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Meet Our Speakers
Rik Barrera
Rik Barrera
Associate Dean of Operations, Inclusion and Chief of Staff (CoS) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business
Jerri Harner
Jerri Harner
Executive Specialist to the Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)
Celeste Spier, PhD
Celeste Spier, PhD
Director of Organizational Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln University Operations
Laurie Sampson
Laurie Sampson
Organizational Development Manager, Bryan Health, Lincoln, NE
Rik Barrera is the Associate Dean of Operations, Inclusion and Chief of Staff (CoS) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business. As Assoc Dean of Operations he oversees all business operations, financial reporting, budget preparation, human resources, facility management, IT operations, staff development, as well as the Communications, Marketing and External Relations unit. As the college Diversity & Inclusion Officer he oversees all planning and initiatives around D&I for the college.
Barrera joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1994 as a US Army officer and chair of the Military Science Department. Following retirement from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1998, he took the position of Business Manager of the Beadle Business Center at Nebraska where he introduced Strengths Based Leadership to the organization. Barrera joined the College of Business in October of 2011 where he has continued his work in Strengths Based Leadership in his role in the college as well as in leadership classes he teaches in the UNL Raikes School.
Before coming to Nebraska, he taught leadership, tactics, and military history at the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He earned master’s degrees in management and human relations from Webster University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona.
Jerri Harner is the Executive Specialist to the Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). Harner previously served as administrative associate to the director for the UNL School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and most recently, in the capacity of graduate secretary for the program. Prior to arriving at UNL, Harner was a recruitment specialist for KVC Kansas—a private, non-profit behavioral healthcare organization and a director of admissions for National American University, where she rose through the ranks from admissions representative.
Having relocated from Kansas City, KS to Lincoln, Harner is originally from South Carolina. She brings a wealth of experience in customer service, project management, and administration and a commitment to inclusion, which will be critical to the operations of our inaugural office and in supporting and engaging members of both campus and external communities.
Jerri Harner earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Kansas, and an MBA and Masters of Management from National American University.
Celeste Spier, Ph.D., currently works at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in University Operations as the Director of Organizational Development. In this role, Spier leads talent management initiatives for 600+ employees related to hiring, training and professional development, performance management, leadership development, succession planning, and change management. Her areas of expertise include career and professional development, coaching, organizational development, and productivity.
Prior to joining University Operations, Spier coordinated career coaching and professional development curriculum as the Associate Director of the College of Business Career Center. She also served as the Career Coordinator for the College of Arts and Sciences and Psychology Advisor for the Psychology Department. Since joining UNL in 2008, she has received the Board of Regents KUDOS Award, four awards for contributions to students, and three staff recognition awards. She has also given 20+ presentations at local, regional, and international professional conferences.
Spier holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling. In December 2020, she completed her Ph.D. in post-secondary educational leadership with a minor in applied research methods at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is also a certified Gallup strengths coach.
Laurie Sampson is the Organizational Development Manager at Bryan Health in Lincoln. With more than 25 years in training and development, Laurie has worked in numerous industries such as banking, aircraft maintenance, consumer services, higher education and health care. She is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and an MBTI Master Practitioner. Laurie is certified in DISC and is a Gallup Workplace Engagement Champion.
Conference Schedule:
7:45 – 8:00 a.m. Registration
8:00 – 8:15 a.m. Presentation of Flags and Welcome
8:15 – 9::45 a.m. The Changing Culture of the Workplace – Rik Barrera
9:45 – 10:00 a.m. Break
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. 10 Ways to Support Diversity and Inclusion as a Staff Member – Jerri Harner
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch, Business Meeting, PSP Recognition
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. The Productive Employee: Improve your Well-being by Managing your Email, To-Do List, and Time Better – Celeste Spier
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. Break
2:45 – 4:15 p.m. Networking Tips for Those Who Don’t Like Networking – Laurie Sampson
4:15 – 4:45 p.m. Conference Wrap Up
Presentation Descriptions
The Changing Culture of The Workplace
Presented by: Rik Barrera
Typically there are three generations in the workforce at any given time. But we currently have five generations in the workforce. What effect does that have on the culture of your company? Research shows that the most critical element of a positive and productive organization is….the Manager. This session, facilitated by Associate Dean of Operations, Inclusion, and Chief of Staff Rik Barrera, will focus on the five generations and how they think and can work together. What are these employees looking for in a job or organization? How can we effectively “manage” them? How can you build a culture that makes your company an attractive place to work? How has the pandemic changed the culture of work and what does it mean for the future?
10 Ways to Support Diversity and Inclusion as a Staff Member
Presented by: Jerri Harner
The presentation will discuss 10 tips staff members can use to support the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of their organization. The diversity, equity, and inclusion journey can seem overwhelming and often can be seen as a top-down effort, so how do we as staff members learn from and contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workplace? Staff members cannot discount the importance of personal commitment to the diversity efforts of our organization. Employee engagement at all levels is essential to the success of DEI efforts. The objective is for these 10 tips to provide employees concrete action and confidence in contributing to DEI efforts.
The Productive Employee: Improve your Well-being by Managing your Email, To-Do List, and Time Better
Presented by: Celeste Spier
With high demands, reduced resources, and continuous new initiatives, our email inboxes, to-do lists, and time commitments can be overwhelming and anxiety-provoking. Does your day consist of a hamster-wheel-like process of answering emails as they arrive in your inbox? Do you end your day or week and question what you actually got done? Do you use your email inbox as your to-do list? This session will draw on several productivity resources like Getting Things Done (Allen, 2015), Eat That Frog (Tracy, 2017), Indistractable (Eyal, 2019) and The Power of Habit (Duhigg, 2014) to give you concrete, actionable steps you can implement TODAY to get organized, reduce distraction and increase productivity—with the ultimate goal of improving your well-being.
Networking Tips for Those Who Don't Like Networking
Presented by: Laurie Sampson
Some of us are not comfortable “working the room.” Some of us don’t have the energy (or desire) to make small talk with strangers. Some us aren’t intimidated by the act of networking but we struggle with seeing the return on the investment of time it may take. This session will provide you with practical tips to help make networking less of a chore as we explore the opportunities that come from getting to know others. You’ll put some of the tips into practice as you network with other participants in a safe environment.
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