- Session 1 | 9:45am - 10:45am
- Session 2 | 11:00am - 12:00pm
- Session 3 | 1:15pm - 2:15pm
- Session 4 | 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Growing Career Resilience in an Everchanging Workplace
Presenter: Kelsey Harrington
Our workplaces continue to change at a rapid pace. So much so that we sometimes lose our ability to adapt in healthy ways. How can we grow our career resilience to lead in the most effective way through these constant changes? This workshop will share what career resilience is and how to grow it, while participants work through a challenge of their own to better lead, work, and develop in their careers.
Well-being in the Workplace: From Evidence to Action
Presenter: Robyn M. Perrin, PhD
Drawing from the fields of neuroscience, organizational psychology, and more, this talk presents an evidence basis for creating a team well-being plan from concept to implementation. Attendees will learn practical ways to infuse concepts such psychological safety, ensuring adequate rest, and promoting a sense of belonging within their organization.
The Internship Stoplight: Recruiting and managing interns and fellows to benefit everyone
Presenters: Aaron Seligman and Sarah Ebben
Internship and fellowship programs sound great on paper, but we all know they can also be a lot of work and have plenty of pitfalls for both the intern/fellow and the supervisor. It’s a tricky balance to make sure the intern/fellow is: 1) productive and helping your department/office/organization; 2) learning about your work and gaining skills; and 3) part of a sustainable (for everyone) system that uses time effectively and handles transitions for recruiting, onboarding, and handing off to future interns. In this interactive session, Sarah and Aaron will share tips and best practices in recruiting and managing interns from both public and nonprofit sectors. They’ll use both real and hypothetical examples and situations to help you spot the signs that things are doing well, see warnings in advance that they aren’t, and know when to tread carefully around potentially difficult situations.
Microsoft Excel: Advanced Practices to Increase Productivity
Presenter: David Berland and Abigail Terzis
This presentation will focus on intermediate and advanced Microsoft Excel skills to improve work productivity, including lookup functions, shortcuts and “hacks”, index-match, nested if statements and switch statements, pivot tables, and macros.
Emotional Intelligence: A Foundation for a Positive Workplace Culture at UW-Madison
Presenter: Jenny Erickson and Kelvin Alfaro
Emotional intelligence (EI) is a cornerstone of creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace environment. This session explores how emotional intelligence—encompassing empathy, self-awareness, and emotional regulation plays a crucial role in shaping a healthy, inclusive, and productive workplace culture. Participants will explore the role that EI plays in fostering stronger workplace relationships and driving engagement, motivation, and belonging among teams. This session will provide you with the tools and strategies needed to enhance your EI, enabling you to understand and respond to the emotions and experiences of your team members.
Enhancing Learning and Development: Integrating the 70-20-10 Model with Communities of Practice
Presenter: Edith Osorio and Tamie Klumpyan
This conference session will show how professional development can be enhanced by integrating the 70-20-10 learning model with Communities of Practice (CoPs). We will define the concept of CoPs, highlight their benefits, and show how they facilitate informal learning and progress career growth. Emphasis will be placed on the role of CoPs in social learning. We will show how integrating CoPs, can create a dynamic learning environment that fosters continuous professional growth and knowledge sharing.
This session is designed for learning and development professionals, HR managers, organizational leaders, and anyone interested in optimizing their approach to professional development.
Never-Ending Group Projects, A Project Manager’s Guide to Getting Stuff Done
Presenter: Brittney Lyons Boone and Natalie Kozitzky
The dread of the Group Project. When you were in school, and you got a new group project you may have had some of the following thoughts:
“If I want this done well, I will need to do everything” or
“I hope someone else does all this” or
“This is how much of my grade?!”
Once you join the workforce you may find that the group projects never stop. Task Forces, Committees, and Project Teams are an upgraded and more complicated form of the Group Project.
In this session we will have a practical guide on what it takes to navigate and collaborate successfully in team projects by using relationship building, communication techniques and how to productively engage others to get stuff done.
How to Edit Winning Grant Proposals
Presenter: Christine Wenc and Molly Wesling
Professional editors Christine Wenc and Molly Wesling from the Wisconsin Center for Education Research will share how they review and edit research grant applications and help researchers submit winning proposals.
During this session, attendees will:
- review together sample RFPs (Request for Applications) and learn how to spot common roadblocks and challenges regarding format and narrative
- gain tips on writing about technical and academic topics in a way that non-specialist readers can understand
- come away with a list of best practices for polishing grant applications
Relational Administration: Creating Cooperative Work Environments Through Relationship Building
Presenter: Andrea Luke
As an administrative professional, it is our role to support the whole of the departments and centers we work within. But we can’t do it alone or in a silo – we require information and collaboration from our colleagues to help them. In the words of Jerry McGuire, “Help me, help you!”. The more we understand about how trust and genuine relationship building feeds into the norms of reciprocity, the more effectively information can flow between administration and our internal stakeholders to meet our goals.
