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April 29-30, 2025

Leadership in Full Bloom

We’re excited to present the 2025 Spring Conference at the newly renovated Sheraton at Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis, Indiana.  More than 300 long-term and post-acute care professionals from across the state will come together to get inspired by our speakers, participate in high-quality education sessions, and network with peers and industry leaders. The 2025 Spring Conference theme is Leadership in Full Bloom where we will learn and explore innovative solutions and best practices in health care management, leadership skills and coaching.

 

This conference is an IHCA/INCAL members-only event. Learn more about membership.

Registration is now open!

About 2025 Spring Conference

CEUs

Approved for Indiana licensed administrators, social workers & occupational therapists.

April 29: 3 CEUs

April 30: 4.5 CEUs

Total: 7.5 CEUs

Attendee Pricing

IHCA/INCAL Member: $275

*This event is exclusive to IHCA/INCAL members only*

Explore More Opportunities

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Eye Squared Leadership
Author, Speaker, Trainer

Jason Hunt

President
IHCA/INCAL

Paul Peaper

SmithAmundsen LLC Partner

Suzannah Overholt

Amundsen Davis Attorney

Jarrod Malone

Magnet Culture Senior Retention Strategist

Shelonda Darling

Author, Nurse Leader & Health Culture Expert

Kathleen Bartholomew

CSP, CPAE

LaDonna Gatlin

Senior Associate
Krieg DeVault LLP

Virginia Talley

Krieg DeVault LLP

Shelley Jackson

Eye Squared Leadership
Author, Speaker, Trainer

Jason Hunt

Jason A Hunt, a dynamic figure in the realms of authorship, speaking, and training, orchestrated a profound cultural shift while serving as principal, emphasizing personal influence over procedural rigidity. Passionate about empowering leaders, Jason’s insights resonate across various sectors, from manufacturing to finance, with an impressive roster of over 100 speaking engagements annually. His journey, spanning from leading a congregation in Siberia at 19 to establishing Eye Squared Leadership, underscores his unwavering resilience and dedication.

Recognized globally as a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and the president of the National Speakers Association of Minnesota, Jason’s expertise is esteemed. Armed with a leadership degree and John Maxwell certification, he has penned several impactful books, including “The Other Side” and “The Uncommon Leadership” series.

President
IHCA/INCAL

Paul Peaper

Paul Peaper became president of IHCA/INCAL in July 2022. A native Hoosier and a lawyer by education, Paul is a health care leader with deep experience in health and insurance policy, legislation, and state and federal regulations especially those governing Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.  Before joining the IHCA/INCAL, Paul served as the executive director of strategic affairs and corporate partnerships at Indiana University Health.

His previous leadership experience includes spearheading a variety of strategic and large-scale campaigns for the state. Most notably, Paul helped coordinate all aspects of Indiana’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic including testing, tracing, vaccination and overall strategy during his employment with the Office of Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. He also served as the Governor’s senior advisor on all health care and insurance policy matters at both the state and federal level. Additionally, Paul serves as an adjunct faculty at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law where he teaches healthcare business and revenue systems to law students.

SmithAmundsen LLC Partner

Suzannah Overholt

Suzannah Overholt joined SmithAmundsen in 2017 after years of experience representing clients in the private, public and non-profit sectors. She was previously the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of one of the largest non-profit health care providers in Indiana, serving more than 50,000 patients. Suzannah draws on her past experience to advise health care providers on licensing and regulatory matters, commercial and corporate transactions, contract negotiations, nonprofit corporate governance, personnel issues and zoning matters related to their facilities. She assists clients with issues related to the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law, and represents clients in litigation related to all of these areas.

Email Suzannah:soverholt@salawus.com

Amundsen Davis Attorney

Jarrod Malone

Jarrod provides aggressive and vigorous defense for those in the health care industry, including national and Indiana based health care providers and entities. He has extensive experience representing clients in medical malpractice, commercial litigation, medical staff, administrative and peer review proceedings, premises liability, and employment related matters.

