Los Angeles HR Star Conference Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Speaker Information Christopher Boucher, Esq., AWI-CH, CLRM, SHRM-SCP is a Founding Attorney at Boucher Law and a Keynote Speaker. Christopher’s practice focuses on labor and employment law. His expertise includes representing employers in a union environment, including labor negotiations, and the meaning and application of labor contract provisions. He also serves as trusted counsel to employers throughout California regarding workplace investigations, employee discipline, grievance issues, reasonable accommodation issues and other labor and employment law matters. In addition, his clients value his practical HR experience. Prior to entering private practice, Christopher spent over a decade as a seasoned human resources executive with a broad spectrum of experience, including municipalities, public utilities, aviation, maritime, special districts, K-12 as well as higher education. Most notably, Christopher served as the Director of Human Resources for the Port of Oakland from 2014 to 2018. As an experienced workplace investigator, Christopher holds the Association of Workplace Investigators Certificate Holder credential, in addition to serving as part-time faculty for the Association’s Training Institute for Workplace Investigators. Christopher has been featured as a “Top Five Rising Stars” by Human Resource Executive magazine, and has received many prominent recognitions for his accomplishments as an attorney, including America’s Top 50 Lawyers, MyLegalWin's Top 10 Employment Attorneys and Top Lawyer by the American Institute of Legal Advocates. Christopher earned his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and graduated cum laude with a J.D. from the Abraham Lincoln University School of Law. In addition, he received a professional certificate from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and attended the Harvard Negotiation Institute at Harvard Law School. Allison West, Esq., SHRM-SCP, AWI-CH is the Managing Principal of Employment Practices Specialists and holds a simple approach to employment practices: be proactive. Using her employment law background, coupled with her sound knowledge of human resources practices, Allison provides proactive risk management services aimed at helping companies both prevent and resolve employment claims. She is a top-rated speaker at the annual SHRM conference as well as other HR conferences speaking on employment law and human resources topics. Allison specializes in delivering customized in-house training programs to companies of all sizes, serving a wide variety of industries. Her expertise also includes delivering one-on-one sensitivity training to executives, managers and employees concerning harassment, discrimination, and disciplinary and/or behavioral issues as well as conducting workplace investigations, providing expert witness assistance and other HR consulting. Allison is a member of the State Bar of California and holds an AWI-CH credential. Debbie Birndorf, Esq., MBA is a Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP. She has practiced law for 30 years at firms in both Chicago and Los Angeles. Debbie represents employers in all aspects of employment law, including defense of harassment and discrimination claims, wage claims, wage and hour class actions, wrongful termination, disability claims and misappropriation of trade secrets. She also provides preventative counseling and drafts and reviews employment contracts, severance agreements, employee handbooks and policies. Debbie has been named a 2022 Super Lawyer in Employment and Labor. She was previously awarded the Super Lawyer honor in 2013 and 2015-2021. She was also named one of the 2022 Women of Influence: Attorneys by Los Angeles Business Journal, named one of the Top Employment and Labor Attorneys in Los Angeles and one of the Top Women Attorneys by Los Angeles Magazine. Birndorf Law Offices was also recognized by Los Angeles Magazine as one of the Best Law Firms in Los Angeles. Debbie serves on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Labor and Employment Section and Co-Chairs the Saturday Seminar Program Committee. Debbie earned her B.A. from UCLA, her M.B.A. from NYU and her law degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where she graduated at the top of her class. In addition to her full-time practice, Debbie frequently speaks on a variety of employment law topics and teaches Legal Aspects of Employee Relations at UCLA Extension as part of the HR Certificate program. Dave Collins is the Founder & CEO of Oak and Reeds - a corporate training firm dedicated to using the tools of improvisation to train clients on everyday soft skills. Dave is an award-winning improvisor, speaker and corporate strategist with over a decade of experience performing and coaching improv. Along with his teammates, Dave won the National Collegiate Improv Tournament. He has headlined shows across the United States and individually has coached hundreds of students and professionals in the art and practice of applied improvisation. Prior to founding Oak and Reeds, he worked as a change management expert at AECOM. As part of AECOM's workplace strategy team, Dave helped clients to examine the relationship between workspace and productivity, enabling people to break old habits and embrace change. Dave holds a B.A. in Communication and Economics from Northwestern University with a specialization in Team Leadership. Liliana O. Salazar, Esq. is the Chief Compliance Officer for the Pacific Region for HUB International and is responsible for addressing employers’ health and welfare responsibilities under federal and state laws and city ordinances. She works closely with HUB’s service teams and clients to develop short-term and long-term strategies that allow clients to remain in compliance while addressing clients’ financial and human capital needs. Liliana interacts