HR Unboxed 2023- THRIVE

Summer Jelinek Related Seminars and Products

With over 20+ years of experience in Leadership, HR, and Corporate Learning and Development, Summer Jelinek is passionate about helping managers and leaders discover their unique strengths and translate these strengths to their organization’s benefit. Prior to starting her own Leadership Training business, Summer worked with companies such as Walt Disney World, Disney Institute, H-E-B/Central Market, ski resorts and even as a sous chef at a dude ranch. In fact, her first time training a large group was with the Disney Institute where she delivered “backstage” tours with Executives from multiple industries and locations. A magical time was had by all.

With her varied business background and authentic facilitation style, Summer is able to fit into corporate organizations with ease, and she is well accepted by leaders at all levels. 

Summer completed her MBA with a Leadership Certification at the HR.com #1-ranked master's program from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in WinterPark, Florida. She's also a proud graduate of the business management program of McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Ginger Hardage Related Seminars and Products

Ginger Hardage retired as Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines after an illustrious 25 years, where she served as a member of the CEO’s executive leadership team. At Southwest, Ginger led a team of 150 people responsible for building and sustaining the organization’s legendary culture and communications enterprise. Ginger regularly speaks and consults with leaders and organizations that wish to see their culture transformed.  

Additionally, she serves as Global Chairman of the Board for Ronald McDonald House Charities. In 2017, Ginger launched Unstoppable Cultures, a brand designed to help organizations create and sustain cultures of enduring greatness.

Jan Fraser Related Seminars and Products

Jan Fraser is a National Speaker Association CSP™ (Certified Speaking Professional™), the speaking profession’s highest earned professional designation.  Less than 12 percent of the 5,000 speakers worldwide, who belong to the 14 member associations of the Global Speakers Federation, currently hold this professional designation.

For years, she worked chairside for an orthodontist and became the office manager.  Then, working as an insurance adjuster, she learned how to rebuild a dwelling after a fire.  

All her job experiences have taught her the magic of reinvention and thriving no matter the situation.  ‘Take your next best step she would say.’

Jan is the very definition of a “self-starter” and brings real world experience to her keynotes, training, and coaching.  An airline industry superstar, she rose from the ramp support team to the ticket counter to flight attendant to instructor, training thousands of flight attendants over the years

As a member of the American Airlines Performance Solutions Team, she spoke on leadership, self-esteem, life balance, stress reduction, and exceptional customer service throughout the United States, as well as South Korea, Japan, Guam, Australia, Turkey, Italy and India.

Since moving on from the airline industry, Jan has conducted training worldwide for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, schools, colleges, women’s organizations, library systems, executives and dignitaries.  She serves as an adjunct professor at Bermuda College.

Jan has helped over 100 people become Amazon Bestselling authors through her popular writer retreats and has created multiple bestsellers herself. She is the creator of the Amazon Bestselling Inspired Life Book Series. 

For over 20 years, she has trained with and assists ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ author Jack Canfield with his hugely popular self-esteem and success seminars.  

Jan is someone who not only talks the talk but walks the walk.  She has completed several 39-mile Avon Walks for Breast Cancer Awareness and is co-captain of her Relay for Life Team. Jan successfully skydived over Las Vegas at 14,000 feet.  She has received numerous accolades, awards and tributes but the one she treasures the most is the Community Service Award for her work with cancer charities.

Married with two daughters, one son and nine grandchildren, she balances her life between the shores of Lake Las Vegas and Bermuda.

Kaleem Clarkson Related Seminars and Products

Chief Operating Officer

Blend Me, Inc.

Kaleem is a husband, father, remote work advocate, people operations professional, and speaker. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Blend Me, Inc a remote people operations consultancy that helps startups and small businesses transform into high-functioning remote or hybrid-remote workplaces. 