Jarrod’s clients include community hospitals and health systems, risk retention groups, captive insurance companies, multi-disciplinary physician groups, physician networks, health care corporations, national insurers and third-party administrators, national medical staffing agencies,  and behavioral health facilities. Additionally, he fields inquiries as outside general counsel on the full spectrum of legal issues confronting health care management including risk avoidance, contracts, peer review, HIPAA, collaborative practice agreements, regulatory and compliance, and insurance.

Jarrod has successfully tried cases to jury verdicts and bench trials involving immediate care physicians, complex surgical matters, ophthalmologic, internal medicine, restrictive covenants, and premises liability matters. He also defends many civil litigation matters involving wrongful death, catastrophic injuries and damages, legal malpractice defense, insurance coverage, and bad faith litigation.

Magnet Culture Senior Retention Strategist

Shelonda Darling

As a Senior Retention Strategist at Magnet Culture, Shelonda Darling is dedicated to helping organizations reduce unnecessary employee turnover. On the cusp of Gen X and Millennials herself, she sits in the sweet spot for bridging the generational gaps because she can speak to both the expectations of traditional-minded managers and the evolved expectations of today’s younger workers. With decades of experience in a variety of corporate roles in Training and Development, Employee Engagement, HR Communications, and Corporate Communications, she offers nuanced solutions to bridge skills gaps and equip managers to become Retention Champions.

Her compelling blend of expertise, energy, and storytelling resonates nationwide, as she tackles the challenges of navigating a multi-generational workforce head-on. She understands the shift in leadership mindset required to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving landscape, and uses her energizing style to empower leaders to make the changes necessary to retain the talent they can’t afford to lose.

Author, Nurse Leader & Health Culture Expert

Kathleen Bartholomew

Before turning to healthcare as a career in 1994, Kathleen Bartholomew held positions in marketing, business, communications and teaching. It was these experiences that allowed her to look at nursing from a different perspective and speak poignantly to the issues that effect nurses today.


Kathleen Bartholomew, RN, MN has been a national speaker for the nursing profession for the past 20 years. As the manager of a 57 bed surgical unit in Seattle, Kathleen quickly recognized that creating a culture where staff felt a sense of belonging was critical to retention. Throughout Swedish Medical Center Kathleen spoke to the numerous factors which propel our society toward isolation and encouraged staff to connect and value one another. During her tenure as manager, staff, physician and patient satisfaction improved significantly as she implemented her down-to earth strategies for creating community. Despite the nursing shortage, Kathleen could always depend on a waiting list of nurses for her unit.


Kathleen’s Bachelor’s Degree is in Liberal Arts with a strong emphasis on Sociology. This background laid the foundation for her to correctly identify the norms and particular to healthcare – specifically physician-nurse relationships and nurse-to-nurse hostility. For her Master’s Thesis she authored Speak Your Truth: Proven Strategies for Effective Nurse-Physician Communication which is the only book to date which addresses physician-nurse issues. In December of 2005, Kathleen resigned her position as manager in order to write a second book on horizontal violence in nursing. The expression, “why nurses eat their young” has existed for many years in the nursing profession (and has troubled many in the profession). In her book, Ending Nurse to Nurse Hostility (2006), Kathleen offers the first comprehensive and compassionate look at the etiology, impact and solutions to horizontal violence. Kathleen won the best media depiction of nursing for her Op Editorial in the Seattle P.I. and in 2010 she was nominated by Health Leaders Media as one of the top 20 people changing healthcare in America.


Kathleen’s passion for creating healthy work environments is infectious. She is an expert on hospital culture and speaks internationally to hospital boards, the military, leadership and staff about safety, communication, cultural change and power. With her husband, John J. Nance, she co-authored, Charting the Course: Launching Patient-Centric Healthcare. From the bedside to the boardroom Kathleen applies research to practice with humor and an ethical call to excellence. Everyone that hears her is inspired.

