Spring 2025 Speakers
Brian Alementi
Keynote Speaker
CEO/Founder Alementi Elevates, LLC
Brian Alementi is an acclaimed Inspirational Keynote Speaker, award-winning leader, and certified Master Trainer renowned for engaging presentations that combine inspiration with practical, actionable insights. He has an extensive background in guiding and elevating individuals and teams, including as a previous leader within a Fortune 500 company’s Hall of Fame learning and development division. His dedication to growth and excellence shaped high-performing teams across the organization. His impact reaches far and wide, with features on major television networks and invitations to speak on prominent stages, including TEDx. Brian’s influence continues to expand as he empowers audiences to unlock their full potential and achieve remarkable results.
With over three decades of public speaking experience, he delivers transformative sessions that provide clear, practical strategies for enhancing productivity, morale, and connection. Known for his infectious energy and authentic delivery, Brian resonates across industries, making his sessions both unforgettable and actionable.
A testament to his commitment, Brian’s personal life reflects the drive and resilience he talks about. Having completed seventeen marathons, a strong marriage of over twenty years, and raising two remarkable children, Brian brings authenticity to every talk, inspiring audiences to pursue their goals with passion and purpose.
Jen Asplund
Founder & Owner
Asplund Leadership Consulting
Jennifer spent over two decades at multiple Fortune 200 companies, including AT&T and RTX as one of the top 1% of leaders. During that time, she developed a love for leading people and driving transformational change. She understands the power leaders have not only transform organizations but also to transform the lives of the people they lead. She founded Asplund Leadership Consulting to help other executives lead confidently through transformation and unlock their team’s potential. As a leadership coach, she has the privilege to walk alongside leaders who are amid transformation. She works to ensure they believe in their ability to accomplish transformational outcomes while becoming better leaders along the way.
Jennifer is a diverse leader with experience driving transformational change to achieve exceptional results. She builds relationships and strategically collaborates with clients utilizing a broad perspective built in part from leading large teams in sales, customer care, and operations as well as driving several large-scale transformation initiatives. She has a passion for empowering employees to serve customers well and thrives on finding new solutions to address complex business opportunities.
Prior to founding Asplund Leadership Consulting she was Vice President of Operational Excellence at RTX. There she Led the operational excellence transformation of Enterprise Services to be a best-in-class, customer centric service provider for RTX across Digital, Finance, HR, and Real Estate services. Her team provided frameworks, data-driven insights, and exceptional customer experiences to form connectivity across domains to enable high quality results and increased adoption of services. She joined RTX after a long career at AT&T where she held over 15 different positions with increasing responsibility. At her departure she was VP of Mobility Customer Care where her team of 12k+ people solved customer issues and provided solutions to AT&T’s Mobility customer base. In addition to that role, she held leadership positions in corporate strategy, transformation, network planning and operations, and sales.
Jennifer resides in Des Moines, IA with her husband, their son Brooks and daughter Emerson and their dog. Outside of work, she is active in the community and enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with my family.
Milan Batinich
Motivational Speaker
Milan Motivates
Milan is a Professional Speaker who hold several certifications with Stanford University School of Medicine in Psychology and Human Behaviors for High Performance. Milan is the founder of Milan Motivates, a professional development and motivational speaking company that guides organizations in their journey to improve employee engagement and assist individuals in their journey to find joy, energy, passion, peace, and purpose in their work. Milan runs DisruptHR Madison & Milwaukee. He is a Dad, cyclist, coach, Nutritionist, Personal Trainer, and Storm Chaser.
Carl Behne
President and Chief Strategy Officer
Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care
Carl Behne, FACHE, serves as President and Chief Strategy Officer at Hy-Vee Health | Exemplar Care, where he leads efforts to tackle healthcare challenges and drive innovative solutions. With over 15 years of executive healthcare experience, including roles as CEO at Burgess Health Center and Greene County Medical Center, Carl has been instrumental in reshaping healthcare delivery, especially in rural settings. In 2023, Exemplar Care expanded its impact by acquiring Aplos Health Plans, aiming to provide cost-effective, personalized healthcare options to employers and employees in Iowa. Carl’s leadership has earned him numerous accolades, including the Iowa Hospital Association’s Young Executive of the Year (2013) and the IHA Grassroots Advocacy Award. He is deeply committed to improving healthcare access, transparency, and patient experience.
Jacob Bennington
Senior Civil Rights Attorney
Iowa Office of Civil Rights
Jacob Bennington is a Senior Civil Rights Attorney for the Iowa Office of Civil Rights, focused on issues of employment, education, public accommodations, and credit. They have worked for the IOCR since 2021. In addition to their investigatory work, Jacob serves as Administrative Rulemaking Coordinator, Legislative Liaison, co-leads the IOCR’s intern program, and coordinates the training of new Civil Rights Specialists. Jacob graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2021. Jacob grew up in the Midwest and they have been an Iowa resident since 2014.
Amy Boyce
Facilitator and Coach
Topf Business Learning
With nearly two decades of experience supporting the talent development journeys of professionals at all levels—from individual contributors to C-suite executives—Amy specializes in helping leaders connect more deeply with their teams and organizational missions. Through the strategic use of assessment tools, case studies, performance plans, and coaching, she enables leaders to drive meaningful change and foster stronger, more cohesive teams.
Amy is a past president of ATD Central IA where she has enjoyed building relationships and supporting local facilitators as they share their talents with the ATD community. Her favorite part of ATD is Professional Development Day.
Since earning her Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) credential in 2018, she has embraced the three concepts of the Association for Talent Development (ATD) Capability Model: (1) Building Personal Capability, (2) Developing Professional Capability, and (3) Impacting Organizational Capability. By applying these principles, she has successfully led teams in implementing learning and performance management systems and coached leaders to build high-performing, resilient organizations.
Amy is a graduate of Iowa State University, holding a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Coaching. She lives in Urbandale, Iowa, with her two children, Isla and Hayes, and a Boston terrier, River.
Matthew Brick
Shareholder
Brick Gentry PC
Matt Brick is a shareholder of Brick Gentry P.C. He specializes in labor and employment matters, as well as the representation of municipalities. Matt represents clients in state and federal court, arbitration and mediation, as well as administrative agencies.
As part of his focus, Matt advises employers on employee discipline procedures and assists with drafting, reviewing, and revising general employment policies, contracts, and affirmative action programs. Matt also works with employers on union-related matters, such as unfair labor practice charges and negotiating collective-bargaining agreements.
Prior to joining the firm, Matt worked for Vinson & Elkins, LLP in Dallas, Texas, defending and advising clients in a wide range of labor and employment issues. Matt has extensive civil litigation experience defending employees, employers, and public entities on matters such as wrongful termination, discrimination disputes, wage and hour cases, and a variety of other statutory and common-law claims.
Gina Brown
Founder,Coach, Consultant
MAGNIFY Innovation and Leadership
Gina Brown, founder of MAGNIFY Innovation and Leadership, is a devotee and specialist of leadership, innovation and neurodiversity, with a record of success in delivering innovative business solutions. Throughout her career she has experienced the impact of leaders on innovation, engagement, and the overall employee experience. She has a passion for reframing leadership at its core and helping companies and leaders reevaluate their leadership value. She created her company, MAGNIFY Innovation & Leadership, to focus on serving people who want to increase their capabilities in innovation, leadership, understanding & leveraging neurodiversity, and overall engagement.
