YP Summit Breakouts •
Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 14, 2020 •
Getting to know the 2020 YP Summit breakout speakers “Self-Love is the Only Way! A Creative Exploration of Self-Care Tools”
Felicia Webster Teaching artist, WithloveFeliciaProductions To call Felicia Webster “multi-talented” or “multi-faceted” might well be the definition of understatement. “I show up in the world as a mama, poet, educator, teaching activist, healer, creative and self-love artist,” she said. Webster, who is artistically known as “Withlove, Felicia,” believes in using the arts to “educatain.” So, she’s often been called a “teaching artist.” The arts can also be a vehicle to promote social change,
“YPs and Policy Advocacy: Why, What and How”
In this exclusive focus, we take a closer look at the breakout speakers at the 15th annual YP Summit. The event, taking place March 6 at CHI Health Center, draws in more than 1,500 young professionals each year. Read on to learn a little bit more about each of these breakout sessions.
Alex Bauer Research and evaluation associate, The Sherwood Foundation; board member, New Leaders Council Jodi Benenson Assistant Professor, School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska Omaha; board member, New Leaders Council As a research and evaluation associate at a local family foundation, Alex Bauer is passionate about providing equitable, culturally responsive evidence to inform decision-making for both the foundation and nonprofits throughout Omaha and Greater Nebraska. “Although I fully embrace the nerdiness that comes with a research and evaluation title, I also embrace being a partner in systems’ change work, and in providing tools to cultivate a culture of learning throughout my community,” she said. Fellow YP and Advocacy Panel Moderator, Jodi Benenson, held many professional roles before teaching courses in public policy and nonprofit management and researching the likes of social equity
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express love, empower, create connections, invite healing and build authentic relationships. “I was motivated to do this work by spirit,” she said. “I was born to do this work.” When asked about her accomplishments, Webster said she’s most proud of “being able to walk in my purpose every day and love what I do in an extraordinary way.” “Self-love” is at the heart of Webster’s session, and it’s her central topic of interest. “Oftentimes, we don’t take time out to authentically love and care for ourselves, like we do for other people — families, lovers, friends, supervisors and so on,” she said. “But a car can’t run without gas, and nor can we.” So, this idea of “self-love” is also a manifestation of “self-care.” Webster’s session is designed for one to experience creative ways and helpful techniques to add self-care to work and home life, allowing for opportunities to recharge, reboot and reignite. “What I intend YPs to take away from this workshop session, is when we immerse in the intentional practice of loving ourselves, we can truly find happiness in living in the now with ourselves and others,” she said.
and civic engagement for UNO’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) and PhD programs, including: camp counselor, barista, film festival coordinator and hospital clinical records administrator. “In each of these roles, I have had the opportunity to pursue my greatest passion — organizing,” she said. “I have spent time organizing people, programs, data, and coffee beans, and could not be more grateful to live this passion as an educator and scholar at UNO. I try to ‘practice what I preach’ in my research and teaching by immersing myself in the campus and community.” The YP panel discussion featuring Civic Nebraska’s Brad Christian Sallis, Greater Omaha Chamber’s Jennifer Creager and Julia Tse of Voices for Children in Nebraska, is “all about advocacy,” according to Bauer. “This session will cover why policy advocacy is important for young professionals in Omaha, what opportunities are available for advocacy in Nebraska, how to effectively engage with policymakers in Nebraska, and what you can do right now to create change in your communities,” she said. Advocacy is important for all YPs, Benenson said, so they’re able to express their views and concerns, access information and services, and defend and promote their rights and responsibilities. “We look forward to the unique opportunity to engage young professionals in a conversation about how to engage in policy advocacy in Nebraska during an election and census year,” she said. Bauer’s dream is for YPs to have a greater sense of self-efficacy, and to impact communitywide decision-making. “I hope that YPs walk away from this session with tools that they can use to advocate for themselves and their communities,” she said.
