Bluegrass SHRM upcoming events

Leading at 120 mph - Upgrading Teams in the AI Era (September 08, 2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:15:00 GMT

Speaker: Jordyne Carmack, PhD, SHRM-SCP, CEO & Founder at AuthentiLEAD

Description:

The program will begin with an introduction to the topic, key data points, and a speaker introduction. Everyone's racing to adopt AI. They're buying the tools, securing the licenses, learning the prompts. But AI adoption isn't just a technology challenge—it's a people challenge. And the organizations that succeed aren't necessarily the ones with the best tools. They're the ones where people know how to grow together, communicate clearly, and stay connected through change. This session focuses on the human foundations of successful technology adoption. You'll learn how to strengthen communication and connection on your team so that when you introduce new tools, people can actually grow into them together.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will learn to:

Identify where unclear communication is creating friction in your AI adoption efforts
Understand what helps people genuinely grow and adapt versus just comply with change
Build clearer communication habits that help your team stay connected and aligned as you adopt new tools

*Approved for one (1.0) PDCs with SHRM and HRCI.

Schedule of Events:

11:15 am - 11:45 am: Registration, Networking & Lunch
11:45 am - 12:00 pm: Business Meeting Update
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Presentation

Registration Deadline: Due to venue catering requirements, registration for in-person attendance closes 7 days prior to the event date. Virtual participation registration closes the day before the event.

Location: Mane on Main, 201 E Main St #1500, Lexington, KY 40507 (Validated parking is reserved in the Chase Tower Parking Garage) Mane on Main Parking Map. Details for virtual attendance will be sent to all attendees prior to the meeting, up to 24 hours in advance.

This month's meeting is sponsored by:

PREMIER SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

If you wish to sponsor this meeting or future events, please contact Christina at publicrelations@bgshrm.org for a 2026 Sponsorship Packet.or

Transfer and Refund Policy

BGSHRM strives to provide quality events that are educational in content and rich in networking opportunities. We place emphasis on the humans in Human Resources and value the shared experience of our peers and comrades who are working to create safe and productive environments for their employees. We have designed chapter meeting fees to be as low as possible.

Because of rising costs in our community, your regular member registration fee covers the program related expenses and is not a fundraiser for the chapter. As such, all payments for registration to BGSHRM events are non-refundable. View full Transfer and Refund Policy.

VIRTUAL EVENT: Fostering Psychological Safety in the Workplace (September 16, 2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Virtual Event: Fostering Psychological Safety in the Workplace

Speaker: Ciara Gogan, Founder and Principal Inclusion Leader at Uplift Inclusion LLC

Registration Deadline: Virtual participation registration closes at midnight 1 day prior to the event.

Location: Virtual

Virtual: Login details will be sent to all attendees prior to the meeting, up to 24 hours in advance.

Description:

The program will begin with an introduction to the topic and speaker. Participants will then explore how psychological safety strengthens team performance, employee engagement, and organizational innovation.

Psychological safety, the ability to speak up, take risks, disagree openly, and surface concerns without fear of negative consequences, is one of the strongest predictors of team performance, employee engagement, and organizational innovation. Yet most HR professionals know the challenge of moving it from aspiration to practice within their own organizations.

This interactive session equips HR professionals with a clear, evidence-based framework for understanding, assessing, and championing psychological safety, no matter the size, industry, or stage of their organization. Through facilitated discussion, small-group exercises, and peer exchange, participants will build on each other's experiences and leave with tools they can put to work immediately.

The session opens with an exploration of the well-documented trust gap between leadership perception and employee experience, and why closing it is central to any engagement or retention strategy. Participants will learn the Four Stages of Psychological Safety, Inclusion Safety, Learner Safety, Contributor Safety, and Challenger Safety, as both a shared language and a diagnostic tool they can apply within their own organizations.