Utilizing Asynchronous & Hybrid Learning to Increase Connection
Presenter: Michele Curran, Katie Stewart, and Tara Bradley Williams
As organizations continue to evolve, employee training and development must adapt to meet the needs of a modern workforce. In this session, we will explore how our team successfully transitioned new employee onboarding and professional development opportunities to an asynchronous and hybrid learning environment using Articulate Rise. You’ll learn practical strategies for designing effective hybrid and asynchronous developments that engage employees, while also allowing flexibility and accessibility.
We will dive into how asynchronous learning can be used to enhance employee connection and engagement, even when team members are not meeting in real-time. By examining various tools, such as multimedia content, interactive quizzes, and collaborative learning activities, participants will discover proven methods to maintain engagement and create a meaningful learning experience for their teams.
Join us to discover how asynchronous learning can help you connect with employees in meaningful ways, while also providing flexibility and scalability in your training initiatives.
Building Your Skills, Building Your Career: Actionable Steps for Growth
Presenters: Christopher East
Are you looking for ways to grow your skills, advance in your role, and gain support for your professional development? In this interactive session, administrative staff will be introduced to the Knowledge & Skills (KS) Hub, a powerful tool that connects job-specific skills and knowledge to your role.
Session objectives:
- Discover key skills and knowledge areas mapped to your job description.
- Learn actionable strategies to develop new skills on the job and collaborate with others to grow.
- Gain insights on how to engage your supervisor in meaningful conversations about your career development.
By the end of the session, you’ll leave with practical steps to enhance your skills, build your confidence, and take charge of your career growth. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your current role or prepare for future opportunities, this session will provide the tools and strategies to help you succeed!
Crunch the Numbers: Free Online Tools for Benefits Calculations
Presenter: Thomasin Propson and Alicia West
Join us and learn how to make the most of free online tools to simplify benefits calculations—for yourself and the employees you assist. In this session, we’ll explore resources like a pension estimator, sick leave value calculator, and overall-compensation tools using practical examples. You’ll also gain tips for calculating percentages of income (and we’ll talk about how this comes in handy when saving for retirement). Leave with the knowledge to confidently apply these tools in your work and support others more effectively.
Microsoft Excel: Developing Basic Skills
Presenter: David Berland
This presentation will focus on beginner and intermediate Microsoft Excel skills to improve work productivity, including spreadsheet navigation, data references, basic formulas, basic statistics, filtering and sorting data, and utilizing “if” statements. All skill levels are welcome to attend and are encouraged to bring a computer with them for interactive skill-building.
Thriving Through Transitions: Understanding personal dynamics of organizational change
Presenter: Jenny Erickson and Theresa Kim
In today’s fast-paced world, the amount of change we experience seems to be ever-increasing. However, it’s not the change itself that challenges us the most—it’s the transition we make to account for the change. Understanding this distinction is crucial for navigating life’s uncertainties. Join us for an interactive session designed to equip you with practical tools and a robust framework to manage transitions effectively.
Events 101
Presenter: Traci Wedekind and Jen Barakat
Have you been asked to plan a hybrid conference featuring a keynote speaker traveling from out of town, necessitating accommodations, transportation and honorarium? How about a large celebratory event featuring an off-campus venue, catering, A/V, and more? If so, you may be wondering, “Where do I start?!”
Join staff from the School of Medicine and Public Health for a presentation on planning successful events at UW Madison. You’ll leave with a more nuanced understanding of where to begin using our “Setting the Table” technique, document templates you can use tomorrow to help organize your events, and access to resources and communities that can support your event production needs.
You Are NOT A Fraud! Using imposter Syndrome to reclaim your value and advance your professional workstyle and development
Presenter: Nicole Sment
Today’s Executive Assistant is not the same position of years past. in addition to more traditional responsib0itlies, such as calendaring, meeting minutes, travel arrangements, and never-ending emails, responsibilities such as event planning, strategic development, alumni relations, and crisis management, can fill out your job description. It’s no wonder that you may not feel completely up to the challenge. Your feelings may even lean towards those of professional inadequacy. And worst of all, you may even convince yourself, you are a fraud.
You are NOT a Fraud!
And you are not alone. You are in the company of former first lady Michelle Obama, Albert Einstein, (yes, that Albert Einstein), and even the first female president of Harvard University, Drew Gilpin Faust.
