APIC26 has wrapped, and our team is still thinking about the conversations we had on the floor at Music City Center. To everyone who stopped by to talk, ask the hard questions, or simply say hello — thank you.

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What stays with us after a week like this is not the exhibit hall or the schedule; it is the people. This is demanding work, and the professionals who do it carry a quiet, constant responsibility for keeping high-risk environments safe. They are also a discerning crowd — quick to ask how something was tested, what the evidence shows, and whether a claim holds up. We would not want it any other way. Those are exactly the conversations that make this field stronger, and the ones we came to Nashville to have.

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It is easy to forget, in the day-to-day, how much of this work goes unseen. Gatherings like this are among the few times all year when the people doing it are in one room — comparing notes, challenging assumptions, and pushing the standard of practice forward together. Being part of that, even fora few days, is a privilege.

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Supporting that community means more than staffing a booth. We were also proud to sponsor the California APIC Coordinating Council's networking social, an event built around giving members from chapters across the state a chance to step away from the day-to-day, connect, and enjoy some time together. The turnout said a great deal about how much that kind of connection matters. Our thanks to the CACC board and the volunteers who made it happen — and to everyone who came out.

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We had some fun along the way, too. Our gachapon machine sent people home with badge reels printed with germ- and contamination-themed sayings, and the new tote bags did not last long.

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If you missed either, there is still a chance to catch us: our team will be at Exchange26, the AHE Education & Solution Summit, August 16–19 in New Orleans, gachapon in tow. If you are making the trip to the Hyatt Regency, come find us — we would love to keep the conversation going.

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Until then, thank you again to everyone who made the week what it was. See you in New Orleans.