CSP, CPAE

LaDonna Gatlin

LaDonna Gatlin has been WOWING audiences since she was five years old. Born into “showbiz,” LaDonna grew up onstage performing with her brothers, the legendary Gatlin Brothers. But in the mid 1970’s, this gutsy Texas native chose to follow her heart and
“sing a different song” apart from her famous family. LaDonna has shared that “song” everywhere…from corporate powerhouses…to the prison cells of death row. Her presentations resonate with audiences all over the country because, simply put, she makes people laugh, lightens their load, and leaves them with a song in their hearts. AND…they always learn something in the process.

LaDonna is one of only a handful of professional speakers who holds both the Certified Speaking Professional designation and
the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame Award, two of the most prestigious honors bestowed by the National Speakers Association. She’s written and recorded her own original songs and sung on both Grammy Award-winning and Dove Award-winning records. She’s the author of The Song in You: Finding your Voice, Redefining Your Life, a you-can-do-it guide that offers practical, emotional, and spiritual insights gleaned from her own life experiences.

In addition, she’s a contributing writer to the best selling book series, Chicken Soup for the Soul. Married to her best friend for over 40 years, they live in a suburb of Dallas Texas. They have 2 adult children and 7 grandchildren.

Senior Associate
Krieg DeVault LLP

Virginia Talley

Virginia Talley focuses her practice in the areas of employment law, corporate law, and data privacy and security law. She assists clients in a variety of employment matters, including reviewing and developing workplace policies, drafting and negotiating agreements, ensuring compliance with relevant employment laws, and conducting independent investigations. Ms. Talley also assists clients with data privacy and security matters, including drafting data sharing agreements, evaluating and ensuring compliance with ever-changing data privacy laws, and conducting risk assessments for entities subject to applicable data privacy laws.

Also during her career, Ms. Talley served as a compliance analyst for data privacy matters and national accreditation programs for domestic and international companies. Ms. Talley also served as a small business advisor and advocate, during which she assisted business owners with formation and organization, employment and immigration matters, regulatory compliance issues, administrative appeals, and general business and marketing strategies.

Krieg DeVault LLP

Shelley Jackson

Shelley M. Jackson serves as Krieg DeVault’s Labor and Employment Practice Chair. Her practice includes employment law, professional license defense, and data privacy and security, with a health care industry focus.  Clients appreciate Shelley’s calm demeanor, thoughtful analysis, and substantial expertise. She draws on a wealth of professional experience, including her time as an assistant general counsel and chief privacy officer with a multi-national corporation.

Shelley frequently handles regulatory compliance and enforcement matters before administrative bodies, including the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Department of Labor. She is also a seasoned litigator, with more than a decade of trial and appellate court experience. Outside the firm, Shelley serves as an advisory board member with Reveal Risk, on the board of directors with The Milk Bank, on the Civic Education Committee with the Indiana Bar Foundation, and as a member of IU McKinney School of Law’s Black Alumni Council. She also writes and speaks on a wide range of topics.

Email Shelley:sjackson@kdlegal.com

Agenda

Tuesday, April 29

*Lunch not provided*

Tuesday, April 29

Uncommon Leadership: How to become a person of influence (Jason Hunt)

You’re a care provider because you want to make a difference. Yet this industry is tough…long days, short staff, and regulations that can drive you nuts. Some believe you must have an impressive title to make a difference, but that is a mistake. The best in care know that no matter where you are in the organization, you have influence – and intentionally using that influence for good makes you a leader. This highly engaging and powerful message on leadership is designed to rejuvenate you, bring you back to the real purpose of your work, and give you tools and strategies to lead with influence.  No matter your position, grow your influence and watch your impact on the lives of others increase – at home, at work, and in every other area of life. 

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State Update (Paul Peaper)

Paul, IHCA/INCAL President, will give a state update on matters affecting the long term care industry.

