Concurrent Session

Gloria Sinclair Miller is an accomplished Senior HR Business Executive with more than 20 years of successful global and domestic human resources leadership in a variety of industry sectors, including biopharmaceutical, retail, financial services, and non-profit organizations. Gloria has held leadership positions with the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Borders Group Inc, TD Bank and Rosenbluth International.

Gloria currently serves as the Vice President of Membership and Customer Community Experience at SHRM. In this role, Gloria manages the member acquisition and engagement for Professional and Executive audience segments with a particular emphasis on fostering communities and enhancing the experience.

Gloria holds a Master of Science (MS) in Human Resources Management and Services from Widener University and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Human Resources Management from Wilmington University. She also holds the SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SCP) designation.

Gloria has served in numerous Volunteer Leadership roles, including Chapter President and long-time Board Member for the Philadelphia Society for Human Resources Management (Philly SHRM) Chapter and Board Chairman for USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. 

Jeff Luttrell, SPHR, SHRM-SCP resides in Carolina Beach NC and Asheville NC.  He is currently a Consultant at Results Consulting.  Previously, he was Global Vice President of People and Talent Acquisition at Atento and has held leadership roles in Talent Acquisition and Staffing with Alorica, Xerox and Kelly Services.

He has over 20 years of recruitment and human resources experience in both the staffing industry and corporate recruiting including international, executive, high volume and professional recruiting.  He has led teams in the US, Canada, EMEA ,Asia and Latin America.

He has served in many volunteer roles such as SHRM Southeast Region MAC Board Member, President and Board member with Raleigh Metro SHRM and served as Director of the NCSHRM State Council. He has served on SHRMs HR Disciplines, Talent Acquisition, Global, Diversity and Inclusion expertise panels and currently on the Together Forward at Work Taskforce since 2020.  He regularly speaks on Talent and DEI across the US.  He also has been on Parks and Recreation Boards in Wake County, City of Asheville and Town of Carolina Beach.  He is also a Board member with the LGBTQ Center of Cape Fear and was also on planning boards for the LGBTQ Chamber in Raleigh, Evening With Friends and the Aidswalk.
Jeff is a true Tar Heel having grown up in NC graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in Journalism. He received an HR Management Certificate from Duke University.

As Field Services Director for the Society for Human Resource Management, Susan Post has accountability for the membership and relationship management strategies for SHRM affiliates in a seven-state territory (CT, DE, MA, NJ, PA, RI and WI.) She serves SHRM members, prospective members and volunteer leaders from her home office in upstate NY. Prior to joining SHRM in 1999, Susan had 15 years of progressively responsible HR experience with several organizations, including Eastman Kodak and Cornell University. She has a bachelor's degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Le Moyne College, is certified as a SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Susan's affiliation with the Society began in the early 1980s when she served two terms as President of the Le Moyne College student chapter in Syracuse, NY. Throughout her professional career, Susan held numerous SHRM volunteer leadership roles, including two terms as President of her local professional chapter and District Director on the New York State Council. Outside of SHRM, Susan has served in a variety of volunteer leader capacities for many local non-profit organizations, most recently as Board President for the ARC of Chemung and Fundraising Director for Elmira Little Theater.

Experienced Human Resources Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the manufacturing, distribution and construction industries. Strong human resources professional skilled in Compliance, HR Consulting, Coaching, Conflict Resolution, and Team Building.

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.

Dr. Vernon Williams is the Operations Manager for the CEO Academy. In partnership with The Wharton School and powered by SHRM, CEO Academy connects leaders to their peers with the aim of gaining insight into strategy, innovation, growth, finance, talent, compensation, succession, governance and other issues of pressing concern to organizations. Dr. Williams has worked at SHRM for the past three years, previously as a part of the SHRM Foundation team supporting student Initiatives as well as managing the $500,000 portfolio of scholarships, professional development grants, and awards.

Prior to joining the SHRM Foundation, Dr. Williams was the Assistant Dean of Students and spent over 20 years in higher education overseeing various student service units including, Campus Events, Conduct, Crisis Response, Engagement, Graduate Services, Housing, and Orientation at such institutions including George Washington University, in Washington, DC and Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. 

Whether supporting educational programs on-campus or through professional organizations, Dr. Williams enjoys helping others develop and maximize their potential.  Dr. Williams displays this passion outside of work as well through community-based initiatives, including SOUL, an organization that uses sports to connect high school aged youth to diverse opportunities that build the life skills needed to succeed academically and professionally.

Dr. Williams earned his doctorate in Higher Education from George Washington University. He earned his Master of Business Administration from Loyola University in Maryland and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Morgan State University.

James Redstone joined the SHRM External Affairs team after nearly 10 years of service in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and White House. As the Special Assistant to the President responsible for workforce development policy, he oversaw initiatives to modernize federal hiring, expand public access to higher education performance data, provide more granular state and local labor market data, and collaborate with Congress on legislation governing employer-provided education assistance. As the lead workforce development policy expert for the House of Representatives, he negotiated the recent reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and oversaw the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

James L. Banks, Jr. is a highly skilled and seasoned leader, educator, and advisor, with extensive expertise in law, risk management, leadership, and organizational management. With over 25 years in the legal industry, he has honed his skills and developed a reputation as an effective leader and problem solver. James' career includes a proven track-record of forging strong relationships and working effectively at all organizational levels. He specializes in general corporate law, risk management, employment law, executive coaching/leadership development, legal ethics, public sector governance, and fostering collaboration for organizational growth and excellence across diverse sectors.

