DisruptHR Milwaukee

⚡️HR Sponsor Spotlight⚡️ We’re proud to recognize Goodwill TalentBridge as a Corporate HR Sponsor of DisruptHR Milwaukee. Goodwill TalentBridge partners with employers to connect skilled talent to meaningful career opportunities, strengthening businesses while creating a positive and lasting impact in our community. Their work goes beyond filling roles. By aligning workforce needs with purpose‑driven hiring, Goodwill TalentBridge helps organizations build stronger teams while opening doors for individuals to grow, contribute, and thrive. Hire with confidence. Hire with impact. Thank you, Goodwill TalentBridge, for supporting DisruptHR Milwaukee and for your commitment to advancing inclusive, people‑centered workforce solutions! #DisruptHR #DisruptHRMKE #Milwaukee #FutureOfWork #HRCommunity #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #HRInnovation

⚡️HR Sponsor Spotlight⚡️ We’re honored to spotlight Milwaukee Area Technical College as a Corporate HR Sponsor of DisruptHR Milwaukee! As Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, MATC has been a cornerstone of innovation and opportunity in southeastern Wisconsin since 1912. With more than 30,000 students attending across four campuses, community-based sites, and online, MATC delivers affordable, accessible education that empowers individuals and strengthens communities. Offering over 180 academic programs, from career-ready training to transfer pathways with more than 40 four-year institutions, MATC is helping students build meaningful careers and businesses right here in our community. Thank you for supporting DisruptHR Milwaukee and for your continued commitment to transforming lives through education! #DisruptHR #DisruptHRMKE #Milwaukee #FutureOfWork #HRCommunity #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #HRInnovation

⚡️The Countdown Is On⚡️ If you’ve been seeing posts about DisruptHR Milwaukee and wondering “What exactly is this?” here’s the quick rundown of what's coming up. DisruptHR isn’t a typical HR event. It’s designed to keep things moving, focus on ideas that matter, and make room for perspectives you don’t always hear in traditional settings. You’ll hear from 12 speakers, each with just five minutes to share one impactful idea about leadership, culture, work, or the people side of business. Slides auto‑advance every 15 seconds, so the pace stays energetic and the format keeps the focus on meaningful takeaways. Our next event is happening on Wednesday, April 29th, and it’s built for anyone interested in how work shows up day‑to‑day, from HR professionals and people managers to business executives and community leaders. The conversations are honest, the ideas are thought‑provoking, and the connections tend to happen naturally. If you’re looking for fresh perspectives and a chance to connect with others who enjoy thinking differently about work, we’d love to see you there. Spots are filling fast—secure your seat today: https://lnkd.in/gsP_xT4P (Please note there are a limited number of HR practitioner and vendor tickets available for this event) #DisruptHR #DisruptHRMKE #Milwaukee #FutureOfWork #HRCommunity #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #HRInnovation

⚡️Speaker Spotlight⚡️ Thekla B. Ross, PsyD— The New Smoke Break: What’s Really Killing Your Bottom Line… Closing out our speaker lineup is Thekla B. Ross, a clinical psychologist and digital harm‑reduction strategist who is challenging how organizations think about productivity, performance, and technology. Dr. Ross helps individuals and organizations break free from unhealthy relationships with technology. She serves as Chair of the Digital Harm Reduction Committee at the American Psychological Association and is the co‑author of It Won’t Love You Back, where she translates neuroscience, psychology, and coaching into practical, real‑world shifts both at home and at work. A former enterprise Addiction Medicine leader at Kaiser Permanente turned tech advisor, she now works closely with CHROs who want to stop mistaking busyness for performance. In her talk, “The New Smoke Break: What’s Really Killing Your Bottom Line…”, Dr. Ross exposes how digital fragmentation and “always‑on” culture quietly erode trust, drain capital, and sabotage focus. Every ping costs more than a moment, as research shows it can take up to 23 minutes to refocus, turning constant interruptions into hours of lost productivity and rising burnout. This fast, edgy session challenges HR leaders to rethink how technology is showing up at work and offers one critical shift to realign it as a tool for augmentation, not extraction. Welcome to DisruptHR Milwaukee, Thekla! #DisruptHR #Milwaukee #HR #Innovation #Networking #FutureOfWork #DisruptHRMKE #Speakers

⚡️Speaker Spotlight⚡️ Marcos Mejia— How HR and Finance Partner for Success We’re excited to feature another speaker who will be taking the stage on April 29th. Marcos Mejia, CFO of A.B. Data, Ltd., is an industry leader in class action administration and customer communication services. With 30 years of professional experience, Marcos brings a thoughtful, people-first perspective to the finance function, one that extends well beyond spreadsheets and numbers. Throughout his career, Marcos has been deeply committed to mentoring and developing others, helping team members grow in confidence, capability, and their sense of belonging and value. His leadership style blends strategic thinking with practical streamlining, driving growth, operational efficiencies, strong cash flow, and sustained bottom-line results. Marcos attributes much of his success to the talented and diverse teams he’s built along the way- teams united by shared goals of increasing company value, fostering harmonious collaboration, and creating a truly world-class employee experience. In his talk, “How HR and Finance Partner for Success,” Marcos explores the powerful intersection between two functions that are often siloed but deeply interconnected. He’ll share insights on how HR and Finance can work together more intentionally to support people, performance, and long-term organizational success. Join us in welcoming Marcos to the stage! #DisruptHR #Milwaukee #HR #Innovation #Networking #FutureOfWork #DisruptHRMKE #Speakers

