Public Employers Conference

Conference Sessions

Is Working from Home Compatible with High Touch: Making it Work for Employees and Citizens

Created by: Laurie Enke & Diana Sadighi

Presented by : Laurie Enke, Human Resource Consultant

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested organizations to provide services in new ways with employees working from home to provide those services. The public sector is no different. City council meetings have gone virtual and libraries are offering curbside services. Are these changes here to stay? This session will discuss the future of remote work while meeting the taxpayers’ needs.

Creator and Presenter Bios

Laurie Enke

Laurie Enke earned her Bachelor’s degree in Industrial & Labor Relations from Cornell University and her MBA from Texas A&M. Laurie joined Employers Council in 2019 with over 25 years of HR generalist experience. She advises and trains members on a variety of HR matters, includ¬ing performance management, talent acquisition & retention, and total rewards. Laurie is certified through the HR Certification Institute as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) through the Society of Human Resources Management. Laurie volunteers with Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassadors Network and the River Church’s Manna Café, and recently served on the Longmont Humane Society Board of Directors.

Diana Sadighi

Diana Sadighi is a Consultant in the Human Resource Services group at Employers Council, where she trains and consults with member organizations on HR operations, metrics, and workforce planning. She has more than thirty years of HR leadership experience in manufacturing, renewable energy, and consulting. Diana earned a Bachelor’s degree in Personnel and Industrial Relations from Northern Illinois University, and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) through the Society of Human Resources Management. She has been a local, state, and regional volunteer with SHRM and currently volunteers with Community Shares of Colorado.

Dealing with Angry Citizens: The Toll on Employees and How to Help

Created by: Amber Cruz and Alyssa Leonas

Presented by: Amber Cruz, Human Resource Consultant 

Over the past year, public employers have seen an increase in difficult situations involving angry citizens. Over time, these interactions take a toll on employees’ emotional and physical wellbeing, which in turn impacts their contribution to the organization. In this session we will explore the rise of these difficult situations, the impact on employees, and provide strategies for de-escalation and how to move forward.

Creator and Presenter Bios

Amber Cruz

Amber Cruz has been a HR Consultant in the Human Resource Services Department at Employers Council since 2007. She currently works and consults with member organizations in many facets of Human Resources including benefits administration, compensation administration, staffing, retaining and engaging employees, performance management, and workplace violence. She is also a frequent trainer and presenter in the areas of employee benefits, compensation administration, retaining and engaging employees, and addressing workplace violence.

Prior to joining Employers Council, she worked in human resources in the for profit and not-for-profit sectors. Amber possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Northern Colorado, is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), a SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), and a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS).

Alyssa Leonas

Alyssa Leonas has been with Employers Council since 2011. In her role as an Organizational Development Consultant, she works with a variety of employers as a coach, mediator, consultant and facilitator in areas such as leadership, communication, building trust, conflict resolution, diversity and generations working together. In her former role as a Human Resources Consultant, she co-designed and led Employers Council’s HR Business Partner Program, a career development program for HR professionals. Prior to her work at the council, Alyssa was an HR Business Partner and HR Manager in both the retail and bio-tech sectors. She has also lived and worked in Japan and speaks Japanese. She is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

The Role of Unions in Public Employment: What Could be Coming Your Way?

Created and presented by: Curtis Graves, Esq., SPHR

The heyday of unions in the private sector is but a distant memory. In the middle of the last century, more than 30 percent of private-sector workers belonged to unions, while today, that number has dwindled to less than 7 percent. In 2009, U.S. membership of public-sector unions surpassed membership of private-sector unions for the first time ever.

The new Administration is signaling a warmer posture toward labor than we saw during the previous Administration. What does this mean for your organization?

Presenter Bio

Curtis Graves

Curtis Graves is an employment law attorney for Employers Council, headquartered in Denver. Employers Council is a non-profit membership organization of more than 3,000 employers in 11 states throughout the Rocky Mountain region and beyond. Employers Council provides advice, counsel, information, representation, training, and education in all aspects of the employment relationship.
Curtis specializes in legal issues surrounding drug use by employees, unemployment compensation, and corporate training. He regularly trains human resources professionals, managers, supervisors, and employees in legal issues involved with drugs, harassment, unemployment compensation, performance documentation, and civil rights. In addition to local media, Curtis has appeared on CNN, National Public Radio, and Al Jazeera to discuss employment law and how it relates to recreational marijuana in Colorado.

Talking to Employees About Sensitive COVID Concerns Safely, Inclusively, and with Compassion

Created and Presented by: Megara Kastner, ODL Consultant, Integrated Human Capital Services

It has been a year since our lives drastically changed. With so many employees working virtually, work and home are more entwined than ever before. COVID has brought out heightened emotions that employers feel under-equipped to manage. People are longing for connection and making those connections can be very challenging. The “hallway” moments we once had are few and far between, and opinions differ about what is acceptable when it comes to in-person gatherings.

This session provides suggestions about how you can help lead and encourage sensitive conversations and build connections – safely, inclusively, with compassion.

Presenter Bio

Megara Kastner

Megara Kastner, as an Employers Council Consultant, has over 30 years’ experience in leadership-related fields. She has worked in local governments, federal government, nonprofit organizations, medical settings, higher education, and business at various levels from executive director to front line worker. Megara, in all the above-mentioned fields, has also consulted, coached, trained, and acted as mediator in high conflict situations.

Megara holds a Ph.D. in education and human services from Colorado State University. She is a certified executive coach and mediator. Specializing in working with groups, Megara assists them in developing open communication and strategies for successful business. Combining her facilitation, mediation, training, and coaching skills, Megara strives to create an atmosphere of group and colleague collaboration. At Employers Council, Megara trains, mediates, develops and facilitates custom programs for members, and coaches people in their professional development.