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Take your learning to the next level with NCPERS Fiduciary in Focus Workshop (formerly known as Program for Advanced Trustee Studies, or PATS).

NCPERS UNIVERSITY

2026 Fiduciary in Focus Workshop

Each fall, public pension trustees and plan staff dive deep into two timely, high-impact topics. Through collaborative discussions and real-world strategies, you’ll build the expertise needed to tackle emerging fiduciary challenges.

What You'll Learn | FAQs | Register Now
October 24-25, 2026 — Nashville, TN
Attendee asks a question holding a microphone

About NCPERS Fiduciary in Focus Workshop (formerly known as PATS)

Take your learning to the next level with NCPERS Fiduciary in Focus Workshop (formerly known as Program for Advanced Trustee Studies, or PATS). Hands-on exercises, collaborative discussions, and expert guidance in a small classroom setting help prepare trustees and pension staff to tackle today’s most pressing fiduciary challenges with a deep dive into two timely topics:

  • Oversight of Benefits Administration: Delivering the Pension Promise
  • Private Equity Landscape: Where It’s Been and Where It’s Going

Register now to join us October 24-25 in Nashville, TN. Registration closes October 7 and class size is limited, so early registration is strongly recommended.

Ready to book your travel? Please note the workshop begins at 8 AM on Saturday, October 24 and will conclude at 2:15 PM on Sunday, October 25. Make the most of your time in Nashville by also attending NCPERS Public Safety Conference, held immediately after!

Register Now View the Agenda Hotel Information

Who Should Attend NCPERS Fiduciary in Focus Workshop? 

This workshop is ideal for public pension trustees, administrators, and staff who want to expand their fiduciary knowledge beyond the basics: 

  • Trustees - (1+ years of experience) – after building your foundational knowledge with NCPERS Trustee Essentials Training, take your learning to the next level.
  • Plan Administrators – stay informed about the latest fiduciary challenges to lead with confidence in an increasingly complex pension landscape.  
  • Pension Staff – find practical strategies from peers and industry experts to make informed decisions as you navigate emerging issues.

Please note: Your organization must be a current member of NCPERS to participate. To verify your status, please contact membership@ncpers.org.

Looking for more? Join the fall class of NCPERS Advanced Fiduciary Institute (NAF), held concurrently October 24-25 in Nashville. 

About NCPERS UniversityAbout NCPERS MembershipFind Answers to FAQs

Continuing Education: What Will I Learn at the Fiduciary in Focus Workshop?  

By attending the Fiduciary in Focus Workshop, you’ll find practical insights and valuable connections to help you excel long after the program ends. Plus, you can earn Continuing Education (CE) hours with NCPERS.

Each year, our program focuses on two dynamic topics, ensuring that you stay ahead of the curve and well-versed in the latest industry trends. This year, the Fiduciary in Focus Workshop will cover:

  • Day 1 (October 24) – Oversight of Benefits Administration: Delivering the Pension Promise
  • Day 2 (October 25) – Private Equity Landscape: Where It’s Been and Where It’s Going
Register NowAbout NCPERS Continuing Education

Agenda

6:45 AM – 3:00 PM

Registration

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Day I – Oversight of Benefits Administration: Delivering the Pension Promise

8:00 AM – 8:15 AM

Welcome and Introduction

8:15 AM – 9:30 AM

Oversight of Benefits Administration: Delivering the Pension Promise

Session Overview:
  • Talk about the balance between trustee oversight and staff execution. What trustees should know and be asking about, while still allowing staff to manage the day-to-day work.
  • Use the conversation to set up the rest of the program and how things like regulations, internal controls, technology, benefits administration, and member experience all connect back to delivering the pension promise.

9:30 AM – 10:15 AM

Navigating Change: From Legislative Updates to Implementation

Session Overview:
  • Look at legislative and regulatory changes that could impact public pension benefits and administration and what systems should have on their radar.
  • Talk about what happens after a change is made and how systems put it into practice through policies, systems, processes, and staff.
  • Discuss how teams like legal, benefits, IT, and communications work together to implement changes and make sure members understand what they mean.

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

Refreshment Break

10:30 AM – 11:15 AM

When Benefits Get Complicated: Oversight of Disability and Survivor Benefits

Session Overview:
  • Use disability and survivor benefits as examples of areas where benefits administration can become especially complex and where decisions can have significant consequences for members and their families.
  • Walk trustees through the types of challenges that can arise, such as determining eligibility, interpreting plan provisions, obtaining documentation, handling appeals, and administering benefits when family or beneficiary circumstances are complicated.
  • Discuss where the trustee’s oversight responsibility begins and ends. What should trustees understand about how these cases are handled without becoming involved in individual benefit determinations?

