Bio: Valerie Burns is the Human Resource Director at IFP Motion Solutions Inc. in Cedar Rapids. Valerie worked fulltime doing software training and implementation of ERP systems while finishing her Human Resource Management degree at Upper Iowa University. Since graduation, she has spent the last twenty-one years at IFP, in both the HR Manager and Director roles. Valerie served on the Eastern Iowa SHRM board, first as the Certification Chair and then as Secretary. She also served on the SHRM Iowa State Council, as Foundation Director. She is currently the President of the SHRM Iowa Senior Professional chapter. Her certifications include SHRM-CP, PHR, CPSP, as well as a Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer.

Outside of work, Val is active in fitness instruction and bicycling, and has a passion for all things health and wellness. She leads the Wellness Committee at IFP, and is part of the Leadership Team, as well as the Retirement Plan committee.

Presentation: When the emergency contact becomes the contact, is HR ready? This fast-paced session tackles the things no one wants to think about—but every HR professional should. From beneficiary designations and life insurance elections to EAP support, grieving coworkers, and helping a family that doesn’t know where to begin, you’ll leave with practical reminders to make sure you’re prepared before the call no HR leader wants.

Bio: Brittany Titcomb is a certified coach, trainer, and facilitator who helps new and emerging leaders communicate clearly, lead confidently, and turn leadership insight into action. She spent most of her career in the manufacturing industry, where she experienced firsthand the pressure new leaders face when they are expected to get results, earn trust, and lead people well. Today, Brittany brings that real-world understanding into practical, behavior-focused learning experiences that are engaging, experiential, and immediately applicable.

Brittany is known for helping leaders build the confidence, clarity, and presence to handle the real moments of leadership — the conversations, decisions, and expectations that shape team trust and performance. She holds an MBA and is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC), ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), holds an Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and is certified in DISC, Motivators, and the Energy Leadership Index (ELI).

Bio: With 30 years of experience in the employee benefits industry, Julie Wasserman has dedicated her career to supporting employers and advocating for meaningful healthcare reform. Her focus is helping plan sponsors challenge the status quo, eliminate unnecessary waste, and identify smarter ways to purchase healthcare.

Julie works with employers to bring greater transparency and accountability to their health plans while finding opportunities to purchase high-quality care more prudently. She believes employers can play a powerful role in changing the economics of healthcare by becoming more informed purchasers, questioning traditional models, and taking greater control of how their healthcare dollars are spent.

Bio: Lindsay Yax is a Human Resources professional dedicated to transforming HR from a transactional function into a strategic business partner that drives culture, accountability, and organizational performance. With experience spanning manufacturing, healthcare, security, retail, and automotive industries, she brings a well-rounded perspective to employee relations, talent development, and operational leadership.

Currently serving as a Human Resources Generalist at Work Skills Corporation, Lindsay partners with leadership to improve engagement, strengthen communication, and align people practices with business outcomes. Her work focuses on building psychologically safe environments, improving upward communication, and ensuring leaders are equipped to lead effectively, not just manage processes.

Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Management and is a SHRM-Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resource Management. In addition to her professional role, she actively contributes to the HR community as a Foundation Director for the Livingston County SHRM chapter, supporting workforce readiness, leadership development, and community impact initiatives.

Outside of work, Lindsay enjoys traveling long road trips, hiking and spending time in the woods, and kayaking on any available water. She has visited almost all of Michigan's State Parks! 

Passionate about bridging the gap between leadership intent and employee experience, Lindsay advocates for people-first strategies that enhance retention, improve safety and performance outcomes, and create workplaces where employees feel heard, supported, and valued.

Bio: Sheri Zevenbergen is the founder of The DASH Mindset, where she helps high-achieving leaders and teams become more cohesive and effective through self-leadership, not more effort. Drawing on 20+ years of corporate leadership experience, Sheri helps people look beneath the surface of workplace challenges to understand what’s really creating friction...and what might actually change it.

She’s also an adjunct graduate professor and host of The DASH Mindset Podcast, and a firm believer that working harder isn’t always the answer. Sometimes, we’re simply working really hard on the wrong problem.

Presentation: Communication. Conflict. Burnout. Engagement. Culture. We spend a lot of time trying to improve what we can see. But what if the biggest opportunity for change lies beneath the surface? This session explores how the way we relate to ourselves, to others, to change, and to uncertainty shapes every experience and why small shifts below the surface often create the biggest changes above it.