In today’s fast-paced work environment, culture is either your greatest asset or your biggest liability. In this energized, interactive keynote, Kris Boesch, CEO of Choose People, shares the secret ingredient behind truly exceptional workplace culture - one that sparks collaboration, camaraderie, connection, and staying power. This “social glue” fuels perseverance through tough times, inspires people to go the extra mile, and drives retention of top talent. Backed by research and real-world examples, Kris offers a fresh, practical roadmap for creating teams that thrive. Whether you're navigating growth, managing remote teams, or simply trying to hold onto great people, this session delivers actionable strategies - and the inspiration to take culture-building from a vague concept to a daily practice. 

Kris Boesch

Founder & CEO, Choose People

For over 14 years, Kris Boesch has been the CEO and Founder of Choose People, a company that transforms company cultures, increases employee happiness and boosts the bottom-line. The Choose People 360° Culture Audit is based on over 1000 hours of research conducted with the Industrial Organizational Psychology Department at
Colorado State University. She is also the author of Culture Works: How to Create Happiness in the Workplace. Prior to Choose People, Boesch was the CEO of Exodus Moving & Storage. Under her leadership Exodus became the largest mover in Northern Colorado with a turnover rate nearly 40% less than the industry average and a bottom line twice that same average. Kris has been featured as a workplace culture expert in Inc., Entrepreneur and Forbes and was named one of the “Top Leadership Speakers” in Inc. She’s also a proud mother, a dog lover and a dancing diva!

Let’s get real - mental health isn’t just a personal issue - it’s a leadership issue, a workplace culture issue, and, increasingly, a business-critical issue. When stress, anxiety, and burnout go unaddressed, organizations pay the price in turnover, disengagement, and declining team cohesion. Join Brittney Wilburn, Executive Director of The Health Partnership, for an interactive, energizing, and deeply honest keynote about how her organization transformed its culture by putting mental health front and center, creating a culture grounded in psychological safety, empathy, and genuine connection. 

You’ll walk away with new ways to think about wellness at work. Expect stats, stories, examples, tools, and time to reflect and connect with others to transform your workplace. This isn’t about wellness perks or surface-level fixes. It’s about redefining what it means to truly support mental health at work - and why doing so might be your most powerful leadership move yet.

Brittney Wilburn

Executive Director, The Health Partnership

Brittney Wilburn is the Executive Director of The Health Partnership, an organization dedicated to compassionately connecting individuals to the health and well-being resources so they thrive. In her role, Brittney leads a dynamic team and facilitates bold, community-driven conversations around complex issues like Crisis Services and Behavioral Health. Known for bringing curiosity, creativity, and play—into the toughest spaces—she has led her organization through a powerful culture shift: from high turnover and burnout to connection, innovation, and joy.

With a background that bridges clinical care and operational leadership, Brittney draws from human-centered design, change management, grassroots organizing, and advocacy to build strong teams and courageous workplaces. She is deeply passionate about creating environments where people can bring their whole selves to work—and where wellness isn’t a program, but a way of leading. Brittney loves rafting wild rivers with her husband and three kids, reading good books, and eating great chocolate.

Relationships - personal or professional - can be messy. But when you leverage values as a compass, build deep trust, and deliver great feedback, you create the consistency teams need to thrive. In this action-oriented workshop, leaders will gain practical frameworks to shape a positive and consistent employee experience - one that fuels better business outcomes, stronger teams, and lasting growth. You'll walk away with tools for communicating values and expectations with clarity, a simple, actionable equation to build trust, and a proven feedback framework that drives accountability and connection. 

Jeremiah Shaw

CO-FOUNDER AND Ceo, Grovity LEADERSHIP

Jeremiah Shaw is the co-founder and CEO of Grovity Leadership, an executive and leadership coaching firm based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, specializing in team and individual development. Grovity helps clients increase performance through intentional, holistic design practices that align people, purpose, and culture. Jeremiah enjoys empowering clients to maximize their capabilities both professionally and personally. He holds a master’s degree in Organizational and Global Leadership from York University and is an ICF-credentialed and Co-Active certified coach, blending deep experience in leadership, nonprofits, and sales. Based in Clark, Colorado, Jeremiah lives a full and adventurous life with his wife, three children, and two golden retrievers. When not coaching leaders, you’ll find him embracing the outdoors through fly-fishing, hunting, mountain biking, skiing, and writing.

A happy, thriving and appreciated workforce is a good businesses superpower!  Today’s forward-thinking businesses are delivering on benefits that really matter. This session will explore the employee benefits redefining modern workplaces, from flexible scheduling and remote work to wellness, culture, PTO, and professional development. For the first time in history where 6 generations are sharing the workplace, this session will also unpack how to tailor benefits and communication strategies across generational lines - bridging values, work styles, and expectations to build stronger, more cohesive teams. Finally, we will tackle a growing challenge for managers: how to evaluate performance in flexible or hybrid environments without relying on outdated models. Through the lens of results-based evaluation and trust-driven leadership, participants will gain the tools to adapt their management style and build a workplace that meets the moment.

Sarah Leonard

Ceo, Steamboat Springs Chamber

Sarah Leonard serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Steamboat Springs Chamber, where she leads strategic initiatives to strengthen economic development, advocate for business interests, and foster organizational growth. Known for her forward-thinking approach, Sarah is passionate about creating progressive workplace policies and investing in talent development, ensuring a supportive, innovative environment that empowers her team and the broader business community. Sarah’s accomplishments include founding the Steamboat Springs Chamber Foundation and launching "Thrive Together," Steamboat’s first female leadership summit. With a background in communications from Colorado State University and expertise in strategic planning, people operations, and organizational effectiveness, Sarah is dedicated to making Steamboat Springs an excellent place to live and work.

