San Francisco HR Star Conference Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Speaker Information Phillip R. Maltin is a Partner in the Employment Law Department of the Los Angeles office of Gordon & Rees LLP. A trial lawyer, employment counselor and dynamic speaker, in representing his clients, Phil combines his knowledge of substantive law with the experience he gained as both a criminal prosecutor and private lawyer. For the past nine years, Phil has prosecuted criminal cases for the City of Los Angeles through the Fellowship Program of the prestigious Trial Advocacy Project, where he is also an assistant instructor. He has taught as an Adjunct Professor of Health Law in the undergraduate and graduate schools at the University of LaVerne. In addition to practicing law and teaching, Phil speaks regularly on employment law, evidence and trial tactics. His presentations include training in how to identify liars in the workplace, on the witness stand and in personal life; how to avoid sexual harassment claims; and how to achieve success as a supervisor. A dedicated practitioner, Phil publishes articles in a variety of journals and newspapers, including the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Phil received his Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University and received a Graduate Fellowship and a Faculty of Humanities Scholarship for his graduate work at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He graduated from DePaul College of Law. Debbie McGrath is the CEO of HR.com, a company committed to delivering HR best practices and helping organizations build great businesses through community, collaboration, research, shared best practices and measurements. Prior to starting HR.com, Debbie owned The CEO Group, a Canadian and European entity that created job board software, talent management software, HTC career magazines and career fairs. In August of 1998, The CEO Group was sold to Kaplan (now BrassRing.com), a fully-owned subsidiary of the Washington Post Company. During her tenure, Debbie served as President of the Canadian and European operations, as well as Vice President of Worldwide Sales. Complementing her extensive background in human resources, publishing and the Internet, Debbie also holds a degree in Computer Science and Business Administration through the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Alison S. Hightower is a Shareholder in the San Francisco office of Littler Mendelson. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience, Ms. Hightower helps employers resolve all types of employment and labor disputes with her practical approach. Ms. Hightower has counseled and represented clients on a myriad of issues, including wage and hour regulations, employee classification, meal and rest breaks, unpaid overtime and other alleged Labor Code violations, protection of trade secrets, workplace investigations, disability discrimination prevention, threats of workplace violence, FMLA Compliance, WARN Act issues, and flexible work schedules. Ms. Hightower also has experience litigating large wage and hour class actions and those brought under California’s Private Attorney General Act. Successful in both preventing litigation and defending employers if a lawsuit ensues, Ms. Hightower performs an early evaluation to determine the most cost-effective strategy. While she has both trial and arbitration experience, Ms. Hightower has successfully and consistently obtained summary judgment or a reasonable settlement for clients. In addition, Ms. Hightower has significant knowledge of the evidentiary issues that arise in defending employment-related claims, including the use of computer forensics to recover electronic data. Ms. Hightower earned her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Helene Wasserman is a Partner in the Los Angeles office of the national labor and employment law firm of Ford & Harrison LLP. She has devoted her entire career to partnering with employers, of all sizes and in all industries, with regard to all of their labor and employment law needs. From drafting employee handbooks, conducting training, and engaging in other forms of “preventive lawyering,” to representing companies in multi-million dollar class action or other forms of employment litigation, Helene’s experience spans every aspect of employment law. In addition, Helene hosts the EmployerHelpCast, which is a podcast devoted to providing helpful insights to employers on a wide variety of topics, ranging from overcoming a fear of firing and hiring the right employees to defining corporate culture, job sharing and managing employees in a multi-generational workforce. Helen Peters is the Leadership Development Practice Head for Torchiana, Mastrov & Sapiro, a Bay Area consulting firm dedicated to helping individuals and organizations achieve successful outcomes through change. In addition to her work as an executive coach, leadership consultant and author, Helen is also the Co-Director of Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business Human Resources Leadership Program. She possesses over ten years’ experience as an executive coach and consultant and has over twenty years of successful corporate senior management experience – five years of which were spent living and working in Europe. Prior to joining TMS, Helen held a series of responsible leadership positions with such companies as DBM, National Semiconductor, Hagberg Consulting Group, Syntex/Roche and Union Bank/The Chartered Bank of London. Coaching clients have included CEOs, presidents, general managers and vice presidents at organizations ranging from Global 100 companies to start-ups. PricewaterhouseCoopers, PacifiCorp, BMW Financial Services and Bowne Business Solutions represent some of Helen’s coaching roster. Holding an M.A. in Counseling, Helen has also completed The Executive Program at the University of California at Berkeley and is a member of the Human Resources Planning Society. Richard Greenberg is the President of The BreakThru Alliance, an international consulting company focused on executive coaching, employee engagement, and leadership development. Richard has 25 years of experience in a broad range of consulting assignments, including HR strategy and alignment, leadership and management development, executive