May 15th, 2025
8am - 4 pm
Âé¶¹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾ç - Student Union
*please park in the Kenton Garage - parking with be validated
CLE credits for several workshops are pending.
We will update the workshops as credits are approved for.
Neidra Kennedy
AFSCME Local 1768 President & Chief Steward
Hamilton County Job & Family Services
Kelly Winston, MSLS
Hamilton County Employee & Labor Relations Manager
Beyond Positions to Progress: A New Era of Labor-Management Collaboration
Imagine a workplace where every disagreement sparks innovation, every conversation builds trust, and labor and management move forward beyond traditional adversarial approaches—today, we’re going to make that vision real." This keynote challenges us to rethink what’s possible when labor and management stop standing across the table and move closer to the mission. At its best, collaboration isn’t compromise—it’s a powerful commitment to shared purpose, trust, and results that serve workers, organizations, and the communities they impact. This session ignites a solutions-focused mindset, showing how constructive labor-management partnerships turn challenges into opportunities and disagreements into progress. Attendees will leave inspired to lead differently, listen intentionally, and build partnerships that don’t just manage conflict—but transform it into lasting success.
Afternoon Keynote Presentation
Lee Crume
President & CEO
BE NKY
Communication, Trust, and Collaboration: Critical Leadership Skills in Economic Development
Strong communities and thriving economies depend on leaders who know how to bring people together. In this keynote, BE NKY CEO Lee Crume will explore how communication, trust, and collaboration serve as essential leadership skills that drive successful economic development. Drawing on principles from communications theory, leadership best practices, and real-world labor–management experience, Crume will discuss how these skills help leaders navigate complex challenges, strengthen partnerships, and create meaningful progress. Attendees will gain practical insights on how to develop and apply these leadership tools to foster cooperation, build stronger organizations, and support sustainable economic growth in their communities.
Brian D. Griffin
Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council
Details coming soon.

| 7:45am - 8:30am | Registration |
| 8:30am - 8:45am | Welcome Remarks |
| 8:45am - 10:00am | AM Keynote Presentation |
| 10:00am - 10:15am | Break |
| 10:15am - 11:45am | AM Concurrent Sessions |
| 11:45am - 12:45pm | Lunch |
| 12:45pm - 1:45pm | PM Keynote Presentation |
| 1:45pm - 1:55pm | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| Ìý | Ìý |
| 2:10pm - 2:30pm | Break |
| 2:30pm - 4:00pm | PM Concurrent Sessions |
| 4:00pm - 4:15pm | Closing Remarks |
NKU's Alternative Dispute Resolution Center's Lou Manchise Labor-Management Conference is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
Kathleen Carnes
Director and Mediator, ADR Center
Haile College of Business
carnesk2@nku.edu
(859) 572-7571
For general questions about programming
Amberly Nutini
Assistant Director, Outreach and Engagement
Haile College of Business
nutinia2@nku.edu
(859) 572-5947
For questions about registration and payment