2017 LSS PDS Agenda

8 a.m.-9 a.m.

LSS 2016-2017 Executive Committee Meeting

In the lobby of the Marriott Copley Place

Transfer to Westin Waterfront Hotel for sessions

All sessions in the Burroughs Room

425 Summer St, Boston, MA 02210

Speaker:

Constituent Services Roundtable 

Learn techniques to help improve the public image of the legislature. How to engage those who are apathetic or uninterested and how to educate (protocol, process) those who are newly interested. How can staff provide resources for educating citizens who come to the capitol. 

Moderator

• Charity Stowe, legislative assistant, deputy director of legislative affairs, Indiana

General Session /Lunch

Good Supervisors – Good Performance: Set your team up for success whether you’re a member of the team or a supervisor. Focus on how good managerial practices apply to individual professional and personal growth.

Speaker

• Brian Weberg, director, Center for Legislative Strengthening, NCSL
   

Training the Trainer

Learn techniques and share ideas about how to effectively take what you learn at PDS and Summit back to your legislature. How to train and implement new training while maintain consistency of service and reaching the goals set by your legislature, office or agency. And how to do this on a tight or non-existent budget. 

Speaker

• Natasha Perez, chief of staff to Senate President Stan Rosenberg, Massachusetts Senate

5 Minutes of Fame: Avoid Reinventing the Wheel
What processes have you put into place in your state/agency to help manage continuity of service and abilities when facing turn over?

Moderator:

• Sheron Violini, deputy secretary for operations, California

Where Do You Draw the Line, Ethically Speaking?

Leadership staff sometimes walk a fine line between their political roles working on campaigns and their institutional roles working at the legislature. Where—and how—do you draw the line? The first half of this session will provide a briefing from an ethics specialist. Then LSS staff will participate in a roundtable discussion on ethics, where they can share stories, suggestions and solutions and discuss this important line to be walked, and to help each other clarify where, and how, the line should be drawn.

Speaker:

• Mark Quiner, director, Center for Ethics in Government, NCSL

Facilitator:

• Andrea Chiapella, senior policy analyst, Oregon Senate Republican Office

Dutch Treat Dinner

Legal Sea Foods - Copley Place Location

100 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02116

LSS Nominating Committee

Will meet at the end of the Dutch Treat dinner to go over and finalize nominees to be presented for a vote at the LSS Business Meeting.

Transfer to Westin Waterfront Hotel for sessions

All sessions in the Burroughs Room

425 Summer St, Boston, MA 02210

YNP Breakfast, Introductions  
 

Speaker:

• Chuck Truesdell, legislative fiscal analyst, Kentucky

Communicating Your Way Through the Legislature

Learn best practices on navigating communication with bill sponsors, lobbyists, inquiring legislators and legislative aides, and other players in the legislature.

Speakers:

• Senator Toi Hutchinson, Illinois
• J.J. Gentry, Senate, South Carolina
• Bob Devries, Governmental Consultant Services, Inc., Michigan

Navigating the Legislature During Contentious Times

Engage with your peers and veteran legislative staff to learn best practices of navigating the legislature during contentious times.

Speakers:

• Kara Owen, Office of the House Speaker, Tennessee House of Representatives

• David Sullivan, Office of the Senate President, Massachusetts

Brad Young, House of Representatives, Ohio

Finding and Utilizing a Great Mentor

How to ask the right questions of the veteran staff in the office for institutional knowledge, best practices to communicate up, and gain

Speakers:

• Jennifer Miller, Massachusetts
• Britte McBride, Massachusetts

LSS Business Meeting

Faneuil Room

Have a box lunch with your peers in LSS, talk with and hear from incoming staff chair, Chuck Truesdell, and see who won the LSS Legislative Staff Achievement Award and participate in the executive committee election for the 2017-2018 season.

Presiding:

• Jennifer Jankowski, chair, Leadership Staff Section