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

Member Engagement is Mission Critical: Using Technology to Improve the Member Experience

Session Overview:
  • Talk about why member understanding and engagement should matter to trustees, even though staff handles the day-to-day work.
  • Speakers can share experiences that showed them where members and families were not fully understanding their benefits.
  • Talk about what trustees should be asking or looking at to know whether their system is reaching and educating members effectively.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Networking Lunch

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Could It Happen Here? Managing Risk in Benefits Administration

Session Overview:
  • Bring the day together by reinforcing that delivering the pension promise depends not only on getting benefits out the door, but on having the governance, people, processes, and controls in place to make sure they are accurate, timely, and secure.
  • Explore what happens when something does go wrong: how staff and the board respond, how issues are communicated to affected members, and how systems rebuild trust while correcting the underlying problem.
  • Use real-world scenarios or examples of benefits administration – what may go wrong? Could this happen here?

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Jeopardy

Gamification to wrap up the day of content. Attendees will use this time as a reflective and engaging way to review and apply learning objectives.

3:00 PM

End of Day

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

University Programs Networking Reception

7:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Registration

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM – 2:15 PM

Day II – Private Equity Landscape: Where It’s Been and Where It’s Going

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Introduction & Overview: The Private Equity Landscape

Session Overview:
  • Set the stage for the day by looking at how private equity has evolved and the role it plays in public pension portfolios today.
  • Highlight key shifts in the private equity landscape and introduce some of the forces shaping where the market may be headed.
  • Establish several questions or themes to revisit throughout the program and during the closing discussion.

8:30 AM – 9:15 AM

Building a Private Equity Portfolio

Session Overview:
  • Discuss what trustees should be looking at and asking about to determine whether the private equity program remains aligned with the system’s investment objectives.
  • Explore what trustees should understand about portfolio construction and where their oversight role differs from the responsibilities of investment staff and outside advisors.

9:15 AM – 10:00 AM

The Role of the Private Equity Consultant

Session Overview:
  • Explore the role of the private equity consultant and how consultants work with boards and investment staff to develop, implement, and monitor a private equity program.
  • Discuss the consultant’s role in areas such as portfolio construction, pacing, manager due diligence and selection, performance evaluation, and ongoing monitoring.
  • Help trustees understand what they should expect from their consultant, including how recommendations and risks should be communicated to the board.

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Refreshment Break

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM

AI in Action: How Private Equity Firms and Portfolio Companies Are Using AI

Session Overview:
  • Explore how private equity firms are using AI across the investment process, including sourcing, due diligence, portfolio monitoring, and decision-making.
  • Look at how PE firms are working with portfolio companies to use AI to improve operations, productivity, growth, and value creation.
  • Discuss where managers are seeing meaningful results versus where AI expectations may be getting ahead of practical application.
  • Consider the risks and governance questions trustees should understand as AI becomes more integrated into private equity firms and their portfolio companies.

11:00 AM – 11:45 AM

Investing in AI: The Private Equity and Venture Capital Perspective

Session Overview:
  • Shift the conversation from how private equity is using AI to how managers are investing in the AI economy.
  • Consider what trustees should understand about valuations, competition, concentration, rapidly changing technology, and other risks associated with AI-related investments.

11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Networking Lunch

1:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Private Equity Challenge: Put Your Knowledge to Work

Session Overview:
  • Reenergize the room after lunch with an interactive team competition based on concepts and issues covered throughout the morning.
  • Use a mix of knowledge questions and scenarios that encourage trustees to apply what they have heard rather than simply recall facts.

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM

What’s Next? Trends Shaping the Future of Private Equity

Session Overview:
  • Bring the day together with an interactive discussion of the trends and emerging issues trustees should be watching in private equity.
  • Explore topics that are top of mind for speakers and attendees and consider what they could mean for public pension investors going forward.
  • Revisit questions and themes surfaced through the opening reflection, discussions throughout the day, and the team competition.
  • Use an interviewer-style format with the session leaders guiding the conversation, while creating opportunities for attendees to raise questions and share perspectives.

2:15 PM

End of Day

Attendee at a table speaking with a colleagueInstructor leading a section in front of a podium Attendees raising their hands to ask a question

Registration Information

NCPERS membership is required to attend the Fiduciary in Focus Workshop. Not sure of your membership status? Contact membership@ncpers.org to learn more.

Register by October 1, 2026 to lock in your savings at the early-bird rate. Registration closes October 7, 2026 and class size is limited, so early registration is strongly recommended.

Follow these instructions to create your account to register online, or contact registration@ncpers.org for assistance.

Register Now Hotel Information

All requests to modify a registration must be submitted by emailing registration@ncpers.org or by calling 202-601-2445.

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to registration@ncpers.org by Thursday, October 1. Cancellations received by this date are eligible for a refund, less a $100 administrative fee. Cancellations received after October 1 are not eligible for a refund.

Refunds will be issued only for written cancellation requests received by October 1 and will be processed less a $100 administrative fee. All refunds will be issued to the original form of payment. No refunds will be issued after Thursday, October 1.

Substitutions are permitted at no additional cost at any time prior to the event. The original registrant is responsible for providing the substitute’s complete contact information. All substitution requests must be submitted in writing to registration@ncpers.org.

