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Cleveland HR Star Conference
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Featured Presenters
Paul Meshanko, MBA, CSP is an acclaimed author, international speaker, CEO and business leader with over 20
years of experience in leadership development and organizational culture change. After founding Legacy Business Cultures in
1997 his business has grown to become one of the country's top training, development and employee survey providers.
As a presenter and facilitator Paul has captivated over a quarter million leaders and business professionals on five continents.
His training materials have been translated into over 25 languages, and his newsletter is read by thousands of subscribers
each month. His clients include: the US Senate, US House of Representatives, US Treasury, US Department of Justice,
The Cleveland Clinic, DuPont, Parker Hannifin, Progressive Insurance, Johnson Controls, P&G, Symantec, Toyota,
Johnsonville Sausage, Ernst & Young, Wake Forest Medical Center, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and the
U.S. Congressional Office of Compliance just to name a few. Always with any eye toward research and science Paul's
speaking themes include organizational and personal adaptability, unconscious bias, employee engagement and respectful
work cultures. His most recent book, The Respect Effect: Using the Science of Neuroleadership to Inspire a More Loyal
and Productive Workplace was published by McGraw-Hill. Paul holds a BSBA from The Ohio State University and an
MBA from Baldwin Wallace College. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
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.
Kim Wallace is President, East Coast for EmployBridge, the largest commercial staffing and direct placement
company in the U.S. With over 450 locations nationwide, EmployBridge primarily services the logistics, manufacturing and
contact center industries. Kim has held leadership positions in the staffing industry for the past 24 years. Prior to joining
EmployBridge, Kim helped to grow Hire Dynamics from 35 colleagues to over 650 while collaborating with HR professionals
on workforce strategies. Under her guidance Hire Dynamics was humbled with multiple awards including Best Places To
Work and Clearly Rated’s Best of Staffing in Client and Talent Satisfaction for 13 years which means ranking in
the top 1% of all 20,000 U.S. staffing companies. Kim’s current role is to provide a positive motivational influence to reinforce
company culture, build connections with clients and to assist in the growth of the organization - all the while sharing her
passion for changing people’s lives with new career opportunities. Her passionate belief that “Every Experience Matters” helps
build and drive the culture of Employbridge. Kim has been recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as one of their
Global Power 150 Women in Staffing. In addition, she is regularly interviewed by national media, including the Wall Street
Journal, on the current changes in our workforce. Kim actively serves with many industry organizations, volunteers at Junior
Achievement and Samaritan’s Purse, and mentors others through Women in Leadership. Kim is from Athens, Georgia and
is a proud graduate of Georgia Southern University.
Phyllis H. Sarkaria, MBA, MA is the CEO of The Sarkaria Group where she is a certified coach, facilitator and trusted
adviser. With more than 30 years of leadership experience, Phyllis has held executive roles in human resources and
government affairs with responsibility for strategic planning, merger integration and team effectiveness. She has led
multi-million-dollar system implementation and integration initiatives, and she has worked closely with top executive leaders to
build capability and improve organizational outcomes. Prior to founding The Sarkaria Group, Phyllis served as Vice President
of Human Resources for Quidel Corporation - a leading medical diagnostics manufacturer. There she oversaw the company’s
global HR strategy and programs for over 12 years. Prior to joining Quidel, Phyllis held roles in HR, financial analysis,
strategic planning and government affairs, mainly with large corporations in the energy industry. Today she works with clients
from a wide range of industries, serving as a catalyst to help leaders and teams gain fresh perspectives and elevate their
performance. Her coaching certifications are from the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute, Marshall Goldsmith’s Stakeholder
Centered Coaching as well as Systemic Team Coaching from Peter Hawkins. A Master Certified Executive Coach and a
published scholar on authentic leadership, Phyllis is the author of Courageous Clarity: Navigating the Way Forward on
Your Leadership Journey. Phyllis teaches Ethics and HR Analytics in the Organizational Leadership and Human
Resources Management programs at Claremont Lincoln University. She holds a BBA in Finance and an MBA from Texas
Tech University as well as an MA in Ethical Leadership from Claremont Lincoln University. Phyllis believes that leadership is
a journey, not a destination, and that HR is often called upon to assist others on the journey of building their leadership
capabilities.
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.
Sheree Knowles, SPHR, CPM is a talented executive with over 25 years of HR leadership and project management
experience. She is the founder of two human capital and talent management firms: HR Knowledge Source (HRKS) and
Human Capital Consulting Consortium (H3C). In 2021 HRKS was recognized as one of the Top 30 Small Businesses of
the Year in Cobb County, Georgia and was featured in the Atlanta Business Chronicle as well as in a televised edition of
Inside The Blueprint. Prior to founding HRKS and H3C, Sheree held several highly visible senior-level HR positions for
companies with national geographic footprints, including VP of HR for a $1B+ professional services firm. Her experience
includes project management as well as leading centralized and matrixed teams in the following areas: talent acquisition;
workplace civility; diversity, equity and inclusion; learning and development; talent management; performance management;
employment investigations; compliance; organizational design and development; employee engagement and human
resources optimization. Sheree is an accomplished practitioner who has achieved multiple certifications and designations
throughout her career including: EQi 2.0, SPHR, CPM (Certified Project Manager), MBTI and DiSC. In addition she is a
Certified EEOC Investigator, a Certified Facilitator for ELI’s Civil Treatment Programs, a Master Facilitator for Facebook’s
Leadership and Diversity Programs and a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach. As an inclusion and diversity leader, she
helps organizations build respectful work environments where all humanity is valued and where unique differences bridge
people together. Sheree is a sought-after speaker, subject matter expert and dynamic facilitator where she blends humor
and high energy with real-world examples and practical applications. She has been a presenter at multiple HR conferences
as well as featured on radio and television. Sheree is also active with a variety of nonprofit organizations and has served as a
Board Advisor for the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources Atlanta Chapter. Sheree is a graduate
of the University of Dayton.
Susan Pyles 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, a worldwide leader in outdoor power equipment, Susan was responsible for talent acquisition,
planning and development, HR analytics and employee engagement. Susan led a variety of global initiatives at MTD, including
an annual talent review, coaching and succession planning for senior leadership, implementation of a leadership competency
model and 360 assessment, transformation of performance management, the configuration of a suite of talent modules in
Workday as well as the launch of an online learning solution. Prior to MTD Susan was Manager, Talent Development at
Invacare, a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of medical products. A familiar face to the ERC family, Susan
served as an ERC Practice Leader & Senior Consultant prior to Invacare. In this role, she led a variety of initiatives for
ERC clients and members, including performance management and career development systems, selection processes and
tools, leadership development and executive coaching programs, talent assessments and organizational design as well as
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.
David Thompson, MS, CFI® is Partner and President of Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates (WZ) as well as an
active instructor for the organization. He is responsible for the strategic vision of the company and oversees the day-to-day
operations of the business. David also leads the evolution of interview and interrogation curriculum development to provide
research-based investigative tools to practitioners while driving change in the industry. Through his experience as a
practitioner David has had the opportunity to manage a variety of cases while conducting interviews and consulting on
investigations, ranging from theft and fraud to sexual harassment and homicide. David has created and delivered customized
training programs internationally. In addition he has conducted live broadcasts of training and has presented keynotes at
numerous events. With a dedication to leading change David has collaborated with members of the academic community,
advocacy groups and other relevant partners to further the enhancement of interview and interrogation protocols throughout
the US. He has contributed expert opinions for a variety of cases and has been cited by the Federal Court of Appeals for
his involvement on the topic of interview and interrogation. He has also provided consultation on legislative propositions and
has served as a subject matter expert for reform efforts and case evaluations. David attended Canisius College in Buffalo,
New York where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Criminal Justice. He continued his
education at Arizona State University, earning a Master of Science in Forensic Psychology.
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.
Amy B. Shannon is the President of Pinnacle Leadership Solutions and has specialized in organizational
development, human resources and training for over 20 years. For the past seven years, Amy has been an Organizational
Development Consultant working with clients in the manufacturing, service, financial, non-profit and healthcare industries. Prior
to her OD work, she served in Director-level positions with Western-Southern Enterprise and Kendle International. In both of
these organizations, Amy built competency-based corporate universities that were nationally-recognized and noted in industry
trade publications. In addition, Amy has worked with clients as an executive coach, leadership facilitator, team building
consultant and strategic planning expert. She has also been a program facilitator for a city-wide leadership program for
women and a lead facilitator at the annual HR Executive Summit. Amy has presented at several national conferences,
including as a featured speaker at The Corporate University Week at the Disney Institute.
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.
Mark Whitmore is the Founder and Head Coach of Lodestone True North. In the natural world lodestone is a
magnetized mineral that seafarers have used throughout history to find their way on journeys. Similarly, Lodestone True North
seeks to help entrepreneurs and managers navigate and achieve the full potential of their organizations as well as themselves.
An entrepreneur since he was 20 years old, Mark spent decades as a commercial and residential property owner and
manager. Mark soon learned that property management was not just about buildings, but also about the people who live and
work in them. Mark discovered an inner talent for mentoring and for providing business advice leading to the creation of his
firm. Mark and his team offer a set of management and organizational tools - Principled Products - helping their clients discern
what is most important to them, both for running their businesses and for living full, rewarding and principled lives. Mark's
education includes California State University, Northridge and Kent State University.
Amanda Smith, Esq. is an attorney with Kastner, Westman & Wilkins LLC where she assists employers
by providing legal counsel and practical HR advice. As a labor and employment attorney Amanda is dedicated to assisting
employers with managing their workforce in an effective and proactive manner. Her work includes conducting workplace
investigations as well as providing practical training on employment law-related topics such as harassment prevention,
managing leaves of absence and supervisory skills, among others. Amanda also counsels employers regarding labor
negotiations, litigation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution matters as well as wage/hour compliance,
performance and leave management, discipline and workplace policies. In addition she represents employers regarding legal
claims before state fair employment practice agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and
Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Amanda earned a B.S. from Allegheny College and an M.S. from Kent State University, both
in neuroscience. She graduated with honors from the University of Akron School of Law.
