HR Unboxed 2023 (VIRTUAL CONFERENCE)

Anthony Howard

Anthony P. Howard is an HR Leader who works with HR professionals at all levels in finding the value and pathway to certification. He believes through the power of certification; you can increase your confidence, marketability, and value.

Anthony is an experienced strategic HR Business Partner and has a 20+ year history of progressive success piloting large-scale, global initiatives driving organizational change and attaining goals in diverse environments from highly regulated FDA medical devices & biotech industries to unionized manufacturing environments.

His most notable accomplishments include the development, implementation, execution, and ongoing administration of comprehensive Global Talent Management Programs (Leadership Development, Performance Management, Succession Planning, Talent Review, Merit Planning), including technology (ADP WorkforceNow, SuccessFactors). In addition, he has led global integration efforts, conducted a union avoidance effort for a large plant whose employees were targeted by a direct mail campaign, and served as a DEI chair for an inguinal Employee Resource Group.

Anthony has incorporated a passion for the learning and development of others into his entire career. He is the founder of HR Certified, LLC, and has held strategic level HR Certification since 2009. Additionally, he has earned the Leadership Development & Succession Strategist (LDSS) designation from Human Capital Institute (HCI).

Ben Eubanks

Ben Eubanks is an author, speaker, and researcher living in Huntsville, AL. He spends his days learning about the talent technologies and HR practices that set great organizations apart from the rest. His book, Artificial Intelligence for HR, may sound like a textbook, but it’s essentially a guide to leveraging technology to create a more human experience for employees around the world. He also hosts We’re Only Human, a podcast focusing on improving human resources, one HR pro at a time. When he’s not speaking or writing, he spends time with his four kids and runs in a variety of outlandish races for fun.

Bernie Smith

Bernie Smith, founder of Made to Measure KPIs, trains and coaches businesses to develop meaningful KPIs and present their management information in the clearest possible way to support good decision-making.

His approach has been adopted by many organisations, including Airbus, HSBC, UBS, Lloyd’s Register, Credit Suisse, Royal Bank of Scotland, LloydsTSB and many others. He has written twenty books on KPIs, regularly tops this category on Amazon and is a frequent key-note speaker on performance measurement.

Earlier in his career, Bernie, who qualified as a professional engineer, worked as a consultant leading teams delivering exceptional operational improvement in blue-chip companies using Lean and Six Sigma approaches. This broad industry experience has given him a unique perspective when it comes to developing KPIs to improve organisational performance.

Bernie lives in Sheffield, UK, with his wife Liz, two children and some underused exercise equipment.

Daniel Porter

Daniel Porter, CFE, has conducted and managed civil and criminal investigations for over 25 years as a licensed private investigator, a loss prevention manager, and as an investigator and investigations manager with the State of Tennessee. He currently provides training and consulting services in the areas of fraud prevention-detection-investigation as well as ethics, productivity, and leadership.

Daniel is a Cum Laude graduate from Middle Tennessee State University’s Criminal Justice Program and has been a Certified Fraud Examiner for over 20 years. He has provided training at AGA, AASHTO, CFE, GFOA, IIA, IIMC, P2F2, and NASACT conferences in the United States and Canada as well as for governmental agencies and professional organizations in various states including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Kentucky League of Cities, the Wyoming Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers, the Indiana CPA Society, the Oregon Society of CPAs, and the Florida Institute of CPAs. He is a guest lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University and the Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Ginger Hardage

Ginger Hardage retired as Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines after an illustrious 25 years, where she served as a member of the CEO’s executive leadership team. At Southwest, Ginger led a team of 150 people responsible for building and sustaining the organization’s legendary culture and communications enterprise. Ginger regularly speaks and consults with leaders and organizations that wish to see their culture transformed. Additionally, she serves as Global Chairman of the Board for Ronald McDonald House Charities. In 2017, Ginger launched Unstoppable Cultures, a brand designed to help organizations create and sustain cultures of enduring greatness.

Jan Fraser

Jan is the very definition of a ‘self-starter’ and brings real world experience to her keynotes, training and coaching. An airline industry superstar, she rose from the ramp support team to the ticket counter to flight attendant to instructor, training more than 20,000 flight attendants. Becoming a member of the American Airlines Performance Solutions Team gave her the confidence and training to speak on leadership, self-esteem, life balance, stress reduction, and exceptional customer service throughout the United States, as well as in South Korea, Japan, Guam, Australia, Turkey, Italy and India. Since leaving the airline industry, Jan has conducted training for a wide variety of Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, schools, colleges, women’s organizations, library systems, prisons and associations. She has trained with and assists Chicken Soup for the Soul author Jack Canfield with his hugely popular self-esteem and success seminars.

Joan Smith

Joan Smith is an HR Consultant and the founder of Premier Career Coaching. Her desire is to help mid-career women that are undervalued and unfulfilled pivot into their dream careers. Joan has been featured on various platforms, YouTube channels, and podcasts, speaking on topics such as reinventions, career transitions, and ageism in the workplace. She has several career, HR-related articles as a Guest Blogger on the Gov Loop platform and several articles on her LinkedIn profile.

Joan graduated in the first Classy Career Girl Career Coach Certification in October 2022 and graduated from the NOVA SHRM MentorHR program in January 2023.