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• FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal • YP Summit Breakouts
“Doing More While Working Less and Feeling More Fulfilled”
“Three Expensive Mindsets (and how to reframe them)”
An immigrant from Bosnia, Haris Reis recalls how his parents were always working multiple jobs to provide for him and his sister. So, he rarely saw them. “I needed to find a way to make money while being able to be with my family, and enough money where my parents didn’t have to work nonstop,” Reis said. Online startups were the answer. But the businesses “kept failing.” “I needed to get around people who were already ‘crushing it,’” Reis recalled. “That is exactly what I did.” While at an event in San Diego, Ryan Diess of DigitalMarketer.com captured Reis’ attention. “He fascinated me with digital marketing … the psychology, getting someone to purchase, building massive automation and email campaigns,” Reis said. “He was the first person who didn’t say, ‘Go sit on a beach and just watch your bank account increase when you learn this one trick!’” Reis once worked 18- to 20-hour days. He neglected his friends, family, and health — thinking, “If I work more, I would make more.’” Reis eventually tipped the scales at almost 300 pounds. “I’ve learned that this is no way to live,” he said. “Balance is super-important.” Reis later shed 75 pounds in under 12 weeks. “I will share my story, briefly, and give tactical steps to live a balanced life, regardless of if you are an employee or entrepreneur,” he said. These are actionable tools; a five-step formula. “I hope anybody that comes to my session understands how important it is to not just focus on working,” Reis said. “By working less, but more focused, you’ll actually be more productive.” Developed over three years, Reis’ simple-to-implement tips and tricks ease anxiety and depression, promote workplace productivity, and allow one to live more. “This is truer now more than ever, with Kobe Bryant’s passing,” Reis said. “He influenced my life greatly and makes us realize that life can be gone instantly. If we just work nonstop, climbing the ladder, trying to get the promotion, creating amazing products or building something, life will be gone in a blink of an eye.”
After spending 15 years in a corporate position, Kelli Thompson decided to take the leap to start her own business in March 2019 — a decision that she says has become one of her greatest milestones to date. Now, she serves as a leadership coach, in which she works one-on-one with corporate leaders, helping them to rise to their most confident and creative self at work. “I coach them to lead in ways that feel authentic so that they can receive the results they want,” Thompson said. “I also help people pursue career changes that align with their true self.” As founder of Rise Confidently Leadership Masterclass, a series for corporate women leaders, she helps women advance and lead with clarity and courage. A passionate writer and speaker, she also hosts in-person leadership training events. Thompson said an intentional mindset is critical in order to establish a sense of balance and peace. “Essentially, this session will make people more curious about their own mindset,” she said. “This talk discusses how our thoughts can contribute to the type of results we want in our lives.” Ultimately, Thompson will hit on three expensive mindsets: scarcity thinking, not asking and stalling. The presentation will highlight simple coaching tools that can be used to reframe mindset in order to help companies and organizations advance. “In many instances we are held back by our own doubts, fears or insecurities,” she said. “Young professionals must realize that this can be more expensive than any other business expense, and innovation can be lost because of doubt. For this reason, it is extremely important to take a look at how our own beliefs and mindset can really influence our success.”
Haris Reis CEO, BIH Media
Kelli Thompson Leadership coach, writer and speaker
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In many instances we are held back by our own doubts, fears or insecurities. Young professionals must realize that this can be more expensive than any other business expense, and innovation can be lost because of doubt. For this reason, it is extremely important to take a look at how our own beliefs and mindset can really influence our success.
