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The ABMA invites you to join us for an in-person conference in 2023 in Atlanta, GA! We are excited to announce that this will be a joint conference with IMATA. The conference theme is The History of Training.
Dates: 5-10 March 2023
Location: Hilton Atlanta is the conference hotel- 255 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Rate: $174/night
View the joint conference website for all the details. Hotel room rates, conference registration, program, etc... will all be on the joint website. The abstract deadline has passed and the conference committee is working on creating a stellar program of workshops, invited speakers and formal presentations for our first joint conference. If you have any questions, please contact us!
Conference Registration is OPEN! You can access the registration process on the joint conference website. Read the following very important information on HOW TO register for the conference!
Conference registration will be through the IMATA website and you will need to create an IMATA shop account during the registration process. There is a discount code for ABMA members to use so you can receive your member registration rate- either weekly or daily. You MUST have this code before you start the registration process. Login to the ABMA site and you automatically land on the My Account page. On this page in RED at the top are the discount codes to register as a member for the 2023 IMATA-ABMA joint conference. Copy the code you need (weekly, 1 daily, 2 daily, 3 daily, or 4 daily) then go to the joint conference website.
**If you are an AAZK member, we are still honoring the ABMA reciprocity member rate for the conference- please email firstvp@theabma.org or website@theabma.org to receive this code.
-Under the heading Details, click Registration.
-Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Register Now! button
-Answer the questions in Box 1 and Box 2 before filling out your personal information in Box 3. If you're just registering one person, click the Continue button; if you're registering more than 1 person click the Add An Attendee button until you have all the needed registrant information filled out, then click the Continue button.
-Review your cart and make sure everything is correct. The non-member pricing will be listed. You will add the coupon code later to receive your ABMA member discount. Click the Checkout button.
-Register for an IMATA shop account to pay for your registration(s). If you are an IMATA member you can also login on this page.
-Verify your shopping cart once more. Agree to the refund policy. Enter your ABMA Coupon Code! Verify the billing information. Click the Continue button.
-Now you will see the member rate reflected in the shopping cart. Payment details are below the shopping cart. Fill this out and click the Submit Payment button. Congrats! You are now registered for the conference and we'll see you in Atlanta.
CONSERVATION
A portion of your ABMA conference registration supports conservation. This year we are pleased to be supporting two organizations- The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and Polar Bears International.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION
The following CEU's will be available for the conference:
CCPDT- 9.5 CEUs for trainers, 12 CEUs for behavior consultants. If you're attending Ken Ramirez's beginner workshop there are 4 CEUs for behavior consultants and for the advanced workshop there are 3 CEUs for behavior consultants.
IAABC- pending
IATCB- 30 CEUs
NAI- pending
IMATA-ABMA Joint Conference Code of Conduct
The Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA) and International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association (IMATA) are committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all. All participants, including attendees, speakers, volunteers, and exhibitors, are expected to understand and follow this conference code of conduct. These expectations apply to all IMATA-ABMA events.
Personal Safety and Security
IMATA-ABMA will work with venue staff to make sure participants are safe. We ask that all attendees report any questionable activity to any IMATA-ABMA board member. No concern is too small – if you see something, say something.
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Regardless of where you are, use the buddy system when walking to and from the conference location, networking event locations, etc. – especially during early or late hours.
• Do not wear your meeting badge on the street. Take it off as soon as you leave the venue.
• Do not carry a lot of cash or credit cards.
• Do not leave personal property unattended anywhere at anytime.
Responsible Drinking
At many IMATA-ABMA networking events, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are served. IMATA-ABMA expect participants at our events to drink responsibly. IMATA, ABMA, and conference host event staff have the right to deny service to participants and may require a participant to leave the event.
Unacceptable Conduct
Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to:
• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
• Any abuse, including physical, verbal, or non-verbal abuse.
• Disruption of presentations at sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at any events organized by IMATA-ABMA at the meeting venue, hotels, or other IMATA-ABMA contracted facilities.
• Comments related to gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation.
• Inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations.
• Threatening or stalking any person.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is unacceptable conduct of a sexual nature which makes a person feel uncomfortable, offended, humiliated, and/or intimidated. Examples of conduct or behavior which constitute sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:
Physical conduct
• Physical violence, including sexual assault
• Unwelcome physical contact or inappropriate touching
• The use of threats or rewards to solicit sexual favors
Verbal conduct
• Comments or insults based on appearance, age, private life, etc.
• Sexual comments, stories, or jokes
• Sexual advances
• Repeated and unwanted social invitations for dates or physical intimacy
• Condescending or sexist remarks
• Sending sexually explicit messages
Non-verbal conduct
• Display of sexually explicit or suggestive material or images
• Sexually-suggestive gestures
• Whistling or “cat calling”
Reporting Unacceptable Conduct
If you or anyone else is in immediate danger at any time, please contact local law enforcement by calling 911 and immediately notify facility security.
IMATA-ABMA have zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment. If you experience or observe harassment, or if you hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, please inform any IMATA or ABMA board member so that action can be taken. Listed below are a few executive board members for this conference:
• William Elgar, IMATA, President
• Kelly Elkins, ABMA, President
• Gary Siddall, IMATA, Vice President
• Traci James, ABMA, Vice President
Please alert IMATA-ABMA to any unacceptable conduct regardless of the offender’s identity or job title. Incidents will be handled with respect for the privacy of the victim and will remain confidential to the extent practical given the circumstances. The IMATA-ABMA board member receiving the report will respond appropriately and promptly.
Upon receiving a complaint, the matter will be recorded and addressed confidentially. If the complaint is of a criminal nature, legal authorities will be notified. Reports made will be handled with one or more of the following actions towards the offender:
• Verbal or written warning
• Suspension from the current IMATA-ABMA conference
• Denied registration for future IMATA-ABMA events
• Report of unacceptable conduct to employer
For more information on other IMATA or ABMA policies, see their respective websites.
https://www.theabma.org/documents/
https://www.imata.org/code_of_ethics
https://www.imata.org/mission_values
*NEW* ABMA Conference Merchandise!
Upload your conference photos here! **By uploading your photo(s) you agree to the ABMA photograph general disclaimer: The undersigned (the "Photographer") hereby irrevocably grants to the Animal Behavior Management Alliance (the “ABMA") full and complete permission to use the photos submitted in any ABMA publication, including, but not limited to, use and display on newsletters, illustrations, advertisements, and internet content. With the exception of the foregoing, ABMA makes no claims to ownership of the submitted photographs and ownership rights are retained by the Photographer.
Details will be posted as they are finalized. If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you in person in Atlanta!
