2026 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (subject to change)

  • We expect the full conference to offer 20 SHRM PDC's and 20 HRCI General credits. For those with SPHR designations, we will post HRCI Business Credits once approved.  
  • Sessions will take place at the Marriott and Embassy Suites and are noted on the schedule as M=Marriott, E=Embassy Suites.  Session rooms are subject to change!
  • Attendees receive a printed schedule and use of the conference App - information coming soon.
  • Included with your registration: Sunday Reception, Breakfast M,T,W, Lunch M,T, Breaks M,T,W
Sunday, April 12, 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Executive Meeting Room 4th Fl
HR Virginia SHRM State Council Meeting
 
 
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom A,B,C
Marketplace Grand Opening, Networking
 
 
Monday, April 13, 2026
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Marriott 2nd Fl & Embassy Suites 1st Fl
Breakfast
 
 
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Room: M-Sinatra
SHRM Foundation 50/50 and Silent Auction
 
 
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Location: Marriott 2nd Fl
Conference Check-In and Information
 
 
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom A,B,C
Marketplace Hours
 
 
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: E-Leeward
We’re Not a Family- We’re a Team: Why Workplace Boundaries Matter
 
Maria Wood
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
The 3% Rule: Building Margin and Mastery to Fight Captain Chaos
 
Travis Dommert
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Investigations as Culture Work: The Quiet Power of HR to Shape Trust
 
Patrick Noonan
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: M-Goodman
Empathy as a Superpower: Attracting and Landing Exceptional Talent
 
Angie Tinnell
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: M-Calloway
Wearing Your Superhero Cape While Handling The Unthinkable
 
Melissa Del Ferraro
8:40 AM - 9:05 AM
8:40 AM - 9:05 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Welcome and SHRM Virginia and DC Chapter Recognition
 
 
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Room: E-Windward
Headshot Photos
 
 
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
HR Without Boundaries - Deconstructing How We Practice to Move Organizations Forward
 
Steve Browne
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom A,B,C
Break in the Marketplace
 
 
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Deepfakes and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Legal Risks and HR Responses
 
Joon Hwang Leslie Currie
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: M-Goodman
Overwhelming Ownership: Why You’re Exhausted (and How to Stop Doing Everyone’s Job)
 
Jamie Lewis Smith
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: E-Leeward
Tailor-Made Mentoring
 
Chris Slininger
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Empathy Driven Performance Management
 
Michael Cohen
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Unboxed Leadership: Advanced Flight School for HR Heroes
 
Elizabeth Veliz
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
From Dating to Divorce: Legal Advice on Recruitment through Severances
 
Leah Stiegler Victor Cardwell
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Beyond Burnout: How HR Heroes Develop Leaders Who Attract, Engage, and Retain Talent
 
Courtney Jordan
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Rescuing New Managers: A Leadership Blueprint Every HR Team Needs
 
Christopher Jones
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Marriott 2nd Fl & Embassy Suites 1st Fl
Lunch
 
 
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Truth, Justice, and the Arbitration Way: Helping Employees Feel Heard & Avoiding Risk with ADR
 
Michael McIntosh
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: E-Leeward
The Retention Reboot: Saving Mid-Career Talent Through Smarter Benefits
 
Christina Tunison
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Everything I Know About Solving Today’s HR Problems – I Learned from My Dog
 
Michael Puck
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Intentional Ascent: 8 Essential Keys to Strategic Skills-First, Future-Proof Succession Pipeline
 
Vanessa Zamy
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Engage the Brain, Engage the Employee: Recognition That Drives Results
 
Don Rheem
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Perspective: The HR Superpower—Powerful Thinking for Clarity, Courage & Compassion
 
Terrie Nathan
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Engaging the Invisibles: Practical Strategies for Mitigating Risks with Unseen Employees
 
Joon Hwang Leslie Currie
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: M-Goodman
The Strategic Advantage of Hiring Individuals with Disabilities
 
Todd Walls
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom A,B,C
Break in the Marketplace
 
 
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Did That Just Happen?! In the Moment Responses to Interrupt Inappropriate Workplace Behavior
 
Tara Taylor
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
HR as the First Line of Defense: Wage and Hour Compliances
 
Randy Sparks
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Everyday Heroes: Building Future-Ready Workplaces That Stand Strong
 
Julie Develin
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Adaptive Leadership – How to Fly Even When the Cape Feels Heavy
 
Loralyn Mears
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
The Strategic Leader’s Edge: Building Influence, Credibility, and Business Impact
 
Stephanie Burton
6:00 PM
6:00 PM
 
Dinner on Your Own
 
 
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Marriott 2nd Fl & Embassy Suites 1st Fl
Breakfast
 
 
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom A,B,C
Marketplace Hours
 
 
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Room: M-Sinatra
SHRM Foundation 50/50 and Silent Auction
 
 
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Location: Marriott 2nd Fl
Conference Check-In and Information
 
 
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: M-Goodman
It's Not You, It's Me... Why We Fall Out of Love with Work and What to Do About It.
 
