Date: Wednesday August 13, 2025
Time: 8:00AM - Noon
Location: Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center – 2021 State Street – Bettendorf 52722
NOW OFFERING A 50% DISCOUNT FOR MEMBER & NON MEMBER TICKETS!
Member Ticket: NOW $20.00!!!| Non-Member Ticket: $25.00!!! | Student Ticket: FREE - please email [email protected] using your .edu email to register
Deluxe Continental Breakfast Included!
Fresh cut seasonal fruit, yogurt & granola
***Sponsored by: The Arc of the Quad Cities & Wright Law Offices
Speaker Bios:
AGENDA:
Registration – 8:00-8:30am
8:30-8:45am Welcome Cory Holloway, GRHRA I&D Chair, RI-Milan Schools
8:45-9:30am Session 1 Skye Mercer, Skye HR Consulting, LLC
Inclusive Hiring in the Age of AI
As AI transforms how organizations attract and select talent, inclusive hiring practices must evolve. This interactive workshop is tailored for business leaders and HR professionals seeking to build equitable, future-ready hiring practices. From practical tools to mitigate bias to ethical AI adoption, we’ll unpack what it means to hire inclusively, whether your processes are high-tech, human-centered, or a thoughtful blend of both. Learning objectives:
9:30-9:50am Networking Break
9:50-10:05am Workforce Development Table Talk Vandy Gohain, GRHRA Workforce Chair, Eaton
10:05-10:45am Session 2 Dr. Jen Palar, St. Ambrose University
Beyond Representation: Building Cultures of Psychological Safety.
Niceness, or Business Strategy?
Does it pay to care about others? The answer might surprise you! This session will introduce the dimensions of psychological safety in the workplace and address the debate about whether it is simply being nice, or an impact on the bottom line.
Hear a first-hand account of how Jen’s personal struggle was impacted by her company’s empathy and focus on mental health. Special attention will be paid to the business case for recognizing and developing psychological safety and its related factors, including discussion of the associated costs.
10:45-11:05 Networking Break
11:05-11:15am GRHRA Updates Leonna Ellis, Cheryl Riley-Hales, Shelly Chapman
11:15-noon Session 3 Dr. LaDrina Wilson, Iman Consulting
Embedding Inclusion Into Organization Strategies: Moving Beyond Compliance to Human-Centered Leadership
This interactive session will challenge attendees to participants to shift from risk averse strategy to proactive, asset-based approaches to organizational inclusion. Learn how to create meaningful change by recognizing diversity as a strategic advantage, not a compliance checkbox. Participants will explore practical strategies for embedding inclusion practices into their organizational culture that are not only compliant, but demonstrate a commitment to employees of all backgrounds.
Noon-12:15pm Event Conclusion & Wrap-Up Cory Holloway
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Cancellations must be submitted in writing to [email protected].
Cancellation Fees:
Transfer Policy:
If you are unable to attend and are not eligible for a refund, your registration may be transferred to another individual at no additional cost. All transfer requests must be submitted in writing to [email protected] no later than 48 hours before the event.