Gina earned her undergraduate degrees in psychology and art from Wartburg College and her M.S. in Leadership Development from Drake University. The greatest classroom of all has been the 25+ years of experience and people she has met along the way. She is a certified coach and a certified Narrative Big 5 Professional. She lives in Ankeny, Iowa with her husband, three boys, and fluffy puppy named Mabel.
Keira Brown
Management and Program Analyst
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services/ E-Verify
Keira C Brown is a Management and Program Analyst (MPA) for USCIS Nebraska Verification Operations Center. In her role as an MPA, Keira is a subject matter expert on educating the public on E-Verify, SAVE and the Form I-9. Keira volunteered to be trained as a Status Verification Officer where she processed SAVE cases to help reduce the backlog. Keira has an extensive immigration background from work performed as an Asylum Officer at the Newark Asylum Office where she adjudicated Affirmative and APSO asylum cases. In 2021, Keira volunteered to deploy with the DHS Volunteer Force (DVF) at the Southwest Border (SWB) to assist with the thousands of unaccompanied minors coming to the border. During deployment, she collaborated with Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) working in various facilities in PA, AZ, and TX. In the 10 months she was deployed, she served in multiple leadership roles including an Executive Team Assistant, Crew Lead, Virtual Case Manager, Sector Lead, and Deputy Field Manager. She also served as the Deputy Field Manager for the DVF Operations Allies Welcome (OAW) teams in NJ, VA, IN, WI, and NM. In May 2023, in response to Title 42 ending, Keira joined the Credible Fear Detail where she returned to her Asylum Officer role to process Credible Fear claims at the SWB. Additionally, Keira completed a 120 day detail in April 2024 as a portfolio communications advisor in Strategic Communications, where she prepared, coordinated and implemented communications plans and products for Verification programs.
Lyndi Buckingham-Schutt
Assistant Professor, Extension and Outreach Food and Health Specialist
Iowa State University
In 2022, Lyndi Buckingham-Schutt joined Iowa State University as an Assistant Professor in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department and a Human Science Extension and Outreach State Specialist in Food and Health. Lyndi’s work and research focuses on research and evidence-based policy, systems, and environmental change approaches to improve food and nutrition systems that support access to healthy food, sustainable development, and food equity.
Prior to her role at Iowa State University, Lyndi was the Director of Wellness and Nutrition Policy at The Harkin Institute at Drake University, where she was responsible for developing and implementing The Harkin Institute’s wellness and nutrition policy agenda, research projects, and educational outreach. From 2013-2017 Lyndi was an USDA Fellow for Childhood Obesity Prevention at Iowa State University and studied the effect of a physical activity, nutrition, and behavioral intervention during pregnancy to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.
Lyndi received a BA in Exercise Science from St. Olaf College, a BS in Dietetics from Iowa State University, and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Nutritional Science from Iowa State University. Outside of Iowa State, Lyndi is the past-chair of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Legislative and Public Policy Committee, and a member of Above and Beyond Cancer board and Iowa ACE’s 360 board.
Buzzy Castonguay
President
C4 Operations Background Check Services
Buzzy is President and CEO of C4 Operations, a family owned and operated national background check firm operating out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Nashville, Tennessee. He works attentively with clients nation-wide to ensure they receive comprehensive and high-quality due diligence background checks, so employers can build powerful teams of their own. With over 23 years of experience, Buzzy works with his team side-by-side, using his expertise and knowledge of the industry to personally
work with clients on a daily basis. Leading by example, Buzzy brings his enthusiasm to the table, not only for the work he does but for his company and the people he works with.
As an avid entrepreneur, Buzzy takes his company a step above the rest to offer 24/7 support for his services. He holds a master’s degree in Education from Chapman University in Orange, CA. He is a member of the Professional Background Screeners Association (PBSA), Concerned CRAs, and both the national Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and local Eastern Iowa Human Resources Association (EIHRA) chapter. Buzzy, his wife, Sheree, and his children, Kelsee, Kyle and daughter-in-law Amy, are all devoted Hawkeye fans.
Dr. Jeff Chaffin
Chief Dental Officer
Delta Dental of Iowa
Dr. Jeffrey Chaffin is the Chief Dental Officer for Delta Dental of Iowa. Dr. Chaffin spent the first 21 years of his career in dentistry serving in the United States Army. He practiced dentistry at various Army bases around the world, worked in policy development with the U.S. Army Surgeon General and managed the TRICARE dental program for the Department of Defense. Dr. Chaffin also served as the President of the American Board of Dental Public Health, the President of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry and was the Dental Director for the Wisconsin Department of Public Health. All of these roles had one common theme – a focus on improving the oral health of the public.
Dr. Chaffin joined Delta Dental of Iowa in 2014. He serves as the Dental Director for Delta Dental’s Commercial and Medicaid business. He is passionate about developing public-private partnerships that help improve the health and smiles of all populations. He has been instrumental in the success of Delta Dental’s expansion of Medicaid coverage in Iowa. He enjoys family time, playing golf and traveling. For more information about his educational background, visit www.deltadentalia.com.
Erin Clanton
Shareholder
Brick Gentry PC
Erin Clanton is a shareholder of Brick Gentry P.C. The majority of Erin’s practice is focused on the representation of municipalities. She also handles a wide variety of employment matters; performs general real estate work, including title examination and loan closing services; and assists creditors in their relations with debtors, both in and outside the bankruptcy realm. Erin also serves as the City Attorney for Nevada, Iowa, and provides assistance to a number of other Iowa public entities. Erin graduated from the University of Iowa in 2002 with degrees in English and Finance. In 2005, she graduated from Creighton University Law School and joined Brick Gentry as an associate. Erin became a shareholder of Brick Gentry in 2009.
Elizabeth Coonan
Shareholder
Dentons Davis Brown, PC
Beth knows that the cornerstone of any effective human resources management strategy is a strong policy development and implementation process that adapts to the changing needs of her clients. Every report of discrimination, harassment or retaliation presents an opportunity for businesses to improve and every complex medical return to work situation or business visa conundrum presents an opportunity for businesses to foster a better connection with employees. From partnering with businesses to assess liability to training employees and fighting to protect confidential and trade secret information, it is important to Beth that her clients receive sound legal advice and a game plan for the future.
Thomas Cunningham
Attorney / Shareholder
Nyemaster Goode, PC
Thomas M. Cunningham is the Chair of the Labor & Employment Law Department at Nyemaster, Goode, P. C. in Des Moines, Iowa. Tom’s experience and skill has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America, Benchmark Litigation, Iowa Super Lawyers, Great Plains Super Lawyers, and Chambers USA Leading Lawyers for Business, all in the area of Labor & Employment Law and related litigation. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Iowa. He is admitted to practice in Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska. His practice consists of representing private and public sector management clients in all areas of labor and employment law, with an emphasis on trials in federal and state courts and administrative agencies, including discrimination and civil rights cases, and FMLA, ADA, wage/hour, OSHA, and affirmative action matters. In addition, Tom represents employers in the traditional labor law arena, having advised employers in union avoidance tactics and organizational campaigns and defended employers from unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board
Lori Day
President
FocusFirst, LLC.
Lori’s is known for exceptional business leadership, management, coaching and consulting. A three-time entrepreneur, she’s held executive positions in sales, service, and operations in Fortune 500 corporations. In 2002 she launched FocusFirst, Inc. to bring right-sized solutions to organizations and individuals that are typically accessible only to large firms. A recognized leader of entrepreneurship and leadership, Lori understands how to drive sustainable results incorporating vision, people and processes.
Always seeking best practices, Lori’s uncommon approach and expertise enables clients to achieve sustainable growth through practical, low cost solutions that work. An unwavering commitment to the success of each client is evident through Lori’s unique leadership coaching, consulting, communication, and contagious positive attitude.