David Shar
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
The Team Alignment Playbook: 3 Strategies to Turn Siloed Teams into Collaborative Powerhouses
 
Amy Yip
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: E-Leeward
Heroic Engagement Methods that Build Culture - Top-down, Bottom-up, and Sideways
 
Scott Boddie
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Outrageous Employment Law Cases ... and the Lessons We Can Learn!
 
Randy Sparks
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: M-Calloway
Rehumanizing Work in the Age of AI: Building the Human Skills That Technology Can’t Replace
 
Victoria McCausland
8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Announcements, SHRM Update
 
 
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Unmasking Greatness: Workplace Superhero Strategies for HR Professionals
 
Orlena Cowan-Bailey
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom A,B,C
Break in the Marketplace
 
 
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Power Up: Accommodating Religious, Pregnancy and Disability Issues in the Workplace
 
Michael Gardner King Tower
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Black Mirror: The Ethics of AI in HR
(HRCI-Ethics)
Shari Simpson
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: E-Leeward
HERO Flow: How HR Rehydrates Workplace Culture When Relationship Runs Dry
 
Shelley Smith
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Are Goats the Secret to Beating Burnout?
 
Jamie Lewis Smith
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Living the D.R.E.A.M: Creating Organizational Culture of Growth, Connection, and Dialogue
 
Henry Yampolsky
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
AI at Work: Innovation Meets Regulation
 
Yvette Gatling
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Shift Your Thinking: Unlock High-Performance Communication
 
Lei Comerford
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
The Strategic HR Hero - From Tactical Executor to Strategic Architect
 
Tiffany Fortune
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Marriott 2nd Fl & Embassy Suites 1st Fl
Lunch
 
 
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Retention is an Outcome, Not a Strategy
 
April Thomas
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Every Hero Has a Villain: Leadership Lessons from the Worst
 
Sheri Bender Kate Bray
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Humor is Serious Business…But We Should Still be Laughing
 
Greg Schwem
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Mission Brief: Employment Law Updates
 
Anne Bibeau Tom Winn
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Peer Power: Why Peer Coaching is HR’s Secret to Thriving Leaders and Teams
 
Noa Ronen
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Human Intelligence Meets AI - Crafting Job Ads that Attract Top Talent
 
Steven Smith
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Small Business HEROes in Action
 
Katie Garcia
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
In the Age of AI, Authentic Leadership is HR's Competitive Edge
 
Tacy Riehm
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom A,B,C
Break in the Marketplace - Booth prize drawings
 
 
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Goodman
HR Super Powers - AI Unleashed
 
Ryan Malkes
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Unmasking the Talent Lifecycle: How HR Superheroes Align Community, Culture, and Business Strategy
 
Karis Richardson
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Unmasking the Hero in Your Team—One Evaluation at a Time
 
Albert Foster
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
Navigating the DEI Legal Maze: Compliance & Inclusion in Today’s Workplace
 
Yvette Gatling Lauren Bridenbaugh Janea Hawkins
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Future of Workforce Development: Preparing for a Skills-Based Future
 
Brian Winterstein
5:00 PM
5:00 PM
 
Dinner on Your Own
 
 
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Marriott 2nd Fl & Embassy Suites 1st Fl
Breakfast
 
 
7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Room: M-Sinatra
SHRM Foundation 50/50 and Silent Auction Close at 11:00 AM
 
 
7:00 AM - 12:30 PM
7:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: Marriott 2nd Fl
Conference Check-In and Information
 
 
7:30 AM - 9:30 AM
7:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Evaluation That Elevates: Leveraging Data to Drive Meaningful DEI Initiatives
 
Dr. Lisa Marie Lee
7:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
When A Hero Comes Along - Saving the Workplace One Investigation at a Time
 
Karen Michael
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: M-Goodman
Leading Through Change Like an HR Hero: Got Change? I Got You!
 
Shari Collins
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
AI and the HR Hero’s Journey: Leading the Last All-Human Workforce
 
Shayna Cooke
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: E-Leeward
Supporting Transgender Employees: Updating Your Anti-Harassment Policy
 
Reid Whyte
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Location: Marriott 2nd Fl
Break
 
 
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
The Accommodation League: Employers v. the New Era of Work
 
Kristina Vaquera
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Room: E-Leeward
Joy as a Competitive Advantage: The Human Edge in the Age of AI
 
Damilare Adeyeri
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Room: M-Calloway
Beyond the Paycheck: Unlocking the True Value of Workplace Benefits
 
Justin Steil
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
HR Like A Boss
 
John Bernatovicz
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Room: M-Goodman
Respectful Workplaces: The Missing Link Between Belonging and Harassment Prevention
 
Sharon Harrington
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
The Hidden Hero: HR for HR
 
Jamie Jackson
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom D,E
2027 Conference Preview, Closing Remarks, SHRM Foundation 50/50 & Gift Raffle Drawings, Passport Winners Announced