Thursday December 12, 2024
Sessions/Program
Carefully curated healthcare-focused education only at ASHHRA25.
The ASHHRA25 annual conference and exposition provides trusted knowledge and critical education to healthcare human resources professionals dedicated to creating and maintaining healthier communities by advancing healthcare through HR excellence. Explore the learning sessions below to help you plan your conference experience.
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Eliminating Agency Staff through Talent Acquisition Strategies, Innovation & Interdisciplinary Collaboration
As many health systems were faced with difficult financial decisions coming out of the pandemic, hear how Tampa General Hospital was able to achieve and maintain zero travel agency team members across their inpatient nursing division using innovative Talent Acquisition strategies, collaborating with nursing leadership and interdisciplinary teams, measuring effectiveness, and adapting quickly. Learning the importance of partnership, remaining nimble to try new ideas, failing fast, and continuing to move forward was key to our success. With an established partnership, Nursing and People and Talent (Human Resources) are strategically positioned to better anticipate and solve workforce challenges, together.
OBJECTIVES
- Learn the process for creating a self-sustaining flexible workforce model.
- Understand the benefits collaboration between People and Talent (Human Resources) and Nursing.
- Increase positive engagement among your team members.
PRESENTERS
Andrea Cichon, MBA, SHRM-CP, PHR
Vice President, Talent Acquisition
Tampa General Hospital
Wendi Goodson-Celerin, DNP, APRN, NE-BC
Executive Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Tampa General Hospital
Tyler Carpenter, MS
Vice President, People and Talent
Tampa General Hospital
The Ever Changing Healthcare Talent Market – Meeting Five Generations Where They Are
The healthcare talent market is on the move, from the great resignation to the great reshuffle, now meeting five different generations in the market. We have all felt the pain of the nursing shortage and now allied health shortages are here and could be just as impactful as the nursing shortage. Learn about opportunities you have to reach multiple generations and expose them to your culture.
OBJECTIVES
- Identify and create opportunities in your back yard to attract talent.
- Understand the data in your market and identify how and where to target talent.
- Keep candidates engaged and attract talent through social media.
PRESENTER
Chantel Greenfield
Chief Talent Officer
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
Keeping Abreast of Nurse Licensure Compact 2024 Amended Rules: Potential Impact on Nurse Employers
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which offers a multistate license to LPNs/VNs and RNs, has 42 member states and has existed since 2000. Over two million nurses in the nation hold a multistate license. Based on these measures, the NLC is an important topic to the vast majority of healthcare employers in the nation as it plays a role in their nurse staffing. In this nursing shortage era, nurses are increasingly utilizing the multistate license to practice in other states.
In January 2024, the NLC rules were amended. The most salient and critical amendment was to a rule related to the legal state of residency of the nurse. It is incumbent on nurse employers to understand the rule requirements as they hire nurses from NLC states. In light of the amended NLC rules, employers must consider their current policies and processes related to nurse onboarding in order to effectively manage their nursing workforce, which can be adversely affected by nurse non-compliance with NLC rules. This presentation will enable healthcare HR professionals to confidently assess that nurses in their employment are fully compliant with regulations which can ultimately impact the employer.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand the requirements of Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) rules, as amended in January 2024, especially pertaining to nurse residency and the importance of compliance with the rules.
- Understand the potential impact on employers when nurses are in violation of NLC residency rules.
- Understand how the NLC multistate license pertains to travel nurses, military spouses and military service persons who are nurses.
PRESENTER
James Puente, MS, MJ, CAE
Director, Nurse Licensure Compact
National Council of State Boards of Nursing
1:10 - 2:10 p.m.
Supporting Hospital Employees in their Own Healthcare Journeys
Research shows that hospital employees are less healthy than most other industries and employees don’t understand benefits and are confused about their own healthcare journeys. This session explores the ironies about poor health and healthcare literacy among healthcare workers and specific strategies to improve health and effective use of healthcare. Join Ashleigh Alexander, Director of Employee Benefits at LifePoint and Eric Parmenter, Vice President of Hospitals at Quantum Health, to learn about strategic levers and tactics to improve the health, engagement and literacy of your workforce.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand data about hospital workers’ health and health literacy.
- Learn about strategic levers to pull to help hospital employees navigate benefits and healthcare more effectively resulting in better health and health literacy.
- Take away practical ideas that can be implemented at your hospital.
PRESENTERS
Eric Parmenter, Ph.D., MBA, CEBS, SPHR, RHU, REBC, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF
Vice President of Hospitals and Health Systems
Quantum Health
Ashleish Alexander
Director of Employee Benefits
LifePoint Health
Closing the Workforce Skill Gap: Building Lifelong Team Members through Public-Private Partnerships
There are 7.1 million unemployed individuals in the United States, 17.3 million high school students, and 11.5 million full time undergraduate students. That’s a talent pool of over 35 million to fill roughly 3 million healthcare jobs. Unfortunately, there’s a mismatch between the interest and skill of the external workforce and the competencies valued by healthcare organizations.
