Schedule
Photo by Steve Johnson
Elevate offers a full day of valuable professional development. Whether it is during one of the three inspiring keynote remarks or during the applicable information shared during a breakout session, attendees will walk away from the event with new tools and motivation to take their career to the next level.
Wondering which education session is right for you? Each session is included in at least one track: new employees, new managers, sales, small business, entrepreneurs, accounting and legal. If you identify with one of those categories, use that as a guide for where to start scheduling your day. You are also free to choose your own adventure based on the session topics and speakers that interest you. No matter what education session you choose, we are confident that you will find valuable lessons to apply to your career!
Registration | Networking | Continental Breakfast
8 to 8:30 a.m.
Registration - Second-floor foyer,
south end
Breakfast - Painted Sky Ballroom,
fourth floor
Start the conference off right by grabbing your nametag, attendee bag and program guide and enjoy a power-boost breakfast and some early morning engagement with other attendees and exhibiting sponsors.
Education Sessions
10:15 to 11:15 a.m.
Second and third floors
Five Ways to Increase Your Influence
Room 208A
Teresa Atkinson, M.Ed.
Development, Express Employment Professionals
Track(s): Expanding Your Influence
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The Future is Now: Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing Millennial and Gen Z Employees
Room 208B
Landis Tindell
Manager, Corporate Communications, Oklahoma City Thunder
Track(s): Growing Your Business
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Starting from the Bottom:
Strategies Towards Advancing Upwards
Room 209B
J.D. Baker
Platform Manager, Cortado Ventures
Track(s): Starting Your Career
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Why People Lie to You...and What To Do About It
Room 301B
Mike Crandall
CEO, Sandler Training
Track(s): Boosting Your Sales
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Leading People Unlike Yourself:
How to Thrive as a First-Time People Leader
Room 301C
Matthew Palmer
Senior Director of Employee Experience, Heartland Payment Systems
Track(s): Managing Your Team
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Championing Equitable Advancement
Room 301D
Shalynne Jackson
Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer, City of Oklahoma City
Track(s): Developing Your Cultural Competency
Registration | Networking | Breakfast
7:30 to 8 a.m.
First Floor Information Desk
Pick up your nametag, attendee bag and program guide, and start the conference off right by joining fellow attendees for a power-boost breakfast and some early morning engagement.
Headshot Lounge
7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
First Floor Center Pre-function
You only get one shot to make a (memorable) first impression. Let the professionals help with a complimentary quality headshot.
Opening Session Welcome Remarks
8 to 8:45 a.m.
Second Floor, Grand Ballroom ABC
Percy Kirk, Chair of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber
Learn what to expect from Elevate and how to make the most of the day’s opportunities.
This is Your Time
​Amy Downs, President/CEO, Allegiance Credit Union
Amy will share her story of surviving the OKC bombing and subsequent transformation as a way to inspire the listener and ignite within them a desire for personal growth.
Move | Refresh
8:45 to 9 a.m.
Grab your hydration of choice and head to your first education session!
Education Sessions
9 to 9:45 a.m.
Help! I've Been Promoted: Essential Skills for New Supervisors
​Meeting Room 1, First Floor
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Steve Puckett, Director, Corporate Human Resources, Express Employment Professionals
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Track(s): New Manager, General
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First Impressions
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Meeting Room 2, First Floor
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Hilarie H. Blaney, Etiquette and Protocol Consulting
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Master the skills needed to make the best presentation of yourself in business and social settings.
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Track(s): New employee, General
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Creating Customer Delight
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Meeting Room 6, First Floor
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Track(s): Sales, Small Business
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Help! I've Been Promoted: Essential Skills for New Supervisors
First Impressions
Creating Customer Delight
​Meeting Room 1, First Floor
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Steve Puckett, Director, Corporate Human Resources, Express Employment Professionals
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Track(s): New Manager, General
Meeting Room 2, First Floor
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Hilarie H. Blaney, Etiquette and Protocol Consulting
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Master the skills needed to make the best presentation of yourself in business and social settings.
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Track(s): New employee, General
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Meeting Room 6, First Floor
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Track(s): Sales, Small Business
Access to Funding
Succession Planning
Managing Up for Results
Meeting Room 7, First Floor
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Stacey Brandhorst, Venture Advisor, i2E, Inc.