⚡️Speaker Spotlight⚡️ Kylene Zenk, MBA, SHRM-CP— Mission Possible: Making Frontline Flexibility a Reality We’re excited to continue on with our speaker spotlight series by highlighting Kylene Zenk, Senior Principal on the Human Insights Team at UKG and a global leader in AI‑powered HR, pay, and workforce management solutions. Kylene, SHRM‑CP, MBA, spends her time analyzing the trends reshaping today’s workforce and translating them into practical, actionable insights for organizations striving to build resilient, people‑centered workplaces. With deep expertise in the unique challenges and opportunities facing frontline employees, she helps leaders design employee experiences that truly support and connect their teams, whether they work behind a desk or on the front lines. In her role at UKG, Kylene frequently speaks on how differentiated employee experiences and authentic commitments to being a great workplace fuel stronger business outcomes. Her work emphasizes the reality that culture and operational performance are deeply intertwined. In her talk, “Mission Possible: Making Frontline Flexibility a Reality,” Kylene explores how organizations can rethink structural norms to provide flexibility and autonomy to frontline workers- groups often left out of traditional workplace flexibility conversations. She’ll share insights on balancing business needs with human needs and what it takes to make flexibility accessible, sustainable, and real. Kylene brings clarity, data-driven insight, and a people-first perspective that will challenge leaders to think differently about what modern workforce support truly looks like. Welcome, Kylene! #DisruptHR #Milwaukee #HR #Innovation #Networking #FutureOfWork #DisruptHRMKE #Speakers

⚡️Speaker Spotlight⚡️ Dee Brown— Can We Stop Saying Feedback Is a Gift We’re excited to feature our next speaker spotlight by welcoming Dee Brown, Chief Human Resources Officer at West Bend Insurance Company, where she leads talent strategy and shapes an exceptional associate experience. With more than 20 years of HR leadership across organizations including Allstate, Kemper, and Covenant Living Communities & Services, Dee brings both depth and heart to her role on the executive team. SHRM‑SCP certified, Dee is known for leading with purpose, passion, and a belief in making every moment count- values that influence how she develops people, builds culture, and supports leaders at every level. In her talk, “Can We Stop Saying Feedback Is a Gift,” Dee invites us to rethink one of HR’s most commonly used phrases. While the intention behind the expression is positive, it can oversimplify the layered emotions and responsibilities tied to giving, and receiving, meaningful feedback. Dee challenges us to approach feedback not as a neatly wrapped present, but as a skill, a conversation, and a shared commitment to growth. Her perspective offers a refreshing and much-needed shift in how we build trust, accountability, and stronger teams. Dee’s insight is honest, practical, and guaranteed to spark a new way of thinking about feedback in the workplace. Welcome, Dee! #DisruptHR #Milwaukee #HR #Innovation #Networking #FutureOfWork #DisruptHRMKE #Speakers

⚡️The countdown is on⚡️ Join us on Wednesday, April 29th at The Gage as DisruptHR Milwaukee returns for another evening of rapid-fire talks, meaningful conversations, and a community that’s passionate about shaping the future of work. If you’re ready for fast-paced ideas, fresh perspectives, and conversations that push the boundaries of how we approach people and work, this is your night. We have twelve bold speakers ready to take the stage and share their insights. Follow along as we continue to spotlight those individuals- you won't want to miss what they'll preparing to share! Vendor and HR Practitioner tickets are limited and moving quickly- secure your spot today and join us! Tickets can be purchased here: https://lnkd.in/gsP_xT4P #DisruptHR #Milwaukee #HR #Innovation #Networking #FutureOfWork #DisruptHRMKE #Speakers

⚡️Speaker Spotlight⚡️ Maria Nicholas-Groves— Networking as a Leadership Superpower We’re thrilled to feature Maria Groves, Founder and CEO of Talent Growth Partners, in our speaker spotlight series. Maria partners with executive teams to strengthen talent strategy, align people systems with business goals, and drive meaningful organizational impact. With more than 20 years of experience across talent, recruiting, and leadership advisory, spanning both corporate and consulting environments, Maria has a deep understanding of what leaders need to navigate growth, complexity, and change. Her career includes early work supporting financial services teams at Northwestern Mutual, giving her a practical foundation that informs her leadership perspective today. Maria has also traveled and worked in over 70 countries across business and nonprofit leadership, giving her a rare global lens on trust, connection, and influence. She now advises leaders across manufacturing, private equity, and professional services, helping build aligned, resilient, high-performing teams. In her talk, “Networking as a Leadership Superpower,” Maria explores how authentic connection fuels relevance, influence, and effectiveness, especially in a world where relationship-driven leadership matters more than ever. Maria’s insight-rich, practical approach makes her a standout voice on what modern leadership truly requires. You won't want to miss this one! #DisruptHR #Milwaukee #HR #Innovation #Networking #FutureOfWork #DisruptHRMKE #Speakers

⚡️Speaker Spotlight⚡️ Kelly Renz— Shred the Training Script Meet Kelly Renz, CEO of inVantage, and a leader who has built her career by rewriting the rules not following them. Kelly has never been one to accept conventional business practices at face value. Her instinct to challenge the status quo, coupled with a relentless drive for better results, is what fuels the business coaching approach she’s crafted at inVantage. Over the years, Kelly has earned a reputation for her uncanny ability to “see around corners,” as one former CEO described it. She believes that running a high‑performing business requires both art and science, and she is deeply committed to building accountability systems that actually move organizations toward real, measurable outcomes. In her talk, “Shred the Training Script,” Kelly explores why so many traditional training programs fall flat and what leaders can do instead. She’ll dive into how organizations can create learning experiences that are practical, actionable, and aligned with the realities of today’s workplaces. Get ready as Kelly is bringing a sharp, refreshing take to the DisruptHR Milwaukee stage that you won’t want to miss! #DisruptHR #Milwaukee #HR #Innovation #Networking #FutureOfWork #DisruptHRMKE #Speakers