Chris Hoffman manages the San Diego office for the national labor and employment law firm of Fisher & Phillips LLP. While Chris dedicates a substantial portion of his time to defending employers in class actions and other complex litigation matters, he also spends substantial time assisting clients find practical solutions to their employment issues. A big proponent of preventative efforts, Chris strongly believes that some of his best results assisted clients to avoid litigation. Chris also frequently speaks to employer groups and associations around the country on issues ranging from wage and hour compliance to leave laws and even traditional labor relations.

Nancy Volpe, SHRM-SCP is currently Chief People Officer for the Center for People Solutions LLC. She has 20+ years of Executive HR practitioner experience in the manufacturing, retail and non-profit service industries. In addition to her HR practitioner experience, she has held employment with the U.S. Department of Labor, OFCCP and U.S. Department of Justice. She is a long-standing SHRM volunteer wherein she has held board positions at the local, regional and national level. Volpe has traveled internationally to learn HR practices in Canada, Mexico, China, India, Brazil, Singapore, and Europe; and attained her GPHR in 2007. Volpe inherited current union activity when she went to work for a food manufacturing company and was the lead company facilitator resulting in a certification of results. In her current position at the Center for People Solutions LLC, she trains and coaches HR professionals to be more strategic and credible within their HR role and consults with companies to enhance HR’s value.

 J. Mark Iwry is Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury and is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Retirement and Health Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department. In that role, he is heavily involved in retirement and savings policy, implementation of the Affordable Care Act, other employee benefits and compensation issues, and related policy, legislative, rulemaking, and regulatory activity. 

Mark was previously a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, a partner in the law firm of Covington & Burling, a Research Professor at Georgetown University, Of Counsel to the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell, and a Principal of the Retirement Security Project. From 1995 to 2001, he was the Treasury Department's Benefits Tax Counsel, serving as the principal official directly responsible for tax policy and regulation relating to the Nation’s qualified pension and 401(k) plans, IRAs, employer health plans, deferred compensation, and other employee benefits. 

Mark has often testified before congressional committees – representing the Treasury and Executive Branch or, while in the private sector, testifying as an independent expert -- and State legislatures. He has advised numerous Senators, Members of Congress and their staffs on both sides of the aisle, and has been asked to provide policy advice to various Presidential campaigns. 

Formerly a chair of the D.C. Bar Employee Benefits Committee and member of the White House Task Force on Health Care Reform (1993-94), his books and articles include the co-edited volume (with William Gale and Peter Orszag), Aging Gracefully: Ideas to Improve Retirement Security in America (Century Fdn. Press, 2006) and Automatic: Changing the Way America Saves (Brookings Institution Press, 2009)(co-edited with W. Gale, D. John and L. Walker). 

Mark is an honors graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, earned a Masters degree in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School, and is listed in Who’s Who, Best Lawyers in America, Washington DC Super Lawyers, etc. He is a Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel and a member of the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Rhett Buttle currently serves as the Director of Private Sector Engagement in the Office of the Secretary at the United States Department of Health and Human Services. In his role, Rhett is the main liaison between the department and the business community. In addition, Rhett is a member of the White House Business Council where he works to engage the business community on a variety of healthcare policy issues, including the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. 

Before this role, Rhett was Vice President for External Affairs at Small Business Majority, a national business advocacy organization. During his tenure, Rhett led the effort to grow the organization in size and scope launching eight regional offices and expanding the organization’s policy issue set. His efforts led to sustained engagement with business leaders across the country on a variety of public policy issues and a national campaign to educate the business community about the Affordable Care Act. Rhett has also served in the Office of the President at George Washington University, worked on presidential, state and local campaigns and in the office of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was part of the governor’s legislative team working on healthcare reform, energy and education issues. 

Rhett frequently engages with the media and has spoken on business issues at the Harvard Institute of Politics, the Aspen Institute, and the Center for American Progress. He also serves on the boards of several different organizations, including the Board of Directors at the University of San Diego. Rhett holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Diego and a master’s degree from The George Washington University. In addition, he is active in many volunteer & professional organizations including American Legion Boys State. Rhett was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV.

Mr. Fortney is a co-founder of Fortney & Scott, LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm counseling and advising clients on the full spectrum of work-place related matters, including employment discrimination and labor matters, compliance programs, government contracting, international dispute resolution and counseling matters, and developing strategies for avoiding or responding to workplace-related crises.

David has a broad-based practice representing and counseling employers and executives in employment and labor matters, including equal employment opportunity requirements, wage and hour matters, federal contractor's affirmative action and non-discrimination obligations, collective bargaining, and workplace health and safety. He brings experience from the public and private sectors in advising clients on these issues, and he frequently represents clients before federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor's agencies, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the National Labor Relations Board.

Mr. Fortney has been widely recognized for his professional accomplishments, including being named one of the leading employment lawyers in Washington, D.C. by the CHAMBERS USA survey of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in all years from 2005 through 2012. He was selected for inclusion in the 2009 through 2012 editions of The Best Lawyers in America, Washington D.C.’s, Washington D.C.’s Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers. Mr. Fortney was also awarded an AV rating (the highest level) by Martindale-Hubbell.

David is a frequent lecturer and writer on employment-related topics, including appearances on CNN, CBS and Fox News. Mr. Fortney is the co-editor of the Federal Employment Law Insider monthly newsletter, Chapter Editor of The Family and Medical Leave Act (2006) published by BNA Books, co-author of the Military Leave Compliance Kit (2001), published by M. Lee Smith Publishers, and lead author of the Guide to Employee Leave (1997), published by Warren, Gorham & Lamont.

Senator Linda Newell, SPHR, is a Colorado State Senator now, but came from the private sector in Human Resources and Learning and Organizational Development, although her first career was in theatre and television in California.  She is a repeat presenter at national SHRM conferences, Colorado Human Resources Association, and regional and national summits and she hosts Colorado Human Resources professionals at their annual HR Day at the Capitol.  She attended UCLA, UC Irvine, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Executive program.  

In her five years in the legislature, Senator Newell has earned the reputation of being one of the most effective legislators at the Capitol.  Because of her collaborative approach, she is known as a problem-solver and bridge-builder, with 98% of her bills thus far receiving bipartisan support.

Ms. Walters has more than 30 years’ combined experience in management, HR administration, employment law practice, and teaching.

She has presented at conferences across the country, been engaged as an expert witness, and testified before U.S. Congressional and state legislative committees on employment issues.

Her book, “From Hello to Goodbye: Proactive Tips for Maintaining Positive Employee Relations” is in its 2nd edition and was one of the SHRMStore’s “Great 8” best-sellers for eight consecutive years.

Today, Ms. Walters works as an independent consultant doing business as FiveL Company, “Helping Leaders Limit their Liability by Learning the Law.”SM