Click Here for a Printable PDF Version of the Program Details
Monday, May 14, 2007
Keynote Address: 9:15 – 10:30 (following Opening Ceremonies)
Art Jackson
Hanging Round the Barrel
(Click here for Art Jackson Bio)
Leadership has been defined as getting others to do those things they would not normally or naturally want to do. Individual leadership is getting yourself to do those things you would not normally or naturally want to do. Through the “Hangin’ Round The Barrel” presentation, attendees learn to the Purpose Centered Leadership process, which allows them to effectively pursue their intended level of greatness. Attend this presentation and increase your performance in all areas of life.
Concurrent Sessions 1 – 4; 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
| 1 | Jack Agati The Art of Encouragement, Or How to Motivate Without Money |
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Almost every trade or management magazine includes an article on the latest gimmick for motivating people. The bottom line is that no gimmick, collection of trinkets, or preprogrammed formula can replace the true motivational results of encouragement. Encouragement is the universal need we all have to feel a sense of worth, of acceptance and belonging, that sense of being valued. There is no mystery to this. These basic needs are at the core of our very being. We all need encouragement. We all need to learn the Art of Encouragement.
Jack Agati presents the basic skills of encouragement in a way that is clear and applicable in our daily lives. He exposes the limited value to praise as practiced in short term incentives, gadgets, and rewards. The presentation also identifies the three techniques people will use to discourage us from encouraging them. Not to be overlooked is the need to encourage ourselves and our profession.
Participants in the workshop will:
- Distinguish between praise and encouragement as motivational tools.
- Create a list of daily encouraging activities.
- Identify three techniques people will use to discourage others from encouraging them.
- Develop strategies to combat these efforts to discourage.
| 2 | Patrick Barton, MS Building an Enduring Succession Planning Program:
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In this presentation, Pat Barton, the Manager of Succession Planning at the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), will describe how NJDOT has constructed a program unique in the public sector: a genuine succession planning process within the meritocracy of State Government.
Pat will describe how NJDOTs program, which won the 2005 “Pathfinder” award from the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), has grown and flourished in the five years since it’s inception. Using the metaphor of constructing a sound building Pat will describe:
- Laying a Solid Foundation
- Framing the Rooms
- Adding New Rooms
- Furnishing the Rooms
- Maintaining the Building
| 3 | Alice K. Waagen Effective Business Communications:
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Human communication seems like the simplest of task. Yet, the workplace can be complicated by the negative consequences of miscommunication. Human resources professionals face huge barriers to effective communication since many of their messages are emotionally laden and delivered to audiences that may not be very receptive. In this session, I will present practical tools and techniques for planning, delivering, and evaluating difficult conversations. I will present a model for effective communication, describe how our communications can get derailed, and show how you can use communication as a way to build collaboration and trust in the work place. By developing a planned, systematic way to communicate with others, you will be able to improve on your personal performance and effectiveness.
| 4 | Steve Nelson The Changing Face of HR |
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This presentation traces the evolution of the HR function from personnel administration to personnel management to human resources to now Human Capital Management. These names and the necessity of a strategic focus have continued to grow exponentially and are important factors in helping Human Capital practitioners recognize the challenges facing them today and realizing what to do about them. From streamlining and automating the hiring process and becoming an employer of choice, to increasing workforce diversity and implementing pay for performance, the responsibilities and expectations of Human Capital practitioners have grown more in the last 5 years than in the previous 25 years.
The presentation discusses the roles of HC practitioners to include what is meant by a more strategic approach; how to be a co-equal business partner and obtain a good Return-on-Investment with a client-centric approach; and importantly how to properly align the approach with the strategic goals. This last piece goes past just aligning people, systems and processes to look at methods to enable practitioners to have the necessary agility to lead change where old habits are deterring execution of strategy.
Monday, May 14, 2007 (cont'd)
Concurrent Sessions 5 – 8; 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
| 5 | Barbara J. Elerby, MA Anger in Conflict |
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This session will help you to recognize ways anger sometimes disguises itself in how we deal with conflict. The session will address anger, personal baggage as well as classic problems which serve to exacerbate conflict. The goal will be to assist you in breaking unsuccessful cycles of resolving your personal conflicts as well as assisting you in developing different responses to your personal triggers. Additionally, you may gain insight into how you can assist your staff and your coworkers in changing the way they respond to triggers and conflicts.
| 6 | Tina Ott Chiapetta Congressional Updates from IPMA |
Ms. Chiappetta will discuss legislative and regulatory developments that
will impact public sector HR professionals. The 110th session of Congress
is considering genetic non-discrimination legislation, creating an employment verification system as part of immigration reform as well as numerous proposals relating to family and medical leave. In addition, the Department of Labor is considering changes to the FMLA regulations.
| 7 | Harry J. Secaras Controlling FMLA Abuse and Managing Return to Work |
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Managers frequently are faced with the challenge of controlling abuses of FMLA leave and of returning employees to work as expeditiously as possible without running afoul of governing laws. Making this process even more complicated is the interaction of competing federal and state laws, such as theADA and Workers' Compensation Laws, which place different obligations on employers when determining the reinstatement rights of employees.
