MSCA 2026
Innovate to Elevate:
Supervising for the Future 

7:15 am - Morning Walk - meet by the Coffee House

6:30 am – 8:30 am - Breakfast Buffet - Marina II

8:00 am - Exhibit Hall Opens - Minnesota I & II

8:00 am – 9:00 am - Registration - Main Lobby

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8:30 am – 9:45 am - Keynote - Whitebirch I & II

 

Steve Bench - Attracting Tomorrow’s Talent with Today’s Leaders

 

This session focuses on talent attraction and workforce retention by building an understanding of who we are, how we were raised, and how each generation views “work” as a part of their identity. Learn talent attraction and retention strategies to overcome generational differences and attract Millennial and Gen Z employees and keep them from leaving! Adulthood has changed, and depending on my life stage, I might prioritize my lifestyle over my career… So how do you manage and motivate someone who may not be as committed to their job as previous generations? This session gives you the answers!

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Speaker Bio: Millennials! A nationally recognized speaker, Steve has earned the nickname "The Millennial Guy” and has also been called a "Boomer Whisperer" and a "Gen X Therapist".

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9:45 am – 10:05 am - Break - Minnesota I & II

 

Bonus Offer -

One-on-One Leadership Coaching with Becky Schueller

Heartland IV

Take advantage of this exclusive conference opportunity to schedule a private, 50-minute coaching session with leadership coach Becky Schueller during one of the conference breakout periods. Whether you're navigating a leadership challenge, seeking clarity on an opportunity, looking for a fresh perspective, or simply needing dedicated time to reflect and recharge, these confidential sessions are designed to meet you where you are. Leave your session with greater clarity, practical strategies, renewed focus, and support to help you find more joy in your work.

Five sessions are available on Tuesday, September 15, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

 

To reserve your spot: Please text Becky and specify which session time works best for you. List up to 3. Include your first and last name, cell, and email.

Space is limited. Register by Sept. 1. Sessions will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

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10:05 am – 11:30 am - Session Workshops

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Generation Z: Manager’s Survival Guide - Steve Bench

Whitebirch I

This session provides understanding, actionable strategies and techniques, and leaves the audience refreshed and motivated to tackle the challenges we face in the coming years as HHS professionals. Learn specific techniques to be an authentic leader, find common ground, build trust and loyalty, and improve accountability and commitment within the teams you lead and the individuals they support.

 

Unconscious Bias - Susan Williams

Whitebirch II

No one wants to believe they are biased, but if we have a brain, we have bias. Knowing where bias comes from and the impact is has on our thinking and decision-making is key to minimizing its power. Participants will explore how and where unconscious bias shows up, how to to increase their own awareness of it, and learn tools they can use individually and with their teams to be more aware of ideas they didn't even know they had.

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Difficult Personalities: How to Navigate Relationships with Difficult People - Josh Dye

Lakeside Ballroom

Do you ever feel manipulated, controlled, or lied to? Do you interact with people who have intense, irrational rages that seem to come out of nowhere? Do you feel like you are walking on eggshells to avoid confrontations or constantly upsetting someone? If the answer is yes, you may be interacting with someone who has borderline personality disorder, narcissism, or other challenging personality traits. This training explores strategies to more effectively interact, set boundaries, and cope with the stress of these complex relationships.

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Risk Management Best Practices for Health & Human Services - MCIT

Pelican

Join Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust staff attorneys for a practical update on legal risks impacting county public health and human services. This session tackles emergency threats and common compliance challenges using real-work risk management strategies.

Key takeaways:

• Spot pitfalls early: build confidence in identifying legal risks before they escalate

• Ask the right questions: Know what to address with your leadership and legal counsel.

• Apply best practices: reduce risk and strengthen legal defenses

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11:30 am – 12:45 pm - Lunch Buffet - Canopy Deck, outdoor seating, Marina II, indoor seating

                                      (inclement weather Marina II and Dockside)

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12:45 pm – 1:45 pm - Session Workshops

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Principles of Servant Leadership - Andrea Bolin

Whitebirch I

Servant Leadership is a people-centered approach that prioritizes serving others to build stronger teams, organizations and communities. This session explores the core principles of servant leadership, including empathy, listening, stewardship and commitment to help others grow. Participants will learn how servant leaders foster trust, empower individuals, and create an environment where collaboration and purpose thrive. Through practical examples and actionable insights, this presentation will demonstrate how putting people first can strengthen leadership effectiveness and drive meaningful results. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how servant leadership principles can be applied to everyday leadership challenges and organizational culture.

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Civility in the Workplace - Susan Williams

Whitebirch II

Research indicates that most of us believe incivility in the workplace is damaging and we want to return to civility. Research also indicates incivility continues to rise. What gives? Participants will leave this session with a new definition of civility, an understanding of the real impact on the workplace, and multiple strategies they can use themselves and share with colleagues.

