Each year, AGRiP produces a residency for pools to explore big ideas and insights for their future success. In 2025, the residency highlighted the growing impact, challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence.
Our 2026 residency turns attention to operational efficiency, demonstrating how streamlined workflows and optimized daily work processes can enhance the results pools deliver to their members. The residency will explore practical ways to reduce points of friction, reclaiming daily and strategic focus to strengthen organizational performance across all pool operations.
We're excited to name AGRiP’s 2026 Resident Juliet Funt, a renowned organizational consultant, speaker, thought leader and author of A Minute to Think. Her approach focuses on pragmatic behavioral changes that drive sustainable efficiency improvements rather than adding more processes or technology.
Juliet will emphasize efficiency as a pathway to stronger member service, offering tools and strategies that enable pool teams to spend more time on substantive, member-focused work. The residency will provide assessment tools, digital learning, live events, articles and pool-specific resources.
All member pools can engage their teams through an operational efficiency survey with custom outcomes reporting, as well as a 14-week, self-paced course on improving efficiency and productivity. Juliet will also conduct an in-depth workshop at Staff Institute 2026 for pools to plan, progress and implement member-focused operational improvements. As usual, the residency will include a variety of engagement opportunities to learn from Juliet and share ideas with other pools.
“Our residencies are about helping pools think deeply and act decisively around the issues shaping our collective future,” said Ann Gergen, executive director. “Operational efficiency is central to strong service delivery. The 2026 residency will help pools identify where time, focus and energy can be reclaimed to better serve members.”
Watch our 2026 publications for more details, or contact us with any questions.