Supervisory Skills Certificate Series: Winter 2026

Give new supervisors the skills they need to succeed.  If you are planning on promoting, or have just promoted someone to a supervisory position help them hit the ground running with this 8 week course.  With HSF’s strong team of seasoned presenters covering a wide range of knowledge from different points of view, we cover theory, soft skills, and hard facts.  Conversation topics range from harassment law and insurance liability to finding common purpose in a team and how to transition from peer to supervisor, and much much more.

Register an individual who is eligible for a certificate, or a space for your agency to send someone different to each session depending on who the topic will benefit most.

This series is presented over Zoom. Series runs 8 consecutive weeks starting  February 4th 9am-12:30pm all session.  Full series is $600 for members, $1200 for nonmembers.

Series Topics:

  • Supervising Former Peers and Establishing Healthy Boundaries

This training equips internally promoted leaders with the tools to successfully manage former peers while fostering trust, accountability, and healthy team dynamics. Leaders will explore the psychological and practical aspects of  transitioning into authority roles, develop strategies for setting and enforcing boundaries, refine their leadership identity, and enhance their communication and feedback techniques.

Presented by Will Weche; Willful Change LLC

  • Employment Law 

Avoid missteps that can lead to expensive and time-consuming litigation.  Learn from practicing attorneys on the wording of the law, along with how that wording is actually applied. Covering a wide range of subjects to clear up misconceptions and acknowledging pitfalls, this session is packed with useful information that every organization needs.

Presented by Skoler-Abbott

  • Team Building and Conflict Resolution

Through discussions that will include team activities and individual reflection, forge a shared understanding of team-building and the essential skills for conflict resolution and negotiation that facilitate the development of strong, cohesive, effective teams. Make your team stronger than the sum of their parts, drive unity, and be able to address conflict when it does happen.

Presented by Dr. Lucie Lewis and Janine Fondon

  • Cyber Security 

With the threat of cyber attacks continuing to rise, with an increased focus on social engineering, no one can afford to hide their heads in the sand and pretend that everything is ok.  With a focus on practical, simple, daily steps that one can take, this session seeks to minimize risk to you, your organization, and your clients.

Presented by Chris Wisneski; Whittlesey

  • Retention: Rewards and Accountability 

People don’t leave jobs; they leave bad supervisors. This session puts a focus on how a supervisor can strengthen and grow those who report to them, creating an environment where employees want to stay.  Covering how to multiple the strengths of your team, how to discipline in a way that productive, and how to praise, we will learn how to create a work environment centered on retention.

Presented by Diana Brooks; Diana Brooks Associates

  • Culturally Responsive Supervision

Join us as we take a deep look at the many aspects that make up our identities and how they impact our leadership,  our organizations and the people we serve.  Improve our skills in having conversations about our differences in a way that encourages learning and growth while building intersectional resilience.  We will strengthen our ability to have important dialogues, navigate predictable tensions and avoid pitfalls that lead to disconnection. This session helps supervisors cultivate trusting, creative and connected diverse working relationships.

Presented by Regi Wingo and JAC Patriss; Growing a New Heart

  • Liability and Benefit

Gain a better understanding of Insurance, and how it affects you, your team and your organizations. Understand what coverage you have, and might need, in a variety of situations from daily operations to special fundraising events.  Learn the various forms of benefits available to understand what you have and be able to help explain to your team what their options are.

Presented by Ben Garvey and Val Francis; Hub International

  • Leadership Communication

This session looks at the building blocks of communicating clear messages to others.  In a core aspect of leadership that is often taken for granted, those who excel at communicating often excel in supervision.  Learn to avoid noise and interference, and how to properly process feedback to fine tune your messages for clearer understanding.

Presented by Jeff Tingley; Human Service Forum

 

Supervisory Skills Series Sponsor:

HSF Annual Sponsors:

Arbor Associates     
The Beveridge Family Foundation     
BHN
Guidewire     
Hub International New England
Whittlesey

 

HSF Signature Breakfast: Legislative Panel

Join HSF for one of our Signature Breakfasts. Which means important conversations and networking over comforting breakfast foods and coffee.

This is your chance to talk to the legislatures representing Western Massachusetts IN PERSON. Join us for a panel of State Senators and Representatives over coffee and breakfast. A short Q&A session to take place after panel remarks.

