Events

CUPA-HR Missouri Chapter

Upcoming Events

April 2026 Webinar

Using Power BI in HR: Better Decisions with Better Data

April 30, 2026 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am

HR teams often have more data than they realize. Harnessing that data to help make better decisions is sometimes a challenge. Join us for a webinar where you will learn to be able to identify practical ways HR teams can use Power BI to monitor trends, support planning, and improve decision-making. Participants will understand how dashboards and reporting can help HR leaders explore workforce data more efficiently and communicate insights more clearly. Participants will leave with examples of how higher education institutions can use HR data to support strategy and operations.

Presented by: Andrew Sommer. Andrew is Chief Data Officer at Missouri S&T, where he leads the university’s work in business intelligence, data engineering, and machine learning. He works with teams across campus to turn complex data into practical insights that support better planning, stronger operations, and more informed decision-making.

Register here for the webinar.

SHRM-CP and HRCI credit pending

Full Calendar of Events

Visit the CUPA-HR calendar of events to see all the upcoming virtual sessions and workshops! Browse the calendar of events.

 

Previous Chapter Events:

January 2026 Webinar

What's Your Problem, 403(b)?

January 15, 2026 from 9:30 am to 10:30 am

The numbers don’t lie: too few employees are on track for retirement. So, what’s wrong with the 403(b), the plan most college and university workers count on to save for retirement? Can it be fixed or should we scrap it for something else? “What’s Your Problem, 403(b)” takes a hard look at the plan these workers rely on to save for retirement. In this session, we examine the state of retirement readiness in America, its impact on financial security, and why we believe current 403(b) plan management is to blame. This session challenges the status quo of 403(b) plan management, explores three key drivers of retirement readiness, and describes the specific changes that can help 403(b) plans accomplish the goal we depend upon them for – to get employees on track for retirement. Attendees will learn actionable strategies to transform 403(b) plans into powerful tools for financial security.

Presented by: Chris Thixton, QPA, C(k)P.

December 2025 Webinar

Pay Transparency and Pay Equity

December 4th from 9:30 am to 10:30 am

This webinar explores the drivers of pay disparities, including occupational segregation, career interruptions, and bias. Participants will learn about the history of pay equity legislation, the definition and impact of the pay gap, and the economic consequences for women and people of color. The session clarifies the relationship between pay equity and pay transparency, highlighting how assessments, salary history bans, and transparency laws promote fair compensation. Attendees will review current pay transparency laws across the U.S., discuss the organizational challenges of compliance, and discover actionable steps to prepare for greater transparency. The webinar concludes with guidance on building a framework that supports clear, defensible, and trust-building pay decisions.

Presented by: Amy Heinze and Brian Muller with Alliant Human Capital.

Brian Muller brings over 15 years of Human Resources experience spanning both consulting and corporate roles. As First Vice President at Alliant’s Human Capital practice, he has led strategic initiatives across higher education, retail, and nonprofit sectors. His deep expertise includes compensation strategy, pay equity, executive and sales compensation, and performance and talent management.

With over 25 years of experience, Amy Heinze acts as an advisor to Boards and Executive Leadership Teams on the strategy, design, implementation, and communication of HR and total rewards programs. She has deep expertise in the development of HR strategy and career frameworks that are aligned with organizational objectives and designed to enhance employee engagement, mitigate organizational risk, and optimize human capital investment.

2025 Annual Conference and Meeting

September 4 and 5, Johnson County Community College, Kansas City, MO

This year, we are continuing the collaborative effort between the Missouri and Kansas CUPA-HR chapters to host our annual fall conference, themed "Building Bridges," in Overland Park, Kansas. The day and a half conference will be full of great speakers, concurrent sessions, networking and social opportunities for HR professionals at higher educational institutions in Missouri and Kansas.

March 2025 Webinar

Building a Sustainable Future Through Strategic HR Initiatives

Thursday, March 27, 2025 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Using a recent case study, discover how this university overcame staffing challenges and budget gaps by establishing a Staff Career Framework. Learn about strategic HR practices, data-driven decisions, and efficiency improvements that optimized the university’s budget and ensured competitive staff pay, fostering a sustainable future.

    1. Learn how to build a strategic job architecture, leveraging data to inform staffing level decisions.
    2. Learn how to interpret organizational data for streamlining the organization.
    3. Understand how to guide leaders in attracting and retaining staff while improving efficiency.

Presented by Amy Heinze, VP, Compensation & Total Rewards Practice at Lockton Companies

Slides and SHRM-CP & HRCI information: MO CUPA-HR Webinar 3.27.2025-Building a Sustainable Future Through Strategic HR Initiatives.

December 2024 Webinar

The Financial Wellness Program Conundrum

December 4th from 9:30 am to 10:30 am

Financial insecurity and stress are wreaking havoc on workers. It affects their mental and physical health, as well as their working lives, in numerous and detrimental ways. In today's workplace, financial wellness is essential for both employee well-being and productivity. "The Financial Wellness Program Conundrum" examines the disconnect between employer-led financial wellness programs and the actual financial health of employees, shedding light on common pitfalls and often overlooked elements. This presentation challenges the status quo by introducing a new approach that prioritizes outcomes over activities. Attendees will gain the knowledge and tools needed to create a financially secure, healthy, and productive workforce.

Presented by: Chris Thixton, QPA, C(k)P. For over 20 years, Chris has been an advocate for improving the financial security of employees in the United States. Chris is a Principal with Pension Consultants, Inc. He is a member of SHRM and he currently serves on the leadership council for the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) which is one of five member organizations of the American Retirement Association based in Washington, DC. As a member of ASPPA, he serves as both a Qualified Pension Administrator (QPA) and a Qualified 401(k) Consultant (QKC). Chris leads public workshops to train fiduciary committees, as well as conducts private training sessions for individual fiduciary committees across the country. He has spoken at over 75 conferences and programs sharing the consequences of financial stress on people and workplace productivity. Chris has testified in Washington D.C. at the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration on fiduciary matters and testified before the DOL’s ERISA Advisory Council.