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Track(s): Entrepreneurs
Meeting Room 16, Second Floor
Dr. Alan Campbell
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Track(s): Small Business
Meeting Room 17, Second Floor
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David McLaughlin, Asst Vice President, Corporate Training, American Fidelity Assurance Company
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Track(s): General, New Manager, New Employee
How to be more productive in the workforce using your computer
Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
Mitigate Your Fraud Risk
Meeting Room 18, Second Floor
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Jennifer Wherle, Inside Sales Medium Business, Dell Technologies
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Learn how the value of technology can transform you and your job.
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Track(s): General, New Manager, New Employee
Meeting Room 19, Second Floor
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Michael Shellabarger, Corporate TrainerLove's Travel Stops & Country Stores
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Our workplace is comprised of people with different strengths, personalities and emotions, which can greatly affect the way they work. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to identify and manage your emotions as well as the emotions of others. This workshop will define the context of emotional intelligence as it pertains to you and finding success with your customers.
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Track(s): General, New Employee
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Meeting Room 20, Second Floor
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Todd Burchett, Partner, South Region Leader of Forensics and Valuation Services, BKD CPAs and Advisors
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It is estimated the average organization loses 5 percent of its annual revenue to fraud, according to the ACFE’s 2018 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse. This session is designed to update you on current trends related to fraud and ways you can utilize technology like data analytics to mitigate fraud risks.
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Track(s): Accounting
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Move | Refresh
9:45 to 10 a.m.
Grab your hydration of choice and head to your second education session!
Education Sessions
10 to 10:45 a.m.
Dive deep into improving your future career path with Elevate’s Education Sessions! Whether you are new to the workforce, a business owner, or anywhere in between, Elevate has a breakout session that will benefit the current stage of your career. The following education sessions are representative of the content that you will experience at Elevate. The schedule is subject to change as speakers are confirmed.
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Who Moved My Cheese? The Art of Change Management
What Impressions Are You Making: Professionalism Leads to Success
Generating Sales Leads
Meeting Room 1, First Floor
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Michael Shellabarger, Corporate Trainer, Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
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​This workshop is based on the bestselling book – “Who Moved My Cheese?” – which presents a simple parable that reveals profound truths about dealing with change. It follows the story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. The workshop will identify how change can affect people, while also developing an effective strategy for dealing with change.
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Track(s): New Manager
Meeting Room 2, First Floor
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Track(s): New Employee, General
Meeting Room 6, First Floor
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Track(s): Sales, Small Business
Keeping Your Cool
Managing Stress and Achieving Work-Life Balance
Personal Branding 101
Meeting Room 7, First Floor
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Scott Meacham, President & CEO, i2E, Inc.
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Track(s): Entrepreneurs
Meeting Room 16, Second Floor
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Track(s): Small Business, Entrepreneurs
Meeting Room 17, Second Floor
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Adam Brooks, Senior Advisor, Energy and Corporate Communications, Candor
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You probably have never held a focus group or a brainstorm about yourself – and you almost certainly don’t have a logo or a tagline – but you DO have a personal brand. Do you know what it is? Do you know how to shape one? More importantly: Do you know why it matters? This session will help you answer those questions.
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Track(s): General, New Employees
Networking for Introverts
The Four Areas of Leadership: How Great Leaders Spend Their Time
The value of inclusiveness in strategic financial planning
Meeting Room 18, Second Floor
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Gunnar Hood, Digital Marketing Consultant, WSI Summit
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Track(s): General, Small Business
Meeting Room 19, Second Floor
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Kati Hanna, Partner, The Mettise Group
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We spend too much time focused on the interview process and too little time on the first few days and weeks that an employee joins our company. It's time to put away the 50-page employee handbook and boring compliance training, and instead focus on how to engage employees from day one so that they quickly become productive team members and are more likely to stay with your company.
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Track(s): General, New Managers
Meeting Room 20, Second Floor
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David Rodarte, Director, BKDnext Business Advisor, BKD CPAs and Advisors
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High performance companies know where they are going and empower their people to make confident and quality decisions. How can you become a best practice organization that enables your employees to make decisions matched to your goals? This breakout session on annual financial planning will l incorporate examples of the risks and fears of inclusive decisions and the rewards companies have experienced by unleashing the power of their people.