This session will discuss how taking a wholistic approach focusing on the full journey from high school to industry to post-secondary can close this gap while also creating engaged employees who’ll stay for the long haul. Furthermore, these initiatives drive community wellness and create economic mobility.
We’ll anchor to the Baylor Scott & White collaboration with Uplift Education that resulted in a first of its kind healthcare high school in Dallas. As we walk through this collaboration we’ll follow the scholar experience from 8th grader with an interest in healthcare, to high school CTE scholar pursuing industry certification, into industry valued roles, and finally moving into aligned grant-funded post-secondary programs.
OBJECTIVES
- Gain an appreciation for how workforce development efforts can have an immediate lasting impact.
- Explore how private-public models create aligned objectives and engaged healthcare team members.
- Understand how the impact of these collaborations go beyond employment, bringing wellness and economic mobility to disadvantaged communities.
PRESENTER
Phil Kendzior
Vice President, Workforce Development Programs
Baylor Scott & White Health
Creating a Culture of Well-being and Safety
In this session participants will learn how to create a culture of well-being and safety by starting with care for the caregiver and taking steps to include not only mental well-being but also physical safety. This was achieved by engagement from physicians, leaders, staff and community partnering in activities to promote healthy living by implementing our organization as a Blue Zones supporter and through sound relationships internally and with the community.
OBJECTIVES
- Take away tips on beginning your own journey toward well-being through meaningful relationships within your organization and community.
- Establish a Blue Zones healthy living.
- Encourage internal MOAIs to increase healthy work relationships.
PRESENTERS
Gary L. Pastore, MSL, CHHR
Associate Vice President of Human Resources Operation
HonorHealth
Dr. Tiffany Pankow
Vice President – Chief of Caregiver Wellness & Patient Experience
HonorHealth
2:20 - 3:20 p.m.
Intentional Leadership: Moving Beyond Trends to Create Lasting Impact
In today’s fast-paced workplace, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest trends, “best practices,” and cutting-edge technology. While these tools can offer value, many leaders find themselves treading water, despite their best efforts to implement them. Why? Because we’ve become a society driven by comparison, often losing sight of what truly matters.
To thrive as a leader in the modern workplace, it’s not enough to follow the crowd—you must lead with intention. Intentional leadership isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a transformative approach that empowers leaders to cut through the noise and focus on what will truly drive their teams and organizations forward.
This session will guide you through the principles of intentional leadership and how to apply them in your day-to-day operations. You’ll learn strategies to help your teams think and act differently, moving beyond the allure of trends and quick fixes to build sustainable, meaningful practices and cultures.
Discover how intentional leadership can be your most powerful tool for creating a workplace that doesn’t just survive—but thrives.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand the Concept of Intentional Leadership: Gain a deep understanding of what intentional leadership entails and why it is essential for navigating the complexities of the modern workplace.
- Develop Practical Strategies for Intentional Leadership: Learn specific, actionable strategies for implementing intentional leadership in your organization, enabling you to move beyond trends and create sustainable, high-impact practices.
- Cultivate a Culture of Thoughtful Decision-Making: Be equipped with tools to foster a workplace culture where thoughtful decision-making prevails over reactive trends, leading to more meaningful and lasting organizational success.
PRESENTER
Lotus Buckner, MBA
Founder & Chief People Officer
Talent Remix
Building a Diverse Healthcare Workforce: Addressing Disparate Impact and Advancing Health Equity
In the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, fostering a diverse workforce is not only a moral imperative but a critical business strategy to improve patient care and outcomes. This session will explore the challenges and strategies for addressing disparate impact in recruitment and retention while advancing health equity within healthcare organizations. Gain practical tools to reduce bias, implement inclusive hiring practices, and create a culture that supports diversity at all levels of the organization.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand Disparate Impact: Learn how hiring practices, even unintentionally, can create adverse effects on underrepresented groups and understand the legal implications for healthcare organizations.
- Develop Inclusive Recruitment Strategies: Discover actionable approaches to attract and hire diverse candidates, including sourcing, assessment, and reducing bias in the hiring process.
- Retain Diverse Talent: Explore retention strategies that foster belonging, leadership development, and mentorship opportunities for diverse employees.
PRESENTER
Danielle Gilbert, MBA, PHR, SHRM-CP
HR Executive
ChildSavers
Healthcare Labor Update, Spring 2025: Understanding the Factors Fueling Healthcare Union Organizing and How Healthcare Leaders Should Respond
“In 2025, hospitals and health systems continue to face workforce challenges, including turnover, staffing shortages and surging labor costs. At the same time, union organizing targeting nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians (including residents and fellows), and other healthcare workers continues to surge.
