ATIA 2027 Prentke Lecture

The Annual Edwin and Esther Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture

Hosted by: ATIA

Sponsored by: 

 PRC-Saltillo logo

 

Submit Your ATIA 2027 Prentke Lecture Nominations by September 23, 2026

Submit Prentke Nomination Form

The 30th Annual Edwin and Esther Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture will be presented at the ATIA 2027 Conference in Orlando, Florida. ATIA is honored to host this exciting presentation featuring the experiences, insights and expertise of a person who uses AAC. This presentation will be in-person and live streamed and recorded for a virtual audience. 

ATIA is seeking nominations for this prestigious award. Anyone who meets the criteria may be nominated by a sponsor or may nominate themselves.  

We encourage nominations for lectures that align with the ATIA 2027 focus area of Social Inclusion & User Perspectives, highlighting how AAC supports inclusion for people with disabilities.  

Nomination Criteria

Nominees for the Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture should meet the following criteria:

  • Be a person who uses AAC as a primary means of communication (nominee may use any type of AAC device or application).
  • Be at least 18 years of age.
  • Have significant public speaking experience with a variety of audiences and venues.
  • Have the ability to engage in an interactive Question and Answer (Q&A) session with the audience.
  • Have the ability to present a professional quality presentation relevant to the field of AAC.

Please note: Past nominees may be nominated again. Past recipients of the award are not eligible to be nominated again.  Full-time employees of an AT company are not eligible to be nominated.  

Award Details

The recipient will receive:

  • $2,000 award
  • Up to $3,000 travel stipend
  • Complimentary registrations to ATIA 2027 (valued at $580+ per registration)

The successful recipient will receive an award of $2,000 and a travel stipend of up to $3,000 if presenting in-person in Orlando, generously donated by the sponsor, PRC-Saltillo. The recipient and up to two guests will also receive complimentary registrations to ATIA 2027, provided by ATIA.

Nominations Deadline

Nominations must be received by Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

Additional Information

Notifications

The recipient will be informed of their selection for the Lecture by October 18, 2026. The recipient must accept or decline the invitation by October 21, 2026.  All nominees will be informed of the award recipient after October 26, 2026.  The recipient will be invited to join the Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Selection Committee for one year after their successful Lecture and participate in the review and selection of the subsequent year’s recipient.

Lecture Date/Time and Format

The Lecture is part of the ATIA 2027 Conference and is scheduled for Saturday, January 23, 2027, from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm Eastern Time.  The Lecture will be held in-person in Orlando and also live streamed via Zoom and YouTube. Closed captioning and ASL interpreters will be provided for in-person and virtual attendees. ATIA staff will provide technical support and there will be moderators to assist the presenter during the lecture.

Please note, the recipient may choose to present in-person or virtually. If the recipient is not able to travel, then the recipient will be able to present virtually via Zoom.

Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Selection Committee

The Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Selection Committee is made up of the following members:

  • Lori Geist (Committee Co-Chair)
  • Tracy Lee Rackensperger (Committee Co-Chair and 2006 Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Awardee)
  • Teresa Dubovsky
  • Amy Goldman 
  • Mateo Moreno (2026 Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Awardee) 
  • Amanda Soper 
  • Angela Standridge  

About the Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture

The Edwin and Esther Prentke Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Distinguished Lecture was initiated in 1997 to honor the life and work of the late Edwin and Esther Prentke. The Prentkes dedicated their lives to developing technologies that liberate the lives of people with disabilities. The lecture is delivered by a person who uses augmentative and alternative communication (PWUAAC) to communicate. The lecture is followed by a time of interaction with the audience, allowing the audience to ask questions and interact with a PWUAAC. 

To learn more about the story of the Prentke Lecture, view YouTube recordings of past recipients’ lectures, and the full list of recipients, please visit The Edwin and Esther Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Story 

Questions?  Email education@atia.org  

Submit Prentke Nomination Form