About Event

Thank you for our sponsors AON, Dentons, My Benefit Advisor, and Point Park University.

Turn managers into leaders your people want to follow.

Join us for an immersive, science-backed workshop led by Heather Polivka, CEO and President of Awesome People Leaders. Walk away with practical tools, real strategies, and a peer network of HR professionals all committed to building exceptional workplace cultures.

Why attend?
58% of new managers fail within 2 years
75% of employees leave because of poor management
94% of participants would recommend to a colleague

Meet your Speaker:

Heather Polivka
CEO & President, Awesome People Leaders
Heather leads Awesome People Leaders, a neuroscience-based leadership development platform helping organizations transform managers into leaders teams are excited to work with. Her practical, human-first approach has helped hundreds of organizations reduce turnover, boost engagement, and build thriving workplace cultures.

Topics Covered:
Emotional intelligence
Inclusion & belonging
Preventing burnout
Boosting productivity
Soft skills
Healthy workplace behaviors
Reducing turnover
Manager effectiveness

Cost: This event is Free for Tech Council members and $75 for non-members

Who Should Attend?

HR professionals
VP of People
Hiring Managers

When: Thursday, November 5, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Agenda:

8:30 AM: Registration
9:00 AM: Welcome + Introductions
9:15 AM Session 1: The Neuroscience of Effective Leadership: How the brain drives engagement, burnout, and performance
10:45 AM Session 2: Building Cultures People Stay For: Practical frameworks for emotional intelligence, inclusion, and healthy workplace behaviors
11:15 AM Hands-on application: Tackle real scenarios from your own organization
11:45 AM: Q&A + Networking
12:00 PM: Adjourn

Venue: Nova Place Conference Center 100 S Commons, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Thank you to our Sponsors:

Thank you to our Partners:

Want to become a member of the Pittsburgh Technology Council? Please contact Brooke Woznizk, bwoznizk@pghtech.org, for more information.

Registration & Payment Policy:
Online Registration will close 1 days prior to event. Pre-Registration is always requested, when possible, so that we may best plan for your arrival. Walk-in registrants, when accepted, must pay onsite with a credit card or check to obtain entry to the event, no exceptions. Refunds requested less than 3 business days prior to the event will not be granted. Substitutions are welcome.

For Content or Programming Questions: Marie Pelloni, Senior Director of Talent, STEM, and Workforce Innovation Initiatives, mpelloni@pghtech.org
For Registration Questions: Autumn Ashbaugh, Event Assistant, aashbaugh@pghtech.org
For Sponsorship Questions: Ashley Steckel, Vice President of Business Development, asteckel@pghtech.org