Mykkah Herner is the Modern Compensation Evangelist at PayScale, the leader in modern compensation data and software. PayScale’s products help employees and employers understand market-based pay and have more open and mutually beneficial conversations about compensation. He has more than a decade of experience developing strategic compensation programs for more than 400 companies to ensure they retain and attract the right talent. Mykkah specializes in linking performance with compensation in order to drive better business results. He delivers a monthly accredited webinar series at PayScale, breaking complex compensation concepts into actionable steps. Mykkah is also a regular contributor to TLNT. Mykkah holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development from Antioch University, and is a Certified Compensation Professional.

Erin Thompson is the Manager of Corporate Education and Development at Peoples Health in Metairie, LA.  In this role, she and her team are responsible for providing business and industry related educational programs and training to all Peoples Health employees.  This includes design, development, implementation, and evaluation of orientation, core curriculum, and other company-wide training initiatives. 

Prior to joining Peoples Health, Erin worked at Ochsner Health System as a Senior Consultant in the Ochsner Leadership Institute. In this role, Erin was responsible for analyzing overall learning and development requirements, design, and delivery of leadership and organizational development activities.  She also developed and facilitated Professional Skills training, New Leader Orientation, and the Supervisor Leadership Program.  Prior to joining Ochsner, Erin worked in Training and Development and Human Resources for the University of New Orleans, and as the Human Resources Coordinator for Hotard Coaches and Calco Travel.

Erin graduated from Louisiana State University with a B.S. degree in Psychology.  She then went on to earn a M.A. degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech University.  Erin holds her SHRM –CP and is a national member of SHRM and ATD.  She is a local member of NOLA SHRM and serves on the board of directors as Past President.

Jim is a Sr. Vice President at HUB International, with responsibility for employee benefit consulting services for employers around the Gulf South region.  Jim’s 30+ years of HR experience includes Hotel Dieu Hospital as the VP of HR and Regional HR Director for Glaxo SmithKline/Quest Diagnostics.  He is the past-President of GNOSHHRA (Health Care) association and was an active Board member for many years.  Jim has served on the Board of HRMA for 8 years, 4 as our Treasurer/Finance Committee, as President-Elect, President and is currently the Chairperson for the Sponsorships Committee.  He has an undergraduate degree from UNO in Management where he started his HR career as a student intern.  Jim also has an MBA from Loyola University.  In his spare time Jim enjoys fishing, duck hunting and outdoor activities.  Additionally, he is an active high school wrestling official for 33 years and has coached a local USA Wrestling club for the past 25 years.  

Katie Bardaro, Vice President of Data Analytics, joined PayScale in 2008. In addition to leading the Data Analytics team and building and maintaining PayScale's proprietary compensation model, Katie serves as PayScale's Lead Economist. She has provided analysis on compensation data and trends for print/online and broadcast media including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Economist, CNBC, CNN Money, USA Today, Forbes, and Business Insider, among others. Katie holds a bachelor's in economics from the College of the Holy Cross and a master's in economics from University of Washington, with a focus in labor economics and econometrics.