Cleveland HR Star Conference Wednesday, August 2, 2023 Featured Presenters Eric Papp is a highly respected speaker and trainer as well as the Founder of Agape Leadership, LLC - an intellectual capital firm based in Tampa, Florida that focuses on performance leadership. Eric has a long, successful history of delivering proven ways to increase organizational productivity and improve employee performance in an ever complex world. Since 2010 Eric has worked with thousands of top executives, key managers and front-line workers and consistently receives top evaluations. Audiences particularly enjoy Eric's impromptu humor, his articulation of unspoken challenges and his ability to provide actionable strategies. Besides being one of North America's top management trainers, Eric is also the author of, "Leadership By Choice" a business must-read published by John Wiley & Sons. He has also written three other books: "3 Values of Being An Effective Person", "The Sales Planner" and "The Priority Planner". Eric's client list includes notables like BMW, Nationwide Insurance, Pulte Homes, Papa Johns, Homeland Security, LifeLock, the National Institutes of Health, Million Dollar Round Table and the American Dental Association, just to name a few. He earned his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. Joanie Bily is the Chief Experience Officer of Employbridge, the largest industrial staffing company in the U.S. She is also the President of RemX, the professional staffing division of Employbridge. Joanie brings together brand enhancement, public relations, enterprise communications, internal branding and the company’s Voice of the American Workforce program - the largest annual survey of the U.S. hourly workforce - to create a connected brand experience. Joanie also leads RemX where she is responsible for strategic growth and the development of multiple lines of business and specialty segments. As an industry expert Joanie is often called upon to discuss the labor market data, workplace trends and the talent supply and demand cycles that impact U.S. employers. She is a regular guest on the Fox Business Network, including Maria Bartiromo’s “Mornings with Maria” program, sharing insights each month on the national monthly employment trends. She has also appeared as an industry expert on ABC, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and PBS, and she has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and Newsweek. Joanie is the author of, "Dive In D.E.E.P.: Strategies to Advance Your Career, Find Balance, and Live Your Best Life", and she is a contributing author to, "Together We Rise" which highlights stories of inspiring women pursuing their goals, building confidence and overcoming adversity. Joanie has served on the Board of Directors of the American Staffing Association (ASA) for the past five years, and beginning in October 2023 she will lead the organization as Board Chair. Joanie has been recognized as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Staffing” by Staffing Industry Analysts for six consecutive years and was the recipient of the World Staffing Summit Award in 2021. Seth P. Briskin, Esq. is Managing Partner of Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis where he is Chair of the Labor & Employment group as well as Chair of the Affirmative Action & OFCCP Compliance group. Mr. Briskin provides labor and employment counsel to private, public sector and non-profit organizations. He represents employers and executives in employment litigation, wage and hour matters, non-competition and trade secret litigation, workers’ compensation claims/appeals, union organizing drives, collective bargaining, labor arbitrations and all manner of disputes involving the NLRB, OSHA, EEOC, OCRC, BWC and the Department of Labor. In addition, he prepares employment and consulting contracts, confidentiality and non-competition agreements and advises clients on severance packages and separation agreements. Before joining the firm Mr. Briskin practiced at boutique and general practice law firms where he developed his experience in all areas of labor and employment law. He also interned for the National Labor Relations Board. Honored as an "Ohio Super Lawyer” from 2015-2022, Seth frequently speaks on labor and employment law issues. He serves as an Officer on the Executive Boards of the Cleveland Leadership Center, American Jewish Committee, Beachwood Chamber of Commerce and the Cleveland Jewish News. Mr. Briskin earned his B.S. from Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations and his J.D. from Case Western Reserve School of Law. Amy B. Shannon is both the President of Pinnacle Leadership Solutions as well as a Partner in Your Partner in HR. She has specialized in organizational development, human resources and training for over 25 years. Amy works in roles ranging from executive coach to leadership trainer to strategic planning expert to retreat facilitator, helping her clients reach their potential. For the past 13 years Amy has been an organizational development consultant working with clients in manufacturing, service, financial and healthcare industries. Most recently Amy served as the Executive Director of Corporate College where she created a robust leadership training curriculum. Prior to her OD work she spent 10 years as Director of Human Resources with Western-Southern Enterprise and Kendle International. For both of these organizations, Amy built competency-based corporate universities that were nationally recognized. Her most prestigious corporate university initiative, Kendle College, served 1300 employees in 8 countries and was taught in 3 languages. Amy is a regular speaker at national conferences and was featured at The Corporate University Week at the Disney Institute. She was a recipient of