Hotel Accomodations
Special rates have been secured for our attendees at the Fluno Center — the same location where we’re hosting the conference — for $131.00/night (plus taxes and fees). Our room block closes on April 30, 2024.
When visiting Madison, WI, a stay at the Fluno Center puts you in the heart of it all. It’s conveniently located in downtown Madison with easy access to all of the UW-Madison campus, UW Hospital & Clinics, the Dane County Regional Airport, and major corporations such as American Family, TDS, Spectrum Brands, Alliant Energy, Epic and many others.
The Fluno Center’s downtown location places visitors only minutes away from entertainment, activities, and shopping. A stroll to State Street’s pedestrian mall offers a variety of bookstores, restaurants, coffeehouses, pubs, specialty shops and entertainment options. Also nearby are museums, several theater and performing arts venues, and UW Badger sporting events at the Kohl Center and Camp Randall Stadium.
Parking information is available here.
Golf Outing
The Legend at Bergamont – Oregon, WI
Tee times start at 11:00 a.m. — email Rachel Labumeier or Lt. Juan Avila to sign-up.
18-holes, fully sponsored by Allied Universal (no cost for participants!)
Conference Early Registration
Fluno Center Lobby
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Shuttle Service to Welcome Reception
Departs from Fluno Center Lobby
5:15 p.m.
Welcome reception & dinner – Sponsored by Securitas
Camp Randall Stadium, Victory Hall
5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- 6:30 p.m.
- Remarks by: Interim Chief Brent Plisch, Vice Chancellor Rob Cramer, & Athletic Director Chris McIntosh
- Remarks and demo: Securitas
Registration
Fluno Center Lobby
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
Fluno Center, Executive Lounge
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Opening
Fluno Center Auditorium
8:30 a.m.
- Presentation of Colors by UWPD Honor Guard
- Opening Remarks
Keynote
Fluno Center, room 221 (2nd floor)
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (with periodic breaks)
- Reach Out, Reach In: Stretching Our Leadership around DEI & Wellness | Paul Wesselmann, MA
Our morning session will be part keynote, part workshop, and part networking as we explore two skill sets for expanding our effectiveness around DEI & Wellness: helping ourselves and those we lead to REACH OUT (more effectively connect with others) and REACH IN (more consistently show up with our best available selves). This session will be highly interactive, with multiple opportunities for in-depth conversations and networking among our colleagues.
Lunch
Fluno Center, Executive Lounge
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Group Photo
Fluno Center Lobby Staircase
1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
- Please wear department/university/school color attire!
Presentation
Fluno Center Auditorium
1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
- A Leader’s Perspective on Fitness for Duty Testing in Officer Wellness Programs | Traci Tauferner, Advanced Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine & UWPD Capt. Jason Whitney
Police chiefs play a pivotal role in ensuring the health, safety, and performance of their officers. This presentation emphasizes the value of incorporating fitness for duty testing into police department wellness programs. Integrating testing departments can proactively identify and address issues affecting officer fitness and readiness. This comprehensive approach enhances officer well-being and job performance and mitigates risks associated with duty-related injuries and liabilities. Through practical insights and legal considerations, police chiefs will gain a deeper understanding of how fitness for duty testing can optimize departmental operations and foster a culture of health and resilience among their personnel.
Technology Vendor Showcase
Fluno Center Atrium
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Sponsor Panel
Fluno Center Auditorium
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Join us for a panel discussion with our sponsor Securitas Technology — learn about their portfolio of services and how they could apply to your law enforcement organization and/or campus
Tour of UW-Madison Campus (optional)
Leave from Fluno Center Lobby (transportation provided)
4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (tour ends at Memorial Union)
If you’re not attending the campus tour, another bus to Memorial Union for evening events will depart from the Fluno Center lobby at 5:15 p.m.
Dinner (sponsored by Securitas Technology)
Sunset Lounge, Memorial Union
5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Heavy appetizers, drinks, socializing, and short tours of Lake Mendota on our Lake Rescue boat
- Return transportation to the Fluno Center provided, leaving Memorial Union at 9:00 p.m.
