2026 Conference Agenda: HR’s Role in Building Stability During Disruption

CUPA-HR Northern & Central California Chapter

Registration & Welcome

8:00 a.m. | On-Site Registration

On-site registration will be available beginning at 8:00 a.m. on the day of the event. Registration will close at 10:00 a.m.

8:30 a.m. | Breakfast

Join us for a light breakfast beginning at 8:30 a.m.

9:00 a.m. | Welcome

The CUPA-HR Northern & Central California Board welcome you to the conference and prepare you for the day ahead.

Morning Keynote

9:15 a.m. | HR as a Partner During Disruptive Times

We are proud to welcome Melanie Dixon, President of Alameda Community College, as our opening keynote speaker. Drawing on her years of leadership experience, Melanie will share insights on how she—and other higher education leaders—strategically partner with HR professionals to navigate and respond to constant change across the sector.

Expo and Networking Session

10:15 a.m. | Conference Expo

Take a short break and visit the Expo to meet the conference sponsors!

10:25 a.m. | Networking Session

Grab a Tic-Tac-Toe game card and build your network while visiting the Expo!

Break

10:45 a.m. | Break

Take a moment to step away and recharge. We will see you back at 11:00 a.m.!

Breakout Sessions

11:00 a.m. | Concurrent Sessions

Session 1: Decoding Change - Tools for HR Professionals
Presented by: Pam Rich, Senior Organization Development Consultant, UC Berkeley People & Organization Development

Session 2: Timely Legal Issues Update for HigherEd HR
Presented by: More details to come soon!

Session 3: Identifying and Dissecting Complicated Issues in HR
Presented by: Mellonie Richardson, Human Resources Director of Talent Acquisition, People & Climate Division at California State University, Sacramento

Lunch and Expo

12:00 p.m. | Lunch

Hosted in the Tenaya Room

Join us for lunch, and connect with your higher ed HR colleagues from around the region.

12:45 p.m. | Expo and Nature Walk

Finished eating? Take some time to continue exploring the Expo or join us for a Nature Walk!

Afternoon Announcements and Keynote

1:20 p.m. | All Hands, All Hearts, All In!

We are proud to welcome Christopher Ridenhour, CEO of Inspired2Results!, as our afternoon keynote speaker. If you are tired of hoping for change and feel compelled to start creating it, this session is for you! You will leave transformed from frustration to a focused ferocity!

 

Break

2:50 p.m. | Break

Take a moment to step away and recharge. We will see you back at 3:00 p.m.!

Closing Keynote and Remarks

3:00 p.m. | Self-Care during Disruption

We are proud to welcome Dawn Brown, Director of Cross-Cultural Innovation and Engagement at NAMI & Larena Fewell, Co-founder and CFO at Leaders of Tomorrow, as our closing keynote speakers. You won’t want to miss Dawn and Larena's dynamic and fearless approach to helping individuals find both personal and professional wellness.

3:45 p.m. | Closing Remarks

Your CUPA-HR Northern & Central California Board will wrap things up and tell you what's next for the chapter.

Closing Happy Hour

4:00 p.m. | Happy Hour

Want to avoid the afternoon traffic? Stick around to enjoy some drinks and networking opportunities! The Happy Hour will conclude at 5:30 p.m.