Information

Speaker Biographies

 
 
 
Time   Program
7:30 to 8:15   Registration and Continental Breakfast
     
8:15 to 8:30   Welcome
     
8:30 to 9:30  

Morning Keynote:  Bob Kelleher - Louder Than Words - 10 Practical Employee Engagement Steps... That Drive Results

Bob Kelleher is an award winning author (Louder Than Words, 10 Practical Employee Engagement Steps…that Drive Results!), thought leader, keynote speaker and consultant, and travels the globe sharing his insights on employee engagement, leadership, and workforce trends.  Bob’s best practices are culled from his years of researching and consulting with “best-in-class” companies, along with his experience working in the “C-Suite” for a Fortune 500 global professional services firm as Chief Human Resources Officer, and during his years as Chief Operating Officer and EVP of Organizational Development for an international consulting firm.  As CEO of The Employee Engagement Group (www.EmployeeEngagement.com), Bob also helps leadership teams better engage their employees and drive profitable growth.
 
Bob has published numerous white papers, is the featured thought leader on Employee Engagement on Monster.com / Boston.com, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious John Erdlen “5 Star” Award, awarded by the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA), and presented annually to the top HR leader in the northeast, the AECOM Excellence Award, awarded for spearheading AECOM’s “Employee Engagement” culture, ENSR’s President’s Award, awarded for outstanding performance, and the Beasely Leadership Award, awarded by Wingate Partners’ for “Extraordinary Leadership”.
     
9:30 to 9:45   Break
     
9:45 to 11:00   Breakout Session 1
     
   

1-A Data-Driven Leadership Development: Ensuring Efficiency of Your Efforts, Trevor Nagle
 

Trevor Nagle, ABD, is an Assessment Consultant with Organization Development Consultants, Inc.  He possesses more than sixteen years of experience as an internal and external organizational development consultant.  He has designed and implemented training and development programs for public, private, and non-profit leaders and workforces.

In particular, Trevor has specialized in the development of leadership programs, multi-rater assessments, organizational culture audits, and the application of workforce engagement interventions.  Utilizing an organizational systems orientation, he focuses on providing data-driven and measurement-based solutions for clients.

Trevor is a veteran of both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy.  Additionally, his professional experience includes academic positions with Edgewood College, along with training and development leadership roles within medium sized and Fortune 500 corporations.  

Trevor earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science from The Colorado College and his Master in Public Administration degree from Troy University.  He is currently conducting dissertation research on workforce reintegration by combat veterans enroute to his doctorate in industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology at Capella University.
 
   

1-B Health Care Reform - Are You Prepared?  Spring 2012 Update, Adam Jensen

 Adam Jensen, JD, CEBS, GBA, FLMI, Vice President, Compliance and Human Resource Consulting, Cottingham & Butler
Mr. Jensen has worked in the insurance and employee benefits industry since 1986. Adam specializes in providing regulatory compliance and plan design services for health and welfare plans. He also advises executive clients on non-qualified deferred compensation issues. Prior to joining Cottingham & Butler Consulting Services, Adam was the Senior Compliance Officer with Virchow Krause Employee Benefits, LLC. He was previously a manager in the human capital practice of a Big Four accounting firm and has also served as an in-house ERISA attorney for a well-known national financial and retirement plan services firm. Adam leads Cottingham & Butler’s Compliance and Human Resource Consulting practice group.

Specific Experience
  • Advises Fortune 500 clients on HIPAA and ERISA compliance issues for health and welfare plans.
  • Advises Fortune 500 clients on plan design and IRS/DOL compliance issues for benefit plans.
  • Provides cost containment expertise for businesses and major health plans throughout the Midwest.

Industry Involvement

  •  Milwaukee Chapter of the International Society Certified Employee Benefits Specialists.
  • 2008, 2009  Madison Chapter President.
  • 2007 Madison Chapter Vice-President.
  • International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Education
University of Minnesota - Minneapolis
  -Bachelor of Arts in History
William Mitchell College of Law
  -Juris Doctorate
Life Office Management Association
  -Fellow, Life Management Institute (FMLI) designation
International Society of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists/
  Wharton School of Business
  -Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation
  -Group Benefits Associate (GBA) designation
  -Certificate in Global Benefits Management
 
   

1-C Resilience and Renewal: Being Your Best so You can Give Your Best, Lori Gibson

Lori Gibson is the owner of LK Gibson Consulting.  She is passionate about helping leaders at every level understand their impact, build their influence and achieve greater results.

Lori has served clients and internal customers in industries as diverse as telecommunications, insurance, health care, professional services, utilities and transportation. She brings a practical, engaging, and collaborative approach to her work, based on 30 years of experience as a trainer, consultant, coach and organizational leader.Her consulting practice includes designing and delivering training for leaders and new managers on understanding the impact of their personal style, managing conflict, leading through change, coaching for greater results & engagement, and building passionate teams. She also works with clients to increase the effectiveness of leadership teams, facilitate meetings and retreats, and provide individual coaching.

Lori received her BA in Speech Communication from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN.  She has worked as a community volunteer as well as serving on the local Board of Directors for the American Society for Training and Development and Society for Human Resource Management. When she's not working, her time is spent riding and showing her horse, working with her husband to run their 20-acre horse ranch, and gardening.
 
11:00 to 12:00   Lunch, Announcements and Recognition
     
12:00 to 1:00  

Afternoon Keynote:  Paul Wesselmann- Leveraging Social Capital: Fresh Approaches to Workplace Relationships

Paul Wesselmann makes his home in Madison, Wisconsin where he operates his speaking and training company Stone Soup Seminars. Each Monday morning, Paul distributes an inspirational email, Ripples, that offers inspiration and practical motivation to over 25,000 subscribers around the country. Paul holds degrees in psychology and higher education and in addition to his work on several college campuses, his adventures include having been a support group facilitator, volunteer coordinator, radio talk show host, and his college mascot.
 
     
1:00 to 1:15   Break
     
1:15 to 2:30   Breakout Session 2
     
   

2-A Fearless Reviews: Transforming Performance Reviews into Coaching Conversations, Jeff Russell

 Jeffrey Russell, co-director of Russell Consulting, Inc., specializes in helping organizations successfully respond to the challenges of continuous change.  With a focus on leadership, strategic thinking, leading change, and performance coaching, Jeff has worked with organizations as diverse as Fortune 500 firms, social and public sector organizations, and small family businesses. Jeff received his Masters Degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is an adjunct faculty member at UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay, and UW-La Crosse.
 
Jeff is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences. Most recently he has presented at the ASTD International Conference and Exhibition, the Jamaica Employers Federation Convention, the Minnesota Quality Conference, and the Wisconsin State SHRM Conference. Jeff and his wife and business partner Linda have co-authored eight books. Their most recent books are Ultimate Performance  Management (ASTD Press, 2009), Leading Change Training, Strategic Planning Training, Change Basics, and Engage Your Workforce (ASTD Infoline, 2010).
 
   

2-B Equal Rights Division: Who, How and Why do I need to know all this stuff?, Tony McGrath, Elizabeth Erickson & John Conway
 

John Conway is the Administrator of the Equal Rights Division in the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development.  He has been a Career Executive with the state since 1989 and has served in key leadership positions, including, Deputy Administrator of the Worker’s Compensation Program, and Chief Operating Officer of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.   John received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas, St Paul, MN; and his Master’s in Public Administration from California State University, Northridge.
 
Elizabeth A. Erickson is a partner in the Madison office of Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP.  Her practice focuses on labor and employment counseling and litigation, as well as general commercial litigation.
Elizabeth's experience includes drafting, evaluating, and litigating non-competition agreements, non-solicitation agreements, and confidentiality agreements; advising employers on day-to-day employment issues, including employee discipline and terminations, job descriptions, disability issues, attendance policies and compliance with wage and hour laws to minimize the risk of litigation; investigating and litigating employment discrimination claims including claims of sex, race, age, national origin, and disability discrimination, Fair Labor Standards Act claims, breach of duty of loyalty claims, and trade secret claims; Drafting employee handbooks, employment contracts and separation agreements; advising employers concerning labor issues, including labor arbitrations and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board; litigating a variety of non-employment claims in state and federal court, such as breach of contract claims, including successfully seeking injunctive relief on behalf of clients.
Elizabeth graduated from the Ohio State University College of Law, summa cum laude, in 2000 where she was an executive editor of the Ohio State Law Journal.  Elizabeth also clerked for the Honorable Judge William J. Bauer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Tony McGrath is an associate in the Madison office of Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP.  His practice is devoted to management-side employment law and business litigation.  He has successfully represented businesses of all sizes in litigations and other disputed matters before state and federal trial and appellate courts, administrative agencies, arbitrators, and mediators. 
Tony represents employers in cases involving employment discrimination, sexual harassment, covenants not to compete, trade secret misappropriation, retaliation, employee theft, prevailing wage, wage and hour violations, and class actions.  Tony also represents clients in business litigation actions such as breach of contract, fraud, misrepresentation, and shareholder disputes.
Tony received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin School, magna cum laude, in 2005 and a bachelors of business administration from the Wisconsin School of Business, with distinction, in 2002.  Tony has been recognized as a Wisconsin Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (2009-2011) and one of Madison’s “Top 40 Under 40.” 
 
   

2-C Employment Law Update, Jennifer Mirus

Jennifer S. Mirus is a partner in the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group at Boardman & Clark LLP in Madison, Wisconsin.  Jennifer represents employers in all aspects of employment relations, including hiring, discipline and terminations, wage and hour issues, discrimination, ADA, FMLA, and harassment.  Jennifer also has extensive experience negotiating and drafting employment contracts, non-compete agreements, and employee handbooks.  Jennifer’s experience also includes conducting workplace investigations and human resources and management trainings for clients of all sizes. 
 
Jennifer is a 1993 honors graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.  She is a sought out speaker for human resources groups, she teaches employment law courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Small Business Development Center, and is an alumna of Leadership Greater Madison.  Jennifer’s free time is spent soaking up chlorine at swim meets, watching football, and keeping up with her husband and her three daughters.
     
2:30 to 2:45   Break
     
2:45 to 4:00   Breakout Session 3
     
   

3-A Encouraging Inclusion: Leadership and the Art of Nurturing Diversity, Paul Wesselmann
 

Paul Wesselmann makes his home in Madison, Wisconsin where he operates his speaking and training company Stone Soup Seminars. Each Monday morning, Paul distributes an inspirational email, Ripples, that offers inspiration and practical motivation to over 25,000 subscribers around the country. Paul holds degrees in psychology and higher education and in addition to his work on several college campuses, his adventures include having been a support group facilitator, volunteer coordinator, radio talk show host, and his college mascot.
 
   

3-B Social Media in the Workplace, Jane Clark
 

Jane is Chief Operating Officer of QTI Human Resources.  She has extensive human resources experience, in additional to private law firm practice experience.  Jane has experience with exempt and not-exempt employees, labor relations, benefits design, selection and administration, formulation of employees handbooks, policies and forms, disciplinary investigations, harassment and discrimination investigations, unemployment hearings, FMLA administration, OSHA inquiry management, and responses to employment-related inquiries from state and federal agencies. 
 
Jane graduated from Amherst College cum laude and the University of Wisconsin Law School.  She is a member of  the Wisconsin Bar Association, TEMPO, and Greater Madison Area Society for Human Resource Management (GMASHRM).  She was an InBusiness Madison “40 Under 40” recipient and is an active statewide volunteer on educational, political, preservation, women’s and children’s issues.
   

3-C Employment Law Update, Jennifer Mirus
 

Jennifer S. Mirus is a partner in the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group at Boardman & Clark LLP in Madison, Wisconsin.  Jennifer represents employers in all aspects of employment relations, including hiring, discipline and terminations, wage and hour issues, discrimination, ADA, FMLA, and harassment.  Jennifer also has extensive experience negotiating and drafting employment contracts, non-compete agreements, and employee handbooks.  Jennifer’s experience also includes conducting workplace investigations and human resources and management trainings for clients of all sizes.


Jennifer is a 1993 honors graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.  She is a sought out speaker for human resources groups, she teaches employment law courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Small Business Development Center, and is an alumna of Leadership Greater Madison.  Jennifer’s free time is spent soaking up chlorine at swim meets, watching football, and keeping up with her husband and her three daughters.

 

     
 4:00 to 5:00   Networking Reception
     
   
 
 
 
mended  Equal Opportunities  
 
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