Michael S. Cohen, J.D.
Partner
Duane Morris, LLP
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Michael S. Cohen is a partner in Duane Morris’ Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group.  Michael concentrates his practice in the areas of employment law training and counseling. He has trained and counseled employers throughout the country on subjects including harassment prevention; diversity, equity and inclusion; combatting implicit bias; performance management; discipline and discharge; hiring and recruiting practices; performance evaluations; FMLA, ADA and FLSA compliance; leave of absence policies; LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace; substance abuse testing; workplace violence; records retention; conducting background checks; and more. Michael also has conducted investigations into claims of harassment and discrimination and has drafted employee handbooks, employment agreements, non-compete agreements and post-termination agreements. Michael regularly conducts in excess of 200 trainings each year.  He has represented clients throughout the country in EEO and other administrative proceedings.

Michael has been cited as a national authority on employment issues by The New York Times, The Associated Press, USA Today, MSNBC.com, HR Magazine, SHRM On-Line, Employment Law 360, Inside Counsel Magazine, as well as many other publications. Michael serves as an Advisory Board Member of GenHERation and as a Board Member of Serve, Inc. Michael is a 1997 magna cum laude graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law and a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, April 12, 2022 - 10:30am to 11:30am
Poonam Gupta
Senior Counsel
Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
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Poonam Gupta is a Senior Counsel, and leads local operations for Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP’s New York office. She provides strategic and legal counsel to clients on all aspects of corporate and business immigration, working with organizations of all sizes in a wide variety of industries globally.

Her practice focuses on employment-based immigration matters, including assisting companies and their employees with all facets of nonimmigrant and immigrant visa matters. Poonam also provides guidance to employers on immigration compliance and immigration strategies related to corporate reorganizations. She regularly speaks at local and national conferences and events on corporate immigration and I-9 compliance.

Poonam’s active pro bono practice includes volunteering for the City University of New York’s Citizenship Now annual event, assisting with the Special Immigrant Juvenile docket, and leading a BAL team’s work with the International Refugee Assistance Project, including recent efforts to provide guidance on the Afghan refugee situation.

SESSIONS:
Kelli Duehning
Partner
Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
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As a Partner and head of the San Francisco office and a vital member of BAL’s Government Strategies team, Kelli is at the forefront of immigration government policy, trailblazing with creative tactics to meet even the most urgent contemporary matters.  From complex cases requiring strategic government interaction to broad policy initiatives that involve sensitive political dynamics, Kelli successfully leverages her extensive background in government, her technical expertise and her passion for advocacy to help U.S. businesses access global talent and remain in compliance with the complicated web of employer immigration obligations.  She keeps clients updated on fast-moving legislative and policy changes, drives immigration program management and advises on complex compliance issues in her role as a leader of the firm’s I-9 and e-verify practice.

Kelli joined BAL after a 17-year career with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service. She managed the Western Law Division of USCIS and was responsible for developing and coordinating all legal strategies in the western United States. She also worked closely with government investigators and federal law enforcement officials and was a close advisor to agency leadership on complex immigration issues.  In addition to her legal duties as a USCIS attorney, Kelli worked as an immigration officer in the overseas refugee program in Nairobi, Kenya; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and various locations in Thailand. She was the acting field office director in Beijing, China and New Delhi, India, as well as an adjudications officer in Bangkok, Thailand.

As USCIS special counsel to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, she assisted with comprehensive immigration reform during the 2006 legislative session.

Kelli is a prolific advocate for immigration policy. She is a frequent speaker at WERC, SHRM and other venues and is sought after by the media for her immigration expertise. She currently serves as Chair of the Federal Bar Association's Immigration Law Section.

SESSIONS:
Tammy Meckley
Associate Director (AD), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate (IRIS)
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Tammy M. Meckley has over 20 years of experience with U.S. Federal Government in the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, as well as service in the private sector, serving in key executive positions. Tammy holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from George Mason University.

As a senior executive, Tammy is the Associate Director (AD), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate (IRIS), formerly known as the Enterprise Services Directorate (ESD). She leads the Identity and Information Management Division, Verification Division and the National Records Center. She is responsible for providing stakeholders with timely and appropriate access to trusted immigration information in support of the missions and goals of USCIS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This includes leading USCIS’ eProcessing initiative that will automate the entire immigration benefit application and adjudication system, managing the E-Verify and SAVE programs, and overseeing the largest FOIA program in the federal government. Tammy leads almost 1,000 federal employees and manages an annual program budget of ~$448 million. She challenges her team to think creatively about how IRIS can continuously enhance operational, customer, and employee efficiency and effectiveness. Prior to becoming the AD, Tammy served a four year term as the Deputy Associate Director for ESD.

