MONDAY 5/18/26 – MORNING SESSION (9AM – 12PM)

Mock Trial (Attendance is not required in the afternoon session)

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: Amphitheatre

Presenter(s):

BTLA Board Members: Michele E. LeBrun, Chair, Theresa M. Walker, Member, Eric J. Wind, Esq., Member, Anne M. Stelmach, Executive Director

NHAAO Members: Loren Martin, Stephen Hamilton, Bob Gange, Norm Bernaiche

This educational session is an interactive mock trial designed to give attendees a practical, real-world understanding of the property tax assessment appeal process in New Hampshire. Presented by New Hampshire Assessors, an NRAAO attorney, and Members of the Board of Tax and Land Appeals, the session walks participants through a simulated appeal hearing from start to finish.

Attendees will observe how assessment disputes are presented, defended, and evaluated, gaining insight into proper procedures, evidentiary standards, and effective communication before the Board. The session highlights the roles of assessors, legal counsel, taxpayers, and Board Members, with a focus on best practices for preparation, testimony, and documentation.

This mock trial is intended to help assessors and municipal officials strengthen their confidence in handling appeals, better understand legal expectations, and improve the defensibility of assessments. The session also provides an opportunity to learn directly from experienced professionals and Board Members about common issues, expectations, and decision-making considerations in assessment hearings.

Black Box To Glass Box: An AI Vision Revealed

Monday 5/18: 1PM –  4PM

Location: Conference Room - TBD

Presenter(s): John Valente; Real Estate Appraisal, AI Technology Development, Litigation Strategist, GIS Analyst, Grant Writer, Software Developer, Author, and Entrepreneur

Can we really go from AI Black Box to AI Glass Box? This seminar will explore the black box drawbacks of AI and present state-of-the-art solutions for transforming AI valuation into a transparent, explainable, defensible approach to value. The session will be fully interactive using SLIDO technology.

Commercial Valuation in Practice:
How can Commercial Brokers and Assessors Work Together

Time: 9AM – 12PM

Location: Conference Room - TBD

Presenter(s): Dan Scanlon, Senior Associate – Colliers

This three-hour educational session will provide municipal assessors with a comprehensive overview of today’s commercial real estate market and its implications for valuation and assessment. Presented by Colliers, the session will explore key commercial appraisal principles, current market conditions, and emerging trends across major asset classes, with particular attention to how commercial market behavior compares to residential growth.

Attendees will gain insight into how commercial properties are valued in practice, including the interpretation of income, expense, capitalization rates, sales activity, and market risk. The presentation will also address the broader economic forces influencing commercial real estate, such as interest rates, development patterns, vacancy trends, and investment behavior, and how these factors translate into assessment challenges at the municipal level.

Through real-world examples and market data, this session is designed to enhance assessors’ understanding of commercial valuation methodologies, improve their ability to analyze market information, and strengthen confidence in explaining and supporting assessed values in a changing commercial landscape.

Professional Skills for Assessors: EI, Customer Service, and Workplace Success

Time: 9AM – 12PM

Location: Conference Room - TBD

Presenter(s): The New Hampshire Bureau of Education and Training (BET)

This interactive three-hour educational session, presented by BET, focuses on practical skills essential for modern assessing professionals. Attendees will explore strategies and tools to improve communication, emotional intelligence, and workplace effectiveness—skills that are critical when working with the public, managing internal office dynamics, and reporting to elected officials.

Key topics may include:

• Emotional Intelligence: Techniques for understanding and managing emotions in yourself and others to foster positive interactions with taxpayers and colleagues.

• Dealing with Difficult Employees: Strategies for handling challenging workplace situations while maintaining professionalism and team cohesion.

• Customer Service Excellence: Best practices for clear, empathetic, and effective communication with the public.

• Technology Tools for Efficiency: Practical guidance on leveraging Copilot for Business and Excel to streamline workflows and enhance productivity.

Through discussion, case studies, and hands-on exercises, participants will gain actionable skills to navigate complex interpersonal and professional scenarios with confidence and clarity. This session is designed to strengthen both external-facing and internal communication, ensuring assessors are equipped to serve the public and their offices with professionalism and effectiveness.

From Red Tape to Results! - The Mass Appraisal Task Force

Time: 1PM – 4PM

Location: Conference Room - TBD

Presenter(s):

Moderator (Introductions): Justin Stanley, CAE, RES (Vice Chair of our task force)

Speaker: Kevin Hayes, MAI, CAE, RES, CFE (Chair of our task force)

Speaker: Pete Fontana, Trustee/Chair of State Harmonization Task Force-TAF

Speaker: John Russell, Past Chair ASB

This session focuses on the latest (2nd) Exposure Draft from the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB), with an emphasis on proposed rules and criteria changes affecting appraisal licensure. Using material from the IAAO Annual Conference, the presentation explores how mass appraisal experience can be applied toward state-level professional appraiser licensure—a form of experience historically excluded for not fitting “traditional” appraisal assignments.

