Metro Milwaukee SHRM upcoming events

Good Company: An HR Winter Social (December 03, 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Good Company: An HR Winter Social

3:30pm - 4:00pm: Check In/Networking

4:00pm - 5:15pm: Roundtable Activity

5:15pm - 6:30pm: Bar, Heavy Appetizers, Networking

Connect. Collaborate. Shape the Future of HR.

Join Milwaukee-area HR professionals for our Annual Winter Social, an evening of fresh perspectives, meaningful conversation, and connection. We’ll kick things off with interactive table discussions focused on today’s most pressing HR challenges, giving you the opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from peers, and explore practical solutions you can bring back to your team in 2027.

Then, continue the conversation over happy hour with spirits, light bites, and opportunities to build relationships across Milwaukee’s HR community.

Come for the conversation. Leave with new connections and ideas worth putting into action.

2027 Partner Program (January 01, 2027)

Fri, 01 Jan 2027 06:00:00 GMT

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February 2027 - Chapter Meeting (February 09, 2027)

Tue, 09 Feb 2027 14:00:00 GMT

Beyond HR: Leading Through Business Partnership

A Panel Discussion with local HR, Finance & Operations Executives

The pace of change is reshaping how organizations work, how leaders make decisions and what businesses need from HR. Join MM SHRM for a two-part panel discussion with local CHROs, CFOs and COOs as they share their career journeys, how they are responding to change and what strong partnership between HR and the business looks like today.

The panel will explore responding to evolving business expectations, shared challenges and practical ways HR can contribute to business outcomes. Participants will hear executive perspectives, learn practical lessons and have time for questions and networking.

Meet the Panelists:

Valley Elliehausen, Chief People Officer, A.B. Data
Demetrios Georgacopoulos, Global CHRO, Rockwell Automation
Brian Bautista, EVP and Chief Operating Officer, Versiti
Angela Sikowski, CFO, Ansay & Associates

Moderated by Kristen Chang, MMSHRM Executive Insights Director

Agenda:

Time	Segment	Notes
8:00-8:30 a.m.	Registration and Networking	Arrival, coffee, and informal networking.
8:30-9:10 a.m.	CHRO Panel	Moderator welcome, brief panelist introductions, career journeys and prepared questions.
9:10-9:15 a.m.	Break	Short transition. Add the CFO/COO panelists to the stage.
9:15-9:45 a.m.	CHRO + CFO/COO Panel	Moderator gives brief bios of the new panelists, then facilitates a discussion focused on partnership with HR.
9:45-10:15 a.m.	Audience Q&A	Questions for the full panel. Consider collecting questions digitally and from the room.
10:15-10:30 a.m.	Close and Networking	Key takeaways, thank-yous, sponsor recognition and optional networking.

Program Concept

A two-part executive panel exploring how HR and business leaders are reacting to the speed of change. The first conversation will feature three local CHROs sharing their career journeys and perspectives on leading through change. After a short break, two CFO/COO leaders will join the panel to discuss partnership with HR, business expectations and shared accountability for organizational outcomes.

Program Goals

Create a practical, candid conversation about how the pace of change is reshaping HR and business leadership.
Give attendees access to local executive perspectives across different industries and career paths.
Explore what strong partnership between HR, finance and operations looks like in practice.
Leave time for meaningful audience questions, networking and connection.

Suggested Panel Structure

Part One: CHRO Career Journeys and Leading Through Change

Brief welcome and framing of the program.
Two to three minutes per panelist for a career journey highlight, including a pivotal transition or lesson.
Moderated questions focused on the pace of change, evolving expectations of HR and where leaders are investing attention now.
One quick closing question before the break: “What is one capability HR leaders will need more of in the next few years?”

Part Two: HR Partnership with Finance and Operations

Brief introductions for the CFO/COO panelists.
Questions that invite both sides of the partnership to respond.
Use one or two real examples to make the conversation practical without asking panelists to share confidential information.
Close the prepared discussion with one takeaway from each panelist before moving to audience Q&A.

All sessions are pending HRCI & SHRM Certification. Stay Tuned!

March 2027 - Chapter Meeting (March 09, 2027)

Tue, 09 Mar 2027 14:00:00 GMT

AI: The Future of Work is More Human Than You Think

Everywhere we look, AI is dominated by tech-first conversations: automated tasks, massive data sets, and rapid efficiency. But behind every algorithm is the organization that must navigate it—and that’s exactly where leadership comes in. Join us for an engaging Program Meeting with Kerry Mitchell, CEO of GYSTiq, as she flips the AI narrative on its head. In this eye-opening presentation, “AI: The Future of Work is More Human Than You Think,” Kerry will challenge the room to look beyond the software. You’ll discover why the rise of AI doesn't diminish the need for strong leadership; instead, it exponentially raises the value of uniquely human traits like judgment, trust, and empathy. Come ready for an interactive discussion, practical leadership strategies, and a fresh perspective on how to guide your organization through the next major shift in modern business.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1: Identify how rapid technological shifts trigger predictable human anxieties and performance gaps within a workforce.

Objective 2: Utilize a five-part core competency framework to lead, realign, and engage teams through major digital transitions.

Objective 3: Implement proactive communication strategies that cut through organizational uncertainty and reduce employee change resistance.

Objective 4: Build change management plans that reframe technological adoption into a clear catalyst for workforce upskilling and development.

Meet the Speaker

Kerry Mitchell is the CEO and Co-Founder of GYSTiq and an executive HR consultant with over 30 years of experience advising CEOs, CFOs, and General Counsel. A specialist in organizational growth and human capital strategy, Kerry helps leaders bring clarity to complex business issues, build high-performing company infrastructures, and drive both margin expansion and positive employee engagement across the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

All sessions are pending HRCI & SHRM Certification. Stay Tuned!

2027 Elevate MKE - Spring Conference (May 13, 2027)

Thu, 13 May 2027 12:00:00 GMT

June 2027 - Chapter Meeting (June 08, 2027)

Tue, 08 Jun 2027 13:00:00 GMT

More Details Coming Soon

All sessions are pending HRCI & SHRM Certification. Stay Tuned!