With nearly 20 years of strategic operations and event planning experience, he helps leadership implement people operations solutions that increase productivity and engagement for both internal and external stakeholders. He is passionate about work-life integration and maximizing The Remote Employee Experience (TREE). 

Kaleem was born and raised in Bangor, Maine, the home of Stephen King. He is a graduate of Worcester State University. He has been featured by Harvard Business Review, CNBC, Fortune Magazine, named to LinkedIn’s Top 10 Voices in Remote Work, and listed as one of the top 15 Remote Work Advocates by the All American Speakers Bureau. Kaleem has presented alongside leadership from companies such as Google, United Airlines, Visa, Facebook, Netflix, AirBnB, Association of Legal Administrators, and Meeting Professionals International. 

Kaleem currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his family. When he is not working, you can find him mountain biking on the trails of Georgia with his headphones, blasting a little hard rock music.

Charla Welch Related Seminars and Products

Charla is a former practicing attorney who transitioned to HR. She has experience both in-house and as an external counselor, with extensive expertise in Employee Relations (including performance management, discipline, dispute resolution, labor negotiations, investigations and compliance), Policy & Process Design, and Training. Since moving from California to Austin five years ago, Charla has been consulting with numerous organizations of all sizes across multiple industries on a wide range of HR concerns. Her clients would say she’s a solutions-driven consultant, with the unique ability to be detail-oriented and act in the moment, while remaining attuned to long-term business objectives. She is as skilled and comfortable interacting with the c-suite as she is explaining HR basics to front-line supervisors. Charla has served as chief negotiator for agencies in labor negotiations, working in confidence with city councils and boards to understand their vision and bring it to fruition at the bargaining table, while maintaining awareness of relevant laws and strategic considerations. Given her integrity and exceptional work product, Charla establishes strong working relationships quickly, serving as a skilled coach and trusted advisor.

Charla obtained her bachelor degree in Speech Communication (with a concentration on Organizational Communication and minor is International Business) before achieving a juris doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She passed the California bar exam on her first try and practiced at a medium sized law firm, where her experience included advice and counsel in nearly all areas of employment law, such as: Title VII / state discrimination laws, the ADA, the FLSA, the FMLA / state leave laws, contractual disputes, employee handbooks and numerous other employment laws and labor regulations. Since founding her HR consulting practice, Cultivate People, she has chosen to go on inactive status with the bar.
 

Daniel Porter, CFE Related Seminars and Products

Consultant

Daniel Porter, CFE, has conducted and managed civil and criminal investigations for over 30 years as a licensed private investigator, a loss prevention manager, and as an investigator and investigations manager with the State of Tennessee.  He currently provides training and consulting services in the areas of fraud prevention-detection-investigation as well as ethics, productivity, and leadership.  Daniel is a Cum Laude graduate from Middle Tennessee State University's Criminal Justice Program and has been a Certified Fraud Examiner for over 25 years.  He has provided training at multiple conferences in the United States and Canada as well as for governmental agencies and professional organizations in various states.  He is a guest lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University and the Vanderbilt University School of Law.  

Bernie Smith Related Seminars and Products

Founder

Made to Measure KPIs and KPI Academy

Bernie Smith, founder of Made to Measure KPIs, trains and coaches businesses to develop meaningful KPIs and present their management information in the clearest possible way to support good decision-making.

His approach has been adopted by many organisations, including Airbus, HSBC, UBS, Lloyd’s Register, Credit Suisse, Royal Bank of Scotland, LloydsTSB and many others. He has written twenty books on KPIs, regularly tops this category on Amazon and is a frequent key-note speaker on performance measurement.

Earlier in his career, Bernie, who qualified as a professional engineer, worked as a consultant leading teams delivering exceptional operational improvement in blue-chip companies using Lean and Six Sigma approaches. This broad industry experience has given him a unique perspective when it comes to developing KPIs to improve organisational performance.

Bernie lives in Sheffield, UK, with his wife Liz, two children and some underused exercise equipment.
 

