Tue, Apr 14
|Online
April Collaborative Café
The cost of doing nothing is hidden but real. When leaders aren’t developed, the organization pays in rework, escalations, burnout, and avoidable turnover. This Café focuses on the leadership development moves that reduce those costs and increase capacity.
Time & Location
Apr 14, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM EDT
Online
About the event
Overview
Leadership development is everywhere, yet many organizations still see the same problems: leaders promoted for being great “doers” who struggle in the next role, inconsistent delegation, constant escalations, and teams losing momentum during change.
This Collaborative Café is designed for established business leaders who want leadership development that translates into measurable outcomes: stronger execution, better decisions, reduced rework, and leadership capacity that scales.
Our panel will explore:
The real cost of inaction: What it looks like when leadership development is ignored
Why leadership training often fails to change behavior without the right investment and what to do differently
Barriers that keep organizations from developing leaders (and practical solutions to overcome them)
Emerging competencies leaders need now (including trust, empathy, delegation, and leading change)
How to structure and scale leadership development so it’s not dependent on one leader, one workshop, or one budget cycle
Agenda
9:00 - 9:05 AM
Welcome
9:05 - 9:35 AM
Panel Discussion
9:35 - 10:05 AM
Breakout Rooms
10:05- 10:25 AM
Group Discussion
10:25 - 10:30 AM
Conclude
Meet the Panelists
Max Rispler | President, Hylant
Max Rispler is President of Hylant in Elkhart, Indiana, where he leads regional strategy, partnerships, and growth across the Great Lakes Region. In his role, he works closely with business leaders to address workforce challenges and drive organizational performance.
Meet Max Rispler
Max brings an executive perspective on how leadership development impacts real business outcomes, from team effectiveness to long-term growth. He will share what he is seeing across organizations, including where leadership development is falling short and the emerging competencies leaders need to stay competitive.
Max was named to Crain’s Grand Rapids 40 Under 40 Class of 2025 and is actively involved in nonprofit and advisory boards throughout the region.
Sandi Karman | HR Consultant, HR Collaborative
Sandi Karman is an HR Consultant with HR Collaborative, bringing 20 years of experience helping organizations strengthen leadership, team dynamics, and workplace culture.
Meet Sandi Karman
She partners with leaders to translate development into real behavior change, improving communication, accountability, and overall team effectiveness, bringing a practical perspective on what makes leadership development actually stick. She will share why many organizations struggle to implement effective L&D, how to structure development that drives impact, and how to equip leaders with the skills they need to lead with clarity and empathy.
She holds a master’s degree in Organizational Communications from Western Michigan University and brings certifications in change management, DiSC, and cultural intelligence to her work.
Shaina Lane | Owner, Premier Professional Coaching
Shaina Lane is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and leadership development specialist who helps organizations strengthen the people side of leadership to improve retention, culture, and business performance.
Meet Shaina Lane
As Founder and CEO of Premier Professional Coaching, she designs development experiences that go beyond learning, driving mindset shifts, building confidence, and translating leadership growth into tangible results.
With a background spanning healthcare, consulting, and leadership development, Shaina brings a practical and candid perspective on what leaders actually need to succeed. She will share how to identify development needs, when to customize learning experiences, and how to create leadership development that leads to real behavior change, not just participation.
Shaina holds an M.Ed., SHRM-CP, and multiple coaching certifications, including ICF Professional Certified Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach.
Thea Reigler | Former CHRO, National Heritage Academies
Thea Reigler is a seasoned HR executive with more than 40 years of experience leading leadership development, talent strategy, and organizational growth across complex, high-growth organizations.
Meet Thea Reigler
Most recently serving as Chief People Officer at National Heritage Academies, she helped scale the organization from 70 to more than 100 schools across nine states while implementing structured leadership development and succession planning frameworks.
Thea brings a practical, enterprise-level perspective on how to scale leadership development in a way that supports growth, strengthens leadership pipelines, and drives long-term organizational performance. She will share insights on building sustainable development models, aligning leadership strategy with business expansion, and the role of succession planning in preparing future executives.
This Collaborative Café is Eligible for One SHRM PDC
HR Collaborative is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.