Events

2025 - December 10 - AASHRM Foundations Fundraiser Basket Raffle Luncheon

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event

Akron Area SHRM is inviting you to our December luncheon featuring Jamie Lewis Smith.

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

Agenda:
11:30am - Registration Opens/Lunch
12:00 noon - Presentation Begins

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

Session Description:
Your Brain Can Be a Real Grinch: Overcoming Self-Sabotage for Career Success

Your brain can be a real Grinch. It steals your confidence, wraps you up in doubt, and convinces you that you’re not ready, not qualified, and not good enough. Sound familiar? The truth is, your brain isn’t broken. It’s simply wired for survival rather than success. But that so-called “protection” often robs you of your growth and potential, leaving your goals stuck on the shelf like an unopened gift.

In this high-energy, no-fluff session, we’ll unwrap the neuroscience of self-sabotage and shine a light on the mental traps that keep you stuck like last year’s tangled lights. You’ll discover how to rewire your brain for confidence and action with science-backed strategies and powerful brain hacks.

Walk away ready to silence your inner critic, sweep away self-doubt, and finally get out of your own way so you can step into the new year with clarity, courage, and momentum.

Learning Objectives:

Identify common cognitive traps that lead to self-sabotage.

Understand the neuroscience behind why we undermine ourselves.

Apply practical brain hacks to disrupt negative thought patterns and take action.

Speaker Bio: Jamie Lewis Smith, PhD is passionate about making managers suck less by helping them become empowering leaders! She is the founder and CEO of Pixel Leadership Group, a team of “nerdy, but fun” executive coaches, psychologists, and data analysts who are on a mission to bridge the gap between the science and practice of leadership. They offer a structured, data-driven methodology to coaching that can be applied at scale to drive exceptional employee and business outcomes. Jamie has spent her career as a human resources leader, coach, and advisor across private sector, nonprofit, and government agencies, with deep experience in the technology, education, and healthcare industries. She is a contributing member of the Forbes Coaches Council, a published author, and an international speaker on the topics of leadership, assessment, and employee retention.

Thank you to our sponsor!

2026 - January 14 Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event

Akron Area SHRM is inviting you to the January chapter event with speaker Renee West.

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: TBD

Speaker Bio: She is the founder of Renee West HR Solutions, LLC. Her firm manages the recruitment, development, and well-being of your employees, ensuring compliance with labor laws and fostering a positive workplace culture.
She brings 30 years of experience in supporting organizations with employee relations, policy development, strategic talent acquisition, employee retention, federal and state HR compliance, performance management, benefits, and compensation. Her strategic HR expertise spans various sectors, including manufacturing, non-profit, professional services, contingency staffing, and the food industry, in both union and non-union environments.
Renee is an active board member of the Ohio State Council – Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), serving as Workforce Readiness Director. Locally, she has held numerous leadership roles within Tuscora SHRM, most recently serving as chapter President. She also serves on the HR Committee for The United Way of Tuscarawas County. In addition, she provides board support to The Golden Key Center for Exceptional Children in Canton, Ohio.
Renee is also deeply involved in her community and is passionate about supporting people. She and her family reside in Dover, Ohio.

Contact Information:
Company Website
Company LinkedIn
Personal LinkedIn
Cell: (330) 340-8113

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.

Save the Date! 2026 February 26th - 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 - 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 with Katie West

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

Save the Date! 2026 April 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 - 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 VIRTUAL Chapter Event

More info to come!

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 VIRTUAL 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.

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.

2026 - October 14 - Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event

Join us for our Legal Update Part 2.

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!