Kentucky Workforce Summit - Agenda

Agenda is tentative and subject to change.

8:00 a.m. 
Registration and Continental Breakfast with Sponsors and Exhibitors

8:30 a.m.     
Welcome 
LaKisha Miller, Executive Director, Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center 
    
The State of Kentucky’s Workforce 
Jamie Link, Secretary, Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet 
Kentucky businesses face significant workforce challenges, yet only 15% collaborate with government, education, and nonprofits to address them. In this session, hear from the Secretary of Education and Labor about the Statewide Workforce and Talent Team (SWATT) and its efforts to simplify the workforce system, foster collaboration, and drive impactful employer-led solutions. Gain insights into private sector needs, the growing importance of public-private partnerships, and emerging trends in Kentucky’s workforce and economy. 

9:05 a.m.     
Voting Rights for Convicted Felons and Fair Chances
Ava Bogard, Champion, 2025 National Civics Bee – Kentucky 
Interviewer: Beth Davisson, Senior Vice President, Kentucky Chamber Foundation 
The Kentucky Chamber Foundation works to strengthen communities and expand opportunities across the Commonwealth by equipping the next generation to lead. Through the National Civics Bee®, the Foundation helps Kentucky middle school students explore how civic engagement, leadership, and economic opportunity come together to build a stronger future. Meet the 2025 Kentucky champion and hear the presentation she made at the national competition.  

9:20 a.m.   
Strengthening Kentucky’s Talent Pipeline: Insights from the 2025 State Opportunity Index Report 
Stephen Moret, President and CEO, STRADA 
Drawing on the latest findings from Strada's 2025 State Opportunity Index, Strada CEO Stephen Moret will break down the five keys to success in connecting education with opportunity. The session will highlight where Kentucky excels, where gaps remain, and which high-impact actions state policymakers and business leaders can take now to strengthen pathways to opportunity for individuals and enhance workforce competitiveness for employers across the Commonwealth.

10:05 a.m.     
Break with Sponsors and Exhibitors

10:20 a.m.     
The Culture Blueprint: Exploring the Systems that Shape Success
Danny Nelms, CEO and President, Work Institute 
Culture is often cited as a competitive advantage, yet few organizations can clearly define what their culture is or identify the systems that sustain it. Too often, leaders rely on engagement surveys or sentiment scores as stand ins for culture, but those surface indicators miss the deeper drivers.

In this session, Danny Nelms introduces The Culture Blueprint, a practical, evidence-based framework for understanding the systems that shape workplace culture. Drawing on Work Institute’s annual research and insights from more than 30,000 employee interviews each year, Danny highlights how culture is built not just by what leaders say, but by the systems, behaviors, and practices employees experience every day.

11:00 a.m. 
A New Blueprint for Readiness: How Increased Relevance, Skills, and Employer Partnerships in K12 Can Transform the Future Workforce
Greg Walker, Senior Vice President, State and District Partnerships, College Board 
Across Kentucky, and across the country, employers are searching for talent with the skills to communicate, collaborate, solve problems, and adapt in a fast-changing economy. At the same time, too many students are disengaged, unsure how their learning connects to the future they want. This session explores a new blueprint for bridging that divide—one that brings real-world relevance into the classroom and elevates the skills employers say matter most.

College Board’s Senior Vice President of State and District Partnerships, Greg Walker, will share how AP Career Kickstart—developed in historic partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and endorsed by nearly 500 employers and chambers nationwide—is redefining what readiness looks like. With new AP courses like AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity, students gain rigorous academic preparation and the opportunity to apply their learning through business planning, financial decision-making, and authentic problem-solving. These experiences build confidence, competence, and a clear signal of readiness recognized across colleges, apprenticeships, and the workforce.

Participants will also hear why students are asking for learning that feels relevant, how employer-aligned credentials can expand economic mobility, and what it will take for education and industry in Kentucky to lead together. A brief Q&A will follow the remarks.

