Payment

If you chose an invoice option, your registration must be paid before the registration deadline, e.g., Early bird rate must be paid by January 31, 2025; Advance rate must be paid by February 28, 2025. If payment is not received by this date, SOPHE reserves the right to increase your registration rate to the Standard rate. All full-conference registration must be paid when the conference begins on April 16, 2025. If attending a pre-conference event, registration must be paid before the event begins.

Event Cancellation by SOPHE

SOPHE reserves the right to cancel an event due to low enrollment or other circumstances which would make the event non-viable. If SOPHE cancels an event, SOPHE has the right or transfer registration to the same event at a new, future date. SOPHE is not responsible for reimbursement of any participant’s expenses related to the cancellation or postponement of an event.

Cancellation Policy

Registration Cancellations: The deadline to request a refund is Monday, April 14, 2025. Cancellations must be received by the stated cancellation deadline and accepted in writing only to in**@so***.org . All cancellations are subject to a $50 fee. No shows for the event will not receive a refund.

Substitution Policy: Substitutions will be allowed if you are unable to attend, provided they are of the same SOPHE membership status and the request is submitted in writing to in**@so***.org . Substitution of registration (same type: member/non-member) is permitted prior to Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Only one substitution is permitted per original registrant with written consent. The individual submitting the substitution request is responsible for all financial obligations associated with that substitution and for updating any contact/demographic information. Please email substitution requests to in**@so***.org

All refund requests must be made by the registered attendee or credit card holder and include the name of the attendee and/or transaction number by April 14, 2025. Refunds will be issued via the original payment method used, no later than (30) days after the cancellation is approved. Please send written cancellations to in**@so***.org  

Not Eligible for a Refund:

• Membership fees associated with new membership bundles/non-member registrations.
• Discount or special promotion codes are available only on new registrations; refunds are not available to existing registrations.

Health and Safety Guidelines

The health and safety of attendees and staff are SOPHE’s top priority.  If you are not feeling well or exhibit any signs of COVID-19 or other illnesses, stay home, even if you have mild symptoms. If you are in contact with someone who is sick or exhibits signs of illness, stay home while you watch for symptoms. Please note that wearing a face mask is optional. With ongoing public health emergencies, SOPHE has the health, safety, and well-being of our attendees, staff, presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers in mind. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, SOPHE staff, service providers, and others, are expected to abide by our code of conduct and all policies.  SOPHE continues to monitor and update safety precautions for SOPHE events regularly and coordinates with trusted national resources, state and local public health agencies, and the hotels/venues hosting the events. SOPHE reserves the right to modify these policies and procedures at any time, given the rapidly changing nature of any current and ongoing public health emergencies. 

Registrations and attendance at, or participation in SOPHE’s 2025 Annual Conference constitutes an agreement by the registrant to SOPHE’s use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or attendee’s image or voice in photographs and/or videos.

I understand that I give SOPHE permission to use (display, publish, etc.) any photograph(s) of me at this conference for any purpose deemed appropriate by SOPHE. Photos may be used in promotional publications online and in print to educate the public about SOPHE and the work of its members.

Photos may be transmitted to news media outlets for distribution. Photos may be kept in a stock photo file by National SOPHE.

SOPHE always strives to present individuals in a complementary, culturally sensitive, and appropriate manner.

To opt out of the photo release, registrants must submit their request in writing via email to in**@so***.org .

In consideration of being allowed to register for, and participate in SOPHE’s 2025 Annual Conference, I hereby warrant and represent that I am age 18 or above and freely waive, release from liability, assume all risks, and covenant not to sue SOPHE or its members, employees, board members, agents, or volunteers for any expense, loss, damage, personal injury, including loss of life, disability, property damage, or property theft or actions of any kind that I may hereafter suffer or sustain before.

During or after the event unless said expense, loss, damage, personal injury, including loss of life, disability, property damage or property theft or actions of any kind is caused by the sole, gross negligence of SOPHE.

This waiver and release is specifically binding upon my heirs and assigns and is knowingly given.

SOPHE is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all conference participants and SOPHE staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, SOPHE staff members, service providers, and all others are expected to abide by SOPHE’s Code of Conduct. This policy applies to all SOPHE conference-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than SOPHE, but held in conjunction with SOPHE events, on public or private platforms.

SOPHE has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our events, meetings, conferences, etc. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, SOPHE asks you to inform SOPHE’s CEO, William Datema, wd*****@so***.org so that we can take appropriate action.

Unacceptable behavior is defined as:

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
• Verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, SOPHE staff member, service provider, or conference guest.
  • Examples of verbal abuse include but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body, size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, SOPHE staff member, service provider, or other meeting guests.
• Disruption of presentations during sessions, in the exhibit space, or at other events organized by SOPHE during the conference. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any SOPHE conference staff.
• Presentations, postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitations for services. SOPHE reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations.
• SOPHE reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and SOPHE reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting, digitally, or in-person.