Summit View Banquet and Meeting House, Holyoke MA

$50

Confirmed Legislative Panelists (to date):

Senator Joanne Comerford

Senator John Velis Senior Staff

Representative Natalie Blais

Representative Carlos Gonzalez

Cheryl Spinks, District Legislative Aide from the office of Representative Angelo Puppolo

Representative Lindsay Sabadosa

 

 

HSF Breakfast Sponsors:

HSF Annual Sponsors:

 

 

 

Catchafire and Resource Sharing

We’re thrilled to share that The Beveridge Foundation, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation are continuing to make Catchafire available to HSF members—at no cost! Together, our members have already unlocked more than $1.59 million worth of support and services—absolutely free.

HSF Executive Director Becca Coolong will show you just how easy it is to tap into this incredible resource. Catchafire isn’t just for senior leaders—it’s designed to empower everyone in our community.

After the Catchafire hour, Becca will highlight some of the most useful resources we’ve discovered, and we invite you to share the tools and supports that have been most valuable to you. Let’s learn from one another and keep building stronger connections!

This is a virtual event

Attend 1 or both sessions

Catchafire hour 9:00am – 10:00am

Resource Sharing Hour 10:00am – 11:00am

 

HSF Annual Sponsors:

Arbor Associates     
The Beveridge Family Foundation     
BHN
Guidewire     
Hub International New England
Whittlesey

 

Cyber Security- Supervisory Skills Certificate Series: Fall 2025- Choose Your Training

Single sessions of HSF’s Supervisory Skills Series are now available for registration.

Give new supervisors the skills they need to succeed.  If you are planning on promoting, or have just promoted someone to a supervisory position help them hit the ground running with this 8 week course.  With HSF’s strong team of seasoned presenters covering a wide range of knowledge from different points of view, we cover theory, soft skills, and hard facts.  Conversation topics range from harassment law and insurance liability to finding common purpose in a team and how to show faith in those who work for you, and much much more.

Cyber Security Wed November 5th 2025

With the threat of cyber attacks continuing to rise, with an increased focus on social engineering, no one can afford to hide their heads in the sand and pretend that everything is ok.  With a focus on practical, simple, daily steps that one can take, this session seeks to minimize risk to you, your organization, and your clients.

Presented by Chris Wisneski; Whittlesey

This series is presented over Zoom. 9am-12:30pm all session. Each Session  is $150 for members, $250 for nonmembers.

Other Series Dates and Topics:

Lead with Influence- Wed November 12th 2025

Whether they mean to or not, each person exerts influence over others.  With this session learn 10 steps a person could take to add intentionality to that and influence people like a leader. Create a sphere of impact that leaves a lasting positing impression on those you work closely with, leading to them influencing others positively as well.

Presented by Will Weche; Willful Change LLC

Leadership Communication Wed November 19th 2025

This session looks at the building blocks of communicating clear messages to others.  In a core aspect of leadership that is often taken for granted, those who excel at communicating often excel in supervision.  Learn to avoid noise and interference, and how to properly process feedback to fine tune your messages for clearer understanding.

Presented by Jeff Tingley; Human Service Forum

Supervisory Skills Series Sponsor:

HSF Annual Sponsors:

Arbor Associates     
The Beveridge Family Foundation     
BHN
Guidewire     
Hub International New England
Wayfinders    
Whittlesey

 

Leadership Communication- Supervisory Skills Certificate Series: Fall 2025- Choose Your Training

Single sessions of HSF’s Supervisory Skills Series are now available for registration.

Give new supervisors the skills they need to succeed.  If you are planning on promoting, or have just promoted someone to a supervisory position help them hit the ground running with this 8 week course.  With HSF’s strong team of seasoned presenters covering a wide range of knowledge from different points of view, we cover theory, soft skills, and hard facts.  Conversation topics range from harassment law and insurance liability to finding common purpose in a team and how to show faith in those who work for you, and much much more.

Leadership Communication Wed November 19th 2025

This session looks at the building blocks of communicating clear messages to others.  In a core aspect of leadership that is often taken for granted, those who excel at communicating often excel in supervision.  Learn to avoid noise and interference, and how to properly process feedback to fine tune your messages for clearer understanding.

Presented by Jeff Tingley; Human Service Forum

This series is presented over Zoom. 9am-12:30pm all session. Each Session  is $150 for members, $250 for nonmembers.

Supervisory Skills Series Sponsor:

HSF Annual Sponsors:

Arbor Associates     
The Beveridge Family Foundation     
BHN
Guidewire     
Hub International New England
Whittlesey