the 2015 HR Awards presented by ERC & C-SHRM. Jennifer Corso, Esq. is a Partner at Petronzio Schneier Co. LPA and has represented organizations in labor and employment law for almost 30 years. Jennifer offers employers a proactive approach to employment matters, innovative solutions and top-rate advocacy in defending employee claims. She is certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a Specialist in Labor and Employment Law and represents employers in federal, state and appellate courts. Jennifer also performs workplace investigations, employment practices audits, supervisory training and employment counseling. In addition she represents clients participating in mediation, arbitration or other alternative dispute resolution procedures involving employment matters. She has written several articles and has spoken at numerous events on employment law topics. Jennifer has been named both a “Super Lawyer” (2015-2023) and a “Rising Star Super Lawyer” (2005) by Ohio Super Lawyers Magazine, which identifies outstanding Ohio lawyers who have demonstrated superior professional potential. Jennifer is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and earned her J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Sonya Weiland, PHR, SHRM-CP is the Founder of Your Partner in HR based in Northeast Ohio. Focused on building positive relationships as a strategic partner with clients, Sonya has partnered with senior executives developing talent management and HR solutions with clear links to business results. Her expertise includes creating, designing and implementing training, coaching and HR systems for clients such as Sandridge Foods, PIRHL Contractors, Taleris Credit Union and Ralston Instruments. Sonya is certified as a Professional in Human Resources through HRCI and is an active member of both SHRM and The Cleveland Coach Federation and has contributed to articles in The Cleveland Plain Dealer and various business publications. Sonya is recognized as an enthusiastic and interactive speaker and trainer supporting various companies, non-profit organizations and associations. A strong advocate for community involvement, Sonya serves on an advisory board and supports multiple non-profit organizations. Sonya is a graduate of John Carroll University. Kris Cannon-Jackson, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CDP, CTA is a highly regarded speaker and facilitator with more than 20 years' of experience in human resources and business management, with a passion of helping to engage employees in the workforce. Since 2009 she’s owned the HR Consulting firm, InnerGi Consulting, where the focus is helping businesses with their HR needs. Kris is a Certified Diversity Practitioner, is SHRM and HRCI certified and very active in the community. She is the co-author of the Implicit Bias curriculum that was adopted by and taught at the City of Columbus to over 8,000 city employees and has been taught to more than 10,000 people nationwide. Kris volunteers for several organizations, including the CYP Club, Columbus Inspires, WELD (Women for Economic & Leadership Development) and Ohio SHRM. Susan Pyles, MA is the Vice President, Professional Development at ERC where she oversees delivery of all client service solutions. An award-winning human resource leader, Susan brings more than 20 years of achievements in talent management and assessment, performance management, employee experience, HR analytics, leadership development, coaching and workforce planning. Susan has leadership experience in many industries, including manufacturing, retail, financial services, health care and academia. Previously as Director, Global Talent Management & HR Business Partner at MTD Products, Susan was responsible for talent acquisition, planning and development, HR analytics and employee engagement. Susan led a variety of global initiatives at MTD, including talent review, succession planning, leadership competency, 360 assessment, performance management as well as the launch of an online learning solution. Prior to MTD Susan was Manager, Talent Development at Invacare. Before that she was Practice Leader & Senior Consultant at ERC, where she led a variety of initiatives, including performance management, career development, executive coaching, leadership development, talent assessments and strategic planning projects. Before originally joining ERC Susan spent a decade in the learning and performance department of Ohio Savings/AmTrust Bank, ultimately leading the department as Vice President. Under her leadership, Ohio Savings was a multi-year recipient of ERC’s NorthCoast 99 Award and Training Magazine’s Top 100 Award. Susan carries nearly a dozen certifications, holds a Bachelor of Business Management degree from Ohio University and holds a Master of Arts degree from Kent State University. Christina M. Royer, Esq. is a Partner with Employment Law Partners. She has practiced exclusively in the area of employment law representing individuals since 2004. Chris brings a breadth of experience in the area, in particular, her knowledge and skill regarding Ohio unemployment compensation law. Chris was selected as a "Rising Star" from 2009 to 2011 by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine, and she has also been selected as a "Super Lawyer" in the area of Employment Law by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine since 2012. Chris's practice includes representing individuals in cases involving employment discrimination and retaliation, unemployment compensation claims, non-compete agreements and severance negotiations. Chris is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association and the Ohio Employment Lawyers Association, where she has served on the Board and the Amicus Committee since 2007. She also served as Chair