Katie Hunter was a veteran Hill staffer with over 10 years of policy experience serving multiple members of Congress before joining SHRM. Katie most recently served as Legislative Director for Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12), Ranking Member of the HELP Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee. Katie’s primary focus during her time on the Hill has been labor, health, education, and tax issues. Katie started her career with Congressman H. Morgan Griffith (VA-09), member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Nicole is a human resources leader with over 15 years of expertise in all things talent. Currently serving as the Director, Talent Acquisition and Inclusion at SHRM in Alexandria, VA, she is fortunate to lead a team of amazing people who also happen to be exceptional HR professionals.  As a talent leader for well-known brands, she has crafted and executed award-winning talent management strategies that attract, develop, and retain top-tier talent, enhancing companies' reputations as premier workplaces and net exporters of talent. 

Nicole has honed her skills across diverse industries, including fashion and beauty retail, hospitality, and manufacturing. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and learning from The George Washington University in Washington, DC and bachelor's degree in business administration from Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. Nicole is proud to be SHRM certified.

Wendi Safstrom is a senior non-profit leader committed to serving the public through philanthropic program management, cultivating strategic partnerships and managing and developing high performing teams. She has both association and nonprofit management experience including; national program development and administration, membership strategy, marketing and product development, grant management, development and donor stewardship, and leading cross functional teams. Safstrom currently serves as President for the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation (SHRM Foundation), where she leads the development and implementation of SHRM Foundation's programmatic, development, and marketing and communication strategies in support of SHRM Foundation's new mission and vision, creating growth plans and ensuring alignment with SHRM goals.  

Prior to assuming the role at SHRM Foundation, Safstrom served as Vice President at the National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, where she led the development and implementation of their Foundation's most recent five-year strategic plan, and was responsible for all Foundation programming, including workforce development initiatives, scholarship and event management, community relations and engagement initiatives. The NRAEF's philanthropic programming supported a number of audiences including high school youth, veterans transitioning from service to civilian work and life, opportunity youth and incumbent workers. Of particular note, she led the implementation of the restaurant industry's premier high school career and technical education program, growing the program to over 2,000 public high schools, engaging over 150,000 students annually, nationwide. In 2016, she served as lead project director for the development of a $10 million contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to develop the hospitality industry's first apprenticeship program, and was instrumental in the Foundation's reorganization and relocation of operations from Chicago, Illinois to Washington, D.C., transforming the staff and culture.  

Safstrom has also held human resource management roles with the Leo Burnett Company and Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. She has a BS in Business Administration from the Eli Broad School of Business at Michigan State University and was recognized as a member of the 2014 "Power 20" by Restaurant Business Magazine as a leader in philanthropy within the restaurant industry.  

Mary V. L. Wright leads one of the SHRM Foundation’s four pillars of work: Skill Building - Preparing People for Today’s and Tomorrow’s Workplaces.  A critical part of that effort is leading the implementation of the US DOL funded HR Registered Apprenticeship Program, the first national HR apprenticeship program. As such, she is responsible for all parts of the program – development, marketing, sales, budget and evaluation.  In addition, she leads the Foundation’s work on the role of credentials in achieving an organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion goals and is an integral part of the team in promoting the inclusion of untapped talent in the workforce.

Ms. Wright has many years of experience connecting the public and private sectors in municipal finance, government affairs, and workforce development as a project leader, facilitator and subject matter expert.

Previously, Ms. Wright was a director at Jobs for the Future (JFF) where she designed and supervised the completion of foundation, government and employer-funded projects on topics including: expanding employability skills, developing apprenticeship and work-based learning strategies, utilizing labor market information to determine educational focus, better hiring and training practices for people with disabilities, improving entry level jobs for the retail sector, determining the correct educational focus for specific geographic areas including the state of Florida and Columbus Ohio, and an in-depth analysis of green infrastructure jobs.

Prior to joining JFF, she served as director at The Conference Board in New York City, driving its work in workforce readiness, business, and education partnerships. She also focused on improving the employment outcomes for people with disabilities through research and convenings. Ms. Wright co-authored or acted as project director on several key Conference Board reports regarding workforce readiness skills, including Are They Really Ready to Work? and The Ill-Prepared Workforce.

She serves on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Work & the Economy and the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation.

Ms. Wright received a Master of Business Administration in public/nonprofit management from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Affairs from Connecticut College.

Dr. Vernon Williams is the Operations Manager for the CEO Academy. In partnership with The Wharton School and powered by SHRM, CEO Academy connects leaders to their peers with the aim of gaining insight into strategy, innovation, growth, finance, talent, compensation, succession, governance and other issues of pressing concern to organizations. Dr. Williams has worked at SHRM for the past three years, previously as a part of the SHRM Foundation team supporting student Initiatives as well as managing the $500,000 portfolio of scholarships, professional development grants, and awards.

Prior to joining the SHRM Foundation, Dr. Williams was the Assistant Dean of Students and spent over 20 years in higher education overseeing various student service units including, Campus Events, Conduct, Crisis Response, Engagement, Graduate Services, Housing, and Orientation at such institutions including George Washington University, in Washington, DC and Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. 

Whether supporting educational programs on-campus or through professional organizations, Dr. Williams enjoys helping others develop and maximize their potential.  Dr. Williams displays this passion outside of work as well through community-based initiatives, including SOUL, an organization that uses sports to connect high school aged youth to diverse opportunities that build the life skills needed to succeed academically and professionally.

Dr. Williams earned his doctorate in Higher Education from George Washington University. He earned his Master of Business Administration from Loyola University in Maryland and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Morgan State University.

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.