The National Association for County Community and Economic Development (NACCED) will host its 51st Annual Educational Conference and Training from October 5 to 8, 2026, in Towson, Maryland. This annual gathering brings together local government leaders and practitioners from across the country to share insights, explore emerging challenges, and advance strategies that strengthen communities.
Attendees will explore practical approaches to affordable housing and community development initiatives, including funding programs such as the United States (US) Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Continuum of Care (CoC).
This year’s conference theme, “Harnessing Momentum, Driving Change,” reflects the need for communities to build on progress, adapt to changing conditions, and develop innovative solutions to complex housing and community development challenges.
Connect with Hagerty
Established as an affiliate of the National Association of Counties (NACo), NACCED empowers local governments to strengthen capacity and foster resilient, sustainable communities. As a proud corporate partner of NACo, Hagerty is honored to sponsor and attend this year’s event.
If you are attending, we invite you to visit our booth to meet Hagerty’s Deputy Director of Recovery, John Hageman, and Disaster Recovery Manager, Laura Munafo. Our team looks forward to connecting with fellow practitioners to discuss strategies for navigating federal funding, strengthening recovery programs, and advancing long-term resilience.
To learn more about this event, visit NACCED’s official website.
About Our Team
John Hageman is Hagerty’s Deputy Director of Recovery with nearly 15 years of experience in strategy, finance, and management across the public and private sectors. He has held executive roles during the two largest municipal financial crises in US history, helping public sector entities implement financial and operational reforms. At Hagerty, John leads business strategy, development, and client delivery for the Federal Funds Management practice. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff for the City of Detroit’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer, leading the city’s post-bankruptcy recovery. John also advised Puerto Rico’s Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) to strengthen financial management.
Laura Munafo is a Disaster Recovery Manager at Hagerty with 13 years of experience leading federally funded recovery programs and supporting complex implementation efforts. She specializes in CDBG-DR programs, grant management, compliance, and resilient recovery planning. Previously, she served as Deputy Director at the New York State Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) for six years, supporting recovery efforts following Hurricane Sandy. At Hagerty, Laura provides strategic and technical leadership for housing and infrastructure initiatives, helping communities translate recovery plans into effective, accountable programs.