Presentation Descriptions

Sponsor a breakout session room by becoming an EQUIP SPONSOR at this year's Employee Wellbeing Conference.

Visit the Conference Sponsor page to learn more or contact our team at wcwi@wellnesscouncilwi.org.

Embracing Evidence-Based Approaches to Obesity Care and Weight Management

This session will provide foundational information around the chronicity of obesity and describe guideline-based obesity care. Content will include an overview of several weight management approaches, such as, lifestyle, pharmaceutical agents, and bariatric procedures. A person-centered approach will be emphasized throughout, and special attention will be paid to addressing stigma and bias surrounding obesity. This session will be presented by Dr. Kristin Hoddy PhD, RD. Kristin is an Obesity Medical Liaison and is a part of the Medical Affairs team at Novo Nordisk. Participation in this session is not eligible for continuing education credit.

Learning Objectives:

Define obesity as a chronic condition and recognize characteristics of obesity-related complications.
Gain awareness of obesity stigma and bias and learn examples of person-centered approaches.
Understand therapeutic options for weight management.

Dr. Kristin Hoddy

Dr. Kristin Hoddy is an obesity subject matter expert with training in exercise science and dietetics. Complementing a decade of clinical research in obesity and weight management therapies, she also has experience from the health and fitness industry as a former performance consultant and corporate wellness director. Kristin is passionate about bringing awareness to the importance of obesity care and strives to facilitate real-world application of cutting-edge weight management therapies. As an Obesity Medical Liaison with Novo Nordisk, Dr. Hoddy delivers valuable information to a variety of stakeholders and decisions makers to enhance understanding of the complexities of obesity.

Suicide Prevention and Interventions in the Workplace

Suicide continues to impact our communities at high levels. In the workplace, individuals can find themselves at the front lines of intervention and have opportunities to access tools necessary to recognize the early warning signs of someone having thoughts of suicide and means necessary to intervene. This presentation will provide insights on the power of prevention and intervention and how relationships can support a person experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

Learning Objectives:

Identify suicide risk and protective factors
Identify coping strategies and interventions to reduce risk of suicide
Discuss resources available for people at risk and their loved one

Ignacio (Nacho) Enriquez

Ignacio (Nacho) Enriquez was a fifteen-year veteran police officer in the State of Wisconsin and has four years of experience as a Juvenile Corrections Officer in the State of California. As a Behavioral Health Officer, Ignacio was responsible for conducting crisis interventions, safety planning, and connecting citizens to mental health services. He is a trained hostage crisis negotiator and has peacefully negotiated multiple incidents involving armed suicidal subjects, and other high safety-risk incidents.
Ignacio earned a master’s degree in professional counseling from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Ignacio retired from law enforcement in January 2023 to focus full time on his consulting practice, Ascent Consulting, LLC. He now travels across the state of Wisconsin and continues to support individuals in need of mental health support. To date, Ignacio has completed well over 1,000 wellness sessions throughout the state.

In his private consulting practice, Ignacio has trained and consulted various government, corporate, and nonprofit organizations on crisis communication skills, suicide risk assessments, and emotional well-being for their personnel. Ignacio is married to his wife Nancy and are parents to Magali, Aaron, and Dilly their Lhasa Apso dog.

Enriquez is a passionate advocate for mental health who is always willing to lend a helping hand. He is an asset to the community and has made a positive impact on the lives of many people.

Bridging Health Gaps: How Financial Wellness Enhances Physical Health

This presentation will look at the direct correlation between financial health and physical health, understanding how financial stress impacts overall wellness, including mental and physical health outcomes. This session aims to provide strategies for integrating financial wellness into broader health initiatives, thereby improving employees' holistic well-being.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how an engaging financial wellness program can elevate employee productivity and morale, fostering a more committed workforce with enhanced retention, positioning the organization as a supportive and attractive employer.
Understand how financial wellness can integrate with many HR and wellness tasks and can act as the glue that binds all other employee benefits. Therefore, simplifying benefits management and allowing HR professionals to focus more on strategic goals.
Hear real world case studies on how peers leveraged financial wellness programs in their organizations, sharing successful strategies and practical tips.

Ryan Hitchcock

Financial Planner

Ryan Hitchcock is a Financial Planner & Wellness Coach. He has a passion for Financial Education and believes that everyone should have the knowledge to make sound decisions to achieve all of their financial goals. He is a partner at High Point Capital Group, and is currently on the NextGen Council at Osaic Wealth, working to shape an industry-leading platform for next-generation Advisors.

Todd Turowski, CASL®, ChFC®
Financial Advisor

Tood's combination of experience, professionalism and access to the widest variety of products and services helps clients meet financial goals, estate strategies and insurance needs. As a fiduciary, he work for you, not for a company that makes and sells their own products. Whether your goals include preparing for milestone events like retirement, or whether you’re simply in need to review your investments or insurance, Todd offers you a new level of attention, insight and capability.

