Our Featured Speakers - 2026
Patrick Durham
Firefighting and UG Battery Safety
Patrick Durham
Firefighting and UG Battery SafetyPatrick Durham is a Captain at Station 4 with the Troy (Michigan) Fire Department, bringing nearly 20 years of firefighting experience along with a background in mechanical engineering. He is a co-owner of IC Fire Prevention, working with the recycled materials industry and other high-risk sectors to reduce fire hazards through assessments, planning, and training. As the founder of StacheD Training, Patrick delivers customized courses for fire departments and industry professionals on lithium-ion battery fires, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. He also serves on the UL Fire Safety Research Institute’s Technical Panel for Fire Safety of Batteries and Electric Vehicles, helping shape emerging standards. Beyond his field work, Patrick shares practical insights with an audience of nearly 50,000 on YouTube, where his channel focuses on lithium-ion battery safety and real-world fire incidents.
Brandon Anderson
Workers Mental health
Brandon Anderson
Workers Mental healthBrandon Anderson serves as the Vice President of Safety at the Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGC of Missouri). With over 27 years of experience in the construction industry, he has held a variety of roles ranging from field leadership to senior-level safety and employee development positions. A lifelong construction professional, Mr. Anderson is also a passionate advocate for total worker wellbeing. His strategic focus areas include mental health, suicide prevention, and substance misuse—issues he champions with both professional commitment and personal conviction. In 2022, he co-founded and now co-chairs the AGC of America’s National Task Force on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. His leadership in this area has garnered national and international recognition, including honors from the United Kingdom’s Houses of Parliament for his leadership addressing mental health, suicide prevention and substance misuse in the construction industry. __ Title: “Building HOPE Through ACTION - Mental Health & Suicide & The Construction Industry” Description: The construction industry has long battled a silent crisis—mental health struggles, suicide, and substance misuse. AGC of America and key partners have taken bold steps to lead the efforts of awareness, and to take ACTION! Attendees will embark on a journey breaking down the current state of the industry as we discuss the stigma surrounding Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Substance Misuse. By doing so a challenge to prioritize self-care will be made. From the onset the underlying focus will become clear, that we all are capable of the transformative potential of “Building HOPE Through ACTION”. This audience engaging discussion emphasizes the significance of compassion, support and the daily opportunities presented to you; as you embark on your own journey to “Build HOPE Through ACTION”. Upon completion participants will be have a better understanding of what is plaguing the industry - What are the contributing circumstances and/or root causes - Potential upstream intervention - Signs someone may be experiencing a struggle up to crisis - How to engage that individual - How to become more knowledgeable of available resources - Proven best practices that can be implemented immediately
Devin Henderson
What Else is Possible
Devin Henderson
What Else is PossibleDevin Henderson is a multi-talented powerhouse: an experienced presenter and seasoned performer, having logged thousands of performances as an award-winning comedian and magician and an in-demand keynote speaker. His unique combination of skills and storytelling and his hilarious and engaging interaction are what make him an audience favorite. His clients have included Pepsi, Hallmark, Cerner and hundreds more. His performances have been called, "unreal," "unexpected," and "unforgettable" and he delivers the ultimate keynote experience to inspire resilience. “WHAT ELSE IS POSSIBLE?” For many individuals and teams, a once-held vision of unlimited possibility gets small and limited as a result of life’s daily stressors, persistent insecurities, self-doubt, isolation, and even failure. But what if you and your team could reclaim and even expand your full potential at any time? And what if your truest potential was bigger, richer, and more satisfying than you had previously envisioned? Seasoned speaker and performer Devin Henderson brings an unforgettable experience of impact and inspiration that helps people and organizations take a break from the worries of the day while breaking free from perceived limits. You will discover practices for maintaining mental strength and resilience to realize your greatness like never before. You’ll learn how to: ● Be resilient to fears and challenges that sabotage what's possible when left unchecked. ● Attain a seemingly impossible goal without slowing down or giving up. ● Rethink what's possible and uncover untapped potential like never before. ● Collaborate with your teammates to achieve greater things together!
Eddie Oliva
MSHA Updates
Eddie Oliva
MSHA Updates
MSHA Safety Services -
Eddie Oliva is our Regional Health & Safety Director based out of Denver, CO. Eddie brings over 28 years of surface mining experience along with construction paving, and ready-mix experience. He has worked with various surface mines and sand & grafel pits of various raw materials incudling; granite materials, limestone, caliche sand & gravel, chemical lime, and other raw materials. He is a bilingual native Texan who then relocated to the Colorado area around 14 years ago, where now he has made his home with his lovely wife and two older kids. Going back to the late 90’s he worked at one of the largest surface mines and stone producers in the United States in San Antonio, TX, where he gained a vast knowledge of MSHA and OSHA experience along with compliance regulation, and heavy industrial maintenance experience. He was the former President of the Joseph A. Holmes Association (Hill Country Chapter) and worked closely with the Texas MSHA EFS Department and outreach program to assist small mines with MSHA compliance and safety culture training up and down the IH-35 corridor. He also has many years of HR and employee relations experience, which makes him quite easy to talk with and can assist with employee complaint resolution or safety & health training, and consulting. Over the years his knowledge has continued to focus on employee safety culture, bringing innovative methods and ideas to help change employee behavior-based safety. He strongly believes in changing employees’ mind set through gaining the hearts and minds of our mining community, in return allowing employers and employees to keep a safe working environment. While working fulltime at the Quarry, Eddie obtained an Occupational Safety & Health Degree from San Antonio College. He then attended CSU campus, where he pursued a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. He works closely with many local safety associations to stay involved in the mining & construction community to include CSSGA, NSSGA, CAPA, NAPA, CSRA, and others. Eddie’s vast mining experiences and knowledge extenuates his training ability along with his ability to communicate with our Spanish speaking clients. The innovative ideas and perspectives Eddie has gained over his many years in the industry serve him as a valuable asset to the Team.Kina Hart
It’s Your Safety, Don’t Give it away!
Kina Hart
It’s Your Safety, Don’t Give it away!Kina Hart is a passionate advocate for safety awareness and a motivational speaker who has traveled across the United States sharing her compelling story. Through her personal experiences, Kina highlights the critical importance of workplace safety and the impact of making informed and safe choices. She has spoken to diverse audiences, including Fortune 500 companies, manufacturing firms, workforces, organizations, and conferences, all with the goal of promoting rigorous safety procedures and practices. Kina holds a bachelor’s degree in education, which complements her effective communication and teaching skills. Beyond her professional endeavors, she is a dedicated athlete, holding a second-degree black belt and having competed in 13 marathons. An adventurer at heart, she enjoys scuba diving, snow skiing, and wake surfing. Her dedication and spirit were further recognized when she served as an Olympic Torch Runner during the celebrated 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Through both her professional work and personal pursuits, Kina Hart exemplifies a commitment to excellence, empowerment, and safety in all aspects of life. In addition to professional pursuits, Kina is a passionate author who recently published a children's book titled “Safetyville”. This engaging story features Kina's granddaughters, Leora and Alice, as they navigate important lessons in safety. Through this work, Kina aims to instill foundational safety awareness and responsibility in young readers, blending educational content with compelling storytelling.
Joe McNamara
Leaders Creating Leaders: Unlock the true power of a team by creating a culture of thinkers and leaders at every level
Joe McNamara
Leaders Creating Leaders: Unlock the true power of a team by creating a culture of thinkers and leaders at every levelJoe McNamara is former combat-decorated U.S. Marine Corps ground force commander and founder of Iron Leader Team, a premier leadership development firm. Joe’s leadership journey began at Virginia Tech as a member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. Upon graduation, he developed through the U.S. Marine Corps officer development programs, eventually leading teams of all sizes in training and in combat. During his service, Joe built and led elite teams through multiple combat deployments in Afghanistan, orchestrating and leading hundreds of combat missions throughout enemy strongholds. These missions, and the incredible efforts of his men, eliminated enemy threats and delivered stability in the violent, battle-damaged territories in which they operated. Joe returned from combat and was selected to command and lead Marine Corps drill instructors at the notorious Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island. There, he spearheaded a leadership development program and mentored the leaders responsible for training the nation’s next generation of warriors. Upon leaving active service, Joe earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina and joined one of the nation’s leading real estate development firms, where he built and managed an award-winning sales organization. The success of that organization ultimately led to a merger and acquisition with the largest and most successful brokerage in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia. Through the lessons learned from his time as a military and business leader, Joe founded a leadership development firm, Iron Leader Team, that has partnered with elite athletes, coaches, and corporate teams around the nation. Focused on turning passive followers into active leaders, Joe has helped teams unleash initiative, improve decisiveness, and foster adaptability at the lowest level possible – creating strong teams, winning cultures, and adaptable leaders. Additionally, Joe is a member of the Board of Directors for Operation Patriots FOB, a veteran-owned non-profit dedicated to creating and fostering positive experiences for our Nation’s Combat Veterans. (www.opfob.org)
Matt Weirich
Orthopaedics
Matt Weirich
Orthopaedics
Dr. Farmer completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He joined the Columbia Orthopaedic Group in July 2010 after practicing for five years in Springfield, Missouri. While in southwest Missouri, he served as a team physician for Missouri State University and the Springfield Cardinals, in addition to his clinical practice. He specializes in sports medicine and non-operative orthopaedic care, including athletes with acute or chronic illness, concussion management, and injury prevention.
Dr. Josh Hamann grew up in eastern Iowa where he learned from his father how to work with his hands, which translated perfectly into Orthopaedics. This, combined with Dr. Hamann's love of athletics, lead him to his career in Sports Medicine. Dr. Hamann graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Exercise Science and went on to complete Medical School and his Orthopaedic Residency at the University of Missouri. He specializes in arthroscopic and minimally invasive surgeries of the knee, shoulder, and hip, articular restoration, and ligament reconstruction. While Dr. Hamann is a skilled surgeon, he also specializes in non-operative management.
Matt has fourteen years of experience in workers’ compensation with emphasis in industrial rehabilitation, ergonomics, preventative wellness, and program development. He earned his master’s in Occupational Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis. Matt works closely with employers to implement injury prevention training and cost reduction strategies.
Jason Kunz
Human Organizational Performance and SIF
Jason Kunz
Human Organizational Performance and SIFIn an era of rapid transformation, the safety industry stands at a crossroads. The call for change has never been more urgent, but the key to unlocking a brighter future lies in the heart of effective leadership. Your leadership. Join us for an inspiring keynote that challenges norms and inspires a focus on where we need to go, rather than an emphasis on what's in the way. This session is an invitation to move beyond traditional safety and health approaches and cultivate environments that empower every worker to take ownership and contribute to your company's success. With compelling stories and cutting-edge research, we will highlight how your leadership can drive a shift in both mindset and practice. As we spotlight strategies rooted in Human and Organizational Performance (H&OP) and serious incident and fatality (SIF) prevention, you'll discover how fostering a culture of collaboration, engagement, and well-being can drive retention, mitigate risk, and advance your operations. This isn’t merely a presentation, it’s an invitation to action, a glimpse into the future. A future that sees people not as they are, but as they could be, one that meets people where they're at, then does the hard work to send them home better.