Workforce thought leader Cara Silletto, MBA, is the president of Crescendo Strategies, a firm committed to reducing unnecessary employee turnover by bridging generational gaps and making leaders more effective in their roles. Workforce Magazine named Cara a “Game Changer” and Recruiter.com named her in their “Top 10 Company Culture Experts to Watch.” Cara is also the author of the 2018 book Staying Power: Why Your Employees Leave & How to Keep Them Longer. 

Dr. Brower is a sociologist and Principal with the Applied Research team of Steelcase. She is the author of Bring Work to Life by Bringing Life to Work: A Guide for Leaders and Organizations. She has over 25 years of experience working with global clients, as well as healthcare and education clients. She specializes in human and social systems, organizational culture/effectiveness, and the changing nature of work. Dr. Brower is an executive advisor to Coda Societies, to the MSU Mathematics Master’s Program, and a board member for the FM Research & Benchmarking Institute. Tracy’s work has been featured in TEDx, The Wall Street Journal, Training Magazine, Fortune.com, Forbes.com, Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, and more.

Sandra Garcia has worked for General Motors for close to 21 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Labor Relations and two certifications from WorldatWork (Global Remuneration Professional (GRP) and Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)). As GM’s Global Compensation Lead for Global Strategic Initiatives, she is regarded as a thought leader in global recognition and global service awards programs. Her role in GM’s new global recognition program (launched in August 2017) included research and development, leading the bidding process/vendor strategy, designing the new program and gaining leadership buy-in/approval. She also develops strategies and guidelines, training and communication content and participates in key decisions regarding global deployment.

Kevin Fudge is the Director of Consumer Advocacy at ASA.  He works with policy makers, states and non-profit organizations to improve college completion rates and successful student loan management through raising public awareness about the intricacies of the college financing process.  Kevin resolves complex loan situations for members of government and their constituents, and provides research and analysis of student loans to elected officials, secondary school administrators, higher education professionals and employees in the public and private sector.  Kevin is frequently quoted in various media formats on student debt, and he graduated from the University of Virginia and Harvard University.

Mary Anne B. Obedoza, MBA - HR Manager at Asset Marketing Systems Insurance Services, LLC and Madison Avenue Securities, LLC, San Diego, CA

Mary Anne B. Obedoza has more than 14 years progressive experience as an HR professional.  Her diverse industry experience includes biotech, medical device, retail, financial life planning, broker-dealer, and telecommunication industries.  Her expertise is in full-cycle recruiting, onboarding, HRIS administration, executive development/coaching, payroll, staffing, training, benefits administration and employee relations. She received her Certificate in HR Management and her bachelor’s degree from UCSD and her MBA from University of Phoenix.

Danna Hewick joined USSI in July 2013.  In her role as Vice President of Human Resources, Danna oversees performance management; training and development; policy and procedure; recruiting; and employment practices for both union and non-union staff.  A Senior Professional certified through HRCI (SPHR) and SHRM (SHRM-SCP), Danna has over 15 years of strategic human resources experience. Prior to USSI, Danna was Director of Administration, managing human resources, facility, information technology and administration for Pacific Trade International a home fragrance manufacturing company.

With an extensive background as a business partner, Danna has a strong foundation in developing business strategy; envisioning future talent requirements; implementing sound business process; developing performance improvement and talent management programs; succession planning; and the creation of competency mapping to ensure that the company’s human resources are prepared to meet future goals.  Danna holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from George Mason University and an Executive MBA from the University of Maryland, Robert H Smith School of Business. She is a member of the National Society of Human Resources and the Montgomery County Society of Human Resources. She currently lives in Annapolis, MD.

As a passionate human resource professional, Kim has spent more than 30 years as a trailblazer to advance the profession and mentor human resource professionals along their growth and development journey.

After several years of working for organizations as their first HR leader, Kim transitioned into a consulting role.  She partnered with hundreds of organizations in a variety of industries, for profit and not for profit, to mentor their human resource professionals and to assist in strengthening the human resource function of the organization.   

In 2017, Kim founded her company, THriv, to mentor, coach, teach, and train human resource professionals and other leaders for success. She partners with organizations to provide a variety of business consulting, training & development, compliance management, and other human resource related services.

Kim has had the opportunity to speak on leadership and human resource related topics at a variety of events locally and nationally including the 2019 National SHRM Conference in Las Vegas.   

Kim has spent more than 20 years teaching the SHRM HR Essentials, the SHRM Learning System, and other human resource related courses to mentor and encourage human resource professionals to grow in their professional development and pass the certification exam! Kim teaches through a variety of universities and has recently joined the SHRM Instructional Team.

Kim holds the SHRM-SCP certification through the Society of Human Resource Management, the SPHR certification through HR Certification Institute, the Compensation Management Specialist designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefits, and has completed the John C. Maxwell Certification Program to teach, coach, train, and speak.

Kim is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and a Past President of the Human Resource Professionals of Central PA.  She is a graduate of York College of PA with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Education, and holds an MBA/Human Resource Management from the University of Phoenix.

Tracie Sponenberg is Chief People Officer at The Granite Group, a NH-based wholesaler with 45 locations and 600 team members across New England.  She has spent her entire career in Human Resources, focusing on working with CEOs to align people & business strategies. Tracie has a BA in Psychology from Holy Cross and a MA-HRM  from FSU. She is co-founder of DisruptHRNH and HRRebooted & a speaker and writer on all things HR. A bookworm, introvert and former technophobe, she started getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and embracing technology, and is on a mission to help HR professionals to do the same.