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Welcome to 2025 Conference Central!

All the information you need as a Conference 2025 attendee is below. Scroll down for a welcome message from our President, presentation schedules, meal information, planned events & activities, speaker bios, links to our vendors, and more!

We look forward to hosting you this week! If there’s something we can do to serve you better, please see a member of our Board.

2025 Annual Conference

The New England Crisis Negotiators Association’s (NECNA) Annual Conference will be held at the Emerald Resort and Conference Center in Hyannis, MA Monday April 28 - Wednesday April 30, 2025. We are looking forward to an outstanding lineup of presentations and networking opportunities.

If you are booking a room at the Emerald Resort, please use NECNA25 for a reservation discount.

Conference Registration Fee is $399

***We all know that COVID has created some challenging times. With that, we will follow all COVID guidelines, and updates will be sent to attendees. Please provide your personal cell phone number when registering so members can be updated with any last-minute changes. In regards to cancellations, NECNA will refund registration fees fully through Friday April 11. After April 11, should cancellations occur, $175 will be refunded. An accurate headcount is required for food totals one week prior to the event. In light of this, the remaining registration fee ($224) will be used to offset incurred costs. NECNA will allow the registration to be transferred to another participant, all information must be provided to NECNA prior to the conference. Please contact NECNA Secretary Jennifer Weaver at j.weaver@belfastmepd.org with any additional questions.

Please be advised that our address has changed to PO BOX 772 Burlington, MA 01803

The 2025 Conference schedule is HERE!!

Schedule updated as of 04/02/25 and subject to change.

Cornhole is back for 2025!!

Join in on the fun on Tuesday night with our 2nd Annual Cornhole tournament.

Find a partner and pick a team name. It’s that simple!

Prizes will be awarded to our top 3 finishers!!

Space is limited. Register early so you don’t miss out!!

P.O. Box 772

Burlington, MA 01803

2025 President’s Message

Welcome to the New England Crisis Negotiators Association's 24th annual Conference at the Cape. It is a true honor to be your president and to serve our members from the six states that comprise NECNA! I am proud of the Board of Directors and the State Representatives who work tirelessly to bring you quality trainings, manage the Organization with integrity, and meet monthly to discuss the ways NECNA can sustain, grow, and improve.

I thank the Board of Directors for the amount of time devoted to making our Organization the success it has become, and the Members for your trust in us!!!! Our Membership continues to grow as each new 40-hour class is completed. I am proud to say we are also seeing an uptick in membership of Mental Health Professionals (MHP) who are embedded with law enforcement and corrections teams. This is a testament to embracing the future of negotiations and bringing in the MHP component to be part of the NECNA Board of Directors. This inclusion shows the true value of their talents and how a Board Member (Dr. Edward Keane) can make a difference in our profession. The BODs has selected an incredible panel of presenters for this year's Conference and I believe you will learn and be able to apply what you have learned with your teams!!

The Board of Directors listens to its Members and we have provided more training opportunities than ever before. This year we had a very successful and well-attended “Summer Scenario Series!” Thanks to Dr. Ed Keane, our Fall Regional Training instructed by Sgt. JD Byas of Dallas SWAT-CNU was a huge success as evidenced by several venues running out of space (Next year larger sites will be used). V.P. Wayne Cole has secured Dr. Jeff Thompson who has agreed to a first-time “Winter Series” of instruction. Our new Vermont Rep., Krystal Wrinn, and our Massachusetts Rep., Mike Knight, hosted Dr. Thompson’s Winter Series and the class reviews were stellar.

I also bring to people’s attention our past President, Dr. John Colautti’s, passion for negotiating and never forgetting NECNA. Dr. Colautti presented a block of instruction on negotiations in the prison setting at last year’s Conference and knocked it out of the park. He also pioneered getting Crisis Systems Management (CSM) to visit Anna Maria College and hold the first-ever Northeast Negotiator Challenge last summer. Dr. Colautti has continued his vision and has brought CSM to Anna Maria College for Crisis Negotiation Training Levels 1-3. NECNA Board Members attended some of these trainings, and all have had amazing experiences! Thank you, Dr. Colautti!!

Please sign up for our “Second Annual Cornhole Tournament” being held Tuesday night in the Bass River Room. Prizes will be awarded!! Please use the QR Code on the website, on posters at the Conference, or speak to a board member to register.

Please enjoy yourselves responsibly while you are at the Conference!! If you need help with navigating anything while you are here, please reach out to your State Representative or any member of the Board of Directors. Please refer to the posted Agenda’s/QR Codes for speaker bios and daily activities.

Be safe and take care of each other!!!

Phil Hadden

NECNA President