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.
2025/2026 Sponsorship Information
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.
Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce media contact:
September:
Coming Soon!
October:
Coming Soon!
June:
Where Talent Comes From, and How You Can Shape It
Tuesday, June 23
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Session Recording: https://youtu.be/YT5FpIWhBiM
Session Description:
This session is a plain-language introduction for business owners and leaders who are new to workforce development. We will map where talent actually comes from, starting earlier than most people realize, from middle school career exposure through high school career and technical education, community colleges, and the partners who connect employers with job seekers every day. We will look at how the system is funded and organized at the national, state, and local levels, and why so much of it exists specifically to serve employers.
Most importantly, you will see where your business fits on a spectrum of engagement, from simply using existing resources to leading and shaping the talent pipeline itself. We will cover free, do-it-this-week practices like skills-based hiring, along with higher-impact opportunities such as hosting interns, bringing real business challenges into classrooms, and joining the boards and partnerships that keep the system aligned to employer needs.
You will walk away with a clear picture of the system, a sense of where you can plug in, and a concrete next step that aligns with your business’s current stage.
Session Presenters:
Abby Ault is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Innovate Work Consulting, a Northern Colorado firm specializing in workforce development, strategic facilitation, and talent pipeline program capacity building. She brings more than fifteen years of experience helping employers, educators, and workforce partners build systems that connect people to good jobs and connect businesses to the talent they need.
Abby’s career spans national and Colorado-based workforce initiatives. She previously served as a Project Deputy Director and Senior Technical Assistance Consultant at the American Institutes for Research, leading work on a U.S. Department of Labor contract, and has held senior roles supporting Colorado’s workforce ecosystem. She is an experienced facilitator of sector partnership and Talent Pipeline Management strategies and holds an Everything DiSC Certified Practitioner credential. In addition to workforce systems development, Abby helps organizations build stronger talent strategies and more effective teams.
Abby lives in Loveland, Colorado, where she runs her consulting practice.
April:
Building a Flexible Workforce Without Legal Risk: Employees vs. Contractors
Tuesday, April 28
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Session Recording: https://youtu.be/EeI5zv_jBPA
Session Description:
As businesses look for creative ways to attract and retain talent, many turn to independent contractors, freelancers, and flexible work arrangements. But misclassifying workers can lead to significant legal, financial, and reputational risk. This session will break down the key legal distinctions between employees and independent contractors under Colorado law, common misclassification pitfalls, and how recent enforcement trends impact employers. Attendees will gain practical guidance on how to structure and document working relationships correctly, reduce risk, and build a compliant workforce that supports long-term growth.
Session Presenters:
Rachael Ardanuy is a business attorney and founder of RZA Legal, a Fort Collins-based law firm that has advised entrepreneurs and growing companies since 2015. She works closely with businesses to make smart, practical decisions around contracts, workforce structure, and regulatory compliance. Rachael brings a real-world perspective to employee and independent contractor issues, focusing on how businesses can remain flexible while avoiding costly misclassification mistakes. In addition to getting a front row seat to many Colorado businesses making these decisions as they grow, Rachael has had to navigate these decisions as an employer herself. She is licensed in Colorado, Florida, and New Jersey and is a frequent speaker on business law topics affecting growing companies.
February:
How to Educate a Citizen: Building the Workforce America Needs
Tuesday, February 24
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Session Recording: https://youtu.be/-WW01JiRn1U
Session Description:
While conversations about “workforce readiness” dominate public-education policy, a deeper question often goes unasked: How do schools educate a citizen? Drawing upon inspiration from Dr. E.D. Hirsch’s scholarship in American K-12 curriculum, this webinar explores how classical and charter-school models in the Poudre School District develop the essential character traits business leaders prize—dependability, resilience, intelligence, and ethical behavior. Join educators from PSD’s Liberty Common School for a discussion on how character education and civic literacy form the firmest foundation of a productive, virtuous workforce—and why schools that cultivate these habits are worthy of community investment now.
Session Presenters:
Dr. Robert Robinson began working at Liberty Common School in 2011 as a history teacher. In 2018, he joined the administration as an Assistant Principal and was named Principal in 2023. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in history from The Ohio State University and a B.A. in history from Colorado State University.
Mrs. Sandy Stoltzfus joined the Liberty Common School leadership team in 2012 and has since served in a variety of roles, including Dean of Students and Athletic Director, Academic Dean and College Counselor, and Elementary Assistant Principal. Following the elementary school’s two-campus expansion in 2023, she was appointed Principal of the Plato Campus. She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance, is a graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies, and completed the Principal Licensure/Educational Leadership and Human Resources program at Colorado State University.
With more than 15 years at Liberty Common School, Mr. Jason Mayer has served the school community in a variety of roles, including Cross Country coach, Knowledge Bowl sponsor, and Department Chair. He currently teaches World History, Government, and AP U.S. History. Outside the classroom, he enjoys reading, running, and kayaking.
August:
Performance Under Pressure: How Trauma-Informed Leadership Builds Accountability, Engagement, and Better Results
Tuesday, August 25
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Session Recording: https://youtu.be/Kt48TR6ITe8
Session Description:
Today’s leaders are navigating unprecedented levels of complexity. They’re expected to improve performance, strengthen accountability, retain talent, and lead through constant change—all while supporting a workforce experiencing increasing stress, uncertainty, and competing demands.
When employees struggle to follow through, avoid difficult conversations, shut down during feedback, or seem resistant to change, it’s easy to assume the problem is a lack of motivation or commitment. But often, leaders are responding to the behavior they see rather than understanding the conditions that are influencing it.
