Learn Grow Lead
A conference for business & administrative professionals
Strengthen Your Skills. Expand Your Perspective. Lead with Confidence.
Join us for Learn Grow Lead, a professional development conference focused on building your skills and bringing fresh momentum to your role.
Ideal for administrative professionals, office managers, support staff, and emerging leaders, this event features sessions on communication, technology, productivity, and leadership.
Don’t miss the chance to connect with peers, gain new insights, and return to work with renewed confidence.
Event Pricing
$159 $129 – Early Bird (Save $30 when you register by Wednesday, April 1)
Register to Join Us!
Fill out the form below to save your seat at this year's conference. Need help registering? Contact our Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education team: 715-874-4676 or workforcesolutions@cvtc.edu.
We will never share or sell your information outside of CVTC. We may, on occasion, contact you regarding relevant services, events, and materials. You may opt out at any time. View our privacy policy to understand how we collect and use your information.
2026 Conference Schedule
7:30 - 8 a.m. | Coffee & Conversation
8 - 8:15 a.m. | Welcome
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8:15 - 9 a.m. | Keynote Presentation
Burnout is Not a Badge of Honor
Presented By: Renee Sommers
Burnout often starts when people who care a lot end up carrying too much for too long.
In people-centered and high-responsibility roles, being the steady one, the fixer, and the person others rely on is often praised even when it comes at a personal cost (and sometimes because of it).
Blending lived and professional experience, this session explores how burnout shows up before it has a name, why endurance gets mistaken for resilience, and how workplace culture can quietly reward overextension. We'll also cover a familiar three-step solution we learned as kids to 'put out the fire'.
Participants will walk away with practical language for talking about capacity, realistic boundary-setting tools, and simple frameworks for lightening the load without stepping away from meaningful work—and, just as importantly, feeling seen, validated, and empowered.
9 - 9:15 a.m. | Break
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9:15 - 10:45 a.m. | Breakout Session #1: Learn
Truth Matters: Practical Skills for Spotting Misinformation and Disinformation Online (AI & Digital Literacy)
Presented By: Kati Morley
In today's information-saturated world, knowing what to trust matters. This hands-on session equips participants with quick, practical fact-checking skills to evaluate online content, news stories, and social media with confidence. Participants will learn how to identify credible sources, spot common misinformation red flags, and use simple tools to separate fact from fiction in minutes. The focus is on efficient, real-world strategies that can be applied immediately at work and in everyday life.
Conversation Competence @ Work
Presented By: Jessica Barnier
When conversations matter most, we often perform at our worst and wonder why. In this session, you'll learn about the stories we tell ourselves that shape our reactions and relationships. Discover ways to challenge those unhelpful stories to create productive dialogue and turn difficult conversations into opportunities for growth.
Safety Culture: What it Really Takes
Presented By: Liz Hilts & Matt Lind
Safety culture is shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors within an organization that determine how people prioritize, perceive, and act, especially when no one is watching. This session provides opportunities for attendees to explore and understand safety culture; their role in it; the importance of managers, supervisors, and workers' roles; understand the difference between psychological and physical safety concerns, and how organizations can benefit from a healthy safety culture.
Safe Spaces
Presented By: Amy Lueck
oin us for a Safe Spaces session focused on fostering a more inclusive and affirming workplace for LGBTQIA2S+ colleagues. This interactive session offers a supportive space to learn about gender identity, sexual orientation, inclusive language, and allyship. Training facilitators will share practical strategies, real-life scenarios, and resources to help create respectful, safe environments across campus. Open to all, no prior knowledge needed, just a willingness to listen, learn, and support colleagues and community members.
The Inner Work of Leading Through Uncertainty
Presented By: Marya Wilson
Change in our organizational lives does not just alter process and strategy, it can affect how we see ourselves and how we fit in the organization. The uncertainty of change can feel threatening because our brains are wired for stability. Our response to change is not weakness, it is human. Join us to understand this responsive process, personally reflect on your responses to change, and discuss strategies together so we can positively lead our organizations through the uncertainty of change. Participants will engage in written self-reflection and then discussion together as a group.