Although the outcome of the November 2024 election is expected to have a favorable impact on the regulatory environment (i.e., National Labor Relations Board and Department of Labor), record high union approval in combination with a tight labor market will continue to fuel healthcare union organizing.
Attend this important session to learn the latest regarding healthcare union organizing and how unions are taking advantage of the challenges facing healthcare employers.
OBJECTIVES
- Advance your understanding of how workforce challenges facing hospitals and health systems can fuel vulnerability to union organizing.
- Learn about the latest tactics labor unions use to target healthcare workers, including how unions exploit staffing, workload, and safety and security concerns.
- Learn best practices for increasing employee engagement and how these strategies also lower vulnerability to union organizing.
PRESENTER
Christopher Cimino
President and CEO
Chessboard Consulting
MONDAY, APRIL 7
8:00 - 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
8:30 - 9:50 a.m.
Opening Ceremony and Keynote: Sara Ross
Opening Ceremony and Keynote: Sara Ross
Sara Ross
Founder & Chief Vitality Officer
BrainAmped
The Confidence to Get Knocked Down and the Resilience to Get Back Up
“What would you do if you could not fail?” This is a good, thought-provoking question, but unfortunately, it is inherently flawed. If you are going to take on bold goals, get outside of your comfort zone, try new things, and build new skills – it will be hard, and you will fail along the way. Instead, “What would you do if you knew that even if you failed, you’d be okay?” This is what it means to have the confidence to get knocked down and the resilience to get back up; stronger, faster, and healthier each time. While researching for her upcoming book, “Dear Work, Something Has to Change,” Sara Ross found that in a time of record-setting stress, uncertainty, and change, those most successful didn’t fail less often. Instead, they learned better. It’s the connection between confidence and resilience that free’s people to consistently stretch their potential to innovate, adapt, and thrive – even in the most stressful times. Too many people miss out on opportunities in work and life because they lack the confidence to try. It might be taking on a new role, adjusting to changing client expectations and competitive market landscapes, or simply seeking feedback. All because they fear that they aren’t equipped to handle the obstacles that come with each. In this keynote, Sara will change that by taking you through a practical four-step method to strengthen your confidence – resilience loop by:- Explaining the brain science of emotions under stress and sharing a strategy to address the three thieves of confidence: perfection, comparison, and the fear of judgment.
- Addressing common misconceptions about what confidence and resilience are and how each is built and maintained.
- Identifying where mindset shifts will help change the narrative of the story people tell themselves when it’s keeping them stuck, scared, discouraged, and overwhelmed.
- Building a “resilience resume” to highlight strengths and experiences to draw from when faced with obstacles and channel both into positive, momentum-creating action.
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Expo Hall | Lunch | Rapid Fire Sessions
12:40 - 1:40 p.m.
Workplace Investigation Concerns Your HR Mentor Never Told You About
While workplace investigation sessions are common in HR conferences, this session would focus on healthcare-specific as well as atypical items encountered in investigations such as:
- Workplace Criminal activity
- Drug diversions
- Special considerations for medical residents, students and volunteers
- Special considerations for incidents involving patients and vulnerable populations (e.g. children, Developmentally Challenged team members)
- A.I. Deep Fake evidence
- Temporary Restraining Orders in the workplace
- HIPAA concerns
- Remote workers
OBJECTIVES
- Better preparation for the unexpected.
- Reduce risk to yourself and your organization.
- Advance towards becoming a subject matter expert.
PRESENTERS
George Liothake, CHHR, SCP, SPHR, CCP, CBP, SHRM-SCP,
Director, Workforce Relations
Atlantic Health System
Laura DePaola, SHRM Specialty Credential
Workplace Investigator Manager, Workforce Relations
Atlantic Health System
The Next Frontier of Leadership Development: Employee Well-being
You don’t have to be at the top of your organization to make a difference in the health and well-being of the people you lead. You certainly don’t need to be a clinician or part of the health and wellness team. You just need to know what to do.
There’s almost universal agreement that employee health and well-being is important to not only the employee, but also the organization. However, what’s not universal is a consensus on the best way to support employee health and well-being. One thing is certain, managers play an outsized role in the employee experience. A global survey of more than 2,000 employees found that 69% shared their manager impacts their mental health: a tie with the answer ‘spouse’.
Currently, only one of the top 25 business schools ranked by U.S. News and World Report includes courses in their core curriculum which directly address employee health and well-being. Furthermore, SHRM doesn’t include employee health and well-being amongst its competencies, skills and knowledge needed to pass the certification test.
So, who is training our future business and HR leaders?! You will be once you attend this session.
OBJECTIVES
- Describe how business leaders are currently being educated in employee health and well-being in business schools.
- Imagine you are making the case to your CHRO. List three reasons why it’s important to include employee health and well-being in your leadership development portfolio.
- Provide three different strategies for implementing employee health and well-being into your leadership development program.
