
Join Us
August 20 & 21, 2026
Pendleton Convention Center
Presented by Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. (GOBHI)


What is the Oregon Peer Workforce Conference?
GOBHI’s Peer Workforce Conference is a place for peers working in behavioral health in Eastern Oregon and across the state to connect, learn, and grow together.
The two days of presentations and training sessions will be centered around the theme of The Power of Us: Fostering Belonging.
The conference is open to peer workers of all specialty types, and those who work alongside them.



Sponsorship and Tabling
Become a Sponsor
Support the 2026 Oregon Peer Workforce Conference and help empower the peer support workforce across Oregon! Your sponsorship directly contributes to a conference that uplifts lived experience, fosters connection, and advances the vital work of peer professionals in behavioral health. This is a unique opportunity to showcase your organization’s commitment to the Power of Us.
Tabling
Community partners or vendors can reserve a table using the registration link below. Tables will be open on both days of the conference.
Note: Sponsorship tiers 1-3 include a table. Tabling-only registration includes meals for up to two people and does not include registration to attend the conference workshops.

Keynote

Elliott Hinkle
Where You Belong: The Radical Power of Being Seen, Heard, and Held in Community
What does it mean to truly belong, not just to be present, but to be known? This keynote explores how belonging transforms peer support work, how lived experience in systems becomes a source of wisdom and power, and how creating spaces where every person feels genuinely at home is the most radical act of healing we can offer.
Elliott Orrin Hinkle (they/them) is a skilled consultant, facilitator, trainer, speaker, advisor, and national expert focused on elevating lived experience and expertise in systems that serve children, youth, and families. As Principal and Founder of Unicorn Solutions LLC, they are an advocate and professional with 14+ years of experience on topics such as child welfare, youth mental health, and the LGBTQIA2S+ community through training, advising, and facilitating culture change efforts.

Conference Schedule
Thursday, August 20
7:30-9:00am
Registration check-in and continental breakfast
9:00am-12:00pm
Morning sessions
9:00: Welcome/Opening ceremony
9:30: Keynote speaker—Elliott Hinkle
11:00: Breakout sessions
12:00-1:00pm
Lunch
1:00-4:00pm
Afternoon sessions
4:00-5:00pm
Appetizers and social hour at the convention center
6:00pm
Join us for a no-host welcome reception and live music at the Great Pacific restaurant in downtown Pendleton
Friday, August 21
7:00-7:45am
Activity: Walk along the river
8:00-9:00am
Continental breakfast
9:00am-12:00pm
Morning sessions
12:00-1:00pm
Lunch
1:00-3:00pm
Afternoon sessions
3:00pm
Closing statements

Lodging
Special group rates are available at the following hotels:
Best Western
Rate: $149 per night
America’s Best Value Inn
Rate: King: $84 per night / 2 Queens: $94 per night
Call to make a reservation, and let them know it is for the 2026 Peer Conference to get the discounted rate.
More hotel group rates to be announced. Please check back for updates.




































