This week, the Personify team is headed to the 2019 General Assembly of YMCAs Conference in Anaheim, California. General Assembly is the Y’s premier leadership development conference and brings together over 500 YMCAs across the country. We’re excited to be the premier sponsor of Networking on the Plaza at this conference.

If you’re attending General Assembly, please stop by booth #665 to visit with our team. I was perusing the conference agenda earlier today and thought I would share some of the sessions that we’re excited about seeing:

Michelle Poler/Social Entrepreneur and Founder of Hello Fears

Friday, July 19 from 10:30-11:45 AM

Born to a family of Holocaust survivors, Michelle Poler was accustomed to living with fear. But when she moved to New York, she realized that the Big Apple was not for the fearful. To change her approach to life, Michelle decided to face 100 of her fears in a period of 100 days, sharing every experience on YouTube. Through humor, storytelling, engaging visuals and her “100 Days Without Fear” experience, Michelle will show you how to challenge your comfort zone to tap into your full potential. In this session, you’ll learn how to deal with the unknown, see growth over safety and redefine fear—from obstacle to opportunity.

Jia Jiang/Rejection Training Expert and Author

Friday, July 19 from 3:15-4:30 PM

Several years after Jia Jiana (also known as “The Rejection Guy”) began his career in the corporate world, he stepped into the unknown world of entrepreneurship and faced everyone’s biggest fear—rejection. As CEO of Wuju Learning and author of the bestselling book, Rejection Proof: How I Bear Fear and Become Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection, Jia now helps people and organizations to become fearless through rejection training. Discover how rejection can be much less painful than we believe and how it can be conquered.

Digital Happiness: How to Be the Boss of Technology

Saturday, July 20 from 8:30-9:45 AM

What does it mean to be happy in a digital world? Start with understanding the effects of technology on our minds, bodies, relationships and culture. Assess your relationship with technology and develop a set of philosophies to guide your behavior as you learn concrete tactics to help you use technology to flourish and thrive.

The Board’s Role in Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Saturday, July 20 from 1:30-2:45 PM

As our communities diversify, boards play a critical role in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Boards must examine underlying biases and assess strengths and areas of growth. Learn to recruit diverse candidates, create a culture of inclusiveness on your board and guide your organization in implementing principles of DEI in hiring, fundraising and other important areas of work. (If you’re interested in this topic, check out our four tips to make the most of board meetings.)

The 10 I’s of Innovation: Think on Your Feet and Generate Winning Ideas

Saturday, July 20 from 1:30-2:45 PM

Organizations today are looking to get the most out of their staff while providing a challenging environment that promotes growth, mobility and learning. Learn how to embrace innovation to create a culture that rewards new ideas and fresh approach to problem-solving, resulting in peak team performance and increased employee satisfaction.

In addition to our presence at General Assembly, we’re hosting a webinar on July 24 at 11:30 AM CT to help YMCAs and JCCs attract and retain their young members. While each organization’s membership is unique, the findings we’ll share can inform and support strategies designed to support the long-term growth and success of your organization.