Help with Update Panel

So I have a pretty simple page here. There are two repeaters and one Modal per Repeater used to edit or add new entries to the Database. The page works fine using a refresh from the code behind but in an effort to make it run smoother I would like to use the Update Panel. If I wrap the entire page in the Panel (as shown), it works ok but never refreshes. Ithink this is beacause I have a series of things that happen in the Code Behind after clicking a button (Validation, checking for duplicates, ect.) before it actually sends changes to the server. I would like to manualy trigger the refresh from the Code Behind but one I change the update mode on the Panel to Conditional my Modal Popups no longer work right. I have never used the Update Panel but it seems like a simple concept, not sure why I am struggling. Here is the ASP code, if the VB code is needed let me know.

Thanks in advance

<asp:UpdatePanel ID="NamesUpdatePanel" runat="server" ChildrenAsTriggers="True" UpdateMode="Always"><ContentTemplate><%--Page Content--%><div class="adminHead"><asp:HyperLink ID="HyperLink1" runat="server" NavigateUrl="~/Pages/AdminMore.aspx" Font-Bold="True" Font-Size="Medium">More info --->></asp:HyperLink></div><div class="adminleft"><h2>Master Employee List</h2><p><asp:Button ID="cmdAddName" runat="server" Text="Add New Employee" 
            OnClick ="AddName" /></p><%--Employee Repeater--%><asp:Repeater ID="Repeater1" runat="server" DataSourceID="SqlDataSource1"><HeaderTemplate><table class="display" id ="employeeList"><thead><tr><th>
                        Name</th><th>
                        Email</th><th>
                        Update</th></tr></thead></HeaderTemplate><ItemTemplate><tr><td><%# Eval("name")%></td><td><%# Eval("email")%></td><td><asp:Button ID="cmdEditName" runat="server" Text="Edit/Delete" CommandArgument= '<%#Databinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "id")%>' OnClick="EditName"/> </td></tr></ItemTemplate><FooterTemplate></table></FooterTemplate> </asp:Repeater><%-- Edit panel for Names--%><asp:Button ID="btnFakeName" runat="server" Text="OpenModal" style ="display:none;" /><asp:Button ID="btnFakeDept" runat="server" Text="OpenModal" style ="display:none;" /><asp:Panel ID="PanelName" runat="server" CssClass="modalPopup"><h2>Add, Edit and Delete Employees</h2><table class = "ModalDiv" align="center"><tr><td><asp:Label ID="lblId" runat="server" Text="Id: " CssClass="ModalDiv" style ="display:none;"></asp:Label></td><td><asp:TextBox ID="txtEditId" runat="server" CssClass="ModalDiv" style ="display:none;"></asp:TextBox>     </td></tr><tr><td><asp:Label ID="lblName" runat="server" Text="Name: " CssClass="ModalDiv"></asp:Label></td><td><asp:TextBox ID="txtEditName" runat="server" CssClass="ModalDivText" MaxLength="50" Width="150px"></asp:TextBox>     </td></tr><tr><td><asp:Label ID="lblEmail" runat="server" Text="Email: " CssClass="ModalDiv"></asp:Label></td><td><asp:TextBox ID="txtEditEmail" runat="server" CssClass="ModalDivText" MaxLength="50" Width="150px"></asp:TextBox></td> </tr>   </table><asp:Button ID="cmdCancel" runat="server" Text="Cancel" CssClass="ModalDiv" /><asp:Button ID="cmdDeleteName" runat="server" Text="Delete" onClick="DeleteName" 
             CssClass="ModalDiv"/><asp:Button ID="cmdUpdateName" runat="server" Text="Save" onClick="SaveName"
            CssClass="ModalDiv" /></asp:Panel><cc1:ModalPopupExtender ID="ModalName" runat="server" BackgroundCssClass="modalBackground" PopupControlID="PanelName" TargetControlID="btnFakeName" CancelControlID="cmdCancel"></cc1:ModalPopupExtender></div><%--Department list and editing for the right hand side of the admin page--%><div class="adminright"><asp:Repeater ID="Repeater2" runat="server" DataSourceID="SqlDataSource2"><HeaderTemplate><h2>Master Department List</h2><p><asp:Button ID="cmdAddDepartment" runat="server" Text="Add New Department" 
            OnClick ="AddDepartment"/></p><table class="display" id ="departmentList"><thead><tr><th>
                        Department Name</th><th>
                        Primary Contact</th><th>
                        Update</th></tr></thead></HeaderTemplate><ItemTemplate><tr><td><%# Eval("department")%></td><td><%# Eval("deptcontact")%></td><td><asp:Button ID="cmdEditDepartment" runat="server" Text="Edit/Delete" CommandArgument= '<%#Databinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "id")%>' OnClick="EditDepartment"/> </td></tr></ItemTemplate><FooterTemplate></table></FooterTemplate></asp:Repeater><%--Edit panel for departments--%><asp:Panel ID="PanelDepartment" runat="server" CssClass="modalPopup"><h2>Add, Edit and Delete Departments</h2><table class = "ModalDiv" align="center"><tr><td><asp:Label ID="lblDepartmentId" runat="server" Text="Id: " CssClass="ModalDiv" style ="display:none;"></asp:Label></td><td><asp:TextBox ID="txtEditDepartmentId" runat="server" CssClass="ModalDiv" style ="display:none;"></asp:TextBox>     </td></tr><tr><td><asp:Label ID="lblDepartment" runat="server" Text="Department: " CssClass="ModalDiv"></asp:Label></td><td><asp:TextBox ID="txtEditDepartment" runat="server" CssClass="ModalDivText" MaxLength="50" Width="150px"></asp:TextBox>     </td></tr><tr><td><asp:Label ID="lblContact" runat="server" Text="Contact: " CssClass="ModalDiv"></asp:Label></td><td><%--<asp:TextBox ID="txtEditContact" runat="server" CssClass="ModalDivText" MaxLength="50" Width="150px"></asp:TextBox>--%><asp:DropDownList ID="ddlNamesForDepartments" runat="server" Height="27px" style="margin-left: 0px" Width="155px"></asp:DropDownList></td> </tr>   </table><asp:Button ID="cmdCancelDepartment" runat="server" Text="Cancel" CssClass="ModalDiv" /><asp:Button ID="cmdDeleteDepartment" runat="server" Text="Delete" onClick="DeleteDepartment" 
             CssClass="ModalDiv"/><asp:Button ID="cmdUpdateDepartment" runat="server" Text="Save" onClick="SaveDepartment"
            CssClass="ModalDiv" /><%--<div class="loading" align="center">
    Loading. Please wait.<br /><br /><img src="loader.gif" alt="" /></div>--%></asp:Panel><cc1:ModalPopupExtender ID="ModalDepartment" runat="server" BackgroundCssClass="modalBackground" PopupControlID="PanelDepartment" TargetControlID="btnFakeDept" CancelControlID="cmdCancelDepartment"></cc1:ModalPopupExtender></div></ContentTemplate></asp:UpdatePanel></asp:Content>