#WISHRM24 SMILE Team Spotlight: Kyra Matkovich

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, Kyra Matkovich, about her career, SHRM volunteering, and more!

Q & A with Kyra:

1. How did you get your start in HR?

I was working for a small company and I noticed a gap in the HR duties. I thought that could be an area that I could support, so I presented a proposal to the president of the company (to whom I reported), and he told me to go for it! As I was digging into those duties, I realized there was a lot I needed to learn, so I asked if I could take some classes. He said, “Go for it!” As I continued to learn, I realized I absolutely loved it, and then wanted to pursue certification. Once again, I asked if the company would support the certification. He said, “Go for it!” I’ve been in HR ever since!

2. You are the queen of the 'HR Coffee Shot.' What is your favorite coffee place, and what is your go-to order? [Bonus: What is the coffee situation at the conference?]

My favorite coffee place is my home/property. I live in a beautiful area of Wisconsin. It is absolutely the best place to enjoy my morning coffee and get my day started. My husband and I are unabashed coffee snobs, and we made the decision years ago to invest in a really nice coffee maker (a Jura, if anyone is interested). Not only has it saved us about $300 a month on coffee orders out, it allows us to buy the beans we love most. (And is it seriously good coffee!) The conference usually carries brewed Starbucks coffee. It’s pretty solid. And for all of you early risers, they have coffee service VERY early!

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

It’s REALLY hard to choose a top three. WISHRM brings in some wonderful speakers and practitioners. Three that I’m really excited about are:

-Colene Elridge, You’re Mad. You’re Stressed. You Might Be a Mess (keynote on Friday, 12:15-1:30)

-Sarah Noll Wilson, Rebuilding Connections: Navigating Conflict and Repairing Relationships at Work (Thursday, 12:45-2pm)

-Leah Roe, See + Heard + Valued: How Prioritizing Recognition Drives Engagement & Success (Thursday, 2:30-3:45pm)

4. What sets the WI SHRM State Conference apart from other conferences?

WISHRM is surprisingly large and well attended for a state that most people hardly acknowledge. It is very well organized and well run. (Giant shout-out to all of the volunteers who make this happen!) Entertainment is always awesome, the meals are really good, the conference committee brings in some amazing speakers. My first WISHRM conference was in 2018 and it immediately became my absolute favorite.

5. What is your favorite social media platform and why?

Professionally, these days, I spend more time on LinkedIn. For conference sessions, I rapid-fire Twitter/X posts. Personally, I use Instagram and Facebook. (I know… I’m old.) The platforms are useful for different reasons. And depending on what I’m posting and what kind of engagement I’m hoping to create, I’ll decide which platform would be most appropriate.

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

-The absolute number one must-pack item is comfortable shoes. You’ll be doing a lot of walking, and you and your feet will regret making a bad choice in this department.

-Water bottle. Stay hydrated!

-Notebook & pen, or whatever device for taking notes. Don’t rely on memory. You’ll want to take notes and then take some time to reflect on how you can implement or incorporate what you learned.

7. Since you have quite the green thumb, what is an easy first house plant?

I find pothos (epipremnum aureum) and spider plants (chlorophytum comosum) to be the easiest to propagate and grow, and are great for beginners. They’re pretty forgiving. Put them in a bright window and water once a week, and they will thrive!

Meet Kyra:

I’ve been in HR and HR adjacent roles for over 25 years, with the bulk of my career focused on strategic partnering, talent management, and leadership development and coaching. I’m passionate about people, and creating meaningful work experiences by helping organizations develop effective leaders, and connect the dots between people strategies and business strategies that result in fun, inspiring and collaborative work culture. I currently serve as Principal HR Business Partner for Exact Sciences headquartered in Madison supporting the Science Office. I have previously served as the SHRM Foundation Director for the Boulder Area HR Association (2018), Communication Director for the Wisconsin SHRM State Council (2019), and as an Influencer for the SHRM Annual Conference (2019-Current) and WISHRM conference Social Media Influencer Leading Engagement (SMILE) (2022-Current). Outside of work, you can find me with coffee (#HRCoffeeShot) or a craft cocktail, gardening, cooking and entertaining. I also love to refinish/repurpose antiques, and have recently started playing with epoxy resin. (Random fact: I am an avid Call of Duty gamer.) I am a 5-year breast cancer survivor, mother to two teenagers, and wife of 21 years.

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