October 22-24, 2025
Holiday Inn, St. Cloud, MN
Session handout will be available October 8th.
Click for Printable Conference Schedule
Click on the tab arrow to expand for the session description and speaker information.
Wednesday October 22
Facilitated by Pamela Hayle and MNSWAP Board Members
MNSWAP 2025 has had a busy and successful year culminating with our annual conference this week. This session will review the successes of MNSWAP, the benefits to Activity Professionals in being a part of their state organization while learning some fun collaboration ice-breaker games and work place leadership skills. You will meet other MNSWAP members from your region, including your Region Representative and learn about how regions are the “HEART” of the MNSWAP organization.
Facilitated by Stacie Oakland
Vendors are excited to be a part of our 2025 conference, and ready to share new resources, ideas and materials. This session will highlight some of MNSWAP’s most dedicated vendors with a quick review of their current products. They will describe the therapeutic use of their products and how to incorporate them into your activity programs. This session will be followed by the Vendor Grand Opening where you can visit each vendor booth and learn more about their products and services.
Location: Celebration Room
Join us for an evening of networking and fun! Vendors will be available for you to explore and learn about their products and services. A dinner buffet will be served and don’t forget to bring your dollars for the Lucky Buck Auction!
Thursday October 23
Start your day off right with hearty breakfast!
Speaker ~ Jerrid Sebesta
Opening Keynote: Life-Undeferred: Unlock the Dream Life Already Inside
In this transformative keynote Jerrid Sebesta unveils the powerful philosophy behind Life Undeferred, empowering individuals to break free from mediocrity and embrace their most authentic, exciting lives. Drawing from experiences as a TV meteorologist, Jerrid delivers a high-energy presentation that challenges attendees to stop deferring their dreams and start living boldly. Through compelling stories, practical strategies, and interactive exercises, Jerrid guides the audience on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. He reveals how to cultivate the right mindset, develop unwavering discipline, and unlock the potential that lies dormant within each of us
Jerrid Sebesta is a high-energy keynote speaker and author of Life-Undeferred, known for igniting corporate and professional audiences at events for companies like Target, IBM, and Caribou Coffee. A former award-winning TV metrologist in top markets like Phoenix and Minneapolis, Jerrid later transitioned to the financial sector, scaling a retirement company from $50 million to $400 million in managed assets. Blending storytelling, personal connection, and actionable insights, he empowers teams and leaders to unlock their full potential and take bold action in work and life.
Location: Celebration Room
Take a break, grab a beverage and check out the vendors!
Morning Sessions
Location: Rox Room
The 10 Most Cited Activity Deficiencies
This session provides nursing home administrators and key staff with a clear, step-by-step guide to conducting a comprehensive facility assessment in accordance with the CMS requirements. The facility assessment will be discussed in relation to providing high-quality care tailored to the unique needs of its residents. Participants will learn how to assess the physical environment, staffing and overall services for successful surveys and excellent activity programs.
Speaker ~ Cat Selman
Cat is the Co-founder of The Cat Selman Company, a motivational speaker, educator, and author. After many years as a Division Manager, Activity Consultant and Social Service Consultant with National Heritage Inc, she followed her true passion to provide quality education and training to professionals in aging services who share the responsibility of caring for our elders.
Location: Bennies Room
Improving Mental Cognition with Aromatherapy
We can all relate to experiencing brain fog, short term memory loss, and concerns for our own mental acuity as we age. This is good news for us all. Because the olfactory system is our only sense with a direct connection to the memory and emotional centers of the brain, one significant benefit of inhaling a variety of aromas is that it enriches neural activity in many regions of the brain. This information ignites further studies for its potential to slow the effects for the early and mid-stage person with dementia. Jody will engage the audience with a memory activity, done with, and without an aromatic, to experience themselves if “smelling something” improves recall. Learning how to use sensory techniques with your memory care residents improves their daily routine and quality of life.
Speaker ~ Jodi Baglien
Jodi holds a degree in Holistic Health from the American College of Health Care Sciences and is a certified Clinical and Holistic Aromatherapist. She provides clinical education programs that are ready to implement for care facilities regardless of size, or type of setting.
Location: Johnnies Room
Generational Differences in the Workplace
Using research from Perdue University, explore each of the four generations currently represented in the workforce. Understanding what major historical events took place during the formative years of each generation and what impacts were made.