PRESENTER
Richard Safeer, M.D.
Chief Medical Director, Employee Health and Well-Being
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Revolutionizing Supplemental Benefits for Health Systems: Enhancing Employee Retention and Financial Efficiency
In this interactive session, Mike Schaller, COO of BeneRe and former ProMedica executive, will share insights on how healthcare organizations can revolutionize their supplemental benefits programs through BeneRe’s innovative group captive insurance model. Learn how BeneRe has helped leading health systems significantly reduce premiums, increase employee satisfaction, and reinvest millions in year-end dividends to support wellness and engagement initiatives. Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies to enhance recruitment, improve financial transparency, and foster employee well-being in today’s competitive healthcare labor market.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand how supplemental benefit models can provide cost efficiency and improved employee benefits.
- Learn from real case studies how year-end dividends can be reinvested in employee health and wellness programs.
- Discover how to leverage supplemental benefits as a tool for recruitment and retention in healthcare.
PRESENTER
Mike Schaller
COO
BeneRe (Formerly of Promedica)
Kyle Frigon
Chief Commercial Officer
BeneRe
1:50 - 2:50 p.m.
Transforming HR Service Delivery – The Great, The Good, The Ugly
The transition from a decentralized HR delivery structure to a centralized HR Shared Services model is a significant undertaking, especially for a multi-facility healthcare system. This journey not only involves restructuring processes but also necessitates cultural shifts, technology investments, and careful attention to change management. In this overview, we will explore the key aspects of our transformation, focusing on the cultural changes required, technology deployment, and the lessons learned in fostering change readiness.
OBJECTIVES
- Navigate cultural resistance to HR Shared Services delivery.
- Leverage technology to transform service delivery.
- Leverage SLA metrics and feedback mechanisms for continuous process improvement.
PRESENTERS
Dwight Dorsey, M.A. Human Resources Management
Administrative Director Human Resources Operations
Franciscan Health
Karen Smithers
Administrative Director Human Resources Operations (ret)
Franciscan Health
MaryJo Smith, ICF Certified Executive Coach
Chief Human Resources Officer
Franciscan Health
Building the Bench: Establishing Comprehensive and Diverse College Internship Programs
Internships are vital for college students in gaining the skills and real-world experiences to complement what they are learning in their course work. Internships also benefit employers as they expose high-achieving college students to their organizations and hopefully lead to retaining interns are full-time employees. A comprehensive and holistic internship program does more than simply provide work and a paycheck to the student – it also offers professional development opportunities, mentoring, and other ways to engage students and help them develop affinity for the organization. Participating in such a program is especially important for students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds as they often do not have access to these opportunities.
Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis has developed two comprehensive internship programs: one for Indianapolis-area students attending college at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), and the other for college students with physical disabilities. Both paid internship programs offer a range of supports to help the students with skills and resources needed to be successful in their internships and in the job searches after graduation. The presenters will describe each program in depth and provide attendees with practical guidance as to how they can establish similar programs.
OBJECTIVES
- Learn why internships are critical for college students, and especially so for students from underrepresented populations.
- Describe the facets of a comprehensive internship program and how these have been implemented at Eskenazi Health.
- Receive specific tips and suggestions for creating their own internship programs.
PRESENTERS
Larry Markle
Director, Gregory S. Fehribach Center
Eskenazi Health
Christia Hicks
Chief Human Resources Officer
Eskenazi Health
State of Workforce Mental Health: Actionable Solutions for Health Systems
Mental health concerns in healthcare are reaching a critical point, with rising numbers of employees facing serious challenges like addiction, trauma, anxiety, and depression. For our fifth annual State of Workforce Mental Health Report, we surveyed HR and benefits leaders to uncover the key challenges ahead. Join Lyra Health, for insights into the report’s findings, predictions for mental health in health systems, and actionable strategies for building healthier teams.
OBJECTIVES
- Explore the top findings from global, annual research.
- Learn impactful steps health systems can take to support workforce mental health.
- Discover essential criteria when evaluating mental health benefits.
PRESENTER
Alethea Varra, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President of Clinical Care
Lyra Health
Engaging Hidden Stakeholders: Setting Your Health Benefits Apart
Health benefits are one of the most expensive pieces of the employee benefits package—yet many employers aren’t getting the most from their investment, in part due to lack of participant education and engagement which can lead to employees being over or under insured. Based on new research by Fidelity Health℠ Thought Leadership that combines sentiment from benefit leaders, employees and spouses, and the doctors caring for them, this session will discuss how learning from “hidden stakeholders” can help employers move the needle on employee health outcomes and bend the cost curve.
OBJECTIVES
- Better understand the importance of getting employees and their spouses in sync about health benefits available to them.
- Discover the communication, engagement, and incentive strategies that hold the most promise for reaching Gen Z, our newest generation in the workforce.
- Understand what clinicians see as opportunities for employers to improve health benefits.