of the Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association from 2011 to 2015. Ms. Royer is also a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, serving as the 2014-2015 Chair of the Court Rules Committee. In addition to her law practice, Chris serves individuals in the workplace as an Executive Coach. She completed the coach certification program at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland in May 2013 and also holds an Associate Certified Coach credential from the International Coach Federation. Chris's coaching practice focuses primarily on working with employees whose behaviors present challenges to the organization, assisting them to enhance their performance and become effective contributors in the workplace. She also coaches individuals who are seeking to attain greater career satisfaction and work/life balance, as well as assisting them to build or hone leadership skills. Chris was recently appointed as adjunct faculty at Cleveland State University teaching Human Resources topics to graduate level students in the Diversity Management Program. Chris is a frequent speaker on topics relating to employment issues. Chris earned her M.A. from Kent State University and her J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law, Summa Cum Laude. Tom Wirbel, MBA is Vice President of CPI-HR. Originally joining CPI-HR as a Benefits Consultant, through innovative and successful strategies Tom has achieved notable results in aiding client-companies manage the escalating costs of health insurance. Motivated by client feedback that continues to point to health insurance as the number one HR concern, Tom focuses his expertise on developing and designing employee benefit plans. Throughout his career, Tom has also acted as an HR consultant to small and medium-sized businesses in Northeastern Ohio. A native of Cleveland, Tom graduated from John Carroll University with a BSBA and earned an MBA from Cleveland State University. Natalie Lemons is the Founder and President of Resilience Group, LLC where she specializes in the areas of HR Consulting, Outplacement and Executive Search. Natalie services a diverse group of national and international companies, focusing on mid-to-upper-level management searches in a variety of industries. Natalie began her career in the Human Resources industry over twenty-two years ago. She approaches her role in a consultative manner: as a counselor. Each company - and the openings within it - is unique, so analyzing the personalities of employees and company culture is imperative to her. As a result of this approach combined with her deep experience in the executive search industry, she has built a loyal client base. Natalie is a graduate of Cleveland State University and holds advanced degrees in Education, Community Health and Sports Medicine. She continues to learn and share innovative techniques for leadership, sourcing and searching for top talent and providing informative presentations to HR and business leaders. Amanda Weaver, CFI® brings over 18 years of private sector experience to the seminars she conducts for Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc. (WZ). She has a diverse investigation background, including specialty, luxury, big box and distribution/fulfillment center segments. Amanda is well versed in all areas of investigations, loss mitigation, inventory management and strategic planning. Over her career she has worked for some of the most recognized names in retail, including Nordstrom, Ann Taylor, Border’s Bookstores, Victoria’s Secret, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Kohl’s. Amanda has conducted hundreds of interviews and interrogations and has taught seminars to thousands on these important subjects. She is a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI) which demonstrates an understanding of the legal aspects of interviewing as well as proficiency in interview preparation, behavioral analysis, accusatory and non-accusatory interviewing, documentation and presentation of findings. The objective of this certification program is to create comprehensive and universally accepted professional standards combined with an objective measure of an interviewer’s knowledge of these standards. Amanda is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a degree in Political Science Lisa Grisafo is an HR Consultant at ERC and has over 25 years of experience in the human resources, banking and financial services industries. Lisa provides ERC clients with expert guidance, recommendations and implementation support in the areas of employment law compliance, employee relations, performance management, talent attraction and total rewards. She also offers support on all facets of HR management, ranging from strategic initiatives to administrative functions. Previously Lisa served as an Employee Relations Consultant for three years at KeyBank. While at Key she provided HR consultation, support and advice to all levels of management on employee relations issues surrounding policy, procedure and programs. Lisa also revised and provided feedback on employment documents, including performance improvement plans and termination documents. Prior to Key Lisa coordinated and managed all HR functions at an architectural firm. Lisa started her career at Bank of America, formerly MBNA America. During her 12-year tenure there she held various positions, including Customer Satisfaction Specialist, Marketing Manager, Customer Satisfaction Unit Manager, Customer Assistance and Satisfaction Department Manager, Personnel Department Manager and Personnel Department Vice President. While serving as Vice President, Lisa managed HR operations and support for two regional locations, providing high-level HR counsel and guidance to senior management in support of recruiting and retention-related employment issues. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s from John Carroll University. Ron Chylinski, PHR is a Health and Safety Training Manager for Employbridge. There Ron develops and provides tools, resources and activities for enhancing understanding, passion and responsibility in the disciplines of safety. He helps drive a safety culture throughout the organization, developing and driving training programs and value-added services to clients, associates and internal teams. Over the last 28 years Ron has held several positions within the Employbridge family, including Operations, Sales and for the last 17 years the Safety Department. He is a member of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Services Sector Council which is stewarded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (part of the CDC) with a focus on protecting temporary workers. Ron holds a Professional in Human Resources certification, is a member of The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and has been authorized by OSHA to deliver 10 hour and 30 hour outreach safety classes to workers in general industry. Viktoria Levay is a Corporate Wellness Coach and Certified Resilience Trainer. She has helped over 2,000 employees to lead healthier, happier and more productive lives. She leads on-site education and coaching sessions for employee wellness in order to maximize retention, improve performance and benefit overall health and wellness. Viktoria has created wellness-related newsletters, presentations and videos on topics ranging from an anti-inflammatory lifestyle to gut & immune system health to preventing diabetes. She has redesigned vending machine and cafeteria selections and has provided employees with crucial suggestions for meal prepping and healthier life choices, often in support of present wellness committee initiatives. In addition, Viktoria has facilitated leadership trainings and has provided coaching for executives on how to design and implement stress management and energy management programs for their organizations. Besides her corporate well-being initiatives, Viktoria has organized a variety of community workshops as well as private wellness events, brunches and dinners for achieving high-functional performance and productivity. Her client list includes: Starbucks, Hylant, Excelas, 7Signal, Ohio Real Title, NOOK Industries, ArmorCode, C-Vision International, TT Electronics, AmTrust, Corrigan Krause, The Cuyahoga Group, South Franklin Circle, K2 Manufacturing and YPO Cleveland. Samantha Vance is the Manager, Surveys & Research at ERC. Sam works with data to provide employers with insights into practices that create and support great workplaces. At ERC she manages both internal and client surveys and is a key contributor to the employee engagement practice. Sam also provides design support, statistical analysis and client recommendations across all practice areas and for the NorthCoast 99 awards program. She holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Ohio University and earned her Master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology research from Cleveland State University. In addition, Sam is certified in 21st Century Leadership. Karen Clark, MBA, MHRM, CDP is a dedicated HR Consultant with more than 15 years’ experience managing human resource programs and functions through her consulting firm Think Teach Aspire, LLC. She is an engaging and enthusiastic facilitator with the ability to build relationships with a diverse population and effectively communicate across all levels of the organization. Karen has been studying, researching and facilitating sessions related to inclusion for over 20 years. She is the co-author of the Implicit Bias curriculum that was adopted by and taught at the City of Columbus to over 8,000 city employees and has been taught to more than 10,000 people nationwide. In 2017 Karen earned a Certificate of Diversity Practitioner (CDP) through the National Diversity Council. Karen continues to develop customized courses on issues concerning race, inclusion and workplace equity. Helen Oshaben draws on a broad range of human resources experience for her role as HR Consultant at ERD. As a member of ERC’s HR Help Desk, she provides members with information and professional guidance on a variety of HR and general business-related topics. Previously Helen served as Director of Human Resources for eight years at Hawken School where she offered both hands-on experience and strategic insights. She also managed the employee life cycle, payroll, benefits and retirement plan administration. In addition she worked closely with legal counsel relating to compliance concerns. Prior to Hawken Helen was a Senior Consultant and Insurance Advisor with Oswald Companies for 11 years. As a business partner to her clients Helen provided proactive support relating to benefits strategy as well as DOL and ERISA regulations . Helen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace University, SHRM-CP certification and an Ohio Life, Accident and Health Insurance License. Braden L. Albert is the Founder and President of the HR Star Conference and its parent company, Abbington Court Media. A graduate of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, Braden began organizing job fairs and trade shows in the mid-1990's. Intrigued by the idea of bringing people together for a shared, learning experience - and impressed by the impact such an experience can provide - Braden organized his first HR Star Conference in 1999. Today, the scope of the HR Star Conference includes annual events in Los Angeles, California; Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; and Cleveland, Ohio. Over 3,200 HR professionals attended an HR Star Conference in 2019.