Speaker ~ Aimee Robertson
Aimee Serves as the Director of Employee Culture & Engagement for Cassia, a senior living company focused on fostering fullness of life for older adults with 60+ communities. Aimee is a passionate professional with a demonstrated history of leading with excellence in a variety of non-profit industries including 12 years in long term care. Specializing in stellar communication, with an emphasis on individual and organizational assessment, Aimee cares deeply about helping individuals and teams function at their maximum potential. Her 15 years of experience working in a variety of roles in higher education, most recently as a professor, have enabled her to offer educational talks to teams and large groups alike.
Location: Atrium
Join us for lunch in the Atrium! The annual membership meeting and nominations for Vice President and Treasurer will be held during lunch. Bring your dollars for more lucky buck auction items!
Afternoon Sessions
Location: Rox Room
Developing and Maintaining a Positive Family Member Culture in Your Community Settings
In this session Pparticipants will explore strategies to foster a positive, collaborate, and supportive culture among family members in a nursing home or assisted living setting. Family engagement plays a crucial role in the well-being of residents, influencing their emotional health, quality of life, and overall experience in aging services. Participants will gain actionable insights to strengthen family-staff partnerships, improve resident outcomes, and cultivate a culture of respect, empathy, and collaboration
Speaker ~ Cat Selman
Cat is the Co-founder of The Cat Selman Company, a motivational speaker, educator, and author. After many years as a Division Manager, Activity Consultant and Social Service Consultant with National Heritage Inc, she followed her true passion to provide quality education and training to professionals in aging services who share the responsibility of caring for our elders.
Location: Bennies Room
Staying Young Through The Arts: Enhance Aging & Improve Memory Through Movies, Music, Fine Arts & More
Scientific studies focused on senior citizens have revealed that exposure to, and engagement with, various forms of art have the following benefits: reduced cognitive decline, enhanced critical thinking, improved well-being and quality of life, memory stimulation, enhanced empathy and communication skills, lowered stress, and improved memory overall. This session provides an overview of how various art forms (music, movies, TV, fine art etc.) connect with viewers in a way that extends well beyond superficial enjoyment and has numerous positive benefits for senior citizens.
Speaker – Dan Hudak
A lifelong film lover, for 20 years Dan Hudak worked extensively as a film critic in print, radio and television. He is not the owner of Hudak of Hollywood, Inc. an agency that provides lectures on a wide variety of topics throughout the United States. He studied Film History and Criticism at Bard College and the university of Miami, where he received his M.A. in Film Studies.
Location: Johnnies Room
The Art of Working With People
Be honest. Do you ever find yourself saying something like:
I just can’t work with that person!
That adult daughter is just DIFFICULT!
He is just a mean old man!
Whether it’s a challenging co-worker, resident or family member, we can easily slip into avoidance, labeling, or just plain writing people off. But the reality is, no matter the relationship, when we’re at work, we MUST find ways to engage those with whom we work and serve. As professionals, refusing to engage is simply not an option. In this session, we’ll explore ways to better understand the people around us, in an effort to have more productive relationships.
Speaker ~ Aimee Robertson
Aimee Serves as the Director of Employee Culture & Engagement for Cassia, a senior living company focused on fostering fullness of life for older adults with 60+ communities. Aimee is a passionate professional with a demonstrated history of leading with excellence in a variety of non-profit industries including 12 years in long term care. Specializing in stellar communication, with an emphasis on individual and organizational assessment, Aimee cares deeply about helping individuals and teams function at their maximum potential. Her 15 years of experience working in a variety of roles in higher education, most recently as a professor, have enabled her to offer educational talks to teams and large groups alike.
Afternoon Sessions
Location: Rox Room
Care Planning for the Resident Who Has Dementia
Care planning is an essential part of healthcare, and provides guidance/direction to every care team member who is responsible for a resident’s care. We are seeing more and more deficiencies involving residents who have dementia. How do you write a plan to meet the individualized needs of this resident? How do you allocate staff and their time? And how do you provide the staff training that is necessary to implement these care plans and programs. Come to this session to learn how to truly provide individualized, person-centered care plans for the resident who has dementia.
