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Two-day Conference on the Organizational Climate of Congress


  • University of Maryland College Park, MD (map)

Thursday, October 24, 2019

1:00-2:00pm
Lunch in the Special Events room, McKeldin Library, UMD campus

2:00 – 2:15pm
Welcome and opening remarks, Greg Ball, Dean of UMD's College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

2:15-3:45pm

Panel I: Is Congress a Dysfunctional Workplace? The Inside Perspective
Panel of former Members of Congress:

  • Charles Boustany (Former Congressman from Louisiana)

  • Donna Edwards (Former Congresswoman from Maryland)

  • Elizabeth Esty (Former Congresswoman from Connecticut)

  • Connie Morella (Former Congresswoman from Maryland)

3:45-4:00pm
Coffee Break

4:00pm – 5:30pm
Panel II: What is a dysfunctional workplace?

  • Michele Gelfand (UMD, Dept. of Psychology)

  • Rick Guzzo (Mercer Consulting)

  • Danielle Thomsen (UC-Irvine, Dept. of Political Science)

  • Jim Curry (Univ. of Utah, Dept. of Political Science)

Friday, October 25, 2019

8:30-9:15am
Breakfast in the Special Events room, McKeldin Library, UMD campus

9:15-10:45am
Panel III: UMD Report on Congressional Culture

  • Paul Hanges (UMD)

  • Frances Lee (Princeton)

  • Kris Miler (UMD)

  • Jen Wessel (UMD)

10:45-11:00am
Coffee break

11:00 – 12:30pm
Panel IV: How work identity affects and reflects our work behaviors

  • Jen Wessel (UMD, Dept. of Psychology)

  • Michael Pratt (Boston College, Carroll School of Management)

  • Tracy Sulkin (Univ. of Illinois, Dept. of Political Science)

  • Laurel Harbridge-Yong (Northwestern, Dept. of Political Science)

12:30-1:30pm
Lunch

1:30-3:00pm
Panel V: How do you create a positive workplace climate in Congress?

  • Mandy O’Neill (George Mason University, School of Business)

  • Colleen Shogan (Library of Congress & Georgetown University)

  • Keith Allred (Executive Director, National Institute for Civil Discourse)

  • Casey Burgat (R Street)