People & Talent Management

Ryan is the Founder and CEO of ApplicantPro, a hiring software company founded in 2006. Ryan and his team have grown the small startup into a leading provider of hiring software for over 7,000 companies around the nation. Ryan's mission is to help companies, managers, and HR teams improve their hiring results. To do this, he and his team strive to create educational content, tools, integrations, and software to help businesses drive their hiring results. In addition, he is an HRCI and SHRM-CP Approved Provider and conducts weekly, free webinars and presents at SHRM events around the country. 

Lester S. Rosen is an attorney and Founder  of Employment Screening Resources (ESR) a service offering of ClearStar.   He is the author of, “The Safe Hiring Manual,”  (3d Edition 2017), the first comprehensive book on employment screening.  He is also a consultant, writer, expert witness and frequent presenter nationwide on safe hiring and due diligence.  He is both a former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney.  Mr. Rosen was the chairperson of the steering committee that founded the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) and served as the first co-chairman in 2004. He  received the  PBSA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

Jason Finkelman is an Immigration Attorney working at the forefront of immigration law to assist domestic and foreign businesses, as well as international individuals in a variety of employment-based and family-based immigration matters.  He represents U.S. and international companies, entrepreneurs, investors, business-owners, executives, professionals, skilled workers, students, and families in obtaining employment visas, lawful permanent residence ("green cards") and U.S. citizenship.  Jason works with clients across a number of industries including high-tech, semiconductor, healthcare, higher education, energy, oil/gas, import/export, research, and entertainment to help them meet their immigration goals. Please visit www.finkelmanlaw.com for more information on his services.

Bob Kelleher is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and consultant on employee engagement, leadership, and workforce trends. Bob is the author of the bestselling book, LOUDER THAN WORDS: 10 Practical Employee Engagement Steps That Drive Results, CREATIVESHIP, A Novel for Evolving Leaders, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT for Dummies, and I-Engage, Your Personal Engagement Roadmap.   

Bob can be seen or heard on national media (most recently on CNBC, CBS, NBC News, Business Week, Forbes, and Fortune, and has presented to many of the world’s top companies

Bob is also the founder of The Employee Engagement Group, a global survey, products, assessment, consulting firm.  

Global Speaker Sonia Aranza has presented on the international stage from Spain to Singapore.  She brings 27+ years of experience in Diversity, Inclusion & Global Leadership. Her clients include Boeing, CIA, McDonald’s and more. The U.S. Department of Labor describes her work as “Outstanding” and was selected to execute programs for landmark cases. SHRM featured her as a Diversity & Inclusion Expert in HR Magazine and she is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Leadership. She serves on the Faculty of Howard University’s Executive Diversity Program; named “100 Most Influential Filipina Americans in the United States” and honored “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World.”

As a senior human capital management (HCM) strategy consultant for UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), Chas Fields helps organizations identify, assess, and maintain their human element, focusing specifically on how increasing employee efficiency while cultivating a differentiated employee experience can ultimately drive business success. As a change management practitioner, Fields is passionate about helping organizations deliver successful initiatives at any scale. Fields is also a host of the People Purpose Podcast of The Workforce Institute at UKG.  

Christman serves as the head of Engagement and Philanthropy for the Society of Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) Foundation.  In this capacity, she raises funds and visibility for the 501c (3) philanthropic arm of the world’s largest HR professional society.  The SHRM Foundation is mobilizing the power of HR for social change. Its robust programming and resources, meaningful partnerships, and evidenced-based research are educating and empowering HR professionals to hire diverse talent, build inclusive workplaces, and help employees find purpose at work and beyond.

For almost a decade, Christman provided strategic counsel to MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership – co-founded by philanthropists Ray Chambers and Geoff Boisi. In that capacity, Christman helped start and raised funding for their MENTOR Illinois partnership; she also worked with a team to create MENTOR’s first National Mentoring Summit with the former First Lady of the United States as keynote speaker; and designed messaging, materials and overall branding opportunities for the national organization.  

Christman helped lead the New York City based HELP USA’s foundation’s marketing, communications and revenue development activities.  HELP USA is a $120 million national nonprofit organization that provides housing and supportive services for the homeless.  Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York founded this non-profit organization.  Christman has also helped national organizations serving America’s veterans, ensuring Congressional leaders, The White House and other DC influencers are aware of these veteran’s services and corporate, foundation and individual donors are supporting veterans.

Christman also led corporate communications and industry relations divisions for the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation in Chicago, IL, securing more than $15 million, including funds from two federal grants; managed programming and marketing for The Coca-Cola Company’s recruitment and retention program; handled relations with national sponsors, including American Express, Ecolab, Sodexho, the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation and H.J. Heinz; and developed strategic marketing and communications for the school-to-career program, establishing it in 30 states.

Christman began her career at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in Washington, DC, helping create and implement a national marketing and communications strategy for the U.S. Department of Labor’s $400 million school-to-career program. Christman was also in charge of the DC-based Taste of the Nation event with Share our Strength.  Additional clients included Pfizer, Glaxo Wellcome, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Education.

Christman’s volunteer activities include being a board and active committee member for the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills; the Clarence Dillon Public Library; and Far Hills Country Day School.  She is a member of MENTOR IL’s Advisory Council and has been on the associate boards of the Boys & Girls Club, Chicago; Big Shoulders Fund, Chicago; and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

She is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals; NY Women in Communications; and the American Society of Association Executives.  She graduated from Boston College.

Erica started her career designing and facilitating training for social impact organizations. She quickly realized her calling: arming organizations with the capability needed to evolve. Since joining SHRM four years ago, Erica has held three roles. She began her career at SHRM in Research, then moved onto the founding SHRMLabs team. SHRMLabs explores the intersection of work and technology. Now, Erica oversees the enterprise client experience as the Manager of Solution Architecture.

Erica holds a master’s degree in industrial/Organizational Psychology, with a focus in instructional systems design. She earned her SHRM-SCP and consistently speaks on behalf of SHRM on workplace tech, the future of work, DEIB, and upskilling. Outside of work, you can find Erica tending to her indoor and outdoor garden, and giving her cat, Suki, more attention than she wants.    

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.

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.

Jack Gottlieb is a results-driven senior executive with 20 years of experience in transforming and revitalizing organizations. As the CEO of Total Solutions Group, a strategic consulting and results-based training firm, he has a proven track record of aligning culture, strategy, and capability to achieve critical short-term and long-term goals. TSG has generated $3.25 billion in ROI for clients in growth, profitability, innovation, and efficiency, including leading fifteen M&As and ten turnarounds from inception to implementation. 

With extensive experience in the C-Suite and as an HR leader Jack has a deep expertise of how to drive organizational health and performance through an embedded employee experience. Jack has had global roles such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, & Chief Culture Officer in banking and currently is the Vice President of Global Capability & Transformation in a market leading test lab in the gaming industry. 
Jack has been one of the top rated speakers and thought leaders for SHRM both at annual and state council conferences. Jack also hosts the successful "L&D Transformation Podcast: How To Lead The Future Of Our Organizations Through Talent Development” which is in its third season with over 100 episodes.