8:00 am: Registration / Continental Breakfast / Visit with Sponsors
9:00 am: Welcome - Catherine Conlow, Executive Director, Maine Municipal Association
9:15am – 10:30 am: Keynote Presentation
How to Become an Employee Whisperer: What Every Manager Should Know About Human Nature
When you understand human nature, you become like Ceasar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, except for people. Because Ceasar Millan understands “dog nature,” he can take a dog whose owner finds frustrating and problematic and turn that dog into a model citizen and “high performer.” Why? Because the dog’s owner doesn’t understand “dog nature” and Ceaser does. Instead of being frustrated and puzzled why employees don’t care as much as you wish, or work as hard as you need them to, or if you find it hard to find and keep quality employees…crack the human nature code and become an Employee Whisperer.
Presenter: David Lee, Founder, HumanNature@Work
MTCMA Certification – 1.25 points Human Resources or Leadership category
About our Keynote Speaker:
David Lee is the founder of HumanNature@Work. He has keynoted conferences and worked with organizations both domestically and abroad. An internationally recognized thought leader in the field of employee engagement and performance, he is the author of over 150 articles and book chapters published in the US, Europe, India, Australia, and China. He is the author of Managing Employee Stress and Safety, published by MEMIC, and Powerful Storytelling Techniques, published by ATD Press, and Dealing with a Difficult Co-Worker. Recently, his work on what makes organizations resilient and employees perform at their best has focused on the central role productive relationships and productive conversations have on these outcomes, with this being the take away message: “Every better business result you want requires having a better conversation.”
10:30 – 10:45am: Sponsor and Exhibitor Break
10:45am – 12:00 pm: Concurrent Session Block 1
Succession Planning: The Time is Now!
Are you worried that your internal bench of potential successors is not very deep? Are you trying to figure out the most effective methods to develop people skills for your future managers and leaders? Is hiring qualified candidates continue to be a challenge? Then this session is for you, because employee seniority doesn’t always translate to competence and technical proficiency isn’t always a predictor of supervisory effectiveness. Succession planning isn’t solely an HR Department issue, it’s not about pre-selection, and it’s not simply about pumping up your training budget. Gold standard
organizations use succession planning to develop and maintain strong leadership at all levels and to ensure that they address all the capabilities employees require for today and tomorrow’s work environment. Every organization is designed to achieve the results it gets, so by attending this session presented by one of the leading experts in public sector succession planning, Patrick Ibarra of the Mejorando Group, you will develop the skills you need to design and implement organization-wide succession planning that will ensure your agency’s high performance.
Presenter: Patrick Ibarra, Co-Founder and Partner, The Mejorando Group
MTCMA Certification – 1.25 points Human Resources or Leadership category
Common Wage and Hour Violations and How to Avoid Them: Key Compliance Tips for Public Sector Employers
Correctly calculating overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) regular rate principles and properly designating employees as exempt or non-exempt can, at times, be complicated. The session will discuss these and other FLSA compliance topics, including a review of summer youth employment restrictions and how Maine’s labor laws interact with the FLSA. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A period, and compliance assistance resources will be made available to attendees.
Presenters: Ana Maria Rogers, Community Outreach and Resource Planning Specialist, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor; and Bart Hutchinson, Chief Labor & Safety Inspector, Wage and Hour Division, Maine Department of Labor
MTCMA Certification – 1.25 points Finance/Budget or Human Resources category
12:00 – 1:00 pm: Lunch and Networking
1:00 – 1:15 pm: Dessert, Coffee, and Sponsor/Exhibitor Break
1:15 – 2:30 pm: Concurrent Session Block 2:
Pathways to Public Service: The Power of Apprenticeships
Local government employers represent critical, and quality jobs, across Maine. However, amid demographic shifts and other pressures there is a growing talent shortage and a need to attract, train and retain the next generation of public sector workers. Registered apprenticeship programs can help meet the workforce needs of government employers while also investing in the skills and professional development of constituents.
In this session, you will learn more about how registered apprenticeship programs can help governments meet their talent needs and hear directly from communities that are already utilizing registered apprenticeships to upskill workers and fill jobs.
Presenters: Andrew Campbell, Policy Program Manager, The Urban Institute; Joan Dolan, Director of Apprenticeship & Strategic Partnerships, Maine Department of Labor; Becky Dansereau, Maine Apprenticeship Program Consultant, Maine Department of Labor; Ken Johnson, Apprentice Coordinator, Maine Rural Water Association; and Mary Ann Brenchick, Deputy Director of Public Works, City of Augusta
MTCMA Certification – 1.25 points Human Resources category
Get Ready: Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Start Next Year
Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) contributions from workers and employers across the state are building up a trust fund to support Maine workers. PFML benefits are scheduled to begin paying out of that fund May 1, 2026. Join Luke Monahan, Director of the PFML program, and Sarah Brydon, PFML Claims Administration Division Director, to learn about what’s covered, what isn’t, what the claim application process will look like, and more.
Presenters: Luke Monahan, Director of Paid Family Medical Leave Program, Maine Department of Labor; and Sarah Brydon, PFML Claims Administration Director, Maine Department of Labor
MTCMA Certification – 1.25 points Human Resources, Legal, or Finance/Budget category
2:30 – 2:45 pm: Sponsor and Exhibitor Break
2:45 – 4:00 pm: Concurrent Session Block 3
Demographic and Economic Trends in Maine
Maine’s population saw significant growth during the past few years – will that growth continue into the future? How will the state’s demographics contribute to changes in the labor force and employment? What can we expect from changes in the economy? This session will tackle these questions and more, with a focus on demographic and workforce trends.
Presenter: Amanda Rector, Maine State Economist
MTCMA Certification – 1.25 points Leadership or Human Resources category
What’s In Your Employee Handbook?
This session will highlight ten common mistakes in employee handbooks and provide practical solutions to enhance your handbook's clarity and compliance. Gain valuable insights to ensure your policies are up-to-date and legally sound!
Presenters: Matthew Tarasevich, Shareholder, Bernstein Shur; and Ann Freeman, Shareholder, Bernstein Shur
MTCMA Certification – 1.25 points Human Resources or Legal category