General Information

Thursday, September 17, 2015

4:00 - 6:00 PM - Networking, Cocktail Hour, Silent Auction, Exhibit Booths, Educational Breakout Sessions

4:25 - 4:55 PM - Breakout Session "Pump it Up! Why Blood Pressure Matters"

Facilitated by Vanessa Hutson Community Health Advocate Coordinator from Mercy Medical Center

Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, “We want to pump you up!” Regarding blood pressure, we from Mercy Medical Center want to do the same for you! Come join us for an exciting and informative presentation on blood pressure and why it matters so significantly. We’ll talk about how your blood pressure (a silent killer) is affecting you, the latest insights regarding blood pressure health, and what you can do to ensure that you’re pumped up figuratively, not literally!  Blood pressure is a hot topic and we’ll address why.  You won’t want to miss this insightful presentation!

5:10 - 5:30 PM - Breakout Session "Stress The Universal Language"

Facilitated by Johanna Determann, Wellness Manager at Employee Family Resources

If there’s one thing we share in common in this world it is stress. Stress helps keep us alive, but it also can cause significant health problems, reduce efficiency at work, and negatively impact personal relationships. While there is no such thing as eliminating all stress, there are ways to help alleviate stress and its negative side effects! Learn easy to implement strategies to help your mind, body, and spirit in this breakout session.       

6:00 PM – Dinner

Garden salad, fire roasted pork loin topped with fruit salsa served with garlic herb roasted sweet potatoes, green beans with almonds and tomato, dinner rolls and whipped butter, strawberries with balsamic chocolate drizzle and basil

6:00 - 7:30 PM - Dinner and Program

Stephanie Engelson, Emcee

Welcome from our Chair – Marcy Knee

Go Red Makeover Challenge

Keynote – Jennifer Laughlin Stevenson

Keynote Speaker

Jennifer Laughlin Stevenson

Jennifer is an Independent Certified Coach, Teacher and Speaker with the John Maxwell Team, author, entrepreneur, and consultant.   As the co-owner and creator of Hick's Place, an outdoor activity center where people come to experience nature in Cedar Falls, Iowa, she comes with a passion to serve. 

While donning her author-hat, she published a children's book, Walking in Mommy's Shoes, as well as an autobiography Come Walk with Me. Recently, she decided to work with Grandpanion on an up-and-coming Thank You for Your Service program for children, as both author, coach, and mentor.

With a strong connection to the military and a desire to give back to the veterans and their families, she created an annual event at Hick’s Place, “Military Family Appreciation Day.” By joining forces with Dorothy Guy Bonvillain, Ph.D. and Julia Smith, Founder of Grandpanion, the trio formed Families of Military Appreciation Outreach Program - FOMA-OP.

From a childhood of struggles, lived in poverty and thwarted by a learning disability, she followed her own path to success, and shares what she knows from personal experience on her weekly radio spot, “Monday’s Motivational Minute.”

This heartfelt, driven woman, full of passion and purpose extends her energies to others after learning valuable lessons because of several trips to the cardiac catheterization lab.