Annual Fall Workshop
Thursday, October 10; 8 am - 1 pm
NW Education Service District, 1601 R Avenue, Anacortes, WA 98221
Join us in beautiful Anacortes for our annual Fall Workshop! This year's event will feature four back-to-back presentations by industry experts, focusing on igniting organizational change. Multiple HRCI and SHRM recertification credits available.
Delectable Breakfast Buffet Catered by Gere-a-Deli
- Session 1: Say it in 26 Seconds - Harness the Power of Brevity
- Session 2: Delivering a Competitive Advantage for Your Company: Leveraging a Workforce to Win
- Session 3: Increasing Inclusion - A Road Map for an Inclusive HR Function
- Session 4: Workplace Wellbeing: Applying Your Oxygen Mask First
Since this year's topics cover mental health, inclusivity, and effectiveness, consider inviting team members that may not have HR titles, but are a critical support to you and the HR function, like supervisors or people operations roles.
Thank you to our Fall Workshop Sponsors!
Session One
Say it in 26 Seconds: Harness the Power of Brevity
Presented by Rebecca Murray, Edutainer, Showcase Your Shine
Great communicators know tailoring their message is crucial to engaging, informing, or prompting action. They also know a message drowned words quickly loses its impact. "Say It in 26 Seconds" provides tips and exercises to communicate more effectively. Say hello to better emails, and more productive conversations!
Session Learning Objectives
1. Improved Communication: 100% of participants reported better communication awareness.
2.Reduced Email Frustrations: 50% decrease in issues like no-reply or partial replies.
3. Key Skills: Learn to speak concisely, listen effectively, and write reader-focused emails.
About the Presenter:
Northwest Edutainer Rebecca P. Murray delivers high-energy virtual and live training for those ready to become confident, creative, and compelling leaders and team players. She infuses irreverent humor, inspiring stories, and entertaining musical theater excerpts into content-rich, high-stick events. Audience members eagerly engage in her one-of-a-kind interactive experiences, where they shine as the show’s stars.
Rebecca’s production credits range from 30-second TV commercials to mini-documentaries and live-streamed events. As a power-skills edutainer, speaking coach, and director/producer, she knows everyone can be a star. She’s determined to put clients at ease and bring out their very best – whether they’re in front of another person, a camera, or an audience of thousands.
Rebecca delivers edutaining skill-building through playshops & keynotes, consulting, and adult continuing education. Her popular one-woman show, The Confidence Equation™, incorporates characters, comedy, song, and a big take-home message highly relevant for today’s audiences.
Session Two
Delivering a Competitive Advantage for Your Company:
Leveraging a Workforce to Win
Presented by Dr. S Richard Park, Principal, Talent Alignment
Companies are in constant battles. Battles with competitors, customers, supplies, regulatory and legal entities, potential new entrants, and more. These are just a few of the many factors you and your leadership team will consider when strategizing your business position in the market. HR plays a key role in much of this planning and executing, but one of the most important is engaging employees through these battles.
Session Learning Objectives:
1. Leveraging HR processes and other organizational features to help employees help their organizations compete.
2. Best practices in recruiting, development, rewards, organizational effectiveness, and other core HR processes.
3. The value of promoting strategy as context for organizational initiatives.
About the Presenter:
Dr. S. Richard Park founded Talent Alignment, LLC to continue his work accelerating organizational performance through strategic talent and organizational effectiveness services. From an experience standpoint, Rick has held executive-level Talent Management/OE roles and has led the Human Resources function for mid- to large-sized global organizations (e.g., Dell, Microsoft, International Paper, Boyd Corporation, etc.). He has worked in HR consulting, manufacturing, technology and engineering industries.
Rick earned a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The University of Akron.
Session Three
Increasing Inclusion: A Road Map for an Inclusive HR Function
Presented by Garry Priam, Managing Partner, Diventa Solutions
All journeys begin with a single step… and require planning, patience, and purpose. A sustainable culture of inclusion cannot be built in a vacuum and looks different depending on where you are within your organization. This highly interactive presentation will examine the importance of how each of us plays an essential role in increasing our inclusion, valuing all diversity, and how to make a difference as an HR professional.
Session Learning Objectives
1. Inclusion's impact on every individual's workplace experience.
2. Examining one's own inclusive lens.
3. How to make more inclusive and effective decisions as an HR professional.
About the Presenter:
Garry Priam is an international speaker, Italian author, and organizational development consultant helping organizations and their people excel.
He lived in Italy for 9 years, is a former professional basketball player, and the managing partner of Diventa Solutions LLC.
Diventa means “to become” in Italian and Garry helps companies become more inclusive, more cohesive and elevate corporate cultures to new heights. He is passionate about building effective organizational teams and supporting them during change initiatives.
Garry shares success stories from his consulting experiences and uses analogies from his professional playing days on how to win and become more effective and resilient in the corporate world as squads do on the court.
Session Four
Workplace Wellbeing: Applying Your Oxygen Mask First
Presented by Liz Petersen, Quality Manager, SHRM
In this session, we will explore strategies to enhance workplace wellness and culture by addressing civility, mental health, and physical well-being, all of which impact employee engagement and productivity. Through research insights and discussions, participants will learn to balance supporting their teams with self-care. We will identify the link between employee well-being and organizational success, and develop practical approaches to cultivate a respectful, supportive work environment that encourages open dialogue on mental health.
Session Learning Objectives
1. Identify the Relationship Between Employee Well-Being and Organizational Success: Attendees will recognize how employee mental and physical health directly influence engagement, productivity, and workplace civility.
2. Develop Strategies for Supporting Employee Wellness While Prioritizing Self-Care: Participants will learn practical strategies to implement workplace wellness initiatives that also allow for personal well-being, ensuring they can effectively support their teams.
3. Cultivate a Culture of Civility and Support: Attendees will discuss ways to foster an environment of respect and support, encouraging open conversations about mental health and well-being.
About the Presenter:
Liz Petersen, SHRM-SCP, is the Quality Manager for the HR Knowledge Center at SHRM. Prior to this role, she worked as a SHRM HR Knowledge Advisor. Liz has a bachelor's degree from John Carroll University in Industrial/Organization Psychology with a Business minor. She has a master's degree from University of Maryland in Human Resource Management.
Liza has over 25 years of HR experience and the SHRM Senior Professional Certification. Prior to SHRM, Liz worked as an Outsourced HR Manager for several small and medium sized organizations in multiple industries including technology, engineering, hospitality, retail, service, construction, healthcare, etc. She also work as an in-house HR Manager and Director within the manufacturing industry.
Liv lives in Oceanside, CA with her husband. In her free time, Liz is discovering a love for painting, hacking away on the golf courses, doing anything water or beach related, watching Seahawk or Steeler football and trying to earn a green thumb.