Mariah Shields, seasoned benefits broker, consultant, and HR benefits compliance leader with over 15 years of experience,  as she shares her extensive expertise in enhancing employee engagement and well-being. Mariah goes beyond traditional consulting, leveraging employee surveys and innovative tools to help organizations—from startups to large enterprises—foster meaningful connections with their teams.

Tiffany Brown serves as the Certification Specialist for SHRM Affiliate Operations and is responsible for working with SHRM local chapters and state councils to develop and implement SHRM Certification initiatives.  Before joining the SHRM Certification department, Tiffany worked with the SHRM Member Relations team as a Member Engagement Associate supporting numerous affiliates across multiple regions in their efforts to achieve their respective membership goals. 

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Maryland - College Park, SHRM-CP, and SHRM People Management Qualification (PMQ).

I can offer you clarity, no matter where you are in life, I will stand by you, my holistic coaching approach will totally help transform you, your health, and your mental well-being. I will help create a comprehensive plan for you to make small changes that will exceptionally improve your lifestyle changes. We start small to go big! We will face challenges. In less time, you will believe it is possible. You will have more health and vitality than you know what to do with.

JR began his career at AARP in 2017 as a Senior Program Specialist in Sacramento.  Currently, he is responsible for managing the California District Liaison Volunteer Program; California Veterans, Military, and their Families Advisory Committee; California Employer Caregiving and works on community outreach to the Hispanic/Latino population in the greater Sacramento region. He is also taken on special state and national projects related to the COVID-19 pandemic. JR is also a member of the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Before joining the AARP California Team, he was a grassroots manager for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network covering 32 counties in Northern and Central California.

 JR earned his B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing Management from California State University, Sacramento after just three and a half years of study. Outside of work, JR is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award and has served as an Advisory Board Member for the National Teen Leadership Program. He has also served on the Influencing Health Policy Committee for the National Partnership for Action - United States Office of Minority Health’s Southwest Regional Health Equity Council. He is currently a member of the American Cancer Society Breast Health Leadership Council and is on the volunteer leadership committee responsible for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk of Sacramento. He is also a volunteer for the Sacramento Medical Reserve Corps, part of the Sacramento County Department of Public Health’s Sacramento Medical Foundation that helps support community health  and public vaccination clinics.

Mary Cheddie, SHRM-SCP is Divisional Director, Membership Community. 

Cheddie has more than 35 years of domestic and international experience in all aspects of human resources and training. She has extensive experience with strategic planning, M&As, and in starting and turning around businesses.

Prior to joining SHRM, she served as senior vice president of human resources for Interval Leisure Group, Inc. and its affiliated companies. The company was publicly traded on NASDAQ and the leading provider of vacation services with a global consumer membership base of nearly 2 million member families, more than 2,500 member resorts in over 75 countries worldwide, and has oversight for about 14,000 employees. 

Cheddie also served as senior vice president, people with PRC, as well as vice president, human resources, strategic planning, office services, and facilities for The Orvis Company, Inc. in Manchester, VT.

She earned her MBA from Upper Iowa University, a bachelor’s degree from Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, New Jersey, and is certified as a SHRM-Senior Certified Professional.

Cheddie received the HR Award of Excellence, Hospitality in 2016 from South Florida Business & Wealth. Business Leader Magazine named Cheddie one of the 2011 Women Extraordinaire and in 2012 the National Diversity Council awarded her the Glass Ceiling Award.

She serves on the Board of Trustees for Upper Iowa University, Chairs the Human Capital Committee and is a member of the Governance and Advancement Committees, Chaired the Keiser Career College’s Advisory Board, was a member of the Board of Directors for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) from 2003-2008 and chaired SHRM’s governance and compensation committees. Cheddie has more than 35 years of SHRM volunteer leadership experience at the national, regional, state, and local levels.  She also served on the Waldorf College Alumni Board from 2004 through 2008 and was the President of the Dallas HR Association in 2000 (one of the largest affiliated SHRM chapters). She resides in South FL.

Monique Akanbi, SHRM-CP, is an HR professional with over 15 years of broad-based experience in the public school and private sector in various roles and disciplines. A Miami, Florida native, Monique earned her degree in Public Administration with a specialization in HR from Barry University. Monique is also a Master Examiner and Mentor with the Florida Sterling Council Board of Examiners, visiting organizations throughout the state across all industries to assess their leadership system and organizational performance through the National Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence model. In her volunteer role, Monique has been an active SHRM Chapter leader serving in various roles including Chapter President and District Director with HR Florida. In addition, she serves on various local non-profit boards. As a high energy, creative thinker, team builder, and problem-solver, Monique has a passion for service and assisting others in their purpose, potential, and professional development through meaningful connections.