with regulatory agencies such as the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Treasury Department, the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state insurance departments to discuss the applicability of laws and regulations to group health plans. Liliana possesses 25 years of experience in addressing the compliance and regulatory needs of employers and their group health plans. She actively worked with carriers and clients in ensuring their compliance with the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and HITECH Act rules, GASB 45 obligations and more recently the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Prior to joining HUB, Liliana was National Practice Leader for the Employee Benefits Compliance Practice of Wells Fargo Insurance Services and Vice President of Compliance for ABD Insurance Services. Liliana is a regular speaker at national and state conferences sponsored by employers, employee benefit chapters and HR associations, including ISCEBS, SHRM, CALPELRA, PERLA, NAFOA and others. She is also a regular contributor to national and regional employee benefit publications. Due to her many industry contributions over the years, Liliana was the recipient of the Women to Watch Award from Business Insurance. Lauraine Bifulco is the President/CEO of Vantaggio HR - an HR management and outsourcing firm that serves the HR needs of small and large companies across a wide variety of industries. With over 35 years of HR experience and a strong passion for HR and training, Lauraine leads her team at Vantaggio HR to deliver high-level HR consulting services to companies across the U.S. with a boutique and customized approach to each client’s unique HR requirements. Lauraine has been a regular speaker at the SHRM National Conference for over 13 years as well as at the CAHR/PIHRA conference and numerous other HR groups around the country. She is often asked to co-present with prominent employment attorneys and is recognized as an industry expert in compliance issues. Ms. Bifulco is a founding member of one of the Orange County chapters of WPO (Women Presidents' Organization) and has served for many years on the board of the California Small Business Association where she also chairs a committee on labor issues. Lauraine received her Bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and conducted her graduate-level studies at the Sorbonne in Paris. Jennifer Ewing, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, MBA is the Program Chair for the Master of Human Resources Management program at Claremont Lincoln University where she also teaches courses in strategic HR, analytics, total rewards and ethics. With 22 years of teaching experience across multiple institutions and over 30 years in human resources, Jennifer is committed to connecting academic knowledge with real-world application, ensuring that students gain the skills needed for career advancement. Jennifer remains actively engaged in the HR field, advising public and private organizations on talent management, compensation strategies and organizational development. She has served as President of her local SHRM chapter and continues to contribute to the profession through leadership roles and mentorship. A frequent contributor to business publications, Jennifer provides insights on HR updates, challenges and solutions for leaders. In recognition of her impact on HR and education, she was awarded the 2024 Michigan SHRM Lifetime Achievement Award. Jennifer holds a BSBA in Operations Management and an MBA in Human Resources. Candice Gottlieb-Clark, MS, CRC, BCE is the Founder & CEO of Dynamic Team Solutions as well as a Business Advisor, Coach and Conflict Management Specialist. Candice founded Dynamic Team Solutions, to help businesses strengthen their leaders and employees through enhanced conflict management, communication, teamwork and leadership. Dynamic Team Solutions provides executive and leadership coaching, team building and development, and conflict management and resolution to positively transform business functionality in terms of employee relations, morale, turnover, culture and productivity. Candice is a sought after speaker and writer on the topics of leadership, teamwork, communication and conflict management and is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). Candice holds a Master's degree in Counseling from San Diego State University, is a Certified Mediator of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and is a Board Certified Executive Coach. Bryan Barlow, CFI®, MBA, MJ is a Senior Instructor with Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc. (WZ) where he focuses on trauma-informed interviewing, workplace investigations, evidence-based interviewing techniques and the law. He joined the Chicago Police Department (CPD) in 2002 and was promoted to Detective in 2008 where he conducted a wide variety of investigations around the city. In 2015 Bryan became an instructor for the CPD's Bureau of Detectives where he researched, wrote curriculum and delivered training to new officers, newly promoted detectives and department members on investigatory topics and methodologies. After retiring from the CPD in 2023, Bryan began conducting seminars as an instructor for WZ. Trying to gather information from traumatized individuals can be difficult, especially when regular information-gathering does not allow for a complete picture. The difficulty stems from the effect trauma has on the brain of a survivor. But interviewing in a victim-centered, trauma-informed manner allows for the best information available to aid in the conduct of a workplace investigation. Bryan holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola University Chicago as well as a Master of Jurisprudence degree with a concentration in Criminal Law from DePaul University. In addition, he is a veteran of the U.S. Army. Leena Mendoza, M.S. is the visionary force behind