#WISHRM24 SMILE Team Spotlight: Emily Ware

It is an honor to lead the 2024 WI SHRM State Conference SMILE Team. This year's team is made up of six amazing HR professionals who are excited to share some pre-conference sneak peeks and share their conference experiences with all.

Today, I spoke with one member of the SMILE Team, Emily Ware, about her career, SHRM volunteering, and more!

Q & A with Emily:

1. How did you get your start in HR?

I’ve always had an interest in interpersonal relationships and diversity/human rights. My mom was a technical recruiter and taught HR-related classes with a focus on behavioral psychology and sociology at a collegiate level. She was the reason I also did an HR internship right before college .

2. You are a returning SMILE Team member. What are you most excited about for year two?

Having a better idea of what I want to do/what to expect having now done it once. I feel better prepared to dive back in this year.

3. Which three sessions are you most excited to attend at the 2024 WI SHRM State Conference?

I feel like a lot of attendees are excited for Johnny C. Taylor joining us, I wanted to focus on three additional sessions/keynotes that caught my attention. Working fully remote, I’m always on the lookout for additional resources and creative solutions to challenges when moving from a more traditional model to fully remote - especially when it comes to engagement and inclusion/diversity.

Three sessions I’m excited for and that you’ll see me in are:

•Fuel the Fire: Transforming Employee Engagement in the Digital Age

•The Culture Continuum: Navigating Organizational Identity in a Remote Era

•The Closing keynote - You’re Mad. You’re Stressed. You Might Be A Mess.

4. What type of conference content can followers expect to see from you?

I will be focusing on:

•Tips and tricks for attending the conference from a neurodivergent perspective

•Sharing insights and information from sessions I attend

•Speaker and Vendor interviews with an emphasis on mental health resources/benefits, HR tools, neurodivergence, and diversity.

5. What is your most streamed song on your preferred streaming platform?

That’s a tough one. A simultaneous blessing and curse that comes with ADHD is flipping through a variety of hyperfixations, which manifest for me with music/specific sounds especially.

My top songs right now (some new additions to the rotation and some standards) are:

•Good Luck, Babe!/ Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan

•JOYRIDE by Kesha

•Universe by Willowbank Grove

•Desert Rose (Live) by Faouzia

•Francesca by Hozier

•Someone Who Loves Me by Sara Bareilles

•My Days from The Notebook Broadway Musical Soundtrack

•The Summoning by Sleep Token

•Follow You Into the Dark by RAKEL for the Alan Wake 2 Game Soundtrack

•Boba Manifesto by Chris Fleming

•Vita Nova by Halocene

•Passive by A Perfect Circle

I really could go on and on and build a whole 3 hour playlist with a full description of why I have each song on there. Just know, if you see me walking around, one of these songs is probably on loop in my head. Perhaps I will share one during my takeover day. Stay tuned!

6. What are three things that should be on every conference attendee's packing list?

Neurodivergent/chronic illness style! Though, part or all of this list could be beneficial to everyone.

•Chronic illness-related meds/response kit. Ex: I bring my migraine kit with me including meds, forehead cooling patches, a migraine stick, an eye mask, ginger chews, and electrolyte drink powder to help boost my hydration.

•Noise-cancelling headphones/ear plugs such as loops

•Snacks/meal alternatives in case I’m unable to eat a meal provided due to sensory issues. Also handy to have in general to help keep energy up/keep on trucking through the long days!

7. What is your favorite thing to bake and why?

I love baking cupcakes, brioche, and macarons. Below are some of my favorite bakes!

Meet Emily:

Emily is a Wisconsin native and has operated in Customer Service and Human Resources fields for over 10 years and obtained her SHRM-CP certification last year. She attended the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse and has a deep passion for Diversity and Human Rights work and finding creative engagement strategies in a remote world. She currently serves as Secretary on the La Crosse Area SHRM Chapter and has previously served as the Diversity and Governmental Affairs Director. Emily also spends time volunteering within the community. In her free time, she enjoys tabletop and video games with friends, theatre, podcast creation, crafting, crocheting, writing, baking, and drawing. She is also a classically trained opera singer and enjoys travel when her schedule allows. She has two furry and chaotic coworkers, Mushu and Bam Bam and is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to keep them entertained as they’re terrible at pivot tables.

Follow the 2024 WI SHRM SMILE Team: https://linktr.ee/wishrmsmileteam