Schedule and Session Information

Thursday, April 10 (7:30am – 5:00pm)

HR Summit

Plemmons Student Union, Fourth Floor

Time Description

7:30 am – 8:00 am Seating and Breakfast

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8:00am – 8:25am Welcome

• Dr. Shawn Bergman (HR Summit host)

• Dr. Tim Huelsman (IOHRM program director)

• IOHRM Professional Foundation (Morgan Powers and Adeline Brooks)

• Dr. Tim Ludwig (HR Summit emcee)

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8:25am – 9:25am

Recentering the Human in Human Resources: Using Data & People-Centered Design to Create A Brilliant Employee Experience Strategy
Dr. Kalifa Oliver

This session will delve into how modern HR can revolutionize the employee experience through strategic data use and a people-centered design approach to work. Dr. Oliver will discuss how to leverage data analytics to understand and anticipate employee needs, and how to apply people-centered design to create solutions that truly resonate with your workforce. She will also explore strategies for integrating advanced technologies while maintaining a focus on human connection and well-being. By the end of the session, participants will gain the knowledge and tools to develop and implement a comprehensive employee experience strategy that boosts satisfaction, productivity, and retention – and, of course, recenter the human in Human Resources.

Learning Objectives

• Redefining Employee Experience: Attendees will learn the fundamentals of employee experience as a concept and how to redefine it in the evolution of work.

• Understand the Role of Data in Enhancing Employee Experience: Attendees will learn how to effectively leverage data analytics to gain insights into employee needs, preferences, and behaviors, ultimately improving the overall employee experience.

• Applying People-Centered Design Principles: Participants will gain practical knowledge on applying people-centered design concepts to HR practices, ensuring that strategies and solutions are tailored to the actual needs and experiences of employees.

• Integrate Human-Centric Approaches with Technology: The session will provide strategies for balancing technological advancements with a human-centric approach in HR, enabling participants to create more engaging and supportive work environments.

• Develop a Comprehensive Employee Experience Strategy: Attendees will learn to formulate and implement a comprehensive employee experience strategy that aligns with organizational goals, fosters a positive work culture, and enhances employee satisfaction and retention.

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9:25am – 9:40am Break

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9:40am – 10:40am

What 80’s action-adventure television taught us about technology, AI, and ChatGPT

Dr. Shawn Bergman

Humans' use of tools is nothing new, but the tools that artificial intelligence (AI) is creating are novel, powerful, and often misunderstood. These factors lead to an increased chance of people using AI-tools in the wrong way or for the wrong job, which can have harmful or disastrous consequences. This interactive session will dispel the mystique around AI and address some common misconceptions around AI-powered interactive platforms. Participants will also learn some tips and tricks for how to leverage generative AI to elevate their workplace performance.

Learning Objectives

• Gain an understanding of machine learning and artificial intelligence and how they work.

• Understand the current boundaries of artificial intelligence and how those limits relate to applications at work.

• Learn how artificial intelligence can be leveraged to improve processes, gather, and interpret information, and provide workplace recommendations.

• Determine the questions you should yourself before and after using an artificial intelligence platform.

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10:40am – 10:55am Morning Coffee Break

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10:55am – 11:55am Morning Concurrent Breakout Sessions

HR Technology Implementations: Steps to Bring Your Initiative to Life

Kea Kerich

In the world of rapidly evolving technology, it is increasingly important that HR professionals learn how to successfully implement new systems and solutions to drive organizational performance. Given the high-stakes of HR data and processes, the steps needed to ensure a project is successful, on-time, and adopted are critical. These steps include building a compelling business case, selecting the right vendor and partner, and engaging in the proper steps to ensure long-term sustainability. This hands-on session will guide participants through the critical stages of HR technology implementation. Through interactive group exercises and real-world case studies attendees will gain practical skills in identifying the right solutions, executing effective project kick-offs, gathering requirements, managing the build and test phases, and ensuring successful deployment and adoption. At the conclusion of this session attendees will have the knowledge, tools, and templates to help them implement HR technology that deliver tangible business value and elevate the strategic role of HR in their organizations.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the key steps involved in HR technology implementations – from beginning to sustainment.

• Identify the important team members and stakeholders who need to be involved in all phases of the project. 

• Apply a structured approach to solution identification, vendor selection, and project kick-off that sets the foundation for success.

