I Hate Big Snakes and I Cannot Lie: Deception Detection Tips and Tricks

Prior to entering the field of polygraph Jared Rockwood, LCSW spent the majority of his adult life dedicated to helping troubled teens find recovery and safety. After working for eight years in group homes, the next ten years of his career was specialized as a therapist working with adolescents that engaged in abusive and high risk sexual behaviors. With 18 years experience and many opportunities to present throughout the country Jared became a nationally recognized leader in his field. He became interested in polygraph because of the consistent evidence that getting through the initial honesty and disclosure process, along with supportive maintenance with polygraph, optimized the therapeutic process. Jared is dedicated to the science of polygraph and was educated and mentored in best practices, thus emerging as an expert in the field of credibility assessment.

From Sallahs to Short Rounds: Building a “Sweet” Team

Lynne Roberts is the head coach of the University of Utah women’s basketball program. She has been coaching at Utah since 2015 and has a record of 139-104 at the university and 350-279 in her 20-year coaching career. Under her guidance, the team has achieved significant milestones, including a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. She has also developed players who have earned accolades and set school records. During the 2022-23 season, Utah achieved its first Pac-12 Regular Season title, and Roberts was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year.

The Adventure That Is or Isn’t DEI

Conlon Bonner, CEO of CULTIVATE | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is a renowned DEI consultant. He advises executive teams on creating inclusive environments. He works with organizations by doing DEI analyses, designing cultural calendars, formulating DEI mission and vision statements, and crafting equity policies and strategic plans.

With clientele from municipalities to school districts and businesses, Bonner works with HR to coordinate cultural events, recruiting, hiring, training, and strategies to improve DEI. His academic background includes a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree from Southern Utah University, with notable tenure at Hale Centre Theatre as Director of DEI. He utilizes his skills across various sectors, currently consulting for numerous organizations including Murray City and West Valley Performing Arts Theater, and Utah Cultural Celebration Center.

Personal life includes a joy-filled marriage of 12 years, six children, and performances with his family group, The Bonner Family.

The Adventure That Is or Isn’t DEI

Katey is a thought leader behind recruiting and hiring top talent at her day job, and has chosen to go against the grain since day 1. Katey loves protecting and prioritizing the unique culture at companies she works for by creating and conducting culture screens as the first initial interview in the hiring process. The positive energy and big smile you see behind the Zoom screen is as real and alive as it is on and off the call. Katey loves to use her optimistic attitude to serve in her church, backpack in the  mountains, and surf the big waves in San Diego, where she resides. She is re-launching her popular podcast, “Become Alive” this summer.

Confronting The Facts, Unwavering Faith in the End Game

Stacee is the President and Founder of Momentum Employer Group. She has over 20 years of experience leading organizations through growth, helping employees adapt to change, and managing all aspects of Human Resources and Safety. Experience includes business strategy, operational excellence, organizational development, employee relations, compensation and benefits administration, training, safety and environmental, and federal and state regulatory compliance.

Stacee earned her MBA from the University of Utah, completed her undergraduate degree in HR at Weber State University, and holds both a SHRM-SCP and SPHR certification. Stacee loves competitive sports and finds joy with family at ball games – cheering on her kids’ teams. She enjoys playing piano, reading books on leadership and living a life filled with purpose.

Employee Experience: Is this Phrase on Your Radar Yet?

If not, it soon will be. Because, whether your organization is embracing it at the moment, or not, the age of employee experience (EX) is officially here. Business leaders are becoming increasingly aware of the impact that even the most minor day-to-day interactions with an employees can have, so all of your organizational communications will work to influence this.

• Join this session for a comprehensive review of current communication challenges and how organizations are adapting moving forward.
• Learn the impact of EX on today’s workforce
• Using insights from Gallagher’s 2021 State of the Sector report, we will outline how your organization can develop an EX-strengthening communications strategy to address physical & emotional wellbeing, financial wellbeing, ways of working, technology, culture, change management, career wellbeing, and rewards and benefits.

Confronting The Facts: Unwavering Faith in the End Game

Portia Louder began her career documenting weddings as a photographer, and became involved in real estate in 2005. Portia was indicted for mortgage fraud, left her husband and five children in Utah, and spent four and a half years in federal prison. She will speak openly about the struggles people in prison face, her mistakes, and what it took to move past them. Portia gained a new perspective, and currently teaches empowerment skills to at-risk youth, mentors women struggling with trauma and addiction, and published a book called “Living Louder”.