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Track(s): Accounting
Move | Refresh
10:45 to 11 a.m.
Grab your hydration of choice and head to your third education session!
Education Sessions
11 to 11:45 a.m.
Dive deep into improving your future career path with Elevate’s Education Sessions! Whether you are new to the workforce, a business owner, or anywhere in between, Elevate has a breakout session that will benefit the current stage of your career. The following education sessions are representative of the content that you will experience at Elevate. The schedule is subject to change as speakers are confirmed.
Early Childhood Development the First 100 Days in an Employee’s Life
Career Pacing
How to Build Trust with Prospects and Clients
Meeting Room 1, First Floor
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Danielle Ezell, APR, SPHR, Partner, The Mettise Group
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Track(s): New Managers
Meeting Room 2, First Floor
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Tennille Whiteman, Training Associate, American Fidelity Assurance Company
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Track(s): New Employee, General
Meeting Room 6, First Floor
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Dot Rhyne, Founder & President, Brand Talkers
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Track(s): Sales, Small Business
When to Hire vs. When to Outsource
Workforce Development: Creating Great Employees
Time Management: The Art of Eating the Frog
Meeting Room 7, First Floor
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Track(s): Entrepreneurs
Meeting Room 16, Second Floor
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Shelley Cadamy, Partner, The Mettise Group
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Finding employees with all the right skills, experience, and cultural fit is virtually impossible in Oklahoma, and won’t get easier anytime soon. Instead of recruiting employees, learn how to create the workers your company needs to stay strong and prosper. Audience participation is encouraged, so attendees should bring real world hiring challenges to the event.
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Track(s): Small Business
Meeting Room 17, Second Floor
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Michael Shellabarger, Corporate Trainer, Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
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Inspired by the book “Eat That Frog!” by Brian Tracy, this workshop will outline different perspectives on managing your time effectively.
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Track(s): General, New Employees
Cultural Competency
Financial Bootcamp for Emerging Leaders
Specialized Training for Business Accountants And CPAs
Meeting Room 18, Second Floor
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Sandra Quince, Bank of America
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Track(s): General, New Managers, New Employees
Meeting Room 19, Second Floor
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Sherry Dale, CPA, Partner, The Mettise Group
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Sherry Dale, CPA, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of The Mettise Group, will lead a discussion for non-financial leaders on how to understand the story your financials are revealing about the health of your company. She will focus on understanding the basic financial statements, financial terms, key metrics, leading indicators and how to appropriately monitor cash flow along with planning for growth. Walk away with knowledge and confidence about managing your P&L responsibly.
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Track(s): General, New Managers
Meeting Room 20, Second Floor
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Track(s): Accounting
Move | Refresh
11:45 a.m. to Noon
Make your way to the Grand Ballroom for your next dose of inspiration during Elevate’s lunch and keynote address.
Lunch Session
Noon to 1:45 p.m.
Second Floor, Grand Ballroom ABC
The Sink Philosophy
Walter Nusbaum, President, The Nusbaum Group
Everyone loves progress. Everyone loves to achieve successful outcomes in whatever they do. There is a powerful philosophy of life that truly has to power to create radical transformation through one small change. Based on a true story that happened to Walter at an airport bathroom sink many years ago, the Sink philosophy was born. When we live out of the mindset of leaving everything "a little better than we found it" then time will do its remarkable work of rewarding us with long sought after gains. The Sink philosophy has the power to radically transform any business or any individual's life if it is put into consistent practice.
The Power of Range: The Secret to Success in Any Domain
David Epstein, No. 1 NYT Best-Selling Author of Range & The Sports Gene, Expert on the Science of High Performance
What’s the most effective path to success in any domain? It’s not what you think. Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you’ll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world’s top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule. Best-selling author on the science of performance David Epstein has examined the world’s most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that in most fields—especially those that are complex, unpredictable, and difficult to automate—generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They’re also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can’t see.
Move | Refresh
1:45 to 2 p.m.
Grab your hydration of choice and head to your afternoon education session!
Education Sessions
2 to 2:45 p.m.
Dive deep into improving your future career path with Elevate’s Education Sessions! Whether you are new to the workforce, a business owner, or anywhere in between, Elevate has a breakout session that will benefit the current stage of your career. The following education sessions are representative of the content that you will experience at Elevate. The schedule is subject to change as speakers are confirmed.
