Crucial Connections
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 – Thursday, August 6, 2026
Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
101 W 100 N, Provo, UT 84601
OBJECTIVES
AGENDA
Monday, August 3 | Afternoon–Evening | Sales Leadership Team Meeting
Monday, August 3 | 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Digital Marketing Team Dinner
Tuesday, August 4 | Department Meetings (Contact Excom leaders for detailed agendas)
7:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. | Sales (Aspen | Level 1)
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Technology (Maple | Level 2)
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Product Leadership (Executive Boardroom | Level 1)
3:00 p.m. | Hotel Check-In
5:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m. | Welcome Dinner & Casino Night (Grand Ballroom)
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m. | Company Breakfast (Grand Ballroom)
9:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m. | General Session Welcome (Grand Ballroom)
9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Team Time (Contact Excom leaders for detailed agendas)
- CX&O: Maple & Oak | Rock Canyon Park or COS Awards Luncheon (Maple) | Sundance, Heber Hatchets, Top Golf, Dreamwalk Park, or Provo River Tubing
- Human Resources: Downtown Provo | Seasons Salon
- Marketing: Moon’s Rare Books | Juniper Grill | Joseph Grenny’s Home
- Master Trainers: Timpanogos | Rock Canyon Park | Sundance Ski Lift & Hike
- Product: Juniper | Top Golf
- Sales: Willow, Cedar, Birch, Aspen | Rock Canyon Park | Sundance, Heber Hatchets, Top Golf, Dreamwalk Park, or Provo River Tubing
- Shared Services: Downtown Provo | Cecret Lake
- Technology: Elm | La Jolla Groves | Bridal Veil Falls & The Grid
4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. | Free Time: Optional Activities & Headshot Station (Grand Ballroom)
5:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m. | Offsite Group Dinner sign-up (Assignment on name badge)
6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. | Optional Morning Walk sign-up (Bridal Veil Falls – meet in hotel lobby at 6:15 a.m. to carpool)
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m. | Company Breakfast (Grand Ballroom)
9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. | General Session: Overcoming Obstacles & Navigating Change, Noelle Pikus Pace (Grand Ballroom)
10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m. | Special Tenure Recognition (Grand Ballroom)
10:30 a.m.–11:25 a.m. | Breakout Sessions – Block 1 sign-up (Descriptions below)
11:35 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions – Block 2 sign-up (Descriptions below)
12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. | Company Lunch (Grand Ballroom)
1:30 p.m.–2:25 p.m. | Breakout Sessions – Block 3 sign-up (Descriptions below)
2:35 p.m.–3:15 p.m. | Closing Session & Lives Impacted Stories, Andy Shimberg & Master Trainers (Grand Ballroom)
3:15 p.m.–4:00 p.m. | A Sneak Peek at The Other Side Leadership Experience, Joseph Grenny & Hyrum Grenny (Grand Ballroom)
*All times are in Mountain Time and may be subject to change.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Understanding Your Role in the Customer Lifecycle
Every role impacts the customer experience, whether you see it or not. This session connects the dots across the lifecycle so you understand where you create value and how to improve customer outcomes.
Presenters: Nancy Q. Smith, Joseph Sorensen, Brent Peterson
Audience: Employees are strongly encouraged to attend this session.
Offered: Block 1 | Block 2 | Block 3
Location: Aspen | Level 1
Inside the CLP
*Please bring your laptop so you can follow along and participate in hands-on activities
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Inside the CLP: Beginners
The Crucial Learning Platform is central to how we deliver results. This session helps you understand what CLP offers to clients and how to use it more effectively to drive impact in your role.
Presenters: Cammie Soderquist & Matt LeGare
Audience: Employees who are new to the Crucial Learning Platform or want a foundational understanding of its capabilities.
Offered: Block 1
Location: Birch | Level 1
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Inside the CLP: Use the Platform Like a Pro
The Crucial Learning Platform is our client’s one-stop shop for licenses, events, content, delivery and user management. This hands-on session will help the regular user become a client pro with insights into client pain points and how CLP addresses those better than our competition. You will have a sandbox to experience the license dashboard, manage events, and see the data clients see.