coaching, organizational effectiveness, performance management, succession planning, and managerial assessments. He has helped over 150 organizations achieve excellence. His diverse industry experience includes industries such as: consumer products, financial services, hospitality, manufacturing, high technology, entertainment and biotechnology. Prior to The BreakThru Alliance, he was a Principal at Capital H Group. He has also served as a Principal at Arthur Andersen, a Practice Leader for Talent Effectiveness at Watson Wyatt, Director of HR for The Gordy Company, and Senior Manager for Ernst & Young’s Utility Practice. Richard holds an MBA in Organizational Behavior from the University of Southern California and a BA in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. Valerie Frederickson is the CEO of Valerie Frederickson & Company, a leading human resource, executive search, and career management firm based in Silicon Valley. She consults to and places top executives in a variety of industries, including high tech, software, wireless, insurance and finance. Ms. Frederickson holds a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology with options in Adult and Career Development, and Marriage, Family, Child Counseling. Also, she is a certified Career Management Practitioner. Referred to as one of “the top business thinkers in the country” (SF Chronicle), Ms. Frederickson is a popular presenter and has published many articles on a wide variety of human resource and career management topics, including the HR’d on the Street column for the HR Bulletin. Ms Frederickson has earned a reputation as an expert source for information on labor market trends, career and job search issues, and general human resource management, and she has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Elle Magazine, the SJ Mercury, the SF Chronicle, the Sacramento Bee, the Denver Post, CFO Magazine, and Monster.com. In addition, Ms. Frederickson is the author of Folio: Silicon Valley’s Comprehensive Career Transition Manual and was a featured expert in The Change Agents: Decoding the New Workforce and the New Workplace, published by St. Martin’s Press. Lester S. Rosen is the President of Employment Screening Resources, a national background screening company headquartered in Novato, California. He is an attorney at law, as well as a nationally recognized consultant, writer and speaker on the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), pre-employment screening, and safe hiring issues. In addition, Mr. Rosen is the author of the first comprehensive book on employment screening, The Safe Hiring Manual Complete Guide to Keeping Criminals, Imposters and Terrorists Out of Your Workplace – a book that is considered a classic. Mr. Rosen was the chairperson of the steering committee that founded the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), the professional trade organization for the screening industry, and served as the first co-chairman in 2004. In addition, he has qualified and testified in the California and Arkansas Superior Court as an expert witness on issues surrounding safe hiring and due diligence. Mr. Rosen's speaking appearances have included numerous national and statewide conferences. Norman C. Plotkin is a Partner with Jackson & Hertogs LLP. Norman joined the well-respected firm in 1987, achieving Partner in 2002. His experience includes liaison for the Northern California American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Chapter to both the INS California Service Center and the U.S. Department of Labor. His professional background also includes editor of the Gold Book, a resource for practicing immigration law in California and co-editor of the Western Region Directory for the Immigration Practitioner. Recently listed in the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, Norman has also been selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America. Fluent in Spanish, Norman obtained his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and is a graduate of Tulane Law School. Michelle L. King is the Director of Benefit Dynamics, a division of Pension Dynamics Corporation (PDC). By adding several products and services to the Flexible Benefits Department at PDC, including a variety of customized Medical Reimbursement Plans, Pre-Tax Commuter Expense Reimbursement Programs, and COBRA Administration, Ms. King was instrumental in creating Benefit Dynamics in 2006. Prior to her position with Benefit Dynamics, Ms. King worked as a medical secretary and an insurance liaison. During this eleven-year period, she saw the emergence of managed care and witnessed how changes in the insurance industry affected treatment choices. This experience led Michelle to focus on researching and developing effective solutions to the rising cost of health care. Michelle joined Pension Dynamics in 1996 and obtained her CFC certification (Certified in Flexible Compensation) from the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation in 2003. Over the past several years, she has concentrated on designing or improving a blend of tax-exempt employee benefit plans, administrative procedures, and employee communication efforts to assist clients in maximizing every dollar of their employee compensation. Conchita Franco Serri is the President of Serri Compliance Training, a provider of employment practices and due diligence consulting, coaching, and training. She is the former Director of Affirmative Action and Disabilities Compliance Officer at Santa Clara University where she served as principal investigator and mediator of complaints of discrimination, retaliation and harassment. In her career, Conchita has worked with colleges, private industry, non-profits and government agencies. As an employment practices expert specializing in employee relations, she has provided training and coaching in the following areas: Managing within the Law, AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training, Rehabilitative and Due Diligence Coaching, Cross-cultural Competencies for Managers, and Ethics in Management. Conchita enjoys consulting with clients and colleagues who need “second opinions”. A graduate of Harvard University and Boston College Law School, Conchita is a published author honored with the prestigious