2026 Professional Development Conference Program

The inaugural Professional Development Conference for KU staff will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at the Kansas Memorial Union. Please see below for the schedule and descriptions of the breakout sessions.

Thank you to our sponsors, Pepsi and Voya, for providing the beverages and snacks for this event.

The sessions held in Woodruff Auditorium and the Big 12 room will be livestreamed and recorded.

Schedule at a Glance

Chari Young, Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, will deliver the keynote address, Developing Your Formula for Professional Success, at 1:15pm in Woodruff Auditorium.

Breakout sessions will take place from 2:00 - 2:50pm and from 3:00 - 3:50pm. They will be offered in Alderson Auditorium, the Big 12 room, the Kansas room, and Woodruff Auditorium. See below for session descriptions and speakers.

Several opportunities to meet and connect with your fellow staff members will be offered from 4:00 - 5:00. See below for more information.

Breakout Session Schedule and Descriptions

Breakout Session Schedule and Descriptions
Location	2:00 pm	3:00 pm
Alderson Auditorium, Level 4	COLLABORATION ... IT'S NOT THAT BAD Ryan Rains, Director of Entrepreneurship Co-Curricular Programming, School of Business Collaborating can be exciting; it can also be draining. This session will focus on some practical tips and tricks for working with people across systems.	SAFE TO SPEAK UP: PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY Paul Mintner, Learning & Development Manager, Human Resources This interactive session explores simple, practical ways to create psychological safety at work. Participants will learn everyday behaviors that build trust, invite honest dialogue, reduce fear of mistakes, and strengthen team collaboration. We’ll examine how leaders and colleagues can model curiosity, respond constructively to challenges, and create spaces where people feel valued and safe to speak up. Attendees will leave with practical techniques they can apply in any role or team environment.
Big 12 Room, Level 5	FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER Erin Albert, Banking Center Manager, Central Bank Lyn Arce, Banking Center Manager, Central Bank Take people with you on your goal journey. Financial success isn't a solo effort. Sharing your goals with loved ones creates a sense of community that keeps you motivated and committed. An accountability partner makes it easier to stay on track and celebrate milestones together. Learn how to identify a good accountability partner, build a budget, and be on your way to achieving your financial goals.	LEADING FROM WHERE YOU ARE: ENGAGING IN THE LEADERSHIP PROCESS TO HELP YOUR SYSTEM THRIVE Mary Christine Banwart, Professor and Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development, Mentoring, and Growth, Office of Faculty Affairs Too often we only think about leadership as the work of people with the “right” title, the “right” position, and all of the available resources. What if leadership really started with each and every one of us, and was a set of skills and actions — grounded in curiosity, passion, and commitment — that we all could practice in order to help our systems thrive? Guess what… it IS! In this session we’ll explore the difference between leadership and authority, authorize you to develop skills that allow you to make progress on challenges that matter to you, and focus on ways that you can help your unit, department, team, and organization thrive.
Kansas Room, Level 5	THERE AND BACK AGAIN: RETURNING TO BULLET JOURNALING Beth Ussery, Access Specialist, Student Access Center Carrie Poe, Business Advisor, Small Business Development Center Eli Stock, Communications Specialist, University Honors Program Bullet journaling can be viewed as a daunting practice, but has the power to put goals and projects into perspective in a completely customized way. Our panelists will share their honest experiences with the system, including how they’ve successfully revisited the practice after a hiatus and adapted it to remain useful over time. Join us to discover how to move away from perfectionism and build sustainable journaling habits that serve your unique needs.	REWRITING THE ROADMAP & NAVIGATING YOUR CAREER Aaron Phillips, IT Senior Technician for Research, KU IT Erin Sampson, Recruitment Director, Human Resources Stephanie L. H. Schmitz, Acting Director, Business Career Services & Professionalism Program, School of Business Tammy Brimmer, Human Resources Project Manager, Human Resources Career journeys rarely follow a straight line. Through candid conversation, KU professionals in this session will explore how to navigate career pivots and workplace reorganizations, embrace change, and continue lifelong learning, all while building a sustainable career. Speakers will share the moments that shaped their paths, the skills they had to develop, and practices to stay grounded and energized for what comes next!
Woodruff Auditorium, Level 5	AI AT KU: USING COPILOT CHAT John Rinnert, Director of Support Services, KU IT Tennille Fincham, IT Manager, KU IT This presentation introduces Microsoft Copilot Chat and how it enhances productivity by using AI to support everyday work. The session highlights practical examples and tips to help you get value from Copilot Chat right away.	HOW TO SHARE YOUR NEWS AT KU Christine Metz Howard, Associate Director of Campus Communications, Office of the Provost Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, Director for News and Media Relations, KU News Service Former journalists and KU communicators Erinn Barcomb-Peterson and Christine Metz Howard will provide an overview of KU Today and Campus Insider. Learn about these newsletters' audiences and the type of information they share with the KU community. Additionally, the presenters will provide tips for submitting content to these publications, review KU’s style guide and offer ideas on how to best share departmental news.

During the 4:00 - 5:00 hour, we hope you will stay and connect with your fellow staff members. Feel free to join any of these rooms and/or to move among them during this time.

Location	Connection Host and Description
ALDERSON AUDITORIUM, Level 4	Ready to talk and move? This connection space will offer multiple opportunities to meet your colleagues as members of the KU HR L&D Team facilitate several fun, lively, maybe even noisy, activities.
BIG 12 ROOM, Level 5	Cap off the day by joining KU Staff Senate for a relaxed session. Take an opportunity to connect with colleagues, ask questions, and share insights across departments. This collaborative gathering provides space to reflect, build relationships, and deepen our shared understanding of how each individual's work contributes to KU's mission of teaching, research, and discovery. We'll also highlight the role of shared governance in strengthening our campus community and explore how staff participation helps advance the university's goals.
KANSAS ROOM, Level 6	Join members of The Office of Civil Rights & Title IX's Impact and Belonging Team and KU's Faculty Staff Councils to take a break, eat snacks, and learn about new ways to connect with your fellow Jayhawks.
PARLORS, Level 5	Use this time to reflect on the day and to interact with fellow staff members in a quiet atmosphere. Members of the KU HR L&D Team will be on hand to guide participants with prompts for both written and spoken connection.