Troy DeJoode
President
Carson & Claire Forever Foundation
Troy DeJoode is President of the Carson & Claire Forever Foundation. He speaks frequently on resilience, confidence in crisis, perseverance, family experiences during trauma, the miracle of organ donation, grief, and the importance of living in the moment.
Troy experienced that which no father or husband should have to live through after a truck ran a stop sign crashing into the family minivan hospitalizing his three-year-old son, taking the lives of his five-year-old son and five-month-old daughter, and leaving their mother in a coma with a traumatic brain injury. Come along as Troy take the audience on an amazing journey of perseverance from tragedy and adversity to hope and healing. Mixing humor in a conversational style, Troy manages to make a deeply personal and unimaginable tragedy relatable to the audience delivering tears and laughter, as well as hope and healing. Troy lives in Nevada, Iowa with his wife, Michelle and kids, Chase, Bretton, Dylan and Ashlynn, as well as their five dogs; Kota, Briggs, Daisy, Coal, and Sunny. He is Executive Director of the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, and a recovering lawyer.
Matt Doty
Owner
PTL Consulting, LLC
Matt is Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer of Weaton Companies in Fairfield, Iowa. Matt joined the organization at the beginning of 2020 following the completion of a military career in the Iowa National Guard where he held several senior leadership positions including Command Sergeant Major and First Sergeant assignments.
Matt has a Master of Business Administration degree (Strategic Leadership) from TUI University, a Bachelor of Business degree (Management and Finance) from Western Illinois University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Sergeant’s Major Academy. He is married to Teneal Doty, and has 3 children (Maddox, Maren and Macie). Outside of work he enjoys the opportunity to serve others through associations and charitable organizations.
He currently serves as a member of the Central Lee Community School District School Board, as the Vice Chair of the Leadership Iowa Board of Governors, and a commissioner of the Lee County Iowa Veterans Commission.
Matt is the owner of PTL Consulting, LLC where he speaks about his leadership experiences and advocates for the hiring of Veterans.
Johanna Dunlevy
Wellness and Marketing Manager
Employee and Family Resources
Johanna Dunlevy has been the Wellness and Marketing Manager at Employee & Family Resources (EFR) since 2015. In her role, Johanna develops wellness programming, facilitates webinars and trainings, consults with clients on how to create cultures of wellness in the workplace, and hosts EFR’s podcast, Emotion Well.
Prior to joining EFR in 2015, Johanna served as the Assistant Director of Wellness at Drake University, as a Health Screener and Account Manager for the Principal Wellness Company, and was an adjunct faculty member at Grand View University.
Johanna holds a BA from the University of Northern Iowa in Health Promotion (2004) and an MS from Drake University in Adult Learning and Organizational Performance (2010). Johanna enjoys unplugging from work on the weekends, finding time for a workout at the YMCA over her lunch break, taking her daughter on adventures in Des Moines, and cheering for the Drake Bulldogs.
Ben Eubanks
Chief Research Officer
Lighthouse Research and Advisory
Ben Eubanks is an author, speaker, and researcher living in Huntsville, AL. His team at
Lighthouse Research & Advisory surveys thousands of employers and workers each year to
understand the latest workplace trends and changes.
His latest bestselling book, Talent Scarcity, explores how to find and keep workers during a
talent shortage. His first book, Artificial Intelligence for HR, may sound like a textbook, but it’s
essentially a guide to making work more human through the strategic application of technology.
In 2020, Ben founded HR Summer School, an event that has inspired more than 20,000 HR
professionals to date. He also hosts We’re Only Human, a podcast focusing on improving
human resources, one HR pro at a time. When he’s not speaking or writing, he spends time with
his four kids and runs in a variety of outlandish races for fun.
Lisa Even
Speaker, Coach, & Joy Connoisseur
Lisa Even
Alan Feirer
Owner & Lead Trainer
Group Dynamic
Authorized Partner, Five Behaviors™ Authorized Partner, Certified Multipliers™ Coach
and organizational development consultant. Alan is the author of The Group Dynamic Field Guide: 51 Ideas You Can Use Today and co-host of the Music Ed Insights podcast. For 22 years, he has done business as Group Dynamic, helping people embrace challenging work with less stress while getting more done. Alan works with managers, directors, leadership teams, staffs, and team members through leadership training, team building, and communication training.
Alan lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife Julie. They have an adult daughter Mara in college. He holds membership in many professional organizations, including the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Association for Talent Development (previous Central Iowa chapter President), the Downtown Des Moines Chamber, and FuseDSM. Feirer’s other interests include competitive Scrabble, exercise, travel, dining, and anything Disney.
Doug Fields
Senior Communications Consultant
Mercer
Doug Fields is a Senior Principal in the Cincinnati office of Mercer. He has more than 25 years of communication experience and is responsible for strategy development and the implementation of large, complex organizational change and rewards communication campaigns.
Doug has worked on a broad range of communication projects involving organizational change, health and welfare benefits, health management and wellness, retirement program change, compensation and performance management, and HR branding, with a focus on the use of digital communications. He is also one of change engagement leaders for our client’s Workday implementations. Recent clients have included leading companies in the health care, financial, retail, and manufacturing sectors.
Doug is a member of Mercer’s Health Care and Insurance verticals, which focus on innovative solutions to support our many clients in those industries. He has won numerous awards for his communication programs, including a Gold Quill Award from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and a Pension and Investments’ Eddy Award. Doug received a B.A. in English Literature and Government from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.
Leisa Fox
Partner
Fox Growth Strategies
As an accomplished business development executive, I am poised to make a significant impact through my well-connected and innovative approach. With a knack for building communities and fostering long-term relationships, I thrive as a connector.
Throughout my career, I have consistently leveraged my extensive network to forge strategic alliances and drive collaborative initiatives. By staying at the forefront of industry trends, I bring innovative solutions to the table, empowering organizations to thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.
In my role as an association executive for over a decade, I am committed to building vibrant communities that foster growth and provide valuable resources. By creating platforms for networking and knowledge-sharing, I facilitate meaningful connections and empower professionals to excel in their respective fields.
I firmly believe that long-term relationships are the foundation of success. By nurturing partnerships and cultivating a sense of belonging, I create environments where collaboration and collective achievements thrive. Together, we can harness the power of collaboration to drive positive change and elevate our clients’ confidence and professionalism throughout their careers.
Mary Funk
Shareholder
Nyemaster Goode
Mary E. Funk is a shareholder with Nyemaster Goode, P.C., handling almost exclusively employment and labor matters. She litigates on behalf of management in state and federal courts, administrative agencies and before arbitrators concerning employment contract disputes; sexual harassment; race, sex, age, national origin and disability discrimination; wrongful termination; Family and Medical Leave Act; Fair Labor Standards Act; non-compete agreements; and unemployment. In addition to litigating cases, Mary proactively counsels clients on issues such as hiring and firing, drug testing and policies, harassment and discrimination investigations, employment policies, wage and hour issues, employee leave issues, and company handbooks. She negotiates collectively bargained contracts and drafts corporate documents related to employment such as contracts, non-compete agreements, policies and procedures, company handbooks, and settlement agreements and releases. Mary also has an active schedule of providing training to companies and conducting workplace investigations.
Mary is a native of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and a 1995 graduate with distinction of the University of Iowa College of Law. During law school, Mary served as a Note and Comment Editor for the Iowa Law Review. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Drake University, graduating magna cum laude, in 1992.