This session will analyze those competing obligations and rights and provide guidance to employers on the "best practices" for returning employees to work quickly without running afoul of any of these related statutes. It will also provide a summary of what rights employers have under the FMLA to curb abuse, and will review the analysis which an employer must complete when determining an employee's right to return to work.
| 8 | Lawrence Strauss Win the Heart and Soul of Your Employees |
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You can win the heart and soul of your employees and create a great workplace by teaching your managers and supervisors the organizational and interpersonal skills of successful leadership. Great managers and supervisors are no longer judged by the work they do but by the way they lead and inspire their employees. Several core components make a great workplace. They fall into two broad categories: organizational competencies and individual competencies. Organizational Competencies include: developing a meaningful mission statement, treating employees as talent, recognizing and praising contributions. Individual Competencies include: emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and social awareness. In this workshop, attendees will learn the organizational and individual skills of successful management and leadership. By implementing these skills you will win the heart and soul of your employees and create a great workplace. Topics include: Defining Heart And Soul: Introduce attendees to the components found in great workplaces. Paradigm Shift: Shift to a new model of managing. Organizational Competencies: Self-assessment, meaningful mission statement, developing talent, setting clear expectations, praising contributions. Individual Competencies: Developing Emotional Intelligence. Owning IT: Six essential components to professional and personal success. Applying These Skills To The World Of Work: Applying these skills in real work situations.
Monday, May 14, 2007 (cont'd)
Concurrent Sessions 9 – 12; 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
| 9 | Bruce Appelson Take Charge Recharge! |
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Take Charge ReCharge believes in an individuals’ intrinsic desire to learn, excel and continuously improve. Recharging supports working systems that exercise an individual’s right to recharge and reinvest in their own potential. Believing in an individual’s need for continuous improvement requires support and the linkage of an employee’s commitment to wellness, family and community.
Take Charge ReCharge is resolved in the pursuit and advocating and inspiring:
- An understanding that recharging is not downtime, but a requirement to reinvest in one’s personal economy that will, in return, generate creativity, focus, commitment and drive.
- Quality or work/life balance and far greater productivity by the process of aligning individual competencies (value) with a company’s mission and leadership principles (purpose).
- Motivated and dedicated employees who believe their company values their commitment to exceeding expectations.
- A working environment that rewards health, fun, innovation and partnership.
- Self-management skills that increase employees’ tolerance and abilities to manage continuous stress and change.
- Employees who are focused, flexible and moving forward for change.
| 10 | Art Jackson The Art of Conflict Resolution |
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To achieve your optimum performance in a world where the ability to collaborate with others, and often get others to do those things they would rather not do … you need to perfect your interpersonal relations skills. And let’s fact it … regardless how perfected your interpersonal relation skills are, sooner or later there are going to be conflicts. The effectiveness of your organization will depend upon your ability to reconcile conflict. Not avoid it and not manage it. Reconcile! Learn the ‘solution oriented brief therapy’ techniques that will allow you to reconcile conflicts as productively as possible.
| 11 | Kenneth S. Weinstock, Esq. The Last Year’s Developments in Labor and Employment Law |
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Each year the courts, Congress and administrative agencies such as the EEOC and Department of Labor continue to change the legal landscape, creating compliance challenges for human resources professionals. Attendees will learn about the last year's critical legal developments, court cases, novel employment law issues and new workplace rules and regulations in a fun, light-hearted, interactive and informative session.
| 12 | Presentation by NYSHIP My New York State Health Insurance Program (MyNYSHIP) |
My New York State Health Insurance Program (MyNYSHIP) gives New York State employees online access, through a secure web site, to their own health insurance enrollment record. The implementation of MyNYSHIP both improves the level of service provided to employees and results in cost-savings through reduced reliance on personnel office staff for routine inquiries and transaction processing. Given the population of NYSHIP, currently over 1 million covered lives, these routine interactions between employees and their personnel office staff can amount to a significant percentage of staff time devoted to health insurance matters.
