Events

Six Degrees of Insight - Webinar Series - Purchase 6 Sessions for the Cost of 5!

Join us for Six Degrees of Insight - a webinar series brought to you by six local SHRM chapters.

From NOW until February 4, 2026, purchase access to all 6 webinars for the price of 5!

• $75 for members
• $100 for non members

Schedule of Sessions:

1. February 5 | Val Grubb | Strategic Leadership in Action: Building the Workforce of the Future | Sponsored by Ashtabula SHRM
2. March 5 | Summer Jelinek | How to Make Difficult People Disappear...Without Going to Jail | Sponsored by Medina SHRM
3. April 2 | Tamra Morowski | AI in HR | Sponsored by LGA SHRM
4. May 7 | Dyann McDowell | Civility in the Workplace | Sponsored by Portage County SHRM
5. June 4 | Michael Karst K|W|W | Immigration | Sponsored by Akron Area SHRM
6. July 2 | Jamie Lewis-Smith | Empowering Leadership | Sponsored by Western Reserve SHRM

Six Degrees of Insight - Session 1/6 - February 5, 2026

Join us for Six Degrees of Insight - a webinar series brought to you by six local SHRM chapters.

Kicking off on Thursday, February 5, 2026 with Strategic Leadership in Action: Building the Workforce of the Future presented by Val Grubb.

Session Description: The workplace is changing faster than ever — and leaders are racing to keep up. From AI and automation to Gen Z’s arrival as the dominant workforce, the future demands new thinking, new skills, and a new kind of leadership.

In this high-energy session, Val Grubb explores what it takes to lead in a world defined by constant disruption and five generations working side by side. You’ll uncover what today’s employees want most, why they stay (or leave), and how leaders can create a culture that drives innovation, engagement, and accountability across every level of the organization.

Packed with humor, data, and real-world examples, this keynote will help you reimagine how to lead, learn, and level up for the workforce of tomorrow.

Learning Objectives:

• Decode the Workforce of the Future: Understand the trends reshaping work — from generational shifts and gig-based employment to AI-driven transformation — and what they mean for your leadership strategy.
• Lead Across Generations with Confidence: Identify the expectations, motivators, and communication styles of Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers to build teams that collaborate, innovate, and stay engaged.
• Level Up Your Leadership Game: Discover actionable strategies to elevate your strategic thinking, strengthen trust, and drive culture change that positions your organization to thrive in the decade ahead.

Speaker Bio: Val Grubb helped launch Oxygen for Oprah and IAC for Barry Diller. Now, she partners with companies and associations to transform leadership potential into measurable performance that impacts the bottom line.

With additional leadership experience spearheading high-performance teams at NBC Universal and Rolls-Royce, Val knows what it takes to drive accountability and engagement under pressure.

Val specializes in executive training, keynote speaking, and leadership coaching focused on skills that directly affect financial results. Her book, Clash of the Generations: Managing the New Workplace Reality, equips leaders to harness the strengths of multigenerational teams.

Be on the lookout for a confirmation email with Zoom Login information! We will meet from 12:00pm to 1:15pm EST. Sessions have been submitted for credits from SHRM & HRCI. Sessions will be recorded and credits will be available for up to 60 days.

This session is sponsored by Infinity Resources.

2026 - February 11 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event!

Akron Area SHRM is inviting you to the February chapter event with speaker Casey Webster, presenting Game On: Turning Coaching Into Culture-Building Moments

Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:
7:30am - Registration Opens
8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
8:20am - Announcements
8:30am - Presentations Begin

Price:
$30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $15 Students, $15 Members-in-transition

Session Description:
What if every coaching conversation could strengthen culture instead of feeling like a checklist? In this interactive session, Casey Webster will show how HR leaders and managers can transform performance coaching into engaging, culture-building experiences. Drawing inspiration from sales playbooks, gamification, and AI, Casey introduces practical tools to make feedback more impactful, memorable, and fun. From conflict-resolution card games to AI-powered conversation prep, you’ll leave with strategies that help leaders coach with confidence, build stronger connections, and create a workplace where employees feel valued and inspired to grow.

Speaker Bio:
Casey Webster is the Founder & CEO of My HR Extension, an elite HR consulting firm specializing in leadership development, gamified training, and strategic people practices. With over 20 years of HR experience, Casey blends sales, marketing, and HR strategies to help organizations attract, retain, and engage high-performing teams. Known for replacing dull, compliance-driven training with innovative games and experiences, she equips leaders to inspire lasting behavior change and build thriving workplace cultures.

Thank you to our sponsor, Easy Doc Health!

