Paul Begala
CNN Commentator
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Paul Begala is a commentator for CNN, where he is part of the political team that has won both an “Emmy” and a “Peabody Award”.  In the 2012 campaign he was a senior adviser for the pro-Obama Super PAC, making Begala one of the few people to play a critical role in electing two different presidents.

After helping engineer Bill Clinton's presidential campaign with his partner, James Carville, Begala served as counselor to the President, one of Clinton's closest aides. He has consulted for political campaigns across the country and around the world, including advising politicians in Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

Former President Bill Clinton described his longtime friend and former aide as, "a witty dynamo from Sugar Land, Texas...who brought energy, focus and credibility to our efforts."  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Begala, "embodies a passion for populism with a commitment to civility, no easy feat."

And radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has said of Begala, "If you don't know who The Forehead is, Paul Begala, he's the guy, the kid that played the banjo on the bridge in the movie Deliverance."

He helped his friend John F. Kennedy, Jr. launch the political magazine George and wrote the "Capitol Hillbilly" column, and is the author of several New York Times best-selling political books.

Begala is an affiliated professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University.  He has also taught at the University of Texas and the University of Georgia.  Along with James Carville and GOP strategist Karl Rove, he was a recently inducted into the American Association of Political Consultants' Hall of Fame.

 

SESSIONS:
Tucker Carlson
Anchor on Fox and Friends Weekend
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Tucker Carlson is the anchor of Fox and Friends Weekend and the editor-in-chief of The Daily Caller, one of the largest and fastest growing news sites in the country. Carlson joined FOX from MSNBC, where he hosted several nightly programs. Previously, he was the co-host of Crossfire on CNN, as well the host of a weekly public affairs program on PBS.

A longtime newspaper and magazine writer, Carlson has reported from around the world, including dispatches from Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon and Vietnam. He has been a columnist for New York magazine and Reader's Digest. Carlson began his journalism career at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper in Little Rock. His most recent book is entitled, Politicians, Partisans and Parasites: My Adventures in Cable News. He appeared on the third season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

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Jeffrey Toobin
Senior Analyst for CNN and Staff Writer for The New Yorker
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A high-profile senior analyst for CNN and staff writer for The New Yorker, Jeffrey Toobin is one of the country’s most esteemed experts on politics, media and the law. With unparalleled journalistic skill, Toobin has provided analysis on some of the most provocative and important events of our time. Toobin provides a unique look into the inner workings of The Supreme Court and its influence, as well as how upcoming elections will shape the court and, in turn, the nation. 

After a six-year tenure at ABC News, where he covered the country’s highest-profile cases and received a 2000 Emmy Award for his coverage of the Elian Gonzales custody saga, Toobin joined CNN as a legal analyst for CNN in 2002 where he now serves as senior analyst. Also a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1993, he has written articles on such subjects as the Bernie Madoff scandal, the case of Roman Polanski, and profiles of Justices Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, John Paul Stevens and Chief Justice John Roberts. 

Toobin received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, March 18, 2014 - 8:00am to 9:00am
Jeffrey Toobin
Senior Analyst for CNN and Staff Writer for The New Yorker
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A high-profile senior analyst for CNN and staff writer for The New Yorker, Jeffrey Toobin is one of the country’s most esteemed experts on politics, media and the law. With unparalleled journalistic skill, Toobin has provided analysis on some of the most provocative and important events of our time. Toobin provides a unique look into the inner workings of The Supreme Court and its influence, as well as how upcoming elections will shape the court and, in turn, the nation. 

After a six-year tenure at ABC News, where he covered the country’s highest-profile cases and received a 2000 Emmy Award for his coverage of the Elian Gonzales custody saga, Toobin joined CNN as a legal analyst for CNN in 2002 where he now serves as senior analyst. Also a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1993, he has written articles on such subjects as the Bernie Madoff scandal, the case of Roman Polanski, and profiles of Justices Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, John Paul Stevens and Chief Justice John Roberts. 

