RECRUIT WICHITA AGENDA

Insight from Melissa Knoeber, Fidelity Bank EVP, Director of Culture and Talent

Innovation and culture are a large focus of Melissa's job. She works across departments to foster a workplace experience that attracts and retains top talent. Recently named the lead of the newly created talent and culture department, Melissa is also a member of the Greater Wichita Partnership's Talent Advisory Committee.

Insight from Léah Sakr Lavender, Greater Wichita Partnership Talent Consultant

Over the past three years, Léah has led extensive research with both internal partners and employers as well as global audiences to drive talent attraction and retention for the greater Wichita region. Most recently, Léah worked closely with an extensive list of community partners and Development Counsellors International (DCI), to develop the strategic plan for talent attraction for the region - the Talent Marketing Blueprint. 

Insight from Sheree Nikkel Dixon, Howerton+White Associate Creative Director

Sheree is a marketing and advertising strategist with 25 years of experience in brand development and creative strategies. The Howerton+White team, alongside the Greater Wichita Partnership, community partners and Development Counsellors International, developed the brand strategy for Choose Wichita, the talent attraction brand for the greater Wichita region. 

Insight from Danielle Harmon, Koch Industries College Recruitment Leader

Danielle Harmon is responsible for leading the Koch Industries and Georgia-Pacific college recruiting programs, including hiring diverse talent for internships, co-ops and entry level positions from a variety of disciplines. She is also a member of the Greater Wichita Partnership's Talent Advisory Committee.

Insight from Paola Nuñez, Newman University Admissions Counselor

Paola is an integral part of the Newman University recruitment team, serving as an ambassador of the university and Wichita as she travels to high schools across the Midwest. She helps develop strategies to attract and retain top students by highlighting the unique opportunities both on campus and across the Wichita region.

Insight from Meghan Carver, Greater Wichita Partnership Communications Specialist for Talent

Meghan’s focus through her role at the Greater Wichita Partnership is to implement creative content and communications strategies outlined in the Talent Marketing Blueprint. Meghan is the brand manager for the Choose Wichita talent brand, and is in charge of writing, designing and developing strategic content to drive awareness of the greater Wichita region as a #RelentlesslyOriginal place to live, work and play.

Moderated by Alicia Sanchez, Wichita State University Director of Diversity and Inclusion

As director of diversity and inclusion, Alicia strives to promote an all-inclusive environment for all campus stakeholders. She consults with faculty, staff, students and community members to cultivate a campus climate of inclusion, and works toward building a culturally aware campus.

Insight from Jeff Morris, INTRUST Bank Chief Human Resources Officer

Jeff has been recruiting talent to Wichita for more than 20 years. With experience at both INTRUST Bank and Koch Industries, he brings a wealth of talent acquisition knowledge and passion to the region. He is also a member of the Partnership's Talent Advisory Committee.

Keynote Speaker Jeremy Fojut

Jeremy Fojut is the CIO and Co-Founder of NEWaukee. Recently recognized by Forbes as a company to watch, NEWaukee was created to engage and attract talent to Milwaukee using innovative programs and initiatives. Jeremy has 17 years of experience in talent acquisition and community engagement with a specialty in recruiting Generation Z. He has been a strong force in the development of both Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s talent attraction and retention strategies. His unique perspective and high energy takes him across the country for speaking engagements, training sessions and talent attraction projects. At Recruit Wichita, Jeremy will talk about the importance of tackling the talent war as a community and what your organization can do to innovatively attract talent - including Generation Z.