Joan C. Smith, MS Related Seminars and Products

Chief Career Officer and Founder

Premier Career Coaching

Joan is an HR Consultant and the founder of Premier Career Coaching. Her desire is to help mid-career women that are undervalued and unfulfilled pivot into their dream career.

In August 2021, Joan has been featured on the Power To Fly platform twice-first in the “Chat and Learn” and again in the “2021 Diversity Reboot” as a career expert speaking on topics such as: reinventions, career transitions, ageism in the workplace. 

In February 2022, Joan was featured on Camille B’s “The HR Counselor’s” YouTube channel where she was interviewed on “Transitioning Into HR and why it’s Important to have a Career Coach.”

In December 2021, Joan spoke to 20-30 HR professionals in the HR Jetpack private membership group on “Coaching, Mentoring, and Consulting in HR.” 

Joan was featured in the “Member Spotlight” in CLASS membership group in July 2021 where she spoke on “How To Make A Successful Career Change.” She has several career, HR related articles as a Guest Blogger on the Gov Loop platform and several articles on her LinkedIn profile.

Joan has also spoken on several career podcasts.

In February 2023, Joan was a featured speaker at the “Road To Greatness Life and
Business Conference.”

Joan graduated in the first Classy Career Girl Career Coach Certification in October 2022 and graduated from the NOVA SHRM MentorHR program in January 2023.

Joan has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Clark/Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA, and her Masters of Science in Human Resources Management from Southern New Hampshire University. Joan lives in the greater Washington, DC area.  Joan can be reached on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joancsmith/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PremierCareerCoaching/

Anthony P. Howard, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Related Seminars and Products

Executive HR Consultant & Faciltator

HR Certified, LLC

Anthony P. Howard is an HR Leader who works with HR professionals at all levels in finding the value and pathway to certification. He believes that you can increase your confidence, marketability, and value through the power of certification.

Anthony is an experienced strategic HR Business Partner with a 20+ year history of progressive success piloting large-scale, global initiatives driving organizational change and goals in diverse environments from highly regulated FDA medical devices & biotech industries to unionized manufacturing environments.

His most notable accomplishments include developing, implementing, executing, and ongoing administration of comprehensive and inclusive Global Talent Management Programs (Leadership Development, Performance Management, Succession Planning, Talent Review, Merit Planning), including technology (ADP WorkforceNow, SAP SuccessFactors). He has led global integration efforts, including due diligence and first-day activities. He successfully led a union avoidance effort for a large plant whose employees were targeted by a direct mail campaign. He also created and led an HR Shared Services organization.

He also has led positive culture shifts with his contributions to and through DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. He co-led the formation of corporate-wide ERG (Employee Resource Group) initiatives and has been pegged to speak on the topic on webinars, panel discussions, and online courses.

Anthony has incorporated a passion for the learning and development of others into his entire career. He is the founder of HR Certified, LLC. He has held HR Certification since 2009 and currently holds both the SPHR and SHRM-SCP designations. Additionally, he has earned the Leadership Development & Succession Strategist (LDSS) designation from Human Capital Institute (HCI).

Sara Wiita Related Seminars and Products

Chapter Two Group

Shannon Crile and Sara Wiita are passionate flexibility enthusiasts and "future of work" business consultants, with a mission to help shape an evolved and inclusive working world. 

After 15 years in front-line advertising sales at Google working with high-profile partners, Shannon and Sara joined forces to tackle new challenges within the organization. As a job share team, Shannon and Sara developed and launched a new philanthropic agency program for Google Ad Grants, and were co-founders of Threadit, a video-messaging product designed to improve productivity, connectedness and fulfillment in an evolving workplace. They pioneered the concept and value of job-sharing across multiple organizations within Google and now leverage their unique experience and insight to help organizations and teams re-imagine workplaces through sustainable flexibility programs.

