Concurrent Session

Two themes are woven throughout Lauraine Bifulco's diverse career: a passion for a job well done and a zest for continual learning and improvement.  Lauraine infuses Vantaggio HR with these qualities every day. When she founded the firm in 1994, Lauraine combined her rare talent in understanding what a client needs and her gift of business foresight to create a company that can service the HR and management consulting needs of small and large companies equally well.  Today, Vantaggio serves clients across the country from their offices in California, Hawaii, Colorado, and New York. 

Her Career experience helps employers realize their HR goals and adapt to the shifting HR landscape.  Lauraine is a veteran HR executive and entrepreneur with 25 years of international, corporate, and consulting experience. Her bold career has taken her to employment and business opportunities in Europe and multiple U.S. cities. She serves as co-chair of the California Small Business Administration's committee on Labor Issues which reviews and makes recommendations on pending labor/employment laws, keeping her abreast of legal developments.                                                                            

Delivering over 30 presentations and webinars each year, Lauraine is a well-respected, and highly sought after guest lecturer and speaker on a variety of business management and HR-related topics for both state and national organizations including Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA), American Payroll Association (APA), Next Concept HR Association (NCHRA), Paylocity annual Elevate Conference, and HR Star Conference to name a few. She has been invited to review, develop, and deliver certificate programs for SHRM, and has developed and delivered curriculum for businesses throughout the U.S.                                                                   

Lauraine received a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and conducted graduate level studies in linguistics at the Sorbonne in Paris.

For over 20 years, Allison West has used her employment law background in delivering customized workplace training, conducting investigations, coaching executives/managers, serving as an expert witness, and specializing in conflict resolution and facilitated discussions to create more collaborative work environments. 

Allison is a top-rated speaker at the SHRM Annual Conference as well as other HR/diversity conferences, and is a national expert on harassment, discrimination and investigations. She has appeared on PBS, CBS This Morning and in O Magazine discussing workplace harassment issues. 

She is a member of the State Bar of California and holds her SHRM-SCP certification and AWI-CH (investigation) certificate.

Kristi is a Partner at the firm's Silicon Valley office, where she serves as corporate immigration counsel to emerging and mid-size clients in a wide range of industries, including technology, consumer products, civil engineering, and legal service providers. Kristi has experience in all areas of corporate business immigration, including nonimmigrant visas, labor certifications, and adjustments of status. Kristi first joined Fragomen in 1999. She served as the Congressional Assistant and Immigration Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren from 2010 to 2012 before rejoining the firm.

Kristi earned her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Arts from Santa Clara University. She speaks English and Spanish.

Spencer Smith is the founder of spencerXsmith.com and social media marketing company AmpliPhi, and an instructor at the University of Wisconsin and Rutgers University. He was formerly a VP of Sales for two Fortune 100 companies.

He's been called a "Social Media Expert" by Forbes, and is the winner of the 2016 & 2017 InBusiness Magazine Executive Choice Award for Social Media Consulting Company. Spencer spoke at 74 events in 2017, including a presentation at the New York Stock Exchange in September. 

His debut book "ROTOMA: The ROI of Social Media Top of Mind" was featured in Forbes in late 2017, and is an Amazon Bestseller.

Spencer Smith is the founder of spencerXsmith.com and social media marketing company AmpliPhi, and an instructor at the University of Wisconsin and Rutgers University. He was formerly a VP of Sales for two Fortune 100 companies.

He's been called a "Social Media Expert" by Forbes, and is the winner of the 2016 & 2017 InBusiness Magazine Executive Choice Award for Social Media Consulting Company. Spencer spoke at 74 events in 2017, including a presentation at the New York Stock Exchange in September. 

His debut book "ROTOMA: The ROI of Social Media Top of Mind" was featured in Forbes in late 2017, and is an Amazon Bestseller.

Jeff Korzenik is one of the country's leading experts on the reemployment of people with criminal records. A regular guest on CNBC, Fox Business News and Bloomberg TV, Jeff’s writings on economics and public policy have been published in Barron’s, Forbes, The Chicago Tribune and other periodicals.  He is the author of "Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works for Your Business and the Community" (HarperCollins Leadership, April 2021), which shares the business case and best practices of hiring people with criminal records. Jeff earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a Certificate of Proficiency in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University.

LaFern Batie, MBA works with leaders to help them maximize their potential through effective leadership, developing compelling strategies, excellent execution and creating the exceptional experience. As CEO of The Batie Group, a boutique management consulting firm, LaFern is committed to creating practical, high-impact organizational solutions.

With a strong corporate and civic leadership track record, the value LaFern provides to leaders – including small business, nonprofit and Fortune 500 executives – helps them deliver what they promise to their customers through people, processes, products and services. Clients value the results her business strategy, leadership consulting, corporate training and professional speaking competencies help them achieve. With accounting, operations and human resources experience, she is a visionary leader with high business acumen and a commitment to excellence.

In addition to extensive professional coach training, LaFern is a published author and professional speaker. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Salisbury University, Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland and a leadership certificate from Harvard University. She holds the SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SCP) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designations.

Keiko Sakurai has expertise in team building, organizational development, executive coaching, management-skills training, and leadership development for multinational companies. She passionately supports individuals and teams to recognize their strengths and expand their abilities to the fullest extent possible. 

Ms. Sakurai holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business from the University of California, Berkeley, with a certificate in global management, as well as a BS in management from Hitotsubashi University in Japan. Ms. Sakurai has also completed coaching and leadership courses at the Coaches Training Institute in California. She maintains her CPA credentials and is Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® certified.

Tanuja has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources with large multi nationals at leadership roles both India and USA. She held strategic and leadership roles with organisations like NTT Data, Bank of America and GE.

Tanuja is extremely passionate about the gender diversity cause. Currently Tanuja runs her company “Beyond Pinks” which focuses on gender issues and challenges at corporates as well as atuniversity level. She works with corporates to build leadership talent pipeline and on employability and sustainability of women at workplace.

Tanuja holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources and an Executive MBA from Cornell University.

Her personal belief in life: Live the day as if it’s your last.