KC Tech Workforce Summit 2025

8:15 a.m. | Check-In, Networking and Coffee

9:00 a.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | KEYNOTE: The New Era of Talent: Enabling People with AI with Andrew Murphy - Innovation Program Manager @ RSM US LLP

The era of AI is reshaping how we attract, develop, and retain tech talent—and organizations must evolve just as quickly. This keynote explores both the urgent need for upskilling and the broader transformation of talent functions driven by artificial intelligence. You'll gain insights into the current state of AI adoption in HR and staffing, how to measure ROI, avoid common pitfalls, and empower HR teams to successfully integrate these emerging tools. Whether you're leading a talent strategy or adapting to new technologies, this session will equip you with the knowledge to thrive in a fast-changing landscape.

10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. | Skills & Education Requirements in KC Tech Job Openings with Anna Hennes - Founder and CEO @ Dovetail Talent Solutions + Project Manager @ KC TechBridge and Andrew Sallee - Data Analytics Consultant @ Andrew Sallee LLC + Data Scientist @ KC TechBridge

In this session, we will dive into the top five most in-demand tech roles among Kansas City employers over the past year, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the skills, education, and certifications most commonly required. We'll also explore how the KC TechBridge project is collecting and analyzing regional data to inform this dialogue, and how early- and mid-career pathways can be leveraged to grow the tech talent pipeline.

11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. | Breakout Sessions

• 2025 Immigration Law Update for Tech Employers with Liz Chatham, Partner @ Stinson LLP and Kimberly (Kim) Pikul, Principal Counsel - Immigration & Environmental @ Garmin 

• • With immigration policy making frequent headlines, tech employers need clarity on what’s changing—and what it means for their hiring strategies. This year, our experts will offer a timely update on the latest immigration laws and proposals impacting the tech workforce, including shifts in visa programs, regulatory priorities, and potential developments.

• Transitioning Veterans and Government Personnel Into Tech Roles with Shawn Geib, Chief Information Security Officer and Tony Garrison, Sr. Military Staffing Specialist @ Kansas City National Security Campus, Managed by Honeywell FM&T

• • Veterans, transitioning military, and government employees can offer an extremely beneficial pipeline for your tech roles. Our speakers will share experiences and best practices for successfully transitioning military and government personnel into the tech industry. Drawing from their experiences, they’ll highlight strategies for bridging skills gaps, aligning military experience with industry needs, and fostering long-term career growth.

11:50 a.m. | Lunch Available

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Table Top Networking and Lunch

Grab your lunch and head back to the main room, where each table will be labeled with one of four hot topics in tech talent:

• AI & Automation
• Skills and Education Requirements
• Upskilling and Reskilling Tech Talent
• Closing the Talent Gap

Choose the topic that interests you most, take a seat, and enjoy great conversation and networking with fellow participants.

1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. | Breakout Sessions

• The Insider Threat You're Ignoring: Human Risk in the Tech Talent Pipeline with Koty Henry - Cybersecurity Policy Advisor @ National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)

• • Insider threats often begin long before any technical indicators appear—rooted instead in burnout, isolation, and cultural misalignment. In this eye-opening session, explore how subtle human dynamics can quietly erode your organization’s security posture. Learn how common talent practices—like rushed onboarding, unclear expectations, and lack of psychological safety—can unintentionally introduce operational risk. Discover how applying counterintelligence principles to hiring, retention, and leadership can help you build more resilient teams. You'll walk away with practical tools to recognize early warning signs of human risk and strategies to shift from a compliance-first mindset to one focused on human-centered resilience.

• Early Career Tech Talent: A Cross-Functional Approach to Recruiting & Engagement with Megan Colonna Zickwolf - Program Manager, Talent Acquisition @ H&R Block

• • ​Discover how H&R Block is bringing together HR, talent acquisition, and IT to create stronger entry points and meaningful early career experiences for tech professionals. This session explores the company’s cross-functional strategy to attract and retain top early career talent, with practical takeaways for organizations of any size looking to build or enhance their tech talent pipeline.

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | How KC's Best Employers Built Winning Cultures - Straight from the Teams that Did It with Sarah Gilliland - HR Director, People Team/Corporate @ Terracon; Donzel Davis - Employee Experience Manager @ Spotlight Analyst Relations; Kevin Sears - Vice President - Mission Critical @ JE Dunn

Let's wrap up the day on a high note! Hear directly from KC Tech Council member companies named to the Kansas City Business Journal’s Best Places to Work list as they share the strategies, values, and day-to-day practices that earned them recognition. This session offers an inside look at how award-winning cultures are built—and sustained—and will leave you with fresh ideas and inspiration to take back to your own organization.

3:00 p.m. | Conclusion