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— Kelli Thompson
“Building Positive Relationships with your Employees as a Manager” Chad Mares, Director of workforce services Leontyne Evans, Danielle Ward-Thompson, Navigators, Greater Omaha GrOW WorkLab (GrOW)/Greater Omaha Chamber
Human resources has always been a passion for Chad Mares, which is why he worked to spearhead the launch of the Greater Omaha WorkLab (GrOW), an employer benefit program that brings together businesses and community resources. “The program is intended to help employees with anything in their personal life that is affecting their ability to be physically or mentally present at work,” Mares said. Mares, who serves as director of work-
“The Age Wave’s Impact on Young Professionals”
Lakelyn Hogan Gerontologist and caregiver advocate, Home Instead Senior Care As a gerontologist and caregiver advocate at Home Instead Senior Care, Lakelyn Hogan uses her passion for gerontology to
force services, oversees a team of resource navigators. Danielle Ward-Thompson and Leontyne Evans, who both serve as navigators, meet with employees on-site to help them through issues by providing resources and constructing a plan that will allow them to be present at work. Ward-Thompson and Evans are published authors and are also both working toward master’s degrees. At the YP Summit, the GrOW team will present “Building Positive Relationships with your Employees as a Manager,” a session that is geared toward first-time managers, as well as young leaders who hope to move into a manager role in the future. “For this reason, we thought this topic was an excellent fit for the YP Summit,” Mares said. “A lot of our insight comes directly from personal experience in our careers. Everyday, we interact with employees and supervisors regarding very important issues.” During the breakout session, there will be an interactive role playing activity that will help to shed light on some of the hard conversations that take place between employees and managers. “This is a topic that needs to be focused on even more,” Mares said. “In a lot of instances, new managers receive training on the administrative aspects of the position, but don’t necessarily receive the appropriate advice on developing relationships with employees, which is equally, if not more, important.” educate professionals, family caregivers and communities on aging issues and available services. Additionally, Hogan’s work involves building national partnerships with other organizations. Locally in Omaha, Hogan serves as vice president for the Dreamweaver Foundation board, an organization that grants lifelong wishes for older adults. Next year, she will step into the role of board president. Nationally, she serves on the board for the National Alliance for Caregiving, a nonprofit that works to increase public awareness of family caregiving issues through research, policy analysis and national best-practice programs. Currently, Hogan is working on a Ph.D. in social gerontology and has embarked on the dissertation process with a goal to graduate in December 2020. Hogan intends to inspire young people to look at aging from a professional, as well as, personal perspective. She will discuss how the age wave will have a ripple effect on society, as there will be more Continued on next page.
Continued from preceding page. people over the age of 65 than under the age of five for the first time in history. Additionally, she will provide insight on how to be mindful of the aging population and how young people can help older individuals feel connected within the community. “Typically, this topic isn’t discussed in a younger setting, as younger people aren’t usually thinking about aging,” Hogan said. “It’s very progressive of the YP Summit to include this topic on the agenda and I hope it will help shed light on the fact that aging is a universal experience that shouldn’t be overlooked.”
“Be the Best Ally! How to support and stand up for the communities you love"” Erik Servellon Deputy director, Tri-Faith Initiative/president, Metro Young Latino Professionals Association
Erik Servellon, president of the Metro Young Latino Professionals Association (MYLPA), has worn many hats over the years that have allowed him to serve both his local community and country. Through MYLPA, Servellon helped raise $55,000 for Dreamers to attend college. Currently, Servellon also serves as the deputy director for Tri-Faith Initiative, a nonprofit comprised of three faith groups that are focused on fostering relationships and promoting understanding of diverse faiths. In his role, he works closely with donors and funders, while also establishing community outreach. Additionally, Servellon is currently a medic at the Nebraska Army National Guard. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2016 as part of a flight medic unit, where he assisted soldiers from both the U.S. and Afghanistan. In 2019, Servellon was named one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans by the JCI USA. Right now, he is also running for Omaha Public Schools board of education, in which he hopes to further advocate for the community. Servellon will present “Be the Best Ally!,” a panel session that will illuminate ways to be an ally for minority groups and underrepresented communities. “So many people aspire to be an ally, but they don't know where to start,” he said. “This is a great learning opportunity for the young professionals community in general.” The discussion will begin with basic information on being an ally, while also highlighting appropriate verbage to use as an ally. Resources will also be provided at the end of the panel discussion. “Our goal is to encourage others to be an ally,” Servellon said. “We want people to feel comfortable as they start out on this journey and also feel inspired to learn even more about being the best ally.”
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YP Summit Breakouts •
Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 14, 2020 •
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Our goal is to encourage others to be an ally. We want people to feel comfortable as they start out on this journey and also feel inspired to learn even more about being the best ally.