From there, the workshop dives into four focus areas that directly influence trust: open communication and transparency, acting visibly on feedback, cultural and interpersonal inclusion, and reframing failure as a catalyst for learning. Participants will work through real scenarios, share cross-industry insights with fellow HR practitioners, and develop individualized action plans tailored to their unique organizational contexts.

Format

Interactive and participatory, expect small-group breakouts, live polling, and candid peer-to-peer exchange. This is a working session, not a lecture.

Facilitated by Ciara Gogan, Uplift Inclusion LLC.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will learn to:

Understand the trust gap between leadership perception and employee experience, and its impact on engagement and retention
Learn the Four Stages of Psychological Safety as a diagnostic framework to assess team and organizational readiness
Identify four key focus areas for building trust: open communication, acting on feedback, cultural and interpersonal inclusion, and reframing failure as a learning opportunity
Exchange cross-industry insights with fellow HR practitioners to broaden perspective and challenge assumptions

*PENDING for one (1.0) PDCs with SHRM and HRCI.

If you wish to sponsor future events, please contact Christina at publicrelations@bgshrm.org for a 2026 Sponsorship Packet.

KEENELAND EVENT: Win-Place-Lead featuring Coach Colene Elridge (October 08, 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

KEENELAND EVENT: Win-Place-Lead

Title: Maybe It's Me: Self-Awareness at Work

Speakers: Colene Elridge, Coach Colene, CEO at Be More Consulting

Description:

The program will begin with an introduction to the topic and speaker. Participants will then explore the importance of self-awareness and its impact on leadership, communication, and workplace success.

Self-awareness is one of the strongest predictors of leadership effectiveness, emotional intelligence, and workplace success, yet most people overestimate how self-aware they actually are.

In this interactive and engaging session, participants will explore the habits, assumptions, and behaviors that influence how they show up at work. Through stories, reflection exercises, and practical tools, attendees will learn how to recognize blind spots, understand their impact on others, and strengthen communication and relationships.

Participants will leave with greater insight into their emotional intelligence, and actionable strategies for becoming more intentional, adaptable, and effective in the workplace. This session challenges individuals to stop asking, "What's wrong with everyone else?" and start asking, "What role am I playing, and what can I do differently?"

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to:

• Recognize how self-awareness influences communication, relationships, and workplace effectiveness.

• Identify common blind spots, assumptions, and behaviors that may impact others and organizational culture.

• Evaluate their own reactions, habits, and patterns to better understand how they show up at work.

• Apply practical strategies to increase emotional intelligence, improve communication, and strengthen professional relationships.

• Develop a personal action plan for becoming a more intentional, adaptable, and effective leader and teammate.

*Approved for one (1.0) PDCs with SHRM and HRCI.

Schedule of Events:

10:00 am - 10:15 am: Registration & Networking

10:15 am: Business Meeting Update
10:30 am - 11:30 am: Presentation

11:30 am - 12:00pm: Silent Auction & Words from Our Sponsors

12:15 pm - Buffet Lunch and Cocktail Service

1:00 pm - Let the Races Begin!

Keeneland Ivy Room Dress Code: Business Casual

Gentlemen: Collared shirt and dress slacks. Dress shoes or loafers.
Ladies: Dress, dress top and skirt or pantsuits. One piece jumpsuits should fall below the knee. Dress shoes or dress sandals.
Not Permitted: Denim regardless of color or type, this includes denim jackets or pants designed to resemble jeans; shorts, including rompers; athletic attire, including athleisure leggings; visible midriffs (defined as the mid-region of the torso between the chest and the waist); flip-flops; clothing with offensive or explicit messaging.
Dress code rules do not apply to children 12 and under.

Registration Deadline: Due to venue catering requirements, registration for in-person attendance closes 7 days prior to the event date.

This month's meeting is sponsored by:

Sponsor

If you wish to sponsor this event, please contact Christina at publicrelations@bgshrm.org for details.

Transfer and Refund Policy