Join us on May 3 in downtown Bend for inspiration and networking at the 7th Annual YP Summit! 

Meet and connect with other young professionals and local leaders. Your day will begin at the Tower Theatre with our keynote, Pamela Barnum. Pamela spent over twenty years working in the criminal justice system, first as an undercover police officer and later as a prosecuting attorney. In her presentation Tactical Influence: The Power of Trust, Pamela will share how influence is an essential element of leadership.

MOsley WOtta (MOWO) will then get us thinking in new ways in an interactive session. What are we willing to risk to see each other’s humanity? MOWO offers a conversation and performance about connection, boundaries, and our shared future history. This performance will include excerpts from “Sketch and Release: Black Creatives in Rural Oregon” and “Open Close Doors” MOWO’s forthcoming album. A reflective Q&A session will follow.

After the morning sessions, grab your lunch and head into downtown Bend to a Lunch & Learn breakout session of your choice. Topics will range from the art of conflict resolution, to crafting your career, to effective public speaking. Finally, we’ll gather once again for an afterparty to connect, reflect and celebrate!

$85 Member | $100 Non-Member | FREE for YP Passport Holders

Tickets are now on-sale!

In February’s Expert Lab, we explored how to utilize AI tools to enhance our work. There is also power in identifying and harnessing our own strengths!

Join Sarah Olbekson, Senior HR Business Partner at Skanska USA, to learn how PDP (Professional DynaMetric Programs) can improve your professional success! PDP is a system that measures the dynamics of an individual, the job, and the team through focusing on strengths. You will receive results that identify your natural strengths, show how pressures affect your stress, energy, and satisfaction levels, and give insight into your preferred communication styles.

The online PDP ProScan assessment takes 5–10 mins max to complete, we ask that you take it before the event and bring your results. The assessment is FREE for event registrants (we will email you a link)!

PDP helps us:

• Understand what makes people tick 

• Appreciate and leverage the strengths of yourself and others 

• Understand how one may be inclined to lead 

• Understand how one is typically motivated

We’ll hear from Sarah Olbekson

$25 for Everyone | FREE for Passport Holders

Expert Labs are ninety-minute conversations with local industry leaders. You’ll gain valuable insights from executives and leaders on how they were able to enrich their careers, expand their opportunities, or as they simply share their industry knowledge. Each session is convened with a Q&A session.

Doors open at 5:00 PM | Discussion from 5:30 – 7:00 PM

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

Title Sponsor

Bend YP Expert Lab Sponsor

Media Partner

Join us on March 27 to mingle, connect, and learn, hosted by Seventh Mountain Resort! There will be appetizers, beverages, a raffle, and plenty of time for networking. Curious about the future of our city? We'll hear a short presentation from Matt Muchna, Executive Director of Envision Bend. This nonprofit's mission is to bring diverse stakeholders together to educate, engage, and empower all members of the Bend community to have a voice in our community’s future. Matt will share the Vision Action Plan. 

$15 Bend Chamber Members | $25 Non-Chamber Members | FREE for Passport Holders

Online registration closes at 12 PM on March 27.

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

Guest Speaker

Matt Muchna, Envision Bend

Bend YP Social Sponsors

Bend YP Powered By

What do you do when someone (including your peers or boss) doesn't do the thing, or does it late, or does it poorly? What do you say? How do you say it? What do you listen for?  In this seminar you'll learn what to say, and how to say it, every time someone isn't accountable.  

You'll leave with real skill - having practiced holding someone else accountable a few times will arm you with the confidence and skill to go apply this in the work place.

You'll learn how to 'start' any conversation - whether it's holding someone accountable, setting expectations, or negotiating a pay raise, you'll learn how to get the other person to willfully participate in any conversation.

 Most importantly, you'll learn that the “scary” parts of leadership aren't scary. We'll demystify the undercurrents of accountability and conflict, arming you with the tools you need to navigate any conversation in the workplace for years to come. 

Whether you're seeking to "lead from the middle," or have an existing team and want a proven new skill set, this training is designed to help current leaders and individual contributors both learn how to influence and hold others accountable from where they are on their career path. 

We'll cover how to:

1. Set crystal clear expectations and communicate flawlessly with your team.

2. Help to foster an accountability culture with your team.

3. Handle conflict with ease, without creating trust issues among your team members.

4. Use specific language to bring people together and build alignment and make progress without (or with minimal) friction.

