2026 HR Conference

Times are listed in Central Time

8:00 - 8:30 a.m.

Registration, Continental Breakfast, and Networking

8:30 - 9:45 a.m.
Session 1: Opening Keynote

High Achiever Land

Welcome to High Achiever Land—a place where caring leaders and teammates burn out by giving too much for too long. Each generation defines “success” differently and faces unique stressors, making leadership a delicate balancing act.

Through stories, humor, and research-based strategies, Lindsay will help you manage your energy, set boundaries, and support a multigenerational team. You’ll also discover why intentional celebration is essential to pacing yourself and fostering happiness across all generations.

Presenter:

Lindsay Boccardo

9:45 - 10:00 a.m.

Break

10:00 - 10:45 a.m.
Session 2A: Breakout

Collaboration: The 5 C’s of a Check-In

Teams do not just need more meetings. They need meaningful check-ins. The 5 C’s framework helps teams quickly and consistently create clarity, connection, and alignment. Participants will learn the five elements of a strong check-in, how to structure conversations that build trust, and daily practices that improve collaboration.

Presenter:

Lindsay Boccardo

Session 2B: Breakout

The Corporate Shock Absorbers: The Evolving Role of Middle Managers

Today’s middle managers are being asked to do more than ever — manage conflict, support inclusion, communicate up and down the organization, personalize the employee experience, and keep teams engaged through constant change.

In this session, Jim Morgan explores why middle managers have become the “shock absorbers” of modern organizations — determining whether workplaces experience smooth transitions or ongoing turbulence. Drawing on decades of experience in workforce strategy, this session examines demographic shifts, workplace changes, and the growing pressure on managers caught in the middle. Leaders will gain clarity on what’s changed, why it matters, and how to better prepare middle managers for success.

Presenter:

Jim Morgan

VP Workforce Strategies, MRA

10:45 - 11:00 a.m.

Break

11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
Session 3A: Breakout

Activating Your Agents: Better Humans, Better AI

Step into a conversation that feels less like a technology briefing and more like a candid leadership discussion. In this session, Sarah Alt reframes the AI conversation for HR leaders by starting where it actually belongs: with people.

AI is already embedded in recruiting, performance management, employee communications, and everyday work. The real question isn’t whether your organization is ahead or behind. It’s how we activate the human agents in our organizations to work alongside AI responsibly, productively, and with sound judgment.

Join this session to learn what’s already here, where organizations are seeing real value, and where things tend to go sideways with both our humans and the technology. You'll learn about AI strategy with guardrails, governance, and accountability. And we’ll ground it all in practical examples that apply whether you’re part of a small HR team or a large, complex enterprise. A clear-eyed look at how better humans lead to better AI, and why HR is uniquely positioned to make that happen.

Presenter:

Sarah Alt

Session 3B: Breakout

From Search to Success: Elevating Talent Discovery at Your Organization

Bring energy and intention back into your organization's hiring process. This workshop introduces people-first process improvements that reshape every step of the hiring journey, from defining roles with clarity to delivering a consistent, memorable candidate experience rooted in values. Participants will learn how to build a disciplined, repeatable hiring framework that strengthens alignment, minimizes hiring mistakes, and increases confidence in selecting the right person for the role every time. Walk away with actionable tools and a refreshed mindset that helps your organization move beyond simply filling open positions to intentionally building teams that thrive.

Presenter:

AJ Kruse

Humanworks8

Presenter:

Rebecca Swanson

Humanworks8

11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00 - 1:45 p.m.
Session 4A: Breakout

Between Us: The Trust You Hold, The Responsibility You Carry

Leaders hear “this stays between us” all the time — and how they handle that moment can either strengthen trust or quietly break it. This session gives leaders a clear, practical framework for knowing what to keep in confidence and what to move forward with to protect people, culture, and the business. Using real-life workplace scenarios, attendees learn how to replace vague promises with transparent, trust-building language that prevents oversharing, avoidance, and credibility loss. The result is leaders who act with clarity and integrity — and teams who speak up sooner because they know their trust will be handled with care.

Presenter:

Robin Esch

Sterling Law

Session 4B: Breakout

The CHRO Playbook: From Traditional HR to Business Driver

Grab a behind-the-scenes look at how CHROs think when HR stops being a “support function” and becomes a trusted business leader. Panelists share what they’ve built to make HR more responsive, more credible, and more connected to business outcomes. You’ll hear practical examples of how they strengthened the fundamentals while creating room for reinvention, so HR can lead important change, not just support it.

1:45 - 2:00 p.m.

Break

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Session 5: Closing Keynote

Disruption by Design: Unleashing HR's Power to Transform Business

Most “best practice” HR processes were built for a world that valued the appearance of stability over adaptability and outcomes. Performance reviews reinforce past behavior. Succession planning preserves hierarchy. Job descriptions lock structure in place. Engagement surveys measure satisfaction when they should measure effectiveness.

The organizations that will thrive in the future need something different, and HR is uniquely positioned to deliver it. Not through new programs or major change initiatives, but by reorienting the processes it already controls.

In this closing keynote, Kristin challenges HR professionals to shift their mental model: from protector of the organization to architect of what the organization becomes. Through practical examination of core HR processes, you'll gain concrete strategies to modernize your function from the inside out, reducing organizational resistance and building executive confidence along the way.

HR doesn't need new systems or sweeping change initiatives to drive organizational evolution. It needs to use the tools it already owns and use them boldly.

Presenter:

Kristin Strunk

Regent Leadership Group

HRCI and SHRM credits applied for.

MRA has secured a discounted room block at the Hilton Garden Inn, conveniently connected to the Brookfield Conference Center.

Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Brookfield Conference Center

Location: 265 South Moorland Road, Brookfield, WI 53005

Reservations: MRA - HR Conference Group Block

Dates: June 1-2, 2026

Rate: $149++

Block Closes: May 3, 2026

Check in: 3:00 p.m.
Check out: 11:00 a.m.

Hotel Cancellation: Reservations must be canceled 48 hours before arrival to avoid cancellation fees.

Sponsoring MRA events is a tremendous opportunity to bring your message of business value to our growing membership of organizations HR professionals and business leaders. Our members represent all industries including manufacturing, service, distribution, finance, and health care! 80% of event attendees are new at each event offering you the opportunity to network with new contacts. We are very excited about the event this year and hope you can join us! 

For more information on sponsorship, call Laura Kielbasa at 262.696.3346 or [email protected].

Virtual Event Guidelines:

MRA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all event participants and MRA staff.

To ensure a comfortable learning environment for all event attendees, discussions should be focused on the meeting topic at hand. Expected behavior is outlined below:

• Exercise consideration and respect in your speech and actions.
• Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech.
• Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants.
• Alert the online MRA moderator if you notice violations of these guidelines or have concerns about fellow participants. 

Participants violating these Guidelines will be asked to stop any inappropriate behavior and are expected to comply immediately. If the issue continues, MRA reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including, but not limited to, removal of the participant from the public chat, from the event, and/or banning from all future events.

Conference registration cancellations with full refunds are accepted 3 business days prior to the event date, prior to the distribution of conference materials. Once conference materials have been shared, no refunds will be issued.

If you are unable to attend, you can transfer your registration to someone else at no cost. Please contact [email protected] with the name change. All recordings and resources will be provided to registered attendees post-event for on-demand viewing.