• Know how to recognize and mitigate the common pitfalls that may delay or derail a HR technology implementation.

Early-Career Launchpad: Navigating the HR Profession with Expert Insights

Donovan Mattox, Annie Jankura, and Adeline Brooks

Navigating the HR landscape as an early-career professional can be daunting, but with the right guidance and strategies, emerging professionals can pave the way for a successful and fulfilling career. This session is designed to equip early professionals with the tools and knowledge to thrive in the dynamic world of HR. Join a panel of seasoned HR professionals as they share their personal journeys, valuable lessons learned, and practical tips for navigating the early stages of an HR career. Through this interactive session, attendees will gain insights into the panel's experiences, both successes and challenges, and will learn from their journeys. This interactive session will also provide attendees with the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session with experts where they ask questions on a range of topics related to navigating an early professional career in HR. This session is tailored for students, early-career HR professionals, recent HR graduates transitioning into the workforce, and anyone seeking insights and guidance for a successful HR career.

Learning Objectives

• Learn from the panel's personal journeys, successes, and challenges to gain a deeper understanding of the HR landscape.

• Explore practical tips and strategies for accelerating your HR career, including networking advice, skill development recommendations, and leadership strategies.

• Learn from the panel's experiences and insights to identify and avoid common pitfalls and challenges faced by early-career HR professionals.

Down with the Drama

Leslie Speas

Did you know that the average employee spends 2 hours and 25 minutes a day caught up in workplace drama and emotional distractions? Research by Cy Wakeman reveals that this not only drains productivity but also undermines teamwork and creates unnecessary frustration. In this engaging and interactive session, we'll explore the true impact of workplace drama and equip you with practical tools to address it. You’ll learn effective personal strategies for navigating office drama and discover proactive approaches to reduce drama within your organization—boosting morale, collaboration, and efficiency.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the effects of workplace drama on organizational performance.

• Master 5 personal strategies to handle "drama kings and queens" effectively.

• Implement 5 organizational strategies to prevent drama before it starts.

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11:55am – 12:45pm Networking Lunch

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12:45pm – 1:45pm Afternoon Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Navigating AI in HR: Benefits, Possibilities, and Legal Considerations

Galen Williams, Michael Morrison, and David Klass

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming Human Resources (HR) by enhancing efficiency, improving decision-making, and streamlining processes. However, the integration of AI in HR also brings significant legal considerations that organizations must navigate to avoid potential pitfalls. This interactive session will provide a comprehensive overview of how organizations are leveraging AI in HR and the associated legal implications. The expert panel will delve into the practical applications of AI in HR and the critical legal aspects. Attendees will gain insights on how organizations are successfully implementing AI in various HR functions, such as recruitment, performance management, and employee engagement. Participants will also get an overview of the legal landscape, including compliance with equal employment opportunity laws, mitigating AI bias, and ensuring data privacy and security. The session will feature opening remarks by each presenter followed by an interactive Q&A. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the benefits and challenges of using AI in HR and learn best practices for implementing AI technologies while minimizing legal risks.

Learning Objectives

• Explore how AI is being used in various HR functions.

• Learn about the legal implications of using AI in HR, including compliance with equal employment opportunity laws, data privacy, and security.

• Gain insights into current practices for integrating AI in HR while minimizing legal risks and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

How to Navigate Tough Conversations as a Leader

Morgan Powers 

One of the highly dreaded accountabilities of being an HR leader is having to maneuver through a tough conversation on your team or with the employees you support. Not only do many of us want to avoid conflict, but we may also be fearful of losing respect, offending others, or even find ourselves distrusting our own judgment. When we combine these internal concerns with external excuses to avoid a crucial conversation, we push off addressing a topic that may end up causing additional stress or even a financial drain on the business that will eventually need to be tackled later anyway. This session will cover how to best navigate through a tough conversation including how to prepare for a constructive dialogue, successfully address performance concerns with impactful feedback delivery, have effective conflict resolution, and develop the ability to flex your communication style. One size won’t fit all – being a strong HR professional means fluidly adjusting your approach to successfully manage your talent. By the completion of this workshop, you will not only have a firm grasp on how to keep your employees motivated through a better understanding of their drivers, but will then be able to use that to better lead them forward through tough situations and opportunities for future success.

