HR Power Lunch – Sault Ste Marie

Posted on August 28th, 2025 in Events

Please join us on October 1, 2025, at The Water Tower Inn for an exclusive HR Power Lunch, where attendees will gain valuable insights from two expert presenters on the following topics:

From Control to Connection: The Leadership Shift That Changes Everything (Presenter: Liza Provenzano)

When there is so much to get done and your bandwidth is low, many leaders default to control—tight deadlines, tighter oversight, and reactive problem-solving.

This session explores the upstream side of people leadership: the conversations, relationships, and collaborative habits that prevent downstream issues like disengagement, poor performance, and burnout. You’ll learn why collaborative leadership isn’t just more human—it’s more effective.

We’ll dig into the small, practical shifts that make a big impact so you can walk away with tools you can use immediately—and insights that might just change how you work with your team. Because when relationships work, the work gets better.

From Connection to Commitment: The Next Step in Leading Engaged Teams  (Presenter: Christina Atkinson)

After making the shift from control to connection, what comes next? As a manager or business owner, building trust with your team is only the beginning—sustaining that trust is where the real work (and the real impact) begins.

This session picks up where From Control to Connection left off, focusing on maintaining momentum by creating an environment where people feel psychologically safe, heard, and motivated to stay. We’ll explore how tools like engagement surveys, stay interviews, and team feedback can help you go beyond gut feel, giving you real insight into what’s working, what’s not, and what your people need most.

We’ll talk about how to turn information into action—building a culture of follow-through, not just check-ins. We’ll also show you how HR practices, when done right, can strengthen relationships, reduce turnover risk, and deepen team commitment.

This isn’t about more HR red tape. It’s about using the right conversations to get ahead of the problems that cost you time, trust, and top talent.

 

EVENT DETAILS:

Date:  Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Location:  The Water Tower Inn, 360 Great Northern Rd, Sault Ste. Marie (map)

Registration & Lunch: 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Presentations: 12:15 PM – 1:30 PM

 

Presenter Bios:

Liza Provenzano is Founder of SparkWorks, a leadership development and coaching practice, that focuses on helping clients to build relationships, get results and enjoy their work. Liza is an experienced Human Resources Leader, Consultant, Facilitator and Coach, bringing twenty-five years of practical perspectives to client engagements.

Liza works with leaders and their teams, to diagnose what is getting in the way of fulfilling work experiences and desired results. As a trusted advisor and engaging facilitator, Liza supports and enables leaders and teams in taking action towards more productive and meaningful outcomes.

Her interest in creating great work experiences started early in her career and led her to graduate work through Queen’s University Master of Industrial Relations program. Liza also has a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation from the Human Resource Professional’s Association (HRPA) and was a participant in both Gartner for HR’s (formerly CEB Corporate Leadership Council) HR Leadership Academy and the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. Her certifications include Everything DiSC® Workplace, Conversational Intelligence© and The Leadership Circle© solutions. She also delivers The Five Behaviours® and Q4™ Leadership. Liza holds the coaching designation of CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach) and is also an ACC (Associate Certified Coach) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

 

Christina Atkinson, CHRL,  is a seasoned HR leader with nearly 30 years of experience. She holds an MA in Psychology, an HR Management designation, and is a Certified Executive Coach (CEC). A member of HRPA Niagara and SHRM, she excels in aligning HR strategies with business goals.

Christina’s breadth and depth of experience in HR has led to demonstrated success in developing and maintaining partnerships with leaders to link HR initiatives to business objectives and corporate strategies. With expertise across corporate and non-profit sectors—including healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and finance—Christina drives performance through strategic HR solutions. As the Principal, Human Resources Advisory, Christina oversees both the internal HR department and the HR Advisory Services practice, providing leadership and direction to DJB senior management on all HR matters and leading a team of professionals to provide the full range of HR services for external clients.

 

*Please register on or before Wednesday, September 24, 2025.