Safeguarding HealthCare Employees: Strategies to Combat Workplace Violence (Suzannah Overholt & Jarrod Malone)

Health care workers are five times more likely to be subject to violent actions such as physical assault or verbal threats than the public according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. This growing concern, threatening the safety of employees across the industry, demands immediate attention.
Join Health Care Attorneys Suzannah Overholt and Jarrod Malone as they explore the latest trends in healthcare violence, the contributing factors, and the profound impact these incidents have on employees and patient care. In this session, they will outline actionable strategies health care organizations can take to create safer, more supportive environments for their health care staff, including:

  • Implementing comprehensive training programs,
  • Fostering a culture of safety,
  • Strengthening workplace security measures,
  • Developing and enforcing workplace violence policies,
  • Conducting risk assessments,
  • Leveraging technology, and
  • Advocating for policy change

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Wednesday, April 30

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Does AI Know Why the Chicken Crossed the Road? (Shelley Jackson, Virginia Talley)

Join Krieg DeVault attorneys Shelley Jackson and Virginia Talley for an engaging discussion as they share current trends in use of AI by employers, discuss recent regulatory guidance, enforcement, and litigation, and share best practices for employers seeking to leverage AI’s power.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify at least two different current use cases for employers and AI
  2. Explain recent regulatory guidance and litigation relating to use of AI in the employment context
  3. Explore best practices for use of AI by employers

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It’s Not About Birth Year: The Evolution of Employees from A to GenZ (Shelonda Darling)

Instead of fueling the “us versus them” fire on your team, it’s time to explore the “why” behind the unique mindsets of our multigenerational workforce. Understand how Baby Boomers, GenX, Millennials, and GenZ were raised differently and the impact of their upbringing on the employer-employee relationship. We will also dispel myths about younger workers’ perceived lack of professionalism and work ethic.

Magnet Culture’s award-winning generational lens provides valuable insights to navigate key challenges and opportunities presented by today’s new workforce. It’s time to create a workplace that more effectively manages multi-generational teams, as one-size leadership styles no longer fit all.

  • Explore today’s widening generational gaps to reduce judgment and improve team relationships
  • Uncover strategies to manage the spectrum of employee mindsets, from GenZ new hires to returning retirees
  • Learn critical tools leaders need to provide clear guidance and support for all staff

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The Dauntless Nurse: Becoming a Skilled Communicator (Kathleen Bartholomew)

Ultimately, it is the confidence and skill with which we hold our everyday conversations that will pave the way to a future time when our patients are safe, our voices are heard, and the skills and knowledge of this incredible profession are valued and utilized. 

America needs nurses who are bold and intrepid; who have the confidence and skill to represent this noble profession. And at no other time in history have their voices been so desperately needed. Hospital based errors are now the third leading cause of death in America, despite our professional ethic of “First Do No Harm” – and yet recent surveys show that the majority of nurses are still avoiding the difficult conversations. In addition, the health of Americans is insidiously declining as the rates of cancer, diabetes and obesity steadily rise. 

  • Explain two reasons why our country needs nurses who are dauntless. 
  • Assess your confidence level in mastering challenging conversations.
  • Identify a conversation that you have been avoiding and apply the DESC model. 
  • Discuss how and why courage plays a critical role in becoming dauntless. 

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Tune Up Your Life (LaDonna Gatlin)

Who knew so much wit and wisdom could be found in the notes of the musical scale?  Fast-paced, funny, and focused, LaDonna delivers solid content that equips audiences to “reach for the high notes” in life and hit them…every single time!  Here’s how: 

  •  DO Do the right thing
  • RE Realize potential
  •  MI Mind your manners
  •  FA Failures can become fertilizer
  •  SO Solutions begin with me
  • LA Laugh
  •  TI Time is valuable…that will bring us back to
  •  DO Do the right thing 

The Spring Conference is scheduled to take place at the Sheraton at Keystone Crossing, 8787 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis, IN.

Book your overnight discounted room ($159) by April 11.  Book here.  

Additional hotels in the area include, but are not limited to, Marriott Indianapolis North (317) 705-0000, Keystone Inn & Suites (317) 843-0064 and Hampton Inn & Suites (317) 706-7500. Call the hotels directly for rates and availability. IHCA/INCAL does not have a room block at these hotels.

Exhibitor / Sponsorship Information

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