Jim Green
Principal – Health & Benefits Client Lead
Mercer
In addition to leading the Des Moines consulting team, Jim serves as a Client Lead and Relationship Manager on larger clients with complex structures and challenging strategic needs. Focus is on areas of strategy and financial impact, including underwriting and cost projections, funding options, trend mitigation, employee engagement and communication strategies, health and wellness solutions, benefit outsourcing options, and compliance support
Jim is a Principal in Mercer’s Health & Benefits practice in Des Moines. He has 20 years as a benefits’ consultant, and 8 years as a health underwriter for both managed care and PPO health plans in IL and TX. His experience includes:
- Developing strategic benefit program offerings, in collaboration with clients, to address business priorities and desired goals.
- Trend mitigation and cost avoidance analyses and plan development, including plan design valuation, contribution modeling, CDHP transition and migration, and Rx carve-out.
- Client-focused projects specializing in the areas of Communication, Consumerism, Health and Wellness, Total Health Management, Absence Management, Life/Accident/Disability, Voluntary Benefit Offerings, Rx Collective Purchasing, Benefit Outsourcing, and Plan Administration.
- Rate setting and cost projections, using experience-rated modeling, community-rated modeling, and blended formats.
- IBNR (incurred but not reported) claim lag studies.
- Union negotiations in concert with client Human Resources teams to address value of benefit offerings, salaried impact, and overall total value proposition.
- Taft-Hartley fund analysis and placement of union groups.
- Carrier negotiation on behalf of national clients with both union and non-union populations, across multiple vendor relationships.
- M&A benefit program evaluation work.
- International and domestic pooling evaluation.
- Discount analysis and network disruption studies.
Jim has a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Illinois Wesleyan University, in Bloomington, IL and an MBA – Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
He is a licensed Producer in all 50 states
Frances Haas
Shareholder
Nyemaster Goodev
Fran routinely handles complex issues for employers regarding to disability discrimination, the accommodation process, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, Family and Medical Leave Act, equal pay, and wrongful termination. She negotiates collective bargaining agreements on behalf of management, as well as other labor disputes. She also takes on higher education cases in matters involving Title IX, Title VII, the Violence Against Women Act, and the Iowa Civil Rights Act. These cases often involve difficult facts relating to sexual misconduct or assault by employees or students—facts that she understands make people uncomfortable. “There are certain ways to handle cases that have delicate issues, and it often requires a soft touch and a lot of nuance,” she says.
While Fran enjoys litigating, she prefers to help her clients avoid litigation by working through the often complicated maze of employment laws with her clients prior to the development of a claim. For this reason, she emphasizes consulting as soon as an employer identifies the potential for a claim. Whether she consults through a phone call, conducts in-person training, or reviews policies or anticipated employee terminations, she’s with the client from start to finish. “It’s not just about pointing out the problem but getting them to the finish line so they don’t have to worry about it at all.”
In addition, Fran leads webinars and speaks frequently on employment and higher education issues, with an emphasis on mental health and substance abuse issues in the workplace. She also develops robust in-house training for her clients so that all team members are prepared to issue-spot as tricky issues arise.
Jami Haberl
Executive Director
Iowa Healthiest State Initiative
Jami Haberl assumed the role of executive director at the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative in December 2014. Her dedication to health and wellness blossomed at the age of 10, prompted by a pivotal event when her youngest sister fell into a coma at just 1 year old. This profound experience catalyzed her lifelong commitment to understanding the interplay between controllable and uncontrollable factors affecting health. Recognizing the critical role of health in enabling individuals to lead vibrant and purposeful lives, she embarked on a journey to champion well-being. Her career has included working on state and national initiatives in the field of telemedicine, healthcare reimbursement, bioterrorism, disaster management, and public-private partnerships.
A native of Lohrville, Iowa, Jami received her undergraduate degree in community health education from Iowa State University, a master’s in public health, and a master’s in healthcare administration from Des Moines University. Jami and her husband James Peterson live in Des Moines and enjoy scuba diving, biking, hiking and traveling the world.
Dick Hannasch
Coach and Owner
Aware and Willing, LLC
Dick Hannasch is a working relationship coach who has coached, trained, and developed thousands of people to improve working relationships, become better leaders and teammates, reach career goals, change career paths, and make other changes to become what he likes to call “You, better.” People describe his brand as an ethical judge who wants what is fair and right, a truth teller, and a comedian who takes you seriously.
For over 35 years, Dick has developed executives, leaders, and individual contributors for numerous organizations, mostly at Fortune 200 company Principal Financial Group where he was a senior talent development consultant and helped build the company’s coaching culture before retiring from there in 2022.
Dick coaches, teaches coaching skills to others, and provides mentor coaching to other certified coaches. He also provides training and assessment services to help clients grow professionally and personally. He has coached clients from every continent except Antarctica, with clients working in financial services, IT, health care, agribusiness, entertainment, government, manufacturing, education, real estate, and other fields.
Dick is a graduate of Coach U, a Board Certified Coach since 2012, an Associate Certified Coach via the International Coaching Federation since 2015, Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coach since 2019, and a Culturally Intelligent Mentor Coach since 2024. He is certified to administer and interpret assessments from Hogan Assessments, Korn Ferry, the Center for Creative Leadership, and Assessments International. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iowa State University.
Dick is an active member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and ICF Iowa, and a member of Food Bank of Iowa’s Monthly Meal Makers Society.
One of Dick’s current goals is to write a short story about each year of his life.
Maggie Hanson
Attorney
Dentons
Maggie focuses on employment litigation, employment practices liability insurance defense, and providing day-to-day and strategic advice to employers. Maggie’s ability to navigate both the business and litigation aspects of employment law makes her an asset to her clients.
Brent Hinders
Shareholder Attorney
Hopkins & Huebner, P.C.
Brent Hinders has been practicing law in Iowa for nearly two decades. Brent is a graduate of Simpson College, Drake University College of Business and Public Administration, and Drake University Law School.
Brent has been named a “Best Lawyer” in the State of Iowa since 2020 in the areas of Employment benefits law; Employer and Employee Labor and Employment law, and; as a litigator in the areas of labor, employment, and municipal law. Brent was named “Lawyer of the Year” for the Des Moines Metropolitan area in the field of Municipal litigation for 2024-25.
As an attorney for both private and public employers and employees he has advised and litigated a variety of areas including employee policies and handbooks; discrimination; harassment, and; other issues affecting laws and conditions of work in the workplace. Brent also has experience in investigating a variety of employment claims for employers of all types and sizes.
Brent is an experienced speaker on employment and municipal issues throughout the State of Iowa and has spoken at a variety of seminars, webinars, conferences, and other gatherings to a wide range of audiences.
Clarence Hudson
Partner
Fox Growth Strategies
Deeply connected lifelong coach and business leader who thrives in complex, dynamic environments. His uncanny ability to recognize others’ talents and strengths equips him to connect the right people to reach goals never imagined. With more than 40 years of sales, business development, and executive leadership experience, his experience is unmatched.
Mitch Johnk
President
Panorama Benefits Company
Mitch Johnk, MBA, CLU, ChFC, RICP, is a seasoned professional with deep roots in Iowa, where he was born, raised, and educated. He earned his BA from Simpson College and later pursued an MBA at Drake University, laying the foundation for a career spanning over 37 years in the benefit business.
His journey began as a college agent with Northwestern Mutual in 1984, shaping his understanding of the industry. Transitioning to the Principal in 1986, Mitch held diverse roles in marketing and product development, notably focusing on Executive and Business owner benefits in the Business Markets division. Joining the Des Moines Agency of the Principal in 1992, he co-established Total Financial Solutions with partner Jeff Dvorak in 2004.