PRESENTER
Ben Isgur
Vice President, Health Care Thought Leadership
Fidelity Health®
Tim Ruggles
Senior Vice President, Healthcare Practice Leader
Fidelity Investments
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Expo Hall | Lunch | Rapid Fire Sessions
TUESDAY, APRIL 8
8:00 - 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
8:30 - 9:20 a.m.
Connection Keynote: Rob Riney
Connection Keynote: Bob Riney
Robert G. Riney
President & CEO
Henry Ford Health
President, ASHHRA Board of Directors, 2003
The Human Connection: Building a Culture of Belonging in Healthcare Leadership
Healthcare’s greatest asset is its people, and the ability to build a culture of belonging has never been more critical. In this thought-provoking keynote, Bob Riney, President & CEO of Henry Ford Health, will share his passion for creating inclusive, resilient healthcare teams that feel empowered, engaged, and aligned with a shared purpose. Drawing on more than 45 years of leadership experience, Bob will unpack the core elements of fostering a workplace culture where every team member feels valued, heard, and inspired to contribute their best.
With healthcare leaders facing unprecedented workforce challenges, Bob will explore the transformational impact of belonging on engagement, innovation, and patient outcomes. Through real-world examples, practical strategies, and a deep commitment to human connection, Bob will demonstrate how to lead with authenticity and foster environments where trust and respect drive collaboration, creativity, and growth. He will also address the powerful link between culture, well-being and resilience, offering insights into how leaders can reimagine their organizations to thrive in today’s complex healthcare landscape.
Whether you’re navigating workforce shortages, addressing burnout, or simply seeking to elevate your leadership approach, this keynote will provide you with the tools and inspiration needed to cultivate a culture of belonging that empowers people and transforms healthcare. This keynote will leave you inspired and equipped to lead with purpose and build a culture that not only strengthens teams, but also elevates healthcare for all.
OBJECTIVES
- Redefine Leadership Through Belonging: Learn how to create a culture where every team member feels valued, respected, and connected to a shared purpose, unlocking higher levels of engagement and innovation.
- Empower Teams for Resilience and Growth: Gain actionable strategies to address workforce challenges, such as burnout and turnover, by fostering trust, collaboration, and a sense of psychological safety.
- Leverage Culture to Drive Organizational Success: Explore the link between a strong culture of belonging and improved patient outcomes, team performance, and organizational growth, with practical steps to lead transformative change.
9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Top Priorities for People Leaders
HR’s scope of work continues to expand. People leaders will continue to face increasing organizational demands to provide greater and more complex types of support with limited additional resources and a fatigued workforce. Organizations now task people leaders with addressing issues like creating a more human-centric employee value proposition, increasing hybrid work productivity, and augmenting processes with AI. These are all new responsibilities that require unique expertise.
OBJECTIVES
- Identify the top five priorities for HR leaders.
- Discover new experiences and skills that can be gained outside of your current role.
- Hear examples of applied strategies.
PRESENTER
Dr. DeLancey Johnson FACHE, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, sHRBP, SWP, LDSS
Sen. Vice President, Assoc. Chief Talent Officer
Parkland Hospital System
Future-Ready Vibes: Powering Innovation with Employee-Generated Content
This session will equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to harness employee creativity in response to the evolving workplace environment. Participants will learn to implement content creation initiatives using current technology and media resources. The session will cover best practices for setting up and encouraging employee-generated content programs that foster immediate innovation and engagement. Attendees will gain insights into aligning these initiatives with current generational trends and fostering a culture of creativity that leverages employee insights to future-proof their organizations.
OBJECTIVES
- Value Employee-Generated Content: Understand its impact and the cultural/economic forces driving innovation.
- Implement Content Creation: Set up programs using current technology and foster an inclusive, creative culture.
- Leverage Insights and Overcome Barriers: Use content for real-time insights and address potential roadblocks.
PRESENTER
Tim “Mr. Meaningful Work” Olaore
Director, Leadership Residency
Adventist Health
Supporting Disabled Veterans and Caregivers: From Surviving to Thriving in the Workforce
As Veterans navigate the often-difficult path to civilian employment after service, they also are often managing unique needs if they have a disability. Voya Cares and Easterseals commissioned original research to look beyond efforts to hire Veterans to better understand what it means to support veterans with disabilities and their caregivers.
How can employers provide additional support for disabled veterans and their caregivers in the workplace?
We will dive deep into how to coordinate VA and employer benefits, including healthcare insurance and HSAs as vehicles for retirement planning.
OBJECTIVES
- How a plan sponsor can help disabled veterans and caregivers navigate the challenges of transitioning from service to civilian life and work.
- How a plan sponsor can help veterans with disabilities gain confidence about their long-term financial future and retirement.
- How can a plan sponsor help caregivers meet their own needs and benefit from programs and resources that help them balance the demands of work and caregiving.