Speaker ~ Cat Selman
Cat is the Co-founder of The Cat Selman Company, a motivational speaker, educator, and author. After many years as a Division Manager, Activity Consultant and Social Service Consultant with National Heritage Inc, she followed her true passion to provide quality education and training to professionals in aging services who share the responsibility of caring for our elders.
Location: Johnnies Room
Finding Your CQ Communication Quotient
“They don’t communicate with us well here.” Sound Familiar? Whether coming from employee complaints, or resident and family satisfaction surveys, communication is often the #1 pain point sites face. By starting with self – knowing your personal communication style and level of engagement with information that has been supplied – we explore all aspects of communication. Tone of voice, body language, feedback, and respect – it’s all covered here, and is appropriate for any employee at any level for department.
Speaker ~ Aimee Robertson
Aimee Serves as the Director of Employee Culture & Engagement for Cassia, a senior living company focused on fostering fullness of life for older adults with 60+ communities. Aimee is a passionate professional with a demonstrated history of leading with excellence in a variety of non-profit industries including 12 years in long term care. Specializing in stellar communication, with an emphasis on individual and organizational assessment, Aimee cares deeply about helping individuals and teams function at their maximum potential. Her 15 years of experience working in a variety of roles in higher education, most recently as a professor, have enabled her to offer educational talks to teams and large groups alike
Location: Bennies Room
Staying Young Through The Arts: Enhance Aging & Improve Memory Through Movies, Music, Fine Arts & More
Scientific studies focused on senior citizens have revealed that exposure to, and engagement with, various forms of art have the following benefits: reduced cognitive decline, enhanced critical thinking, improved well-being and quality of life, memory stimulation, enhanced empathy and communication skills, lowered stress, and improved memory overall. This session provides an overview of how various art forms (music, movies, TV, fine art etc.) connect with viewers in a way that extends well beyond superficial enjoyment and has numerous positive benefits for senior citizens.
Speaker – Dan Hudak
A lifelong film lover, for 20 years Dan Hudak worked extensively as a film critic in print, radio and television. He is not the owner of Hudak of Hollywood, Inc. an agency that provides lectures on a wide variety of topics throughout the United States. He studied Film History and Criticism at Bard College and the university of Miami, where he received his M.A. in Film Studies.
Location: Celebration Room
Take a break, grab a beverage and visit the vendors one last time.
Afternoon Session
Location: Rox Room
Sexual Orientation and Identity 101: The Next (Current) Challenge
This session provides nursing home caregivers with essential knowledge about sexual orientation and gender identity to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for residents. This will not be a medical, religious or political discussion, but rather an opportunity to develop the awareness and skills necessary for compassionate caregiving in a diverse community.
Speaker ~ Cat Selman
Cat is the Co-founder of The Cat Selman Company, a motivational speaker, educator, and author. After many years as a Division Manager, Activity Consultant and Social Service Consultant with National Heritage Inc, she followed her true passion to provide quality education and training to professionals in aging services who share the responsibility of caring for our elders.
Location: Johnnies Room
The Transformative Power of Change
Change: It comes whether you’re ready for it or not. The question is, how do you respond when it happens? Do you resist it, or embrace it? What if you could actually have a mindset shift, to begin seeing CHANGE as a CHANCE? Perhaps a chance to improve systems and procedures. Or a chance to experience a new colleague with a fresh perspective and prior experience. Learn to unlock a healthier attitude toward change, for you and your team.
Speaker ~ Aimee Robertson
Aimee Serves as the Director of Employee Culture & Engagement for Cassia, a senior living company focused on fostering fullness of life for older adults with 60+ communities. Aimee is a passionate professional with a demonstrated history of leading with excellence in a variety of non-profit industries including 12 years in long term care. Specializing in stellar communication, with an emphasis on individual and organizational assessment, Aimee cares deeply about helping individuals and teams function at their maximum potential. Her 15 years of experience working in a variety of roles in higher education, most recently as a professor, have enabled her to offer educational talks to teams and large groups alike
Thursday Evening
Evening Banquet Invitation
Join us for an evening of connection and celebration at the MNSWAP banquet. Enjoy a relaxing dinner among colleagues and friends, followed by a heartfelt recognition of our award winners and their outstanding achievements and unwavering commitment to the activity profession.