SHRM-CP and HRCI credit approved

 

2024 Annual Conference and Meeting

September 12 and 13, Johnson County Community College, Kansas City, MO

This year's annual conference and state CUPA chapter meeting took place September 12-13 at Johnson County Community College in the KC metro area. This year's conference partnered with the KS CUPA-HR chapter resulting in a larger crowd of attendees, sponsors and vendors. There were great social opportunities as well.

SHRM-CP and HRCI credit approved

June 2024 Webinar

FLSA Ruling - What do you need to know?

June 12, 2024, 9:30am to 10:30am CST

On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor released a new rule related to the exemption from overtime criteria. The rule is phased and has one new salary threshold that goes into effect on July 1, 2024 ($43,888) and another phase taking effect January 1, 2025 ($58,656).

Join Melinda Allen, director of compensation for University of Missouri, for an overview of the new rule, who it will impact and how to prepare for the change. The second part of our webinar will include a panel of higher education leaders in Missouri who will discuss the challenges and opportunities this new rule brings and offer guidance regarding adjacent topics and decisions this new rule may affect. 

Panelists: Scot Scobee - director of human resources, Missouri State University, Tasha Welsh - director of human resources, Jefferson College, Jessica Baker - assistant vice president, University of Missouri 

SHRM-CP and HRCI credit approved

February 2024 Webinar

The Benefit Initiative for Creating a Financially Secure Workforce

Presented by: Chris Thixton, Principal, Pension Consultants, Inc.

Financial stress is wreaking havoc on workers. It affects their mental and physical health, as well as their working lives in numerous ways. In this session, the participant will gain a deeper understanding of employee financial security and how it impacts workplace productivity. It will also address the most effective and achievable way employers can use an existing benefit to make a difference in the financial security and overall well-being of their employees.

December 2023 Webinar

Uncertainty Reduction Theory – Making Sense of our Multicultural Chaos

Presented by: Dami Odunewu, Purpose Connect, CEO & Founder

    • Define Uncertainty Reduction Theory
    • Where and how culture intersects with Uncertainty Reduction Theory
    • Six Fundamental patterns of cultural differences that impact diversity and inclusion in our workforce
    • Strategies for reducing uncertainty and fostering a safe diverse workplace

October 2023 Annual Meeting and Conference

2023 Annual Conference and Chapter Meeting

Let's "Level Up" our HR knowledge, skills and abilities at this year's Missouri CUPA-HR conference and members meeting. We will gather at the beautiful Margaritaville Lake of the Ozarks for two days of connecting, learning and engaging. Each day will feature a keynote speaker, breakout sessions, food and fun! Our sessions will include topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and HR, Understanding Gen Z, Best Practices in Change Management, and HR Legal Update with Kate Nash to name a few. 

Date: October 26-27, 2023

February 2023 Webinar

What HR Professionals Need to Know About Export Controls and Sanctions

We are all familiar with the large amount of regulation specifically impacting higher education, but do you know there are regulations around exports from the US to other countries and significant institutional and individual sanctions for violations? This webinar will cover concepts of export controls, sanctions and how to ensure your institution stays compliant.

Learning Objectives:

    • Understand regulations around export controls
    • Impact of these regulations on higher education
    • Best Practices for ensuring compliance

Date and Time: February 14, 2023, from 9:30 - 10:30

Speaker: Kathleen Stoan, University of Missouri System Director of Research Security and Compliance

December 2022

MiniGames™ as a Recruiting Strategy Webinar

Recruiting is challenging in a post-pandemic environment.  All employers are subject to the same market conditions.  However, colleges and universities have a unique combination of resources that can aid in the recruiting process.  The challenge is how to align these resources.  Learn how to align university-wide resources to reach synergy in your recruiting initiatives and fill open positions utilizing a unique MiniGame™ strategy.

Learning Objectives:

    • Introduction to MiniGame™ principles
    • Review the MiniGame™ “Why”
    • Understand how to utilize MiniGames™ as a strategy to engage people, align university-wide resources, and reach new levels of sustainable recruiting outcomes.

Date and Time: December 13, 2022, 9:30am-10:30am

Speaker: Scot Scobee, Chief Human Resource Officer at Missouri State University

September 2022

Annual Conference - Together Towards Tomorrow September 29-30, 2022

Click here to see conference schedule and agenda. Here are some highlights and details.

April 2022

Seminar Title- Stronger Tomorrow: Navigating Missouri’s Workforce.

Speaker: Dr. Mardy Leathers, State Director - Missouri Office of Workforce Development

Date: April 20, 2022 at 10 am

Description: Dr. Leathers will discuss current and future employment trends and how the public workforce system in Missouri is working to help our economy stabilize and grow.

February 2022

We are excited to announce that that Michael Mueller, VP at Aperio Consulting Group, will be presenting our next MCUPA-HR professional development seminar entitled “People Analytics”.

Date: February 8, 2022

Time: 9 – 10 am

Format: Zoom

Summary:

In this workshop, Michael will unpack best practices in people analytics, an emerging field dedicated to the analysis of employee and workforce data to reveal insights and provide recommendations to improve business outcomes.

Takeaways

      • Practical and tangible roadmap for implementing an effective People Analytics strategy
      • Best practices to objectively measure the business impact of HR activities
      • Examples of how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning can supercharge your impact