Photo by Clay Schuldt HYPE committee member Anna Bush visits with featured speaker Korey Woodley during Topic Tables at Turner Hall, where young professionals gathered Thursday for candid conversations on leadership, collaboration, and community growth.

NEW ULM – The New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce’s HYPE committee hosted Topic Tables on Thursday, a professional development luncheon at Turner Hall that brought together young professionals and local leaders for career-focused conversations.

The event featured a rotating table format where 15 to 20 participants engaged with six local experts on topics ranging from leadership and human resources to economic development and community engagement.

Steph Kircher, executive director of the ISD 88 Foundation and event organizer, said the committee aimed to foster “one-on-one connections that we might not normally be able to have as young professionals and have those intimate, transparent conversations.”

Speakers shared career experiences and offered guidance. Korey Woodley, ecological and water resources regional manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, emphasized self-awareness through personality assessments.

“If I lean into my skill sets, I can do a lot more than if I punish myself for my weaknesses,” Woodley said.

Lori Pickell-Stangle, associate vice president for advancement at Minnesota State University, Mankato, encouraged participants to assert their presence.

“Take up your space,” Pickell-Stangle said. “You have just as much room and validity to be at the table, to speak up, to share your opinion, as anybody else. Don’t let them quiet you.”

When asked how to be taken seriously despite limited experience, speakers advised authenticity.

“If you don’t know, it’s okay to say, ‘I don’t know, but I’m going to find out and get back to you,'” one panelist said. “People appreciate you getting back to them with the right information rather than guessing and being wrong.”

Many attendees were newcomers to New Ulm seeking professional networks.

Anna Kate Bush, manager of physician practice at New Ulm Medical Center (Allina Health) and a member of HYPE’s steering committee, said she moved to the area in 2013 to make it her new hometown.

“I wanted to get involved in the community,” Bush said. “HYPE provides opportunities to learn from people outside healthcare, which was a missing piece in my professional development.”

Drew Dauer, a financial advisor with Edward Jones, said he attends HYPE events to “learn and be a better advisor and a better person.”

HYPE stands for Helping Young Professionals Evolve. After a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization relaunched in summer 2024.

Crystal Johnson, office manager at the chamber, said the mission is “to provide a common platform for young professionals to build relationships, give back to the community, and contribute to the overall development and future of New Ulm.”

In 2026, HYPE plans 12 monthly social events and four quarterly professional development sessions.

Sarah Sveine serves as chamber liaison for HYPE. For information about joining or attending future events, contact the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce at chamber@newulm.com.