Elevate Your Leadership Brand: Crafting Authenticity and Influence in a Competitive World

Expanding on the keynote session, this presentation is a call to action for individuals and organizations to embrace the power of authenticity and resilience in the workplace.

The key takeaways include:

Embracing Authenticity: How personal challenges can strengthen leadership and foster a culture of openness and support.
Resilience and Adaptability: Strategies for navigating adversity, emphasizing well-being and personal growth.
Influencing with Integrity: The impact of leading with authenticity on employee engagement, morale, and organizational success

McKenna Reitz

McKenna is a sought-after TEDx speaker, an award-winning high school AP Psychology teacher with a remarkable 18-year career, and a resilient alopecia warrior. Her journey of transformation and empowerment began with a personal challenge: losing all her hair due to Alopecia. Embracing this life-changing event, McKenna turned her struggle into a source of strength for herself and others facing similar
challenges. Her approach is about re-framing life’s hurdles into valuable gifts and opportunities, enabling individuals to lead with confidence and purpose.

In her role as an AP Psychology Teacher, McKenna has been honored with numerous accolades, including being named the 'I Make a Difference' teacher twice. This recognition underscores her dedication to fostering growth and understanding among her students. Additionally, her tenure as a Varsity Volleyball Coach for 19 years further highlights her leadership and motivational skills, having earned the Coach of the Year award multiple times.

McKenna's personal life as a mother of two daughters, aged 11 and 8, and a devoted wife adds a rich layer to her professional endeavors. She brings this blend of personal and professional experiences to her speaking engagements, offering relatable and powerful insights.

Leadership as a Top Priority in Employee Well-Being

School systems face a 3-part dilemma: attracting and retaining top talent, increased teacher burnout, and rising healthcare costs. Strong leadership support is a top priority in creating and sustaining a robust wellness program. Karyn Richmond, Wellness Coordinator of Sun Prairie Area School District will demonstrate how schools can meet these challenges by fostering a thriving workforce.

This presentation will demonstrate how to engage leadership commitment in creating a sustainable wellbeing program that yields returns on investment. Leadership support fosters a caring culture, which cascades into the classroom.

The speaker will present on Leadership Support using evidence-based best practice frameworks to help schools improve employee health outcomes, decrease burnout and turnover, and mitigate rising healthcare costs.

The key takeaways include:

1. The role of leadership support
2. How leaders can use a whole-person approach to support employee wellbeing
3. Tangible examples on how to implement neutral-low cost wellbeing initiatives to foster a thriving workplace

Karyn Richmond

Karyn Richmond is a Wellness Coordinator for Sun Prairie Area School District. She has served as a school-based Occupational Therapist, practicing a whole-person approach. Karyn’s experience includes training in mindfulness practices, yoga, professional coaching, grief support, Reiki, and EFT Tapping. She also serves on the Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation and Forestry Commission. Karyn has 30 years experience in small rural districts and larger urban districts, including her most recent position leading SPASD’s Wellness Program, which has received and maintains WELCOA’s Platinum Well Workplace designation.

Reality Check: Embracing the Authenticity of Well-being

It’s time for a reality check in a world inundated with glossy, filtered images of what some perceive a good life to be. In this presentation, Kristin will peel back the layers of lessons learned beyond the scale and long after the challenges and triumphs of reality TV. With a raw yet refreshing perspective discover the transformative energy that lies in the truth of embracing your authentic self, elevating self-awareness, and learning to navigate life with resilience and purpose.

Learning Objectives:

Gain a deeper understanding of the elements influencing well-being and how they collectively contribute to a well-lived life.
Discover a framework for identifying recurring thought patterns and how you can use this information as a catalyst in your personal well-being journey.
Explore techniques for aligning your unique strengths and values with the essential elements of well-being to cultivate resilience and purpose in your daily life.

Kristin Steede

Kristin Steede is a dynamic keynote speaker, Gallup® certified strengths coach, and Learning and Development Professional. She models confident vulnerability by sharing stories demonstrating growth, humility, and self-awareness. The catalyst for Kristin’s storytelling began when she embarked on a journey of physical transformation by appearing on Season 7 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. Week after week, Kristin competed in a series of physical challenges, along with her mother, in the weight-loss-based reality TV show. By week 12, Kristin became the first female to have ever lost 100 lbs while on The Biggest Loser Ranch. After the show, she shared her story on some of the biggest and brightest stages including an appearance on NBC’s Today Show and on the cover of Life & Style Magazine.

However, once the lights were off and the cameras stopped rolling her physical transformation started coming undone. Surprisingly it would be a positive workplace culture that would set her off on a different type of life-changing transformational journey when she was introduced to the philosophy of servant leadership and Gallup's CliftonStrengths®.

After spending years as a certified sales strategies and sales leadership strategies trainer, Kristin has uncovered a profound impact on both workplace performance and personal well-being when a solid foundation of human skills is combined with a deep understanding of personal strengths and talents. These are essential components of building meaningful relationships and personal fulfillment, as they allow individuals to connect with others, express themselves authentically, and live life with purpose and meaning.

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