“Powering Performance Using The F-Word: Feedback”
Debra Manning Senior strategist learning & development, SOLVE A social psychologist with over 20 years of experience in business and strategic consulting, Manning began her career as an academic psychologist, teaching at the University of North Dakota. Her professional stops have included Gallup and Farm Credit Services of America and she has advised the likes of First National Bank, Alegent Health, Cabela’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Qwest Communications. She is currently an adjunct professor at Creighton University and senior strategist at SOLVE, a human capital consulting firm that helps organizations maximize the talent of their people. There, she leads SOLVE’s Learning and Development and Diversity and Inclusion practices. Whether an entry-level employee, mid-level manager or high-placed executive, everyone in business can benefit from giving and receiving effective feedback. And everyone, says Manning, can learn to be much better at it than they are right now. “A lot of research shows people want more feedback and a lot of times feel like they’re not getting what they need,” she said. “Managers are ill-equipped to provide the kind of feedback that people need and part of that goes to the fact that we all have a love-hate relationship with feedback. We know we need it but it has become what I call the broccoli of conversation.” Manning will address the finer points of giving and receiving feedback, with particular attention on the latter. She said receiving feedback is something often overlooked in training and HR exercises, especially the higher one gets on the corporate ladder. “Companies spend a lot of time and dollars trying to teach managers how to be good feedback givers,” she said. “But the fact is, there are two people in any feedback conversation and until we start talking about how to be good receivers of feedback, we’re going to have conversations that more likely than not go off the rails.”
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— Erik Servellon
“Bravership”
Nicole Bianchi Partner, Bravium Human Development With more than 20 years of business experience, Bianchi is an accomplished facilitator, speaker and master certified coach. She possesses a passion for enabling leaders to stretch into their bravest selves, the mission of Bravium Human Development, which she founded. Her goal: To help clients use bravery as a secret weapon to connect in even more powerful and profitable ways and live a great story. Prior to starting her practice, Bianchi was a human resources and organizational development executive with Conagra Brands and Markel Insurance. She’s also the forthcoming author of “What’s the Bravest Thing You Can Do Right Now.” Understanding what brave leadership looks like and identifying what gets in the way of personal and professional courage is the theme of Bianchi’s talk. “‘Bravership’ is about combining bravery plus leadership,” she said. “So often with leaders it’s all about building leadership skills, but what if we move the spotlight from not just building leadership skills, but becoming a braver version of ourselves? “In our work, we find the common missing element is bravery. We can have all the right skills but if we’re not going to be brave enough to do it, it’s not going to work.” Bianchi said it’s not just the major forks in the road or the crisis situations that demand brave action; her talk will show how to apply the trait consistently in the everyday as well. “I talk about ‘braveryisms’ which people think are the big iconic things, when in reality they’re not,” she said. “Bravery is simple, small movements. It’s the ability to present an idea in a meeting. It’s the ability to speak up in conversation, or to say when something isn’t right, or to ask for feedback and actually take the feedback or share an opposing view. These things add up.”
“Unleashing the Potential of a City Built for People” Scott Dobbe Executive director, Omaha by Design
An architect by training, Dobbe works daily to enable and inspire a more vibrant, livable Omaha for all residents and neighborhoods. A native of Kearney, Dobbe began his architectural career in Chicago with industry vanguards Perkins and Will and HOK. Returning to Nebraska in 2011, he joined DLR Group in Omaha where he became the firm’s youngest Regional Design Leader. Dobbe earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska College of Architecture and a Master of Architecture from Ohio State University. He is a graduate of Leadership Omaha Class 39 and chairman of the city of Omaha Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission. Dobbe’s talk will examine effective cities and how intentional planning and construction of cities can have an impact on how they function today and how they evolve effectively tomorrow. “I have always been fascinated by cities,” he said. “I grew up to be an architect and I spent the first dozen or so years of my career in that world, shaping buildings we all inhabit. But the real fascination for me is not the buildings per se, but everything in between; the ingredients that make a really healthy and vibrant city.” Having traveled extensively, Dobbe identifies key elements forward-thinking cities have in common. These elements, he said, are critical to fostering innovation, boosting quality of life and spurring organic economic development. “Some cities just have a certain ‘it’ factor that can be boiled down to their environment,” he said. “The way they’ve chosen to physically shape their environment, the choices they’ve made that aggregate over time, creates an environment in such a way that’s self-catalytic. “As we look to the cities of the future, it’s about opportunity and creativity and I think so much of that is grounded in the cross-pollination that happens in a city. That’s what makes cities very exciting places to be. That's what I love and that’s what I love about Omaha.”
