Fred Miskawi
Vice President | AI Innovation Expert Services
CGI Global AI Enablement
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Fred Miskawi, a seasoned AI strategist, spearheads the AI Innovation Expert Services at CGI’s AI Enablement Center of Expertise. With a career in deploying solutions that include AI technologies since the 1990s, Fred has been at the forefront of guiding transformative AI technologies. His expertise bridges AI, human-centered design, and agile methodologies, focusing on creating responsible and ROI-driven AI ecosystems. At CGI, Fred plays a pivotal role in linking a coalition of AI experts across Innovation Centers, emphasizing human judgment and pragmatic, culture-tailored solutions. A member of CGI’s Global AI Cabinet, he has shaped governance and ethical frameworks for AI, advocating for augmenting human capabilities rather than replacing them.

SESSIONS:
Allison West, Esq., SHRM-SCP, AWI-CH
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
Principal
Employment Practices Specialists
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For over 20 years, Allison West has used her employment law background in delivering customized workplace training, conducting investigations, coaching executives/managers, serving as an expert witness, and specializing in conflict resolution and facilitated discussions to create more collaborative work environments. 

Allison is a top-rated speaker at the SHRM Annual Conference as well as other HR/diversity conferences, and is a national expert on harassment, discrimination and investigations. She has appeared on PBS, CBS This Morning and in O Magazine discussing workplace harassment issues. 

She is a member of the State Bar of California and holds her SHRM-SCP certification and AWI-CH (investigation) certificate.

 

 

SESSIONS:
Monday, June 24, 2024 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Tim Orellano
President
The Human Resources Team
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Tim is the President of The Human Resources Team, a Little Rock based human resources management consulting company. His consulting firm provides assistance and resources in preparation, training, support and implementation of Affirmative Action Plans with Positive Solutions. He works with a wide and diverse range of industries including banks and financial institutions, utilities, health care, technology, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, nonprofit, construction, and service organizations. He has over 30 years of experience in all areas of functional areas of HR as a Director of Human Resources in manufacturing, service and financial industries and in his consulting firm with client’s coast to coast.

He is a top-rated speaker on the topic of Affirmative Action compliance for SHRM and other conferences many other professional associations and conferences across the country. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Member Award from the local SHRM chapter and the Arkansas Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development. He received the Arkansas Human Resources Professional of the Year Award and was finalist for the SHRM National Award for Professional Excellence and the Jim Wilkins Life Time Achievement Award in Human Resources and the Russell Gunter Legislative Advocacy Award.

He is the Chair for the Arkansas Industry Liaison Group.

He has served the ARSHRM State Council as Professional Development Director and is currently the Government Legislative Affairs Director.

As a cancer survivor he serves as a coach for esophageal cancer patients with MD Anderson Medical Cancer Center.

SESSIONS:
Monday, June 24, 2024 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Judy Ellis
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She/Her/Hers
SVP, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory
AMS
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As a DEI practitioner and organizational consultant, Judy leads strategic culture and diversity, equity, and inclusion transformations to build organizations where all employees thrive. For over 20 years, she has designed and delivered solutions for corporate, nonprofit and educational clients.

Judy leads the global DEI consulting practice of AMS (Alexander Mann Solutions), a Talent Acquisition and Workforce Solutions firm. She has designed diagnostic tools of end-to-end recruitment processes to foster inclusivity that she’s delivered for organizations including Barclays and Bristol Myers Squibb. She’s also developed DEI strategy, communication plans, career development frameworks and global training initiatives on Inclusive Leadership, Conscious Inclusion in Hiring, and Unconscious Bias for companies including Delta Airlines and MUFG. Prior to joining AMS, Judy led a certified Woman- and Minority-owned DEI consulting firm, Think People.

​Judy serves as an Adjunct Instructor in Workforce Diversity at the University of Cincinnati ‘s Master’s in Applied Psychology Program. She has a B.S. in Management & Organizations from Indiana University's Kelly School of Business. She holds certificates in Diversity & Inclusion from Cornell University, and Coaching with the International Coaching Federation; she is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory®. She has been named a “Top Diversity Officer” by the National Diversity Council. Her expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has been featured in Forbes, DiversityQ magazine, the Recruiting Daily podcast and on numerous conference platforms, including SHRM’s Inclusion Conference.

