The #StateLineCrew is an informal group of human resources professionals primarily from Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois that meet regularly near the Wisconsin-Illinois “state line” to network, share stories and ideas, support one another, and bond over food and beverages. The group formed shortly after the 2018 SHRM Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago and continues to evolve.
Four #StateLineCrew members (Paul LaLonde, Kyra Matkovich, Jeff Palkowski, and Mary Williams) will be participating as part of the #SHRM19Blogger Team at the 2019 SHRM Annual Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas.
Read more about the #StateLineCrew from our previous SHRM Blog post “Meet the #StateLineCrew – Introduction.”
Now, meet #StateLineCrew #SHRM19 Blogger, Kyra Matkovich…
What is your day job?
By day, I am a Senior HR Business Partner for Exact Sciences in Madison, WI.
What is your experience/involvement with SHRM?
I have been a member of SHRM national since 2006 – although attended many events as a nonmember prior to that. My first SHRM Annual Conference was in 2008 in Chicago. I have been a member of 5 different local chapters in 3 different states, including Oregon, Colorado and Wisconsin. In 2018, I finally stepped up to volunteer on the Boulder Area HR Association (Boulder, CO chapter) as their SHRM Foundation Director. I relocated to Madison, WI in late 2018, where I immediately became a member of the Greater Madison Area SHRM and also accepted an appointment to serve on the Wisconsin State SHRM Council as the Director of Communications for 2019.
What are you most looking forward to as a #SHRM19Blogger?
I gain so much through relationships with other HR professionals. I love the opportunities to learn from the various speakers and vendors, but it all comes back to the people. I am most looking forward to getting to know the other #SHRM19Bloggers and their respective journeys to #SHRM19. I am so blessed to already know so many of the bloggers, but the opportunity to serve alongside them, sharing our experiences and discussing our takeaways is super inspiring!
Name one speaker or session that you are most looking forward to at #SHRM19.
Oh, man… That’s a tough one. There are so many! One that I’m really looking forward to seeing is fellow #SHRM19Blogger Mofota Sefali. She’ll be on the Smart Stage on Sunday, June 23 from 12:20 p.m. to 12:38 p.m. discussing Getting – and Staying – Social at #SHRM19! I had the opportunity to meet Mofota at #SHRM18 in Chicago at an #HRMeetup brunch (mmmm, mimosas). She is going to be fantastic – and I highly encourage everyone to take the 18 minutes to come support this amazing #HRPro who is traveling all the way from Johannesburg, South Africa!
What does the #StateLineCrew mean to you?
I highly value community. Besides my family, community is my no. 1 focus. Having had experiences that were incredibly lonely, I have come to realize that everyone wants to feel like they belong, they matter, and they are cared for. Having had the experiences I have – both good and bad – I have made it a personal mission to be very intentional and deliberate about building and nurturing my community – which includes, but is not limited to, my family, neighbors, my Village (I live in a Village! No joke!), my kids’ friends and their families, the teachers and staff at my kids’ school, the people I work with and the employees I serve, the communities that my company serves, my pharmacist, the lady at the checkout counter at the grocery store, and anyone willing to engage. The #StateLineCrew started as a way to connect with other local HR pros outside of our professional environment (and outside of SHRM organized events), share our HR experiences, support one another, and, well, drink beer. The #StatelineCrew has grown beyond bi-monthly casual gatherings. These are people I deeply appreciate, care for, and look to for HR insights. I appreciate each of them for who they are individually, and for their contributions to our industry. Our interactions both on and offline have turned into truly wonderful friendships.
Why should others consider similar meetups like the #StateLineCrew in their areas?
Meeting up with other HR pros in your area will allow you to build your network in a way that is much more intentional. It’s another way to build your community with others who understand your work and the types of things you experience every day. How far you take it, and what you choose to do with it, is up to you.
Jeff Palkowski, MHRM, SHRM-SCP, PHR is a Divisional Workforce Relations Manager and Divisional Disability Representative with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Information Technology. He has worked in human resources and has been involved with the Society for Human Resource Management at national, state, and local chapter levels since 2003. Jeff currently serves on the Wisconsin SHRM State Council as a District Director and Director of Communications and Social Media, a SHRM Advocacy Captain for Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, and member of the SHRM Foundation Leadership Circle. A SHRM Senior Certified Professional, HRCI Professional in Human Resources, and Hootsuite Academy Certified Social Marketing Professional; Jeff received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, earned a Master of Human Resources Management degree from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and completed additional coursework at Cardinal Stritch University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Purdue University. Jeff blogs at HRSushiBar and you can also follow him on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn. Jeff is also a SHRM Annual Conference and Expo Influencer since 2019.
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