Intentional Leadership based in San Jose and the Co-Founder of CobleTree, where her expertise in executive coaching and leadership development sets her apart. Leena specializes in preparing leaders to position and posture themselves for high-impact roles - helping them elevate their brand, establish authority and align with strategic partners for long-term success. Her strategic acumen lies in crafting solutions that not only align with clients’ business goals but also accelerate growth and profitability. By integrating analytical thinking with effective communication and a keen ability to solve problems, Leena provides high-performing leaders with the tools they need to manage with excellence. Leena is dedicated to fostering a culture of intentional leadership, continuous growth and ethical business practices. Her work unlocks pivotal opportunities for organizations and leaders alike. Through her coaching and consulting she builds leaders who are ready to make an enduring impact. Leena has been certified with the International Coaching Federation, ATD Project Management, John Maxwell Leadership Trainer, DISC Assessment, Positive Intelligence Coach and the El Puente Institute. In addition, she was honored as the Latina Business Woman of the Year and is President-elect of NAWBO Silicon Valley. Lorie Reichel-Howe is the Founder & Lead Trainer of Conversations in the Workplace as well as a professional mediator and a leadership communication coach. She equips managers, teams and business professionals to have “Safe Conversations” – transformative dialogue that uncovers hidden workplace issues. Whether addressing challenging team dynamics, mismanaged expectations, cultural insensitivity or good old-fashioned bad behavior, “Safe Conversations” foster greater innovation, inclusion and collaboration within organizations. With over 20 years of experience in communications, management and training and development, Lorie is passionate about supporting organizations in creating a culture where people love where they work and love the people they work with. Organizations Lorie has supported include Pinterest, SHRM, PIHRA, HR.com, Women in Technology International, Los Angeles Women’s Leadership Conference, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, Santa Clara Superior Court, San Jose State University, Santa Clara County Office of Education among many others. Lorie received her B.A. from Seattle Pacific University and her mediation and conflict coaching certificate from Community Boards in San Francisco. In addition, Lorie has served as adjunct staff with Antioch University. Alexis Haselberger, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, RCC is a time-management, productivity and leadership coach. She spent the first 15 years of her career managing human resources and operations at several early-stage start-ups. Over that time Alexis developed and implemented numerous leadership and productivity systems as well as training programs to ensure that goals were met and that the companies thrived. Additionally, Alexis has worked at an HR outsourcing firm as an HR consultant to over 100 companies. Today, through her private practice, Alexis helps individuals and teams do more and stress less via coaching and corporate workshops on the issues of time-management, productivity and leadership. Her client list includes notables like Google, Upwork, Lyft, Silicon Valley Bank among many others. Alexis holds a BA from New York University and remains active in the Bay Area HR community. Adal Padilla is a Senior Consultant at TIAA and a ScholarShare 529 representative. His geographic area of influence includes Los Angeles County, Ventura County and Santa Barbara County. A firm believer that education is one of the most valuable treasures we can provide to our future generations, Adal focuses on helping employers enhance their benefits packages by incorporating the free and valuable financial wellness benefit of the ScholarShare 529 Workplace Savings Program. Employers increasingly have become interested in understanding the growing need for their employees to support financial issues beyond the paycheck, including health care benefits, retirement savings and college savings. Doing so connects the company to the employee’s family, reduces employee financial stress and helps foster loyalty and retention. Adal Padilla joined TIAA in 2018 and brings with him over 10 years of financial services experience. He has worked with some of the nation's top employers and major universities. In addition Adal is an active member of the TIAA Business Resource Groups, volunteering for different projects to make a positive impact in area communities. Adal holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at La Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico and holds FINRA series 7, 6, and 63 licenses as a financial professional. Kristen Brun Sharkey is the Founder and CEO of Emboldify in San Francisco where she is an executive coach, speaker and corporate facilitator. Previously, Kristen spent 15 years leading teams in advertising, tech and marketing at companies ranging from early-stage startup to Fortune 100. Today she helps leaders advance their careers, make better decisions, execute change effectively, develop innovative solutions and successfully engage their teams. Kristen's unique approach combines evidence-based business and leadership frameworks with principles and skills from improv and theater in order to help her clients and audiences accelerate their impact. She holds a Master's degree in Management, Strategy & Leadership from Michigan State University and has spoken at innovative conferences such as the California Conference for Women, DeveloperWeek Management and the Chief in Tech Summit. Braden 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, San Francisco and Cleveland, Ohio where he is based. Over 1,800 HR professionals attended an HR Star Conference in 2024.