Tuesday Talent Series
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce launched the Tuesday Talent Series in 2022 to compliment the Talent Summit and expand the knowledge around workforce issues. Each seasonal cohort of the series includes presentations from experts in the field on timely topics including: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Family-Friendly and Age-Diverse Workplaces, Apprenticeship Pathways, Skills-based Recruitment; as well as, a hands-on career tours, and more.
About Talent 2.0
The Tuesday Talent Series aims to provide more in-depth presentations, hands-on learning, and opportunities to continue and support employers in attracting and retaining the talent they need.
You can find all upcoming presentations, along with resources and past recordings on this page.
All presentations are held on Zoom from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce media contact:
The 2024 Talent Series is sponsored by:
2024 Winter Tuesday Talent Series Resources:
Tuesday, October 22
Session Title: Work-Based Learning: Tapping into Tomorrow’s Workforce
Session Presenters: Stefanie Merrell
Stefanie Merrell is the K12 Work-Based Learning Business Manager at the Fort Collins Area Chamber. Stefanie facilitates work-based learning connections between local businesses and high school students. Her role involves educating businesses on work-based learning benefits, posting opportunities on the Career Exploration platform Xello for direct student access, and collaborating with educators to match students with suitable placements. These services are provided free of charge to businesses, aiming to foster meaningful partnerships that benefit both parties and strengthen our local workforce pipeline.
Session Description:
It is necessary to tap into the talent of our next generation today to support and invigorate your business tomorrow!
A growing movement, both regionally and nationwide, is focused on enriching students’ educational experiences through Work-Based Learning—encompassing internships, career tours, mentorships, and more. The documented benefits for students are substantial, yet engaging in Work-Based Learning also presents numerous advantages for all businesses, from startups to large corporations.
Discover the potential of Work-Based Learning through concrete examples from local businesses and learn immediate steps you can take to leverage the vast talent pool of eager students in our region, who are poised to become your future workforce.
Tuesday, October 15
Session Title: Demystifying Apprenticeships: What Are They and How Can They Help Build and Retain Talent?
Session Presenters: Heather Everett
Heather Everett is the Work-Based Learning & Apprenticeship Manager at the Fort Collins Area Chamber and is passionate about helping businesses reach their long-term goals through innovative talent building and retention strategies.
Session Description:
The term Apprenticeship can be confusing, even a little scary, for many employers! Learn more about what apprenticeships are and how they are used as strategies for building and retaining talent, for all employers big and small.
Tuesday, October 8
Session Title: Building a Diverse Talent Pipeline: A Women in STEM case study
Session Presenters:
Kim Cortes
Kim joins STEMblazers as a former woman in STEM with nearly ten years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors. She is known for her enthusiastic leadership, advocacy skills, and commitment to data-driven programming. Kim holds a Master’s in Environmental Science and a J.D. with a focus on environmental law. For the past seven years, she has led workforce programs for people with disabilities. Kim is passionate about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce. She is excited to combine her care and concern for the environment with her workforce development skills to lead the She’s in Power program.
Blair Dammerman
Blair brings 8 years of experience in community development, program management, and leadership. With a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Blair has a strong background in assisting individuals with disabilities in securing and maintaining meaningful employment. She has a proven track record in nonprofit management, focusing on promoting equity for underserved communities through innovative projects. Blair is dedicated to fostering collaboration, compassion, and social justice within her teams and the communities she serves.
Session Description:
Building a diverse talent pipeline takes time and vision. Discover how STEMblazers is empowering girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.
This session will explore (1) the importance of reaching future talent early, (2) the impact of this pipeline approach, and (3) how your organization can benefit from work-based learning partnerships.
Tuesday, October 1
Session Title: The People Revolution: How to End Suffering in the Workplace
Session Presenters: Kendra Prospero, a human resources expert who delivers highly engaging keynote presentations that help founders and leaders transform how they think and feel about work. She knows employers benefit when their team members feel included, are happier, and are more productive. we give up the best hours of our days and years of our lives for work, and we should love our jobs.
