Rebecca's Reflections - May 2026

By: Rebecca Harris, CRHRA President

What a whirlwind May has been! Two days before our annual conference, my sister-in- law went into labor ten days early. Naturally, in the middle of running my own business and handling last-minute conference logistics, I decided it was the perfect time to spend six hours cleaning her house.

Was it logical? Absolutely not! But somehow, everything still came together. I would like to think it’s because we have such a wonderful conference planning committee made up of incredibly thoughtful and genuinely amazing people whom I am lucky enough to call my friends.

After hosting our conference for several years at Rivers Casino in Schenectady, we moved to the Desmond, and the change made a tremendous difference. The larger space allowed us to completely reimagine the flow of the conference while also welcoming significantly more attendees. Last year at Rivers, we sold out and ended up with a waitlist. This year, thanks to the Desmond’s larger capacity, we were able to keep registration open as long as possible without needing to turn people away.

One of my favorite parts of the new venue was the atrium, where attendees gathered for meals and vendor networking. It had such a bright, open atmosphere that it almost felt like we were outside. The food was excellent, and I would be remiss if I didn’t specifically mention the bread pudding, which may have been one of the highlights of the conference.

Conferences like this only happen because of an incredible group of volunteers working behind the scenes. Our conference committee is made up of about a dozen dedicated volunteers who spend months coordinating speakers, logistics, sponsors, vendors, registration, and countless small details most attendees never even realize are happening. There is always room for more people who want to get involved, and we would love to welcome additional volunteers next year.

I’m not going to lie, one of the hardest parts about planning a conference is not being able to attend all the sessions yourself. I had the privilege of reviewing many of the speaker presentations ahead of time, and there were several sessions I was genuinely excited to sit in on.

Unfortunately, conference planning can easily become a full-time job on top of your actual full-time job, and there are always minor fires to put out somewhere. I joked with my husband that conference planning is my fun $0/hour job where I get paid entirely in good karma. It’s like spending all week cooking Thanksgiving dinner only to be too busy hosting to fully enjoy it yourself.

Still, it was incredibly rewarding to see everything come together. Our keynote speaker, Amber Watts, along with numerous presenters, brought tremendous value to the event.

This year, we were also fortunate to welcome several speakers from outside the Albany area, and it was wonderful being able to welcome them to the Capital Region.

One of the few sessions I was able to attend was a presentation on diversity by Dr. LB Hannahs. During the session, one quote immediately stood out to me:

“Passion does not equate to capability.”

I wrote it down immediately because it resonated so strongly.

Humans are multifaceted by nature. We all have interests, hobbies, side projects, and ideas that excite us. But enjoying something and building a career around it are two very different things. Sometimes we pressure ourselves, or others pressure us, to monetize every talent or interest we have.

It reminds me of when someone has a hobby and immediately hears, “You should start selling these!”

But sometimes the joy of a hobby exists precisely because it is not your job. So, if you have a hobby that simply makes your life better by giving you an outlet, enjoy it; and don’t feel pressured to monetize it if you do not want to. In a world that constantly promotes “hustle culture,” I think it is important to remember that not everyone needs to be productive 24/7. Sometimes it is perfectly okay to slow down, relax, and simply enjoy where you are in the moment.

Now that the conference is over, my newest nephew is here safely, and the weather is finally beautiful, I’m beginning to settle back into my normal routine. My carefully organized weekly to-do list has turned into scribbles across a legal pad with crossed-out notes and new tasks crammed into the margins. Slowly but surely, I’m getting everything back in order and I’m going to try to work more intentionally to slow down when and where I can.

As exhausting as conference season can be, it is also incredibly fulfilling to watch months of planning turn into meaningful conversations, new connections, and a successful event for our HR community. 

And maybe next year, I’ll even get to attend a few more sessions.

Yours in Service
Rebecca