First Breakouts:

Jen Witt: Jen Witt is an HR Consultant with KerberRose, where she partners with organizations to navigate complex human resources challenges and develop effective, forward thinking HR strategies. With more than 20 years of experience in the HR field, Jen has worked across a wide array of industries throughout Wisconsin, Iowa and Texas. Her expertise includes policy development, compensation planning, talent management, labor relations, and employee development. Prior to joining KerberRose in 2024, Jen held a variety of HR roles that strengthened her passion for driving organizational success through strategic, people focused initiatives. Known for her collaborative style and innovative problem solving, Jen helps cultivate positive employee relations and supports continuous organizational growth

Amy Berglund: Amy Berglund is a native of Delta County; Amy most recently served as a Regional Director for the MEDC where she managed five of its ten statewide regions. She has also served as the MEDC’s Business Development Manager and as the Regional Representative for Senator Carl Levin. Her work is reflected in a number of significant U.P. projects, including the breakwater replacement project in Grand Marais and the preservation of the Quincy Smelter in Hancock. She was awarded a key to Grand Marais for the impact that her work had on the community. Amy's focus at InvestUP is on trending opportunities and strategic growth industries, collaborating with the private sector, organizations, and community leaders to advance the region and drive economic development opportunities across all 15 U.P. counties.

Holly Peoples: Holly Peoples has worked with Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! since 1998, bringing more than two decades of experience in workforce development across the Upper Peninsula. Her work focuses on supporting business services and registered apprenticeship efforts, strengthening employer partnerships, and advancing talent development strategies. She plays a key role in grant writing and administration, including the Going PRO Talent Fund and Incumbent Worker Training, helping employers upskill their workforce and remain competitive. Holly is known for building strong collaborative relationships and aligning workforce solutions with regional economic and employer needs.

Tom Autio: Tom Autio is a versatile communicator who connects ideas, people, and strategies. With a background in technical communication and digital cinema, he now leads Marketing and Communications efforts at Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! Tom is a lifelong Yooper, having bounced between the Houghton and Marquette communities, but he is now settled in the quiet Keweenaw peninsula.

Second Breakouts:

Grant Langdon: Grant Langdon serves as the Assistant Director of Career Services at Northern Michigan University, where he bridges the gap between traditional career development and the rapidly evolving future of work. With a focus on career resilience, Grant empowers students and regional partners to navigate the 'planned happenstance' of life—preparing them not just for their first job, but for the unforeseeable opportunities created by technological shifts like Generative AI. A specialist in AI-literacy and workflow optimization, Grant is a frequent speaker on prompt and context engineering within the HR and recruitment space. When he isn’t helping the next generation of professionals find their footing, you can find him mountain biking the Marquette trails, playing board and video games, training his dog, Senna, and being a dad.

Walker Derby: Ready to move past the myth that AI is too complicated or irrelevant to your work? Walker Derby, a Career Coach from Northern Michigan University with a unique background in Technical Recruiting, is here to prove otherwise! Walker brings a holistic perspective to professional success and is looking forward to helping demystify AI use and prompt generation. This engaging session will give you the conversational, jargon-free insights you need to pinpoint the exact AI use-cases that will save you time. When not coaching students, Walker can be found enjoying skiing and biking in Marquette or practicing the quiet, focused discipline of bonsai.

Steve Edelson:  Steven Edelson holds a Ph.D. in Human Resource Management from Temple University and has over 15 years of experience teaching at the university level. He previously worked as a consultant with Accenture in Germany, where he advised organizations on talent, workforce, and organizational effectiveness initiatives. Dr. E, as his students know him, has presented research at leading management conferences and has published book chapters and articles in highly rated, peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Management Inquiry. Dr. E is currently an Assistant Professor at Northern Michigan University, and consults with small and medium-sized businesses in his local community, helping leaders apply evidence-based HR and talent management practices to real-world challenges

UP SHRM Board Members: