2026 Advocacy Summit Agenda

*Please note: schedule is subject to change.

Executive Forum Meeting

Monday, September 14

Time

Session

8:30 am – 6:00 pm

Registration — IFA Office Building Lobby

9:00 am – 10:00 am

Membership Committee Meeting — IFA Office, Rooftop Conference Center

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Diversity Institute Meeting — IFA Office, 3rd Floor Conference Center

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Finance Committee Meeting — IFA Office

10:15 am – 11:15 am

Franchise Relations Committee Meeting — IFA Office, Rooftop Conference Center

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Women’s Franchise Committee Meeting — Marriott Metro Center

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Executive Committee Meeting — IFA Office

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Foundation Board Lunch Meeting — IFA Office

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Marketing & Innovation Committee Meeting — IFA Office, Rosenberg Conference Room

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Franchisor Forum — IFA Office

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Past Chairs Meeting — IFA Office

2:45 pm – 3:45 pm

Supplier Exec Forum Meeting — IFA Office

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Supplier Forum — IFA Office

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

FranPAC Donor Reception — TBA

Advocacy Summit

Tuesday, September 15

7:30 am – 8:30 am

Franchisee Forum Breakfast Meeting — Union Station, Presidential Suite

9:30 am – 12:00 pm

General Session

Welcome & State of Advocacy
Speakers: Matt Haller & Sam Ballas

Glory and Grief on Capitol Hill: A Conversation with Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and John Leganski
Speakers: John Leganski, Partner, Harbinger Strategies & Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker

IFA Issues & Advocacy Training and Hill Preparation

Ruthless Podcast
Speakers: Josh Holmes, former chief of staff to Senator Mitch McConnell; Shashank Tripathi (Comfortably Smug), conservative social media commentator; Michael Duncan, Founding Partner, Cavalry; John Ashbrook, Founding Partner, Cavalry & veteran Republican operative

12:00 pm – 1:10 pm

Luncheon & FOY Awards Recognition

1:10 pm – 2:15 pm

General Session

Why Running a Local Franchise Creates Wealth
Speaker: Alice Fulwood, US Business Editor, The Economist; interviewed by Matt Haller, President & CEO, IFA

2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

IFA Board Meeting

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

VetFran Meeting

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

IFA Foundation Reception