In this light-hearted and humorous session, you will learn about imposter syndrome, how it can manifest in work processes, and how to implement changes, to combat this sinister threat. But best of all, you will also learn how to use it to your benefit, especially to advance your career.
Emotional Intelligence at Work: Strengthening Connections, Building Confidence
Presenter: Audrey Mickelson
Administrative professionals are the backbone of every organization, navigating complex relationships and juggling diverse responsibilities. This interactive session explores how emotional intelligence (EQ) can empower you to thrive in your role. Discover practical strategies to enhance self-awareness, manage emotions, and build stronger connections with colleagues and leadership. You’ll leave equipped with tools to handle challenging interactions with confidence, foster collaboration, and create a positive ripple effect across your workplace. Whether you’re looking to advance your career or simply navigate daily tasks with greater ease, this session will inspire you to turn EQ into your superpower.
Feedback that Connects: Building Better Workplace Relationships through Communication
Presenter: Shana Campbell
Picture a workplace where communication isn’t a roadblock but a bridge—where feedback strengthens relationships instead of creating tension. Now consider the reality many administrative professionals face: being the glue that connects internal networks together, yet navigating tough conversations without the authority or tools to make it easier. It’s a challenge that creates frustration, misalignment, and missed opportunities to foster collaboration.
This session is designed to close that gap. Using the CLEAR Framework—Context, Listen, Explain, Align, Review—you’ll gain the tools to approach feedback with clarity, confidence, and purpose. We’ll tackle real-world challenges, like addressing difficult behaviors constructively, having meaningful conversations without formal power, and turning feedback into a catalyst for trust and teamwork.
By the end, you’ll feel equipped to transform feedback into a tool that drives accountability, resolves conflict, and builds a healthier, more collaborative workplace—no matter your title or position.
Refreshing the 70/20/10 Development Model
Presenters: Michelle Venturini
The 70/20/10 development model has been around for decades and is often cited without really understanding what it means. In this session we’ll take a deep dive into the model. We’ll explore its history and how formal learning, relationships, and on-the-job experience each contribute to our development. Managers will walk away with fresh tools and ideas to help their team members create development plans. Individual contributors will gain insight into what they can do to take control of their career.
Improving Work-Nonwork Balance for Personal and Organizational Success
Presenter: Josie Baker, M.S.
Balancing work and nonwork activities can often feel like an elusive goal, but striving for it is crucial for personal well-being as well as enhancing organizational effectiveness. In this session, we will explore the meaning of work-nonwork balance and how to work towards it. Fostering your work-nonwork balance can boost both your professional performance and personal well-being. You’ll leave armed with research-backed strategies and practical techniques to assess and improve balance in your life.
From Clutter to Clarity: Tools for Organizational Excellence
Presenter: Cory Reithmeyer, MBA, and Taylor Johnson, MBA
Join us for an engaging and practical session where we dive into the secrets of achieving organizational excellence and maximizing workplace productivity. This presentation will provide you with actionable strategies and tools to transform your work environment and optimize your daily tasks. Learn effective techniques to declutter and organize your workspace, creating a more efficient and productive environment. Discover the benefits and features of using project management and collaborative tools to streamline productivity. Additionally, understand the functionalities and best practices for communication tools to improve team communication. Explore proven time management techniques and calendar strategies to boost productivity. Leave this session equipped with the knowledge and skills to revolutionize your workflow, enhance team collaboration, and achieve organizational excellence. Don’t miss this opportunity to go from clutter to clarity and take your productivity to new heights!
UW-Madison Travel – Booking best practices and travel program updates
Presenter: Terry Wilson
Join the UW-Madison Travel Manager, Terry Wilson, for travel booking best practices and travel program updates. The session will review guidance to streamline and minimize Concur challenges when booking travel online, options when booking travel for someone else, (guests, students, or other employees), and the impacts of Workday on the Universities of Wisconsin Travel program.
Accounts Payable and Purchasing in Workday
Presenter: Nicki Burton and Lori Voss
This session will cover the Supply Chain Management processes for catalog and non-catalog requisitions, receipting and direct pay invoices in Workday. It will also touch on the Workday Procurement and Supplier Account modules that will replace ShopUW+ as well as what ShopUW+ will still be used for. A portion of the session will be allotted for Q&A.
All session participants would benefit from a review of topic specific content from previously recorded Business Process Previews and Office Hour sessions located at https://atpmadison.wisc.edu/netid-protected/finance-business-process-previews/ prior to attending.