5. Learn how to influence accountability in those around you.

We’ll hear from Erik Berglund

Erik, the Founder of The Language of Leadership, is dedicated to empowering leaders by instilling the habit of using the Language of Leadership. Through this transformative habit, leaders transition away from the Chief Problem Solver role, fostering the development of effective teams. Erik's approach allows leaders to reclaim their time and, more importantly, to empower and nurture the growth of their people.

At the young age of 20, Erik embarked on his entrepreneurial journey by running his first company, a residential painting franchise. It was during this venture that he discovered a profound appreciation for coaching, recognizing the transformative power it holds in people's lives. Erik's fascination with the growth and development of individuals, the acquisition of new skills, and the cultivation of fresh mindsets sparked his enduring passion.

While successfully leading his painting franchise, Erik's leadership journey took a significant turn at 29 when he assumed a leadership role over a sizable team that included senior members and former peers. Confronted with the challenges of this new dynamic, he realized that his coaching skills were insufficient for the complexity of the situation.

Determined to overcome this hurdle, Erik persuaded his company to appoint him as a 'coaching coach,' a pivotal role that allowed him to refine his coaching abilities and turn around both his leadership approach and the team's dynamics.

Throughout this transformative journey, Erik unearthed his true passion for leadership. This realization prompted him to delve into introspection, asking himself and others hard questions that ultimately led to valuable insights. These challenging questions and their enlightening answers have now evolved into a course that Erik is delighted to share with you.

$25 for Everyone | FREE for Passport Holders

Expert Labs are ninety-minute conversations with local industry leaders. You’ll gain valuable insights from executives and leaders on how they were able to enrich their careers, expand their opportunities, or as they simply share their industry knowledge. Each session is convened with a Q&A session.

Doors open at 3:00 PM | Discussion from 3:30 – 5:00 PM

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

Title Sponsor

Bend YP Expert Lab Sponsor

Media Partner

In today’s rapidly evolving job landscape, AI mastery isn’t just an advantage – it’s a necessity. Whether you’re a business owner, middle manager, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply someone eager to stay ahead, join us for this YP Expert Chat and take the first step to AI excellence.

Learning how to incorporate existing AI tools into your workflow can transform your career, enhance productivity, and open doors to new opportunities. Consider this your entry point to the future of work and discover your next steps for deeper levels of education.

We’ll hear directly from local AI integration expert Justin Coats, founder of Neesh Courses (bio below).

During this session, you will:

• Develop AI basics: What is AI? How is it used in a work setting? Get a taste of using AI tools

• Learn to use ChatGPT: From account setup to engaging in interactive and meaningful conversations, you’ll come away ready to use it to your best advantage.

• Unlock the potential: Harness the power of AI for your career or business.

• Demystify the impacts: While AI can replace some human functions, learn how becoming proficient can make you a more valuable and irreplaceable team member

• Explore new opportunities: Apply AI effectively in real-world scenarios, opening doors to career advancement, innovation, and personal growth.

We’ll hear from Justin Coats

Justin is a seasoned CEO with over 10 years of experience in e-commerce and startups, helping over 150 different companies across many different industries scale, grow, and integrate new technologies to ensure a competitive advantage. Recognized for his analytical acumen, he has delivered hundreds of hours of specialized training sessions with individuals and small to medium-sized groups, mastering the art of AI integration for business solutions that resulted in teams completing projects weeks before their deadlines or in some cases, months before they would have normally completed their project. His data-driven approach is validated by managing thousands of high-quality prompts, accumulating more than half a million words in insightful AI-based recommendations. With an unparalleled command over both quantitative and qualitative metrics, Justin is your go-to authority for AI Integration Coaching, ensuring that you not only feel comfortable taking his course but also achieve outstanding outcomes.

$25 for Everyone | FREE for Passport Holders

Expert Labs are ninety-minute conversations with local industry leaders. You’ll gain valuable insights from executives and leaders on how they were able to enrich their careers, expand their opportunities, or as they simply share their industry knowledge. Each session is convened with a Q&A session.

