2023: Making the connection between workplace safety and workplace health.
This year, we have an amazing line up of key note speakers, presenters, and partners coming together to create an impactful and learning filled conference. Find all of the info you need to know to be a part of this year’s fun below!
Join us at the Resort at Glade Springs, September 7th, 2023
Active SWV is bringing the 2023 Workplace Wellness Conference to the Resort at Glade Springs, located in Daniels, West Virginia. If you plan to attend, take advantage of the room reservation block by July 24, 2023. To book a room, simply call (304) 763-2000 and let them know you are staying for the WV Workplace Wellness Conference and Awards. For more details on the resort, amenities, and local attractions visit their website here!
What to expect
For the 2023 Conference, the plan is to guide conversations and presentations that link multiple sectors of any workplace with employee health outcomes.
Topics of interest we will dive into:
Stress Management in the workplace
Connections between workplace safety and workplace wellness
Burn out and how it effects us all
Mindfulness
Data collection and programming
Preparing our tactical first responders for success
Workplace health equity
Keynote Speaker
Our Keynote Speaker for the 2023 Workplace Wellness Conference is Michael D. Levitt, a global thought leader on burnout and workplace culture, a sought-after keynote speaker and executive coach, a published author of several books, and the host of the popular Breakfast Leadership Show podcast. The show features interviews with top business leaders and experts in a variety of fields, sharing insights and strategies for success in today’s fast-paced world.
In his keynote address, Michael will be talking about three connected phenomena that have recently had an effect on the workforce: burnout, quiet quitting, and the great resignation. “I feel that these difficulties are indicative of bigger societal trends and challenges as someone who has worked in corporate and nonprofit organizations for several decades and has also been a loud champion for the well-being of leaders and teams.”
Conference Presenters and Learning Outcomes
Session 1: Data Collection and Implementation
Kathryn Burnham is an evaluator at the West Virginia Prevention Research Center (WVPRC), and is responsible for co-directing evaluation efforts for the Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease’s (HPCD) initiatives and programs, including the Active SWV Worksite Wellness grants. Katie has her Masters degree in Public Criminology and is currently finishing her PhD in Sociology at West Virginia University. Her education has provided her with many skills that easily translate to different subject matter when it comes to the lived experiences of people. While working for the WVPRC and HPCD, Katie has focused on incorporating health equity considerations into public health work, and genuinely loves helping community-based organizations build capacity to enhance the incredible work they do across the state.
Session 2: Mental Health and your Workers
Kayleigh Nolan will be the session 2 speaker, focusing on mental health for employees. It is estimated that nearly 3 in 5 employees have experienced negative impacts of work on their mental health, with an overwhelming majority indicating a need for employers to implement support towards achieving positive mental health and wellness in the workplace. This presentation will highlight the importance of optimizing mental health and wellness in the workplace, including specific barriers and challenges individuals face in a variety of work settings, as well as how mental health impacts employers in terms of lost productivity and decreased staff retention. The majority of this session will be used to provide key strategies to facilitate and support positive mental health in the workplace.
Session 3: Managing Stress at Work
Lauren Weatherford is an associate professor and the WVU Extension Family and Community Development agent for Fayette and Nicholas counties. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social and Decision Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from West Virginia University. Lauren’s work experience includes a focus on international and local community development, curriculum development, and more than 20 years of teaching experience.
Session 4: Tactical First Responder Health
Dr. Brian K. Leary is an exercise scientist with more than a decade of experience specializing in physiological and biomechanical factors limiting human performance. In partnership with the Morgantown Fire Department and Active SWV, and with the assistance of students in the WVU Division of Exercise Science, Brian has created a pilot program to reach first responders in the state.
Session 5: Increasing Equity in the Workplace
Reaching every employee at a workplace can present numerous barriers to participation and enjoyment. By focusing on health equity, we can reach those who are traditionally absent from the conversation. Join Dr. Logan as we discuss barriers, solutions, and trends in creating equitable health programming and initiatives in the workplace!
Session 6: Data Collection and Dissemination
Dr. Samantha Shawley-Brzoska is a Research Assistant Professor with the West Virginia University Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Office of Health Services Research (OHSR) in the School of Public Health. Her work focuses on chronic disease programming and database management for primary care and community partners. Samantha serves as a Co-Investigator on numerous grant-funded efforts to improve population health outcomes. In particular, we have a very valuable partnership with the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health – Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease which focuses on statewide efforts to address chronic disease prevention and control.
Lakin Davis is a Program Coordinator with the West Virginia University Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences Office of Health Services Research in the School of Public Health. She is a two-time graduate from West Virginia University and has her Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Through her academic career, Lakin has always aspired to find a way to give back to her local West Virginia community that has given her everything she needed to be successful. Her work focuses on WV WISEWOMAN programming as well as supporting clinic and community-based partners in community-based programming within the state of West Virginia. In her spare time, you can find her getting lost in a fantasy book or spending time with friends.
Conference Sponsors
It wouldn’t be possible to host the WV Workplace Wellness Conference and Awards without the help of amazing sponsors from all sectors across the state. A major thank you to all of the following 2023 sponsors for helping to bring the magic together!
For more information on becoming an official sponsor for the 2023 WV Workplace Wellness Conference, don’t hesitate to reach out to Workplace Wellness Director Michael Fisher with any questions at [email protected].