Learn how increasing employee reliance on our web-based services for benefit information and transaction processing can enable human resource staff to focus less on routine administrative tasks and more on strategic initiatives designed to bolster its primary mission. Also find out how MyNYSHIP can convey accurate, consistent communication of benefit information to employees, thereby providing a more positive overall experience in navigating through the sometimes complicated arena of health benefits.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Plenary Address: 9:00 – 10:15 (following IPMA-HR Update)
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Pamela Eyring Out Class the Competition–Business Etiquette |
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What has happened to the business etiquette skills in today’s workforce? What do employees and management need to know in order to refresh their personal leadership skills? Our casual society has been focused on technology for so long that people are compromising their working relationships and possibly missing promotional opportunities. Participants will learn the key fundamental skills all generations should know such as today’s acceptable handshake which is no longer gender related, greetings according to protocol, networking to improve the organization’s image, cubicle courtesies, proper use of business cards and e-Etiquette skills in order to use communication devices and not be seen as rude and annoying to co-workers and customers. This session will refresh your business etiquette, build teamwork and confidence, and help you promote a more positive image.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007 (cont'd)
Concurrent Sessions 13 - 15; 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 p.m.
| 13 | John K. Allen Interviewing and Selecting Employees:
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Ever wonder why some organizations seem to have great people who stay forever? Most will tell you they choose the right people in the first place! Find out how your organization can also enhance its ability to predict job performance and avoid common mistakes in hiring. Learn how to analyze jobs, pick the best selection tools, and craft interview questions that are job-related, fair, and effective in identifying strong performers. Gain a historical perspective on today’s best selection practices. Join organizational psychologist and executive coach Dr. John K. Allen as he shares his practical advice drawn from his experience as both consultant and executive.
| 14 | Judith D. Hampton Developing into a Powerful and Passion-Driven Leader |
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Leadership is an extension of your values and your personal mission statement. That is why in some leadership we only see the results and not the person. We are all familiar with the power of charismatic leaders—the transformational leaders. But this program also examines the strength of another kind of leader: the transactional leader.
This is the leader who focuses on the task, attempts to stay compassionate, and believes in the best of people. A leader who learns from tough mistakes and knows how to survive the tension and stress associated with leadership. A leader who knows when to step back and let others take credit.
The main driving character ingredient in a leader is passion for their vision. This program will help you identify this quality in yourself. Since leaders must be motivators, we will learn strategies that can strengthen your ability to inspire and empower your staff and colleagues. Since risk tolerance is essential for leaders, strategies for developing this capacity will be given. Finally, outstanding leaders will be analyzed, so that you can apply their qualities to your individual leadership style.
| 15 | John M. Bagyi and Diane Lustenader HR Meets CSI – How to Legally & Effectively Conduct Internal Investigations |
One of the most challenging and interesting aspects of HR practice is directing workplace investigations. From pre-employment inquiries, internal theft, to charges of harassment, HR professionals lead internal processes that balance the protection of individual rights and corporate liability. Lean how to conduct investigations thoroughly and fairly – from developing an investigation strategy to making a determination.
Every year, the number of administrative discrimination charges and lawsuits filed against companies grows, subjecting internal investigations to greater scrutiny. This program will cover the types and characteristics of investigations, typical procedures, questioning strategies and some fundamental dos and don’ts.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007 (cont'd)
Concurrent Sessions 16 – 18; 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
| 16 | Don Grimme Rekindling Organizational Loyalty |
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Emphasizing the importance of benevolent treatment of employees to elicit both outstanding performance and organizational loyalty. A dynamic speaker interweaves eye-opening presentation, interactive exercises, lively discussion, powerful visual aids and an information-packed 42-page handout – to deliver breakthrough results!
Objectives:
- Recognize the significance of attracting, retaining, and motivating good employees to organizational success.
- Discover how classic motivation theory applies to retaining today’s employees.
- Learn the results of recent landmark studies, which support the theory.
- Understand what draws good employees to the best organizations and keeps them there, performing at peak effectiveness.
- Find out what leading-edge organizations do to retain and motivate employees.
- Identify immediately applicable techniques to retain and motivate your employees.
- Enjoy a memorable presentation of stimulating experiences.
| 17 | Kevin M. Roy, Esq. Retaliation Redux:
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This presentation will provide an overview of the myriad of potential employee retaliation claims and their impact on the workplace. We will delve into the basic elements of such claims under various state and federal laws, including protections for employees against employer retaliation for activities such as whistleblowing and exercising employee free speech. Furthermore, we will discuss employee retaliation claims under provision of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the enormous impact the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Burlington N. & Santa Fe Ry. Co. v. White and its progeny may have on the breadth of such claims.
| 18 | Michael Klachefsky Behavior Health Disability and Return to Work:
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Why have return-to-work programs historically been ineffective for people disabled with behavioral conditions? Learn how employers can use a different and more effective approach to produce better results. This workshop will describe and analyze the current best practices insurers use to help people with behavioral disabilities return to work, and will provide practical advice for employers.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Keynote Address: 9:30 – 10:45 (Followed by Closing Ceremony)
Don Grimme On Top of Burnout! |
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The presentation begins with an alert to increasing levels of overwork and burnout in America.
