Public pension trustees and administrators work at the intersection of retirement security, public service, workforce management, governance and long-term planning. That means worthwhile professional development does not always arrive with the word "pension" stamped across the top.

Several upcoming webinars, forums and workshops offer TEXPERS System Members opportunities to explore issues ranging from compensation benchmarking and retirement education to strategic planning, employee retention and legislative advocacy.

Here are five events to consider adding to your calendar.

2026 Public Pension Compensation Survey: Key Findings & Industry Trends

Monday, Sept. 28 | 1-2 p.m. CDT | Virtual

The National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems and CBIZ will provide an early look at findings from the 2026 Public Pension Compensation Survey, a benchmarking study covering compensation data for 100 public pension positions.

The webinar will examine compensation and benefits trends, compensation philosophies and oversight practices across public pension organizations. Speakers will also discuss how pension systems can use benchmarking data for workforce planning and organizational decision-making. Christine Bailey, director of compensation and workforce analytics at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, is among the presenters.

Why it matters to System Members: Recruiting and retaining qualified staff can be challenging for public retirement systems competing with both government employers and the private financial sector. Compensation benchmarking can provide executive directors, administrators, trustees and HR leaders with context when reviewing staffing structures, succession plans, salaries and benefits. NCPERS says the survey includes responses from organizations representing more than 26 million public workers. The webinar is also approved for one SHRM professional development credit and one hour of continuing education under NCPERS' programs.

Learn more and register with NCPERS

WISER's Annual Women's Retirement Symposium & 30th Anniversary Celebration

Wednesday, Oct. 7 | 1-4:30 p.m. CDT | Washington, D.C., and Virtual | Free

The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement, or WISER, will bring together organizations from across the retirement landscape to discuss financial and retirement education, public policy, research, and strategies to strengthen long-term financial security for women and families.

Participants may attend virtually or in person at the ACLI Conference Center in Washington. There is no fee to participate. An anniversary reception will follow the in-person symposium.

Why it matters to System Members: Retirement security is ultimately about people, not just actuarial tables. The symposium may be especially useful for pension administrators and trustees interested in member education, retirement readiness and communicating with populations that may have different career, income and retirement experiences. It also provides a broader view of retirement policy research beyond the public-pension sector that could inform member outreach and financial wellness initiatives.

Learn more and register for the WISER symposium

Futuring as a Strategy Tool

Wednesday, Oct. 7 | 2 p.m. CDT | Virtual | Free

IDEO U will host a conversation with Jennifer Lo, senior director of design futures and futurist-in-residence at IDEO, focused on using "futuring" as a practical complement to organizational strategy.

Rather than attempting to predict what will happen, the approach asks leaders to identify signals, trends and possible future conditions, then consider how today's decisions might hold up under different scenarios. The program will explore ways leaders can incorporate futures thinking into strategy without turning it into a massive planning exercise.

Why it matters to System Members: Few organizations have a longer planning horizon than a pension fund. Trustees and administrators routinely make decisions whose consequences may extend for decades. While this program is not pension-specific, its strategic foresight tools could offer another way to think about demographic change, emerging technologies, workforce shifts, member service expectations and other developments that may affect retirement systems over time.

TEXPERS Legislative Advocacy Workshop: Making Your Pension's Story Impossible to Ignore

Tuesday-Wednesday, Oct. 27-28 | Austin

TEXPERS will bring public pension trustees, administrators and industry professionals together in Austin for a day and a half focused on communicating effectively with lawmakers, policymakers, the news media and other stakeholders.

The program begins at 10 a.m. Oct. 27 at the Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue, Austin. It concludes at 11 a.m. Oct. 28. Featured sessions will address understanding legislative audiences, the 2027 Texas legislative session, what lawmakers and staff need from advocates, Pension Review Board priorities, public testimony, working with the media and putting the TEXPERS Advocacy Toolkit to work.

Why it matters to System Members: This workshop is designed specifically for Texas public pension leaders. With the 2027 legislative session approaching, the program focuses on helping trustees and administrators explain their systems clearly, communicate pension issues without unnecessary jargon and prepare for interactions with lawmakers, staff, regulators and reporters.

Registration is $150 for TEXPERS Retirement System and Employee Group Members and $195 for nonmember trustees. An evening networking reception will be held Oct. 27 at The Independent Condominiums, sponsored by Dimensional Fund Advisors.

View the agenda and register for the TEXPERS Legislative Advocacy Workshop

Lead High-Performing, Multigenerational Teams

Thursday, Nov. 5 | 1-2:15 p.m. CST | Virtual

The Chronicle of Philanthropy will offer a 75-minute leadership webinar examining how organizations can manage teams whose employees span multiple generations and may bring different expectations about communication, workplace flexibility and career development.

Speakers Marci Alboher, chief engagement officer at CoGenerate, and Jerry T. Haag, CEO of One More Child Foundation, will discuss navigating differences in work styles, developing fair and flexible workplace expectations and creating cultures that help retain employees at different career stages. The early-bird registration rate is $69 through Oct. 8, with a regular price of $89. Registrants who cannot attend live will receive access to the recording.

Why it matters to System Members: Public pension systems depend on specialized institutional knowledge, and replacing experienced employees can be difficult. Although this webinar is designed for nonprofit leaders rather than pension funds, the workforce questions are familiar: How do you retain experienced employees while developing newer staff? How do managers communicate across different work styles? And how do organizations transfer institutional knowledge as longtime employees approach retirement? For system administrators and trustees involved in executive oversight or succession planning, those questions have direct organizational relevance.

Learn more and register with the Chronicle of Philanthropy

Learning Beyond the Pension Silo

Public pension professionals operate in a specialized field, but many of the challenges facing retirement systems are shared across the broader public and nonprofit sectors. Workforce development, strategic planning, retirement education, communications and leadership all influence how effectively a pension system serves its members.

TEXPERS will continue to highlight educational opportunities that may help trustees and administrators bring useful ideas back to their boards, staff and retirement systems.

Events listed above are offered by TEXPERS or outside organizations as noted. Inclusion of an outside event is for informational purposes and does not constitute an endorsement. Registration details, schedules and availability are subject to change; attendees should confirm information with the event organizer.

About the Author: Allen Jones is the director of communications and event marketing for TEXPERS, where he leads editorial strategy, member communications, conference marketing, and digital engagement initiatives for Texas public employee retirement systems. He began his journalism and communications career in 1998.