Join us for the Fall 2026 Aquatic Professional Development Meeting (APDM), an in-person day designed to bring aquatic professionals together to learn, connect, share ideas, and strengthen leadership across the sector. This fall’s meeting will feature two speakers exploring important and timely topics for aquatic leaders: workforce resilience and retention, workplace legal considerations, supervisor responsibilities, and bullying and harassment. Paramita Banerjee, a faculty member of the Langara College Nursing Program, brings extensive experience in public health nursing, education, and research to her work exploring resilience among nurses and the factors that help professionals remain engaged and successful in demanding workplaces. Her research examines what new and emerging nurses need to build resilience, navigate learning and working in dynamic environments, and remain engaged in their career path. For aquatic leaders, these questions are highly relevant as facilities work to support, develop, and retain a new generation of lifeguards, instructors, supervisors, and other recreation professionals. The session will invite participants to consider how we can better understand, support, develop, and retain the people who make our aquatic facilities successful. Paula Krawus, an employment lawyer and co-founder of PortaLaw, will explore the HR and legal side of supervising aquatic staff, with a particular focus on young and emerging lifeguards and swim instructors. Her session will examine how supervisors can set clear expectations, provide effective feedback and coaching, document performance conversations, and navigate difficult conversations about workplace behaviour while respecting human rights obligations. Paula will also address the importance of professional communication, appropriate documentation, and following established Pool Safety Plans and procedures, Please email amandab@lifesaving.bc.ca with any dietary restrictions or accommodation requirements.