After identifying the job burnout and stress they experience, participants learn four arenas of attack to alleviate burnout…plus the powerful technique of transforming self-talk to stay on top of the deeper phenomenon of stress.
A relaxation exercise is included.
A dynamic trainer/speaker interweaves eye-opening presentation, interactive exercises, lively discussion, powerful visual aids and an information-packed 26-page handout – to deliver breakthrough results!
Click Here for a Printable PDF Version of the Program Details
Speaker Bios in Alphabetical Order
Jack is a graduate of West Virginia University with a Master’s degree in Counseling and has done post-graduate work at the University of Vermont. He is a presenter and trainer in the area of Human Relations and Management. Prior to becoming a presenter, Jack worked for over fifteen years in public education as a counselor and Director of Student Services and held management positions in the private sector.
Jack has combined his education and experiences into a practical and common sense series of presentations relating to the successful management of the Social Aspects of Business. Over the last fifteen years as a professional speaker, his appearances at conferences and business engagements have earned him a reputation for useful and relevant material combined with a humor that makes learning enjoyable.
Through the years Jack’s programs have trained and entertained audiences representing a wide range of the business community, from technology to the service industry and from the world of finance to the health care field. Whether management, sales or staff, Jack’s programs have never failed to hit the target.
In addition to being a presenter at conferences and workshops, Jack has also appeared on radio and television. He has conducted courses at the college level and is the author of several articles as well as a popular cassette series, “Why Do Kids Do the Things They Do?” Jack has been selected by the Get Ahead Professional Speakers Bureau as on of their national speakers.
A description of Jack’s programs can be found on the web site, www.getaheadpro.com. If you would like more information on any of his programs, you may contact Jack at the number listed below or through Get Ahead Productions, 1-800-943-7747.
Dr. John K. Allen of West Falmouth Associates is an organizational psychologist and executive coach with more than 25 years of consulting and executive coaching experience. His clients have ranged from Fortune 100 companies and state governments to entrepreneurial start-ups. He specializes in the “people-side” of organizational effectiveness, helping clients pick the right people, get everybody moving in the same direction, and creating the kind of environment that brings out people’s best.
John’s executive résumé includes service as chairman and CEO of a national wholesale distributor and group vice president and head of strategic planning for a NASDAQ-listed international manufacturer. He also founded Allen Associates, a group of management and consulting psychologists.
John graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, CT and received his doctorate degree from the State University of New York at Albany. A licensed psychologist, author and speaker, John serves on the board of directors of a NYSE-listed manufacturer, where he chairs the corporate governance committee and is a member of the audit committee. He serves on the boards of The New England Society for Applied Psychology where he is currently President, and WICN, a public radio station. John is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Bruce Appelson is an independent management consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker who has been helping some of America’s largest and most complex organizations achieve their maximum potential. Among his many projects:
- Conducted training for 350 of IBM’s highest-volume sales teams during a corporate-wide virtual teaming project.
- As a consultant for The Jacobson Group, supported organizations in their efforts to leverage the businesses benefits of virtual teaming and collaboration.
- Executed a corporate-wide performance management initiative for 1000 senior and middle-level Chemical Bank managers.
- Developed and implemented corporate-wide teambuilding, communication, and conflict resolution programs for Oxford health Plans’ customer service organization.
- In response to strategic cultural change and reorganization at Aetna Property & Casualty, was engaged to assist in the design and deliverance of a 360° profile instrument.
- Facilitated change management for both managers and supervisor in support of major re-engineering and downsizing efforts at Southern New England Telephone.
Other major organizations that have used Bruce’s consulting and training talents are Pilot Pen, Kraft General Foods/Beverage Division, Fleet Bank, Pitney Bowes, Ogilvy & Mather, Champion International, J.P. Morgan, American Airlines, General Reinsurance, US Postal Service, Sodexho Marriott, and The Sabre Group.
Clients engage Bruce for his expertise in team building, virtual teaming, and collaboration, change management, preventive health, leadership, conflict resolution, competency assessment, performance, and executive coaching. They are enthusiastic about his work. “Bruce used activities that physically brought the audience to a realization of what he was talking about.” “…presented his information in a way that will be remembered.”
Before forming Appelson Consulting Partners in 1989, Bruce maintained a private counseling practice for individuals with stress-related disorders and designed stress management curricula for corporate clients. It was during this time that he developed his powerful “Take Charge-ReCharge” program, which he now delivers all over America as a keynote, ½ day or full day workshop.
