Keynote Speaker
Edgar Papke
Culture by Design: Leading with Intention and Alignment in an Era of Shifting Expectations
Disengagement, poor retention, underperformance, and dysfunctional conflict aren't simple accountability problems — they're alignment problems. Drawing on more than 35 years studying and teaching business and leadership, and his books True Alignment and Innovation by Design, Edgar Papke shows why culture breaks down not from a lack of values statements, but from a lack of alignment between what a company intends, its actual culture, and how its leaders lead. He'll share practical approaches for designing and living an intentional culture, one built to deliver the trust, engagement, retention, and performance organizations are after.
You'll Learn:
Why disengagement, poor retention, and underperformance are fundamentally culture and leadership design problems.
A practical approach to moving from an inconsistent culture to one that's intentionally designed and consistently led.
How to diagnose and close the gaps that create cultural inconsistency across teams.
How to define and develop true leadership competency.
About Edgar: Edgar Papke is an author, management consultant, leadership coach, and award-winning speaker with over 35 years of experience in business and leadership psychology. He is the author of True Alignment, The Elephant in the Boardroom, and Innovation by Design, and founder of the consulting firm True Alignment. He has been named International Speaker of the Year and Impact Speaker of the Year by Vistage Worldwide.
Symposium Sessions & Presenters
Breakout Session 1
| Beyond AI Literacy: How to Identify Real AI CapabilityHope Hartman, Colorado SBDC serving Larimer CountyAs AI shows up more and more on resumes and in job postings, it's getting harder to tell genuine capability from buzzwords. Hope shares practical tools for evaluating AI-related skills in hiring and coaching and for recognizing the human-centered strengths that matter more than ever alongside AI adoption. |
| Connecting Across CulturesSamantha Borrego, Borrego Culture & Leadership LLCHow we share information, give feedback, and build trust is shaped by cultural context and when teams don't recognize that, everyday conversations can create misaligned expectations. This interactive session explores key cross-cultural communication differences and gives attendees practical tools for building trust across a diverse workforce. |
| From Interest to Action: Your Roadmap to Registered ApprenticeshipNancy Murray, Colorado Apprenticeship HubFor employers curious about Registered Apprenticeship Programs, this session moves past the basics into action. Nancy and the Apprenticeship Hub team walk attendees through a practical checklist for deciding whether to build a new program or connect to an existing one, with on-the-spot consultations available. |
| The Human Side of Change: Leading People Through UncertaintyElizabeth Mahoney, Complete Professional DevelopmentChange is constant in today's workplace, but leading people through it takes more than a project plan. Elizabeth explores how employees typically respond to change and offers practical strategies for building trust and engagement during periods of uncertainty. |
Breakout Session 2
The Pocket: Why the Best Teams Sound Like a Great Band
Stu Crair, Digital Workshop Center
Drawing on 30 years as a professional drummer and 20 years building a workforce training organization, Stu uses live drumming and audience participation to give leaders a physical feel for what team alignment really is and what breaks it. Attendees leave with a diagnostic framework for spotting misalignment and getting a team back "in the pocket."
De-escalation: Dealing with Difficult Customers
Chad Olms, ARX Security Consulting
A hands-on session teaching proven de-escalation techniques for defusing tense customer interactions, including positioning, phrasing, and scenario-based practice. Attendees leave with tools that apply well beyond customer service, useful in any tough interpersonal moment at work.
Neurodiversity 101: Building More Neuroinclusive Workplaces
Leslie Espinoza, Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce
About one in five people are neurodivergent, yet many workplace systems unintentionally create barriers to hiring, engagement, and retention. This foundational session covers what neurodiversity is and shares practical strategies for building a more neuroinclusive workplace, from hiring practices to everyday culture.
Creating a Culture of Feedback that Works
Diana Hutchinson, Trebuchet Group
Giving feedback is core to leadership, but most of us either avoid it or don't do it in a way that creates real change. Diana walks through a practical framework for giving and receiving feedback that shifts teams from "nice" or "critical" toward genuinely supportive dialogue.
Breakout Session 3
The Coach Approach to Leadership (aka what Ted Lasso can teach you about keeping your best people)
Nick Armstrong, WTF Coaching
In competitive hiring markets, keeping great people takes more than perks - it takes leaders who make employees feel seen, heard, and capable. Nick introduces a coaching-based leadership framework that helps leaders stay curious, ask better questions, and build the ownership that keeps top talent engaged.
From Doing It All to Developing Leaders: How Empowerment Builds Stronger Leaders and Teams
Jessica Dizmang, Ben & Jerry's (Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins)
Drawing on her experience running multiple Ben & Jerry's locations, Jessica shares how she moved from doing everything herself to building a leadership team that solves problems independently. Attendees leave with practical tools including a "Stop Doing List" and a coaching framework for developing more self-sufficient teams.
From Talent Shortages to Talent Solutions: A Skills-Based Hiring Problem Lab
Dominique Bravo, Rebecca Turner, VP of Professional Learning - Carrie Romero Brugger - Chief Design Officer
Details coming soon!
From Avoidance to Action: Building Your Conflict Conversation Toolkit
Stephanie Cuevas, Cultivating Joy Consulting
Workplace conflict is common and costly, yet most managers feel unprepared to handle it. This interactive workshop reframes conflict as information rather than dysfunction, giving attendees a practical framework and a completed conversation plan for navigating difficult conversations.