In 2019, Mitch undertook formal training in Deferred Compensation, earning a Nonqualified Plan Advisor certificate from the National Association of Plan Advisors. This milestone marked a turning point, propelling him in October 2023 to divest a major portion of his individual practice to exclusively concentrate on the business market, cofounding Panorama Benefit Company with longtime assistant Ellen Betzer.
Outside his professional endeavors, Mitch finds joy in living at Lake Panorama in Panora, Iowa, alongside his wife, Kim. They share their lives with three grown children and two grandchildren. His leisure pursuits include golfing, boating, strumming Bruce Springsteen tunes on his guitar, indulging in movies, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Ann Kendell
Special Counsel
Dentons Davis Brown, PC
Ann is an experienced lawyer – first an employment and commercial litigator and then as general counsel when she worked in-house at the largest privately owned printing company in the United States. It’s with this varied experience that Ann understands what clients are facing – the necessity of practical problem-solving while also meeting business needs.
Ann’s practice spans over 25 years, during which she has represented a wide variety of businesses of all sizes and industries including manufacturing, agribusiness, IT, convenience stores, grocery stores, childcare centers, and financial institutions. She has also frequently been hired by other attorneys as a mediator to help settle cases and as a third-party investigator to review allegations of wrongdoing in the workplace.
Jason Kiesau
Social Intelligence Consultant
TRACOM Group
Jason Kiesau is a leadership coach, author, and social intelligence expert passionate about helping individuals and teams thrive. With over two decades of experience in leadership development, he specializes in guiding professionals to understand their behavior patterns, communicate effectively, and achieve personal and professional goals. As a Social Intelligence Consultant, Jason empowers leaders to challenge automatic patterns and embrace purposeful growth. A certified SOCIAL STYLE facilitator, he has worked with diverse organizations, offering training and tools to build resilience, collaboration, and results. Jason’s work reflects his commitment to living with peace, purpose, and partnership while inspiring others to do the same.
Dr. Liz Kluver
Assistant Professor of Management
Buena Vista University
Dr. Liz Kluver is a distinguished educator and expert in Business Management, holding a PhD from Capella University. With a robust teaching career spanning 20 years, Dr. Kluver has dedicated the last six years to shaping future business leaders at Buena Vista University. She brings valuable experience in HR consulting to her academic endeavors, allowing her to provide real-world insights in the classroom. Dr. Kluver is passionate about leadership development, striving to inspire and cultivate the next generation of leaders through innovative teaching methods and a commitment to student success.
Erin Lego
President
Erin Lego Coaching & Consulting, LLC
Erin Lego is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation and a certified Enneagram coach who’s passionate about helping leaders and teams connect, communicate, and grow. Through her coaching practice, Erin Lego Coaching and Consulting, she brings over a decade of hands-on experience in leadership development, using tools like the Enneagram and automated coaching to deepen self-awareness and resilience within teams.
Erin’s approach is simple and practical: she believes development should be accessible to everyone on the team—not just executives. Her work centers on making growth a part of everyday interactions, turning insights into action that fits naturally into each workday. Erin’s workshops and sessions go beyond theory, empowering people to apply what they learn immediately so they can build stronger, more connected teams.
Known for her engaging style and authentic approach, Erin has helped leaders across industries build cultures where learning and feedback are ongoing, empowering people to bring their best to every challenge.
Alison Lynch
University of Iowa Addiction and Recovery Collaborative Director
University of Iowa
Dr. Alison Lynch is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. She is Program Director for the UI Addiction Medicine Fellowship, Director of the University of Iowa Addiction and Recovery Collaborative (UI ARC), and she sees patients in the UI ARC MAT Clinic and MAT Mobile, where she provides care to people with opioid and other substance use disorders. She directs several grant-funded projects, including the UI ARC Bridge Projects which provides treatment, recovery support services, and resources to individuals with opioid or stimulant use disorder who are re-entering the community following a period of incarceration. She serves as Medical Director at Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC), a community-based substance use disorder treatment program based in Cedar Rapids, IA, and she is President-Elect of the Iowa Medical Society. Dr. Lynch is passionate about improving care for individuals who use substances.
Molly Mackey, MBA, CPTD
Chief Learning Officer
LEAdeRNship Institute
Molly is a speaker, author and trainer of leaders. She believes that by intentionally intertwining the ongoing journeys of learning and leadership we can create better leaders and – Better Leaders = Better Lives.
Molly has over 19 years of business and speaking experience. Molly holds an MBA from the University of Iowa and a CPTD from the Association of Talent Development. She is the author of the “52 Powerful Reflection Questions” book series.
Katelynn McCollough
Attorney – Shareholder
Dentons
Katelynn is a litigator defending Iowa businesses on labor and employment and commercial litigation issues.
Todd McDonald
President
ATW Training Solutions
Todd McDonald founded ATW in 1999 after spending 15 years in various Human Resource and Training roles in industries such as finance, insurance, banking and manufacturing. He also served as Executive Vice President of American Media, Inc., the largest producer of training videos at the time with products in 72 countries and 27 languages.
Todd has authored two books: one on communication between managers and their employees, “I Wish You Would Just…” and the other on time management, “How to Find 100 Extra Minutes a Day.”
Kelsey Montross
Director of Clinical Services and Outreach
UI ARC
Kelsey Montross is a seasoned healthcare administrator with extensive experience in academic healthcare systems, particularly in the areas of clinical operations, business affairs, and substance use recovery. Currently serving as the Clinical Operations Manager for the Addiction and Recovery Collaborative at the University of Iowa, Kelsey oversees a broad range of clinical functions, including the Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) clinic, walk-in clinics, and hospital consult services. She plays a key role in collaborating with state stakeholders such as hospitals, prisons, and the Attorney General’s office to improve addiction recovery efforts across the state.
Kelsey has a proven track record of developing and implementing innovative clinical programs aimed at improving patient care and access to services. Notable achievements include the launch of a crisis stabilization unit, psychiatric intensive care unit, and new outpatient services such as a no-show clinic and a walk-in MAT clinic. Her expertise extends to fiscal and operational management, having overseen a $40 million professional budget at the University of Iowa, and she has played an integral role in securing funds from initiatives such as the opioid settlement fund.
A strong advocate for workforce development, Kelsey has hired, trained, and mentored numerous staff members throughout her career, ensuring teams are equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to drive success. Her leadership extends to stakeholder engagement, policy creation, and accreditation processes, having led efforts for Joint Commission accreditation and the creation of rural psychiatry residency programs.
Kelsey holds a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor’s in Interdepartmental Studies, Business Track. She is committed to advancing healthcare services through strategic planning, fiscal management, and a patient-centered approach to care.
Lynsey Mulder
Elite Coach, Keynote Speaker and Sparklife Connoisseur
Mulder Consulting, LLC
For the past 25+ years, Lynsey has partnered with clients to take their teams to new levels of success, and skyrocket their personal performance.
She has worked with everyone from big Fortune 100 companies to individual smart, successful professionals to identify their superpowers, align their values, get clarity on their destination, and develop a clear, step-by-step path forward.
Through coaching, training and speaking, Lynsey challenges leaders how to think differently to create high performing teams and drive a coaching culture.
Over the years, I’ve held many roles & worn many hats…
I’ve been a leader (C-suite executive, entrepreneur, and speaker) and I’ve been a nurturer (wife, mom to 4 high energy boys, and an elite coach) – so I completely understand how difficult it is to find balance and direction amid the chaos of day-to-day life all while leading a high performing team!