His keynote and motivational speeches on stress and change have been presented during national meetings of AT&T Federal Systems, Pitney Bowes, American Express, Pepsi-Cola, Polo Ralph Lauren as well as numerous associations. As a former actor and improvisational comedian, Bruce demonstrates uncanny intuition and re-charges all types of audiences to “take charge” and create order from chaos.
When engaged for coaching assignments, Bruce responds creatively to the specific development needs of each executive. His strong qualifications include ten years experience as private counselor and certifications to administer numerous 360° feedback instruments, Myers Briggs, DiSC, and the Belbin Team Profile Instrument.
Bruce was a Graduate with Distinction when he earned his M.Ed. in Educational Psychology from Boston College.
An attorney and certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, John counsels and represents employers of all types and sizes in a variety of labor and employment-related contexts, including employment litigation in Federal and State courts, collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, union organizing campaigns, strikes and picketing, and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.
John is also uniquely qualified to and experienced in training executives, managers, and employees on employment law and human resource topics. Building on his extensive experience counseling and representing employers, John brings employment law topics to life using actual examples encountered by employers.
John has been recognized among The Best Lawyers in America for labor and employment law – the youngest lawyer in New York State to receive that recognition. He is a frequent speaker at national, state, and local conferences on a variety of labor and employment topics, and services as a guest lecturer at Albany Law School, the College of Saint rose, and the School of Business at the University at Albany. John has also written extensively on labor and employment law topics.
John is a graduate of the University at Albany and magna cum laude graduate of Albany Law School, where he served as an Executive Editor of the Albany Law Review. He is admitted to practice in the State of New York, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the United States Supreme Court.
Pat Barton has been the Manager of Succession Planning at the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) since February 2003. Pat has worked in the field of Human Resources and Organizational Development for 29 years, the past 22 of which have been with three different Departments within New Jersey State Government. Pat has a Masters of Science in Human Resource Education from Fordham University, and has also completed extensive post graduate work including most recently nearing his certification fro the International Coach Federation as a Professionally Certified Coach (PCC).
Tina Ott Chiappetta serves as director of government affairs and research
for IPMA-HR. She has held this position for ten years. Prior to joining
IPMA-HR she worked as associate counsel for a state government relations firm and
gained Hill experience as an intern in the late Senator Patrick Moynihan's
office. She has a law degree from Syracuse University and is licensed to
practice in NY, DC and Virginia
Barbara J. Elerby is currently employed with the PA Department of Corrections as an Equal Opportunity Specialist. Her responsibilities include complaint investigations in the areas of harassment and discrimination as well as counseling employees regarding EEO programs, directives and discrimination laws. She is responsible to develop and conduct training programs for employees and managers concerning equal opportunity, sexual harassment, obligations with regard to discrimination laws and diversity. She assists as needed in onsite Contract Compliance Reviews as well as in efforts of recruitment. She previously worked with the PA Human Relations Commission as an Investigator of allegations of discrimination and harassment where she was responsible for complaint resolutions of findings of probable cause or no probable cause or in many cases, complaint settlements.
Barbara provides consulting services to include training in the area of Diversity, Conflict Resolution, Mediation, Peer Mediation, Anger Management and Communication Skills. She also serves as a Mediator. In December 2006 Barbara was appointed to the Statewide Advisory Board to work with the Bipartisan Taskforce regarding Resolution 160 which pertains to Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Commonwealth of PA.
Barbara is active with the Harrisburg Neighborhood Dispute Center (NDS), where she serves as a volunteer Mediator. Barbara previously served on the Board of Directors with NDS, as well as with the Harrisburg Camp Curtain YMCA Teen Peer Court Program. She also served as Trainer for the Peer Teen Court Program.
Barbara has experience in the Alternative Dispute Resolution areas as a Facilitator, Mediator, Arbitrator, and Negotiator. Barbara previously worked as an SEIU Business Agent where she was responsible to negotiate contracts, arbitrate grievances as well as represent the Union in Unfair Labor Practice Hearings.
Barbara has a BS in Public Administration from Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA, as well as a Master of Arts in Personnel Administration/Industrial (Labor) Relations from St. Francis University, Loretto, PA. Barbara has received training from the George Meany Center for Labor Studies in the area of Arbitration and Advanced Arbitration. She additional has received training in multiple areas of Mediation.
Pamela Eyring is the owner and Director of The Protocol School of Washington®, the leader in etiquette and protocol services since 1988. Armed with more than two decades of operational protocol and educational development, Pamela brings in-depth knowledge and skill to the international protocol and etiquette industry. Formerly the Chief of Protocol at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, she planned and directed Presidential visits, military, government, international and civic ceremonies, conferences, and special events.
Most recently she has been featured in national publications such as Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Diplomat, Real Simple Magazine and is a columnist for the Washington Business Journal.