2024 Activity Professional Award Winner
Jocelyn Jacoby
Be ready to have some fun with Downtown Sound Entertainment! DSE is an entertainment company based out of Marshall, Minnesota. They use state-of-the-art equipment and go the extra mile to make their presence at your event one you won’t forget.
Friday October 24
Location: Atrium
Join us for breakfast!
Registration open in the conference center.
Location: Rox Room
Deescalate, Ground, Cope: Strategies for Trauma-Informed Care
CMS mandates that all nursing home staff be trained in person-centered, trauma-informed care to recognize and respond to trauma related behaviors while fostering a supportive environment. This training is essential to preventing re-traumatization and ensuring resident well-being. In this session, participants will gain effective interventions and techniques to manage trauma-related behaviors enhance resident trust, and integrate trauma-informed care into daily practice
Speaker ~ Cat Selman
Cat is the Co-founder of The Cat Selman Company, a motivational speaker, educator, and author. After many years as a Division Manager, Activity Consultant and Social Service Consultant with National Heritage Inc, she followed her true passion to provide quality education and training to professionals in aging services who share the responsibility of caring for our elders.
Location: Johnnie Room
Reset & Rise: Prioritizing You to Show up Whole
Attendees will leave this session with a deep understanding of why prioritizing themselves is important to maintain success in all areas of their life. Unique care needs will be outlined and discussed, participants will leave with a change plan specific to their needs.
Speaker – Casi Olson
Casi Olson, M.A. is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Narcissistic Abuse Clinician, and seasoned speaker with over 12 years clinical practice experience. Casi empowers caregivers and professionals to reconnect with their purpose, set healthy boundaries, and embrace their inherent worth. Her workshops are known for being both practical and deeply restorative, helping individuals lead with authenticity and resilience in their work and life.
Location: Celebration Room
Take a break, stretch your legs!
Location: Rox-Johnnies Room
Mini Table Sessions – Presented by MNSWAP Board and Members at Large
This session will give participants the opportunity to learn about and participate in 10-12 mini activity idea sessions everything from brain games to new craft ideas. Participants will go home with hands-on ideas and resources to use in their daily program planning or department management. Join us for this fun and engaging way to end our conference.
Location: Rox-Johnnies Room
The conference includes 17 different sessions starting Wednesday late afternoon until noon on Friday. If you attend all session times you will receive 11 CEU’s if attending the Thursday only session you will receive 5.5 CEU’s. Sessions have been designed to meet the needs of individuals working in all types of senior care services and communities. All sessions are preapproved from NCCAP. The content and objectives of each session also meet the requirements for Therapeutic Recreation Specialists.
You can make your hotel reservations with the link below. When directed to the Holiday Inn website, select your dates. You can also call the hotel directly at 320-253-9000.
Standard Room $110 plus tax
Suite: $149 plus tax
Holiday Inn Address: 75 37th Ave South St. Cloud, MN 56301
The Holiday Inn St. Cloud is easy to find coming from any direction. It is located at the intersection of Highway 15 and 23, just off Interstate 94
Full conference – All meals, all days included
Thursday Only – Lunch only
Special Dietary Requests
All conference meals are served buffet style and will include enough items to provide for vegetarian diets. We will attempt to address any other specific health needs per request acknowledging gluten free as the most common request/concern. It is important to know if you will need alternate meals. We ask that you only make this request per medical need and not as a choice option, as we want to be as cost effective as possible in our conference planning.
Please email Pam Hayle at [email protected] with your special request and which meals you will be present for at conference. Your accuracy in this request will help us maintain costs and provide for all attendees. Please send this information on or before October 10, 2025.
Guest Meal Tickets
Guest meal tickets will be available to purchase onsite only
$25.00 – Wednesday Appetizer Buffet
$20.00 – Breakfast Meal Thursday or Friday
$25.00 – Thursday Lunch
$40.00 – Banquet Thursday Evening
Notification of refund requests must be made before October 15, 2025. Requests should be made by email. Send formal requests with all pertinent information to [email protected]
Approved Refund Amounts:
Full conference – $125.00 refund
1-day conference – $70.00 refund
Billing/Payment Information
All registration payments are made online through Square, no special account needed, personal or business credit cards accepted.
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