academic recognition by CHOICE and a popular public speaker. George Seiters is the Senior Director of Product Marketing for LinkedIn Corporate Solutions. George joined LinkedIn from Advent Software, where he was the Director of Market Intelligence. In his 18 years working with enterprises, George has focused on helping teams develop "voice of customer" based business and product strategies. Since joining LinkedIn, George has worked with dozens of leading organizations to create innovative solutions to solve one of their biggest challenges, namely, getting to the right person at the right time as efficiently as possible. George is a graduate of the University of the South. Lizz Pellet, CEO of EMERGE International, is a recognized national and international speaker and expert on organizational culture. Lizz has over 15 years experience in human resources, cultural integration, training and development, and total quality management. Prior to forming EMERGE International in 1996, she held quality management and human resources positions with international manufacturing firms and major health care organizations, as well as with various service industries. In addition to speaking and consulting, Lizz is also the co-author of Getting Your Shift Together: Making Sense of Organization and Change. Lizz holds a B.S. in Business from Lesley College in Boston, MA, and a Fellowship in Change Management from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Bill M. Butkovich is a Vice President of Benefits in California with Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. and a Group Security Specialist. Bill was awarded his certification as an Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist through the National Institute of Fraud Risk Management, one of the leading authorities on identity theft in the United States. In Bill's years of experience in benefits and group security issues, he has trained members of law enforcement and Homeland Security organizations on identity theft and on ways to mitigate exposure. In addition, he has conducted dozens of trainings for companies from a wide variety of industries. Bill is a popular national speaker and has presented to groups ranging in size from 50 to 17,000 people. Matthew P. Vandall is an attorney with Miller Law Group where he has extensive experience defending and advising clients with respect to all aspects of employment law including: claims involving allegations of discrimination and harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, defamation, breach of contract, wage and hour violations, and civil rights violations. Mr. Vandall has considerable courtroom experience in both state and federal courts and has represented employers in numerous administrative proceedings. Mr. Vandall began his litigation career in 1998 as an associate at Pillsbury Winthrop LLP where he litigated complex commercial and employment matters. In 2003, Mr. Vandall followed a group of Pillsbury litigators to Jones Day where he continued to hone his litigation skills. In 2005, he focused his practice exclusively on employment matters at Kauff McClain & McGuire LLP where he continued to practice until joining Miller Law Group. His experience includes all phases of pre-trial litigation, and he excels at implementing cost-effective and efficient service at all stages of the litigation process. Mr. Vandall received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1998. During law school, Matt received the American Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence in Employment Discrimination and Civil Rights. Veronica Wolfe is a Senior Consultant and Project Manager with Merit Resource Group and a Principal of Wolfe Associates. Veronica’s career spans more than 25 years in business management as well as independent consulting. She holds professional certifications in coaching, compensation, HR, and as a financial consultant. Veronica brings experience in both private and publicly traded companies in the areas of finance, business management, operations and systems. Veronica has coached business leaders and managers in a wide variety of industries to exceed performance standards. In addition, she has led technology and organizational change projects with a focus on optimizing people and processes. Ms. Wolfe is a member of the East Bay Coaches, International Coaches Federation, Bay Area OD Network, SHRM, and is a past Vice President of the San Francisco Chapter of IHRIM. Cindy Ventrice is the President of Potential Unlimited. With over 20 years of experience as an employee loyalty specialist, management consultant, speaker, and workshop leader, Cindy consults with organizations wishing to implement or improve recognition programs. Besides offering guidance on design and implementation, Cindy also trains and coaches managers. Having worked with front-line supervisors to CEOs from 14 countries, Cindy understands the challenges of managing for global and generational differences, as well as how to work with a dispersed workforce. Her clients include Cisco, MIT, WorksafeBC, State of California, Bell Canada and State Farm Insurance. The author of the best-selling book, Make Their Day! Employee Recognition That Works, and the companion guide, Recognition Strategies that Work, Cindy has been quoted in The New York Times, HR Executive, Workforce Magazine, and The Likeability Factor. Braden L. Albert is the Founder and President of the HR Star Conference and its parent company, Abbington Court Media. A graduate of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, Braden began organizing job fairs and trade shows in the mid-1990's. Intrigued by the idea of bringing people together for a shared, learning experience - and impressed by the impact such an experience can provide - Braden organized his first HR Star Conference in 1999. Today, the scope of the HR Star Conference includes annual events in Los Angeles, California; Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; and Cleveland, Ohio. Over 2,500 HR professionals attended an HR Star Conference in 2007. Ever eager to explore new formats and innovative concepts, Braden recently added the HR Executive Summit to his event line-up. The HR Executive Summit is a roundtable, discussion-based forum designed exclusively for Vice Presidents and Directors of HR.