06/24/2026
✨ What a week at the Annual Conference in Orlando. I’m returning home energized, inspired, and more convinced than ever about the impact of HR.
Serving as part of the setup crew gave me a unique behind-the-scenes perspective—helping bring this incredible experience to life while connecting with thousands of HR professionals from across the country. From meaningful conversations with peers to learning from world-class speakers, every moment added value.
One unforgettable highlight was an amazing evening sponsored by BambooHR at Disney's Hollywood Studios—having the park open exclusively to SHRM attendees and their guests was such a memorable experience.
Another standout moment: meeting Ryan Gottfredson and getting my copy of The Elevated Leader signed. Even more meaningful, he gifted me his newest book after realizing how deeply his work has impacted me. That moment meant a lot.
And what a way to close the week—with Oprah Winfrey as the closing keynote.
Every speaker left us with gems I’ll carry forward, but one message stands above the rest:
⭐️ We matter ⭐️(Oprah)
💎 As HR professionals, we are the custodians of human potential.
💎 How we make people feel matters.
💎 How we lead matters.
💎 How we advocate matters.
HR is not just about policies, compliance, or spreadsheets.
💎 We are culture builders.
💎 We are people advocates.
💎 We are business drivers.
⭐️ We must take back HR ⭐️ ( )
Because we are more than Human Resources—
💎 We are Chief Work Officers 💎
And lastly, whether people stay or leave our organization, we expect they leave a better version of themselves ()