Doors open at 5:00 PM | Discussion from 5:30 – 7:00 PM

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

Title Sponsor

Bend YP Expert Lab Sponsor

Media Partner

Join us to connect, mingle and learn on January 31 at our new YP Socials sponsor location, RE/MAX Key Properties! Located in the heart of downtown Bend, they are a family-owned, full-service real estate brokerage serving all of Central Oregon.

In addition to delicious food and beverages, and a surprise raffle, Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler will join us to share a few things going on with the City, and how Bend YPs can have an impact on the future direction of Bend.

Special thanks to Kobold Brewing for the beer!

$15 Bend Chamber Members | $25 Non-Chamber Members | FREE for Passport Holders

Online registration closes at 12pm on January 31.

Guest Speaker

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

Title Sponsor

Beverage Sponsor

Bend YP Social Sponsors

Media Partner

Mind Management:
The Scientific Reasons You Need to Increase Focus and Stop Task Switching
Dr. Mary Kelley

Join the Bend business community for our “Biz & Bevs” event at Kernutt Stokes. This will be a time for people to gather, network, and hear from our rotating venue hosts and non-profit features throughout 2023. We will have Bevs in the form of beer, wine, cider and plenty of N/A options so everyone will have something to indulge in. Small bites will also be available. Our featured non-profit is Family Resource Center.

Failure: An Important Part of Success

Failure is something that is an inevitable part of being human and can be frightening to face. We have a panel of very public community leaders coming to discuss their own personal (an often highly visible) failures, what they learned from making mistakes, and how they support their teams through their experiences with failure. It's intended to offer us ways to think differently and bravely about failure, ownership, problem solving, supporting others, and even finding some humor in the process.

The Impacts of a Softening Economy on Young Professionals

Have you heard rumblings of the "R" word? Recession? Come and hear directly from an economist, a financial advisor, and a banker about what to expect from the economy over the coming months, and how to prepare. They'll cover everything from what happens to interest rates, what the best tools are for saving and investing, how student loan payments fit back into our lives, and more. Following a short presentation from our experts, they'll be ready to answer your burning questions.

We'll hear from John Bellman, Senior Client Advisor with ASI Wealth Management; Chuck Yeaman, Private Wealth Advisor with US Bank; and Nicole Ramos, Regional Economist with the Oregon Employment Department.

Meet Our Speakers

Join us for August’s Biz and Bevs at N The Zone Ink & Threads. This will be a great time to gather, network, and hear from our host and featured non-profit, Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA). There will be beer, wine, cider, and plenty of N/A beverage options and small bites. To learn more about what to expect, click below!

Join us for this month's YP Social on July 26 at Immersion Brewing's Barrel Room! Not only is this a great opportunity to meet with other young professionals in the area, it's your opportunity to learn more about how The Box Factory is expanding!

We are going to learn about the new Jackstraw development going up next to the Box Factory from one of the key people involved in the project. This will be a short presentation and discussion, with plenty of time for questions after, to learn about how this development can shape the future of the area and what their vision is. 

2023 Bend Young Professionals Summit

A little sneak peek into some of the breakout sessions we will have at this year’s Summit: Maximizing Your Network Through an Inclusive Lens, Community Impact 101, and Demystifying Mortgages for Today’s Homebuyers. Plus, a new portion of the YP Summit this year is a “Non-Profit Speed Dating” session for our attendees to learn more about volunteer and Board service opportunities with TEN of our non-profit organizations in the region.

Tickets are now on-sale!

Join us in beautiful Sunriver for May’s YP Social. We will be at Benham Hall to enjoy a beautiful spring evening in Central Oregon. As always, we’ll have drinks, light snacks, and a raffle prize. Check back for more info as we get closer!

Our May Expert Chat will be with COCC’s very own Rachel Knox! Rachel serves as the Human Resources Manager, Compliance, and will be presenting on how we can more effectively give and receive feedback in a way that will contribute to a stronger team dynamic. We all know that this is not the most comfortable conversation for some folks, so come learn about how we can navigate the process with respect and transparency.

| $10 for Everyone
| FREE for Passport Holders

| Doors open at 3:30 PM
| Discussion from 4:00 – 5:00 PM
| Networking from 5:00 – 5:30 PM

Expert Chats are a one hour conversation with local industry leaders. You’ll gain valuable insights from executives and leaders on how they were able to enrich their careers, expand their opportunities, or as they simply share their industry knowledge. Each session is convened with a Q & A session.

