NICC conference: Using AI to drive business growth

Monday, December 1, 2025

For business leaders, the question is no longer if you will use artificial intelligence (AI), but how you will use it. At Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), we view AI as a powerful tool for achieving new levels of success.

NICC is hosting the “AI Unlocked: Leading the Future of Work” conference to help regional business leaders design a human-centered strategy for AI integration. This one-day event is dedicated to showing you how to responsibly augment your workforce, ensuring your skilled employees spend less time on routine tasks and more time generating the creative, strategic ideas that grow your business.

“Northeast Iowa succeeds when our employers succeed,” said Amy Lasack, NICC vice president of Business and Community Solutions. “Our focus is helping leaders make sense of AI in a way that feels approachable and practical, not intimidating."

Real-world strategies for growth

Imagine a workplace where your staff is fully engaged in collaborating, innovating, and focusing on customer-facing priorities. That’s the core promise of augmentation: using technology to free your human talent to focus on high-impact work.

“This conference is about turning uncertainty into confidence,” said organizational psychologist and guest speaker Celina E M Peerman, PhD. “Each speaker and session will share practical tools leaders can use right away to support their people, protect relationships and strengthen ethical decision-making as technology continues to evolve.”

Targeted for business leaders across human resources, operations and marketing, the "AI Unlocked" program includes practical sessions focused on helping you achieve these strategic business outcomes:

• Maximize team potential: Use AI tools to handle repetitive work, enabling your skilled team members to focus on high-level, creative assignments that directly impact business growth.
• Mitigate risk and foster trust: Establish clear, compliant AI governance and ethical guardrails that protect your organization, ensuring employee confidence and data security.
• Develop a growth plan: Get the blueprint for integrating AI into HR, marketing, and operations in a way that fuels your business goals and competitive strategy.

Join the conversation

The conference takes place on Thursday, Feb. 12 at the NICC Peosta Campus, running from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

Attendees will connect directly with industry-leading experts, including:

• Celina E M Peerman, PhD, SHRM-SCP, CSP, an organizational psychologist known for her humor, insight and practical approach to helping leaders and teams thrive.
• Skye Mercer, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, an HR consultant specializing in building people-centered, inclusive, compliant and sustainable HR practices.
• Destery Hildenbrand, an innovative learning technology consultant recognized for his expertise in AI-driven learning experiences.

Early bird registration is $229 until Monday, Jan. 12 and includes continental breakfast and lunch.

Ready to lead the future of work and empower your team?

Register and view the full agenda at nicc.edu/ai-conference.