Don Grimme [pronounced grimm–me] is the President of GHR Training Solutions – a nationwide “workplace people solutions” consulting firm. His Employee Retention Headquarters website and “On Top of Stress” web articles are among the most frequently-quoted resources on the subjects.
Don has trained and presented to organizations in every sector of the economy – ranging from Pfizer and AOL to the Texas Municipal HR Association and SHRM … and from the District of Columbia to NASA. His monthly newsletter, The Grimme Report, is read by over 20,000 HR executives … and often reprinted.
Don’s articles and interviews have appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal (thrice) and in numerous other publications (e.g., HR Magazine, Government West and Reuters) … on ABC News … and on radio programs like the nationally syndicated Jim Bohanan Show. His nationwide study, Impact of 9/11 on the American Workplace, was used to produce a Today Show segment.
Prior to founding his consulting firm nine years ago, Don Grimme was a corporate Human Resource Manager and Director. He brings to bear over two decades of HR and training expertise – acquired at both Fortune 50 and Inc 500 corporations.
Judith D. Hampton is a trainer and coach whose clients include major corporations, institutions, health care organizations, universities, and government agencies. Ms. Hampton is also President of Blackside, producers of Eyes on the Prize the award-winning public television film series on the civil rights movement. Ms. Hampton recently spearheaded a successful campaign to re-release Eyes on the Prize on PBS and to bring a new DVD set to the educational community.
Ms. Hampton’s expertise as a leader is demonstrated in her success as an entrepreneur and in her work with Blackside. Her experience leading two companies through both prospering and difficult times has deepened her understanding of successful leadership and prepared her well to teach this critical skill.
Art Jackson is an educator, consultant and professional speaker. He is a recognized expert in the areas of performance improvement through leadership, team building, diversity and inclusion, and interpersonal skills. Art is the originator of the Purpose Centered Leadership theory that has been used to improve performance in many facets of public and private life.
Art is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Management. Mr. Jackson is continuing his studies towards a Master of Theology degree and is certified in pastoral counseling by the American Association of Christian Therapists.
Art has shared the platform with Les Brown, Stephen Covey, and other prominent speakers. Presenting for major corporations and associations throughout the United States and Canada, Art's expertise as a leader has been recognized by his selection to Who's Who of Professional Managers.
Art is the author of the diversity and inclusion book "Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh My". Art is also completing his second book dealing with Purpose Centered Leadership entitled "Mounting Up On Wings Of Greatness".
Michael Klachefsky is Assistant Vice President of Disability Management Services for Standard Insurance Company’s Insurance Services Group. Klachefsky is responsible for disability case management and return-to-work service functions, as well as coordinating the Mental Health Specialized Claim Unit and Standard Benefits University which provides best-in-class internal training.
Prior to joining the Standard, Klachefsky was a senior consultant for Mercer Human Resource Consulting. He was a national specialist in absence management, helping employers and insurers assess, design and implement absence management, disability management and return-to-work programs. His experience encompasses working with private industry, governments, unions and associations.
Klachefsky has consulted extensively in the area of behavioral health disability and return to work. He developed Canada’s first program to help people with severe chronic mental illness enter the workforce and has since adopted this model into the insurance realm. He has presented on behavioral health disability at numerous conferences across North America and developed a number of successful programs with employers and insurers.
Klachefsky earned his bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
Diane Lustenader,
SPHR, GPHR, CCP, GRP
Ms. Lustenader is a diversified, results-oriented professional with over 25 years of experience in the areas of human resources, project management, strategic planning and training. She has received extensive TQM training in Japan and the United States. She is experienced in these industries: healthcare, higher education, professional practices, architecture, engineering, residential/rehabilitation agencies, manufacturing, distribution, association management, software and high-tech, in the public, profit and non-profit.
Diane is a published author of articles in HR Professional, HR Reported, NYSSHRM HR Review, MHEDA Journal, Practice Supervision and NIBA News. Before founding Lake Associates, Inc. in January 1994, Diane served as a top HR executive in the Americas for Yaskawa Electric America, Inc., with HR responsibility for employees in North, Central, and South America. Ms. Lustenader, strongly grounded in all areas of human resources, has specialist skills in the areas of compensation, employment law compliance, and training including workplace investigations, affirmative action, HR effectiveness audits, HR measurement, policy design and handbook creation.
