Young Professionals Conference
2019 Young Professionals Conference
Friday, Aug. 16, 2019
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Conference Center
Kent State University at Stark
Back by popular demand and created by an advisory board of young professionals just like you! We are pleased to announce the 2019 Young Professionals Conference to be held Friday, Aug. 16, 2019. An ideal opportunity to network with “next-generation” leaders, learn critical workplace skills and discover new strategies for guiding your success in life and career.
This year’s conference theme, Being a 2.0 Person in a 1.0 World, focuses on the unique challenges and skills today’s young professional bring to the workplace and need for the workplace. Conference presenters are professionals from multiple disciplines and various generations. All of them are experts in their field with real-world experience.
Cost: $245
Register: Call Mona Zink at 330-244-3508 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Conference Agenda
8:30 - 9 a.m. | Registration / Breakfast / Networking
9 - 9:15 a.m. | Kick-Off
Faith Sheaffer-Polen
Director, Corporate University
9:15 - 10:30 a.m. | Keynote
2.0 in a 1.0 World
Sarah Andreas, Ph.D.
WiseWood, LLC
More and more young professionals today have been raised in a 2.0 environment with instant access, fast connections, relationship building with people who never meet face-to-face, and quick adaptation to changes in technologies and ways of doing things. However, many workplace environments still operate in a 1.0 world where ideas and people move slowly, face-to-face conversations are a must, and being able to connect and build professional relationships is essential. To be successful, young professionals must create their own career path and skill building plans. In this interactive keynote, Dr. Sarah Andreas challenges young professionals to stretch themselves and learn skills that don’t come naturally, to create their own personal growth plan, and most importantly, to learn how to adapt to a 1.0 World without losing the fantastic advantages that come with being a 2.0.
10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Break
10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Morning Sessions (choose one)
Session I: Difficult Conversations in the Workplace
Lisa Stouffer, M.B.A.
Cephala Recruiting and Consulting, LLC
Are you confident asking for a raise? Is it hard to accept constructive feedback when you have put your heart and soul into a project? Are you comfortable telling people “no”? These conversations can challenge even seasoned professionals. This highly interactive session will add critical tools to your communication toolbox and help you stand out from the crowd. Participants will:
- Identify and confront the factors that cause stress during these difficult conversations
- Discover techniques to maintain composure while communicating key messages
- Gain tools to add structure and build confidence
Session II: Your Networking Net
Kelly Piero, M.A.
Kent State University at Stark
Ask any fisherman and you will learn the further you cast the net, the more fish you catch. Successful professional networking is the same! The day of having a rolodex full of business cards is over. The goal today is to navigate familiar and new waters, using the strongest net possible, to bring in the best networking catches that align with your goals. In this session, we will learn the key aspects for creating a strong net including community engagement participation, online presence and professional development endeavors. We will also identify opportunities that exist for our individual “nets” to pull in a catch of productive contacts and connections to move each of us closer to our individual goals.
12 - 1 p.m. | Lunch
1 - 2:15 p.m. | Keynote
Panel Presentation and Discussion on Generations / Mentoring / Career Lattice
Moderator: Aly Brine, M.A.
Marathon Petroleum
We're all curious about them… We've all generalized and blamed them for their faults… But at the end of the day, how different are the generations in the workplace? Are the stereotypes even real? In this interactive panel, our diverse group of panelists will represent their generation and provide insights regarding mentorship in the workplace, what they look for in a job, as well as the age old concept of climbing the corporate ladder. Panelists include:
- Matthew Kinlow, West Medical, Inc.
- Molly McDougal, The Karcher Group
- Betty Smith, EN-RICH-MENT
- Jeff Solosky, M.A., Diebold Nixdorf Software
2:15 - 2:30 p.m. | Break
2:30 - 3:45 p.m. | Afternoon Sessions (choose one)
Session I: Self-Care for Young Professionals
Jeannie Cool, M.S. Ed., LPCC-S, CDCA, OCPSA
Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (Stark MHAR)
Self-care has become a hot topic with individuals and organizations. Although there is an interest in wellness, little is known about the relationship between self-care and physical, emotional, and spiritual health, and how people can develop an individualized plan for self-care. This workshop will help you identify what self-care is, the importance of developing self-care habits early, barriers to self-care, and how you can develop your own plan for home and work.
Session II: Managing Up and Across
Darlene Thompson, Ph.D.
KeyBank
Navigating political and interpersonal complexities of an organization to find your voice and establish your brand is particularly challenging when you are new to a company or a role. Different perspectives and fresh ideas may be what the company and team needs to achieve desirable business results. However, sharing ideas and putting them into action is not always a straightforward process - especially when you lack formal authority. In today’s increasingly flat organizations, this means rallying and getting buy-in from team members, peers in other departments, your boss, and even your boss’ boss! In this interactive session, we will discuss foundational factors to consider when managing up with the objective to champion new ideas, create win-win situations, and drive individual and group results. This session will increase participants’ ability to manage up and across, all the while keeping an eye out for avoiding potential pitfalls.
3:45 - 4 p.m. | Adjourn and Pick-up Certificates
Presenter Bios
Sarah Andreas, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and coach. As founder of WiseWood LLC, Sarah believes her purpose in life is to teach, research, coach and write about leadership development with a specific focus on helping leaders develop leaders. A lifelong learner, Sarah is a Kent State University certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Project Management professional, a DISC® facilitator and a certified Corporate Coach. She uses these skills to help individuals identify their current and future states and develop a strategy plan to move forward on their leadership development journey. Sarah’s first book, Career Advancement Strategies for Emerging Leaders, written to help young professionals discover simple things that may be obstacles in their career, was released in 2016. She has worked in the motorcycle industry for more than 12 years. She also served as special programs facilitator for Leadership Tuscarawas. Sarah earned a doctor of philosophy from Johnson University and a master’s degree in business administration from Malone University.