Key discussion points include:

• USPAP Standards 5 & 6: Demonstrating that mass appraisal is a rigorous, methodologically sound practice and that mass appraisal reports are professional appraisal products, not administrative outputs.

• State-by-State Analysis: How the 12 states represented at NRAAO currently recognize (or exclude) mass appraisal experience in licensure requirements.

• Success Stories: Highlighting progress in states like Alabama and Michigan, where mass appraisal experience is now formally recognized.

The session aims to be both educational and motivational - a “call to arms” for NRAAO members to engage with state boards, advocate for recognition of mass appraisal experience, and leverage their own professional expertise toward licensure. Participants will gain actionable insights on enhancing staff competency, credibility, and public trust through alignment of mass appraisal practice with licensure standards.

Valuing Intangible Assets

Time: 1 PM – 4 PM

Location: Conference Room - TBD

Presenter(s): Barry J. Cunningham, PhD, ASA, MAI, AI-GRS

Property tax appeals increasingly hinge on a pivotal question: is the value being attributed to real estate, or to intangible business assets operating within it? This session explores how modern appraisal definitions of fee simple, the legacy of dark store theory, and the rise of going-concern valuations have brought intangible assets—such as workforce, contracts, franchise agreements, and brand value—into the center of litigation. Attendees will learn how these nonphysical components can create value above fee simple real estate, how valuation methods can separate real estate from business value, and how courts are addressing the issue where statutes lack clarity. The session emphasizes practical tools and interdisciplinary insight to ensure assessments reflect taxable property interests rather than embedded business value.

WEDNESDAY 5/20/26 – USPAP 7-HOUR UPDATE COURSE (8:30AM – 4:30PM)

USPAP 7-Hour Update Course

Time: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Location: Conference Room - TBD

Presenters: Leslie Pruitt; Supervisor of Assessments for Somerset County, SDAT AQB Certified USPAP Instructor IAAO Instructor Certified General Appraiser

The 2026 7- Hour National USPAP Update Course addresses the most recent changes to USPAP as well as the rationale for and impact of those changes. It also explores common USPAP issues and discusses a variety of topics affecting appraisal professionals and how USPAP applies to them. The course is USPAP application based, permitting the participants to complete a variety of exercises and case studies, through either individual or group work. This course is divided into two sections. Section 1 contains discussions related to new changes made to the ETHICS RULE and Section 2 covers all other changes made to USPAP, as well as a full 120 minutes dedicated to Case Studies.

From CAMA to CLARITY: Transforming Spreadsheets into 21st-Century Data

Analytics

Time: 9AM – 1PM

Location: Conference Room - TBD

Presenters: Doug Irvine, CNHA, Chief Assessor, Town of Bedford, NH / Principal, Airfin Analytics, LLC

Drawing directly from CAMA systems, this session demonstrates how static spreadsheets can be transformed into a living data ecosystem—one that delivers powerful analysis and actionable insights in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods. Attendees will see how assessment data becomes a clear and compelling communication tool for assessing staff, municipal management, governing bodies, taxpayers, and more.

The session showcases report suites with precise, IAAO-compliant calculations suitable for daily analysis, abatements, tax appeals, and taxpayer interactions.

Designed for assessors with or without Power BI experience, this session offers a deep dive into sales and assessment interactive data analysis while providing a comprehensive look at tools that support an assessor’s daily responsibilities. Attendees will learn how interactive data visualizations can both enhance and accelerate assessment work while building familiarity with Power BI’s core functionality, visual language, and analytical capabilities.

The session concludes with a 30-minute panel discussion featuring New Hampshire Power BI users Norm Bernaiche, CNHA; David Cornell, CNHA, MAI, CAE; Rosann Maurice-Lentz, CNHA-CMA.

Fair Housing

Time: 1PM – 4PM

Location: Conference Room - TBD

Presenters: Brittany Farruggio, Cohen Closing & Title

This educational session on Fair Housing Law is designed specifically for Assessing Officials and is presented in an interactive, team-based format. Participants work collaboratively in small groups to respond to multiple-choice questions using whiteboards, promoting engagement and reinforcing understanding of legal requirements through practical application.

The curriculum emphasizes core components of Fair Housing Law that are directly relevant to the assessment profession, including protected classes, prohibited discriminatory practices, and the obligation to administer assessments in a fair, uniform, and non-discriminatory manner. To further enhance applicability, the session incorporates scenario-based questions that reflect situations Assessing Officials may encounter in the course of their duties and interactions with the public.

In addition, the material has been expanded to include state-specific fair housing considerations for Massachusetts, Maryland, Vermont, New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, ensuring participants gain a broader understanding of both federal and state-level requirements as they relate to property assessment and administration.