SESSIONS:
Kelli Duehning
Partner
Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
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As a Partner and head of the San Francisco office and a vital member of BAL’s Government Strategies team, Kelli is at the forefront of immigration government policy, trailblazing with creative tactics to meet even the most urgent contemporary matters.  From complex cases requiring strategic government interaction to broad policy initiatives that involve sensitive political dynamics, Kelli successfully leverages her extensive background in government, her technical expertise and her passion for advocacy to help U.S. businesses access global talent and remain in compliance with the complicated web of employer immigration obligations.  She keeps clients updated on fast-moving legislative and policy changes, drives immigration program management and advises on complex compliance issues in her role as a leader of the firm’s I-9 and e-verify practice.

Kelli joined BAL after a 17-year career with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service. She managed the Western Law Division of USCIS and was responsible for developing and coordinating all legal strategies in the western United States. She also worked closely with government investigators and federal law enforcement officials and was a close advisor to agency leadership on complex immigration issues.  In addition to her legal duties as a USCIS attorney, Kelli worked as an immigration officer in the overseas refugee program in Nairobi, Kenya; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and various locations in Thailand. She was the acting field office director in Beijing, China and New Delhi, India, as well as an adjudications officer in Bangkok, Thailand.

As USCIS special counsel to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, she assisted with comprehensive immigration reform during the 2006 legislative session.

Kelli is a prolific advocate for immigration policy. She is a frequent speaker at WERC, SHRM and other venues and is sought after by the media for her immigration expertise. She currently serves as Chair of the Federal Bar Association's Immigration Law Section.

SESSIONS:
Eileen Lohmann
Senior Associate
BAL
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Eileen is a Senior Associate and member of BAL’s Government Strategies team in BAL’s Washington, D.C., office. Eileen graduated from Georgetown University with a B.A. in English and French and a J.D. from American University College of Law. She is a legislative and government policy expert and provides strategic counsel to clients on corporate immigration program compliance and management.

Eileen has expertise advising clients on a wide-range of corporate immigration matters, including Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance, H-1B program obligations and immigration audits.

Her career experience includes appellate work at the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Immigration Litigation and policy engagement with the National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project. Eileen is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and serves on the Verification and Documentation Committee.

SESSIONS:
Poonam Gupta
Senior Counsel
Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
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Poonam Gupta is a Senior Counsel, and leads local operations for Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP’s New York office. She provides strategic and legal counsel to clients on all aspects of corporate and business immigration, working with organizations of all sizes in a wide variety of industries globally.

Her practice focuses on employment-based immigration matters, including assisting companies and their employees with all facets of nonimmigrant and immigrant visa matters. Poonam also provides guidance to employers on immigration compliance and immigration strategies related to corporate reorganizations. She regularly speaks at local and national conferences and events on corporate immigration and I-9 compliance.

Poonam’s active pro bono practice includes volunteering for the City University of New York’s Citizenship Now annual event, assisting with the Special Immigrant Juvenile docket, and leading a BAL team’s work with the International Refugee Assistance Project, including recent efforts to provide guidance on the Afghan refugee situation.

SESSIONS:
Beverly Settlemyre, HR Analytics, Human Resources Management, Project Management
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
HR Data Services Manager
Intuit
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My passion is transforming human resources through technology by process automation, reducing administration costs, minimizing compliance risks, and creating an inclusive employee experience. I work to streamline our HR data processes and policies so that our employees can focus on powering prosperity for our customers around the globe.

I manage Intuit's Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) program for HR data as well as the Employment Eligibility Verification program. I support partner relationships whose teams who are responsible for a number of critical internal HR deliverables.

I love to travel, attend live concerts, and experience new people and places.  I am on the constant quest to learn something new!

SESSIONS:
Dethra U. Giles
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
CEO
ExecuPrep
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Discover the extraordinary journey of Dethra U. Giles, the visionary force behind ExecuPrep, pioneering leadership development and organizational transformation. Rooted in education, performance optimization, and HR, Dethra empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to surpass their expectations. With degrees in English, Spanish, Business and Conflict Management, she blends communication and cultural understanding seamlessly. As a respected faculty member and TEDx speaker, her influence resonates globally, shaping inclusive cultures in corporate giants like LVMH and the EPA. Dethra's compassion fuels her advocacy for social justice, while her writings and media presence inspire resilience and growth. With her, the future promises boundless opportunity and transformation.