Breakfast
Fluno Center, Executive Lounge
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Presentation
Fluno Center Auditorium
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 am
- Well-Being is a Skill: How to Flourish in Challenging Times | Dr. Richard Davidson
Just like being physically in shape means regular exercise, supporting one’s emotional well-being begins with a training program – for the mind. In this talk, world-renowned neuroscientist Dr. Richard J. Davidson discusses the scientific concept of neuroplasticity and how research in the lab confirms that well-being is a skill that can be taught. By learning and practicing the skills associated with awareness, connection, insight, and purpose – anyone can have a healthier mind, despite their external circumstances. Based on four decades of contemplative neuroscientific research, Dr. Davidson outlines a path to well-being for anyone in this highly relevant talk.
Break
10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Presentation
Fluno Center Auditorium
10:15 – 12:15 am
- Changing The Narrative | Ted Neitzke
Too often we find ourselves working in cultures where negativity is the norm. When it comes to safety, we need to be able to retain great men and women and attract great people to our profession. That is hard to do when many people are “trapped” in pits of pessimism. The only way we can shift that culture is to change the narrative at the highest level of our departments. In this discussion we will look at the current state of engagement in public service, confront the reality, and be introduced to processes to help us change the narrative. Ted Neitzke is the CEO of an educational service agency and they have cracked the negativity narrative and been recognized three times as a GALLUP Global Exceptional Workplace Award winner. Ted will share processes, challenge our assumptions, and provide a lively conversation.
Lunch
Fluno Center, Executive Lounge
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Presentation
Fluno Center Auditorium
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
- Onward Fitness | Dr. Matt Koester & Dr. Jake Hurlbutt
More information to follow
Break
2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Presentation
Fluno Center Auditorium
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Mental Flex: Meditation Training for Performance and Well-Being | Chad McGehee, Director of Meditation Training at UW Athletics
In this session, you’ll learn insights into applying new meditation training research findings to high-performance environments in a law enforcement setting.
Presentation
Fluno Center Auditorium
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Clery Act Compliance Presentation | Chief Brent Plisch & UWPD Director of Clery Compliance Mickey Kienast
In this session, we’ll explore a “shelter in place” order at a large sporting arena while an adjacent police jurisdiction worked through a serious case that brought Clery compliance concerns to our campus.
Closing Remarks
Fluno Center Auditorium
4:30 p.m.
Flannel Jacks
Transportation provided, depart from Fluno Center Lobby at 5:15 p.m.
- Ax throwing, socializing, drinks, and pizza
- Return transportation provided, returning to the Fluno Center, by 8:30 p.m.
Breakfast
Fluno Center, Executive Lounge
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Roundtable Discussion
Fluno Center Auditorium
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 am
Conference Concludes
12:00 p.m.
Grab-and-go lunch boxes will be available in the Fluno Center Lobby starting at 10:00 a.m. Safe travels home!
Confirmed Speakers/Presenters
Paul Wesselmann, MA
Paul Wesselmann has developed engaging sessions for hundreds of conferences around North America. He is the author of two books, and over 25,000 subscribers enjoy his weekly Ripples emails that provide short bursts of inspiration and practical ideas. He is familiar with our campuses, having been a student, staff member, and consultant for many of our Big 10 institutions. You can learn more about his work at https://TheRipplesGuy.com or follow @RipplesGuy on most social media.
Richard J. Davidson, PhD
Richard Davidson received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Psychology in 1976. Davidson’s research is broadly focused on the neural bases of emotion and emotional style and methods to promote human flourishing including meditation and related contemplative practices. He has published over 573 articles, numerous chapters and reviews and edited 14 books. He is the author (with Sharon Begley) of “The Emotional Life of Your Brain” published in 2012 and co-author with Daniel Goleman of “Altered Traits” published in 2017. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2006. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2017 and appointed to the Governing Board of UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) in 2018. In 2014, Davidson founded the non-profit, Healthy Minds Innovations, which translates science into tools to cultivate and measure well-being.
Chad McGehee, M.A. M.Ed.
Chad McGehee, M.A. M.Ed., is a meditation teacher, scientific collaborator and trusted coach working at the intersection of elite performance and rigorous meditation training. At the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department, Chad became the first ever Director of Meditation Training in major college sports. Chad is an honorary research affiliate of the Center for Healthy Minds at UW-Madison and co-founder of Inner Edge Meditation.