Diane is a frequent speaker at programs throughout the US and Canada for various organizations including SHRM state councils and chapters, IQPC, MHEDA, IPMA, CUPA, Commercial Law League of America, Chicago & New Your Payroll Associations and the Western Alberta Centre for Management Development. In Chicago, she was the lead instructor for NIBA’s HR Certification Program and designed and taught most of the NIBA’s HR content area programs for 5 years before their merger with MRA. In Albany NY, Diane is an Instructor for the SHRM Learning System (certification preparation), SHRM Essentials of Human Resource Management, and various American Management Association classes at The College of Saint Rose and Columbia Green Community College. She is a recent past president of the Capital Region Human Resource Association and past Certification Director and White Paper Strategic Initiative Leader for New York State SHRM, Inc., where she now serves as Treasurer. Ms. Lustenader is a speaker on the SHRM National Speakers’ Bureau.
Steve Nelson has been in the Senior Executive Service since 1998 and was appointed Director, Policy and Evaluation, of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) in June 2002. In this position, he has overall responsibility for the Board’s statutory mission to conduct periodic studies of Federal human resources management policies, programs, and procedures to determine if they are operating in accord with the statutory merit system principles and achieving their intended purposes. Reports of these studies are directed to the President and the Congress and frequently presented to agency heads and influential leaders. He has participated in the UN Expert Working Group and has extensive international speaking experience to audiences in Ireland, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Canada, and Thailand. He assisted the Thai Civil Service in the creation of a Thai MSPB to adjudicate civil service appeals.
Before joining the Board, Mr. Nelson was the Chief Human Resources Officer for the USDA Forest Service, responsible for personnel oversight, policy, and direction of a nation- wide workforce of nearly 30,000 permanent and 15,000 temporary employees. In that position, he led re-engineering of the human resources delivery system from 116 personnel offices to a customer-driven model where transactional processes were centralized. Automated staffing, classification, benefits and employee self service capability were hallmarks of this effort.
As Director of Human Resources for the National Guard Bureau, with over 53,000 full-time Title 32 Army and Air Force technicians, he testified before Congressional subcommittees on the impact of legislation, created human resource programs to meet mission needs and implemented innovative HR technology solutions. This workforce is unique because of the combination Federal-State role and few aspects of employment under traditional civil service.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Nelson was the Personnel Director for the Defense Logistics Agency in Cleveland, Ohio. He also served two overseas tours. As labor relations’ officer for the DoD Dependents Schools in London, England, he provided advice to superintendents and principals in 45 schools in 10 countries. He also worked as a labor and employee relations’specialist with the Department of the Army in the Panama Canal Zone.
Mr. Nelson holds a degree in Economics and is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute as well as the Kennedy School’s, Senior Officials in National Security Program at Harvard University. He is an active member of the Board of Directors for the International Public Management Association’s Federal Section, and a past President. There he initiated a human resources summit to coordinate the efforts of various agencies in highlighting the importance of “Human Capital Management” and has worked with the National Academy of Public Administration in developing future competencies for personnel professionals. He also served on the Board of Directors for HR programs at the USDA Graduate School. He lives with his wife, Teresa, in Arlington, Virginia.
Kevin Roy is a member of Shipman & Goodwin LLP’s Labor and Employment Law Department. He represents public sector clients of the firm with respect to the full complement of labor and employment matters including contact negotiations, interest arbitration, contract administration issues, grievance arbitration cases, prohibited practice proceedings administrative appeals of decisions of the State Board of Labor Relations filed in Superior Court, and applications to vacate arbitration awards filed in Superior Court. Recently Mr. Roy represented the City of Waterbury in negotiations and numerous interest arbitration cases before the Waterbury Financial Planning and Assistance Board relating to successor collective bargaining agreements for the Police, Fire, Blue collar, Management, White Collar, and Nurse bargaining units. Mr. Roy has counseled municipal and board of education employers with respect to a myriad of other employment law issues including the pre-employment hiring process and application issues, personnel policies and practices, disciplinary issues, termination and separation matters, Freedom of Information Act issues and complaints, military leave, leave issues, unemployment compensation, and workers’ compensation matters. Mr. Roy has worked extensively with public and private sector clients regarding implementation of the Connecticut Civil Union Act.
Mr. Roy is a member of the America, Connecticut, and Harford County Bar Associations, the Connecticut Public Employer Labor Relations Association, the Connecticut School Attorneys’ Council and the Labor Employment Relations Association.
A graduate of the University of Massachusetts (B.A. in Legal Studies, 2000), Mr. Roy earned his J.D. from Western New England College School of Law, cum laude.
Harry J. Secaras is a member of Neal Gerber Eisenberg’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. He represents and counsels employers throughout the country in all facets of labor and employment law and employment-related litigation, before federal, state and local administrative agencies and federal and state courts. Harry represents employers in a variety of traditional labor and employment discrimination matters and has advised clients regarding recent developments under federal, state, and local legislation. He has defended employers in litigation under the National Labor Relations Act, Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and in wrongful termination actions. He routinely counsels employers on day-to-day matters involving employment contracts, noncompete agreements, employee discipline, employee complaints and union grievances. He also conducts training sessions for managers and supervisors on numerous employment related topics.
Harry serves on the Subcommittee on Policies and Procedures under the National Labor Relations Act of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association.
He teaches “Labor Relations Training for Managers and Supervisors in the Union Setting” for the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Outreach program, and often participates in management training programs conducted by the Council on Education in Management and Lorman Education Services. Harry is Senior Editor and author of a chapter in the ABA publication, How to Take A Case Before The NLRB.
Harry is a member of the American Bar Association and the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Hellenic Bar Association Foundation and he currently is the Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors for the New Trier Educational Foundation.
Harry graduated from the College of Law at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1989, and also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois College of Commerce and Business Administration.
Dr. Larry Straus is a licensed consulting psychologist with over 20 years of clinical and business consulting experience. Dr. Straus holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Penn State University and was trained at the University of Pennsylvania by Dr. Aaron T. Beck who is the world-renowned founder of the most successful system of modern psychology--cognitive psychology. Dr. Straus has trained over 3000 public and private sector managers in leadership and effective management skills. In the past, he has offered his programs to the Department of Transportation, Department of Labor, Thomas Edison State College, and Merrill Lynch. Dr. Straus is currently writing a book called, The Meaning of Life Is to Make Life Meaningful. After practicing psychology for 22 years and conducting 35,000 consultation and therapy sessions he has come to recognize 6 basic and universal strategies to personal and professional success.
Alice Waagen, Ph.D. focuses her work on applying the principles of education and learning to meet business goals. She is president and founder of WORKFORCE LEARNING LLC., a leading provider of learning programs that support business strategies.
Alice has a varied background in learning applications, from experience in public education to heading up training units in major Fortune 500 companies. Her corporate expertise encompasses industries such as computer software, finance, transportation, and utilities. Under her leadership, these organizations have developed full systems for learning measurement and evaluation, cost of training models, volume and activity reporting, customer satisfaction metrics and training return on investment.
As an independent consultant, Alice provides business-based solutions for workforce learning. These solutions range from executive coaching assignments based on multi-rater feedback systems to the development and delivery of management and supervisory training programs for front-line, shop floor supervisor. Dr. Waagen also has served as a temporary organizational learning executive, building full learning and development functions for companies.
Alice earned a BS in Art Education from the New York State College at Buffalo, and MS and Ph.D. degrees in Art Education from the Pennsylvania State University. She has presented at numerous professional conferences, including the Training Director’s Forum, the Chancellor’s Conference on Civilian Education (DoD), and the Training Officer’s Conference.
Giving back to the community is strong personal value for Alice. She serves on the District Training Committee for Boy Scouts of America and has served on numerous volunteer positions with the local chapters of the American Society for Training and Development and Society for Human Resources Professionals. She currently is a member of the Board of Directors for the Human Resources Leadership Forum as well as the Board for Habitat for Humanity, Northern Virginia.
Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C.
Mr. Weinstock represents public and private sector employers exclusively in all aspects of labor relations and employment law before state and federal courts, arbitration boards and state and federal administrative agencies, including the State Board of Labor Relations, State Board of Mediation and Arbitration, American Arbitration Association and Freedom of Information Commission. He represents employers in collective bargaining negotiations, grievance and interest arbitrations, union organizing campaigns and prohibited practice complaints. Mr. Weinstock also represents employers in all types of workplace discrimination claims before the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Responsibilities and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He also counsels public and private sector employers in all labor and employment matters including compliance with all laws and regulations governing the workplace, contract administration, personnel policies, sexual harassment training, hiring and firing matters, employee testing and general personnel and human resource concerns.
Mr. Weinstock received his Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law in 1993 where he was a Hennessey Scholar. He received a B.A. magna cum laude in political science from Boston University in 1990, where he was a Harry S. Truman National Scholar from New Jersey.
Ken Weinstock is admitted to the Connecticut Bar, 1996; the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, 2004; Massachusetts Bar, 1993; U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, 1994; New Jersey Bar, 1993; U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, 1993. He is a member of the American, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Hartford County Bar Associations; the National and Connecticut Public Employer Labor Relations Association; the Labor and Employment Relations Association; the International Public Management Association for Human Resources; the Society for Human Resource Management; the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education; and the Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys.
Mr. Weinstock lectures throughout New England and nationally for chambers of commerce, human resource and legal education organizations on various labor and employment topics and is an Arthritis Foundation Annual Gala Committee Member. He is the Update Editor for the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities' Municipal Employee Relations Act Manual; and previously served as Contributing Editor for the Developing Labor Law and Connecticut Employment Law Letter.
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