SESSIONS:
Raymond Lee
Founder and CEO
Careerminds
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Raymond Lee is the Founder and President of Careerminds, a global outplacement company based in Wilmington, Delaware. He has over 20 years of human resource, outplacement, and career consulting experience. Raymond pioneered the concept of virtual outplacement after experiencing years of traditional outplacement in a variety of HR roles. He has his bachelor’s in psychology and holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech University. He sits on the Careerminds Board of Director’s and is active in SHRM, HRPS and ATD. Raymond’s been featured on SiriusXM Business Radio, CareerTalk, and the Wall Street Journal and he’s recently published a book titled, Clocking Out: A Stress Free Guide to Career Transitions.

 

SESSIONS:
Eric M. Ellis
President and CEO
Integrity Development Corp
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Eric Ellis, President and CEO of Integrity Development Corp., is an award-winning entrepreneur, thought leader, author, and keynote speaker with over thirty years of experience in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.  

Named one of the Top 100 DEI Experts in the World by the Society for Human Resources Management and "Cincinnati's Diversity Fixer" by The Cincinnati Enquirer, Eric is an innovative thought leader who helps transform organizational cultures into people-centered workplaces that inspire employee engagement and a sense of belonging.

Eric is a singer/songwriter, and the author of Diversity Conversations. He hosts a weekly podcast named after his book, which can be found on Apple, Spotify, Facebook and YouTube.

 

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, June 14, 2022 - 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Brad Karsh
Founder and CEO
JB Training Solutions
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Brad is the Founder and CEO of JB Training Solutions. An accomplished public speaker and executive coach, Brad has been featured on CNN, CNBC, and Dr. Phil, and has been quoted in: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, and USA Today. Brad is also the author of three business books including the critically acclaimed Manager 3.0: A Millennial’s Guide to Rewriting the Rules of Management, which you can read in Mandarin (assuming you can read Mandarin).

Prior to creating JB, Brad spent 15 years at advertising agency Leo Burnett in Chicago. Today, Brad presents for major organizations including Eli Lilly, Securitas, Top Tier Capital Partners, and Saint Laurent. When he’s not enjoying a robust buffet, you can find Brad playing racquetball or drafting the perfect fantasy football roster. Brad is left-handed.

SESSIONS:
Monday, June 13, 2022 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Jeremy M. Eskenazi, SHRM-SCP
Managing Principal
Riviera Advisors, Inc.
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Jeremy Eskenazi, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CMC is Managing Principal of Riviera Advisors, Inc., a global Human Resources management consulting and training firm that helps organizations improve, enhance and optimize their internal talent acquisition and recruiting capabilities.

Prior to founding Riviera Advisors in 2001, Jeremy spent almost 20 years leading talent acquisition and recruiting teams at Universal Studios, Amazon.com, and Idealab. A regular SHRM speaker and a member of the SHRM Talent Acquisition Special Expertise Panel, Jeremy is also proud professional member of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and the Institute of Management Consultants-USA.

Jeremy is the author of the books, “RecruitCONSULT! Leadership – The Corporate Talent Acquisition Leader’s Field Book”, and “The High-Performance Talent Acquisition Advantage”.

 

SESSIONS:
Amy Nice
Assistant Director for International S&T Workforce
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
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Amy M. Nice joined the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in June 2021 as an Assistant Director.  She has more than 30 years of experience as an immigration lawyer, both as a practitioner and policy analyst and advocate.  In her role as OSTP’s Assistant Director for International Science and Technology Workforce, she takes the lead on STEM immigration and primarily focuses on agency policy shifts that will help the U.S. attract and retain more international STEM talent.

Since 2010, Ms. Nice’s work has included working with coalitions of higher education and business on high-skilled immigration policy, service as an attorney in the DHS Office of the General Counsel at the end of the Obama administration, working on employment-based immigration regulations and policy, and before that nearly five years as the Executive Director for Immigration Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where she worked extensively on S. 744, the bipartisan comprehensive immigration bill that passed the Senate in June 2013, and various other legislative efforts to reform the nation’s immigration statute.

Before devoting her work to immigration policy, Ms. Nice was Of Counsel at the Washington, DC law firm of Dickstein Shapiro (now Blank Rome) from 1989 to 2010, where she led the firm’s varied immigration practice.  While she was primarily engaged on employment-based immigration matters, she also worked closely on pro bono projects with Catholic Charities on developing a U-visa case-intake system and with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center on naturalization.

SESSIONS: