Conference Schedule: Thursday, May 7, 2026

Most organizations aren’t struggling because people don’t care or aren’t working hard enough. They’re struggling because of how work is happening. Expectations aren’t always clear, priorities shift, and communication tends to break down under pressure. All of that makes consistent performance really difficult.

In this keynote, Kelli Risse uses the lens of performance and ensemble work to show how organizations create and strategically evaluate to solve their own consistency challenges. Through real stories, a live demonstration, and the introduction of a simple framework, the session highlights what’s really driving inconsistent execution, misalignment, and communication breakdowns across organizational teams.

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify how unclear expectations and shifting priorities contribute to inconsistent performance across teams
• Align team goals and expectations to those of the organization
• Recognize how breakdowns in communication and delegation impact execution and overall effectiveness
• Evaluate the gap between individual performance and team-based execution within their organization
• Apply the session framework to assess how their organization defines success, prioritizes work, and communicates under pressure
• Determine at least one specific action within their role to improve consistency, communication, or execution

Intended Audience: Private Sector / Public Sector

Since January 2025, the focus on employment-related issues and legislation at both the federal and state agency levels has seen rapid and meaningful change impacting compliance, workplace policy development, and HR operations. Key developments include new federal rulemaking related to overtime eligibility, independent contractor classification, pay transparency, and artificial intelligence guidance, as well as significant state-level expansions affecting wage-and-hour compliance, leave entitlements, workplace accommodations, and discrimination protections. Missouri employers also face new compliance considerations driven by legislative changes and increased enforcement activity. On top of all this, the agency focus at the state and federal levels is continuing to evolve.

This presentation will provide a clear, practical overview of these developments and how they affect day-to-day HR practice, risk mitigation, organizational practices and strategic workforce planning.

• Provide a concise overview of major changes in federal and Missouri employment laws and focus since 2024, including effective dates, enforcement trends, and areas of uncertainty
• Equip HR professionals with actionable steps to update policies, procedures, and documentation—including wage practices, accommodations, recruiting, and workplace technology use
• Prepare employers to proactively address compliance risks, respond to evolving regulatory expectations, and implement strategies that reduce liability while supporting consistent and fair workplace practices

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

​In today’s fast-paced work environment, fostering employee well-being is not just a perk—it’s a business imperative. This session will explore how organizations can create healthier, more engaged, and more productive teams through intentional wellness initiatives. Participants will begin by defining workplace wellness and its key components, including physical, mental, and social well-being.

Drawing on current research, the session will highlight the proven connections between employee health, job satisfaction, and organizational performance. Finally, attendees will gain practical insights and strategies for implementing effective wellness programs—ranging from nutrition and stress management initiatives to physical activity and ergonomic improvements—that support both individual and organizational success.

• Define workplace wellness and explain its key components, including physical, mental, and social well-being in professional environments
• Examine current research and evidence demonstrating the relationship between employee health, job satisfaction, and organizational productivity
• Explore practical strategies and interventions that organizations can adopt to promote wellness—such as nutrition initiatives, stress management, physical activity programs, and ergonomic improvements

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Public employers in the United States are covered by both State, Local, and Federal laws as well as the State and Federal Constitution. This presentation will help public employers better understand the constitutional provisions that may affect their management and discipline with employees as well as ways to avoid costly constitutional litigation. This is an interactive presentation, so questions are expected and anticipated.

• Through instruction, participants will understand the different U.S. Constitutional protections that affect the employment relationship between a public employer and employee
• Through instruction and interaction with the presenters, participants will be able to apply U.S. legal standards to their employment practices and policies
• Through instruction and interaction with the presenters, participants will be able to draft, audit, and implement practices and policies that are in accordance with U.S. legal and constitutional standards to avoid litigation

Intended Audience: Public Sector

This presentation focuses on how five words that the ancient Greek culture used to describe different aspects of wisdom can help us transition our organizations and their roles in the Knowledge Economy of the last 60 years to the Wisdom Economy of the future.

These five words—Sophia (moral wisdom), Phronesis (practical wisdom), Techne (technical/functional wisdom), Episteme (scientific or research-based wisdom), and Sapheneia (the power of articulation)—when used in an integrated model, can transform our thinking, our approach to problem-solving, and our decision-making.

• Participants will discover how the Western economy is making the quick evolution from being a “Knowledge Economy” to a “Wisdom Economy,” which will drive a need for strategic leaders within organizations to make the shift to a deeper understanding of systemic causes, contexts, complexities, and connections
• Participants will understand the unique relationship between ancient Greek culture and the concept of wisdom and why the Five Wisdoms are relevant to the 21st Century business environment
• Participants will learn the meanings of each of the Five Wisdoms and how each one applies across several different business contexts and situations

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Artificial intelligence is moving faster than most organizations can keep up with. While AI can drive efficiency and innovation, it also introduces new risks around authenticity, misinformation, fraud, and reputational damage.

Using a real-world example of a convincing but completely fabricated podcast invitation, we will explore how easily professionals can be misled by AI-generated content. We will also discuss how leaders and HR professionals can build practical guardrails, strengthen critical thinking, and create policies that balance innovation with accountability.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of AI-related risks and concrete steps to protect their organizations.

• Identify common signs of AI-generated or fabricated communications, including fraudulent outreach and impersonation attempts
• Evaluate organizational risks associated with AI misuse, including legal, ethical, and reputational concerns
• Develop practical strategies and internal guidelines to verify authenticity, educate employees, and implement responsible AI use within the workplace

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Handling of workers’ compensation claims and what a company and municipality should do when they receive a claim and how these entities can protect themselves. Also, this session will discuss disability discrimination and reasonable accommodations and their relationship and interaction with workers’ compensation claims.

• Attendees will gain an understanding of how to handle workers’ compensation claims and steps to protect themselves when they receive a claim
• Attendees will gain an understanding of disability discrimination claims and their relationship and interaction with workers’ compensation claims
• Attendees will gain an understanding of reasonable accommodation and their relationship and interaction with workers’ compensation claims

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Most leaders think they communicate more clearly—and more motivationally—than they actually do. After what we may consider to be an inspiring or rousing motivational experience, employees often still go back to their jobs with low engagement and not able to connect to the real vision of their work.

More often than not, the way companies communicate vision throughout the organization leaves employees thinking, “Why should I care about this?” or “How is that going to work?” or even the dreaded, “Let’s see how long this program lasts…” More importantly, stakeholders in various areas of the work see their own small part as visionless—just a job—which lowers engagement and will even cause them to leave prematurely (especially Millennials and Gen Z).

• Learn how great vision-casting is done
• Learn how to connect it to the day-to-day
• Learn how to increase the engagement and passion of your employees

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable workplace, Human Resources leaders often find themselves at the center of high-stakes decisions, employee relations challenges, and organizational change. These responsibilities can create significant anxiety—impacting both personal well-being and professional effectiveness.

This insightful lecture explores practical strategies to manage anxiety and maintain composure under pressure.

Participants will learn:

• Understanding Anxiety in Leadership: Why HR roles are uniquely vulnerable to stress and how anxiety manifests in decision-making
• Mindfulness and Breathing Techniques: Simple, science-backed practices to calm the mind and regulate emotions in real time
• Shifting Focus from Self to Service: How reframing challenges around purpose and people can reduce self-consciousness and build confidence
• Preparation Without Overload: Balancing thoroughness with flexibility to avoid burnout and over-preparation
• Building Resilience and Emotional Agility: Tools for long-term stress management and fostering a positive, adaptive mindset

Through real-world examples, interactive discussion, and actionable takeaways, this session equips HR leaders to lead with clarity, empathy, and strength—even in the most challenging moments.

• Recognize the triggers and understand their impact on decision-making and workplace relationships
• Apply mindfulness, breathing, and reframing strategies to manage stress in high-pressure situations
• Build long-term leadership resilience and emotional agility

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Explore how understanding, valuing, and strategically managing your workforce impact both the financial and cultural health of your organization, revealing the true cost and potential return on your greatest investment- your people. 

• Identify key components that contribute to the total cost of employment.
• Analyze common workforce management challenges.
• Explore methods for improving workforce visibility.
• Develop practical approaches to controlling labor cost. 

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Summary: Ever wonder how to go about a workplace investigation from the ground up? This presentation walks through a typical employee complaint with everything from who to get involved internally, how and whether to get an investigation set up, what to collect, whether and what kind of report(s) should be made, the ethical considerations, and what to do about findings. The presentation will also cover issues regarding attorney client privilege and attorney work product and when communications and reports are discoverable, as well as what to do if you want them to be in litigation.

Objectives: Participants will come away with the following –

• An understanding of when to do a workplace investigation and when (if ever) one is not needed;
• Ethical considerations involving investigations;
• An understanding of what a workplace investigation should entail, including when to involve the lawyers and in what ways; and
• An understanding of whether and how to use a workplace investigation in a lawsuit.

Please let me know if you have any questions or or need anything from me. 

No matter your industry, new hires are the group most likely to be injured on the job. Let’s talk safety at your company and how you can reduce this exposure.

• Safety during the selection process
• Building an onboarding program that fits your size and operations
• Maintaining safety across your organization

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Conflict is as real as the air we breathe. Our relationship with conflict differs from person to person as what comes our way and how we respond is as unique as our DNA.

This presentation explores how we view ourselves, how we initiate conflict conversations, and how we can bring up conflict in a way that allows us to be true to ourselves while still being heard.

Objectives:

• Participants will be faced with what happens when conflict is not handled correctly
• The audience will synthesize how they show up when conflict appears
• Employees will be given a blueprint on evaluating their responses to conflict
• The audience will experience an interactive conflict scenario

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Strong teams don’t happen by accident—they are built through awareness, communication, and leadership that starts within.

This high-energy, transformational workshop blends self-leadership principles with the Flight Assessment communication styles framework to help attendees understand themselves and others on a deeper level so they can lead more effectively, communicate more clearly, and build teams that work well together.

• Identify natural strengths and leadership blind spots using a self-awareness lens
• Understand the four communication styles and how each style communicates, collaborates, and responds under pressure
• Apply style-based strategies to improve communication, reduce misunderstandings, and strengthen team relationships

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Everyone loves the story of a hero. We all can think of a moment in life where we were a hero to someone and how it made us feel. It gives us a sense of value, purpose, and appreciation.

In the workplace, do our senior leaders and executives make those we depend on feel this way? Studies show a person who feels valued, given purpose, and appreciation will stay with an employer longer.

We achieve this with H-Humanity, E-Empowerment, R-Respect, O-Ownership.

• Implementation of an employee-centric workplace culture
• Formulate strategic strategies for retention
• Examine policies and daily tasks that create value

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

Learn the various types of medical insurance plan designs.

• Learn what the various components of medical plans are—deductibles, copays, max out of pockets, etc.
• Learn how to save money on premiums and still have the benefits you want
• Learn what platform is right for your company: self-insured, fully insured, level funded, captive, or direct contract

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector

When asked, organizational leaders often believe they understand their culture—but employees frequently disagree. Leaders live in the vision of the organization, while employees experience the culture day-to-day.

This session explores the gap between leadership perception and employee experience, and how organizations can build the culture they believe they already have.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the difference between vision and culture
• Identify ways to bridge the gap between the leadership experience and the employee experience
• Gain competencies in casting vision in a compelling way

Intended Audience: Private Sector/Public Sector