2026 February 26th - Happy Hour / Networking Event

Join us for the next AASHRM Happy Hour / Networking Event

Location: Town Tavern in Copley, OH

The event is free, but please register! Come out and network with your AASHRM Colleagues.

AASHRM Happy Hour; Guests are encouraged to come/go as they wish anytime.

Six Degrees of Insight - Session 2/6 - March 5, 2026

Join us for Six Degrees of Insight - a webinar series brought to you by six local SHRM chapters.

Join us on Thursday, March 5, 2026 with How to Make Difficult People Disappear...Without Going to Jail presented by Summer Jelinek.

Session Description: Have you ever wondered why people won’t listen to you? Or found yourself surrounded by those jaw-clenching, nerve-fraying, challenging personalities? As an HR Professional, you’re expected to walk a tightrope; strong, but not aggressive; polite, but not a pushover. It’s exhausting!

This high-energy session based on the True Colors Personality Assessment will help you decode behaviors, adapt your communication, and transform difficult relationships, all while keeping the experience fun, engaging, and full of laughs.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover the Trick of Self-Management...because the first step to handling difficult people is managing yourself.
• Uncover the 4 Types of Difficult People—and how to work with them instead of against them.
• Walk away with actionable strategies to improve relationships with clients, teams, and even family.

Speaker Bio: Do you find yourself wondering if people are intentionally being difficult or if they just have a special skill?

Do you wish that there was something you could do to make the difficult people in your life disappear that wouldn’t get you arrested?

Does it sometimes feel like your job would be so much easier if it weren’t for the people?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are in the right place!!!

Our next speaker has over 25 years’ experience leading with companies such as Walt Disney World, The Disney Institute, the Center for Creative Leadership, and even a dude ranch.

When she is not transforming leaders, she is chasing her 9 year old daughter, determining which Disney villain has the greatest redemption arc, and studying neurodivergence in the organization for her PhD.

2026 - March 11 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event: "March Legal Update"

Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:

• 7:30am - Registration Opens
• 8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
• 8:20am - Announcements
• 8:30am - Presentations Begin

Price:
$30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $15 Students, $15 Members-in-transition

Session Description: TBA

Speaker Bio: TBA

2026 - April 8 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event - "HR Career Blueprint: Strategic Growth, Mentorship, and Boundaries That Work" presented by Katie Brown

Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:

• 7:30am - Registration Opens
• 8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
• 8:20am - Announcements
• 8:30am - Presentations Begin

Price:
$30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $15 Students, $15 Members-in-transition

Session Description: Take control of your HR career! In “HR Career Blueprint: Strategic Growth, Mentorship, and Boundaries That Work,” you’ll learn how to set career goals, build key HR competencies, leverage mentorship, and establish healthy boundaries to avoid burnout, all while preparing for strategic and leadership roles. Your career, your rules, your growth!

Speaker Bio: Katie Brown, a strategic Human Resources Senior Leader with over 19 years of experience. Katie Brown is a results-oriented human resources senior leader who leads with integrity, vision, and a deep commitment to equity and inclusion. Known for fostering cultures that empower diverse talent, life-long learning, and drive organizational excellence, she operates at the intersection of strategy and humanity. Guided by faith and a steadfast moral compass, Katie transforms challenges into opportunities for growth, always ensuring the people and purpose remain at the heart of business success.

2026 April 23rd - Happy Hour / Networking Event

Join us for the next AASHRM Happy Hour / Networking Event

Location: Missing Falls Brewery

• This is a FREE event, but PLEASE REGISTER! Come out and network with your AASHRM Colleagues.
• AASHRM Happy Hour; Guests are encouraged to come/go as they wish anytime.
• Front entrance will lead you directly into the event space
• Side entrance will lead you to a Missing Falls wall mural

We hope to see you there for great conversation, networking, and connection with the AASHRM Board!

2026 - May 13 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event - "Ignite Your SPARK: The Growth Mindset Approach to Navigating Change" presented by Todd Bertsch

Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:

• 7:30am - Registration Opens
• 8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
• 8:20am - Announcements
• 8:30am - Presentations Begin

Session Description: Change doesn’t care how comfortable you are — it’s coming anyway. You can resist it, complain about it, or learn to spark through it. This session shows leaders how to transform discomfort into energy, fear into focus, and resistance into resilience.
In this high-energy, story-driven experience, keynote speaker and mental fitness coach Todd Bertsch shares how to ignite transformation from the inside out using his SPARK Framework. Grounded in neuroscience, Positive Intelligence®, and real-world leadership lessons, this session helps leaders spark curiosity, shift mindsets, and take small, intentional actions that create lasting change.
Attendees will leave with practical tools and renewed energy to lead through uncertainty, build resilience, and shine their light when others fade.