Developing Your Unique Leadership Style: Examining Leadership Theory in Practice
Presenter: David Berland
This presentation will help translate some of the theory of leadership into practical situations. The program includes an examination of some popular leadership theories, including authentic leadership, servant leadership, synergistic leadership, transformational leadership, and some leadership styles to avoid. The presentation will then dive into the different generations in the work place (Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, GenX, Millennials, and GenZ), and look at how they respond to different leadership styles. The presentation will then tie together leadership theory with practice by looking at adapting leadership styles to your workforce to optimize employee buy-in.
The Power of Storytelling with Data
Presenter: Angela Rockwell, Jessica Arendas, Kaitlin Frautschy, and Lisa Bauer
Storytelling is woven into the fabric of how we connect, persuade and inspire—but to truly resonate, a story needs more than creativity; it needs credibility. That’s where data comes in. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to marry the art of storytelling with the power of data to create narratives that captivate and drive action. You’ll learn how to identify your audience, select meaningful data points and weave them into a story that informs and engages. You’ll leave with a practical outline to help you communicate your project, initiative, or solution in a way that makes a lasting impact.
This is a hands-on workshop so please bring a work project, initiative, or problem to work on.
Breaking Barriers to Effective Collaboration
Presenter: Nura Said
In today’s fast-paced work environment, communication breakdowns and collaboration challenges are all too common. From miscommunications to delays and tension between teams, many of us unknowingly contribute to a difficult workplace. This session will highlight a series of practical, easy-to-apply strategies that anyone can use to mitigate these barriers and foster more effective communication in everyday interactions. Participants will leave with actionable tools for adapting to different communication styles, writing clearer emails, running more productive meetings, fostering a culture of collaboration, and tracking progress for professional growth.
By making small changes to how we communicate, we can create a ripple effect that transforms our workplace into one that’s more productive, inclusive, and empowering.
Community-Building Lessons from the Department Chairs Community of Practice
Presenters: Kelly Conforti Rupp
This session will use the Department Chair Community of Practice as a model to explore increasing engagement, building community, and strengthening working relationships within your department or work unit. You’ll learn by doing, completing the same networking and reflection exercises that chairs do every year. As a result, you’ll walk away with some tips you can implement immediately into your work while having shared in meaningful conversation with session participants.
Mapping and Maximizing Professional Development
Presenter: David Berland
What do you think about when you hear “Professional Development?” Professional development is the key to your future career success. In this presentation, I will lay out a strategy for outlining and tracking your professional development and focusing your efforts based on your career aspirations. A professional development book will be discussed and distributed, as will strategies for determining your own professional development needs. Let me help you navigate a path to career success.
Retirement and other Big Transitions: How do I Prepare? Can we Talk?
Presenter: Carol Hulland, Brian Shore, Tonya Messer, and Mary Czynszak-Lyne
The UW Retirement Issues Committee has developed a rich set of resources for planning for big transitions (retirement being one of these) financially, mentally and emotionally. The session includes an introduction to these resources as a starting place encouraging participants to ask questions and share their experiences. The discussion encourages participants to have valuable conversations advocating for and preparing for life transitions, encouraging small steps over time that support well being and resilience.
From Chaos to Clarity: Mastering Task and Priority Management
Presenter: Jim Thompson
In this session, you’ll discover practical tools and techniques to manage tasks and activities effectively. We’ll dive into key prioritization principles and strategies to evaluate your workload, empowering you to accomplish more with confidence. Additionally, we’ll explore proven time management practices and participate in interactive exercises designed to help you take control of your backlog. By the end of the session, you’ll have actionable insights to boost productivity and manage your responsibilities with greater ease.
Visible Work Makes a Team Work
Presenter: Christine Congdon
We have all been there, staring at a list of tasks longer than the number of hours in our workday. Wondering how we can possibly get it all done. Feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. Realizing we have stumbled across unexpected roadblocks, while dealing with interruptions that prevent us from finishing our work. Systems that help teams understand their work, have honest conversations about their work, collaborate with their stakeholders, name their frustrations, and improve their processes increase everyone’s motivation and level of satisfaction. Come identify the challenges facing your team, find power in naming them, and consider how technology can be used to implement helpful practices. It is time to make your work visible!
Effective Meeting Management
Presenter: Traci Wedekind
Ever thought to yourself, “This meeting could have been an email?” Never again!
Join me as I share my favorite approaches to planning meetings that invite connection and collaboration. We’ll talk about ways to establish the purpose and tone of your meeting, how to best manage stakeholders at the meeting, how to organize the meeting itself, and how to make room at the table for all voices to be accommodated and heard.
Whether you host high stakes discussions, run meetings for your team, or just want to have better one-on-one meetings, there’s something in this session for you.