PRESENTERS
Kathie Tarpey
AVP, Voya Cares Center of Excellence
Voya Financial
Jerry Hulick, CLU, ChFC, ChSNC, CLTC
Principal
Caring Consulting Group
Code Blue: Resuscitating Respect and Well-being in Healthcare Workplaces
In healthcare, where saving lives is the mission, a silent crisis threatens from within: workplace bullying. This epidemic erodes team cohesion, patient care, and staff well-being. It is a devastating impact of toxic work environments on healthcare professionals. In this session, we’ll diagnose the root causes of workplace bullying in healthcare settings and prescribe effective treatments to foster a culture of respect and well-being. Drawing from real-world case studies and evidence-based strategies, we’ll explore how HR professionals can play a pivotal role in transforming workplace dynamics. Learn how to implement early intervention techniques and create robust support systems for employees, including collaborating with conflict resolution resources for rebuilding trust in your organization. By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with a toolkit of practical solutions to revitalize company culture, boost employee satisfaction, and ultimately enhance patient care. Join us to learn how to resuscitate respect and well-being in your healthcare workplace – because a healthy work environment is the foundation of quality healthcare.
OBJECTIVES
- Identify Bullying: Learn to recognize signs of workplace bullying in healthcare and understand its impact on staff, patients and organizational culture.
- Implement Interventions: Discover strategies to address bullying, using conflict resolution and confidentiality to promote systemic change.
- Foster Respect and Well-being: Gain tools to enhance staff resilience and job satisfaction, creating a respectful and collaborative workplace.
PRESENTER
Herschenia Brown
Workplace Mediator, Ombudsperson, and Author
In Agreement Dispute Resolution, LLC
10:40 – 11:40 a.m.
Breaking Bad Recruitment: Transforming into a Talent Adviser
The ATS is perfectly optimized for declining all but one candidate. But what happens to the silver medalists, the ones who fell just short? Is there a role in an organization for them too?
This session focuses on the necessity of working the person, not the job description. Talent-starved organizations should not miss out on future employees simply because they didn’t capture the brass ring the first time around.
Recruiters and talent teams will learn how to become talent advisors, a more strategic role that counsels candidates on where they might be a good fit, regardless of the job they applied for.
Recruitment teams today are so bogged down by low-value administrative tasks that sourcing isn’t even getting done. It’s not recruiters’ fault. They are supposed to handle screening, scheduling, paperwork processing and a host of other time-consuming responsibilities. But the constant demand for talent makes it all but impossible to keep up.
OBJECTIVES
- Learn how to work the candidate, not the job description.
- Discover what tasks are ideally suited to humans and robots.
- Learn how to look beyond people, process and technology.
PRESENTER
Luke Carignan, PHR, SHRM-CP
Strategic Director, Healthcare
Phenom
Ellen Page, SPHR, RACR
Director, Talent Acquisition
Franciscan Health
Communications that Matter: The Value of Verbatim Employee Feedback
In 2023, Memorial Health System began to rethink their HR communications, looking inward to establish transparency between hospital leadership and their nursing units. Drawing from their employee engagement data, including open-ended questions, the hospital started incorporating themes from their care team’s comments during staff meetings and huddles, all while truly taking that feedback to heart when planning improvement initiatives. These changes broke down perceived walls between staff and leadership to show genuine desire from management to strengthen their employee engagement and well-being. As such, this move has been accompanied by improvements across all dimensions of Memorial’s employee engagement studies, including a 6.3% top box improvement for “Upholding Mission,” 3.9% growth in “Senior Leadership,” and a 6.8% increase in “Patient Care” year-over-year.
This session explores the lessons learned from Memorial’s refreshed approach to employee communications, covering how attendee organizations can field and utilize open-ended feedback to create transparency, inspire meaningful dialogue, and ultimately improve employee engagement in their organizations.
OBJECTIVES
- Explore innovative ways to incorporate employee feedback in their organizational and HR communications.
- Discover strategies for identifying improvement opportunities within open-ended comments and analyzing employee sentiment.
- Visualize the impact of leadership and communicative transparency on employee engagement and overall hospital performance.
PRESENTER
Phil Amos
Human Resources Director
Memorial Health System
Tracy Hall, MSHAL
Director, Physician & Employee Solutions
PRC
Agility 101: Building the Foundations of a Flexible Workforce
Join this session to gain actionable insights on how to stop managing staffing symptoms and start addressing the root causes with modernized, flexible workforce solutions. Dr. Dani Bowie, an experienced healthcare leader, will offer practical guidance to overcoming staffing shortages through innovative, flexible workforce models.
Attendees will get step-by-step guidance on establishing a flexible workforce with tips for building central staffing and scheduling offices, integrating float pools and policies, and using AI and workforce technology to streamline operations. Dr. Bowie will also provide actionable insights on creating and scaling internal resource pools (IRPs) and internal travel programs—proven methods that reduce reliance on external labor and stabilize staffing levels.