Presenters: Cammie Soderquist & Matt LeGare
Audience: Employees who regularly interact with CLP, support clients, or want deeper platform expertise.
Offered: Block 2 | Block 3
Location: Birch | Level 1
AI at Work: Tips and Hacks to Improve Your Output
*Please bring your laptop and come ready to apply these techniques to your own work.
AI can either distract you or multiply your impact; the difference is how you use it. This session focuses on practical ways to integrate AI into your daily work using approved CL tools so you can move faster, think better, and produce higher-quality output.
Presenters: Russ Rollins & Pace McCulloch
Audience: Optional for any employees.
Offered: Block 1 | Block 2 | Block 3
Location: Elm | Level 1
Rebuilding Connection in a Remote Work Environment
Remote work has made collaboration easier but connection harder. This session explores how to intentionally build trust, alignment, and engagement when your team isn’t in the same room.
Presenters: Reta Clyde, Jason Arneson, Joe Smith
Audience: Optional for any employees.
Offered: Block 1 | Block 2 | Block 3
Location: Cedar | Level 1
Better Together: Building Powerful SCA + Faculty Partnerships
*Exclusively for SCAs and Crucial Learning Faculty
Strong partnerships between SCAs and Faculty have played a key role in some of our most successful client outcomes. This interactive session explores what makes those partnerships work and how to strengthen collaboration between sales and delivery. Through success stories, structured networking, and practical discussion, you’ll build new connections, gain fresh perspectives, and leave with ideas you can apply to future client engagements.
Presenters: Scott Robley
Audience: Optional for SCAs and Crucial Learning Faculty
Offered: Block 2
Location: Juniper | Level 1
Master Trainer Sessions
Strategic Resources and Meaningful Relationships
You play a critical role in connecting clients with the latest insights, resources, and support available from Crucial Learning. This session highlights new research, tools, and resources. You’ll leave with a better understanding of how to leverage these assets and partnerships to create greater impact for your clients.
Presenters: Brittney Maxfield | Ashley Galassi | Bell Hennefer | Monica Garrison | Tiffany Hunter | Heather Humphreys | Jennifer Bell | Georgiana Newson | Betsey Morales
Audience: Exclusively for Master Trainers
Offered: Block 1
Location: Juniper | Level 1
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Reset the Faculty Motion: Turning Every Delivery into Greater Value, Trust, and Opportunity
This year’s business realities have affected everyone—including Crucial Learning Faculty. In this interactive session, faculty will get an inside look at what the Sales team is learning about how Crucial Learning must adapt in a changing market. We will translate those same principles into a practical Faculty Motion focused on delivering exceptional learning experiences, strengthening partnerships with Sales and Delivery, and creating additional client value through every engagement.
Presenters: Scott Robley | Ashley Galassi | Bell Hennefer
Audience: Exclusively for internal Master Trainers and Faculty
Offered: Block 3
Location: Juniper | Level 1
TRAVEL & ACCOMODATIONS
EVENT POLICY
Explore the event policies, booking travel instructions, and reimbursement policies.
HOTEL
Book your stay at the Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center before the room block closes on July 10.
FLIGHTS
After booking your flights in Concur, please submit your flight details no later than June 16.
EXPENSES
OUR VALUES
At Crucial Learning, we come together each year for Crucial Connections, our annual company event designed to strengthen relationships, invest in our people, and celebrate what makes our culture unique. This gathering brings employees and Master Trainers together for professional development, dedicated team time, and meaningful networking opportunities. Through Crucial Connections, we reconnect around the values that support a strong, healthy, and thriving team culture.
Speak Up Candidly and Respectfully
Collaborate Cross-Functionally
Hold Others Accountable
Execute Effectively
Move Fast
Love and Respect Others
MASTER TRAINERS
We are delighted to welcome Master Trainers to Crucial Connections 2026. This event is an opportunity to connect with Crucial Learning employees, strengthen relationships with fellow Master Trainers, and participate in meaningful learning experiences designed to sharpen capabilities and deepen connection to our shared work.
We look forward to welcoming you to Provo for several days of learning, collaboration, and connection.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE?
