About BBC This year's Beyond Borders Conference, as always, is committed to educating families and adoption professionals about the many facets of this journey and advocating for improved international adoption processes and humanitarian aid for children in need. We aim to inspire, educate and generate awareness for international adoption advocates so that we can all continue impacting positive change in the adoption community.

Representatives from around the world will be present to talk about adoptions in their respective nations and to raise awareness of the present situations and circumstances of their countries' orphans. Previously known as the "East Meets West" conference, this annual conference was renamed "Beyond Borders" to better reflect the adoption and humanitarian aid needs of the more than 140 million orphans worldwide.

The Beyond Borders conference brings together a diverse delegation of United States and foreign government officials and adoption authorities, worldwide orphanage directors, humanitarian aid organizations and adoptive families. Foreign dignitaries from China, Haiti, and El Salvador will be attending to speak about adoption in their countries. Several of the invitees will be presenting information on the current and future state of international adoption and sharing stories of inter-country humanitarian aid work. Several educational tracks will also feature topics such as China's Waiting Child Program, bonding and attachment issues, trans-racial adoption, and an adoptive family panel will also present on their experience adopting a waiting child.

To acknowledge and celebrate the 15th year of Great Wall of China Adoption/Children of All Nations work, this year's conference will be held in our hometown of spectacular Austin, TX, with special emphasis on Waiting Child Programs (focused on older and special needs children) and different parts of the world to which we are expanding our reach to help children.

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Todd Ochs is a physician renowned for his expertise in the area of international adoption and an adoptive father of four. He has seen over a thousand of internationally adopted children in his practice and adoption clinic, and has done thousands more referral reviews. He is a founding member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Section on Adoption and Foster Care and served on its executive committee for six years. He has also advocated for adopted and fostered children with public and private schools.

Craig Juntunen is the author of Both Ends Burning, the account of his adoption of three children from Haiti and his personal transformation, is an international child welfare advocate and the founder of Chances for Children, providing financial and strategic support for orphanages and schools in Haiti, and Both Ends Burning campaign, which strives for international adoption reform to shorten the time from years to months for children to come home with their adoptive families.

Distinguished Speakers

• Chuck Johnson, President & CEO of the National Council For Adoption
• Patricia Hickey of Office of Children's Issues of the Department of State
• Director Tang, director of the Shenzhen, China, Social Welfare Institute
• Haiti Adoption: Kim Harmon from For His Glory Outreach and Pierre Alexis, director of Maison Des Enfantes De Dieu (Haitian orphanage)
• Attorney General of El Salvador's Central Adoption Authority, Sonia Elizabeth Cortéz de Madriz
• Foreign dignitaries from Honduras, El Salvador and Colombia (invited)

Advanced Training Associates is approved as a provider (provider # 1131) for continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards 400 South Ridge Parkway, Suite B, Culpeper, VA 22701. www.aswb.org. ASWB Approval Period: May 18, 2010 –May 18, 2013.  Advanced Training Associates maintains responsibility for this program and its content.