Roughly 15–20% of the population is neurodivergent - and that includes your current and future employees. From ADHD and autism to dyslexia and sensory processing differences, neurodiverse individuals bring valuable skills and fresh perspectives to the workplace. Yet in communities like Routt County, many are still overlooked due to outdated hiring practices or a lack of workplace support. This session, led by the Yampa Valley Autism Program, will guide employers through building inclusive practices at every stage of the employee experience - from recruitment and interviewing to onboarding, accommodations, communication, and company culture. You'll discuss strategies for balancing accessibility and accountability, the realities and rewards of a neurodiverse workforce, and how to collaborate effectively with employees to meet both individual needs and business goals. A panel of local business leaders will share how they are putting these practices into action, proving that with the right structures in place, everyone wins.

Heidi Mendisco

Executive Director, Yampa Valley Autism

Heidi Mendisco is a dedicated advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and neurodiversity, drawing from both personal experience and professional expertise. As someone with dyslexia, she understands the value of individualized support and workplace accommodations. Her career began after the Olmstead decision, helping individuals transition to community-based care. Since then, she has worked to promote independence, self-advocacy, and inclusion. She has held key roles protecting individual rights, including overseeing the Human Rights Committee and leading investigations for a Community Centered Board. Now, as the Executive Director of the Yampa Valley Autism Program (YVAP), Heidi leads efforts in therapy, education, workplace readiness, and family support, ensuring everyone feels valued and equipped to thrive. She is accredited by ACRE, training professionals to help individuals with disabilities find meaningful employment. Her work is driven by the belief that with the right support, everyone can succeed.

Jessica Charpentier

Therapy Director, Yampa Valley Austim

Jessica Charpentier is a dedicated and highly qualified professional, holding certifications as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a licensed special education teacher in Colorado. With nearly 20 years of experience working with individuals with disabilities, she currently serves as the Therapy Director at the Yampa Valley Autism Program (YVAP), where she provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services and oversees therapy and programming. Jessica has a rich background in special education, having spent 17 years in the Steamboat Springs School District as a paraprofessional, special education teacher, and district behavior specialist. She is passionate about supporting individuals with disabilities ages 2-21 in the Steamboat Springs community, working to promote independence and break down barriers to personal growth.

Every brand has a story. But not every brand tells one that resonates, inspires, and moves people to action -  whether that is an action to buy, an action to give, or an action to act. This interactive workshop is designed for intermediate-level marketers who are ready to deepen their storytelling toolkit and build more authentic, lasting relationships with their customers. Participants will learn how to translate brand values into powerful content, tailor messaging across multiple channels, and align storytelling efforts with business goals - without losing the human connection that makes a story memorable and compelling. This isn’t a lecture. It’s a strategy lab. You'll workshop your real-world examples and collaborate in small groups to practice applying key frameworks. Participants will walk away with a Brand Story Blueprint and fresh ideas they can implement immediately.

Erin Brosterhous

Director of Marketing, Vista Verde Ranch

Erin Brosterhous is a seasoned marketing strategist with a knack for connecting ideas, people, and purpose. As the Director of Marketing at Vista Verde Ranch and Founder of Blue Fire Marketing Collective, she brings two decades of experience in crafting compelling brand narratives and building integrated marketing strategies that resonate. Erin approaches her work with a holistic mindset, blending creativity and strategy to drive meaningful engagement and lasting brand impact.

How do you turn a set of brand values into a campaign that captures hearts, builds alignment, and wins national recognition? In this behind-the-scenes session, learn how Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation brought The Steamboat Way to life – from core values and early ideation to internal alignment and creative execution. You'll hear what worked, what was challenging, how the team measured success, and how they stayed grounded in their brand values throughout the process. Whether you're a large organization or a small business, you’ll walk away with practical takeaways and a clear framework for crafting campaigns that feel authentic, intentional, and distinctly yours.

Josh Froman

Brand Manager, Steamboat Resort

Josh Froman is a brand strategist, storyteller, and creative currently serving as Brand Marketing Manager at Steamboat Resort. Raised in the rural heartland of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Josh and his family have made the Yampa Valley home. He blends vision with detail to bring brand experiences to life. With more than 15 years in brand and experiential design, Josh has helped organizations—from small businesses to universities—build brands people believe in. For Josh, great branding isn’t just smart—it’s lasting, adoptable, and true to its core.

Today’s most effective marketers aren’t just creative—they’re strategic, data-driven, and focused on impact. This session is designed for professionals who are ready to move beyond surface-level metrics and deepen their ability to set meaningful goals, build authentic communities, and adapt campaigns in real-time. You’ll learn how to translate data into action, use analytics to understand customer behavior, and pivot when needed to improve engagement and outcomes. Through real-world examples and collaborative discussion, participants will explore how to align marketing efforts with business goals, make smarter decisions backed by data, and walk away with practical tools to maximize return on investment and deliver results that matter.

Brooke Salazar

Owner, FanBase Digital Marketing

Brooke Salazar is the founder and owner of FanBase Digital Agency, where she merges creativity, strategy, and data to help businesses bring their vision to life. With a background rooted in both analytics and design, Brooke has spent her career exploring how marketing connects people to brands in meaningful, measurable ways. She’s worked across various industry sectors, always with a focus on building smart, sustainable, affordable marketing strategies that drive results. What truly sets Brooke apart is her passion for teaching and collaboration. She doesn’t just deliver campaigns, she empowers business owners to understand, shape, and confidently lead their own marketing efforts with clarity and purpose.