Lynsey brings energy, real-life experiences, stories, and strategies to her events, while inspiring participants to think differently and take action!
Jen Nelson
Business Development Consultant
The Iowa Clinic
Jen Nelson is the Business Development Consultant at The Iowa Clinic with over 25 years of experience in various industries, primarily in business development and account management. Most of her experience has been in roles for medical, insurance, employee benefits, wellness, pharmaceuticals, and media industries. She holds an Iowa Insurance License in Health, Life & Disability.
Jen has served as the Board Chair for the Epilepsy Foundation of Iowa and is actively involved in several community organizations, including RISE Breakfast Club, 100+ Women That Care, American Association of Physician Liaisons, Iowa Healthcare Leaders Association, and National Associates of Benefits & Insurance Professionals.
She is a graduate of ABI’s Leadership Iowa class of 2017-2018, WDM Chamber’s Leadership Institute class of 2018-2019 and Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Community Connect mentorship program.
Outside of work, Jen enjoys spending time doing anything outdoors with her husband Scott, two boys (Michael & Andrew) and dog Oliver. She also enjoys volunteering on Lutheran Church of Hope’s hospitality team & women’s ministry groups.
Liz Nead
Owner-Nead Inspiration, Speaker
Nead Inspiration
Liz Nead is an adventure speaker, traveling the world and taking on challenges to find lessons of leadership, communication diversity and inclusion. A diversity speaker and researcher for over a decade, she specializes common language and daily communication around race and cultural differences in the workplace. Liz uses a direct, humorous and vivid style from the stage to create opportunities for communication around differences Liz has also served as an executive coach and consultant for DEI challenges for companies like Paypal, News Corp, National Guard and YWCA.
Liz is a television host and author, writing several Amazon best sellers, most recently “The 1440 Principle.” She also won a regional Emmy for her television show, “Life Dare.” Liz balances her passionate work with a thriving family of seven, and husband of 20 years, a retired army major.
Gilmara Vila Nova-Mitchell
Leadership Consultant
Sarah Noll Wilson, Inc.
Gilmara Vila Nova-Mitchell is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant who is on a mission to put people first and help others do the same. Through her signature style of heart, honesty, and thoughtful inquiry, Gilmara helps people create relationships and cultures that are inclusive, expansive, and deeply connected. She works with leaders to learn how to effectively respond to opportunities and challenges presented by diverse workforces, unfamiliar markets, and rapid shifts in the competitive landscape. Gilmara holds a Bachelor of Multicultural Education from FUMEC University (Brazil) and a MSE in School Counseling from Drake University. She has completed doctoral studies in Organizational Development with a focus on trust in the workplace.
Julie Oeth
Vice President
Cottingham & Butler
Julie previously held the role of Vice President and Head of Human Resources at Cottingham & Butler for seven years before joining the Employee Benefits division. In her role, Julie was responsible for driving the strategic vision for Human Resources and lead the function through double digit headcount growth and navigated challenges through COVID-19. Julie has served as a member of the Executive Team, Benefits & Retirement Committee, and lead the Human Resources functions of Training, Organizational Design, Payroll, Benefits, Recruiting and Employee Relations.
Julie graduated from University of Northern Iowa. She spent time living in Boston developing her recruiting and HR generalist skills before moving back to Iowa in 2005. She spent over 10 years in Des Moines and has experience working in HR consulting and held roles in corporate procurement as well as HR Leadership in the financial services industry. She now resides in Dubuque, IA with her husband and three children.
Kay Oskvig
Attorney
Whitfield & Eddy Law Firm
Kay counsels businesses, governmental entities, and nonprofit organizations on a wide range of workforce issues including civil rights complaints, hiring, discipline, internal investigations, terminations, health and safety, reasonable accommodations, non-solicitation and non-competition covenants, compliance with leave laws, responding to wage and hour audits. She drafts executive compensation, independent contractor, and separation/release agreements. Many clients rely on her guidance for compliance issues, and she regularly provides policies and procedures. Ka helps clients analyze a variety of federal and state laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA),Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, and the Iowa Civil Rights Act. She also leads management-side union matters, negotiating collective bargaining agreements and handling grievances.
Dr. Chad Overman
Director of Vision Benefits
Delta Dental of Iowa
Dr. Chad Overman graduated from Southern College of Optometry in 1995. After spending 12 years practicing in Nebraska and Wisconsin, he joined Walmart’s Corporate team. Over the next nine years, Dr. Overman worked in many roles: OD liaison to over 4,000 providers, Senior OD Recruiting Manager responsible for the Eastern U.S., liaison to more than 40 optical vendors and internal advisor to more than 20 Walmart support teams.
His industry experience and relationships led Dr. Overman to start his own consulting business in 2015. Dr. Overman’s primary focus has been quality, affordable and accessible care and he has been a champion of driving yearly eye exams for all.
In 2019, Dr. Overman joined DeltaVision as our Director of Vision Benefits. His primary role is to bring clinical expertise to those we serve, providing valuable insights on the importance of vision health and its connection to overall wellness.
Dinora Pereda Garcia
Management and Program Analyst
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services/ E-Verify
Dinora Pereda Garcia is an Engagement Analyst for the Verification Division at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security.
As a subject matter expert on Form I-9 and E-Verify, Ms. Pereda Garcia has conducted presentations to local, regional and national audiences that included corporate legal counsel, immigration attorneys, workforce development, human resources and payroll professionals.
Dinora joined the Verification Division in 2019 as a Customer Support Analyst and then moved to Account Compliance in 2021. Leveraging analytical skills and project management expertise, Dinora integrated traditional E-Verify compliance requirements with conceptual procedures that broadened deficiency resolution options with stakeholders.
Ms. Pereda Garcia holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Westwood College.
Dr. Teresa Peterson
Director of Learning
Sarah Noll Wilson, Inc.
Dr. Teresa Peterson is the Director of Learning and Development at The Noll Wilson Group, and the co-author of the Don’t Feed the Elephants workbook. With over 20 years of experience in teaching, facilitation, and leadership, Teresa specializes in designing and delivering transformative learning experiences that helps leaders show up more powerfully.
Teresa holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Northern Iowa and certifications in Conflict Resolution (Cornell University), Immunity to Change Coaching, and Appreciative Inquiry. Her deep expertise allows her to craft thoughtful, accessible programs that help individuals and teams surface hidden dynamics, build trust, and strengthen collaboration.
Known for her grounded presence, masterful facilitation, and ability to listen deeply, Teresa brings both clarity and care to her work. Whether co-creating learning content or leading interactive sessions, she equips leaders with the tools and confidence to tackle complex challenges and create lasting change.
Michael Puck
HR Innovation Fellow
UKG
Michael Puck is a business innovator and visionary keynote speaker; he enables companies to turn people-centric problems into competitive advantages. His diverse international background, 25 years of hands-on HR leadership experience, and passion for people fuel his role as the HR Innovation Fellow with the Human Insights Group at UKG.
Puck graduated from the German Air Force Academy. During his time in the military, he earned a degree in business and a postgraduate degree in economics from VWA in Essen, Germany. Additionally, Puck is a Senior Certified Professional with the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP), a published author, 2x TEDx Speaker, and the President of a global animal-focused nonprofit that aims to save 1 million dogs by 2030.
George Rogers
Chief Culture Officer
Lighthouse Research & Advisory
George Rogers is the author of “Champion Your Purpose,” a book focused on how to find meaning in a life filled with sameness and, ultimately, leading your life and work on purpose. The Chief Culture Officer of Lighthouse Research and Advisory and a partner of ETHOS Coaching. Passionate about helping leaders build a diverse and inclusive culture within their organizations. Believing that success stems from creating a culture of belonging that allows people to bring their authentic selves to the workplace with trust and vulnerability, George shares leadership strategies for investing in people and driving impactful change.