11:45 a.m. Lunch with Sponsors and Exhibitors

12:45 p.m. 
Employer Academy Impact in Action: How Kentucky Employers Are Building Stronger Workforce
Panelists TBA
Moderator: Callie Miracle, Director, Implementation, Kentucky Chamber Foundation 
The Kentucky Chamber Foundation’s Academy portfolio equips employers with practical strategies to find, hire, and retain untapped talent across multiple populations, including individuals with disabilities, New Kentuckians, military-connected talent, and individuals with fair chance backgrounds. Through these targeted Academy training programs, employers receive hands-on training, best practices, and actionable tools to build more inclusive and sustainable talent pipelines.

This session will bring the Academy model to life through the voices of employers who have participated in the Fair Chance, Disability, New Kentuckian, and Military Hiring Academies. Each panelist will share how their engagement led to real outcomes, such as cultural shifts, new or improved workplace policies, and tangible hiring or retention success. By showcasing these diverse employer perspectives, the conversation will highlight how the Academy portfolio is driving measurable workforce impact across Kentucky.

1:30 p.m.  
Housing Challenges Across the Commonwealth and the Impact on the Workforce
Charles Aull, Vice President, Policy, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce 
Anetha Dunn Sanford, CEO, Home Builders Association of Kentucky 
Andy Games, President, Elizabethtown Hardin County Industrial Foundation   
Moderator: Terri Bradshaw, President/CEO, Kentucky Association for Economic Development
This panel will highlight the impact of Kentucky’s housing challenges on workforce participation, employment, and economic opportunity in the Commonwealth. Panelists will discuss the ins-and-outs of the state’s housing market, how housing issues differ across regions of the state, how housing availability and affordability tie into workforce issues, and what policy and programmatic efforts are underway to address these challenges.  

2:15 p.m.         
Kentucky's Meaningful Diploma Blueprint: Stakeholder Informed Solutions for Workforce Readiness
Delaney Stephens, Director of Policy, Meaningful Diplomas, The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence
Kentucky's paradox is stark: 4th nationally in graduation rates, yet only 12% of employers express strong confidence in graduate preparedness. This session presents findings from Kentucky's comprehensive Meaningful Diploma Steering Committee—40+ leaders from education, business, and workforce development who contributed to refining the Prichard Committee’s Meaningful Diploma Framework and shaping meaningful diploma policy priorities and considerations. Attendees will explore the Meaningful Diploma Framework addressing system conditions from teacher workforce development to AI-enhanced learning, and explore "Measures of Mobility" that track economic outcomes from 9th grade on-track status through credentials of value and workforce participation. The session details specific legislative and policy considerations, including strategies for expanding work-based learning partnerships, modernizing competency-based assessment, and addressing the critical barriers identified by stakeholders statewide. Business and education leaders will leave with concrete implementation strategies and policy roadmaps for ensuring Kentucky's diploma becomes a true signal of workforce readiness.

3:00 p.m.   
Break with Sponsors and Exhibitors

3:15 p.m.     
Building Bridges: Connecting Your Business with Service Members Entering the Civilian Workforce
Nicki Stewart, Workforce Development Manager, KY VALOR 
In this presentation, attendees will gain actionable strategies for optimizing their company's unique hiring policies to successfully integrate veterans and transitioning service members into the workforce. Explore the benefits of hiring military talent and learn about Kentucky-specific programs that connect businesses with this skilled workforce. Additionally, discover how KY VALOR supports service members and their spouses, both locally and nationwide, in securing licensure and finding career-specific job opportunities in Kentucky.

4:00 p.m.     
Strategic Employer Partnerships: From Innovation to Implementation
Kimberly Boyd-Lane, Director of Career Services, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky 
Alycia Tidrick, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky 
James Farren, Manager of Workforce, CVS Health 
This session explores how Goodwill Kentucky and CVS partnered to design and implement an innovative pharmacy technician training program that addresses critical talent shortages in healthcare. Attendees will learn how this employer-led initiative integrates technology-driven learning (including virtual components), stackable industry-recognized credentials, and wraparound services to create a sustainable, inclusive talent pipeline. The presentation will highlight real-world outcomes, including retention and placement data from initial cohorts, and discuss how the model can be adapted to other credentials and industries. Participants will also gain insights into the economic and demographic trends driving demand for pharmacy technicians and leave with actionable strategies for building similar partnerships in their own organizations.

