Omaha Organization Development Network upcoming events

The Core Values Con Job: Why Your Core Values Aren't Earning Their Keep (24 Jun 2026)

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:45:00 GMT

The Core Values Con Job: Why Your Core Values Aren't Earning Their Keep

Facilitated by Brett Hoogeveen, BetterCulture

Core values are everywhere – on websites, walls, and welcome packets. Yet in most organizations, values aren’t actually driving culture improvement; they’re simply describing what matters. They sound meaningful, but they’re rarely used as a system to help people get better at the behaviors those values are meant to represent. That’s the core values con job: values that look important, but rarely change how work gets done.

Consider this simple test most organizations struggle to answer: Are your people living your values more consistently today than they were three years ago? If not, the problem isn’t the values themselves – it’s that they’re being treated as statements of belief rather than tools for improvement.

This guided working session introduces a practical way to use your existing core values as a system for improving employee behavior and performance over time. Participants will apply this thinking directly to their own values and explore how a Values Performance System™ helps organizations move beyond pass/fail values toward measurable, sustained improvement – without rewriting or refreshing their values.

Using BetterCulture’s Values Performance System™ framework, attendees will learn how to:

Translate values into observable behaviors
Replace pass/fail thinking with progression
Provide tools for development that support improvement
Recognize and reinforce improvement over time
Integrate values into everyday leadership and performance conversations

If you’re ready to move beyond posters, plaques, and good intentions, this session will show how to turn core values into a working system for culture improvement — one that creates visible progress, not just shared language. Because if behavior isn’t improving, values aren’t working.

After participating in this session, attendees will be able to:

Assess whether their organization’s core values are functioning as a system for behavior improvement, rather than simply serving as statements of intent.
Translate existing core values into clear, observable behaviors that can be discussed, reflected on, and improved over time.

Apply a progression-based mindset to values, moving away from pass/fail or judgment-based interpretations.

Speaker/Facilitator: Brett Hoogeveen, BetterCulture.

Brett Hoogeveen is on a mission to make the world a better place to work! He is the co-founder of BetterCulture, a prominent leadership development and technology firm with clients from entrepreneurial startups to Fortune 500 companies. A former healthcare executive, engineer, startup investor, and host of The BetterCulture Podcast, Brett helps organizations build stronger leaders and engage every employee.

Brett travels nationally as a Certified Professional Speaker (CSP) and consultant with a single focus: providing practical, actionable advice to help organizations build dominantly successful cultures. As Brett and his growing list of clients are keenly aware, a better culture means a better business!

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July Stammtisch at Stokes! (07 Jul 2026)

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Welcome Omaha ODN Members!

Please join us for Stammtisch

on the first Tuesday of each month

in person at Stokes West from 3:00 - 5:00 PM

13615 California Street

Stammtisch is a German word meaning both a group of people who meet regularly, as well as the large table around which they meet.

This is an exclusive event for members only, where you can connect with like-minded individuals and strengthen your network. Bring your ideas and questions, build connections, and learn from others in this casual setting.

Our goal is to gather together to EXPLORE, LEARN, and SHARE, leaving us all more INSPIRED to make an impact.

There is NO cost for this members-only event, but there is food and beverage available for purchase. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. We'll see you there!

Please register so we know how many to expect.

BUILD 4 DATA: Driving Organizational Performance Through Data & Alignment (22 Jul 2026)

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:45:00 GMT

BUILD 4 DATA: Driving Organizational Performance Through Data & Alignment

Facilitated by Debbie Petru, Heritage Communities

In today's fast-paced organizations, the challenge is not a lack of initiatives - it is a lack of alignment between those initiatives and measurable business outcomes. Leaders are often asked to drive performance without clear visibility into what is working, what is not, and where to focus next.

In this session, Debbie introduces the BUILD 4 DATA^TM Model, a practical approach to diagnosing and improving organizational performance through aligned data, leadership engagement, and system-level thinking.

Participants will learn how to:

Anchor organizational initiatives in clear, measurable business outcomes

Identify and leverage enterprise data to inform decisions and prioritize impact

Align stakeholders, leadership behaviors, and performance metrics

Replace activity-based thinking with outcome-driver execution.

This session blends real-world case studies, practical tools, and mindset shifts to help participants move from fragmented initiatives to cohesive, data-informed organizational performance strategies.

