2025 Workforce Symposium

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (CDT)

Brookfield Conference Center

325 South Moorland Road
Brookfield, WI 53005
United States

* Registration open until 9/17/25 at 12:00 AM (CDT)

**Join us at WALA's first ever Workforce Symposium**

The workforce crisis continues to impact assisted living throughout the state and WALA wants to help however we can. The Workforce Symposium has been created to provide a gathering space for all to come together to:

Discover tools available to you throughout Wisconsin
Expand your network and outreach potential
Hear from The Department of Workforce Development as they join a panel of experts
Explore a variety of content on the three things we all need most;
- Recruitment
- Retention
- On-boarding
Meet with a variety of on-site resources with takeaways available to add to your tool belt

Thank you to our Full Event Promotion Sponsor:

LEARN MORE Here

Attendee Registration

	Credits	Price
Attendee - WALA Member Sign in to receive your member discount		$150.00
Attendee - Non-Member		$300.00

Sponsorship Opportunities

	Credits	Price
Hallway Banner Sponsor		$750.00
Breakout Session Sponsor		$500.00

Agenda

September 23
10:00 AM	Registration Open Thank you to our sponsor: Greenfield Rehabilitation Agency
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM	Panel Discussion + Lunch Department of Workforce Development is bringing forth a panel of 9 experts to share resources available for you Thank you to our sponsor: Consolidated Construction Company
12:15 PM - 12:45 PM	Resource Break Take some time to meet with the variety of Resource Tables on site sharing their tools and opportunities available to support you
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM	Concurrent Breakout Sessions Your first opportunity to attend a session on one of the following: Recruitment Retention Onboarding
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM	Resource Break Another chance for you to visit with our Resource Tables before they leave for the day
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM	Concurrent Breakout Sessions One more opportunity to attend one of our three great sessions to maximize your experience on the following: Recruitment Retention Onboarding

Attendees (78)

Susan Armstrong Stellar Rehabilitation

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Erik Barber President and CEO Christian League for the Handicapped DBA Inspiration Ministries

Ginger Barrientez Director of Customer and Partner Marketing CareAcademy

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Wendi Biever House Manager Songbird Pond Assisted Living

Paula Bizot Center for Aging Research and Education - UW Madison School of Nursing

Landon Boettcher HR Manager Azura Memory Care

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Kimberly Borgenhagen Individual Growth Services, Inc.

Karen Borowski Bristol Hospice

Erin Boutan Sr Director, Quality Improvement & Communications Wisconsin Assisted Living Association

Destenee Boyles Assistant administrator River Road Estates, LLC

Mike Christensen Founder/CEO EasyShifts.com LLC

Kristy Church Director of Talent Acquisition MyPath

Holly Coombs Owner Helen's Home

Kevin Coughlin Policy Initiative Advisor - Executive WisCaregiver Careers

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Sharon Dane Owner, RN Administrator Songbird Pond Assisted Living

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Dawn Dornbusch Director of Talent Acquisition New Perspective Senior Living

Maggie Eder Chief Operating Officer-ALF, BS, Marketing Specialist Davis Clinical Consulting

Christy Edwards, RD, CD Martin Bros Distributing Co

Nikki Emanuele Community Relations Director Elder Care Cottages of WI

Erica Falk-Huzar President & Education Specialist Deer Path Academy

Cathy Fennema Administrator Elder Care Cottages of WI

Valerie Freres Platinum Communities

Pam Gaurkee, RN BSN Director of Clinical Operations Capri Communities

Kayla Goodall Manager, Membership Operations Wisconsin Assisted Living Association

Jamie Hagen Director of Operations Platinum Communities

Carmen Hetzel Recruiting and Marketing Specialist Productive Living Systems

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Diana Howell Director of Operations Castle Senior Living

Tara Husemann Platinum Communities

Patrice Johnson Medication Management Partners

Ken Kealey Executive Director The Waters of Pewaukee

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Tom Kosman Executive Director The Cottages Senior Living & Memory Care

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Brandi Larson Human Resources Coordinator Individual Growth Services, Inc.

Marcie Livingston Regional Director of Sales and Marketing Sinceri Senior Living

Brittani Nehmer Assistant Administrator Aspire Care

Atiyah Nichols Director Cache James Better Living LLC

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Rhiannon Noble Waterford Senior Living LLC

Loren Odom ECP Assisted Living Software

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Amber Parker Beloit Senior Living, LLC

Ruth Patterson Division Director TalentGro

Nicole Pfeifer ExaltaCare

Nicole Raasch Recruiter Azura Memory Care

Teegan Robers Administrator Pinnacle Assisted Living Services, LLC

Tammy Schafer Chief Operating Officer Heritage Senior Living

Shelly Sievert-Haizel Sales Executive CareFeed

Sam Smith Capri Communities

Amanda Stanzel Productive Living Systems

Tessa Stender Director of Operations Helen's Home

Philesha Taylor Ameira Orchids Assisted Living

Matt Teresinski Platinum Communities

Lisa Thomson, NHA VP of Regional Operations Pathway Health Services, Inc.

Anthony Vaughns Area Director Brookdale Senior Living

Jessica Willson Assistant Administrator Pinnacle Assisted Living Services, LLC

Millie Zarate WI ANFP

25 Other Registered Attendees

Featured Resources

Center for Aging Research & Education (UW Madison)
Davis Clinical Consulting
DeerPath Academy
EasyShifts
ECP
Equus Workforce Solutions
Hamilton-Ryker TalentGro
Herzing University
International Institute of Wisconsin
Martin Bros Distributing
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Pathway Health Services
State of WI: Forward Careers, Inc.
State of WI: Job Service
State of WI: Division of Rehabilitation
UW Eau Claire CHAASE
UWM - Helen Bader Office of Applied Gerentology
Waukesha County Technical College
WI Association Food and Nutrition Professionals
WisCaregiver Certified Direct Care Professionals (CDCP)
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association
YMCA