Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Wellesley Select Board Member Lise Olney, right, connects with a fellow local leader during the MMA’s annual conference last year in Boston.
More than 1,100 local leaders from across the Commonwealth have already registered for the MMA’s annual conference, Connect 351, which will be held from Jan. 23 through 25 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston’s Seaport District.
Registrations are continuing at a record pace, and the online option will be available through Jan. 20. (Registration takes just a few minutes.)
This year’s event features a new name, a new look, a new location, and an expansion into Thursday afternoon — but the same high-quality programming as past years, and more networking opportunities than ever.
Recent program updates include the addition of U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Gov. Maura Healey, and Lt. Gov Kim Driscoll.
Conference highlights include:
• Engaging and inspiring speakers
• Timely, educational workshops
• A lively Trade Show
• Member business meetings and important policy discussions
• Numerous networking opportunities
Visit Connect351.org for complete conference information. The event’s free mobile app will also help attendees make the most of their experience.
Lincoln Select Board Member Jennifer Glass, an MMA Board member and frequent MMA conference attendee, said the event “is a wonderful way to see how each city and town is part of the larger fabric of the Commonwealth.”
“Whether it’s the motivational energy of a guest speaker, the wisdom of a panel of your peers, or a chance conversation with a colleague,” she said, “Connect 351 will leave you informed and energized!”
Speakers
Fitchburg Mayor Samantha Squailia, left, Franklin Town Councillor Melanie Hamblen, center, and Marlborough City Council President Michael Ossing chat during last year’s MMA annual conference.
Connect 351’s inspiring speaker lineup includes the following:
• Friday keynote Suneel Gupta, a bestselling author and entrepreneur who studies how leaders succeed and fail, will explore the connection between well-being and performance in his keynote, “Momentum: Boosting Resilience, Fulfillment and Performance.”
• Gov. Maura Healey will speak during the general session on Friday, just days after she files her state budget plan for fiscal 2026.
• Saturday keynote Matt Lehrman, co-founder of Social Prosperity Partners, will help local leaders refine their approach with his keynote, “From Conflict to Conservation.”
• Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh will deliver the keynote for the Women Elected Municipal Officials Leadership Luncheon on Friday, Jan. 24.
• U.S. Sens. Warren and Markey will address members during the MMA’s Annual Business Meeting on Saturday, just days after the opening of the 119th Congress.
• Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll will also speak during the MMA’s Annual Business Meeting.
• Opal Mauldin-Jones, the city manager in Lancaster, Texas, will engage in conversation with Needham Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick during a Women Leading Government session on Thursday.
Keynote speakers Suneel Gupta and Matt Lehrman preview their talks in video messages created especially for the MMA, which can be found on Connect351.org.
Workshops
Connect 351 will feature 18 timely and informative workshops during three time slots on Friday and Saturday afternoons, covering critical topics like artificial intelligence, communications, succession planning, cybersecurity, municipal law, housing, DEI, and more. A number of these workshops are MIIA Rewards-eligible. Visit Connect351.org for full workshop details.
Trade Show
Connect 351 provides opportunities to network and to catch up with longtime friends. Pictured at last year’s MMA conference, left to right, are retired manager Jeff Nutting, MMA Vice President and Franklin Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Medfield Town Administrator Kristine Trierweiler, and Marblehead Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer.
A lively Trade Show will feature more than 250 exhibitors showcasing the latest in products, services and solutions for Massachusetts municipalities. This year’s Trade Show will be open on Thursday afternoon from 2 to 5:30 — a great opportunity to meet with exhibitors when the Trade Show floor will be less crowded than it is at peak times. A welcome reception will be held on the Trade Show floor from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
A new EV Alley will give attendees the opportunity to meet with exhibitors representing the full spectrum of electric vehicle options for the communities, including municipally oriented electric vehicles. An EV Alley ribbon cutting, with special guests, will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
The Trade Show will also be open on Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m, with six Learning Lab sessions on the show floor from 11:30 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.
The Trade Show will not be open on Saturday.
Networking
Connect 351 features numerous opportunities to meet your colleagues, share ideas, and expand your network.
Networking events include general receptions on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, affiliate group meetings, and an MMA-Suffolk programs reception. In addition, there are always hallway conversations and numerous seating areas where members can engage with colleagues whenever they’d like.
Additional programming
Somerville City Councillor Kristen Strezo, left, Massachusetts Select Board Association President and Stoughton Select Board Member Debra Roberts, center, and Sharon Select Board Chair Kiana Pierre-Louis get together during last year’s annual conference.
• Representatives from the Healey-Driscoll administration will host a session on Friday, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., to discuss opportunities to engage with and participate in the Commonwealth’s 250th anniversary celebration activities in 2025.
• “Speed Coaching for Municipal Officials,” on Thursday, 2-2:45 p.m., will provide career guidance and professional counsel to attendees interested in advancing their careers.
• Attendees can get free, professional photos taken at the Headshot Station, which will be open on Thursday from 2 to 5:30 p.m. and on Friday from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Registration
Online registration for Connect 351, available through Jan. 20, requires a member’s unique username and password. Registration is not available by mail or over the phone.
The early registration rate is $265 for MMA members and Partner Program members. Partners must be in good standing as of Dec. 30, 2024, to be eligible for registration and attendance. New MMA Partner Program applications will not be accepted until after Connect 351, and renewal applications will not be accepted during Connect 351.
Nonmember government entities are welcome to attend Connect 351, at a cost of $330.
Registration is also open for the Women Elected Municipal Officials Leadership Luncheon at a cost of $55, and the Friday evening dinner, at a cost of $65.
Attendees can register on-site during Connect 351 at a rate of $300 for MMA and Partner Program members, and $365 for nonmember government entities.
The MMA accepts credit cards for all Connect 351 transactions and is able to invoice your municipality after the meeting as well.
Those who need assistance with registration can email connect351@mma.org.
Accommodations and parking
Rooms in the MMA’s discounted room blocks at area hotels are now sold out, but attendees may still book rooms at regular rates at the following area hotels:
• Omni Boston Hotel (1-800-THE-OMNI)
• The Westin Seaport (617-532-4600)
• Element Boston Seaport District (617-530-1700)
• Aloft Boston Seaport District (617-530-1600)
Other options include the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel (606 Congress St.) and the Seaport Hotel Boston (1 Seaport Lane).
The sites for Connect 351 — the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (415 Summer St.) and the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport — are located in Boston’s fastest growing and newest neighborhood. Both are just minutes away from Boston’s major highways, and steps away from the MBTA’s Silver Line World Trade Center stop.
In addition to hotel parking, there are several parking garages located within minutes of the BCEC and the Omni (view full list of options).
Complimentary coat check will be available on the exhibit level of the BCEC, near registration, courtesy of the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association, the MMA’s nonprofit insurance service.
For Connect 351 questions, visit Connect351.org or email connect351@mma.org. For Trade Show and Partnership Program information, contact Karen LaPointe at 800-882-1498, ext. 154, or 2025TS@mma.org.