Margaret Brinich is the Manager, Surveys & Research at ERC where she spearheads the research arm of the
NorthCoast 99 awards program. Using data visualization and interpretation, she helps organizations better understand the
talent landscape in Northeast Ohio while continuing to raise the bar for attracting, engaging and retaining talent in the region.
She is also responsible for the development, administration, analysis and reporting of ERC’s compensation, benefits and
workplace practices surveys, as well as ERC’s Member Polls. Margaret also leverages ERC’s primary datasets to write
articles and white papers on various HR topics for internal and external publications. Before joining ERC Margaret’s
experience included 5 years of qualitative and quantitative research in the Department of Bioethics at the Cleveland Clinic.
She received her B.A. degree in Political Science as well as a Certificate of Bioethics from Cleveland State University.
In her spare time Margaret serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Northeast Ohio’s oldest civic journalism project - the Lakewood
Observer.
Kris Cannon-Jackson, MBA, 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 volunteers for
several organizations, including the CYP Club, Columbus Inspires, WELD (Women for Economic & Leadership Development)
and Ohio SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management).
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.
Jesus Munoz is the Operations Manager of Consumer Reporting Compliance Associates (CRCA). He joined the
CRCA team in 2017 from the real estate industry and rapidly moved up the company ranks. In 2019 he was promoted to
Senior Support Specialist for CRCA and shortly afterwards to Operations Manager. Today, he oversees the entire day-to-day
operations of CRCA as well as the client support function. Jesus has received some of the highest scores in
Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) courses. Jesus holds the PBSA Criminal Records Research Provider
Certificate as well as the PBSA FCRA Advanced Certificate. Besides running operations for CRCA he also participates in
client relationship development, tracking productivity, supply chain issues, compliance and vendor negotions.
Ardie Harrison, MA is a talented HR Professional with over 25 years' of HR leadership experience.
She is the VP of Client Engagement with HR Knowledge Source (HRKS) - a human resources firm - and recruitment with
The Recruitment Alliance, a talent management subsidiary of HRKS. Ardie has held HR leadership roles in various industries
such as telecommunications, law enforcement, government, education, automotive, manufacturing and professional services.
Her work experience includes leading teams and helping organizations meet core HR needs in areas like human resources
information systems, talent management, organizational design, recruitment, performance management, employee
engagement, compensation and payroll. Ardie is a Certified Facilitator for ELI, Inc’s Civil Treatment Program, a Certified
Professional Coach, Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP) and past Facilitator for Facebook’s Leadership
and Diversity Programs. She has served as the President of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources
(NAAAHR) Atlanta Chapter for 3 years and serves on the Chapter’s Board of Directors. She also serves on the Executive
Board for the Veterans Empowerment Organization. Ardie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwood
University and Master of Arts in Organizational Management from Ashford University.
Michael Karst, Esq. is an attorney with Kastner, Westman & Wilkins LLC where he assists employers by
providing legal counsel and practical HR advice that enables employers to maintain positive, proactive workplaces.
Michael is a labor and employment attorney who exclusively represents employers in managing the full spectrum of workforce
issues. Michael devotes a majority of his legal practice to litigating claims involving termination decisions, wage and hour
compliance and labor disputes. He also routinely counsels employers on day-to-day employment issues such as leave
management, discipline, reasonable accommodations and payroll practices. Michael began his legal career representing
employees in discrimination and harassment claims. That experience gave Michael insight into the reasons why employees
most often file administrative complaints with the EEOC or pursue litigation. He uses his broad experience to train
employers on the proactive steps they can take to avoid or efficiently resolve disputes. Michael serves as a Vice President of
the Akron Bar Association. He holds a B.A. from Butler University and a J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law.
Allison Kenney, PHR, SHRM-CP, MBA is Manager, HR Advisory Services at ERC where she oversees the HR
Consultant team that provides services to ERC’s HR Help Desk. Allison ensures members are provided with the most current
information and professional guidance on a variety of HR and general business-related topics. Allison also delivers consultation
on HR projects to ERC members and clients. Allison has over 19 years of comprehensive HR experience. With a strong
generalist background, her areas of expertise include: employee relations, compliance, policy interpretation and employee
engagement. She has held various HR leadership roles, predominantly in the health care industry. Prior to joining ERC,
Allison served as Director of Human Resources at Ohio Living, Human Resources Manager at Hudec Dental and Senior HR
Generalist at University Hospitals. Allison has been instrumental in contributing to organizational people strategies through
her knowledge and guidance on engagement programs, change initiatives, policy amendment and compliance requirements.
Allison holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Case
Western Reserve University and is certified in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
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. In 2017 she earned her Certificate of Diversity Practitioner (CDP) through
the National Diversity Council. Since that time she has developed and conducted sessions on Implicit Bias with over 3000
participants to date. Karen continues to develop customized courses on issues concerning race, inclusion and
workplace equity.
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.
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