Learning Objectives:

• Reframe resistance as an opportunity: Learn to identify fear-based reactions and convert them into curiosity-driven momentum.
• Apply the SPARK Framework: Discover a simple, actionable model to move from stuck to sparked through Curiosity, Mindset, Action, Growth, and Impact.
• Lead change with energy and intention: Build resilience and adaptability by igniting a culture that thrives on curiosity, growth, and purpose.

Speaker Bio: Todd Bertsch is a dynamic keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and PQ® mental fitness coach with over 16 years of experience as CEO and founder of Evolve Marketing. Drawing from his hands-on leadership across HR, Operations, Sales, and Marketing, Todd brings a people-first perspective to every stage. His keynotes blend business insight with mindset mastery, helping HR professionals and leaders rewire their thinking, overcome resistance to change, and spark engagement and growth. Known for his authenticity and energy, Todd inspires audiences to lead with clarity, purpose, and heart in today’s rapidly changing workplace.

Todd's Contact Information:
Website | Podcast | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Price:
$30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $15 Students, $15 Members-in-transition

2026 - June - Member Appreciation - DATE & LOCATION TBD

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event: Member Appreciation

Location: TBD
Agenda: TBD

2026 - July 8 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event

More info to come!

Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:

• 7:30am - Registration Opens
• 8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
• 8:20am - Announcements
• 8:30am - Presentations Begin

Save the Date! 2026 July 23rd - Happy Hour / Networking Event

Join us for the next AASHRM Happy Hour / Networking Event

Location: TBD

No need to register - just come out and network with your AASHRM Colleagues.

AASHRM Happy Hour; Guests are encouraged to come/go as they wish anytime.

2026 - August 12 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event - "Role Definition the Right Way" presented by Kate Graham

Speaker Bio: Katherine Graham is a talent development leader and performance consultant with 15+ years of experience helping leaders and teams unlock performance through clarity, culture, and capability. She is the Principal of Humaneering Performance, a consultancy focused on bone-deep transformation, and is the current President of the Cuyahoga Valley Chapter ATD. Kate specializes in helping organizations move from high activity to high impact.

Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:

• 7:30am - Registration Opens
• 8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
• 8:20am - Announcements
• 8:30am - Presentations Begin

2026 - September 9 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event - "Leading With Authenticity" presented by George Sample

Session Description: Drawing from George's extensive experience in human resources, inclusion, and community leadership, this interactive session explores how to amplify your impact through authentic leadership. You'll learn to discover your authentic leadership purpose and develop skills for building inclusive relationships that create lasting change. Through real-world examples from George's work with organizations around the globe, we will explore how to do the following:

• Learn how to better understand the people and work around you by tapping into your curiosity.
• Understand how empathy creates groundwork for you to be a more informed leader.
• Equip yourself with the tools needed to create psychological safety in the workplace.
• Use the power of gratitude to supercharge the people around you.

Join us for this dynamic session that combines theoretical frameworks with practical application, helping you become a more authentic and impactful leader.

Speaker Bio: George is the principal consultant at Blue Streak Consultants, where he enables teams to be more cohesive and works to strengthen leaders. He was previously a Vice President at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Director of Human Resources for the Cuyahoga County Public Library, and a Human Resources Manager at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District and The Lubrizol Corporation.
George serves on the Board of Directors for John Carroll University, United Way of Greater Cleveland, Red Cross (Northern Ohio branch), and the Cuyahoga County Public Library Foundation. He is a Past President of Cleveland Society of Human Resource Management. He is also the Cleveland Crain's Excellence in HR Awards 2021 Winner: Overall Excellence.

Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:

• 7:30am - Registration Opens
• 8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
• 8:20am - Announcements
• 8:30am - Presentations Begin

Our Spotlight Non Profit for September, Alzheimer's Association!

2026 - October 14 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event

Join us for our Legal Update Part 2.
Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:

• 7:30am - Registration Opens
• 8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
• 8:20am - Announcements
• 8:30am - Presentations Begin

Save the Date! 2026 October 22nd - Happy Hour / Networking Event

Join us for the next AASHRM Happy Hour / Networking Event!

Location: TBD

No need to register - just come out and network with your AASHRM Colleagues.

AASHRM Happy Hour; Guests are encouraged to come/go as they wish anytime.

2026 - December 9 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event

Join us for our lunch event, basket raffle, and more!
Location: Guy’s Party Center / 500 E Waterloo Rd. / Akron, Oh 44319

Agenda:

• 7:30am - Registration Opens
• 8:00am - Networking & Breakfast
• 8:20am - Announcements
• 8:30am - Presentations Begin