The Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) had its first in-person event since July 2019 recently in Atlanta, GA. Like many other associations the conference moved to a virtual format during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 that proved to be successful. Planning for their first in-person event in nearly three years had its opportunities and challenges.

Let us first review the opportunities. Being forced to take a pause on doing things the way they have always been done allows you to change things up as you return.

• How can the schedule be adjusted? This includes everything from the length of the conference, the day pattern, how early to start each day, how late to end each day, considering time for ample breaks for attendees.

• Do we need to reevaluate our programming? Programming had to be strong to entice people to register pre-pandemic. It is even more important now that you are working to get your potential attendees to commit to an in person event when virtual and on demand content is now so readily available.

Ultimately SNEB determined it was in the best interest of our attendees to shorten and condense the conference schedule. This was done to minimize time out of the office as well as help attendee travel costs be reducing the number of hotel nights needed to attend. The conference was primarily held over the weekend vs. weekdays. An effort was also made to not start sessions too early in the morning and not run too late into the evening. All programming was pre-recorded and sessions that could present virtually and in-person were accepted.

The biggest challenges we faced during our planning were how to produce an event as safely as possible with our attendee’s health and wellbeing and determining how to approach a virtual component.

• How do we keep our attendees safe? Safety protocol including attendee expectations and logistical components like food and beverage service and room sets were considered as we determined our approach.

• What is the best way to integrate a virtual component? Determining how to engage the virtual audience with those in-person, if at all, has many factors to take into account.

A safety protocol was determined by the SNEB Board of Directors that included proof of vaccination and masks. Socially distanced rooms sets were implemented along with banquet staff serving all buffets.

The virtual aspect proved to be the most challenging. Unintentionally it morphed into a hybrid approach that did not necessarily meet the needs of the virtual attendees and included too many virtual aspects for the in person attendees. This was the biggest lesson learned for our team. We tried to be all things to everyone and fell short in doing so.

Given the circumstances, those attending in-person appreciated being back together and were understanding of any technology issues. We will use this year’s experience as we start thinking about 2023. 

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About the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB)
Founded in 1962, the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) represents the unique professional interests of nutrition educators worldwide. SNEB is dedicated to promoting effective nutrition education and healthy behavior through research, policy, and practice and has a vision of healthy communities, food systems, and behaviors.