Registration Opening Soon!

Timing

This series comprises two (2) live Zoom sessions from Noon - 3 p.m. ET on January 20-21, 2026.There will be two 10-minute breaks in each session.

Unable to make the live sessions? Recordings will be made available (automatically to those who register) within a week after the last session takes place, though continuing education credits can only be provided for attending live events.

Delivery Method / Learning Environment

This course is a Group Internet based offering (via Zoom) and combines real-time presentation, polling questions, real-world examples, Q&A, and group discussion.

Course Overview

Public power leaders are navigating one of the most uncertain eras in electric industry history. Utilities that fail to adapt along with technological advances, shifting federal and state policies, and evolving community expectations risk falling behind. With the stakes for the utility’s future so high, effective strategic planning is more essential than ever.

Join this course to learn about the core elements of strategic planning, why it matters, and how to develop and execute a strategic plan designed to keep your utility aligned with industry changes. You’ll learn from a seasoned public power executive how to build alignment around a shared vision and mission, identify strategic priorities, and ensure your utility continues delivering value to customers and communities well into the future.

Bonus material: Attendees will receive a complimentary digital copy of APPA’s Strategic Planning for Public Power publication to support their ongoing strategic efforts.

All sessions take place from Noon – 3 p.m. ET.

  • Session 1: Foundations of Strategic Planning in Public Power (January 20)
  • Session 2: Moving from Strategy to Action (January 21)

All events will be recorded and attendees will automatically receive access to the recordings (accessible for 90 days).

Who Should Attend

  • General managers and CEOs
  • Policymakers and governing board members
  • Senior utility staff
  • Other key stakeholders invested in the utility’s future
  • Particularly valuable for utilities new to strategic planning

Course Level / Prerequisites / Advance Preparation

  • Basic Level: No prerequisites; no advance preparation. 

Technology Requirements

  • Zoom Meeting Application: Attendees are required to have strong Internet access, in order to run the Zoom meeting platform.
  • Audio/Webcam: You will need to enable computer audio to listen and speak (alternatively a call-in number will be provided) and we recommend a webcam, so you can fully engage in the group discussions.
  • Additional details on the Zoom platform can be found under the “More Information” tab.

Accreditation

The following continuing education credits will be provided for this Group Internet based event, after successfully completing 90% of the live sessions. Review the guidelines for successful completion in the “Accreditation” dropdown below.

  • Recommended CEUs .6/PDHs 6 (total for both sessions)

Instructor

steve headshotSteve VanderMeer is a recently retired industry professional and executive consultant with over 35 years of experience working in and around Public Power. After earning his Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government, he began work with the City of Fort Collins (Colorado) as an assistant to the city manager, working closely with policymakers and managing community outreach, public participation programs, and continuous improvement efforts. Then he moved over to the municipal utility as the director of marketing and energy services, overseeing utility branding, market research, green power, and energy conservation programs. In 1998, he joined Hometown Connections, where he served for 22 years, providing consulting, facilitation, and training support to hundreds of public power utilities, joint action agencies, and their governing boards. Steve has worked with a wide range of utilities,
municipal governments, and non-profit organizations in support of governance, organizational assessments, strategic planning, public participation, market research and customer service.
He is the author of two APPA publications, “Policymakers’ Handbook: A Nuts and Bolts Guide to Governance in Public Power” and “Customer Service: Building a Strong Infrastructure for your Utility.” In addition to his publications, he is a frequent speaker at industry events, leads a number of training courses for APPA, and facilitates governing board retreats and strategic planning sessions.  

Questions?

Individual Webinar Information

Session 1: Foundations of Strategic Planning in Public Power (January 20)
  • Often seen as complex or overwhelming, strategic planning is simply a purposeful, inclusive conversation about thriving in a changing environment. Learn how this process has evolved over the past few decades, including what elements and which stakeholders are essential to an effective, efficient process. Get insights into the inherent advantages of the public power model and how to draw upon these advantages to frame a strategic plan that aligns with your community.
  • Topics
    • How strategic planning has evolved over the past 25 years
    • Key benefits of strategic planning
    • Understanding the public power advantage
    • Essential elements of an effective strategic planning process
    • Defining the most important roles your utility should play
    • Identifying who should participate in the planning process
Session 2: Moving from Strategy to Action (January 21)
  • Break down the core elements of strategic planning and why each step in the process matters for success. Review the insights from Strategic Planning for Public Power, a new publication from APPA, and discuss how to apply the practices outlined in it. Learn a straightforward eight-step strategic planning model designed to be accessible and effective for public power utilities of all sizes. Discover how to turn strategic goals into concrete actions that reinforce your utility’s role in building a vibrant, successful community.
  • Topics
    • A two-team approach: How major players collaborate
    • Distinguishing key priorities from distractions
    • The eight-step strategic planning process model
    • Setting strategic direction and goals
    • Translating ideas into actionable steps

Registration

Registration Opening Soon!

Registration Fees

Registration is for individual access. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available. 

