Upcoming Events
2025 Wisconsin CUPA-HR Annual In-Person Conference
Thursday November 6, 2025 8:30AM -4:45PM
Agents of Change
Madison Area Technical College
1701 Wright Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53704
Please register here by October 20, 2025
We are a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting other non-profits.
Our registration is powered by Zeffy, a platform that also operates as a non-profit. While Zeffy offers the option to donate to support their services, contributions are entirely optional.
If you prefer not to donate to Zeffy, simply select $0 when prompted.
Key Note Speaker
Shilagh A. Mirgain, Ph.D.
Distinguished Psychologist
UW Health UW Hospitals & Clinics
Dr. Shilagh Mirgain is a Distinguished Psychologist in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She received her PhD at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Clinical and Community Psychology, completed her clinical internship at the UW Department of Psychiatry and her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Mirgain is a frequent contributor to CBS 3. NBC15 and ABC 27 News in Madison and Wisconsin Public Radio, speaking on health, wellness, and peak performance. Often called on to represent UW in the media, she writes and speaks on mind-body skills to foster optimal health. She was featured on the TODAY show discussing skills to cultivate well-being and greater happiness in the workplace.
In her practice, Dr. Mirgain uses both individual and group formats to treat patients with a variety of medical conditions and adjustment issues. She is also a Sport Psychologist who works with UW Badger athletes, teen, adult and professional athletes. Please visit her website at www.DrShilagh.com to listen to free guided meditation practices she has created.
Presenting: Mindful Leadership to Become a Change Innovator
A new skill set is needed to thrive in today’s rapidly changing workplace. Learning to manage the energy and presence you bring to your job in times of change can have a profound impact on your joy and effectiveness. This keynote on mindful leadership will provide strategies to increase well-being at work, to strengthen stress management and to cultivate presence and purpose to use one’s voice in a powerful way to create positive changes in human resources. Drawing from the fields of mindfulness and mind-body medicine, the experiential talk will provide strategies to strengthen the capacity to be focused, cultivate greater creativity, foster resilience and embody compassion. It will explore practices to develop interpersonal effectiveness and expand the innate ability to lead and to create innovative changes in the workplace and the larger community.
Speakers
Phyllis King, Ph.D.
Chief Strategist for Artificial Intelligence Advancement
Waukesha County Technical College
Dr. Phyllis King is a leader in higher education and workforce development, currently serving as the Chief Strategist for Artificial Intelligence Advancement at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC). She informs the strategic growth of AI programs, fosters industry partnerships, and drives innovation in collaboration with faculty, businesses, and community stakeholders at WCTC. With over three decades of experience in higher education, Dr. King previously held key leadership positions at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she served as Associate Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost for Partnerships and Initiatives. She had an instrumental role in advancing technology-focused initiatives, including the development of micro-credentialing platforms, the formation of the Northwest Mutual Data Science Institute, the UWM Connected Systems Institute, the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, the Higher Education Regional Alliance, and M-Cubed, a community-driven education partnership between Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Dr. King holds a doctorate in Administrative Leadership with a specialization in Industrial Engineering.
Presenting: People, Policy, and Progress: HR in the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how colleges and universities hire, develop, and support their workforce. This session explores how HR professionals can lead AI-driven transformation through a people-centered, policy-informed approach. Learn how to integrate AI into recruitment, reskilling, and workforce planning while addressing ethical concerns and bias. Walk away with actionable strategies to future-proof your institution’s HR practices and champion responsible innovation across campus.
Philip Chard, MS, LCSW, NLP
Psychotherapist
Out of My Mind LLC
Philip is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in health psychology and trauma treatment. He writes an award-winning weekly column titled Out of My Mind, previously in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and now the Shepherd Express, and authored three books, including The Healing Earth, which won the Midwest Publishers Award. Previously, he served as President and CEO of Empathia, a firm providing behavioral health solutions on an international basis. Prior to that, he was Director of Behavioral Science Education at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, where he was an associate professor and received the Outstanding Faculty Award.
Presenting: Understanding and Supporting Neurodivergent Employees
Neurodivergent persons experience the world differently than neurotypical individuals. As such, they have the potential to contribute significantly to achieving greater diversity of thoughts, actions and perspectives at work. Biodiversity is a hallmark of healthy ecosystems, and neurodiversity can have similar impacts on cultural well-being in the workplace. During this presentation, we will consider:
- The nature and characteristics of neurodiversity
- The benefits of a neurodiverse workplace
- The challenges of understanding and optimizing the unique contributions of neurodivergent individuals
- Effective communication and inclusion strategies for fully engaging neurodivergent employees
- How organizations can cultivate a culture that respects neurodiversity
Courtney Schmidt, MS, LPC.
Employee Accommodation Specialist
University of Wisconsin Madison
Courtney is an Employee Accommodation Specialist in the Employee Disability Resources (EDR)
office at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She holds a B.S. in Rehabilitation Psychology and
an M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from UW-Madison and is a Licensed Professional
Counselor.
Courtney has extensive experience in disability employment services, including roles in state
vocational rehabilitation and community mental health. At UW-Madison, she works
collaboratively with employees, supervisors, stakeholders, and Divisional Disabili ty
Representatives (DDRs) to identify individualized workplace accommodations that promote
employee success and foster a more inclusive campus workplace.
Kristin Erickson, MS, LPC.
Employee Accommodation Specialist
University of Wisconsin Madison
Kristin is an Employee Accommodation Specialist in the Employee Disability Resources (EDR)
office at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She works with employees and applicants who
are seeking reasonable accommodations and provides direct support to Divisional Disability
Representatives (DDRs) during the interactive accommodation process. Prior to joining the EDR
office, Kristin worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor supporting high school students
and young adults with disabilities in preparing for, obtaining, maintaining, and advancing in
employment. She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Rehabilitation Psychology from UWMadison
and is a Licensed Professional Counselor.
Presenting: ADA Today
As workplace accommodation requests continue to rise in both frequency and complexity, HR professionals must be equipped to respond effectively. This session provides an overview of disability- and pregnancy-related accommodations, the laws which guides this work, emerging trends, and practical strategies for navigating the accommodation process in a higher education setting.
Ed Brzychcy
Consultant
Lead From the Front
Ed Brzychcy is a consultant, executive coach, and speaker specializing in leadership development, organizational design, and strategic implementations, working with middle-market-sized companies across various industries. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2011 as a staff sergeant and infantry squad leader after serving for twelve years, spending three years deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He received his MBA from Babson College in 2016, where he now serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Practice in Organizational Behavior. He lives in Waltham, MA, and enjoys traveling and flying UAVs.
Presenting: People, Process, and Culture
Organizational culture is a powerful uniting force that brings people together through a shared purpose. Ed speaks to how it can be created intentionally–or passively–and describes best practices he has learned over a decade of consulting in helping organizations build more committed, collaborative, and cohesive teams.
Laura C. Hamilton
Human Resources Director
University of Washington
With over 15 years of experience in human resources—primarily in higher education since 2010, following a successful 13-year career in health care operations—I bring a deep commitment to fostering inclusive, people-centered workplaces. Since 2005, I’ve designed and delivered impactful employee training programs, drawing on certifications in Crucial Conversations, DiSC Communication Styles, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Currently, I serve as an officer on the board of the Washington Chapter of CUPA-HR (College and University Professional Association for Human Resources), where I help shape strategic HR initiatives across the region.
My passion extends beyond the workplace—I actively support families involved in foster care and provide trauma-informed care training to help build resilient, compassionate communities.
Presenting: Microaggressions Interactive Workshop
This course on microaggressions emphasizes the goal of building inclusivity and becoming an ally. Learn why certain remarks are considered microaggressions, the impacts the unintentional comments or actions may have on others, and how to respond to microaggressions in a positive and impactful manner. This experience requires the ability to spend time in silent reflection and will require some walking.
STAY TUNED AS MORE PRESENTERS ARE ANNOUNCED
Wisconsin CUPA-HR Happy Hour
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Join us for appetizers, a cash bar, and excellent conversation with Higher Education HR Colleagues from across the State!
Feel free to bring a group of colleagues or use this as an opportunity to network with others outside of your School. Either way, be prepared to have an enjoyable night with delicious food!
Please complete the registration link below by October 20, 2025:
We are a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting other non-profits.
Our registration is powered by Zeffy, a platform that also operates as a non-profit. While Zeffy offers the option to donate to support their services, contributions are entirely optional.
If you prefer not to donate to Zeffy, simply select $0 when prompted.
CUPA-HR Wisconsin Chapter is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. This program is valid for 8.5 PDCs for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® . 
This program has been pre-approved for 6 HR General recertification credit hours toward aPHR®, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).
Call for Programs – 2026 Fall Event
Are you interested in presenting at our 2026 Fall Event? If you have a story to tell, or expertise to share, and would like the opportunity to help our members feel better prepared to address the current and future HR challenges in their institutions, please contact us.
Sponsorship Opportunities – 2025/2026
The Wisconsin CUPA HR Chapter is seeking corporate sponsors as we continue to grow our chapters reach and host highly successful in-person and virtual events that attract participants from all levels of higher education HR. If you are interested in becoming a corporate sponsor, we review our 2025-2026 Sponsorship Prospectus, which outlines our available sponsorship levels and provides key contacts to begin a sponsorship contestation. Complete the online form:
SCHEDULE INFORMATION COMING SOON
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Hotel Accommodations
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DoubleTree by Hilton
4402 East Washington Avenue
Book online at WI-CUPA Chapter Reservation Booking Link
Or call the hotel directly at (608) 244-4703 or Hilton reservations at 800-445-8667, the code is 'WI-CUPA Chapter' or 'WCU'
Rooms not booked by October 1, 2025, will be released for general sale. After this date, the group rate is no longer guaranteed, but guests can still book based on availability
The hotel offers a 48-hour cancellation policy
Thank you for our sponsors who made this event possible!
Calendar of Events
Visit the CUPA-HR calendar of events to see all the upcoming virtual sessions and workshops! Browse the calendar of events.