Shannon Crile Related Seminars and Products

Chapter Two Group

Shannon Crile and Sara Wiita are passionate flexibility enthusiasts and "future of work" business consultants, with a mission to help shape an evolved and inclusive working world. 

After 15 years in front-line advertising sales at Google working with high-profile partners, Shannon and Sara joined forces to tackle new challenges within the organization. As a job share team, Shannon and Sara developed and launched a new philanthropic agency program for Google Ad Grants, and were co-founders of Threadit, a video-messaging product designed to improve productivity, connectedness and fulfillment in an evolving workplace. They pioneered the concept and value of job-sharing across multiple organizations within Google and now leverage their unique experience and insight to help organizations and teams re-imagine workplaces through sustainable flexibility programs.

Jill Schiefelbein Related Seminars and Products

Jill Schiefelbein is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and communication strategist. She taught business communication at Arizona State University for 11 years before venturing into entrepreneurship. Jill’s business, The Dynamic Communicator®, helps organizations navigate the physical and digital communication spaces to attract customers, increase sales, and lead more impactful teams. Her latest book, Dynamic Communication: 27 Strategies to Grow, Lead, and Manage Your Business hit stores March 2017. Jill is currently pursuing her doctorate degree at the University of South Florida's Muma College of Business, where she's studying the impact of artificially intelligent video avatars in the customer experience lifecycle in business-to-business sales--an exciting new field of study at the intersections of synthetic media, communication, and relational commerce.

Jordan Boogard Related Seminars and Products

Jordan is married to his beautiful wife Ereka and together they have 4 kids. He loves spending time with them and whenever he's not with his family or working, he loves finding time to mountain bike. Jordan is passionate about working with small to midsize businesses and helping them manage and get their employees paid on time. He has been in the payroll + HR space for 13 plus years. He ran ADP's small business division in Utah, opened 3 states for Heartland Payroll, he even opened his own payroll company before he merged with Eddy 3.5 years ago.

Tish Times Related Seminars and Products

Tish Times is a sales and networking expert, speaker, trainer, author and the founder of Tish Times Networking and Sales and Tish Times Corporate Training.  A corporate executive turned entrepreneur, Tish has grown her business exclusively through implementing the systems she teaches groups, companies, and professional organizations around the world.  The key to Tish Times' training lies in balancing inter-personal and intra-personal awareness with targeted strategy and proven systems. She teaches audiences to understand both their natural tendencies and others’ personalities to enhance communication in the workplace and with potential customers. Tish also shares systems to empower employees with the confidence to effectively communicate.  Whether you are looking to improve communication, develop brand evangelists,  improve camaraderie, empower your team, or build your presence online or offline, Tish Times can deliver the strategy, tools, and personable approach to revolutionize the success of your organization. 

Michael J. Mirarchi Related Seminars and Products

Michael J. Mirarchi is recognized as a leading expert in employment-related lawsuit prevention.
As an Employee Relations Counselor, he is dedicated to helping employers stay litigation-free.
Drawing from over 35 years of experience as an employer defense attorney and as a HR Vice
President, he developed “Reset the Clock - Practical Employee Relations for Leaders.” He has
presented it over 1,350 times to more than 34,500 leaders at employers across North America.
Mr. Mirarchi believes that most leaders exercise their abilities with fairness, integrity, and
professionalism. Nevertheless, there are plenty of opportunities to run into potential liability
situations. In these situations, leaders who know what to do and how to do it have a tremendous
advantage over those who don’t, in avoiding lawsuits.

He has presented the HR Professional version of this program for SHRM Chapters across the
country, biannually for DallasHR.

In 2013, Mike was recognized as the first inductee into the HRSouthwest Conference Speaker Hall
of Fame. Over the last 30 years, he has consistently been one of the highest-rated speakers,
excelling in content, professionalism, and delivery.