Daytime Meetings | August 4-6 | Relaxed Business Casual
The dress code for the majority of the event is business casual. Please choose attire that is professional, comfortable, and appropriate for a workplace setting. Suggested options include jeans without rips, chinos, khakis, casual pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, blouses, sweaters, polos, button-down shirts, cardigans, clean sneakers, flats, loafers, boots, or sandals. Please avoid clothing that is overly casual, revealing, or distressed, including athletic wear, sweatpants, flip-flops, graphic T-shirts, and ripped jeans.
Meeting spaces may vary in temperature, so we recommend bringing a light jacket or sweater.
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Welcome Dinner & Casino Night | August 4 | Dressy Casual
For the social dinner, please wear dressy casual attire that feels polished while still relaxed and comfortable. Suggested options include dresses, skirts, dress pants, blouses, button-down shirts, polos, sweaters, sport coats, jumpsuits, loafers, flats, boots, sandals, or other polished footwear. Formal or cocktail attire is not required. Please avoid athletic wear, sweatpants, flip-flops, graphic T-shirts, and overly casual or distressed clothing.
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Team Activities | August 5 | Casual, Cool, and Activity ready
Depending on your team activity, you may spend time outdoors in Utah’s summer heat. Please wear lightweight, comfortable clothing suitable for both indoor and outdoor activities.
Recommended attire includes:
- Shorts, lightweight pants, skirts, or casual dresses
- Breathable casual tops
- Comfortable sneakers, walking shoes, or secure sandals
- A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen for outdoor activities
Please avoid formal attire, heavy fabrics, high heels, flip-flops, or clothing and footwear that may restrict movement. Indoor spaces will be air-conditioned, so consider bringing a light layer. We also recommend carrying a refillable water bottle to help you stay hydrated throughout the day.
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Optional Headshot Station | August 5 | Professional
Please wear business casual attire that feels polished and professional. Since photos will be taken against a black backdrop, we recommend choosing colors that provide some contrast, such as jewel tones, soft neutrals, blues, greens, or lighter shades. Solid colors and simple patterns typically photograph best. Please avoid wearing all black, very busy prints, large logos, or clothing with distracting graphics. Layers such as blazers, cardigans, or structured jackets can also help create a professional look.
Choose an outfit that makes you feel comfortable, confident, and representative of how you would like to appear in the Crucial Learning Employee Directory.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND?
All full-time Crucial Learning employees are expected to attend Crucial Connections. If you’re unable to attend for any reason, please notify your manager.
If you are a Crucial Learning PRN, part-time, or seasonal/temp employee, please consult with your manager to see if you qualify to attend.
This year, Master Trainers are also invited to attend. They’ll join all general sessions and have access to several professional development opportunities.
When should I book travel?
Crucial Learning employees will be sent travel booking instructions in June 2026. At that time, employees will book their flights in Concur and request a hotel room within our block of rooms.
Master Trainers are invited to book their own travel at any time and stay within the Crucial Learning hotel room block. Explore the Hotel & Travel details specifically for Master Trainers.
CAN I BRING A PLUS-ONE OR GUEST?
Crucial Connections is designed exclusively for Crucial Learning employees and Master Trainers. We kindly ask that you do not bring plus-ones or guests to any official event activities including meals.
You are welcome to travel with a guest and allow them to stay with you at the hotel; however, they should not plan to participate in any portion of the Crucial Connections agenda.
This policy helps us ensure a fair and consistent experience for all attendees, supports our event planning efforts, and allows us to create the best possible experience for everyone participating.
WHO SHOULD I CONTACT WITH QUESTIONS?
Email events@cruciallearning.com or contact a member of the Crucial Connections Planning Committee.
The 2026 planning team members include Derek Cullimore, Mary McChesney, Amanda Horton, Destine Wilson, Erin Schwartz, Charlotte Lake, Rachel Cain, and Alexis Rich.
HOW DO I SIGN-UP FOR SESSIONS?
Due July 10, add your name to each tab of this sign-up spreadsheet to select the dinner group, three breakout sessions, and optional activities you’d like to attend.
WHEN IS THE NEXT CRUCIAL CONNECTIONS?
August 3-5, 2027 | The Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT