Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana hosts its full-day Education and Mission Conference (GEM) every year. It’s a professional development event meant to connect mission and education staff across our service area. It provides an opportunity for them to learn from each other and share best practices through presentations and workshops.

Every GEM Conference session is based on a theme that the organizers create. In 2025, the theme was “Thriving Together: Building the Future.” This theme highlights the innovation occurring within Goodwill’s mission and education teams, including processes and practices that can greatly enhance the student or participant experience.

“It reflects on the exciting growth happening across Goodwill,” said Kari Podany, the Goodwill Education Initiatives Project Manager and an organizer of this year’s conference. “As our corporate office undergoes its own remodel, the GEM theme carries that same spirit of renewal and collaboration into our work. It’s about coming together across education, mission and the community to strengthen what we do and build the foundation for what’s next.”

One stand-out session this year was “What Does Empathy Look Like?” This interactive discussion on trauma and identity exemplifies this year’s theme by showing how mission and education staff can leverage empathy to better impact participants, students and employees now and in the future.

“The GEM Conference is one of the few times each year when our entire education and mission teams come together to learn,” said Kari. “It not only supports professional growth, but also reinforces the sense of community and purpose that drives our work every day.”

Goodwill serves thousands of people daily, through programs that connect registered nurses and first-time families, tuition-free high schools for adults and more. To learn more about programs like The Excel Center®, Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership®, Indianapolis Metropolitan High School and more, visit goodwillindy.org.