SESSIONS:
Giselle Kovary
Practice Lead
Optimus SBR
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Giselle is the Practice Lead in Optimus SBR’s Learning & Development Group with over 25 years experience as a sought after resource to industry leaders across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors dedicated to building strategies and programs that help clients target, motivate and engage employees in order to increase performance and productivity.

Giselle has devoted more than 20 years to researching the impact that generational differences have on organizational performance, creating solutions and programs in four areas – leadership, high performance teams, early career talent, and reinforcement & sustainment of learning. Giselle has co-authored two books and completed her Master of Arts Degree in Communications Studies at the University of Windsor.

She is Chair of the Board at The Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL), co-chair of the Cross Academy Association and Advisory Council member at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University.

SESSIONS:
Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP
Chief People Officer
LaRosa's, Inc.
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Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP is the Chief People Officer for LaRosa's, Inc., a regional Pizzeria chain. He has 35+ years working as an HR professional in a variety of industries. He has a globally recognized HR blog and author of three books, HR on Purpose !!, HR Rising !! and HR Unleashed !! He is a past member of the SHRM Board of Directors. Steve also runs a global HR network called the HR Net which reaches 15,000+ HR and business professionals weekly.

 

SESSIONS:
Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP
Chief People Officer
LaRosa's, Inc.
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Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP is the Chief People Officer for LaRosa's, Inc., a regional Pizzeria chain. He has 35+ years working as an HR professional in a variety of industries. He has a globally recognized HR blog and author of three books, HR on Purpose !!, HR Rising !! and HR Unleashed !! He is a past member of the SHRM Board of Directors. Steve also runs a global HR network called the HR Net which reaches 15,000+ HR and business professionals weekly.

 

SESSIONS:
Shari Harley, MA, CSP
Founder and President
Candid Culture
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Shari Harley, author of How to Say Anything to Anyone, is known globally as an engaging, funny, content-rich business speaker. Her international training firm, Candid Culture, is making it easier to tell the truth at work. Shari is bringing candor back to the workplace. A former HR practitioner and operations leader, Shari’s practical approach has led her to speak and train in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Dubai and Australia. From “Making Meetings Work” and “Delegating Better” to “Managing Your Career” and “Saying Anything to Anyone,” Shari’s tips are sure to delight and inform in a real, direct and very funny way. Watch videos and learn more about Shari at www.candidculture.com.

 

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 - 4:15pm to 5:15pm
Prudence Pitter, MBA SPHR GPHR
Global Head of HR; Auto/Manufacturing
AWS
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Prudence Pitter is a business executive with 27+ years of broad Human Resource leadership expertise across several industries. In addition to her HR and consulting experience she previously served as Adjunct Professor of HR, for 9+ years. She is currently a Board Member for the Women Mentoring Network, and volunteers her time to help junior HR professionals learn the skills needed to succeed in their career. Her passion is delivering leadership development presentations to HR and business leaders while also inspiring these leaders to align people practices to business priorities while keeping the employee experience as a key focus. Prudence enjoys writing about HR trends, and influencing leadership behaviors that enhance the employee experience.

Podcast
 

SESSIONS:
Prudence Pitter, MBA SPHR GPHR
Global Head of HR; Auto/Manufacturing
AWS
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Prudence Pitter is a business executive with 27+ years of broad Human Resource leadership expertise across several industries. In addition to her HR and consulting experience she previously served as Adjunct Professor of HR, for 9+ years. She is currently a Board Member for the Women Mentoring Network, and volunteers her time to help junior HR professionals learn the skills needed to succeed in their career. Her passion is delivering leadership development presentations to HR and business leaders while also inspiring these leaders to align people practices to business priorities while keeping the employee experience as a key focus. Prudence enjoys writing about HR trends, and influencing leadership behaviors that enhance the employee experience.

Podcast
 

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