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2026 Spring Conference Schedule
Thursday, April 23
8:00 - 5:00 p.m. — Registration
The 1848 Room
10:00 - 11:45 a.m. — Welcome and Keynote
Mission Accomplished: Navigating Change with Purpose
The 1848 Room
Lena Scullard, Keynote Speaker and Trainer, LMS Productions
11:45 a.m. - 1:15am — Lunch and WCHSA Awards
The 1848 Room
Todd Romenesko, County Administrator, Calumet County
Vicki Tylka, Behavioral Health Manager, North Central Healthcare
WCHSA Leadership
1:15 - 2:15 p.m. — How Trends in County Finances Are Affecting Human Services
The 1848 Room
Todd Romenesko, County Administrator, Calumet County
Kevin Dospoy, Director Forward Analytics, Wisconsin Counties Association Forward Analytics
Click here to Download Slides
2:15 - 3:15 p.m. — Current Legal Issues Impacting County Human Services
The 1848 Room
Andy Phillips, JD, Attorney, Attolles Law, S.C.
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3:15 - 3:45 p.m. — Break and Visit with Exhibitors
Farley/Madison Room
3:45 - 4:45 p.m. — DCF and DHS Program Update
The 1848 Room
John Elliott, Division of Safety and Permanence Administrator, Department of Children and Families
Sam Austin, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Department of Health Services
Amanda Dreyer, Division of Medicaid Services Administrator, Department of Health Services
4:45 - 5:00 p.m. — Break
Farley/Madison Room
5:00 - 7:00 p.m. — Reception
Farley/Madison Room
Friday, April 24
7:00 - 1:00 p.m. — Registration
The 1848 Room
7:00 - 8:00 a.m. — Breakfast
Farley/Madison Room
8:00 - 9:15 a.m. — Keynote Speaker
Spark your ARC (Awareness, Regulate, Connect)
The 1848 Room
Sarah Ciavarri, President, Level Up Leadership
9:20 - 10:15 a.m. — Concurrent Sessions 1
- Navigating Change Together: Elevating Staff Voice to Guide the Way
The 1848 Room
Kate Luster, Human Services Director, Rock County
Click here to Download Slides - Leadership Doesn’t Have To Be Lonely
The Loft
Chuck Price, Owner/Consultant, Blue Collar Consulting
Click here to Download Slides - Genesee Lake School
The Farley Room
Eric Fleischmann, Admissions Director, Genesee Lake School
Kailie Nackers, LPC, Therapeutic Services Director, Genesee Lake School
Katie Hitt, Respite Specialist, Genesee Lake School
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10:15 - 10:45 a.m. — Break and Visit with Exhibitors
Farley/Madison Room
10:45 - 11:40 a.m. — Concurrent Sessions 2
- Clearer Residential Care Agreements, Stronger Collaboration, Greater Impact
The 1848 Room
Dee Jaye Miles, Child Protective Services Manager, Green County
Donelle Hauser, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lad Lake
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Click here to Download Handout - Bridging the Gaps: Child Welfare Responsibilities in Small & Rural Counties
The Loft
Shauna O’Keefe, Director, Clark County Social Services
Ashley Shropshire, Director, Burnett County Health and Human Services
Paula Winter, Director, Dunn County Human Services - Customer Activities and Services Portal (CASPR) to Streamline Case Management
The Farley Room
Michael De La Rosa, Chief of Strategic Development, Exemplar Human Services
Click here to Download Handout
Click here to Watch Video
11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. — Legislative Update: What Happened in 2026 and What to Expect for 2027
The 1848 Room
Marcie Rainbolt, Wisconsin Counties Association
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12:15 - 1:00 p.m. — Lunch
The 1848 Room
1:00 - 1:55 p.m. — Concurrent Sessions 3
- CCS in Action: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why It Matters
The 1848 Room
Jill Ellinwood LPC, LCSW Integrated Services Program Manager, Sauk County Human Services
Gretchen Hintz, Community Programs Manager, Portage County Health and Human Services
Cecilia Marx, LPC, Fond Du Lac County
Julie Meister, LCSW, CCS Administrator, Dane County Department of Human Services
Kate Meyer, CCS/CLTS Coordinator, Green Lake County Department of Health and Human Services
James Tabatt, CSW, MS, LPC, Master ART Practitioner, St. Croix County Health and Human Services - Youth to Adult transition: Best Practices for Counties
The Loft
Roby Fuller, Specialist Program Manager, DHS ADRC
Beth Gullickson, Section Manager, Bureau of Children’s Services
Samantha Isbell, Advanced Youth Transition Worker, Milwaukee County
Nicholas Raabe, ADRC Option Counselor, Milwaukee County.
Deborah Rathermel, Director, Bureau of Children’s Services
Hannah Ulwelling, CLTS Supervisor, Winnebago County - Bridging the Information Gap: What Counties Should Know About Health Data Exchange
The Farley Room
Ben Rosen, BSN RN, Director of Interoperability, Netsmart
Clayton Harrison, Manager, Public Sector States & Counties, Netsmart
1:55 - 2:05 p.m. — Break
2:05 - 3:00 p.m. — Concurrent Sessions 4
- Best Practices for Community Engagement and Bridging the Divide
The 1848 Room
Shawna Hanson, Family & Community Services Manager, Waupaca County
Mary Solheim, Director, Waupaca County - Vernon County Community Collaboration Initiative: Domestic Violence Interventions
The Loft
Melony Hansen, MA, CSW, CSAC, ICS, Vernon County Department of Human Services and Hansen Assessment and Educational Services
Susan Townsley, LCSW, Stonehouse Counseling
Click here to Download Slides - SpeakWrite: Human Powered Transcription Makes Time for What's Important
The Farley Room
Jonathan Drew, Director of Protective Services, SpeakWrite
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