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• FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal • YP Summit Breakouts
“Nonprofiting: Fuel Your Heart While Accelerating Your Career”
Change Makers panel session
Aakriti Agrawal Data governance analyst, Ameritas/ co-founder, Girls Code Lincoln
Nick Knihnisky Vice chair of the YP Summit; in-house counsel/legal affairs manager for Buildertrend
A graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Agrawal is a seasoned presenter in both classroom and conference settings, including last year as a featured TEDX presenter. A data governance analyst with Ameritas Life Insurance in Lincoln, Agrawal co-founded Girls Code Lincoln, a nonprofit launched last year. Through that organization, she teaches fourth through ninth graders how to program for free on the weekends. She also helps instill and foster certain qualities in participants, including encouraging young girls to go into STEM fields, particularly technology, teaching them how to be more confident and take more risks. Agrawal’s talk examines how involvement in nonprofits improves communication skills and fosters leadership within one’s work career. “Young professionals can develop skills through nonprofit work, skills they might not get to exhibit through corporations,” she said. “For example, we have two things we operate at Girls Code Lincoln. One of them is a weekly club where we have 50 students involved. And we have workshops each semester for 150 to 200 students. “At my corporation, I’m not in a leadership role per se. But through my nonprofit, I can show my company I have these leadership skills and I’m running this cool thing.” Agrawal will also be addressing the concept of creating balance in one’s work, personal and volunteer life, a critical piece of overall health and effectiveness. She said the message is particularly timely given the general attitudes of today’s workforce. “I really want people to see those two things don’t have to be separate and that there’s ways for you to be impactful in your community and to really help the people around you while also helping your career,” she said. “I want people to realize that skill-based volunteering is a great way to benefit both areas.”
For the Change Makers panel session, organizer and YP Summit Vice Chair Nick Knihnisky wanted to do something more handson than a quick speech in front of the audience. A moderator will feed questions to the panelists, who will tell the stories and the motivation behind their work, and then the audience will be allowed to ask questions. The change makers will be highlighted in video presentations throughout the day of the summit. “We want people to walk out of there knowing that not only are there incredible individuals in the community doing amazing things, but they also can pursue the causes they care about with the same passion and drive,” Knihnisky said. The 2020 Change Makers are: Darryl Brown, Jr., who is the founding and senior pastor of Kingdom Builders Christion Center of Omaha. Within the community, he provides sexual health education and has created programming to help the homeless. Candias Jones, who created a career coaching program at Mutual of Omaha to provide an outlet for employees to share negative experiences in their personal and professional lives. Jasmine Harris, who created “Black and Brown Legislative Day” for people of color to visit the Capitol, learn about the legislative process, and register to vote. Lynn Schneider, a current YP Council executive, who works with Emspace + Lovegren’s creative student outreach program Forge, a free program for college students to expose Omaha Talent and retain individuals in the city. “We’re unbelievably proud of the individuals we selected,” Knihnisky said. “I have no doubt that this will be a thought-provoking, inspiring session.”
“How We Add It Up”
Edem K. Garro Musician, Edem Soul Music Local musician Edem K. Garro’s session, “How We Add It Up,” will help attendees dive deep into mindfulness and the world of connection in life, according to the YP Summit website. “What if we could better understand our relationships? What if we could understand the keys to our passion and purpose? Understanding this fundamental part of ourselves can help us to answer some of these deep and meaningful questions,” the website states.
