I am heading Polsbo, WA to attend a Liberating Structures workshop that I was nicely invited by Keith McCandless.

As the idea emerged, I decided to write one page a day, so here it goes before I go!

Today I want to write about NHRMA 2014, a very special conference I attended this week in Spokane, WA.

So many learning lessons there.

First of all, I learned how to pronounce “Spokane”.

(Well, humbly, I need to say that I already knew it, since my faculty and friend Mary Kay Woolson came to my home a few weeks ago to meet my newborn son and taught me how to pronounce SpokAne :))

I also learned that Spokane is the birthplace for the Father’s Day celebration!

I learned “how to make 600 people sing happy birthday to you” even when is not your birthday! Well, only a fantastic and energetic person like Krisann Hatch, the conference master of ceremonies is able to make it! I will never try!

Moreover, my biggest learning is the power of being part of a community. I tried to translate this idea in my 2 minute speech while I was receiving the Sharon Koss Student Award:

“There is an African proverb that says: you need a village to raise a child. If I can add an idea to this proverb is that first, you need heart full people to grow this village. What I have been learning as a member of LWHRA is that heart full people make the whole difference in your life. I am very thankful to my lifelong mentors Nancy Kasmar, Sara Dnell and Nathan Deily for their amazing support (they probably don’t know about the ‘lifelong’ part). I am thankful to NHRMA for this outstanding event and opportunity. I am honored for receiving the Sharon Koss Award, a continuous legacy of a person that did so much for the HR profession and its professionals.”

NHRMA Conference was in its 76^th edition this year. It speaks for itself.

My wish is that we continue to nourish our villages – local or global – so that we only have great opportunities (and children!)!