Mike received the 2024 DallasHR Lifetime Achievement Award for dedicating his career to
advancing the HR profession and making a lasting impact on Dallas HR. He is an educator and a
trusted advisor to the entire DallasHR community.

In conjunction with industry and professional associations, he has conducted live TV broadcasts,
webinars, and on-line programs, in addition to presenting at regional and national conferences.
Mr. Mirarchi has a B.S. in Business Administration and a Law Degree from Seton Hall University.

Ben Eubanks Related Seminars and Products

Ben Eubanks is a speaker, author, and researcher living in Huntsville, AL. Ben is the Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory and the author of Artificial Intelligence for HR: Use AI to Build a Successful Workforce. 

Ben is an expert speaker on the future of work as it relates to talent, technology, and innovation. His speaking has reached over a hundred thousand business leaders in the last 10 years on physical and virtual stages. 

His book on artificial intelligence debuted at the #1 spot on the New and Noteworthy list on Amazon upon its release and has been referenced by dozens of researchers and businesses globally since its publication as the definitive guide to artificial intelligence and machine learning applications for HR and talent.

Previously an HR executive for a global technology startup, he currently heads up research and operations at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, a human capital advisory services firm. He works with HR, talent, and learning leaders across the globe to solve their most pressing business challenges with a research-based perspective tempered by practical, hands-on experience. 

He has developed hundreds of reports, case studies, and other resources to support his life’s mission: making HR better, one HR pro at a time. Ben is the founder of upstartHR, a blog that has touched the lives of more than one million business leaders since its inception, and he also hosts “We’re Only Human,” a podcast that examines the intersection of people and technology in the workplace. The podcast has featured guests from notable organizations like IBM, Emerson Electric, Southwest Airlines, and more.

Most importantly, he has four children, a wonderful wife of ten-plus years, and a preference for running in a variety of outlandish races for fun.

Randolph P. (Randy) Johnston Related Seminars and Products

Exec VP

K2 Enterprises

Randolph P. (Randy) Johnston, MCS, has been a top-rated speaker in the technology industry for over 40 years. Inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame in 2011, Randy is listed as a Top 25 Thought Leader in Accounting from 2011-2021, and was a recipient of the 2021 Accounting Today Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting award for the eighteenth consecutive year. Among his many other awards, he holds the honor of being one of nine technology stars in the U.S. by Accounting Technology Magazine. In addition, Randy writes a monthly column and produces a weekly podcast for The CPA Practice Advisor, features for the Journal of Accountancy, creates articles for accounting and technology publications, and is the author of numerous books. He has started and owns multiple businesses, including K2 Enterprises in Hammond, Louisiana, and Network Management Group, Inc. in Hutchinson, Kansas. NMGI has supported CPA firms for 30+ years and is the largest managed service provider serving the CPA profession in North America. His wife and four children enjoy many experiences together, including theatre, music, travel, golf, skiing, snorkeling, and model trains. His experience as a college instructor, management and technology consultant, and advisor to the profession will be evident to you in Randy's presentations.

Shannon T. White, LCSW-S, CPT, HWLNC Related Seminars and Products

Founder & CEO

ReIgnite, LLC

Shannon White is a highly qualified mental health therapist, coach, consultant, and author, with a unique focus on optimizing mental functioning for high-performing professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs. As the founder of ReIgnite, LLC, Shannon’s mission is to help clients achieve resilience and success in every area of life by combining evidence-based holistic approaches with traditional therapeutic methods.

A New Jersey native now based in Texas, Shannon brings over 23 years of experience in mental health, leadership/mindset coaching, and holistic wellness to her work. Shannon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds certifications in Integrative Medicine for Mental Health, Personal Training, Mindset and Holistic Nutrition Coaching, making her a well-rounded expert in mental health, nutrition, fitness, and leadership development.