Through real-world experiences and best practices, this session will provide a roadmap for healthcare leaders ready to take bold steps toward optimizing labor costs and driving transformational change in their organization.
OBJECTIVES
- Get a clear roadmap for designing and implementing flexible workforce strategies that address staffing shortages and enhance operational efficiency.
- Learn best practices for developing central staffing offices, float pools, and incentive programs that improve staff retention and support a modern, agile workforce.
- Discover how to leverage AI and workforce technology to optimize staffing operations and reduce labor costs.
PRESENTERS
Dani Bowie, DNP, RN, NE-BC
SVP of Solution Design, Workforce AI
Aya Healthcare
Brienne Sandow, MSN, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer
St. Luke’s Health System
Centralization – A Strategic Imperative
Centralization is more than a structural choice—it’s a strategic imperative. Many health systems are reassessing organizational design in the face of evolving labor challenges, rising costs, and ongoing consolidation. By adopting centralized functions, organizations can address these issues more effectively. Centralization enables better alignment of skill sets to patient needs, streamlines operations, and supports financial sustainability. This strategy isn’t limited to system-wide changes; it can also be applied regionally or within specific departments or entities. However, careful design consideration, implementation planning, and a thoughtful rollout strategy is important to help ensure positive outcomes.
Why it Matters: Centralization can significantly enhance cost efficiency and the overall efficacy of operations. As systems navigate mergers, acquisitions, strategic shifts, and growth, the need for centralization becomes pivotal. Not only can it reduce costs, but it can also enable organizations to respond to the needs of their business units in a consistent, system-driven manner.
OBJECTIVES
- Learn how health systems are centralizing.
- Learn the benefits of centralization.
- Discuss considerations for centralization.
PRESENTER
James Roth
Managing Principal, Workforce Analytics
SullivanCotter
Sean Butler
Director, Client Experience
SullivanCotter
11:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Expo Hall | Lunch | Rapid Fire Sessions
2:25 – 3:25 p.m.
The Science of DEI
This engaging workshop is built on the Table of Diversity as the foundation for effective DEI, similar to how the Periodic Table of Elements is fundamental to chemistry. Participants will explore an expanded definition of diversity and intersectionality to better understand our own identity and make space for others. Just as scientists study the properties and interactions of elements, we will examine how individual differences and intersections influence workplace dynamics and team performance in healthcare settings.
OBJECTIVES
- Gain a more effective understanding of diversity, identity, and intersectionality.
- Create a framework for implementing DEI for individuals and teams.
- Develop actionable steps for creating an environment where everyone thrives.
PRESENTER
Demetria Miles-McDonald
CEO
Decide Diversity
2025 Job Architecture Practices: Survey Findings & Practitioner Insights
During this session, we will share the results of Deloitte Consulting’s and ASHHRA 2025 Global Job Architecture Practices Survey. This research addresses talent strategies and practices around:
- Job Architecture Strategy and Design Approach
- Job Leveling Practices
- Job Title Usage
- Career Path Practices
- Job Evaluation Methods and Linkages to Job Architecture
- Job Catalogues and Ties to Skills
- Human Resources Staffing Ratios
Join us to learn how to practically apply the survey findings to design an integrated framework of consistent job leveling, titles, clear job progressions and pay practices.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand the challenges and benefits of implementing an enterprise-wide job architecture program through lessons learned from HR leaders in large, complex organizations.
- Share leading practices in job architecture design, such as design principles, number of job levels, job titling conventions, career pathing, job/role growth criteria and governance.
- Gain perspective on how to balance current state jobs and future state talent needs in the company’s job architecture.
PRESENTERS
Sheila Sever, CCP
Senior Manager
Deloitte Consulting
Debbie Sanders, PHR
Manager
Deloitte Consulting
Secrets of the Accelerated Staffing Fix — Stop the Bleeding, Find and Retain Quality Staff
Healthcare leaders are in pain, desperately trying to cope with an unprecedented labor shortage, epidemic-level resignations, and a dozen pressing reasons why there is a need for an immediate and long-term staffing fix. Audiences will learn how to stop the bleeding, find, and retain quality staff. This high-content, high-energy, inspiring presentation contains 35+ best practices, tools, skills, and creative solutions to overcome the understandable despair of today’s healthcare leaders, delivered by hall of fame speaker and author of “Keep Your Nurses and Healthcare.”
OBJECTIVES
- Learn how to reduce the unnecessary expense created by costly staff turnover, which this will reduce the pressure for staff to work overtime. This improves moral, community reputation, and teambuilding through utilization of coaching and mentoring bonuses.
- Find numerous ways to recruit, train, engage and retain staff at all levels that will eliminate the excessive costs and inconsistencies of using agencies.