Toobin received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

SESSIONS:
Keri Gasiorowski
senior director of Talent Management
Digital Risk
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Keri Gasiorowski is Senior Director of Talent Management for Digital Risk, the largest global independent provider of risk, compliance, and transaction management solutions. She has over 10 years of experience in Talent Management, including having worked for Robert Half International and United Stationers Supply Company. In her role at Digital Risk, she leads the Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, and Internal Communications functions. Keri has her Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Behavior and her Masters in Human Resource Management, both from Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. Aside from working at Digital Risk, Keri is lead faculty member for Human Resource courses at Rollins College and has been published in many industry periodicals including the Encyclopedia for Human Resource Management.

Follow Keri on Twitter @KeriGasiorowski.

SESSIONS:
Christopher Hoffman
regional managing partner
Fisher & Phillips, LLP
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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.

SESSIONS:
Monday, March 17, 2014 - 1:45pm to 3:15pm
Brenda Kasper, SHRM-SCP, SPHR-CA
Partner
Kasper & Frank LLP
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Brenda S. Kasper is a founding member of Kasper & Frank LLP, a law firm representing California and multi-state employers for all of their human resources and employment law needs.  She regularly advises employers of all sizes on wage and hour compliance, leaves of absence, disability accommodation, reductions in force, terminations and discipline management, employment contracts, personnel policies, and hiring issues.  She also provides management and human resources training.  Brenda is a former HR director so her legal advice is practical, creative and tailored to each client’s needs.  She was the 2015 San Diego SHRM Board President, is an instructor for the HR Certification program at the University of California San Diego Extension and holds her SHRM-SCP and SPHR-California certifications.

SESSIONS:
Monday, March 17, 2014 - 3:45pm to 5:15pm
Brenda Kasper, SHRM-SCP, SPHR-CA
Partner
Kasper & Frank LLP
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Brenda S. Kasper is a founding member of Kasper & Frank LLP, a law firm representing California and multi-state employers for all of their human resources and employment law needs.  She regularly advises employers of all sizes on wage and hour compliance, leaves of absence, disability accommodation, reductions in force, terminations and discipline management, employment contracts, personnel policies, and hiring issues.  She also provides management and human resources training.  Brenda is a former HR director so her legal advice is practical, creative and tailored to each client’s needs.  She was the 2015 San Diego SHRM Board President, is an instructor for the HR Certification program at the University of California San Diego Extension and holds her SHRM-SCP and SPHR-California certifications.

SESSIONS:
Gary B. Kushner, CBP
Chair and President
Kushner & Company
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Internationally recognized as an expert in the field, Mr. Kushner is one of the nation's most sought after speakers on HR strategy and employee benefits. He has advised four U.S. Presidents on health care and has testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and the U.S. House Small Business Committee on employee benefit issues.

A frequent resource to the media, Mr. Kushner contributes to the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, AP, Knight-Ridder, the Kiplinger Washington Newsletter, CNN News, Fortune, MSNBC and Good Morning America among others. More importantly, he and his wife Tamis have five children and four wonderful (and amazing!) grandchildren.

 

SESSIONS:
Antoinette Pilzner
attorney
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Toni Pilzner is an attorney with more than 15 years' experience in advising employers on creating and administering employee welfare and retirement benefit plans. Having worked as a certified public accountant and as an in-house corporate tax analyst dealing with employee benefit plan matters before becoming an attorney, she also understands the financial and practical aspects of employee benefit plan administration. Toni has shared her expertise with SHRM members by presenting concurrent sessions on employee benefits topics at a number of SHRM conferences in addition to writing SHRM Legal Alerts and contributing to SHRM Online articles on employee benefit matters. She also served on the SHRM Total Rewards Special Expertise Panel and its predecessor, the SHRM Compensation and Benefits Committee, as well as serving a three-year term on the U.S. Department of Labor's ERISA Advisory Council.

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, March 18, 2014 - 2:15pm to 3:45pm