The Tightrope of Confrontation: Successfully Navigating Conflict in the Workplace
Becoming a Trusted Co-Worker
Creating an Online Sales Funnel
Meeting Room 1, First Floor
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Gene Hopper, Partner, The Mettise Group
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All leaders will experience managing the team members who can’t get along. Learn to identify the symptoms of unresolved conflict in an organization and what you can do to break the cycle of drama. Learn powerful feedback techniques to get more of right behaviors your team needs to succeed.
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Track(s): New Managers
Meeting Room 2, First Floor
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Rhonda Y. Thompson, Sr. Technical Training Specialist, OGE Energy Corp.
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Do you find it hard to trust people? Do you allow past experiences to hold you back? Come prepared to identify the signs of a trusted co-worker and the steps to becoming a trusted co-worker. Attend this session to learn to model the trust you want.
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Track(s): New Employee, General
Meeting Room 6, First Floor
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Track(s): Sales
Thinking Big and Acting Small
Using Your Story to Grow Your Business
Presentation/Speaking Skills
Meeting Room 7, First Floor
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Track(s): Entrepreneurs
Meeting Room 16, Second Floor
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Brad Bishop, Owner, Bishop Branding
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Using the StoryBrand method, this session will help you clarify your message, connect with customers and grow your business. You will walk away with an actionable to-do list to start getting results immediately.
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Track(s): Small Business
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Meeting Room 17, Second Floor
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Track(s): General, New Employees, New Managers
How to Become a Master Communicator
Situational Leadership
Cannibis in the workplace
Meeting Room 18, Second Floor
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Doyce Crandall, Partner and Founder, Sandler Training
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Communication is one of the most important things we do in business (and life). Most people have communication breakdowns on a regular basis, and some don’t even know it. This session is for those who want to get better at reading, understanding, and adapting to ensure you have better interactions with others. Attendees will learn the biggest communication breakdowns, the disconnects those cause, and how to get better at eliminating them in communication.
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Track(s): General, New Managers, New Employees
Meeting Room 19, Second Floor
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Russ Florence, President, Chief Operating and Inclusion Officer, Schnake Turnbo Frank
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Track(s): General
Meeting Room 20, Second Floor
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Eric S. Fisher, Crowe & Dunlevy
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Track(s): Legal
Move | Refresh
2:45 to 3 p.m.
Treat yourself with a surprise infusion of energy as we hit mid-afternoon!
Education Sessions
3 to 3:45 p.m.
Dive deep into improving your future career path with Elevate’s Education Sessions! Whether you are new to the workforce, a business owner, or anywhere in between, Elevate has a breakout session that will benefit the current stage of your career. The following education sessions are representative of the content that you will experience at Elevate. The schedule is subject to change as speakers are confirmed.
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Business Ethics
Better Results Through Asking Questions
Approaching sales from a place of servanthood
Meeting Room 1, First Floor
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Shannon Warren, Founder, OK Ethics
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Track(s): New Managers
Meeting Room 2, First Floor
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David Curran, Head of Business Development, Sandler Training
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Ever been frustrated because you visited with a team member, coworker, client, or prospect then found out they didn't tell you everything? Or have you wasted time in a useless meeting or appointment? If yes, you would want to attend this session. Attendees will learn why we struggle to ask questions, how to ask more / better questions, how to ask the right questions, and how to uncover the information you really want instead of just scraping the surface.
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Track(s): New Employee, General
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Meeting Room 6, First Floor
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Derek Villanueva
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Track(s): Sales
Positioning Your Company to be Irresistible
Vote for Prom King or Queen: Get crowned on Page 1 Google Ranking
Building Presentation Skills
Meeting Room 7, First Floor
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Rhonda Hooper, President and CEO, Jordan Advertising
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Track(s): Entrepreneurs
Meeting Room 16, Second Floor
Stacy Eads, CEO, Stacy Eads, LLC
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If you wanted to be crowned Prom King or Queen, you’d need votes to reach your goal, right? Well the same is true to be crowned the King or Queen of Page 1 on Google Search. In this class, all the techy jargon will be thrown out the window, and you’ll get a clear checklist for how to attain votes with Google. Our speaker, Stacy Eads, has carved a unique niche in the Technology & Digital Marketing sector for over 15 years as a top Woman In Tech. She’s well-known for training with ‘real speak’ not ‘geek speak’. Her leadership within 3 leading-edge tech firms has touched everything from Silicon Valley to Bootstrap Start-Ups, yet she takes these complex topics and pairs them down to an everyday level we can all understand. She will teach us how to Reign Supreme over Google Maps and Local Search Engine Optimization. You will leave with DIY Tools that work, no matter the size of your company – big or small.