Learning Objectives

• Ability to build connection, trust, and a safe space between an individual and their manager while delivering crucial feedback

• Recognition of when a tough conversation is needed and how to successfully obtain buy-in from your employee for a path forward

• Identify strategies that will allow you to structure crucial discussions to improve performance, concerns, and address opportunities

• Understanding of methods and best practices for de-escalating high stress situations to avoid further conflict and move towards an agreed upon solution

Navigating the Wild: Guiding Principles to Grow, Connect, and Lead

Lauren Hoffman

In today’s dynamic and often unpredictable organizational landscape, HR professionals play a pivotal role in empowering managers to build high-performing teams. Trust, engagement, and psychological safety are the cornerstones of effective leadership, enabling managers to foster environments where individuals and teams can thrive. Team trust—the belief in the reliability and integrity of team members—serves as the foundation for collaboration and risk-taking (Costa, Roe, & Taillieu, 2001). Coupled with engagement, defined as the emotional and cognitive commitment to shared goals (Kahn, 1990), trust enables teams to align and navigate challenges. Yet, it is psychological safety, a climate where individuals feel safe to express themselves without fear of judgment or reprisal, that unlocks true innovation and connection (Edmondson, 1999).

For HR professionals guiding managers, learning to adapt to unfamiliar environments is critical. Just as navigating the wilderness requires embracing discomfort and uncertainty, managers must adjust to shifting team dynamics, emerging challenges, and organizational change while maintaining cohesion and purpose. The wilderness experience—rooted in collaboration, adaptability, and resilience—offers a powerful metaphor for leading teams through complexity.

Drawing from personal experiences in wilderness programs, this keynote equips HR leaders with guiding principles to help managers cultivate trust, drive engagement, and build psychologically safe environments. By developing these skills, managers can strengthen team connections, foster adaptability, and lead with confidence through any terrain—whether in the boardroom or the wild.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the power of trust

• Creating psychological safety 

• Adapting to unfamiliar environments

• Practical tools for team connection and growth

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1:45pm – 2:00pm Break

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2:00pm – 3:00pm

Address your Hiring Challenges by Building Better Partnerships between Talent Acquisition & Human Resources

Alanna Dingler

As businesses internally evolve, so does the landscape in which they operate. As a result, there are numerous new, and some recurring, challenges that businesses are facing to attract and hire the best talent. This session will first examine current talent acquisition issues facing organizations, including skill shortages, a focus on skills-based hiring, and the need to adapt to changing technologies. The session will show attendees how to reimagine the HR space by presenting practical strategies for overcoming challenges, such as leveraging data-driven recruitment, creating innovative employer brands that appeal to top talent, and evolving partnerships between HR and business leaders. By reimagining, innovating, and developing intentional and strong relationships, Human Resources professionals can build talent pipelines for the current and future business landscapes.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the relationship between Talent Acquisition and Human Resources and the challenges currently facing both. 

• Explore how to enhance partnerships throughout the organization to enhance the talent acquisition process. 

• Learn how to build out a Talent Programs framework to build successful talent pipelines.

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3:00pm – 3:15pm Afternoon Coffee and Snack Break

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3:15pm – 4:15pm

Remote Work Realities: Aligning Employee Preferences with Business Goals

Ron Garrow

The shift towards remote work has highlighted a significant preference among employees for the flexibility and efficiency it offers. However, this trend poses challenges for executives and business leaders who recognize the value of in-person collaboration for fostering innovation and maintaining a strong organizational culture. Additionally, many organizations face the dilemma of underutilized physical assets, such as office spaces and amenities, which were designed to enhance on-site work experiences. This session will explore the complexities of balancing in-person, hybrid, and remote work models and will address the concerns of HR professionals and leaders who are striving to create policies that encourage in-person collaboration without alienating employees who prefer remote work. The discussion will include strategies for effectively utilizing physical assets and overcoming the practical challenges of hybrid work arrangements.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the reasons behind employees' preference for remote work and executives’ emphasis on in-person collaboration for innovation and culture building.

• Identify the practical challenges of hybrid work models, such as hybrid meetings and project management, and develop solutions to address these issues.

• Learn leadership techniques to foster a cohesive and productive hybrid work environment, leveraging technology and clear communication to bridge the gap between remote and in-person teams.

