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Level Up! The Future of HR is a Game Changer
Arkansas SHRM 2026 HR Conference & Expo • October 14-16 • Hot Springs, Arkansas

Conference Presented By:
Mobile site sponsored by: Thank you to BCBS for sponsoring HR2026

Collaboration - The Secret Sauce of Successful Leaders and Organizations

Through this presentation, the speaker discusses the true definition of collaboration, the rationale behind collaboration, and what is 'looks like' and 'doesn't look like' in the 'real world. The speaker offers several case study examples of the ROI behind collaboration. She closes the session with the individual's role in collaboration and suggestions on how to build a collaborative culture.

Key Objectives

1. Gain clarity on what collaboration is and isn't. 2. Discuss the merits (culturally, financially, etc.) of collaboration in the workplace, and provide several case study examples of when collaboration has delivered a strong ROI for the organization. 3

Kristin Kaufman

CEO and Founder at Alignment, Inc.®

Kristin is the founder of Alignment, Inc. ® a unique leadership coaching consultancy formed in 2007 to help individuals, corporations, board of directors and other similar groups find alignment within themselves and their organizations. She’s brought this expertise to hundreds of people since establishing Alignment, Inc®. Some of her clients include Baylor Scott & White Healthcare System, Accenture, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Smith & Nephew, Frito-Lay, John Peter Smith Health Network, Amazon Web Services, IDEA Public Schools, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Bon Secours Mercy Health, and many others. Kristin brings over 25 years of corporate experience to bear, including executive positions at Hewlett-Packard, Vignette Corporation, and United Health Group. At HP, Kristin was the General Manager of the channels and partner program that supported Hewlett-Packard's largest corporate accounts. This business represented a $3 billion revenue stream for Hewlett-Packard. Serving as Worldwide Channels Vice-President on the Executive Committee of Vignette Corporation, a $250 million publicly traded software company, her team built the global infrastructure for multi-channels of distribution for their software solution. In her first departure from traditional ‘corporate America’, Kristin was asked to join the NYC Leadership Academy effort, which was the centerpiece of the New York City Children First reform agenda. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein sponsored this agenda, led by CEO Robert E. Knowling, Jr. The goal of this reform was to create a system of outstanding schools where every child and teacher has access to effective teaching and learning. Kristin was chosen as one of two private sector business executives, to teach, train, and coach the 1,200 principals of the NYC public school system and the top 100 executives on the Chancellor's staff. This three-year experience was the initial catalyst for Kristin forming Alignment, Inc. ® Her last executive position in corporate America was as Group Vice President of United Health Group. This appointment leveraged her strong knowledge of the technology business and how to leverage multiple channels to market in the increasingly complicated world of healthcare and healthcare insurance. Kristin provided expertise for its go-to-market strategies, defined, and created alternative channels to improve organic growth, and implemented sales effectiveness methodologies across all segments within United Health Group. A prolific writer, Kristin’s first book, Is This Seat Taken? Random Encounters That Change Your Life, was released in 2011 to national acclaim, and endorsed by Stephen Covey and John Maxwell, among others. Her second book in the series, entitled Is This Seat Taken? It’s Never Too Late to Find the Right Seat was released in 2015. It has been endorsed by notables such as Marshall Goldsmith, Sean Covey, and Doug Parker, CEO of American Airlines. This book shines the light on late in life reinvention and encore ‘second half’s’ of diverse individuals. The individuals are in some cases widely known and others are somewhat anonymous to the mass public. The common thread is their ‘post-50’ resurgence in life and in some cases their ‘fork in the road’ is quite serendipitous. Kristin’s third book, in the ‘Is This Seat Taken?’ trilogy was released in 2019 and made the best seller list in the first week of publication. A brief synopsis of Kristin’s educational and certification background: Georgetown University Leadership Coaching Masters Certificate; PCC International Coach Federation (ICF); BBA and minor in quantitative analysis, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Executive Education at University of Michigan, Duke University, Southern Methodist University. Selected certifications: Voices, Lominger Assessment Certified, MBTI Meyers Briggs Certified. The Leadership Circle Certified. Thomas Killman Certified. DISC certified. Polarity certified. Extensive work with Adult Development – MAP and Integral Coaching (Susanne Cook-Greuter, etc.). Pat Lencioni Five Dysfunctions of a Team, etc.

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Date: Wed, October 14, 2026 | 3:30-4:30 pm| Add to Calendar

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Wed, October 14, 2026 | 1:30-2:30 pm| Add to Calendar

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Location: Room 209

Category: Business Mgt & Strategy


Please Note: Speakers and topics are subject to change without notice.

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