Shannon’s research has been deeply focused on two seemingly distinct but complementary areas: Leadership and Holistic Approaches to Mental Health. She has seen firsthand how high-functioning entrepreneurs and executives often neglect their own mental and physical well-being in the pursuit of success, resulting in burnout, unfulfillment, and decreased performance. To address these challenges, Shannon has developed a unique, comprehensive approach to help leaders reignite their passion and strengthen their mental resilience.

Through her work, Shannon integrates Cognitive Behavioral approaches, mindfulness techniques, and holistic practices such as nutritional and herbal medicine and fitness to help clients break through mental barriers, reduce stress, and perform at their best. She provides teletherapy in New Jersey and Texas, along with leadership and wellness coaching for professionals and organizations worldwide.

Whether you are seeking to overcome burnout, increase your resilience, or optimize your mental health for peak performance, Shannon is the therapist, consultant, and coach you need to take your life and career to the next level.

Jessica Vieira Related Seminars and Products

BPN, Inc.

Jessica Vieira has over 20 years of experience in the field of education/continuing education, with a true passion for learning. Jessica is a graduate of Baylor University and began her career in elementary education, but quickly took on leadership and training positions within the district. Jessica then transitioned to a supervisory/training role with Southwest Airlines as a Senior Writer out of Southwest's headquarters in Dallas, TX. Jessica joined Business Professionals' Network Inc. (BPN), HR Education Network's parent company full time in 2013 and has been working to support professionals across the country in growing their careers through Continuing Education programs and courses. Jessica is a certified PHR, and has served as virtual host and speaker for the past two years for the HR Unboxed Virtual Conference.

Stephen Fortuna Related Seminars and Products

Stephen Fortuna has spent years in the work tech and employee experience space, leading conversations and building community around the people-first future of HR. He currently works for the all-in-one HR platform Eddy where his focus is on bringing people together to make industry knowledge and best practices more freely available, especially to small business HR leaders.

Allie Kovalik Related Seminars and Products

Sr. Community and Culture Manager

G-P

Building community is at the core of Allie's professional career and has been for nearly a decade. Leading internal employee engagement efforts around the world for G-P for over 3 years, Allie has a host of experience in event planning, communications, and creatively finding ways to weave story telling into the employee experience. "Cultivating a positive employee experience is about more than hosting fun events, it's about the connections we're able to make around the world that expand our ways of thinking, empowering one another to be active participants in building communities and partnerships, how we view other cultures and what we can learn from one another," says Allie. Her career is driven by the belief that building community should be done intentionally, especially in this remote-first world, and that fostering a culture to be proud of is a collective effort among the entire team.

Princy Belinda Related Seminars and Products

Product Marketer

Zoho Corporation

Princy works as a marketer for Zoho HR solutions. She loves to learn about tech and people and how they interact with each other. Over the last 5 years at Zoho, she's been ideating and running marketing campaigns along with creating engaging and thoughtful content for the HR industry.

Terri Zaugg Varnell Related Seminars and Products

HRCP

Terri Z Varnell, SPHR is the Chief Operating Officer for Human Resource Certification Preparation (HRCP). Over the past 20+ years she has overseen the business operations of this small company and has worked diligently to help over 100,000 HR professionals all across the globe successfully prepare for their HR certification exams. In order to help her customers, Terri recertifies on a regular basis by retaking the certification exams. Terri is excited about HRCP’s new micro-credentials and digital badging program, which help HR Professionals gain the knowledge and skills needed in this ever-changing workplace. Terri enjoys cycling, traveling, and gardening.

Casey Jones Related Seminars and Products

CE21

Casey Jones, MBA, joined CE21 in 2017 bringing with him more than 20 years in sales, including 15 years working closely with association executives to deliver new technology services to their organizations and members.

Following a successful career within the start-up space, Casey has leveraged his experiences into helping grow CE21 into a recognized leader in the online education industry.Casey’s firmly rooted in the belief that by treating customers as partners, we are all invested in each other’s success. “At CE21, our primary message to our customers is, your success defines our success.”