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4:15pm – 5:00pm HR Summit Wrap-Up

Parkway Ballroom

Friday, April 11, 9am – 12pm

Master Class

Additional registration required

Peacock Hall, Second and Fourth Floors

Concurrent Master Classes

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Designing a People-Centered Workplace Culture: Moving from Engagement to Experience

Kalifa Oliver

This masterclass offers HR professionals and leaders a transformative approach to creating a people-centered workplace. Drawing from her expertise and insights from her book, I Think I Love My Job, Kalifa dives into designing an authentic Employer Value Proposition (EVP), amplifying employee voice, and using people analytics to foster a fulfilling work environment. The course balances lecture and interactive activities, allowing participants to reflect on their own workplace strategies, redesign their EVP for greater relevance, and build a structured approach to employee feedback.

With a focus on practical applications and real-world case studies, this masterclass equips leaders with tools to drive meaningful, sustainable change in workplace culture. Breaks are integrated to promote engagement and ensure a reflective learning experience.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the principles of creating a people-centered workplace.

• Gain insights into designing an authentic Employer Value Proposition (EVP) and its importance in the workplace.

• Learn strategies to amplify employee voice and incorporate their feedback effectively.

• Engage in practical activities and real-world case studies to apply the concepts learned.

• Develop a structured approach to redesigning EVP for greater relevance and impact.

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Allyship in Action

Sertrice Shipley

Every single person in an organization has the power to make someone want to stay or leave. This occurs through how we treat each other. Inclusive behaviors are actions that result in others feeling valued, respected, seen, and heard. Allyship is one form of an inclusive behavior. Allyship doesn’t always get a good rep, but that is because people often use it as a title and forget that it is a verb. During this session, Sertrice Shipley, founder of the consulting firm Plan to Action, will share research, best practices, and examples of how to encourage ally partnerships in organizations that result in meaningful impact.

Learning Objectives

• Define what true allyship is.

• Review characteristics of an ally and their partner.

• Discover actions allies can take to partner with others.

• Discuss how to incorporate allyship into your organizations.

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7 Habits of Less Stressed People

Leslie Speas

Stress levels in America are at an all-time high. While some stress can be motivating, prolonged or unmanaged stress can lead to serious mental and physical health challenges. The good news? Your daily habits play a crucial role in how effectively you manage stress.

In this engaging, interactive workshop, you'll uncover the 7 key habits practiced by people who handle stress successfully. You'll leave with practical strategies and personalized action steps to integrate these habits into your own life—helping you reduce stress and thrive.

Learning Objectives

• Understand Stress: Define stress and explore its effects on your mind and body.

• Learn Proven Habits: Discover the 7 habits of highly resilient people.

• Take Action: Develop personalized steps to adopt these habits and manage stress more effectively.

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Empowering HR with Data-Driven Talent Solutions: A Guide to Behavioral Analytics

Lauren Hoffman

Several key trends are set to shape the HR landscape in 2025, driven by advancements in technology and AI, particularly in HR. According to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), “1 in 4 employers use artificial intelligence to support HR-related activity”. In this HR Series, we will dive into leveraging behavioral analytics to create organizational culture, identify team trends, and strategically recruit and develop key talent.

Behavioral analytics is revolutionizing HR by enabling data-driven decision-making. By analyzing past and present data, organizations can predict future trends, employee behavior, and organizational needs. This allows HR professionals to be proactive rather than reactive. Predictive analytics can forecast employee turnover, helping companies to implement retention strategies before issues arise. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), leveraging big data in HR leads to better talent acquisition, enhanced employee performance, and improved retention rates

HR departments are increasingly leveraging predictive analytics to foresee and manage workforce trends. This includes identifying skill gaps, predicting employee turnover, and enhancing recruitment processes. Organizations that effectively use data analytics can improve employee retention by up to 50% (PwC) (Deloitte United States). Understanding tools and technologies to gather those analytics is critical to the modern HR leader.

Learning Objectives

• Learn the theories behind behavioral analytics

• Learn the fundamentals behavioral assessments including scales and personality traits

• Learn how to identify core traits and behaviors when creating or analyzing new roles

• Gain enhanced self-awareness on key personality traits, natural strengths, and development areas

• Understand coaching areas using behavioral assessment data