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Accountability, Candor and Good Conflict: How to Achieve Great Outcomes with Clients, Staff and

Co-workers - Josh Dye

Lakeside Ballroom

Are you a supervisor that wants staff to more clearly understand your expectations and take greater accountability? Would you like to reduce confusion and enhance transparent communication with your co-workers? Do you wish that you could increase the accountability and follow through of the clients that your staff serves? If so, this is the training for you. We will focus on practical strategies to communicate with greater clarity, set and communicate standards of performance, provide feedback, inspire good conflict, and improve outcomes at all levels. Josh is the President and Founder of Convene Training. Since 2010, he has delivered training for professionals in government, health and human services, behavioral health, nonprofits, and more. Across 1,500+ presentations, he teaches leadership, effective communication, time mastery, and growth through failure.

 

Housing Support - DCYF (Subject to change)

Pelican

Description to come...

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1:45 pm – 2:05 pm - Break - Whitebirch Lobby

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2:05 pm – 3:05 pm - Session Workshops

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Behaviors of Servant Leadership - Andrea Bolin

Whitebirch I

Servant leadership is defined not by title, but by daily actions and choices. This session explores the key behaviors that distinguish servant leaders - listening with intent, demonstrating empathy, building trust, empowering others, and prioritizing the growth of their teams. Participants will examine how consistent leadership behaviors shape culture, influence engagement, and drive organizational performance. Through practical examples and reflection, attendees will learn how to translate servant leadership principles into observable, repeatable behaviors that strengthen relationships and accountability. This presentation will help leaders recognize the impact of how they show up every day and provide tools to lead with purpose, humility, and influence.

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Neurodiverse Leadership: Communication, Culture, and the Power of Neurodiversity - 

Matthew S. Vorell, Ph. D.

Whitebirch II

This presentation explores how organizations can build environments where neurodivergent employees feel included and able to thrive. Drawing on lived experience and communication expertise, it introduces neurodiversity, common strengths and challenges, and ways to reduce unintentional barriers. Through stories, research-based insights, and practical tools, the session shows how communication, structure, and empathy shape culture. Participants leave with actionable strategies to foster neuroinclusive practices, challenge biases, and support diverse ways of thinking and working.

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DHS Financial Operations Update - Julie Spurgeon & Jen Aldren

Lakeside Ballroom

Description to come...

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Slow Down to Lead Better: Managing the Full-Plate Scenario - Leah Corcoran

Pelican

A breath of fresh air from the usual "Productivity Hacks," this workshop provides attendees with a framework for sustainable leadership. Participants will master four core shifts, including "Care but Not Carry" and "The Strategic Pause," to eliminate decision fatigue and increase professional effectiveness. These practical tools, including the "5 Insight Questions" and "Lens of Neutrality," are designed to be integrated directly into participants' work and life to manage overwhelm and improve service delivery, and can be modeled and taught to the teams they serve. Attendees will also complete a personalized "Self-Care Inventory" as a roadmap for a more sustainable future. Are you ready to move from "Full-Plate" to "Fully Present".

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3:05 pm – 3:25 pm - Break - Whitebirch Lobby

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3:25 pm – 4:30 pm - Session Workshops

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Are you Solving the Right Problems? A System Approach to Organizational Health - Ryan Bauers

Whitebirch I

This workshop offers participants a practical, systems-based way to diagnose what feels “off” in a team, department, or organization so they can stop chasing symptoms and focus on the highest-leverage constraints first. Using a seven-domain Organizational Health framework, participants will learn how trust, accountability, engagement, wellbeing, values alignment, communication, and learning all interact to shape culture and performance. The session is especially useful for county leaders and staff navigating workload pressure, change, silos, morale challenges, or recurring problems that have not been solved by surface-level fixes.

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Using Safety Signals of our Brain to Reduce Stress & Burnout - Michelle Nelson

Whitebirch II

“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in our charge.” – Simon Sinek

In times of stress, uncertainty, or chaos, leaders need to be grounded, calm and confident. This can be a challenge especially when our teams may be struggling with the same stressors. This session explores how understanding neuroscience can make us better leaders to support those we lead and support our own well-being. Research shows when we are stressed, disengaged and distracted at work, it is not a healthy or productive environment. We will introduce some of the anti-dotes to this along with practical tools that build trust, prevent burnout and influence meaningful change.

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Employee Leaves: Sorting Out Who Has Leave and When - MCIT

Lakeside Ballroom

State and Federal leave laws can be complex. This session is designed to give supervisors foundational roadmap to identify common employee leave scenarios and collaborate effectively with human resources. Participants will leave with knowledge to support their teams with greater confidence while keeping the organization compliant.

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PERA - From Hire to Retire - Jenelle Thelen

Pelican

This program is designed for new PERA members, those who are close to retirement, and everyone in between. The PERA pension will be discussed in detail, including how it fits into the overall retirement plan.

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5:00 pm – 7:00 pm - Hospitality & Games - Fawcett House

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm - Poker Walk - Fawcett House

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5:00 pm – 9:00 pm - Dinner options include the following;

Marina II ext. 7161 or Antlers ext. 7162 (*For reservations call or use Open Table app) or Dockside

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