Dr. Ellen Kossek is the Basil S. Turner Professor of Management and director, Center for Leadership, at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management where she teaches graduate students and managers on organizational behavior and human resource challenges. She was elected to the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Management and is a Fellow of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Employee recognition expert Cindy Ventrice is a management consultant and workshop leader with over 20 years of experience. She is the author of the best-selling book Make Their Day! Employee Recognition That Works , as well as Recognition Strategies That Work, The Secret to Recognition Programs That Work, and 101 Tips for Team Leaders .

Upon graduation from college in 1983, Cindy became employed in the fledgling personal computer field as a special projects manager. After only six months, her employer went bankrupt and laid off its entire workforce. The contacts she made during this brief employment allowed her to leverage her knowledge of computer systems and establish herself as an independent consultant. In that capacity, she helped hundreds of organizations computerize their accounting and operational systems, acting as advisor, project manager, technical resource, and trainer.

Her strong understanding of technology provided Cindy with an opportunity to work on many diverse projects that helped her develop a comprehensive understanding of business operations. Over time, she had the opportunity to work in a wide range of industries including: technology, nonprofit, government, health care, manufacturing, trade, service, education, and tourism.

Follow Cindy on Twitter @maketheirday.

Kristine is a strategic Human Resources Executive with expertise in providing world-class organizational support from within the entertainment and media industries. Her current role is the VP of Human Resources for Warner Brothers Studio Facilities in Burbank, CA. Prior to this, she was laid off from her role in the Music Industry as former head of North American Human Resources at EMI Music in New York. Kristine’s background includes organizational and change leadership, employee relations, process improvement, succession planning, and talent management. She is known for results-focused partnering with business leaders, creating high-performance teams that not only meet their goals but also value the people who make it all happen. Mrs. Muscara is a graduate of Boston University in Psychology and Special Education. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, SHRM, and NHRA – Los Angeles.

Alice Kilborn, JD PHR, is an Associate Attorney at Moody & Warner, P.C., where her practice is  devoted to employment and labor law including advice and litigation in the areas of labor relations, wage and hour issues, class actions, discrimination, harassment, EEOC charges, wrongful termination, employment agreements, and other employment-related matters.  Prior to entering the legal field, Ms. Kilborn worked in Human Resources specializing in the areas of state and federal regulatory compliance and corporate training.  She has served as the State Legislative Director for the Society for Human Resource Management of New Mexico (SHRM NM) since 2009 and is a frequent, enthusiastic speaker regarding legislative activity affecting the workplace.

Follow Alice on Twitter @alicekilborn.

Dr. Frank V. Nunez brings over thirty years of experience in all facets of human resources from employee relations, compensation and training & development to strategic workforce planning, leadership development and organizational change management. He has worked as a front line HRG supporting technology organizations as well as managing HR teams across multiple sites nation-wide. He completed his doctoral degree in organizational change from Pepperdine University in 2010. His dissertation broke new ground in leadership development research by linking the theories of Dr. Karen Horney (Hor-ni) to improving leadership growth. Now focusing on the human side of organizational change, Dr. Nunez helps organizations improve their leadership competence in constructing higher level mental models so that they can act on change rather than be acted upon by change.

Global Speaker Sonia Aranza has presented on the international stage from Spain to Singapore.  She brings 27+ years of experience in Diversity, Inclusion & Global Leadership. Her clients include Boeing, CIA, McDonald’s and more. The U.S. Department of Labor describes her work as “Outstanding” and was selected to execute programs for landmark cases. SHRM featured her as a Diversity & Inclusion Expert in HR Magazine and she is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Leadership. She serves on the Faculty of Howard University’s Executive Diversity Program; named “100 Most Influential Filipina Americans in the United States” and honored “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World.”

Jonathan A. Siegel is a principal in the Orange County, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He has spent more than 27 years at Jackson Lewis representing employers in workplace law matters.  In 2009, Jonathan was recognized as one of the Top 100 Labor Attorneys in America. In 2020 and 2021, Jonathan was recognized in Best Lawyers in America.

Jonathan provides advice and counsel to employers regarding various issues including wage and hour, reduction in force, discipline, leave management, labor, harassment and discrimination issues. 

Jonathan has represented management in NLRB elections, unfair labor practice proceedings, collective bargaining and arbitrations.

Two themes are woven throughout Lauraine Bifulco's diverse career: a passion for a job well done and a zest for continual learning and improvement.  Lauraine infuses Vantaggio HR with these qualities every day. When she founded the firm in 1994, Lauraine combined her rare talent in understanding what a client needs and her gift of business foresight to create a company that can service the HR and management consulting needs of small and large companies equally well.  Today, Vantaggio serves clients across the country from their offices in California, Hawaii, Colorado, and New York. 

Her Career experience helps employers realize their HR goals and adapt to the shifting HR landscape.  Lauraine is a veteran HR executive and entrepreneur with 25 years of international, corporate, and consulting experience. Her bold career has taken her to employment and business opportunities in Europe and multiple U.S. cities. She serves as co-chair of the California Small Business Administration's committee on Labor Issues which reviews and makes recommendations on pending labor/employment laws, keeping her abreast of legal developments.                                                                            

Delivering over 30 presentations and webinars each year, Lauraine is a well-respected, and highly sought after guest lecturer and speaker on a variety of business management and HR-related topics for both state and national organizations including Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA), American Payroll Association (APA), Next Concept HR Association (NCHRA), Paylocity annual Elevate Conference, and HR Star Conference to name a few. She has been invited to review, develop, and deliver certificate programs for SHRM, and has developed and delivered curriculum for businesses throughout the U.S.                                                                   

Lauraine received a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and conducted graduate level studies in linguistics at the Sorbonne in Paris.