Tammy Rogers
Founder & CEO
BecomeMore Group
Tammy K. Rogers is a Master Facilitator, Storyteller and Author. She’s been instrumental in eleven business start-ups. She’s held Vice President titles in both Human Resources and Operations – and has had the opportunity to lead more than 200 employees in remote offices from Boston to Los Angeles and Minneapolis to Atlanta. Tammy has written five books, designed and developed more than 50 internationally distributed training programs, and worked with best-selling authors like James Autry and Bob Nelson.
Today, Tammy is best known for helping leaders experience “Aha” moments in order to develop new ways of thinking, new attitudes and new behaviors that transfer to the real world. And throughout Tammy’s 30+ year career, she has partnered with hundreds of companies – both large and small – to help them improve results through the building of people, processes and procedures.
Cindy Rowe
Founder/CEO
Cindy Rowe, LLC
Recognized as a “Top 50 Women Public Speakers of 2024,” Cindy is a dynamic professional speaker, trainer, and passionate entrepreneur. Having built two successful companies from the ground up, she’s an influential thought leader in her community who works tirelessly to change the narrative around kindness.
Leveraging her experience in sales, marketing, and organizational communication, Cindy shares evidence-based strategies with companies, organizations, and schools that improve employee culture and positively impact the bottom line.
When she’s not speaking on stage, Cindy helps entrepreneurs grow their small businesses as the Chief Marketing Rockstar of Cindy Rowe Marketing. She is also leading the charge to turn kindness into a social movement as Founder/CEO of Be Kind Crew and creator of The Kindness Advantage podcast.
Cindy thrives as a speaker; for years, she’s been inspiring and influencing audiences of all ages and walks of life. Her message sparks a shift toward intentional kindness that has the power to spread kindness across teams, communities, and all over the world.
Jim Roy
CEO
Percipio Workforce Solutions
Jim Roy is a seasoned professional with over three decades of experience specializing in workforce recruitment and retention strategies. With a passion for cultivating thriving workplaces, Jim has dedicated his career to helping organizations build and maintain high-performing teams.
Throughout his career, Jim has held various leadership roles in staffing and talent acquisition across diverse industries, honing his expertise in identifying top talent and implementing innovative retention initiatives. His keen understanding of the intricacies of human capital management has enabled him to navigate the complexities of today’s dynamic labor market successfully.
Recognized for his insightful perspectives and practical solutions, Jim is a sought-after public speaker on topics related to employee retention. Whether addressing large audiences or conducting intimate workshops, he brings a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to his engaging presentations. Jim’s speaking engagements are characterized by their actionable insights and inspiring narratives, leaving audiences empowered to enhance retention within their own organizations.
In addition to his speaking engagements, Jim serves as Chief Executive Officer of Percipio Workforce Solutions, a workforce recruiting and staffing organization. He is also actively involved in consulting projects, collaborating with organizations to develop customized retention strategies tailored to their unique needs. He is committed to fostering environments where employees feel valued, motivated, and empowered to contribute their best work.
Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire where he laid the foundation for his career in workforce development. He continues to stay abreast of the latest trends and best practices in the field, ensuring that his expertise remains at the forefront of industry innovation. He learns a great deal from his three Gen Z daughters who keep him abreast of changing views on recruiting and retention!
Whether advising Fortune 500 companies or startups, Jim Roy is dedicated to helping organizations build cultures of retention excellence that drive sustainable success.
Angela Rubino
Account Manager
MercyOne
Angela has worked in the health industry throughout her entire career on both the insurance company side as well as the health care provider side. She has been in roles ranging from group underwriting, product development, provider network contracting, managed care, and finance, to sales, marketing, and business development. Much of her career has involved working directly with employers especially in business development for occupational health clinics. Angela enjoys building relationships with employers, learning about their company needs, concerns, and goals, their workforce, and future plans, and then aligns solutions in occupational health, safety, and wellbeing. She has guided employers from 5 to 20,000 employees to reduce their claims spend, lower their mod rate, and OSHA recordables.
Angela received her Bachelor of Science in Corporate Finance from Drake University. Passionate about learning and teaching, she is a Professional in the Academy for Healthcare Management, has a certificate in Occupational Health Program Management and is also Adjunct Faculty at Des Moines University. Angela is currently a Client Relationship Manager with MercyOne Business Solutions.
www.mercyone.org/desmoines/location/mercyone-des-moines-occupational-health
Frank Russell
CEO
Prositions, Inc.
Frank Russell has over 35 years of experience as a speaker, trainer, and talent development professional. He is also a talent development pioneer and serial entrepreneur, having founded four successful H.R. technology and training content companies. His companies have won numerous awards, including ranking on the prestigious Inc. 500/5000 lists of fastest-growing companies in the U.S. for seven consecutive years, six years on the Software 500 list, and 14 Stevie Awards for business innovation and excellence.
In 2007, Frank was voted to Training Industry’s list of the Most Influential Training Professionals in the industry. In 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Learning Champion Award by eLearning Magazine for his lifetime of contributions to the learning industry. Frank’s client base includes more than 800 organizations (Google, Dell, Nike, Edward Jones, Kaiser Permanente, ABB, Wells Fargo, Exxon Mobile, Philips, and 35 agencies of the US Federal Government).
Frank’s current organization, Prositions, Inc., is a rapidly growing talent development company. DashTrainTM, its flagship software application, is revolutionizing how organizations use microlearning to engage, train, and develop employees. His talent development software has been used by over six million users globally in 16 different languages.
Frank is also a founder and CEO of EZPZVideos, LLC, one of the largest producers and publishers of nanolearning videos and content in the market.
Jodi Schweiger
Executive Director of Business Development
The Iowa Clinic
Jodi Schweiger is a dedicated healthcare professional with a passion for preventative healthcare and early disease detection. As the Executive Director of Business Development at The Iowa Clinic, Jodi has been instrumental in pioneering innovative health services and programs. Her extensive background as a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and health coach equips her with a comprehensive understanding of wellness and program development.
Raised in a farming community in Iowa, Jodi has a deep-rooted commitment to the health and wellness of her state. She played a key role in making The Iowa Clinic the first medical group in Iowa to offer the GRAIL Galleri multicancer test for early cancer detection. Jodi’s efforts extend to enhancing employer health services, aiming to improve the overall health of Iowa Clinic employees and the broader business community.
Jodi has also led the development and growth of The Iowa Clinic’s Executive Health Program, partnering with various Iowa employer groups to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care. Her strategic initiatives and collaboration with the executive leadership team have driven significant growth and innovation at The Iowa Clinic over the past eight years.
In addition to her professional achievements, Jodi serves on the Central Iowa American Heart Association Board of Directors. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two sons.
Beth Shelton
CEO
Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa
Beth Shelton is the Chief Executive Office of Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, overseeing all operations for 13,000 members in portions of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.
With thought-provoking discussions among hundreds of speeches, conferences, podcast interviews, and articles written, Beth has reached millions of people on topics ranging from workplace transformation to mental wellbeing to sobriety. From coast to coast, from the Seattle Interactive Conference to the National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC, Beth unapologetically speaks about the human experience and has received national accolades, highlighted on platforms ranging from Good Morning America, CNN and Working Mother Magazine, to The Washington Post, USA Today and the Today Show.
