2026 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (subject to change)

  • The full conference is approved for 17 SHRM PDC's and 17 HRCI General credits. For those with SPHR designations, 16 sessions are approved for HRCI Business Credits and are noted within the schedule.  Two of the 16 HRCI Business Credits are also eligible for Ethics credit. 
  • 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!
  • Please note that seating is limited in rooms M:Calloway and E:Leeward.
  • 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
2:00 PM - 7:00 PM
2:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Marriott 2nd Fl
Conference Check-In and Information
 
 
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Executive Meeting Room 4th Fl
SHRM Virginia and DC State Council Meeting
 
 
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom & Prefunction Spaces
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 & Prefunction Spaces
Marketplace Hours
 
 
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
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: E-Leeward
The 3% Rule: Building Margin and Mastery to Fight Captain Chaos
 
Travis Dommert
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
We’re Not a Family- We’re a Team: Why Workplace Boundaries Matter
(HRCI-Ethics)
Maria Wood
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
Welcome and SHRM Virginia and DC Chapter Recognition
 
 
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: 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 & Prefunction Spaces
Break in the Marketplace
 
 
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: M-Calloway
Tailor-Made Mentoring
 
Chris Slininger
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-Mainsail East (A)
Deepfakes and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Legal Risks and HR Responses
(HRCI-Business)
Joon Hwang Leslie Currie
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Unboxed Leadership: Advanced Flight School for HR Heroes
(HRCI-Business)
Elizabeth Veliz
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Empathy Driven Performance Management
 
Michael Cohen
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Beyond Burnout: How HR Heroes Develop Leaders Who Attract, Engage, and Retain Talent
(HRCI-Business)
Courtney Jordan
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: M-Calloway
Rescuing New Managers: A Leadership Blueprint Every HR Team Needs
 
Christopher Jones
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
From Dating to Divorce: Legal Advice on Recruitment through Severances
 
Leah Stiegler Victor Cardwell
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: Marriott 2nd Fl
Lunch
 
 
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Truth, Justice, and the Arbitration Way: Helping Employees Feel Heard & Avoiding Risk with ADR
 
Michael McIntosh
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Everything I Know About Solving Today’s HR Problems – I Learned from My Dog
(HRCI-Business)
Michael Puck
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: M-Calloway
The Retention Reboot: Saving Mid-Career Talent Through Smarter Benefits
 
Christina Tunison
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Intentional Ascent: 8 Essential Keys to Strategic Skills-First, Future-Proof Succession Pipeline
 
Vanessa Zamy
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
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-Mainsail East (A)
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
(HRCI-Business)
Todd Walls
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: M-Calloway
Perspective: The HR Superpower—Powerful Thinking for Clarity, Courage & Compassion
 
Terrie Nathan
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom & Prefunction Spaces
Break in the Marketplace
 
 
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
HR as the First Line of Defense: Wage and Hour Compliances
 
Randy Sparks
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Leeward
The 90 Second Reset: Perform at Your Best in Any Moment!
 
Sam Kabert
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Calloway
Did That Just Happen?! In the Moment Responses to Interrupt Inappropriate Workplace Behavior
 
Tara Taylor
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 West (B)
The Strategic Leader’s Edge: Building Influence, Credibility, and Business Impact
(HRCI-Business)
Stephanie Burton
5:00 PM
5:00 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 & Prefunction Spaces
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: 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 East (A)
The Team Alignment Playbook: 3 Strategies to Turn Siloed Teams into Collaborative Powerhouses
(HRCI-Business)
Amy Yip
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-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: 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
Announcements, SHRM Update
 
 
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: 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 & Prefunction Spaces
Break in the Marketplace
 
 
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: M-Goodman
HERO Flow: How HR Rehydrates Workplace Culture When Relationship Runs Dry
 
Shelley Smith
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Black Mirror: The Ethics of AI in HR
(HRCI-Ethics)
Shari Simpson
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Power Up: Accommodating Religious, Pregnancy and Disability Issues in the Workplace
 
Michael Gardner King Tower
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Living the D.R.E.A.M: Creating Organizational Culture of Growth, Connection, and Dialogue
 
Henry Yampolsky
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Room: M-Calloway
Are Goats the Secret to Beating Burnout?
 
Jamie Lewis Smith
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
The Strategic HR Hero - From Tactical Executor to Strategic Architect
(HRCI-Business)
Tiffany Fortune
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Shift Your Thinking: Unlock High-Performance Communication
(HRCI-Business)
Lei Comerford
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
AI at Work: Innovation Meets Regulation
 
Yvette Gatling
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: Marriott 2nd Fl
Lunch
 
 
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Humor is Serious Business…But We Should Still be Laughing
 
Greg Schwem
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Retention is an Outcome, Not a Strategy
(HRCI-Business)
April Thomas
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Room: M-Calloway
Every Hero Has a Villain: Leadership Lessons from the Worst
 
Sheri Bender Kate Bray
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
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
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Mission Brief: Employment Law Updates
 
Anne Bibeau Tom Winn
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Small Business HEROes in Action
(HRCI-Business)
Katie Garcia
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: M-Calloway
In the Age of AI, Authentic Leadership is HR's Competitive Edge
 
Tacy Riehm
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Human Intelligence Meets AI - Crafting Job Ads that Attract Top Talent
 
Steven Smith
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom & Prefunction Spaces
Break in the Marketplace - Booth prize drawings
 
 
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Leeward
Future of Workforce Development: Preparing for a Skills-Based Future
 
Brian Winterstein
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Unmasking the Talent Lifecycle: How HR Superheroes Align Community, Culture, and Business Strategy
(HRCI-Business)
Karis Richardson
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: E-Mainsail East (A)
Navigating the DEI Legal Maze: Compliance & Inclusion in Today’s Workplace
 
Yvette Gatling Lauren Bridenbaugh Janea Hawkins
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Goodman
Unmasking the Hero in Your Team—One Evaluation at a Time
 
Albert Foster
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room: M-Calloway
HR Super Powers - AI Unleashed
 
Ryan Malkes
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 raffle 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: M-Seaside Ballroom
When A Hero Comes Along - Saving the Workplace One Investigation at a Time
 
Karen Michael
7:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: E-Mainsail West (B)
Evaluation That Elevates: Leveraging Data to Drive Meaningful DEI Initiatives
(HRCI-Business)
Dr. Lisa Marie Lee
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: E-Leeward
Supporting Transgender Employees: Updating Your Anti-Harassment Policy
 
Reid Whyte
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: M-Calloway
Leading Through Change Like an HR Hero: Got Change? I Got You!
 
Shari Collins
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Room: M-Goodman
AI and the HR Hero’s Journey: Leading the Last All-Human Workforce
 
Shayna Cooke
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)
HR Like A Boss
(HRCI-Business)
John Bernatovicz
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Room: M-Goodman
Respectful Workplaces: The Missing Link Between Belonging and Harassment Prevention
 
Sharon Harrington
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)
The Accommodation League: Employers v. the New Era of Work
 
Kristina Vaquera
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: The Hidden Hero: HR for HR
 
Jamie Jackson
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Room: M-Seaside Ballroom
2027 Conference Preview, Closing Remarks, SHRM Foundation 50/50 & Silent Auction Winners, Passport Winners Announced