NCPERS prioritizes the well-being of attendees and staff. We encourage respect for personal choices regarding masks and physical contact, adherence to any local or venue guidelines, and staying home if unwell. Thank you for helping us create a safe and welcoming environment.
NCPERS is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive meeting experience. If you require an accommodation due to a disability, please email events@ncpers.org with a description of your accommodation needs. To help us make appropriate arrangements, we encourage you to submit requests at least 30 days before the event. We will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the request.

Hotel Information: Renaissance Nashville

NCPERS Fiduciary in Focus Workshop will be held at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel, located in the heart of downtown. The NCPERS room rate is $339 per night, with a reservation deadline of Thursday, October 1 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.

The hotel sits just steps from Broadway, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and Nashville’s central business district, making it easy for attendees to explore the city before or after sessions. Attendees will have convenient access to sessions, networking events, and nearby restaurants and entertainment, all within walking distance. Don’t let the room rate sell out, book your stay early to secure the best rate.

Reservations: Book online or call 800-237-6618 and request the NCPERS room block.

For your travel plans: Please note the Fiduciary in Focus Workshop begins at 8 AM on Saturday, October 24 and will conclude at 2:15 PM on Sunday, October 25. 

Book My Stay
Twilight view of the Renaissance Nashville hotel
Hotel Policies

Cancellation Policy: Reservations require a first night's room and tax deposit at the time of booking. Guests may cancel their reservation with 24 hour notice. Any guest who checks out prior to their confirmed departure date will be subject to an early departure fee equal to one night's room rate and applicable taxes. Guests are encouraged to confirm their arrival and departure dates carefully at the time of booking to avoid additional charges.

Check-In/Check-Out: Check-in begins at 4:00 PM and check-out is by 12:00 PM (noon)

Transportation
  • Nearest Airport: Nashville International Airport (BNA) is approximately 8.4 miles from the hotel, typically a 15-minute drive depending on traffic.
  • Rideshare: Uber/Lyft rides from BNA cost around $25-$35 and taxis cost $30-$40.
  • Public Transit: WeGo Route 18 provides direct service from BNA to downtown Nashville. The trip takes about 30 minutes and costs approximately $2. The closest stop is a short walk from the hotel.
  • Hotel Parking: Valet parking is currently $69 per day (oversized vehicles incur additional charges). Self-parking is available in nearby garages but is not operated by the hotel.
Register Now

Frequently Asked Questions: Fiduciary in Focus Workshop 
Yes. If you completed PATS any time prior to 2026, the continuing education credits you earned will still count.
Yes. Your organization must be a current member of NCPERS at the time of registration.
Current registration rates are listed on our website. The fee includes all program materials, breakfast, refreshment breaks, and a reception for all NCPERS University attendees. 
No. Registration for this course is separate.
Pension trustees and plan staff are encouraged to have a strong grasp on fiduciary fundamentals before enrolling. Those newer to the pension industry are advised to complete the NCPERS Trustee Essentials Training (formerly known as the Trustee Educational Seminar, or TEDS) first. Please contact education@ncpers.org with further questions. 
Yes, NCPERS University is designed to help you progressively build your fiduciary knowledge. For experienced trustees and pension professionals, we recommend NCPERS Advanced Fiduciary (NAF) Institute. Through real-world case studies and tailored insights, you’ll learn advanced strategies to enhance board performance, ensure compliance, manage risk, and address workforce challenges. Once you complete all four modules, you’ll have the opportunity to earn your Advanced Fiduciary (AF) credential.

Many trustees and plan professionals also benefit from attending the Fiduciary in Focus Workshop several times. The program is designed to help you stay in the know about emerging issues so, with the topics of focus changing year-to-year.
No. Pre-registration is required, and class size is limited, so early registration is strongly recommended.
No. There is no guest registration for this program. Guest can, however, attend the conference following this program.
No. The Fiduciary in Focus Workshop is offered in person only at this time.
Yes. Details on credit hours will be provided once the program is finalized.
After your attendance is verified, your certificate will be posted to your NCPERS membership profile within two weeks of the event.
Thank you for your interest in speaking. The Fiduciary in Focus Workshop does not have an open call for speakers. Each year, the agenda is developed by subject matter experts from the NCPERS membership, who identify potential speakers and extend invitations based on the topics selected for the program. Click here for additional speaking opportunities.

Register Now

About NCPERS University: Your Path to Fiduciary Excellence

Whether you’re a new trustee or an experienced professional, NCPERS University provides a clear path forward in your fiduciary journey. Interactive exercises and real-world case studies provide actionable insights, while our certification program can help you level up your pension knowledge and demonstrate your commitment to fiduciary excellence. 

These pre-conference programs are designed to give trustees and pension professionals the tools, confidence, and practical skills to excel—not just during our events, but in every decision that shapes your fund’s future. 

View the Upcoming Event Calendar

Questions? Contact NCPERS’ Education Associate, Jessica Ransome, at jransome@ncpers.org or call 202-601-2449.

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NCPERS Publications

NCPERS publications provide members with timely insights and analysis on the most important issues affecting public pensions. These resources help you stay informed, make better decisions, and keep ahead of industry trends.