HLA Wisconsin Annual Spring Conference - 2026

Thursday, April 9, 2026

and

Friday, April 10, 2026

Thursday Opening Keynote

1:15 - 2:30 pm

EMBRACE THE ADVENTURE: How to Keep Moving Forward When the Path Isn’t Clear

In a world where change keeps accelerating and clarity rarely comes first, leaders can feel stuck between wanting to move forward and not knowing how. In this uplifting, story-driven keynote, Steve “Safari Dude” Fredlund reframes uncertainty as part of the adventure, not a
problem to eliminate. Using powerful safari stories and real-world leadership insight, he introduces The Safari Way Roadmap, a practical
framework for choosing your experience, surrounding yourself with the right people, and taking the bold, unconventional action that creates momentum when certainty is missing.

 

SESSION OBJECTIVES:

The participants will be able to:

  • Recognize uncertainty as an unavoidable part of the journey

  • Clarify the experience they want to have so decisions aren’t made by default

  • Surround themselves with the right people for the path they’re actually on

  • Take courageous, unconventional action that creates momentum and breakthrough

Steve Fredlund

Founder, The Safari Way

Steve Fredlund is an award-winning keynote speaker, two-time TEDx presenter, and bestselling author of Do the Unright Thing: Memoir of a People Pleaser. With more than three decades of experience as an actuary, executive leader, entrepreneur, and nonprofit founder, Steve brings a rare combination of analytical rigor, real-world leadership experience, and engaging storytelling to the stage.


Steve’s perspective was shaped by an unexpected chapter in his journey, leading humanitarian efforts in East Africa. Working in
environments defined by limited resources, constant uncertainty, and high stakes, he discovered a powerful truth about leadership: progress doesn’t come from having all the answers. It comes from how leaders show up, how they make decisions, and how they move forward together when the path isn’t clear.


Today, Steve helps leaders and organizations navigate rapid change, build engagement when work feels heavier, and make strong decisions
with limited information. Through his practical frameworks and story- driven keynotes, drawing on lessons from African safaris, high-stakes
decision environments, and decades of leadership, Steve equips audiences to keep moving forward with confidence, purpose, and
momentum.


Known for his warmth, laugh-out-loud humor, and ability to make complex ideas practical and relatable, Steve has inspired audiences across Fortune 500 companies, associations, healthcare systems, nonprofits, and global leadership conferences. When he’s not on stage, he enjoys disc golf, poker, and continuing to believe that this might finally be Minnesota’s year.

Friday Closing Keynote

10:45 - 11:45 am

THE COURAGE ADVANTAGE: How Today’s Best Leaders Drive Productivity, Engagement and Retention

High engagement isn’t gone, but the old ways of trying to drive it are. In this practical and human-centered keynote, Steve Fredlund shows leaders how engagement is earned through everyday leadership behavior, not managed through pressure or programs. Built around
The Courage Advantage™ framework (Be Real, Connect, Grow) this session gives leaders simple, immediately usable actions that strengthen trust, ownership, and performance, even when teams are stretched and uncertainty is high.

 

SESSION OBJECTIVES:

The participants will be able to:

  • Understand why engagement and retention erode under constant pressure and uncertainty
  • Shift from managing engagement to intentionally earning it through daily leadership behaviors
  • Apply simple, practical actions that build trust, connection, and ownership
  • Recognize moments where how they show up matters more than their knowledge or decisions