Virtual Pass

Wellington O. Hepburn is a Senior Human Resources Leader with 24 years of business experience. Mr. Hepburn is the President of Wellington Hepburn International (WHI), which is an international talent management advisory company focused on training and development, talent acquisition, employee development, organizational development, leadership development, succession planning and career pathing. WHI has provided talent management solutions in numerous countries worldwide, some of which include The US, Canada, The Bahamas, Malaysia, Spain, Africa, Turks and Caicos, Europe, The British Virgin Islands and Jamaica.

Mr. Hepburn has earned over twenty awards for his leadership, communication and Human Resources expertise. Wellington is also a Past President of The Bahamas Society for Human Resources Management, a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) and a two-time book author.

Wellington is married to his beautiful wife Rose, and they have three children: Sienna, Myles and Caleb.

Joe Grasso, PhD, is the Vice President of Workforce Transformation at Lyra Health and a clinical psychologist by training. At Lyra, he oversees Lyra's product suite for supporting workplace mental health and he leads a team of experts who consult with employers on their management practices, corporate policies, and learning and development programs. Dr. Grasso has been interviewed by national media outlets including CNN, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Fast Company, and Washington Post for his perspective on workforce mental health topics. Prior to joining Lyra, Dr. Grasso managed the implementation of a national training program for the US Department of Veterans Affairs, where he also led quality improvement initiatives and conducted health services research. His peer-reviewed research spans topics including integrated health care, psychotherapy outcomes, and the intersection of social identities and mental health.

Mario Bordogna is a Partner in the Labor and Employment Practice at the law firm of Bowles Rice, LLP working with employers nationwide on the front end to keep them in legal compliance with labor and employment laws and on the back end if they need a strong and experienced litigation advocate.  For 25 years, Mario has represented employers in sectors like health care, education, energy, hospitality, manufacturing, and others in the areas of HR/employment counseling, employment litigation, wage and hour, harassment, trade secret and non-competition matters, labor-management relations, accommodation, policy development and investigations, and much more.

Dima is Middle-Eastern in her genes and global citizen in her spirit. She ignites the untapped potential in individuals across the globe, empowering them to shatter limitations and become courageous, purpose driven leaders.

Through keynote speeches, workshops, and executive coaching, Dima shares her unique leadership transformation journey with one goal in mind: motivate those around her to reimagine their potential and grow into leaders.

Dima has worked across the United States, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa for several Fortune 100 companies and has honed a keen expertise in developing leaders to meet the demands of the global workforce.

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.

Giselle is a key member of the SHRM Certification Exam Development team, where she plays a pivotal role in working closely with internal and external stakeholders to develop and administer to HR professionals worldwide.

Giselle's 20 years of military service in the United States Marine Corps have deeply ingrained in her a profound dedication to service. This experience has not only shaped her values but also fueled her unwavering commitment to advocating for others, both within and beyond the workplace.

She holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Excelsior College and a Master’s in Human Resource Management from Georgetown University and is SHRM-CP certified.

Tony Buffum is Vice President of HR Client Strategy at Upwork, where he is responsible for helping accelerate the growth of enterprise companies, helping them solve HR challenges related to finance, procurement and talent transformation. Tony brings over two decades of experience leading global HR teams as well as driving transformational change in company culture, organizational design, performance management, and employee integration and engagement. He joins Upwork following a series of leadership positions including chief human resources officer (CHRO) at FLIR Systems, VP of global human resources at STANLEY Security and VP of human resources at Stanley Black & Decker.

Dr. Wade Larson is a workforce consultant and human resources executive with 30-years of experience in strategy, leadership enablement, and talent management. His    expertise in HR and leadership helps organizations improve structures, culture, management, and leadership to achieve their goals. As an international speaker, published author, and professor, he strives to help others achieve the best versions of themselves. Wade has worked with hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders to shift mindsets, innovate programs, and lead change that helps them do more, achieve more, and live their best lives.