Registration Fees
Member
Nonmember
Strategic Planning in a Time of Change (January 20 & 21)
$595$1190

Group Discounts

Save money when your organization registers five or more people for the webinar series. The larger your group, the more you save! Registrations must be submitted on the same order (at the same time) to qualify for the group discount; discounts cannot be retroactively applied to previous orders. 

If you need assistance, contact Registration@PublicPower.org.

Number of registrants
Discount
(per person)
1-4n/a
5-9$50
10-14$100
15-24$150
25+$200

Registration Help

Check out our Registration FAQs for answers to the most common questions and help with all your registration-related issues. 

Cancellations /No-Show/ Refunds/ Substitutions

All webinars will be recorded and attendees will automatically receive a copy of the recordings, in case you can’t attend live.

Registrants who cancel in writing at least 7 days in advance of the first webinar in the series are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $100 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after that will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for this event only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel at least 7 days before the course start date are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund. 

Cancellations must be received on/before January 13. 

Cancellation requests should be made through your My.PublicPower portal, or addressed to: Registration@PublicPower.org.

Questions?

Accreditation

Earn While You Learn!

Participate in virtual programs to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Professional Development Hours (PDHs). 

Requirements for Successful Completion: Virtual

  • Registration is for individual access, so each person participating must register. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available.
  • Individuals are required to attend and actively participate in 90% of each live session and complete an online evaluation after the last session in a course.
    • Attendance: Individuals must attend at least 90% of each live session (based on electronic timestamps in Zoom).
    • Participation: Active participation in class will include engagement activities such as: polling/check-in questions, and Kahoot quizzes (tracked electronically). There will also be small group breakout sessions, in-class exercises, and Q&A sessions.
    • Activities vary by class: Information on participation will be provided the day before (and during) class. Participation is tracked electronically.
    • Online evaluation: Each person must complete an online evaluation after the course concludes
  • Partial credit cannot be given for partial attendance.
  • Attendance is monitored by an APPA staff member during the event, through an online report log, and upon review of the post-event evaluation data.
  • Completion certificates will be available within two weeks of the last session in a live event (for those who meet the requirements) through your APPA member portal (access instructions will be provided).
  • Virtual sessions are recorded (attendees automatically receive access to recordings within a week of the last session), though continuing education credits can only be given for attending live events. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session.

Guidelines for Group Participation in Virtual Events

  • If a group is participating in a conference room together, we recommend each person still logs in individually from a laptop to ensure attendance and participation requirements are met (as noted above).
  • If individual log in is not possible, the organization must designate one person as the main point of contact. Email Academy@PublicPower.org in advance of the virtual event noting this information
    • This person will record attendance in the room in the room (we can provide a sample attendance tracker) and ensure attendance and participation from the group throughout.
    • Submit the attendance record to APPA within 2 business days of the conclusion of a virtual event.
    • Ensure each person fills out the required online evaluation.

What educational credits are available?

You can earn the following kinds of continuing education credits for attending live sessions — provided the following requirements are met:

IACET logoContinuing Education Units (CEUs): The American Public Power Association is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. For information regarding certification status, attendance requirements, and obtaining attendee transcripts, contact Academy@PublicPower.org. Verify our IACET Accreditation.

Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.

Questions? 

Additional Information

Format and Log-In Information

These webinars will be offered on the Zoom meeting platform. 

Communication

  • 24 hours after registering: You’ll receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registering, which contains some preliminary information.
  • 24 hours before: You’ll receive your Zoom log in link the day before the first session in a course (sent from the APPA Academy’s Zoom account <no-reply@zoom.us>)
    • You’ll also receive a final logistics email 24 hours in advance of the first class.
  • If you don’t receive this correspondence, email Academy@PublicPower.org

Course Access and Materials

  • Zoom Links: Zoom log in credentials will be sent out 24 hours before the start of the first session.
  • Course Materials: Attendees will receive access to course materials the day before each session through the "Documents" section of their My.PublicPower.org user portal.
  • Recordings: All sessions will be recorded and can be accessed through your user portal as well (within a week of the last class in the program), in case you can’t attend the live versions. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session. Note: Continuing education credits can only be issued for attending live sessions.

Technology Requirements

  • Zoom Meeting Application: Attendees are required to have strong Internet access, in order to run the Zoom meeting platform. Please see below for more information on downloading the Zoom Web Client.
  • Audio/Webcam: You will need to enable computer audio to listen and speak (alternatively a call-in number will be provided) and you will also need a webcam, so you can fully engage in the small group breakout sessions and group discussions.  
  • Padlet Site: The instructor will also utilize a Padlet site to provide additional resources and post after-session assignments.

New to Zoom?

If you haven't participated in a Zoom meeting before, please download the Zoom web client from the Zoom Download Center. This will enable you to access all of the Zoom tools and functionality vs. using the web version. Then, visit Zoom.us/test to ensure you are able to join a meeting. 

If you are not able to download the Zoom web client, you can still participate via your Internet browser. We recommend using Chrome for the best results.

Privacy and Security

The American Public Power Association takes your privacy and security very seriously. For this reason, we have put the following security measures in place for this course:

  • Each course has a random Meeting ID
  • Meeting is password-protected
  • Enabled waiting room to screen meeting participants
  • Screen sharing restricted to hosts only

Questions?