4:45 p.m.     
Wrap Up and Day One Adjourns
LaKisha Miller, Executive Director, Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center 
 

8:00 a.m.     
Registration and Continental Breakfast with Sponsors and Exhibitors

8:30 a.m.
Welcome
LaKisha Miller, Executive Director, Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center

8:35 a.m.
Unlocking Workforce Potential: Insights from Mercer’s Inside Employees’ Minds 
Kelley Bright, Partner, Kentucky & Tennessee Office Leader, Mercer 
Kaylan Caurield, Global Account Manager, Mercer 
In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, understanding what truly drives employee engagement, motivation, and well-being is critical for organizational success. This presentation leverages Mercer’s “Inside Employees Minds” research to reveal deep insights into employee attitudes, expectations, and behaviors. Attendees will explore data-driven strategies to enhance workforce experience, foster resilience, and build a culture that attracts and retains top talent. Join us to uncover actionable intelligence that empowers leaders to make informed decisions and create workplaces where employees thrive.

9:15 am Transition Break

9:20 a.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION ONE (choose one)

Workshop A:
Filling the Scrubs: Growing Kentucky’s Health Care Talent Pipeline
Ashley Hatfield, Hospital TPM Regional Pipeline Manager, Kentucky Chamber Foundation 
Katie Walker, Program Manager, Kentucky Chamber Foundation 
Panelists to TBA
Hear directly from hospital employers about how they benefit from education-to-employment programming and their participation in TPM® and related initiatives. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how hospitals strengthen their talent pipelines and build partnerships through programs like Bus to Business® and Educator’s Guide to Industry.

Workshop B:
The Importance of an Entrepreneurial Mindset for Workforce Development
Robert Clark, President, Sustainable Business Ventures Corporation 
The presentation will focus on a relatively new recognition about the benefits of an "Entrepreneurial Mindset." Introducing entrepreneurial thinking as an essential life skill—one that strengthens workforce readiness. Unlocking that potential starts with a mindset shift, redefining entrepreneurship not as a business discipline, but as an essential life skill—rooted in agency, problem-solving, and the ability to create value in any context.

The presentation will provide an overview of the many articles that have identified that companies are beginning to hire workers that have an “entrepreneurial mindset.” One article, Entrepreneurial Mindset as a Marketable Skill - Higher Education Today says that “Over the past five years, Association of Chief Academic Officers has provided opportunities for students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, perhaps the most marketable of all skills in an age of rapidly changing technology and uncertainty about how work will be transformed in the future. Notes show that “to find a place in the future workforce, graduates will need to align their interests, skills, and abilities with the needs of others to create value,” whether they start something new, work for others, or work as an independent contractor.

10:00 a.m.
Break with Sponsors and Exhibitors

10:15 a.m. 
CONCURRENT SESSION TWO (choose one)

Workshop C:    
Money for Nothing—and Your Workers for (Almost) Free: Leveraging AI to Unlock Tax Credits, Training Programs, and Other Free Resources to Help Employees Deal with Medical Debt, Get Industry Certifications, and More
Ben Reno-Weber, Chief Innovation Officer, Essential Innovations 
Kentucky employers face a paradox: over 7 million unfilled frontline jobs nationally, while large populations of willing workers remain sidelined due to systemic barriers. At the same time, billions of dollars in federal and state tax credits, training reimbursements, and workforce grants go unclaimed each year—resources that could directly offset hiring and retention costs.

This session will explore how AI and automation can simplify access to these hidden incentives, creating a win-win: employers reduce hiring costs and expand their talent pool, while untapped workers—including veterans, second chance employees, and individuals on public assistance—gain meaningful opportunities.