10:45 - 11 a.m. | Break
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11 a.m. - Noon | Breakout Session #2: Grow
Mindfulness and Movement in the Workplace
Presented By: Kayla Sygulla
This session offers practical tools to incorporate mindfulness and gentle movement into the workday. Through simple chair yoga and mindfulness practices, participants can reduce stress, enhance focus, and support well-being, right at their desk. These accessible techniques promote a healthier, more mindful workplace.
The Importance of First Aid in the Workplace
Presented By: Matt Lind
First aid is a highly important skill set within any organization; however, 30% of employers report not having anyone trained, while another 50% report not having enough first aid support within their facility. Many organizations don't understand that there are state and federal regulations regarding first aid training in the workplace. This session will focus on regulatory requirements, first aid kits (stocking and availability), training requirements along with hands on first aid basic skills training. Building life-saving skills within the workplace not only ensures people can act quickly and confidently but also helps all employees feel safe at work.
Mental Health Awareness at Work: Respond, Support, and Refer
Presented By: Liz Hilts
HR professionals are often the first to notice when something isn't quite right. This short workshop builds mental health awareness and provides practical guidance on how to respond when employees may be experiencing mental health challenges at work. These challenges include substance abuse and suicide. Participants will learn how to recognize early signs of distress, approach supportive conversations with confidence, and understand their role in offering help while maintaining appropriate boundaries. The session also covers when and how to refer employees to internal support or external resources.
Affordable Adventures: How to Travel More for Less
Presented By: Jen Sell
Fly on over to this session to explore tools, resources, and tactics to expand your travel-planning knowledge. Bring your laptop! We'll find affordable flights and dig into some lesser-known ways to effectively travel plan. When this session wraps, you will feel well-equipped to start planning for that next vacation!
Building Psychological Safety
Presented By: Andy Freeburg
Learn about David Rock's SCARF model and how to easily infuse the concepts of Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness into your daily group interactions, creating the foundations for healthy and effective group culture. Strategies from this session can be applied to your facilitation of classes, meetings, teamwork, and family life.
Session Note: As always, Andy will choose your seating and grouping for you.
Noon - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch & Networking
1:30 - 1:45 p.m. | Break
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1:45 - 3:15 p.m. | Breakout Session #3: Lead
Practical Cybersecurity at Home & Work
Presented By: Josh Huhmann
Every day, there are new cybersecurity incidents. Ransomware, identity theft, data loss, and extortion are a constant risk. What should you do to protect yourself at home and work? This session will focus on the what and why of cybersecurity with practical examples of things anyone can do to make themselves safer. We'll discuss real-world examples, and you will leave ready to take simple steps that make a real difference.
Power Automate
Presented By: John Cook
Coming soon!
Prompting with Purpose: Generative AI for Everyday Excellence
Presented By: Melody Brennan and Larissa Smith
Coming soon!
Building Bridges: Effective Communication Across Language & Cultural Differences
Presented By: Alyssa Hedenstrom and Lindsey Himanga
This interactive workshop explores common cultural differences, best practices for cross-cultural communication, and practical strategies to create a more connected work environment. Participants will learn how to use Google Translate, design clear and meaningful signage, and better understand the impact of culture shock and stress on multilingual individuals. Participants will leave with actionable practices they can implement immediately to improve communication, build trust, and support a more welcoming community.
True Colors: A Leadership Skill-Building Experience
Presented By: Autumn Eagan
This interactive breakout session uses the True Colors personality framework to develop essential leadership skills, including self-awareness, social awareness, and adaptive communication. Participants will engage in practical exercises and scenarios designed to improve collaboration, strengthen relationships, and enhance leadership effectiveness across diverse styles.
3:15 - 3:30 p.m. | Break
3:30 - 3:45 p.m. | Closing
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