MRG is heading to Monterey for the 2026 CALPELRA Annual Training Conference, taking place November 17–20.
Each year, CALPELRA brings together California’s public sector human resources and labor relations community for several days of training, professional development, and conversation about the issues shaping the workplace. This year’s conference includes more than 80 sessions, with topics spanning human resources, labor and employee relations, management, risk, benefits, recruitment, and other topics that are top-of-mind for public agencies.
And there’s a lot to talk about in the world of public sector HR! Agencies are managing changing workforce expectations, difficult recruitment and retention environments, evolving labor and employment requirements, and new questions about how technology and AI should be used in the workplace. Those challenges make opportunities to compare experiences with other practitioners particularly valuable.
MRG Affiliated Consultants Teri Silva, Patty Francisco, and Carol Atwood will be at the conference this year, and we look forward to reconnecting with colleagues and hearing what HR and organizational leaders are experiencing across California.
So You Want to Be An HR Director: Insights from Experienced Professionals
MRG Affiliated Consultant Teri Silva will also present at the session “So You Want To Be An HR Director: Insights From Experienced Professionals.”
Teri brings more than 38 years of public-sector experience to that conversation, giving her a practical perspective on what it actually takes to lead a public-sector HR function. The HR Director role requires much more than technical knowledge; it means advising executive leadership, building credibility with employees and managers, navigating labor relationships, making difficult personnel decisions, and fostering leadership in the organization.
The session will bring together experienced professionals to discuss that transition into HR leadership and share lessons for people considering the role or preparing for the next step in their careers.
Effective Arbitration Advocacy: Tips and Perspectives from Labor, Management, and an Arbitrator
MRG Affiliated Consultant Patty Francisco will also be presenting at CALPELRA as part of “Effective Arbitration Advocacy: Tips and Perspectives from Labor, Management, and an Arbitrator.”
The session brings together perspectives from management, labor, HR, and a neutral arbitrator to look at what makes an arbitration case more effective from beginning to end. Patty and the panel will discuss practical issues including how grievances and disciplinary matters are framed before a hearing, preparing a persuasive case, understanding evidentiary challenges and burdens of proof, and avoiding common mistakes that can weaken an agency’s position.
For HR and labor-relations professionals who may be involved well before a matter reaches arbitration, the session offers a useful look at how early decisions can shape what happens later in the process.
Supporting Public-sector HR Teams
MRG works with public agencies on a wide range of human resources and organizational needs. Our affiliated consultants bring direct public-sector experience to projects including employee and labor relations, workplace investigations, organizational assessments, recruitment, and leadership development.
MRG can also support your agency with interim or project-based HR assistance through our HR On Demand service. Whether you’re navigating a complex workplace issue, managing a vacant position, or tackling critical projects beyond your team’s current capacity, MRG is here to support you with expert human resources services customized to your team’s needs.
Whatever the challenge, MRG is right alongside you ever step of the way. And we can’t wait to be with so many of our colleagues at CALPELRA!
Attending CALPELRA? Connect with MRG to set up time with Teri, Carol, or Patty in Monterey, or contact MRG to learn more about our Human Resources services.