Frameworks of Culture: Building Culture from Inception

Prior to launching a tech company centered around mentorship, Elisa’s experience includes more than 15 years in HR, recruiting and business development primarily with small to mid-sized businesses. A true Xennial (the micro generation between Gen X and Millennials), she is often an early adopter with a natural curiosity for all things – Especially people!

Her passion for the HR profession is obvious: She is a member of the Forbes Human Resource Council, has served as the President for Salt Lake SHRM, co-founded DisruptHR SLC, currently serves as the Past Executive Director for Utah SHRM and acts as an advisor and member of several business-focused groups. Elisa holds the SHRM-SCP, SPHR, PRC and SHRM Talent Management Specialty Credential certifications.

Her company, LevelNext, is a digital platform designed to connect professionals in tech and creative industries with candidates who want to advance their careers through one on one mentorship and coaching.

When she’s not exploring one of Utah’s beautiful trails or organizing an impromptu flash mob, she’s busy sewing 80’s throwback costumes for her 10 year old son and pursuing her journey to find the world’s best cinnamon roll.

Unity in Diversity: A Workshop for Senior Leaders

Sara Jones has advocated throughout her career for the benefits of greater diversity in our companies, boardrooms and circles of power. From patent attorney to CEO, Sara has 24 years of executive and leadership experience spanning business, technology, content, revenue, and legal strategy. Sara has a J.D. from Brigham Young University Law School and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Utah. She serves on the Utah State Workforce Development Board and Intermountain Healthcare Salt Lake Valley Hospitals Board. Jones is a Founder of Women Tech Council (WTC), a national organization focused on the economic impact of women in driving high growth for the technology sector. Jones’ recognitions include Distinguished Alumni University of Utah (2021), Utah Business Magazine CEO of the Year (2019), and Distinguished Alumni University of Utah College of Engineering (2017).

Return Utah

Shay Baker is the proud overseer of the only public career reentry program in the country, Return Utah. Shay is responsible for resource management, support systems, content, education, marketing, and the employment of innovative strategies to ensure growth and development of this groundbreaking program with Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson.

She is a frequent contributor to iRelaunch, a leader within the career reentry space, and has been featured in Wall Street Journal Podcasts, NPR, national publications by SHRM, Pew Charitable Trusts, and Route Fifty.

Shay is a returnee, having participated in the Return Utah inaugural cohort after an eight-year career break. Prior, she worked as a television news reporter and producer for KTVX Salt Lake City.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Weber State University and lives in Layton, Utah with her husband and three daughters.

Empathetic Leadership: How Empathy and Vulnerability Lead to Connection and Trust

David Kitchen is passionate about empowering employees and managers of the public sector. He has 15 years of experience working at the local and state levels, starting as an hourly Parks Laborer, working as a Payroll Technician, and currently HR Director for Lehi City, Utah. In addition, he loves giving back to the HR community. He has served as President of Utah Chapter of IPMA-HR and currently sits on the board for the Western Region of IPMA-HR. When he is not working, he loves to spend his free time with his wife and three boys working on projects around the home, having family movie nights, doing puzzles, and learning from others through books and podcasts.

Avoiding Employment Claims Through Effective Documentation and Investigation

Susan Baird Motschiedler is a member of Parsons Behle & Latimer’s Employment and Labor Law and Litigation practice groups. With an eye toward avoiding litigation, she excels at providing up-front advice and counsel to business owners and management regarding employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; disciplinary action and documentation; disability accommodation issues; benefits; employment policies and practices; employee leave laws; layoffs; protection of trade secrets and other confidential and proprietary information through the use of confidentiality, noncompetition, and nonsolicitation agreements; wage and hour laws; and other employment-related issues. Susan also regularly conducts real world client training programs for employers on topics including harassment and discrimination, disability accommodation, hiring and firing, conducting investigations, record keeping, and coaching/disciplining employees. When disputes arise, Susan confidently defends clients in litigation, administrative proceedings, and alternative dispute resolution forums.

Susan regularly counsels and represents employers in lawsuits in a variety of areas including the following:

• Sex discrimination and sexual harassment
• Age discrimination
• Religious discrimination
• ADA, disability and employee medical issues
• Wrongful termination
• Employment contracts and compensation
• Non-compete, confidentiality, and non-solicitation agreements
• Handbooks
• Social media in the workplace
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime, exemptions, and wage issues
• Independent contractor issues
• Drug and alcohol testing
• FMLA and other leave issues
• Terminations and unemployment
• Union issues
• Investigations
• UALD and EEOC charges and audits
• Training for management and employees

Ms. Motschiedler also maintains a practice of black lung defense counsel in workers’ compensation claims brought under the federal Black Lung Benefits Reform Act.

She has represented employers with coal mine or other non-coal mine operations in Utah, Colorado, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama before the Department of Labor Office of Administrative Law Judges, the Benefits Review Board, and in appellate proceedings before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Clever Recruiting Techniques in 2022

Jordan is married to his beautiful wife Ereka and together they have 4 kids. He loves spending time with them, and whenever he’s not with his family or working, he loves finding time to mountain bike. Jordan is passionate about working with small to midsize businesses and helping them manage and get their employees paid on time. He has been in the payroll and HR space for 12+ years. He ran ADP’s small business division in Utah, opened 3 states for Heartland Payroll, and even opened his own payroll company before he merged with Eddy almost 3 years ago.

Key Employment Laws Every New HR Professional Must Know

Paul focuses his practice on helping companies manage two of their most valuable resources: their workforce and their intellectual property (IP). Managing these resources involves two key phases—planning and protecting. Paul assists companies with both. Planning how to manage a company’s workforce and IP can take many forms. From a workforce standpoint, Paul works with companies to ensure they have appropriate terms, conditions, and policies governing their employees. This often takes the form of reviewing, drafting, and revising employee handbooks and employment agreements, including non-solicitation and non-compete agreements. Paul also frequently provides trainings for HR managers, supervisors—and employees at every level—on various topics, including harassment, workplace civility, and conflicts of interest.

To assist companies in managing their IP—for example, proprietary concepts and ideas, confidential information, and brand recognition—Paul performs IP portfolio audits, first investigating the protective strategies the companies are currently employing and then recommending alternative or additional measures to be implemented. Paul has years of experience in obtaining federal registrations for trademarks and copyrights, and developing strategies to protect trade secrets.

While planning is a crucial step in managing workforce and IP, it’s not enough by itself—companies must also protect themselves. In the employment arena, Paul regularly defends companies against discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination claims brought under the ADA, FMLA, ADEA, USERRA, Title VII, and state law. Sometimes this means simply responding to demand letters; other times it’s participating in administrative investigations brought by the EEOC and its state counterparts; often it’s defending against claims brought in state or federal court. Paul has experience at every stage of defense. But sometimes the best defense is a good offense. When former employees violate their non-solicitation or non-compete obligations, Paul can assist companies in enforcing those obligations—from drafting cease and desist letters to filing and prosecuting lawsuits.

The need for protective action also arises in the IP context. Paul regularly litigates trademark, trade-dress, patent, and copyright infringement cases and trade secret misappropriation cases in state and federal court. Sometimes companies find themselves enforcing their IP rights in an offensive position—as the plaintiff in a lawsuit—other times they have to enforce their rights from a defensive posture. Paul is experienced in representing IP plaintiffs and defendants.

Paul’s experience includes representing companies in other litigation contexts, ranging from general commercial and contractual disputes, to enforcing creditors’ rights in the bankruptcy context. Paul acts as legal counsel to the Special Master of two general adjudications of water rights in the State of Utah. While Paul has years of experience litigating at the trial-court level in state and federal court, he also has considerable experience at the appellate level, briefing and arguing cases before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Utah Court of Appeals, and the Utah Supreme Court.

Key Employment Laws Every New HR Professional Must Know, Avoiding Employment Claims Through Effective Documentation and Investigation

Mark is co-chairperson of the firm’s Employment and Labor practice team. Mark helps his employer clients avoid disputes through preventative practices, policies and training, and advocates for  them in litigation when disputes cannot be avoided.

Mark practices employment law and commercial litigation in matters before state and federal courts, the Utah Labor Commission and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He was recognized by the Utah State Bar as the 2018 Labor & Employment Attorney of the Year. Mark litigates cases involving complex factual and legal matters, including employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation, breach of fiduciary duty, covenants not to compete, solicit, or disclose confidential information, interference with contract, trade secrets and defamation. Mark has tried cases before state and federal courts and before the Adjudication Division of the Utah Labor Commission. He has also argued cases to the Utah Supreme Court, the Utah Court of Appeals and to the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Most importantly, Mark helps his clients avoid litigation by daily counseling on employment law problems, developing preventative practices and policies and providing regular inhouse training.

Mark also represents employer group health plans and their administrators in connection with litigation arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and Mental Health Parity and Addition Equity Act.

New Sharks in the Water! FLSA Collective Actions

Mr. Worthen is a member of Parsons Behle & Latimer’s employment and labor practice team. He defends clients in existing disputes and assists clients to prevent future claims by providing legal advice regarding various employment matters such as wages, COVID-related issues and ensuring compliance with other state and federal laws. Additionally, Mr. Worthen partners with clients in their daily employment-related matters by drafting and updating employment handbooks, employment agreements, and general employment and labor policies.

Mr. Worthen is also a member of Parsons Behle & Latimer’s appellate group. In this capacity, he represents clients before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the appellate courts in Utah and Idaho. He also conducts moot trials to prepare other attorneys for their appearances before those courts—using his unique background of clerking for judges both in the Ninth Circuit and Utah Supreme Court to help identify, and prepare the attorneys to answer, likely questions from the judges from those courts.

Mr. Worthen represents clients in Idaho and Utah in various water law matters as well. He offers guidance to help clients avoid standard pitfalls regarding water rights in real estate transactions. He has also represented parties in defending and objecting to water rights claims before administrative agencies in Idaho and Utah.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Worthen served as law clerk to three distinguished judges at three different levels of courts: the Honorable Dee Benson of the United States District Court for the District of Utah; Associate Chief Justice Thomas R. Lee of the Utah Supreme Court; and the Honorable N. Randy Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Worthen also gained invaluable experience while spending two years in private practice at a respected water law-based firm in Salt Lake City.

During law school, Mr. Worthen served as the symposium editor of the  Brigham Young University Law Review and won the school’s third-year legal writing competition.

Common Mistakes and Horror Stories

Mark is co-chairperson of the firm’s Employment and Labor practice team. Mark helps his employer clients avoid disputes through preventative practices, policies and training, and advocates for  them in litigation when disputes cannot be avoided.

Mark practices employment law and commercial litigation in matters before state and federal courts, the Utah Labor Commission and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He was recognized by the Utah State Bar as the 2018 Labor & Employment Attorney of the Year. Mark litigates cases involving complex factual and legal matters, including employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation, breach of fiduciary duty, covenants not to compete, solicit, or disclose confidential information, interference with contract, trade secrets and defamation. Mark has tried cases before state and federal courts and before the Adjudication Division of the Utah Labor Commission. He has also argued cases to the Utah Supreme Court, the Utah Court of Appeals and to the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Most importantly, Mark helps his clients avoid litigation by daily counseling on employment law problems, developing preventative practices and policies and providing regular inhouse training.

Mark also represents employer group health plans and their administrators in connection with litigation arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and Mental Health Parity and Addition Equity Act.

Common Mistakes and Horror Stories, Political and Religious Speech in the Workplace

For the past 25 years, Christina has partnered with clients to solve their labor and employment issues. She assists clients with the full spectrum of employment issues, including daily management of employment issues as well as litigation. Christina served as the chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Department for more than 10 years and is the past chair of the Labor and Employment Section of the Utah State Bar. She is the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) for the firm and regularly speaks in client and community forums on that topic. With her experience as an employment lawyer and as the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Christina has the expertise to help clients build D&I plans, implement plans and address issues.

Christina is recognized in:

• Utah Business Magazine, ranked as a “Legal Elite” in
  Employment and Labor Law, 2012 – 2021
• Intermountain States Super LawyersTM, ranked as one of the
  “Top 50 Women Lawyers,” 2019 – 2021
• Best Lawyers in America, ranked as a “Best Lawyer” in
  Employment Law, 2013 – 2022
• Chambers and Partners USA, “Notable Practitioner” ranking,
  Labor & Employment Law, 2019 – 2021

Christina is also a member of the national and local Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and has spoken at multiple SHRM events.