Session Description: Most leaders were put in the role because they were great at their jobs, not to deal with people problems that come with having a team. All business problems are people problems and they seem impossible to solve. What if there is only one action you need to take to improve customer satisfaction, employee engagement, profitability, and people problems?
I am a leader too, and this practical and inspiring talk pulls from my 14-year journey building a company where I have little turnover, a culture that is admired, is profitable and I work a normal 40-hour week.
Learning Objectives:
1) Learn a 4-step process to guide your employees to get results
2) Empower your employees for higher job performance using a simple tool
3) Take away a self-assessment roadmap to attract and retain game-changing talent
Tuesday, September 17
Session Title: Basics of the Americans with Disabilities Act for Employers
Session Presenters: Adam Shake
Session Description: Adam Shake spent 15 years in the Military, 10 years working in Washington DC and he and his wife have lived in Estes Park since 2012. Adam is the previous CEO of the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation and current Business Outreach Specialist representing Northern Colorado for the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Tuesday, September 10
Session Title: Leveraging People Date To Drive Results And Retain Top Talent
Session Presenters: Diana Rogers Jaeger, APR, M.Ed
Session Description: In this session, participants will explore how to reverse the costly turnover that emerges from stress, frustration, friction between teammates, and costly turnovers. Join this session to learn the fundamental principles of talent optimization.
Tuesday, May 28
Session Title: Decoding Your Customer!
Session Presenters: Jeff Havens is not your typical business growth expert. His uncanny ability to provide actionable answers to today’s business challenges in an undeniably entertaining and impactful way has put him in front of thousands of eager audiences across North America anjkd Asia.
Session Description: As hilarious as it is informative, this keynote concentrates on the human behaviors that have brought the customer experience to where it is today, then synthesizes those behaviors into four simple realities that provide a clear vision for how to move forward.
Tuesday, May 7
Session Title: Affordable Homeownership is Possible in Colorado
Session Presenters: Tiana Patterson is the Vice President of Social Impact and Wealth Equity for Elevation Community Land Trust, where she cultivates and oversees the creation and implementation of community engagement and partnership strategy before, during, and after project development.
Session Description: This session will focus on Elevation Community Land Trust’s (ECLT) homeownership program; learn how we remove barriers and increase access to homeownership. ECLT’s average home price is $270,000. Learn how we make that possible and see if you or someone you know qualifies for the program!
Tuesday, April 30
Session Title: CareerWise and Pinnacol: Expanding the Definition of Success with Apprenticeships
Session Presenters: Carolyn ‘CJ’ Renaud, Director of Business Partnerships for CareerWise Colorado, and Fatima Amador, Apprenticeship Program Facilitator at Pinnacol Assurance.
Session Description: In this presentation, participants gained insight into the CareerWise model of apprenticeship, firsthand experience of Pinnacol Assurance and their highly effective apprenticeship program, and, most importantly, a fresh perspective on what successful talent development could entail for your organization.
Tuesday, April 2
Session Title: Unlocking Potential: The Power of Fair Chance Hiring
Session Presenters: Kristen DeWitt, Program Manager for the Colorado Fair Chance Hiring Initiative, leverages a background in local government and non-profit work. Jamil Cooks, a Colorado Springs native and advocate for social justice, leverages his business degree from Alcorn State University to make a meaningful impact.
Session Description: This session is essential for business leaders, HR professionals, and hiring managers eager to enhance recruitment strategies and create a more inclusive and dynamic workplace by tapping into diverse backgrounds and experiences. Learn more at www.cofch.org.
Copy of Copy of Colorado Fair Chance hiring
Tuesday, March 26
Session Title: How to Communicate like a Human Being in the Age of AI
Session Presenters: Ariana Friedlander, MPA, is an award-winning organizational anthropologist, leadership development expert and author. She is the founder and principal of Rosabella Consulting.
Session Description: With recent advancements in AI (Artificial Intelligence), it’s more imperative than ever for leaders to upgrade their internal operating systems. Communicating like a human being enables us to navigate stressful situations with greater ease and wisdom. In this session, Ariana will review what it takes to communicate like a REAL person. Participants will learn how to apply the latest research in neuroscience to upgrade their internal operating system.