Attendees will leave with a clear, actionable framework they can immediately apply to improve results within their teams and organizations.

In this interactive breakout session, participants will explore how to apply the BUILD 4 DATA^TM MODEL to real organizational challenges. Rather than focusing on programs or activities, this session emphasizes diagnosing system-level issues, aligning stakeholders, and using data to drive measurable outcomes.

Participants will work through a structured approach to:

Define desired business outcomes

Analyze organizational data and performance signals

Identify leadership and system-level levers for change

Establish governance rhythms to drive accountability and progress

Speaker/Facilitator: Debbie Petru, Heritage Communities

Debbie Petru is the Director of Talent Development at Heritage Communities, leading enterprise-wide organizational development strategy across 24 lo

cations and more than 2,000 associates. She specializes in aligning leadership, talent, and workforce systems to improve retention, engagement, and operational performance.

She designed a cohort-based manager development program with over 160 graduates and 75% retention rate, strengthening leadership stability across multiple sites. She also led an apprenticeship-based workforce strategy that reduced nursing turnover by 20% and increased internal mobility.

Debbie helps organizations operationalize talent strategy to drive measurable business outcomes at scale.

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August Stammtisch at Stokes! (04 Aug 2026)

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Welcome Omaha ODN Members!

Please join us for Stammtisch

on the first Tuesday of each month

in person at Stokes West from 3:00 - 5:00 PM

13615 California Street

Stammtisch is a German word meaning both a group of people who meet regularly, as well as the large table around which they meet.

Our goal is to gather together to EXPLORE, LEARN, and SHARE, leaving us all more INSPIRED to make an impact.

There is NO cost for this members-only event, but there is food and beverage available for purchase. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. We'll see you there!

Please register so we know how many to expect.

The Secret to Successful Projects: It's Not Just the Plan (26 Aug 2026)

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:45:00 GMT

The Secret to Successful Projects: It's Not Just the Plan

Facilitated by Debbie Friedman, Terracon

Project Managers often have challenges with:

Change management

Conflict and difficult conversations

Team formation

Time management

In this session, you will be able to:

Map real organizational changes

Identify PM vs. OD milestones

Analyze failed projects and root causes

Projects succeed when we integrate the "technical" with the "human."

The overall object of this session is that participants will leave being able to recognize the critical role OD plays in the successful management of projects.

Speaker/Facilitator: Debbie Friedman, Terracon

Debbie Friedman, MS, SPHR, is currently a Sr. OD Consultant at Terracon Consultants, Inc. For over 20 years she has done everything from instructional design, delivery, meeting facilitation, organizational design, mentoring, coaching, as well as leadership development. She has worked for HDR and Right at Home, where she was Director of Education. For the past six years she has worked with Terracon Consultants, Inc.

Debbie earned her BS in Business Management with a focus in Human Resources Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition, Debbie earned her Masters in Adult Learning Performance and Development, with a special in Leadership Development, from Drake University. Her certifications include Prosci Change Management, Situational Leadership and she is a Covey-Certified facilitator. She recently retired from a 20-year tenure teaching the HRAM HR Certification course, focusing on the areas of Organizational Development and Performance Management.

Her passion in helping people "Play Nice at Work" is what drivers her every day. Debbie's specialties include: Facilitation of Adult Learning, Curriculum Design, Coaching, Leadership Development, Change Management, and Human Resources.

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September Stammtisch at Stokes! (01 Sep 2026)

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Welcome Omaha ODN Members!

Please join us for Stammtisch

on the first Tuesday of each month

in person at Stokes West from 3:00 - 5:00 PM

13615 California Street

Stammtisch is a German word meaning both a group of people who meet regularly, as well as the large table around which they meet.

Our goal is to gather together to EXPLORE, LEARN, and SHARE, leaving us all more INSPIRED to make an impact.

There is NO cost for this members-only event, but there is food and beverage available for purchase. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. We'll see you there!

Please register so we know how many to expect.

Small Acts, Big Belonging: Rituals at Work (23 Sep 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:45:00 GMT

Small Acts, Big Belonging: Rituals at Work

Facilitated by Stuart Chittenden

Let's face it: A lot of workplace efforts at belonging feel, well, awkward. But what if we could tap into something more meaningful - without the "cringe?" This session is a spirited exploration of rituals - those small, intentional, repeated acts that make us feel connected, valued, purposeful, and part of something bigger than ourselves.

We'll explore how simple, intentional rituals can help people and their organizations strengthen meaning, belonging, and engagement in everyday work.

The session is practical, reflective, and interactive. We will:

Unpack what makes up a "ritual" and identify some we already have or practices we can ritualize meaningfully.

Rethink how moments and behaviors become meaningful at work.

Play with a simple ritual blueprint framework to refresh, reframe, or design new rituals that build on everyday practices and reinforces values, encourages engagement, and deepens human connection.

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of rituals, why they matter at work, and how they can foster meaning, belonging, connection, and shared purpose. They will also practice using a simple framework to design and adapt workplace practices into rituals imbued with meaning-making that support their team's values, culture, and alignment.

PRE-WORK for the session:

Before the session, reflect on one or more repeated workplace practices you have experienced or observed. Examples might include team meetings, onboarding moments, awards and recognition, check-ins, or informal behaviors like coffee or cigarette breaks.

Please consider: How does it make people feel more aligned with the organization and/or each other? What meaning does this practice currently carry? What values does it express?

Speaker/Facilitator: Stuart Chittenden

Stuart Chittenden works at the intersection where questioning meets becoming. He is an existential coach, humanist thinker, and host of Lives Radio Show & Podcast on KIOS 91.5 FM. His work explores meaning, identity, and connection, and what helps people live and work more humanely. Through his coaching practice, workshops, public conversations, and consulting work, Stuart's focus is on themes such as meaningful conversation, human-centered creativity, identity and values, and ritual-making for purposeful living and working. A former lawyer, brand strategist, and design thinking consultant, Stuart is also a Certified Humanist Professional and endorsed Humanist Invocator, bringing a secular, inclusive, and meaning-centered approach to his work with people and organizations.

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October Stammtisch at Stokes! (06 Oct 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Welcome Omaha ODN Members!

Please join us for Stammtisch

on the first Tuesday of each month

in person at Stokes West from 3:00 - 5:00 PM

13615 California Street

Stammtisch is a German word meaning both a group of people who meet regularly, as well as the large table around which they meet.

Our goal is to gather together to EXPLORE, LEARN, and SHARE, leaving us all more INSPIRED to make an impact.

There is NO cost for this members-only event, but there is food and beverage available for purchase. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. We'll see you there!

Please register so we know how many to expect.

Omaha ODN Conference 2026 - October 20 (20 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

2026 ODN Conference - October 20

THEME - Thriving in Complexity: OD for a Rapidly Changing World

Conference Agenda

Keynote Speakers

Laura Johnson, The Art of Alignment: Creativity in a Complex World

Laura Johnson is a creative strategist and transformation leader who works at the intersection of art, technology, and human experience. Known for her ability to bring vision to life, she helps organizations and teams find clarity amidst complexity through curiosity, collaboration, and creativity. Laura also serves on the board of the Radial Arts Center, where she champions inclusion and accessibility in the arts. She believes that thriving in a rapidly changing world requires both precision and imagination that alignment, like art, is a continual act of creation.

Melissa Hurrington, Authenticity: The Superpower to Transform Your Career

As a devoted wife and mother, Melissa Hurrington embodies the essence of balance and leadership both at home and in the professional arena. With a multifaceted role as CFO & VP at Operations of Premier Claims, she navigates the complexities of financial strategy and operational excellence with finesse. Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Melissa serves as the Omaha Chapter President of the CFO Leadership Council, is a founding member of The Bold Leaders Collective, and stands among The Next 100. A true servant leader at heart, she approaches every endeavor with authenticity and humility, recognizing that her greatest strength lies in uplifting others. At the core of her identity, she remains unapologetically and authentically herself.