Track(s): Small Business
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Meeting Room 17, Second Floor
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Russ Florence, President, Chief Operating and Inclusion Officer, Schnake Turnbo Frank
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Track(s): General, New Employees
Networking 101
Combatting Connection Killers
Specialized Training for Legal Professions
Meeting Room 18, Second Floor
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Sunny Cearley, Vice President of Membership, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber
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Track(s): General, New Managers, New Employees, Small Business
Meeting Room 19, Second Floor
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Doug Hacking, CEO / Owner, Relationship Resonance, Inc.
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Track(s): Small Business, New Managers, Entrepreneurs
Meeting Room 20, Second Floor
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Track(s): Legal
Move | Refresh
3:45 to 4 p.m.
Grab your hydration of choice and head to your education session!
Education Sessions
4 to 4:45
Dive deep into improving your future career path with Elevate’s Education Sessions! Whether you are new to the workforce, a business owner, or anywhere in between, Elevate has a breakout session that will benefit the current stage of your career. The following education sessions are representative of the content that you will experience at Elevate. The schedule is subject to change as speakers are confirmed.
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How to Motivate yourself and Other
Faces of Change: Understanding and Managing Generations in the Workplace
Mastering the Art of the Cold Call
Meeting Room 1, First Floor
Mike Crandall, Sandler Training
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Track(s): New Managers
Meeting Room 2, First Floor
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Danielle Hoeltzel, Director of Organizational Development, Express Employment Professionals
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Track(s): New Employee, General
Meeting Room 6, First Floor
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Derek Villanueva
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Track(s): Sales
Corporate Cares: Are you building a Purpose-Driven community impact?
Ten IT tips when you are the President and IT Technician of your company
Mental Health/Well-being
Meeting Room 7, First Floor
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Stacy Eads, CEO, Stacy Eads, LLC
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​Come learn from one of Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEOs how defining a Passionate Purpose for your Brand can impact your Employee Engagement, and Your Profit. Did you know that in just 6 years, 75% of your local workforce will be made up of Millennials who want to know WHAT your small business cares about & WHY? Hear specific ideas on how local Oklahomans are creating Deep Community Connections that Inspire Social Responsibility. We’ll discuss how to choose a Corporate Citizenship program that’s right for your brand, your consumers, and your employees. Let’s discover how you can make a difference in Oklahoma!
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Track(s): Entrepreneurs
Meeting Room 16, Second Floor
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Brad Thomas, Co-Founder, NvYA Technology
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Join serial-entrepreneur Brad Thomas as he gives 10 tips for small business owners who have the responsibility of running the company and providing IT technical support to the staff. Brad was the co-founder of Perimeter Technology and NvYA Technology so he brings an insider’s understanding of the challenges that many small business owners face when it comes to supporting their employees IT needs while also trying to operate the day-to-day tasks of running the business.
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Track(s): Small Business
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Meeting Room 17, Second Floor
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Janienne Bella, Chief Executive Officer, A Chance to Change
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Track(s): General
Making Data Driven Decisions
The B-Corp Model for Companies Engaging in Social Good
Specialized Training for Legal Professions
Meeting Room 18, Second Floor
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Eric Long, Senior Research Economist, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber
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Track(s): Legal
Meeting Room 19, Second Floor
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Track(s): General
Meeting Room 20, Second Floor
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Track(s): Legal
Move | Refresh
4:45 to 5 p.m.
Freshen up before you head to the Elevate After-Party, the perfect place to conclude a day full of development and networking!
Elevate After-Party & Exhibitor Experience
5 to 7 p.m.
Grand Ballroom CDE
Everyone loves a high energy party to unwind after days of intense networking and education, and Elevate delivers with its After-Party! After experiencing a day full of professional development and career education, Elevate attendees will be able to engage with colleagues, sample food from caterers and restaurants and offer a toast to the experience with tasters from Oklahoma City breweries and wineries.