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

About our Speaker

Join us on April 26 for Bend YP’s next Social at Windermere! It will be a time to eat, drink, network, and hear directly from our friends at Windemere about the work they are doing in our community. We will also have a raffle for all of our attendees to enter!

| $15 Bend Chamber Members
| $25 Non-Chamber Members
| FREE for Passport Holders

Online registration closes at 12pm on April 26

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

Our Social at The Bulletin will be a time for us to eat, drink, network, and hear directly from leaders in the organization about the resources and information they provide to our community and how we can help contribute to their success.

Enjoy grub & suds courtesy of The Bulletin’s Food & Beverage Sponsor, Boneyard Pub & Beer. Non-alcoholic liquids will also be provided courtesy of Boneyard Elixir. Plus, there will be a special giveaway from Boneyard as well!

| $15 Bend Chamber Members
| $25 Non-Chamber Members
| FREE for Passport Holders

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

Title Sponsor

This session is meant to grow knowledge and appreciation of the importance of emotional intelligence. In this DevLab, we will define emotional intelligence (E.I.) and share data as to why it is critical to success, not just for leaders but for individual contributors as well. We will then consider how we think and feel and apply mindfulness techniques to help us manage our behavior in a conscious, thoughtful way while avoiding reacting emotionally. This session is hands-on where we both learn and practice growing our E.I. skills. Among other things, we will learn:

• Deeper awareness of our thoughts and emotions (and those of others)

• How to give and receive feedback effectively

• The power of attitude in effecting our ability to influence others

• The importance of mindfulness techniques and consistent practice

​In the end, E.I. concepts that you'll learn will help you to grow healthy relationships in work and at home. All that is requested is that you come prepared to think, question, and participate toward creating a richer experience for the entire group.

| $30 for Chamber Members
| $40 for Non-Chamber Members
| FREE for Passport Holders

You may cancel your ticket for a full refund, up to 48 hours before the date and time of the event. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will not receive a refund. When you register for an event, you agree to these terms.

About Our Speaker

Brett Larson (BSIE, MBA, CPC, ELI-MP) is a Leadership Development Professional at Humessence, LLC. with a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Colorado University. Brett has lead teams for 30 years and has 5 years of experience developing and applying a leadership development program known as HUMan-Based LEadership development (HUM-B-LE). Brett received his professional coaching certification in 2017 and enrolled in a doctorate program in Organizational Leadership which exposed him to vast amounts of research on what makes leaders and leadership development programs effective. Brett is also the author of, Discovering Leaders Within: A modern guide to cultivating your team's potential which is available on Amazon late February 2023. At the heart of his approach is teaching individual and team emotional intelligence which is the attribute most highly correlated with high performing leaders. In this program, he helps leaders learn how to grow self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and develop healthy relationships. These skills enable respectful, authentic connections toward creating a climate of psychological safety that enables engagement and peak performance. This leads to exceptional business results. Brett is available to give workshops, deliver keynotes, professionally coach, and implement HUM-B-LE to grow leadership excellence in your organization. He can be reached at brett@humessence.com.

Title Sponsor

DEIA Training with David Jones, CEO of Diversity of Thought.

This highly interactive, 2.5-hour evening workshop focuses on the science behind bias, and how having an inclusive mindset can elevate different aspects of our personal and work lives. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the topic, real world examples, actionable goals and a participant guide.

We demystify diversity by focusing on:

The science behind why we exclude
How we can identify our inherent biases and use them to re-design our human experience
Identifying actions we can take to create an inclusive environment

Per the team at Diversity of Thought, their workshops are different because they are highly interactive and ensure participants gain actual strategies to develop an inclusive mindset.

Registration includes beverages and a light supper. Come eat, learn and leave with a strategy to enhance your organization and your community at large.

| $15 for Chamber Members
| $25 Non-Chamber Members
| FREE for Passport Holders

About Our Speaker

David Jones is the founder and CEO of Diversity of Thought, Inc. (D.O.T.I.)
“We are a social enterprise whose mission is to elevate humanity through business.”