Beth is persistently curious, an avid reader and uses solution-focused leadership to encourage radical innovation. She received her BA from Simpson College and MBA from Drake University, and has been named an alumni of achievement from both, while recently completing the Artificial Intelligence certificate program at MIT.
Beth, a life-long amputee, embraces a spirit of empowering others, having served various causes; including the Iowa Amputee Golf Association, leading a local Girl Scout troop, serving on her local school board, and coaching youth teams in multiple sports.
She has a lifelong love of sports, having been a 3-time collegiate MVP in tennis. She loves driving her vintage Jeep with the top off, just took up guitar lessons, and is enjoying the journey of visiting every national park.
Christy Smith
SVP for People & Growth Strategies
Navigate Wellbeing Solutions
Christy Smith has over 25 years’ experience developing and executing people centered business strategies that drive success. Christy is passionate about helping people do what they love in the service of others who love what they do. This commitment is foundational to her success building high performing teams and successful companies.
Christy is the Senior Vice President for People & Growth Strategy at Navigate Wellbeing Solutions.
Prior to joining Navigate, Christy served as the Chief Experience Officer and SVP HR at Aureon in West Des Moines. Christy was employed by UnityPoint at Home for three years as statewide director of people strategy. She also spent time as an HR Director at Kum & Go and as the VP of Human Resources at ChildServe. Five years of her professional life were spent with Image Ink Promotions, where she served as president.
Christy graduated from Drake University Law School with honors and has used her knowledge as an attorney to excel in her career. Christy also attended the University of Kansas, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism with emphasis in marketing and public relations. She is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute, a member of the Business Record’s 2004 Forty Under 40 class and a member of the Society for Human Resource Professionals. She also served on many boards in her community.
Chelsea Stoll
Consultant
Collective Culture Theory
Chelsea Stoll has spent more than 15 years in the Human Resources and Leadership space at large companies like General Mills and The University of Iowa, and smaller, start-up companies. In recent years, she has found that the leadership and business principles in current practice are not serving employees or business operations. Thus, she set out to find a method of leading where both human connection and business goals are intertwined. She believes that the intersection between human connection and business operations is where the magic happens!
Nataliya Stone
SVP
Holmes Murphy
Dr. Boychenko Stone serves as the Senior Vice President of Employee Benefits at Holmes Murphy & Associates, where she joined in 2006. A Ukraine native, fluent in three languages, she excels in implementing diverse employer-sponsored benefit programs. An active speaker on health care topics, Dr. Stone is also an adjunct professor at Drake University, teaching employee benefits to graduate students. Dr. Stone has a strong passion for lifelong learning and constantly explores cutting-edge solutions for her clients. Dr. Stone is a recognized leader, having received accolades such as the 2020 Emerging Woman of Influence, Business Record’s Forty under 40, Community Vision Award and others.
Dan Topf
Owner
Topf Business Learning
Dan is a successful performance improvement consultant who is passionate about helping people and businesses achieve dramatic performance improvement through business learning. Dan designs, leads, and implements learning and development initiatives aligned with the strategic goals of his client organizations. His imaginative and professional live online and in-person presentations produce outstanding results, as documented by attendees’ performance. Dan can help you and your company develop business acumen, implement human performance technology, and design learning systems to achieve outstanding results.
Dan leads and implements multiple large and small-scale business training design projects for his clients. He also does 1:1 advising, coaching, and training for emerging leaders. Known for his outstanding skills to make the complexities of business accessible and understandable, Dan serves as a lead facilitator for business simulations and business acumen programs.
Dan’s employment history also includes:
- Adjunct Faculty at Iowa State University, Des Moines Area Community College, Drake University
- Senior Associate, Leadership Development at The Principal Financial Group
Chris Williams
Assistant Vice President
Cottingham & Butler
Chris is an Assistant Vice President in the Employee Benefits Consulting Practice at Cottingham & Butler. Prior to moving into this role in the Fall of 2021, Chris served as Cottingham & Butler’s first general counsel from 2014 – 2021, where he oversaw all legal matters for the company of 1,000+ employees operating in 49 states. Before joining Cottingham & Butler, Chris practiced law in both Chicago, IL and Dubuque, IA focusing his practice primarily on business litigation matters and advising clients on labor, employment and general business matters including dozens of acquisitions and divestitures. Chris holds Life and Health insurance licenses in multiple states and maintains his Iowa and Illinois Bar Licenses.
Education:
- Loras College – Bachelor of Arts in Political Science: 2004
- University of Illinois Chicago School of Law – Juris Doctor: 2010, cum laude
David Woods Bartley
Mental Health Speaker and Trainer
David Woods Bartley
David Woods Bartley is a globally recognized mental health advocate who has delivered over 800 presentations across four continents. A two-time TEDx speaker and Steinberg Institute Mental Health Champion, David shares his journey from mental “hellness” to mental wellness, inspiring diverse audiences to transform their approach to mental health. His mission is to bring conversations about mental health into the open, offering hope and practical strategies for individuals and organizations.
Monte Wyatt
Executive Development Facilitator
AddingZEROS Executive Development
Monte Wyatt is a relatable realist who believes organizations and people can be intentional in how they lead, influence and manage their lives and businesses.
His purpose is to create workforce re-engagement that will end the lack of emotional connection with employers and organizations.
As CEO of AddingZEROS Executive Development, he enables organizations to retain and grow their workforce. Monte brings over 30 years of remarkable leadership, business and personal development experience to executives and business owners to create emotional connections with their organizations and teams.
Monte’s drive is to increase the understanding and use of leadership behaviors. He accomplishes this through facilitating Strategic Thinking Execution Planning with executive teams. His process focuses on organizational and personal development with discipline.
Monte strives to bring clarity to how executives lead and manage their organizations. He does this through:
Awareness: Helping you see things that you cannot see in yourself and your organization.
Education: Bringing proven strategies in leadership and management, influencing up and down, hiring and training your team, strategic thinking and execution planning, communication adapting, business
and personal development.
Implementation: Assisting you in thinking through and putting the education into practice into your daily activities.
Discipline: Holding you accountable to your goals and the actions you commit to.
He gained his work ethic growing up on a family farm in Iowa. Monte’s work focus has gone from sowing corn to sowing seeds of success globally leading, managing and training teams.
Monte is proud to have been recognized as a Wall Street Journal and USA Best-Seller for his book “Pulling Profits Out of a Hat”, recognized in the 2022 Success 125 by Success Magazine, and as a Global Guru in Organizational Culture for 2023 and 2024. And he can wrestle a pig. They both get dirty. And they both like it.
Daniel Zinnel
President
Growth & Joy
Dr. Daniel Zinnel is a facilitator, speaker, and learner. Authenticity, intentionality, humility, compassion, and joy are his leadership values. In 2020, he launched Growth and Joy, LLC to help individuals, businesses, and organizations develop proactive, practical, and purposeful leaders. He has trained and spoken to over twenty thousand individuals on a variety of topics including leadership, power and privilege, LGBTQ inclusion, and building your personal brand. Daniel was previously on faculty as an adjunct at Des Moines University and Iowa Central Community College. He developed One Iowa’s LGBTQ Leadership Institute, was part of a team that created the 4Equity Tool, and has previously served on the curriculum committee of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute. Daniel has over 10 years of nonprofit administration and leadership including currently serving as the CEO of Proteus, Inc. and previously as the Executive Director of One Iowa. He serves as Chair of the Iowa Primary Care Association, Chair of the John Stoddard Cancer Center, serves on the board of UnityPoint Health – Des Moines and Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, and is on a variety of other community boards and advisory councils.