Christina regularly represents employers in lawsuits and counsels employers in a variety of areas, including:

• COVID-19 issues including leave, safety, back to work plans
  and positive tests
• Diversity and inclusion plans
• Sex discrimination and sexual harassment
• Age discrimination
• Religious discrimination
• ADA, disability and employee medical issues
• Wrongful termination
• Employment contracts and compensation
• Non-compete, confidentiality, and non-solicitation agreements
• Handbooks
• Social media in the workplace
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime, exemptions, and wage issues
• Independent contractor issues
• Drug and alcohol testing
• FMLA and other leave issues
• Terminations and unemployment
• Union issues
• Investigations
• UALD and EEOC charges and audits
• Training for management and employees
• Benefits and ERISA

Christina is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. She has taught a litigation skills class for more than 10 years in the Juris Doctor program. She also teaches Labor and Employment Law in the Master of Legal Studies program. She is currently the president of the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law Board of Trustees.

Prior to joining Parsons Behle & Latimer, Christina served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable David K. Winder, then Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah, and the Honorable Stephen H. Anderson at the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. She graduated first in her class from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of law, where she also served on the Utah Law Review and competed for the National Moot Court Team.

Christina is a member of the American Bar Foundation Fellows.

Legislative and Regulatory Update

A seasoned lawyer with almost four decades of experience, Michael partners with employers in many industries to prevent and solve employment problems. He represents news media organizations in all aspects of the law related to newsgathering and distribution. He also serves as a mediator to help resolve employment and media law disputes.

Employment Law:
Michael partners with employers in many industries to prevent and solve employment problems. He works with the local and national Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and has served as the legal and legislative director for Utah SHRM and Salt Lake SHRM. For such services, National SHRM honored him with its prestigious Capital Award, which was given annually to one of SHRM’s 300,000 members worldwide. Utah SHRM has given him its Award for Professional Excellence.

Michael counsels employers on how to minimize and manage risks, including those involving: civil rights, discrimination, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), sexual harassment, other harassment, retaliation, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), payment of wages, overtime pay and exemptions, employee benefits, drug and alcohol testing, workplace violence, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), affirmative action, unemployment compensation, employee misconduct, investigations, unions, unfair labor practices, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), employment contracts, noncompetes, defamation, torts, wrongful discharge, mediation and arbitration.

He represents employers when disputes become lawsuits.

He has successfully handled hundreds of cases before administrative agencies, trial courts, juries, arbitrators, mediators and appeals courts.

Michael works with clients regarding preventive employment law activities, such as investigations, supervisor and employee training, policy and handbook reviews, job descriptions, human resource audits and counseling on day-to-day employee problems. He has published numerous articles on employment law topics. He is a popular public speaker, often addressing the news media and local and national employer groups on various employment law trends and issues. Michael serves as amediator in employment law disputes.

Media and First Amendment Law:
Michael assists news and publishing organizations in obtaining access to places and records (FOIA and Utah GRAMA), and in minimizing risks (and responding to claims) of defamation, invasion of privacy, tort and other matters related to publishing. He also represents the news media at the Utah Legislature and elsewhere as needed, working to preserve and strengthen Utah’s open government laws.

He has represented many media clients including The Salt Lake Tribune, CNN, the Deseret News, the Associated Press, the Newspaper Agency Corporation, Newsweek, the Society of Professional Journalists, KUTV News, the Utah Media Coalition and KSL-TV and radio. He is a member of, and has received “sunshine” and freedom of information awards from, the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Association of Broadcasters.

Michael is co-editor of the Utah Media Law Handbook published by the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Common Mistakes and Horror Stories, New Sharks in the Water! FLSA Collective Actions

Sean A. Monson is the current department chair of Parsons’ Employment & Labor practice group. He focuses his practice in employment counseling and litigation and real estate litigation and transactions. He has represented several large and small Utah businesses in litigation matters involving claims for wrongful termination, discrimination, covenants not to compete, WARN Act disputes, OSHA infractions, and labor disputes. He has represented title companies, businesses and individuals in real property transactions and litigation matters involving boundary, ownership, title insurance and priority of interest lawsuits. He has also represented companies in multimillion dollar real estate purchase and sale transactions as wells as lending, development, and leasing agreements. He has appeared before planning commissions and city councils on behalf of real estate developers regarding entitlement and zoning disputes throughout the Wasatch Front. He is the current chair of the Bountiful City planning commission.