On Nov. 9, 2023, the annual Northwest Arkansas Supervisors Conference, hosted by the NWA Human Resources Association (NOARK), will take place at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield's NWA Corporate Center, 5288 W. Don Tyson Pkwy. in Springdale. The event, which will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m., is directed by Conference Chair Judith Tavano, longtime U of A employee and current talent development specialist in the university's HR department. NOARK is the Northwest Arkansas affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management. 

Tavano will be joined at the conference by fellow U of A staff members Danielle Williams, associate vice chancellor and executive director/compliance officer in the Office of Equal Opportunity, Compliance and Title IX; and Ashley Ingram, talent development director. Williams will speak on workforce planning, interviewing and selecting, while Ingram will focus on employee engagement and employee experience. 

Additional connections to the U of A include Tina Gilbert, Next Level Training Solutions Group — a client of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center. She will speak about career planning. Michael Brown, Insight Leadership Group, will conduct an interactive session on building high-performing teams. Both are contract facilitators for the U of A's Talent Development programs. U of A graduates taking part in the conference include Rachel Jessen, co-chair for conference operations; Cathleen Hoffman, sponsor chair; and Sheila Webb Burroughs, keynote speaker. 

The conference theme, "A Day in the Life of a Supervisor," will take participants on a narrated, interactive journey through a typical supervisor's day.  

"When I set to design this year's conference, I wanted it to be different. I wanted it to engage supervisors who are either new to supervising or those who want updates and validation. I designed it to mirror the experiences of a typical supervisor's day so that those who attend will see themselves in every session," Tavano explained when discussing her motivation for planning the conference. To ensure the conference meets its objectives, Tavano tapped into her extensive network of business and HR professionals throughout Northwest Arkansas to present, sponsor and exhibit.  

Tavano has been running the conference since 2012. 

Ingram sees a direct link between the U of A's involvement in the conference and the university's land-grant mission to serve the state by contributing service and expertise through outreach, engagement and collaboration.

"It is incredible to see so many connections to the U of A involved in this event, which will help supervisors across the region think critically and develop new skills, and I am proud to be part of it," Ingram said. 

Sheila Moss, conference presenter on self-care and NOARK Programs chair, noted how the conference is an expression of the Society for Human Resource Management's mission. 

"Our mission, expressed through our chapters, is to empower people and workplaces by advancing HR practices and by maximizing human potential. This year's conference is sure to help us in that endeavor," Moss said. 

Registration for the conference is open to all area supervisors and managers at www.noark.org. The early-bird registration fee of $99 per participant is available until Oct. 31, after which, the cost of registration goes up to $129. Conference topics include: workforce planning/interviewing/selecting, performance management, team building, employee experience and engagement, workplace belonging, career planning and self-care.