Attendees will gain insights from experts on a range of topics and hear from fellow members who have developed best practices in their communities. They will also be able to participate in three interactive workshops on Saturday.
The following are the Connect 351 workshop titles for 2026:
Friday, First Session, 2-3:15 p.m.
• The AI Toolkit for HR: Leveraging AI With Confidence*
• Fiscal Outlook
• Forward Focused: Moving From Reactive to Strategic Leadership*
• Keeping Up With Clean Energy: Siting and Permitting Updates*
• Keeping Your Cool When the Public Is Losing Theirs*
• Language Access: Starting Small in Order to Build
• Local Legal Lens: Insights on Municipal Law*
Friday, Second Session, 3:30-4:45 p.m.
• Accelerating Housing Supply: Local Leadership for a Statewide Goal
• Collaborative Planning: Bringing Community Initiatives to Life
• Federal Landscape
• From Challenge to Change: A Perspective on Municipal Health Care Costs
• From Hired to Higher: Public Works Recruitment, Retention and Succession Planning*
• Labor Law Landscape*
• Smart Fiscal Practices During Tough Fiscal Times
Saturday Session, 1:30-2:45 p.m.
Ready for Anything: Interactive Sessions
• Creating Cyber Resiliency: An Interactive TTX Card Game*
• From Prep to Practice: Crisis Communications*
• When the Waters Rise: Leading Your Community Through Disaster*
Workshops with an asterisk are eligible for MIIA Rewards credits.
Full workshop descriptions and panelists are available on the MMA website and will be available in the MMA’s Connect 351 app.