Aly Brine is a human resources consultant at Marathon Petroleum Company’s Ohio Refining Division. Her prior career included working as a program assistant for The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences Career Services and as an engineering recruiter for a firm in Cleveland. Aly enjoys assisting young professionals in building their leadership skills and encouraging them to find their dream careers. She earned a master’s degree in human resources management and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The Ohio State University.
Jeannie Cool, M.S. Ed., LPCC-S, CDCA, OCPSA is the manager of programs and evaluation at Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR). In her current role, she provides supervision to a team, as well as provides oversight and community planning to Stark County publically-funded behavioral health programs and initiatives. Jeannie has experience working with the criminal justice population, as well as youth and families. She serves as the lead for the county’s behavioral health workforce initiative, with a special interest in staff retention. Jeannie is licensed as a professional clinical counselor with supervision designation through the state of Ohio. She earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from The University of Akron.
Matthew Kinlow is a medical assistant for West Medical, Inc., a private family medical practice. In addition to working full-time, he is developing a non-profit organization “Community CURE” to help guide and mentor the next generation of leaders in healthcare. Michael’s goal is to attain both a medical degree and juris doctorate degree so he can practice medicine while also working toward equity in healthcare at the level of health law and policy. While attending Ohio University, he served as a leader in many capacities and helped under-represented minority students achieve their goals. Matthew was recognized by Ohio University with multiple leadership awards. He is especially proud to have raised more than $55,000.00 in scholarship money for fellow students. Matthew earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences with minors in chemistry and African American studies, as well as a certificate in 21st century leadership from Ohio University. He attended early college high school where he was dually enrolled with Stark State College and earned two associate degrees.
Molly McDougal is a content strategist for The Karcher Group, a local marketing agency. She is passionate about helping Stark County businesses shape their stories through branding and digital media. Molly serves as the chair of the Young Leaders Society for the United Way of Greater Stark County focusing on education and community initiatives. She enjoys spending time at home and in downtown Canton looking for her next podcast obsession. Molly earned a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication from Ohio University.
Kelly Piero is the special events coordinator for Kent State University at Stark. She is responsible for coordinating high profile events, including but not limited to the esteemed, “Featured Speakers Series” and community events “Boo U” and “Earth Day Celebration.” Kelly’s work brings her in contact with celebrities, professional athletes, global and local leaders. She manages both informal and elaborate events ranging in participant size from a dozen to thousands. Kelly began her career as promotions coordinator for Clear Channel Radio before joining Shannon English Marketing as director of event marketing. She is an active community steward and has served as committee co-chair for ystark!, completed the Leadership Stark County Spotlight Program, and volunteers for numerous special events and projects. Kelly earned a master’s degree in public relations from Kent State University.
Betty Smith is the host of “On Track with Betty Mac,” Channel 15. She is also co-founder and executive director of EN-RICH-MENT, a not for profit program that provides free lessons and education in art, dance, music, theatre, graphic design, and television production to underserved urban youth, ages 5 – 18. Betty also founded Multi-Development Services of Stark County (MDS) to provide programs for women with children, homeless shelters, transitional housing, parenting classes, a food pantry, and a neighborhood revitalization program. Prior to coming to Canton, she worked for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago where she created programs for youth and families. Betty has been involved in the creation of community events “Canton Idol,” “Gospel Joins Symphony,” and the “Downtown Nu-Zone Festival.” She has been recognized by numerous organizations for her work and community involvement. Betty is the author of three books, “Unexpected Blessings in the Midst of my Pain,” “Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, Man with a Vision,” and “Meet Miss Betty.” Betty earned a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University and has participated in special studies at Mundelein, DePaul, and Notre Dame Universities.
Jeff Solosky is a senior business analyst for Diebold Nixdorf Software. He began his career there in Internal Customer Support with contracts and has held several project management positions. Prior to this, Jeff worked for Swagelock and in sales and service for Cleveland’s steel industry. He currently sits on the boards of Pegasus Farms and Malone University, was past president of the local Toastmasters group, and is a Leadership Stark County graduate. Jeff earned a master’s degree in international relations/political science from The University of Akron and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Malone University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in European history from The Ohio State University.
Lisa Stouffer is a professional facilitator, coach and consultant who is passionate about developing employees. With a proven track record in adult learning, Lisa educates, energizes and empowers participants through critical skill transfer and participative learning experiences. With over 25 years of experience, a deep understanding of learning styles and evolving trends in generational approaches to facilitation, Lisa creates an environment for “aha” moments, long-term knowledge transfer and change. Lisa owns a human resource consulting practice and teaches at Walsh University DeVille School of Business. Prior experience includes HR leadership roles at Sterling Jewelers, Host Marriott, Telxon and the Higbee Company. Lisa holds a certificate in organizational development from Kent State University. She is also a certified independent trainer for Color Code Interpersonal Skills. Lisa earned a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources from Ashland University, a bachelor’s degree in industrial management with double majors in human resources and marketing from The University of Akron.
Darlene J. Thompson, Ph.D., is an industrial and organizational psychologist with a mission to enable others to become their best selves at work, home, and everywhere in between. As a senior talent manager (SVP) at Key Bank, she consults and collaborates with business leaders across the enterprise to identify, assess, and develop critical talent who will be the leaders of tomorrow. Throughout her career, Darlene has partnered with individuals at every level of the organization, from line managers to the C-suite. She considers three basic questions with every interaction: what can I learn, how can I assist, and how do I strengthen this relationship? These simple questions have driven her achievements throughout her more than 10 years of diverse professional experience. Darlene earned a doctorate degree in industrial and organizational psychology from The University of Akron.
