The 2026 Annual Meeting in San Francisco features four plenary sessions for attendees to hear from world-renowned authors, researchers, leaders, and mental health experts. A live-stream of all four plenaries will also be available for virtual-only attendees.
Opening Session
Sanjay Gupta: Emmy® Award-winning Chief Medical Correspondent and Host
- Saturday, May 16
- 10:30 a.m. - Noon
APA will welcome Dr. Sanjay Gupta to the mainstage at the official Opening Session of the 2026 Annual Meeting. Dr. Gupta will deliver a keynote address on medicine and the media before a Q&A with APA President Theresa Miskimen Rivera, M.D. Learn More
Enlightened Voices: Shared Futures Plenary
Sylvia Acevedo: Tech Executive, Entrepreneur, Engineer, Rocket Scientist, Former CEO of Girl Scouts USA, Author
- Monday, May 18
- 10:30 a.m. - Noon
APA will welcome Sylvia Acevedo to the mainstage at the Enlightened Voices: Shared Futures Plenary. Ms. Acevedo will give an address on her journey of leadership and then join APA President Theresa M. Miskimen Rivera, M.D., for a brief Q&A. Learn More
Convocation of Distinguished Fellows
Vivek Murthy M.D.: 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States
- Monday, May 18
- 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
This year marks APA’s 70th Convocation of Distinguished Fellows, and, as part of the celebration, the traditional Menninger Lecture will feature a special fireside chat with the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States, Vivek Murthy, M.D. Learn More
Clinical Trials Plenary
Leading With Science: Clinical Trials in 2026 and Beyond
- Tuesday, May 19
- 10:30 a.m. - Noon
Leading with Science: Clinical Trials in 2026 and beyond showcases curated, late-phase, high-impact clinical trials in Psychiatry that have the potential to reshape the future of mental health care. This plenary highlights rigorously designed studies with timely findings and clear implications for clinical practice, followed by moderated discussion with leaders from the APA Scientific Program Committee. Principal Investigators from each of the selected research study will highlight objectives and hypotheses related to the research, core inclusion and exclusion criteria, key primary and secondary results, conclusions that can be applied to the future of clinical practice, as well as limitations of each of the clinical trial. The selected Phase III and Phase II studies will highlight the impact of current and upcoming psychopharmacological research for the session attendees.