Workshops
Workshop 1 – 10:25 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.
Turning Tension into Trust – Oak Room
Kris Baldwin, Gayle Coon, Alison DePenning, Robin Ertz, & Karina Silva
Difficult conversations are part of every office professional’s reality—whether it’s navigating upset visitors, addressing workplace conflict, or advocating for yourself when the stakes are high. In this fast-paced, interactive breakout session, we’ll explore communication frameworks that can help you turn tension into trust and handle tough face-to-face interactions with confidence and clarity. Several topics present a real-world challenge you might face at your front desk or in meetings, engage you in a fun and educational activity, and introduce a professional development opportunity to support your growth. From staying calm under pressure to speaking each visitor’s language, you’ll discover practical tools that work when difficult people walk through your door. You’ll leave with actionable insights and next steps for continued development. Get ready to laugh, learn, and level up your communication game while building skills that make every challenging interaction more manageable
Brand Breakdown – Room 2360
Megan Bagley
Join Megan Bagley, brand manager for ISU Extension and Outreach for an advanced branding/trademark workshop that goes beyond the basics to give a deeper understanding of what can and cannot be done with the brand. The workshop will cover risk management topics to prevent some misuses of the wordmark, Cy, etc., while also highlighting resources available to make branding easy. There will also be time for Q&A so come prepared with questions!
Understanding Public Value in Impact Reports– Gold Room
Kiley Biedenfeld, Jill Brimeyer, Cindy Gannon, & Jolene McCoy
In Cooperative Extension we can readily provide evidence of our programs’ private value to program participants – participation evaluations, testimonials by people who have had a positive experience with our programs, and evidence that people are willing to pay for the programs — but we also create public value when our programs benefit others in the community.
While direct beneficiaries of extension programs have always been a source of crucial political support for extension, demonstrating our public value can be the key to shoring up support from the rest of the population. Fiscal pressures on state and county governments make the need to demonstrate our public value increasingly urgent. More than that, by understanding and substantiating the public benefits our programs provide, we can be confident that extension, as a publicly funded organization, is doing what it is truly meant to do.
Mastering Organization in Office Finances – Great Hall
Delaney Holthe
Extension offices often face hurdles when it comes to voucher payment and invoicing.
This session offers practical tips for managing 4-H club finances and improving communication with leaders and volunteers. We’ll also cover basic invoice management and document retention best practices. All these tips will help limit incomplete documentation (and your stress level) come audit time!
Additionally, we will go over timely and accurate invoicing. I’ll demonstrate my invoicing process that has helped keep outstanding payments organized. Document retention is another cornerstone—knowing what to keep, shred, or archive ensures compliance and efficiency.
The session wraps up with a Q&A and shared resources, including templates, financial documents, and retention guides, all accessible via CyBox.
Workshop 2 – 1:10 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Embracing MyData: Growing a Culture of Meaningful Reporting – Room 2360
Brynna Baumhover & Ashley Bruene
Reporting isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about telling the full story of our work and impact. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore how MyData helps grow a culture of intentional, meaningful reporting across ISU Extension and Outreach. Brynna Baumhover, MyData End User Support Specialist, will provide an overview of essential data points, reporting schedules, and how this system supports everything from federal reporting to local storytelling. Ashley Bruene, County Office Coordinator in Grundy County, will share how she integrates MyData into her daily office operations, showing how it can be both manageable and meaningful. The session will wrap with a live Q&A—giving you space to ask questions, troubleshoot, and connect with peers. Whether you’re just beginning or looking to improve your current practices, this session will help you embrace MyData not just as a tool—but as a catalyst for growing a stronger reporting culture.
Behind the Scenes, Ahead of the Game: Preparing for Effective Council Meetings – Great Hall
Janet Smith & Whitney Howell
Office professionals are the organizational backbone of successful Extension Council meetings. This hands-on workshop is designed to help Iowa State University Extension office assistants elevate their meeting preparation process and create a more productive and professional experience for elected council members. Participants will walk through a step-by-step County Extension Council Meeting Preparation Checklist, learning best practices for agenda development, public notice compliance, financial documentation, and packet assembly. The session will also cover room setup tips, technology support for hybrid meetings, and effective follow-up tasks. Whether you’re new or experienced, you’ll leave with tools, templates, and confidence to ensure every council meeting runs smoothly, stays compliant, and sets the tone for strong local governance.
From Print to Platform: Rethinking the Digital Newsletter – Gold Room
Alex Brent & Kristi Elmore
In a world of constant digital transformation, the static PDF newsletter can hinder your reach, accessibility, and engagement. This session will explore how switching to a web-based newsletter format can foster growth by increasing discoverability, improving accessibility, and making content easier to update, share, and repurpose.
Using real-world examples, we’ll examine the advantages of webpage-based newsletters—from improved mobile compatibility to measurable analytics—and address common concerns about making the switch. Attendees will learn practical steps to this transition, regardless of their technical background.
Pursuing Less – Oak Room
Ann Torbert
This presentation highlights themes in Greg McKeown’s book “Essentialism.” Diving into sections from Explore, Eliminate, and Execute, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of choice, options for saying no, and creating a buffer to strengthen life and work habits. Participants will leave with tools such as a gratitude journal, no cards, and more takeaways to help implement essentialism in their daily lives.