Trauma-informed leadership isn’t about lowering expectations or making excuses for poor performance. It’s about understanding how stress affects communication, decision-making, learning, and follow-through—and developing the leadership skills to create the conditions where people can consistently do their best work.
In this engaging session, leadership consultant Ariana Friedlander introduces the Four R’s of trauma-informed leadership. She offers practical, neuroscience-informed strategies that help leaders recognize how stress shapes workplace interactions so they may foster greater accountability without sacrificing high standards.
Participants will leave with a practical framework, actionable tools they can immediately apply, and greater confidence in creating workplace cultures where accountability, engagement, and strong performance go hand in hand.
Session Presenters:
Ariana Friedlander, MPA is the founder and principal consultant of Rosabella Consulting, where she helps mission-driven organizations build stronger leaders, healthier workplace cultures, and high-performing teams. With more than 20 years of experience in leadership development, facilitation, coaching, and conflict resolution, Ariana works with nonprofits, government agencies, higher education, libraries, and businesses to improve communication, strengthen accountability, and navigate change with confidence. Ariana is a TEDx speaker, a Certified Conversational Intelligence® Coach, a HeartMath® Certified coach, and a somatic practitioner. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Psychology Today, and Girl Boss. She is passionate about helping leaders create workplaces where people and performance thrive together.
May:
Mental Wellness Through Change and Uncertainty
Tuesday, May 26
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Session Recording: https://youtu.be/C4Lq1kdAFG4
Session Description:
Change in life and business creates moments of excitement combined with the fear of the unknown. Navigating change and uncertainty impacts mental health.
Each of us has mental health, just as we have physical health, and during times of change and uncertainty, even change and uncertainty in business, we need additional tools to deal with the extra mental stress.
When you are mentally healthy, you enjoy life and the people in it. This is when you and your team can be creative, learn, try new things, and take risks. Ultimately, you are better able to cope with uncertainty, change, and transition when you are intentional about your mental wellness. As a leader, you can lead by example and improve your mental wellness while also supporting the mental wellness of your team through ensuring you are personally well-resourced in this area and modeling this behavior for your staff.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this interactive session:
When to increase individual resourcing for mental wellness, even before you or your team may be struggling
How to identify when mental health is declining and you or a team member needs extra support
Strategies to improve individual mental wellness and resilience, and when to ask for help
Session Presenters:
Chrysta Bairre is an advocate for herself and others. As a child she grew up in poverty, surrounded by family members with mental illness and addiction, while her own non-apparent disability went unrecognized and undiagnosed. A queer woman with several disabilities, she fought to get the help and support she needed to thrive, and became a voice for unseen and under-served people like herself.
Today, Chrysta is an author and professional speaker, helping individuals increase their income and impact through valuing their own inherent worth, setting boundaries and saying no in business, and advocating for themselves. She engages and inspires on stage, speaking to employees on banishing burnout, overcoming impostor syndrome, and workplace mental health.
Chrysta is also the founder of She Goes High, a 1,900+ member introvert and neurodivergent-friendly community for women and non-binary leaders in Northern Colorado. She Goes High hosts more than 30 events per year to support women leaders in taking up their space in the world and leaving their legacy!
Her first book, Beautiful Badass: How to Believe in Yourself Against the Odds, shares stories and lessons from overcoming poverty and depression in this guide for women who want to take command of their destinies and no longer fall prey to the hardships and setbacks that previously defined them. She is currently writing her next book on the topic of asking for help.
March:
Awaken the Room - Lead with Energy That Moves People to Act
Tuesday, March 24
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Session Recording: https://youtu.be/GREAj3KyQYQ
Session Description:
The Problem This Solves:
Leaders often communicate clearly but fail to mobilize engagement and immediate action.
Overview:
Every room has an energy. Great leaders know how to elevate it. This keynote is a dynamic experience in creating connection, enthusiasm, and engagement that turns passive audiences into inspired allies ready to act.
Key Takeaways:
- Instantly elevate the energy and participation of any room
- Inspire alignment around vision and direction
- Become the kind of leader people remember—and rally behind
Who is this for? Leadership Teams, Executives, Entrepreneurs, Thought-Leaders, and Professional Groups.
Session Presenter:
Rachael-Jayne is an international keynote speaker, TEDx presenter, and accomplished mentor who helps leaders and entrepreneurs master the energy that fuels inspiring leadership and influence. She bridges the worlds of high performance and energetic intelligence, teaching the practical foundations of Unshakable Presence®, the art of being centered, magnetic, and compelling while under pressure.
As the founder and CEO of The Awakened School®, an Inc. 5000 company, Rachael-Jayne has built one of the most respected personal and professional development brands in the world. Her signature framework, Unshakable Presence®, has impacted more than 15,000 people globally.
A former professional performer who has appeared before live audiences of over 40,000 people, Rachael-Jayne brings a dynamic stage presence infused with authenticity, humor, and depth. She teaches what it takes to be seen, heard, and trusted in the spotlight, remaining unshakable when everyone’s eyes are on you.
All three of her bestselling books, Unshakable Inner Peace, Powerful and Feminine, and Divine Breadcrumbs, help people become the most grounded, magnetic, and impactful version of themselves. Whether speaking to Fortune 500 teams, visionary entrepreneurs, or executive leaders, Rachael-Jayne delivers more than just inspiration. She offers a proven method to personal mastery and leadership presence that transforms individuals, teams, and organizations from the inside out.