Joan has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Clark/Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA, and her Master of Science in Human Resources Management from Southern New Hampshire University. Joan lives in the greater Washington, DC area.

Kaleem Clarkson

Kaleem Clarkson is the COO of Blend Me, Inc, a remote people operations consultancy that helps startups and small businesses transform into high-functioning remote or hybrid-remote workplaces. He has been featured by Harvard Business Review, CNBC, Fortune Magazine and named LinkedIn’s Top 10 Voices in Remote Work. He is passionate about work-life integration and the remote employee experience. With nearly 20 years of strategic operations and event planning experience, he helps leadership implement people operations solutions that increase productivity and engagement for both internal and external stakeholders. He is passionate about work-life integration and maximizing The Remote Employee Experience (TREE).

Kaleem currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his family. When he is not working, you can find him mountain biking on the trails of Georgia with his headphones, blasting a little hard rock music.

Mike Mirarchi

Michael J. Mirarchi is recognized as a leading expert in employment-related lawsuit prevention. As an Employee Relations Counselor, he is dedicated to helping employers stay litigation free. Drawing from over 30 years of experience in employment and labor law, as an employer defense attorney and as a Human Resources Vice President, he developed an innovative program. Through it, participants acquire significantly increased practical knowledge and a higher level of confidence in addressing employee relations issues than they have ever had before. He has presented his “Reset the Clock” program over 1,300 times to more than 32,500 leaders at employer facilities across North America.

In 2013, Mike was recognized as the first inductee into the HR Southwest Conference Speaker Hall of Fame. Over the last 25 years, he has consistently been one of the highest-rated speakers, excelling in content, professionalism, and delivery.

Randolph Johnston

Randy Johnston is a nationally recognized educator, consultant, and writer with over 40 years experience in Strategic Technology Planning, Accounting Software Selection, Paperless, Systems and Network Integration, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning, Business Development and Management, Process Engineering and outsourced managed services. Professional Service: •K2 Enterprises (K2E.com) - Executive Vice President, Shareholder – Nation’s leading technology CPE provider to CPA professionals. Consults to high profile technology vendors. Delivers national seminars to CPAs, business groups and IT leaders on technologies in accounting, healthcare and banking. Creates and presents seminars and articles on 30+ technology topics including CPA Firm Technology, Paperless, Accounting Software, Cloud, Business Continuity, and Strategies leveraging technology. (1990 - Present, Hammond, LA) •Network Management Group, Inc. (NMGI.com) – Chairman & CEO, Stockholder – Consults and specializes in Strategic Technology including planning, selection and implementation. Expertise: CPA Firm Technology and strategy; Paperless; Accounting Software, Business Intelligence and CRM; Infrastructure including: Cloud, Business Continuity, Virtualization, Backup, and remote mgmt. (1983 – Present Hutchinson, KS) •Hutchinson Community College – Department Chair, Professor, Adjunct – Mathematics & MIS Depts. Designed and taught courses in all areas of mathematics & computing. (1977 - 1997) Professional Data Services - Programmer and system designer - Developed a medical system including the first paperless claims in Kansas, appointments and collection systems. Owned ComputerLand, Entre’ and Connecting Point stores, received first IBM PC and first Compaq portable in KS. (1978 - 1981) •Farmland Industries - Programmer and system designer - Developed and maintained P&L, Credit Union and Feedlot accounting. (1977 - 1978) Awards: •Accounting Today - Listed as one of the 2004-2016 Top 100 Most Influential People •CPA Practice Advisor - Accounting Hall of Fame 2011, Top 25 Thought Leader 2011-2017 •Accounting Technology – Listed as one of the top nine technology stars in the industry •AICPA Technology Conference – Past Chair and featured Speaker for the past 31 years Who’s Who in Business & Industry – 1990-2017; in Computing 1987-2017 - Acknowledged as a leading business professional and as a leading computing professional Certifications: •Microsoft Certified Professional – MCP (Microsoft Corporation) •Certified Network Administrator – CNA (Novell Corporation) •Certified CAD specialist, Network Professional, Data Communications (AutoDesk, 3Com, Entre’)

Shannon White

Shannon White, MSW, LCSW is a Speaker, Mental Health Therapist, Coach and Consultant, whose personal and professional desire is to teach and develop professionals that advocate for and promote wellness as well as diversity, inclusion and the empowerment of disadvantaged people in the workforce and society. Shannon possesses over 20 years of professional experience in the field of Mental Health and Social Services, with over ten of those years focusing on the education and development of mental health and other related professionals.

Shannon has developed and facilitated numerous CEU programs, trainings and workshops on topics of mental health, Social Work, personal and professional development, and cultural competency. Shannon also served as Professor of Sociology/Social Work at Rowan College of Gloucester College and has served as an adjunct professor of Social Work at both Camden County College and Rutgers University- Master of Social Work Program. She obtained her B.A in Sociology at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA and her Master of Social Work Degree at Rutgers University- School of Social Work in Camden, NJ. Shannon is also working toward her Doctorate in Education, having completed one year of the program at Northcentral University.

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Shannon enjoys writing and spending quality family time with her awesome husband and four amazing children.