Freedom & Progress 2026 is FREOPP’s flagship annual gathering of leaders committed to expanding opportunity through free enterprise, innovation, pluralism, and individual liberty. On November 18, policymakers, journalists, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, scholars, and civic leaders from across the country will convene in Washington, D.C., to explore the ideas and solutions shaping America’s future.
Conference Agenda
November 18, 2026
8:00–9:00 AM — Breakfast
9:15–10:00 AM — Breakout Sessions
Beyond the Traditional Classroom: Building the Future of K–12 Education
Dan Lips (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity) • Andrew Clark (yes. every. kid.) • Jorge Elorza (Democrats for Education Reform) • Renu Mukherjee (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity)
Reimagining the Safety Net: From Temporary Assistance to Lasting Mobility
Josh Bandoch (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity) • Les Ford (Ford Policy Solutions) • Greg Mauro (Learn Capital) • Scott Winship (American Enterprise Institute)
Working Group: Restoring a Sustainable Federal Budget
Kurt Couchman (Americans for Prosperity) • Veronique de Rugy (Mercatus Center) • Marc Goldwein (Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget)
10:15 AM–12:15 PM
Frederick Douglass Award for Leadership in Civil Society
Awardee: National Angels
Frederick Douglass Award for Public Policy Leadership
Awardee: Alex Adams, Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Frederick Douglass Awards are the organization’s highest honors. The awards recognize exceptional leadership in advancing freedom, opportunity, and upward mobility for all Americans.
Mainstage: The Architecture of Opportunity: Culture, Community, and the Institutions That Help People Flourish
Josh Bandoch (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity) • Ian Rowe (American Enterprise Institute) • Isabel Sawhill (Brookings Institution) • Michael Tanner (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity)
12:15–1:00 PM — Networking Lunch
1:15–2:15 PM — Breakout Sessions
Removing the Barriers to Housing Opportunity
Josh Bandoch (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity) • Richard Kahlenberg (Progressive Policy Institute) • Kristen Klurfield (Bipartisan Policy Center) • Reid Wilson (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)
Working Group: Building a Better Health Care System
Avik Roy (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity) • Michael Cannon (Cato Institute) • Gregg Girvan (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity)
The Administrative State: Friend or Foe of the Forgotten American?
Iain Murray (Competitive Enterprise Institute) • Mark Chenoweth (New Civil Liberties Alliance) • Ryan Mulvey (Americans for Prosperity Foundation) • Ilya Shapiro (Manhattan Institute)
2:30–3:30 PM — Breakout Sessions
Working Group: Freedom Conservatism
Avik Roy (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity) • Tim Chapman (Advancing American Freedom) • Casey Mattox (Americans for Prosperity) • Dan Rothschild (Reagan Institute)
Trust by Design: Strengthening Integrity in the Safety Net
Rachel Barkley • Matthew Dickerson (Baseline Policy) • David Swegle (Administration for Children and Families) • Matt Weidinger (American Enterprise Institute)
Working Group: Preparing America for the Future of Work
Laura Maristany (Katch Skills) • John Colborn (Apprenticeships for America) • Brent Orrell (American Enterprise Institute) • Steve Taylor (Stand Together)
Lost in Translation: Rethinking the Architecture for Implementing Social Policy
Tiffany Perrin (Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity) • Alyssa Bish (Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services) • Commissioner Joseph Ribsam (New Jersey Department of Children and Families) • Steven Olender (Think of Us)
3:30–4:30 PM — Networking Reception