- Enjoy the benefit of having eliminated excessive sign-on bonuses and reducing your posted vacancies, by successful new recruiting that will also generate a waiting list of highly qualified new talent.
PRESENTERS
Brian Lee, CSP and Hall of Fame Speaker
CEO and Founder
Custom Learning Systems Group Ltd.
Erin Muck
President & CEO
Crawford County Memorial Hospital
3:35 – 4:35 p.m.
Reimagining Workforce: How Duke, SSM and Lifebridge Health Built a Resilient Workforce for the Future
Healthcare faces ongoing challenges despite signs of recent stability. Declining enrollment in nursing schools, an aging nursing workforce nearing retirement, and the unintended consequences of financial incentives—such as increased burnout—continue to strain the system. Yet today some health systems are thriving by adopting innovative workforce planning and recruitment strategies. This session will delve into how Duke Health and SSM Health reimagined their planning process, leveraging data, collaborative planning, and innovative recruitment tactics to build a more stable and future-ready workforce—including a unique partnership with an experienced international health professional recruiting firm.
The presentation will explore the steps Duke, SSM and Lifebridge Health took to identify workforce gaps, build new channels for recruiting experienced nurses and develop retention programs. Designed for HR leaders, attendees will gain insight into the practical tools and methodologies employed by these organizations, including how to capture needs across the organization, how to look to new channels and how to onboard new nurses to accelerate their learning and adaptability., This session is designed for HR leaders who are looking to innovate their workforce strategies and build a more sustainable talent pipeline.
OBJECTIVES
- Learn how to leverage new approaches to workforce planning.
- Discover innovative recruitment strategies to attract and retain top talent.
- Understand the importance of collaborative planning and internal stakeholder engagement.
PRESENTERS
Sarah Haithcock, MSN, RN, CNML
Clinical Operations Director, Nursing and Patient Care Retention
Duke Health
Caitlyn Obrock, RN, MBA
System Director RN Talent Acquisition
SSM Health
Kara Murphy. M.S., SLP
President
PRS Global
Jason Hatter, BS, MBA
Vice President HR Shared Services
Lifebridge Health
Buttons, Scrubs, and Social Media: Regulating Employee Expression that Affects the Workplace
Today’s workforce is increasingly active on social media and is more comfortable sharing their views on politics and other issues in the workplace than in the past. These expressions of opinion often make their way into the workplace in the form of slogans on buttons or scrubs or through employee discussions about online activity. There are competing state and federal laws that on the one hand protect some employee speech and on the other require employers to prevent employee speech that creates a hostile work environment. This session will explore steps healthcare employers can take to prevent or mitigate workplace tension and potential liability associated with these forms of expression.
OBJECTIVES
- Learn about the parameters of state and federal laws protecting employee speech.
- Review the elements of effective workplace policies addressing employee speech, including speech in the form of buttons and messages on clothing.
- Hear practical advice for addressing employee speech inside and outside the workplace that offends co-workers.
PRESENTER
Michael R. Bertoncini, J.D.
Principal, Co-Leader Jackson Lewis Healthcare Industry Group
Jackson Lewis P.C.
The Role of Human Resources in Crisis Management
This learning session will describe the multiple roles for HR professionals in healthcare organizations in planning for, responding to, and recovering from various crisis situations and emergencies. These situations may occur in the healthcare facility itself, or in its community, resulting in impacts on the organization’s ability to continue operations and to serve community members.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand why HR’s unique insights should be included in designing emergency plans.
- Learn why HR should be included in drills and exercises, and incorporate your insights into after action improvement plans.
- Consider the many demands on your expertise that will occur in various crises and emergencies and become more prepared to fulfill these needs prior to the occurrence of these situations.
PRESENTER
Linda Wenze, Ph.D.
Coordinator of Emergency Preparedness Planning, Emerita
Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council (retired)
Closing the Senior Leader Gap…and Building Trust at All Levels of the Organization
Trust in senior leaders is at an all-time low. Research points to a significant gap between what C-suite leaders are doing and what the frontline thinks they should be doing. Various factors contribute to this trust gap: uncertainty, rapid change, stress, and the many industry shake-ups caused by COVID. Regardless of the reason, lack of trust in those at the top is an urgent issue—one that causes employees to disengage and, ultimately, leave.
In this session Quint Studer, co-author of The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust, lays out the research on why trust is inextricably linked to employee well-being, engagement, innovation, recruitment and retention. He also shares insight and tactics on what leaders at all levels can do to build trust organization-wide.
OBJECTIVES
- Learn why trust is at the center of what today’s workforce wants, needs, and expects.
- Avoid common missteps that perpetuate the senior leader trust gap and erode trust at all levels.
- Identify evidence-based organizational and team strategies that build and sustain trust and optimize engagement, recruitment and retention.
PRESENTER
Quint Studer
Co-Founder
Healthcare Plus Solutions Group
