UPCOMING HR EVENTS
NKY CHAMBER
Learn more and register at NKYChamber.com/Events
JANUARY
1/7 HR 100 Webinar: Winning Talent in 2026 Online
9:00-10:00 AM
MARCH
3/11 8th Annual Workforce Best Practices Symposium Kenton County Public Library
8:00 AM-1:00 PM
MAY
5/13 HR 100 Annual Employment Law Update Prysmian NA 8:00-10:00 AM
JULY
7/8 DisruptHR Northern Kentucky Northern Kentucky University 4:00-7:00 PM
NKY SHRM
Learn more and register at nkyshrm.starchapter.com
NOVEMBER
11/18 Mission-Ready: Building a Military-Inclusive Workforce DAV National Headquarters 11:30 AM-1:00 PM
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRS
Amy Hatfield VP of Human Resources, Gateway Community and Technical College
David Noe, PHR, SHRM-CP
HR Manager, Chamber Program Manager, Payroll Partners, Inc.
Dear Guests,
Welcome to the 2025 HR Trifecta Strategic Leaders Conference, presented by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce HR 100 and NKY SHRM. We’re thrilled to have you join us for another exciting year of learning, collaboration, and inspiration.
Just like a prestigious horse race, today’s event takes us through three critical legs of organizational success: recruitment, talent development, and fostering a winning culture. Together, these represent the foundation for every thriving workplace.
This year, we were fortunate to receive an incredible number of high-quality presenter submissions, making it a true challenge to select just three. The speakers you’ll hear from today represent some of the most insightful and forward-thinking voices in our field, each bringing unique strategies and inspiration to help us navigate the evolving HR landscape.
HR professionals continue to play a pivotal role in shaping organizations — leading transformation, developing people, and driving cultures that fuel long-term growth. Our discussions are designed to help you strengthen these capabilities, challenge conventional thinking, and prepare your teams for success in 2025 and beyond.
We’re grateful you’ve chosen to spend your morning with us. Our hope is that you leave inspired, equipped with new ideas, and connected with peers who share your passion for advancing the HR profession.
So, tighten your reins, adjust your stirrups, and get ready to ride the wave of success. This half-day conference isn’t just about crossing the finish line — it’s about leading the pack and achieving greatness together.
Riders up… Get set… Let the race begin!
Warm regards,
The HR Trifecta Planning Committee
SCHEDULE
8:00 AM
8:30 AM
8:45 AM
9:50 AM
Registration, Networking & Continental Breakfast
Welcome & Sponsor Acknowledgement
Session 1
From Burnout to Buy-In: Cultivating a Culture That Develops & Retains Top Talent
Amy Goodson, Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership (KY-MEP)
Session 2
Why People Work: Hint! It’s More Than The MOOLA
Merle Heckman, Ed.D. Dale Carnegie Training and Professional Development
10:50 AM
11:15 AM
12:15 PM
Networking Break
Session 3
Game On: Transforming Training From Check-the-Box to Change-the-Behavior
Casey Webster, Founder & CEO, My HR Extension
Wrap Up, Sponsor Thank You, Door Prize Drawings
This program has been approved for HRCI and SHRM credits.
` Amy Goodson, CDP, SHRM-CP Director of Leadership, Workforce and Culture Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership (KY-MEP)
From Burnout To Buy-In: Cultivating a Culture That Develops & Retains Top Talent
Synopsis: In a rapidly evolving workforce, HR professionals face the dual challenge of developing talent while fostering a culture that promotes retention, engagement, and growth. This session explores actionable strategies that connect leadership behavior with culture shaping, offering a roadmap to move employees from burnout to buy-in. Rooted in behavioral science, leadership best practices, and current workplace trends, this session empowers HR leaders to become culture catalysts in their organizations.
Bio: With over 15 years of leadership experience, Amy has worked with various global organizations, bringing her expertise and passion for leadership to diverse teams and projects. With her extensive background in leadership, Amy is currently the Director of Leadership, Workforce and Culture for Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership through the University of Louisville. With a strong background in human resources, talent management, employee engagement, and organizational development, Amy is known for her ability to create inclusive and collaborative workplace cultures that foster employee growth and development. Throughout her career, Amy has held various leadership roles in HR including Vice President of HR and Talent Development, working with companies of all sizes across multiple industries. She has a proven track record of implementing innovative HR initiatives that have led to significant improvements in employee retention, performance, and productivity.
In Amy’s experience, she is passionate about empowering individuals to become the best version of themselves and organizations to reach unsurpassed achievements. Amy holds several certifications including a John Maxwell Certified Speaker, Coach and Trainer. She has contributed to industry publications, serves as a keynote speaker at conferences and events and is an award winning children’s author.
Merle Heckman, Ed.D.
Master Trainer and Consultant, Dale Carnegie Training and Professional Development, Southern Ohio, Kentucky, & Southern Indiana
Why People Work: Hint! It’s More Than The MOOLA!
Synopsis: In businesses and organizations today, everything begins and ends with leadership. The leaders, who go beyond the obvious to uncover the critical hidden expectations, are able to create a culture of engagement and retention where employees not only give you their hands but, most importantly, their hearts.
The return on investment for the leader’s efforts will be the employees’ best efforts. When you know your employees’ “why” game, they will bring their “A” game.
Bio: Merle Heckman is a Master Trainer and Consultant for Dale Carnegie and Associates. He comes from a diverse work background – a nonprofit organization working with adolescents, a privately held transportation and logistics company, a federal government housing authority, and a publicly held manufacturing company. He is also a full-time instructor for Northern Kentucky University and adjunct faculty at several other universities. In 2022 and 2024, he was named the outstanding global instructor within the Dale Carnegie organization. Merle is also the co-author of the book, “Why People Work.”
` Casey Webster Founder & CEO
My HR Extension
Game
On: Transforming Training From Check-theBox to Change-the-Behavior
Synopsis: In this high-impact session, you’ll learn to transform dry policies and forgettable slides into unforgettable learning experiences through the power of gamification. We’ll reveal the behavioral science behind why games work and how strategic game design can drive real HR results like retention, compliance, and manager effectiveness. You’ll experience examples of training games built specifically for the workplace and leave with a framework for designing your own, even if you’re not a game designer. Whether you’re aiming to boost engagement, reinforce company values, or make your leadership programs actually work, this session will help you level up your training strategy and prove its business impact.
Bio: Casey Webster is an award-winning HR strategist and gamification pioneer who transforms traditional workplace training into unforgettable, behaviorchanging experiences. As the founder and CEO of My HR Extension, Casey helps organizations elevate their people strategy by blending human capital, marketing, and game design into a single, high-impact system. Her signature program — the Employment Law Escape Room — has redefined compliance training by turning complex legal concepts into collaborative puzzles that teams enjoy solving. This groundbreaking approach to gamified learning has been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX, earning national attention for making “boring but critical” topics like employment law engaging, memorable, and actionable. Casey’s portfolio of games — including Bank Heist, Say What, and Respect in the Workplace — has equipped thousands of professionals to think critically, communicate effectively, and lead with empathy.
At the core of Casey’s work is a belief that training should spark emotion, not eye-rolls. Her mission is to help organizations replace PowerPoint fatigue with laughter, teamwork, and lasting behavioral change — proving that when people play, they remember.
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