Snap Shot of Topics/Facilitators

Workshop Speakers

The Human Algorithm: Rebuilding Trust Through Empathetic Leadership by Shannelle Pokorny
Mindful Audiences are Happy Audiences by Sonia Keffer
Culture Clarity Workshop by Lucy Lantis
The Future of Work is Entrepreneurial: Rethinking Organizations in a Disruptive Era by Jenna Smith
Succession Planning in the Exponential Age: Why Traditional Approaches Are No Longer Enough by Andy Noon
Accidentally Exclusive: Promoting Health while Promoting Culture by Jessica Rowe
Rooted in Wellness: Cultivating a Culture of Health at Healing Vibes Urban Farm by LaToya C. Prince
From Programs to Possibility: Reimagining Talent Development for a Complex World by Ashley Bro
The Employee Journey: Applying Principles of Buyer Psychology to Recruiting, Engagement, and Retention by Natalie Hadley
Transitions: Align & Thrive in Your 9:5 by Becky Phipps and Angela McKay

Daily Agenda & Costs

Activities

7:30am to 5:00pm Conference
5:00pm to 6:30 pm Happy Hour/Networking

One-Day Registration (includes breakfast, lunch and happy hour on October 20th):

Members - $150
Non-Members - $250
Groups of 5+, please email June.Kowalewski@myfbm.com or OmahaODNPresident@gmail.com for group discount

Please email any dietary restrictions to June Kowalewski at June.Kowalewski@myfbm.com.

Beardmore Event Center - 3750 Raynor Pkwy, Bellevue, NE

Why Change Doesn't Stick (and What Actually Works) (28 Oct 2026)

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:45:00 GMT

Why Change Doesn't Stick (and What Actually Works)

Facilitated by Rebecca Shively, Ph.D.

Organizational change is rarely as simple as implementing a new process or communicating a new vision. Many change efforts are thoughtfully planned, clearly communicated, and still fail to stick.

Drawing from organizational psychology and real-world experiences, this session will explore key human drivers that determine whether change takes hold. Participants will rethink the role of communication (and its limitations), uncover what really motivates behavior change, and examine how belief, shaped by past experiences and leadership actions, can accelerate or derail progress.

Attendees will leave with:

A practical way to diagnose why change efforts stall.

Insight into how to design change around human behavior, not just plans.

Specific strategies to build motivation, create meaningful dialogue, and strengthen belief.

Speaker/Facilitator: Rebecca Shively, Ph.D.

Rebecca Shively, Ph.D., is an organizational change practitioner at Farm Credit Services of America, where she helps guide teams and leaders through complex transformations with a focus on people-centered strategies. With a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Nebraska Omaha, her research in goal-setting, motivation, and leadership continues to inform her applied work today.

Rebecca's career spans higher education, the nonprofit sector, and a range of private-sector industries, giving her a broad perspective on how organizations evolve and thrive. Outside of work, she plays trumpet in a community concert band and enjoys the creativity and collaboration that music brings. She also loves spending time outdoors, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends. She values curiosity, connection, and continuous learning - principles that guide her approach to both work and life. Whether supporting leaders or guiding teams through transformation, she brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to every challenge.

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November Stammtisch at Stokes! (03 Nov 2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Welcome Omaha ODN Members!

Please join us for Stammtisch

on the first Tuesday of each month

in person at Stokes West from 3:00 - 5:00 PM

13615 California Street

Stammtisch is a German word meaning both a group of people who meet regularly, as well as the large table around which they meet.

Our goal is to gather together to EXPLORE, LEARN, and SHARE, leaving us all more INSPIRED to make an impact.

There is NO cost for this members-only event, but there is food and beverage available for purchase. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. We'll see you there!

Please register so we know how many to expect.

November Program: Conference Teach Back (11 Nov 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 13:45:00 GMT

Conference Teach Back

Facilitated by Katie Lennen

Program details coming soon...

Speaker/Facilitator: Katie Lennen

Speaker's details coming soon...

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December Stammtisch at Stokes! (01 Dec 2026)

Tue, 01 Dec 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Welcome Omaha ODN Members!

Please join us for Stammtisch

on the first Tuesday of each month

in person at Stokes West from 3:00 - 5:00 PM

13615 California Street

Stammtisch is a German word meaning both a group of people who meet regularly, as well as the large table around which they meet.

Our goal is to gather together to EXPLORE, LEARN, and SHARE, leaving us all more INSPIRED to make an impact.

There is NO cost for this members-only event, but there is food and beverage available for purchase. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. We'll see you there!

Please register so we know how many to expect.

December Holiday Social - Details coming soon (09 Dec 2026)

Wed, 09 Dec 2026 13:45:00 GMT

December Holiday Social

Program details coming soon...

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