David is also the Executive Director of Diversity of Thought Nonprofit Organization. DOTNPO’s mission is to empower people to change the world around them. He believes in unleashing the power of human potential, embracing diversity, and helping people and organizations to thrive, not just survive. David also host the show True Colors for Brevard Cultural Alliance where they highlight minority contributions to the arts throughout Brevard County. Prior to starting D.O.T.I., David was responsible for the learning and development for Best Buy’s Southeastern Region which includes Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, and Puerto Rico. He and his team of learning professionals were responsible for the onboarding and continuing education of all employees, agents, and leaders (from store employees to VP’s).

Under David’s leadership, his territory led Best Buy in the following categories for five consecutive years:
• Training completion percentage
• Lowest turnover (lowest in the history of the organization)
• Highest sales performance
• David’s direct team held the highest employee engagement scores

David currently sits on the following boards:
• Infrastructure and Oversight Board for the City of Palm Bay
• Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone, Training Chair
• American Advertising Federation: Space Coast Chapter, DEI Chair and Government Relations Co-Chair
• Space Coast Black Chamber of Commerce
• The Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce – Incoming Board Chair, Chair of the Multicultural Networking Group and Government Relations Chair

David sits on the following committees:
• Hey Blue Advisory Council
• Lead Brevard Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Committee

David is an accredited coach and facilitator in Psychological Safety with the Academy of Brain Based Leadership.
David’s MOST important job is being a father to his beautiful daughter, Winter Aria.

Join Bend YP and Karen Turner for February’s Expert Chat: Navigating Your Career Journey.

During our hour together we will go over career mapping steps, create a map, learn how to navigate conversations with managers about career development, practice these conversations, and wrap up with questions.

| $10 for Everyone
| FREE for Passport Holders

About Our Speaker

Karen Turner has over 25 years of Human Resources and Recruiting experience. She joined Express Employment Professionals of Bend, Oregon in 1997 and served in a variety of recruiting roles until becoming the Managing Director of what is now Specialized Recruiting Group in 2002. Prior to joining Express, Karen was a Recruiter for Volt Accounting Specialists. She has her Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Management with an emphasis in Human Resources from George Fox University and holds her SHRM-CP.

Over the years Karen has successfully recruited for a variety of niches including accounting/finance, human resources, engineering, sales/marketing, information technology and C-Level executive placement. Karen is a leader in Specialized Recruiting Group's President's Club which acknowledges top performance throughout the company and has consistently placed in the Top 5 for Professional Search/Direct Placement over the past 15 years. Karen is the Former Vice Chair of Central Oregon Workforce Investment Board (COWIB), the former Membership Chair of City Club of Central Oregon and is former Membership Chair & Past President for Central Oregon SHRM. In 2011 Karen was named Central Oregon's HR Professional of the Year.

Fun Facts: Karen has been married to Mike for over 23 years and loves being an aunt to her 16 nieces & nephews. She loves all of the outdoor adventures that Central Oregon has to offer and is an avid hiker, paddle boarder and snowmobiler.

Check out Campfire Hotel’s Outpost room for this month’s YP Social. We’ll enjoy food, drinks, and fun while connecting with Central Oregon’s young professionals. If you’re curious about the hotel, walk across the street afterward to check out the Canteen Bar and hear about their awesome amenities!

There’s nothing wrong with goals unless we don’t understand the context and purpose of that goal. Then we have a problem.

Behind every goal that’s accomplished is a person who effectively manages their time, attention, innate talents, commitment, and more. This isn’t your cookie-cutter, sit-back-and-tune-out goal setting workshop. Bjorn will walk participants through a framework professional coaches use to support their clients so that you can learn to coach yourself and achieve more.

About Our Speaker

Bjorn Bonholzer, of Voyager Strategy, is a dynamic leadership coach, consultant and facilitator driven to help individuals and organizations achieve their maximum potential. He has worked across tech, public agency, Harvard teaching hospitals, and gaming for over 15 years partnering with individuals and teams of all functions.

He understands the challenges and complexity of developing leaders at all levels within an organization and works with his clients to find ways to navigate these nuances with authenticity and focus.

Bjorn’s focus includes leadership coaching and development, team effectiveness, organizational development, orientation and onboarding, and talent management. He is the go-to person when there’s a problem that needs a creative solution, serving as a trusted thought partner to leaders at all levels.