“You Are More Than Your Job Description” Brooke Ossenkop, Kimberly Van Horn Partners, Allocative.work
In the interactive workshop, “You Are More Than Your Job Description,” presenters Brooke Ossenkop and Kimberly Van Horn will help attendees understand what the next step in their career paths will look like. “Being entrepreneurs and going out on their own is not the path for everyone,” Ossenkop said. “Some people enjoy the corporate environment. [We help them] understand what’s unique and special about themselves and learn from people who are doing similar things to what they want to do in the future.” Ossenkop and Van Horn are partners in Allocative.work, which helps its clients focus on ideas and opportunities that will make them happier and more successful in their careers — essentially taking the lessons they learned in their own careers and making it more accessible to others. They ask questions like: How do you get a promotion? How do you set yourself up in the workplace? What does it look like to have imposter syndrome? “We tackle subjects that are specific to people working in corporate environments but that they may not be getting from HR at work,” Ossenkop said. “We’ll start by talking about our backgrounds. Each person in will receive a workbook, and we’ll walk through it step by step and help people figure out the things they’re really good at, how to find a mentor, how to put together an action plan, and what it would look like for their own personal accountability.” Ossenkop has more than 15 years of experience in the corporate environment, including three years at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Nebraska and currently Virgin Pulse where she focuses on helping the firm move into new markets. Van Horn has held a variety of roles including project management at Conagra, Mutual of Omaha, and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Nebraska. Currently she is with InEight. “Edem is an incredibly talented musician, having recently served as both the Capitol District’s artist in residence and a feature in Lincoln Motors’ Chart Your Course campaign,” YP Vice Chair Nick Knihnisky said. “Her breakout session is going to be one of the Summit’s most unique sessions ever. Edem possesses an incredible storytelling ability that she shares through music. Her session will weave music and speech to discuss how we can better understand our relationships, keys to passion, and purpose.” According to the Nebraska Arts Council website, Garro — also known as Edem Soul Music — composes, sings, and plays several
“Baling-Wire, Duck Tape, and Dogs; Life Isn’t Always A Straight Line” Steve Wolf CEO, Wolf Territory/head of the local branch of Fathom Realty
About 20 years ago, Steve Wolf’s spine collapsed, and he spent most of the succeeding years partially paralyzed in bed or in a wheelchair unable to walk. Wolf grew up in southwest Iowa. When he was entering his teens, he became the first person in the U.S. to have a multi-level lumbar spinal infusion, which fused four levels of his lumbar spine. He graduated with honors from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, where he played football for four years, and from Creighton University Law School. In the early 1980s he was a founder of Hauptman, O’Brien, Wolf & Lathrop in Omaha — the firm that gives free taxi rides home during the holidays — and at a young age he had a successful career as a trial attorney. Then his back started degenerating again, which forced his early retirement from law. After undergoing many procedures and much rehab he was able to reach a point in the past year where he could do some constructive things again, like speaking at the YP Summit. His session is titled “Bailing-Wire Duck Tape, and Dogs: Life isn’t always a straight line” (duct tape was originally called duck tape, according to Wolf). “It’s about how unexpected things happen to each of us,” Wolf said. “Life isn’t always going to go in a straight line—sometimes it deviates drastically.” The theme comes from a book Wolf wrote, released in the fall of 2012, called “Comet’s Tale: How the Dog I Rescued Saved My Life.” The most important thing Wolf wants the audience to take away from his session is that we’re allowed to fail more than once, but each time we fall down we must get back up. “A lot of our experience comes from bad experiences, but they make us better equipped to handle future bad experiences,” he said. instruments. Her primary focus is on cultural preservation and identity. A first-generation American whose parents are from Ghana, she uses music, storytelling, sound exploration, and performance to inspire others to explore where they came from.
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Edem possesses an incredible storytelling ability that she shares through music. Her session will weave music and speech to discuss how we can better understand our relationships, keys to passion, and purpose.
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— Nick Knihnisky