HR Conference

Agenda

8 – 8:30 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 8:45 a.m.
Welcome Remarks
Brian Peters, chief executive officer, Michigan Health & Hospital Association

8:45 – 9:30 a.m.
Keynote Session – Navigating AI in Healthcare

9:30 – 10:15 a.m.
Workplace Violence Panel Discussion

10:15 – 10:45 a.m.
Break, Sponsor Exhibits, Networking

10:45 – 11:30 a.m.
Community Brand Ambassador Panel Discussion

11:30 a.m. – noon
MHA Advocacy Update

Noon – 12:45 p.m.
Lunch, Sponsor Exhibits, Networking

12:45 – 2:45 p.m.
Crucial Conversations Tabletop Exercise

2:45 – 3:15 p.m.
Break, Sponsor Exhibits, Networking

3:15 – 4 p.m.
Closing Session – The Power of &™

4 p.m.
Final Remarks/Adjourn

Sessions

Navigating AI in Healthcare

This session will equip leaders with a clear understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), including its potential benefits, the unique challenges it presents in healthcare, and practical guidance on how organizations, leaders and teams can thoughtfully and responsibly respond to AI today.

Workplace Violence Panel Discussion

Workplace violence continues to be a critical challenge across healthcare settings, impacting employee safety, well-being, and retention. This panel discussion will share real-world strategies for preventing, responding to, and recovering from incidents of workplace violence. Panelists will highlight successful initiatives, including policy development, staff training, reporting and response protocols, and cross-department collaboration with security and clinical teams.

Community Brand Ambassador Panel Discussion

Hospitals play a vital role not only as healthcare providers, but also as trusted anchors within their communities. This panel discussion will showcase hospital-led community brand ambassador programs that strengthen workforce engagement, elevate organizational reputation, and deepen community trust. Panelists will highlight successful initiatives, lessons learned, and measurable outcomes, offering practical guidance on aligning ambassador programs with recruitment, retention and organizational culture goals.

MHA Advocacy Update

The MHA advocacy team will review specific workforce laws, bills and acts that impact healthcare organizations.

Crucial Conversations Tabletop Exercise

Hospital human resources professionals face unique pressures: staffing challenges, burnout, workplace conflict policy enforcement and difficult performance or conduct conversations, all occurring in environments where trust and reputation matter. This interactive session will blend practical reputation management principles with real-world human resources challenges, including tough conversations that shape trust, culture and credibility inside an organization.

The Power of &™

In times of rapid change, we default to either/or thinking, which speeds decisions but kills innovation, divides teams and fuels burnout. The Power of &™ replaces false tradeoffs with possibility – helping leaders balance today’s performance and tomorrow’s growth.

Workplace Violence Panel Discussion

• Cindy LaFountain, senior labor advisor, University of Michigan Health
• Billi Jo Hennika, chief operating officer, McKenzie Health System
• Chris Joidin, manager, emergency management, Henry Ford Health
• Moderator: Lauren LaPine-Ray, vice president, policy and rural health, MHA

Billi Jo Hennika, chief operating officer, McKenzie Health System (MHS), is an accountable care organization champion. She began at MHS in 2011 as the director of healthcare practice, where she directed six family practice offices, one Orthopedic office, and several visiting specialty clinics. In 2013, she accepted the role as COO, where she took on the responsibility of overseeing nursing, diagnostic imaging, lab, rehabilitation services, provider practices, facilities management, clinic support services, dietary and housekeeping departments.

Chris Jodoin, manager, emergency management, Henry Ford Health in Detroit, leads system-wide initiatives focused on emergency preparedness and operational continuity through mitigation, prevention, response and recovery. Jodoin partners closely with Human Resources, Security, clinical operations and executive leadership to strengthen threat management processes, reporting and intervention systems, staff training, and recovery protocols that protect employees and patients across complex healthcare environments.

Community Brand Ambassador Panel Discussion

• Kyrsten Newlon, director of communications & donor development, Hillsdale Hospital
• Amy Pierce-Danders, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
• Moderator: Barb Singer, founder, Executive Core

Kyrsten Newlon, director of communications & donor development, Hillsdale Hospital, leading branding and marketing, advocates for rural health in government relations, oversees fundraising and grant writing and serves as the organizational spokesperson and public information officer. She is the producer and writer of Rural Health Today, a podcast about what really matters in rural health, and serves on the Michigan Health & Hospital Association’s Council on Health Access & Community Impact, Small or Rural Hospital Council and Person & Family Engagement Advisory Council. At the local level, Kyrsten represents the hospital on the Hillsdale Economic Development Corporation and county-wide Human Services Network, as well as a variety of committees, task forces and work groups to improve the health and wellbeing of her rural community. Newlon’s goal in every area of her work is to further Hillsdale Hospital’s mission for the health and wellbeing of patients, the growth of the community and the stability of national rural health.

Things to Know

The MHA Human Resources Conference is a private membership meeting. Attendance is open to MHA members, meeting sponsors and invited guests of the MHA. Please contact Sam R. Watson, senior vice president, field engagement, with questions regarding membership.

You can register for the MHA Human Resources conference online. All registrations and appropriate fees must be returned to the MHA on or before March 13, 2026. Credit card payments are required when registering online. Members with questions about registration should contact Ellie Droste at the MHA. Members with questions about the conference should contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.

Safety Protocols

The MHA follows local, state and federal guidelines and determines safety protocols and requirements for all face-to-face events based on these recommendations.

Attire

Business casual dress is appropriate for this event. Please dress in layers, as the room temperature may vary.

Cancellation Policy

Fifty percent of the registration fee will be credited to the card used for registration payment if notice is given by March 13, 2026. No refund will be issued after this time. Registrants may send an alternate.

Special Needs

If you have any special needs or concerns regarding program site access, dietary restrictions or your participation in the program, contact Ellie Droste at the MHA at (517) 323-3443. Inquiring in advance will enhance our ability to respond to your individual needs!

Questions?

If you have questions about the 2026 MHA Human Resources Conference, please contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.

Hotel Reservations

An overnight room rate of $155 for hotel guest rooms has been secured for the MHA Human Resources Conference attendees (rooms subject to state and local taxes). Room reservations can be made by contacting the Crowne Plaza directly at 877-322-5544. Mention the MHA to receive the discounted rate. Reservations may also be made online with a group access code. The group access code is MHA. After the cut-off date of Feb. 20, room reservations and rates will be confirmed based on availability.

This event may be photographed and/or videotaped. Your attendance will indicate your consent for the use of such photographs or videotapes for educational and/or promotional purposes.