Workshop D:    
Economic and Workforce Trends in the Industrial Sector
Stacy McCoy, Vice President, Research & Insights, Employbridge 
The industrial sector is undergoing a transformation driven by economic shifts, evolving workforce expectations and generational change. This session will explore the latest labor market trends including skills shortages, and the need for workforce flexibility during a period of high economic uncertainty and how they are reshaping workforce strategies across the industrial sector. Using proprietary research from Employbridge’s Market Intelligence Tracker and Voice of the American Workforce survey, we’ll examine how Gen Z, Millennials, GenX and Baby Boomers differ in their engagement with industrial work, and what employers can do to attract each group. Attendees will gain insights into flexible labor models, gig work integration and the role upskilling is playing in building resilient talent pipelines.

10:55 a.m. Transition Break

11:00 a.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION THREE (choose one)

Workshop E:    
Growing P(AI)ns: Considerations for the Effective Use of AI in Hiring and Staffing Decisions 
Matthew Fontana, J.D., Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP 
Aaron Vance, Associate, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Catie Wheatley, Associate, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP 
Artificial Intelligence tools are everywhere. From daily headlines to the latest operating systems on our phones, the impact of AI has become inescapable. And the workplace is no different. So what does this mean for employers? How can it transform their workforces? How can it make their employees more productive? But more importantly, what's the catch? Through this presentation, our team of labor and employment attorneys will present on the potential benefits (and drawbacks) of utilizing AI tools and software in the workplace from the total "people" perspective. First, this presentation will touch on how AI tools can be used to "right-size," modify, and enhance a business' human capital and the practical and legal considerations that follow. Next, once we've taken stock of the bigger picture, the conversation will pivot towards the use of AI in management and employment decisions and potential associated risks. Finally, once centered on the job, the presentation will discuss the concerns present by employee use of AI tools while performing their roles, and what steps employers can, should, and must take to manage these risks to safeguard sensitive confidential and proprietary information.

Workshop F:    
Implementing Employer Supported Child Care Policies – Where Do We Go Next?
Kate Dean, Director of Community Based Partnerships and Strategy, Child Care Aware of Kentucky 
Sandra Woodall, Founder/CEO, EC Learning 
Aligning internal policies and benefits to support employers' hiring and retention needs, along with families' child care needs can be complex, difficult, and also hugely rewarding to communities, families and children. This workshop will consist of a presentation regarding employer related child care policies and programs for employers to consider as they work toward their hiring and retention plans. The second half of the workshop will guide participants through a solution-finding activity designed to assist in finding the best solution with the highest ROI for your company. Whether you are familiar with employer policies that support employee child care needs or you are just beginning to step into this space, we invite you to bring your successes, challenges, and greatest needs so we can work together to find solutions which push beyond roadblocks, stalled progress, and other barriers to implementation.

11:45 a.m.
Lunch

12:45 p.m.     
Implementing AI in Your Organization
Karl Ahlrichs, CSP, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Expertspeaks 
This program goes beyond strategy to tactically address the urgent need to balance automation with human professional discernment in an evolving digital future.

Headlines are scaring us about the impact of AI but are not explaining how humans must remain a part of any equation. In today’s AI + HR enhanced landscape, professionals must navigate automated insights without sacrificing human judgment. As tech-generated outputs play a role in tasks like forecasting, reconciliation, and anomaly detection, HR leaders must ensure that decisions remain accurate, compliant, and contextually informed. Human logic and intuition become more crucial, not less important.

Led by Karl Ahlrichs, CSP, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, this session explores how AI tools can elevate HR and Operational workflows—but only when paired with rigorous critical thinking. Through real-world case studies, attendees will learn how to interpret AI-generated reports, identify red flags, and evaluate anomalies in data. Participants will be introduced to structured frameworks that help assess AI outputs against business cycles, historical trends, and strategic objectives.

Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for improving data validation, enhancing audit trails, and collaborating effectively with AI as a partner, not a threat.

1:25 p.m. Transition Break

1:30 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION FOUR (choose one)

Workshop G:    
Strengthening Kentucky’s Workforce: Employer Success Stories from the SWATT Approach
Eliza Combs, Appalachian Regional Healthcare 
Additional panelists TBA
Moderator: Laurie Mays, Senior Program Manager, Kentucky Chamber Foundation 
Kentucky is transforming workforce development through the SWATT framework — a coordinated, statewide effort that streamlines how workforce resource providers collaborate behind the scenes. By aligning strategies, data, and services, these partners present employers with a unified, easy-to-navigate package of tailored solutions. This session features Kentucky employers who have benefited from this new approach, sharing how the SWATT model has simplified engagement, improved access to customized workforce support, and delivered measurable results for their organizations and communities.

Workshop H:    
Building Tomorrow’s Workforce Today: Purpose-Driven Strategies to Recruit, Retain, and Engage Kentucky Talent
Molley Ricketts, CEO, Incipio Workforce Solutions 
In today’s competitive talent market, Kentucky businesses must do more than fill open positions—they must create workplaces where employees thrive, stay, and grow. Molley Ricketts, CEO of Incipio Workforce Solutions, brings over 25 years of expertise helping organizations across manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality build strong, engaged workforces.

This session will offer practical, data-driven strategies for addressing workforce shortages by focusing on purpose, belonging, and growth. Attendees will walk away with actionable steps to attract qualified candidates, improve retention, and align workforce development with their organization’s long-term goals.

2:10 p.m. Transition Break

2:15 p.m. 
CONCURRENT SESSION FIVE (choose one)

Workshop I:        
Transforming Community Partnerships Through Data: Kentucky's Groundbreaking Asset MAP Platform
Kyle Jones, Policy Manager, Meaningful Diplomas, The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence 
This session unveils Kentucky's revolutionary Community Asset MAP (Map for Advancing Partnerships), a statewide interactive platform launching in 2025 that provides the complete pipeline view from early care and education through workforce outcomes and quality of life indicators. Developed by the Prichard Committee in partnership with KYVA Analytics, this groundbreaking tool integrates longitudinal data across the entire educational and economic continuum—from early childhood development metrics and K-12 academic achievement to postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion rates, through workforce participation, employment outcomes, earnings data, and broader quality of life measures including housing, healthcare access, and economic mobility indicators. The platform combines this comprehensive data with community assets ranging from childcare centers and libraries to job training facilities and healthcare providers. Attendees will experience a live platform demonstration, exploring how the MAP enables holistic, data-informed partnership building, fiscal resource mapping from state to local levels, and real-time assessment of community needs across the entire cradle-to-career-to-community pipeline. This session showcases how sophisticated longitudinal tracking can finally be transformed into accessible, actionable tools that empower families, educators, and workforce leaders to make evidence-based decisions about pathways to economic prosperity and community wellbeing.

Workshop J:    
Culture as Your Competitive Advantage   
Leslie Jarvis, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Senior People Development Leader, CMI Consulting LLC 
Your culture can be your greatest competitive advantage. In today’s talent market, organizations can no longer afford an “accidental culture.” This engaging and practical session will help you turn culture into your secret weapon for attracting, retaining, and engaging top talent.

We’ll explore what today’s workforce values most, how emotionally intelligent leaders drive trust and loyalty, and why investing in people development pays measurable dividends. You’ll gain real-world examples of companies that have made culture their differentiator—plus actionable tools to strengthen your own teams through communication, motivation, and connection.

Discover how to use assessments like DiSC (communication styles) and PRINT (motivational drivers) to increase self-awareness and team effectiveness. Learn how to balance AI and EQ, using technology to enhance—not replace—human connection.

You’ll leave inspired and equipped to create a culture people don’t want to leave—and customers can’t resist buying from.

3:00 p.m.    
11th Annual Kentucky Workforce Summit Adjourns