Chad’s expertise is in meditation training and research in high performance environments. Through his trainings, talks and consulting he supports individuals, teams and organizations. He uses a teaching approach that incorporates findings from his cutting edge research along with accessible ways to integrate meditation practices into overall training. He is passionate about the benefits of meditation training for individuals and teams interested in greater performance and well-being.
Chad’s work has been featured on ESPN, in the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Business Insider and as a co-author in peer-reviewed scientific journals. His training has been integrated into a range of environments including K-12 education, FBI SWAT Teams, the elite Hostage Rescue Team in Quantico, VA, Fortune 500 companies and elite athletics. He is passionate about bringing rigorous and accessible meditation training to life as strength and conditioning for the mind.
Traci Tauferner
Traci Tauferner is the go-to expert for those on the front lines. As the Director of Industrial & Tactical Medicine at Advanced Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, she’s spent years specializing in the unique needs of law enforcement, paramedics/EMTs, firefighters, SWAT teams, and military personnel. Traci’s approach is all about staying ahead of the game. She’s developed tailored programs focused on wellness and injury prevention, utilizing job analysis, physical ability tests, and customized training regimens to keep first responders in top shape. Not content to keep her knowledge to herself, Traci has taken her expertise far and wide. She’s been a featured speaker at conventions and symposiums regionally, nationally, and internationally, sharing insights on tactical testing, rehabilitation, and wellness strategies that can make all the difference in high-stakes situations. As a veteran of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Traci brings a unique perspective and depth of understanding to her practice, having firsthand experience in the challenges and demands faced by those in uniform
Capt. Jason Whitney
Jason Whitney started with the University of Wisconsin Madison Police Department (UWPD) on June 1st 1998. Prior to working at UWPD, Whitney spent four years in the United States Marine Corps Anit-Terrorism Team. Whitney has a bachelor’s degree in management of criminal justice, graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and is a graduate of Boston Colleges/PERFs Senior Management Institute of Policing. In May 2002, Whitney started the departments K9 unit with police K9 Mosely and expanded the unit to its 3 K9s you see today. Whitney has served in the role of security officer, police officer, sergeant, lieutenant and most recently captain for the last 10 years. Whitney has been a State of Wisconsin certified police instructor for over 15 years and teaches at the Police Academy held at Madison College. Whitney also was the first instructor in Dane County to bring the topic of de-escalation and PERFs Integrated, Communication and Tactics training to the area. Whitney was instrumental in starting not only UWPD’s K9 Unit, but also bringing on-board our public information officer, personal protection team and most recently our functional fitness program and physical therapy wellness program. Whitney currently oversees the Professional Standards and Planning division which encompasses Emergency Management, Access Control, Video and Infrastructure Security, along with our Professional Standards team and records management.
Dr. Matt Koester
Dr. Matthew Koester is a physical therapist, and CrossFit Level 1 Trainer in Madison Wisconsin. A true Badger, through and through, Matt received both his Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree and his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise & Movement Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Outside the clinic Matt enjoys traveling the country and spending time with his wife Macy. He also loves competing in CrossFit, as well as training year-round for outdoor sports including mountain biking, backpacking, and backcountry snowboarding.
Dr. Jake Hurlbutt
Dr. Jacob Hurlbutt is a physical therapist, and a personal trainer in Madison, Wisconsin. Jake received his bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Movement Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he was also a member of the Wisconsin Men’s Rowing Team. He went on to receive his Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from South College in Knoxville, Tennessee. In his spare time, Jake enjoys exploring all Madison and Wisconsin have to offer with his wife, Lauren, and dog, Mifflin. Jake also enjoys participating in CrossFit as well as spending time in the outdoors hunting, fishing, and hiking.
Ted Neitzke
How to Get Here
If you’re traveling to Madison by air, the best and closest airport to UW-Madison is the Dane County Regional Airport. While this is a smaller airport, most major carries fly here. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is the closest major airport to Madison and offers many non-stop flights. However, you will need transportation (rental car) to drive the 70 miles to Madison.
Taxi and ride share services are readily available in Madison to take you to the conference hotel.
Parking information for the hotel and conference site is available here.
