The topic of negotiating makes many people uncomfortable, but good negotiating skills can be
an incredibly valuable asset in your career - and even in your daily life. Learning how to
negotiate successfully takes practice - but most people aren’t explicitly taught how to negotiate.
Women and people early in their careers (or both!) are likely to be less-effective negotiators
without extra practice and training, and often cultural, demographic, and economic forces are
also at play which can act as barriers to success. In this hands-on workshop we will discuss
negotiating best practices, and work with participants to put ideas into action and act out
strategies to practice being the best negotiator each of us can be.

Roughly half the session time will be used for delivering tips/tricks + best practices as a round-
robin style presentation by the three presenters.

The other half will be used for trying out strategies:
1. Group Session - Participants will break into small groups (3-5) and practice with real
scenarios. Group members will either share a negotiating experience that did or didn't go
well, or practice as a group brainstorming around a future need or desire that one of their
group members plan to negotiate in the future.

2. Speed negotiating exercise - participants will pair up 1:1 and face to face, “speed-dating”
style. One partner will pick a card with 3 scenarios to negotiate (easy/med/hard) and will
choose a scenario to negotiate. They will roleplay the scenario with their partner, and
afterward, the partner will give feedback on their performance. Then they’ll trade roles
and the other partner will choose another scenario to role play. When both partners have
tried the “asking” role, partners will move down the line to a new partner (à la speed
dating).

Learning Objectives
1. Define key tactics for successful negotiating
2. Identify different power dynamics related to negotiation
3. Explore options for leverage beyond salary/compensation
4. Apply practical tools for negotiating by practicing

Bios:

Annie Hess (pronouns: she/her) is a Human Resources leader with specialized experience in Compensation, Rewards, and Talent Acquisition. As the Director of Compensation for George Washington University and a business consultant focusing on personnel and strategy, Annie enthusiastically helps teams meet and exceed organizational attraction, retention, and engagement goals. With a proven background in leading multifaceted teams, implementing complex strategies, and overseeing large-scale projects, Annie is also skilled in designing proactive and flexible compensation and talent acquisition strategies, Annie is energized by helping develop individuals and teams, and she’s passionate about employee and organization growth. She’s also an Odyssey of the Mind coach, a wife, and a mother of three.

Jess Krometis (pronouns: she/her), Associate IALD, IES brings her theatrical sensibilities, honed through a decade in the Chicago theatre scene, to the architectural lighting world. She is a Senior Designer at Hartranft Lighting Design located in Washington, DC. She has designed and programmed colorful, dynamic building facades and full environmental spaces. Her recent projects include museums, sculptures, experiences, media studios, lighting installations, office campuses, and hospitality. Jess has spoken at Enlighten Americas, LEDucation, IES Annual Conference, Boston Lights, and the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival as well as guest lectured at several universities. She is currently one of the IALD DC Chapter Coordinators, a member of the IALD Education Trust Stipend Committee, and one of the WILD DC, MD, VA chapter committee members.

Sara Schonour (Pronouns She/Her) mixes engineering, illumination, education, entertainment, and entrepreneurship fluidly as a consultant in the industries she enjoys the most. She spent 16 years at the world-renowned architecture firm CannonDesign, where she built and led their award-winning Lighting Studio. Sara then joined the team at Lytei as the VP of education and community engagement, before starting her own consulting firm: Luxsi. Sara is deeply engaged in the lighting world, sits on multiple industry and advisory boards, and acts as an ambassador to the broader design community. She loves to learn and also loves to share what she’s learned, and has served as adjunct faculty at both the Boston Architectural College (BAC) and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), in addition to speaking regularly at events, on podcasts, in classrooms and at conferences on various topics surrounding light and life. Sara volunteers as the Facilities Co-Director at the Footlight Club, America’s Oldest Community Theater, and is a passionate advocate for diversity and STEM outreach. You can see Sara in action representing the world of lighting and engineering on the hitNetflix show, Baking Impossible.

WILD DC, MD, N.VA - Negotiating Seminar and Workshop