Events

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


Non Profit Spotlight: Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Ohio

Six Degrees of Insight - Session 5/6 - June 4 2026

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

Join us on Thursday, June 2, 2026 with "When ICE Comes Knocking: Preparing and Responding to Immigration Enforcement Activities," presented by Michael Karst.

Session Description: Human resource professionals are increasingly on the front lines when immigration enforcement intersects with the workplace. This practical session provides clear, step-by-step guidance to help HR teams prepare for, respond to, and manage Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity while maintaining compliance with employment and anti-discrimination laws.

Attendees will learn how to build and operationalize an ICE-raid response plan tailored to their worksites, including chain-of-command protocols, document preservation, and escalation procedures. The program demystifies warrants by explaining the difference between administrative and judicial search warrants and how that distinction affects consent to entry, scope of access, records production, and on-site movement. The session also addresses day-to-day compliance practices that reduce risk before an enforcement event occurs, including lawful hiring and reverification processes for foreign workers, I-9 and E-Verify governance, and anti-retaliation/anti-discrimination safeguards.

By the end of this session, HR professionals will be able to:

Identify the importance and core components of an ICE-raid response plan, including roles, communications, and documentation workflows.

Distinguish between administrative and judicial search warrants and apply appropriate response protocols for each.

Implement best practices for hiring and maintaining employment of foreign workers, with defensible I-9 procedures, consistent reverification, and compliant recordkeeping.

This program emphasizes actionable checklists and sample protocols that participants can adapt to their organizations to manage enforcement encounters confidently, minimize disruption, and support legal compliance across the employment lifecycle.

Speaker Bio: Michael devotes his practice to litigating claims on behalf of employers involved in termination, wage/hour, and labor disputes. He also advises clients on a wide variety of day-to-day workplace concerns, including leave management, accommodations, and payroll practices. In addition, Michael helps employers navigate U.S. immigration laws and secure work visas and permanent resident status (“green cards”) for their employees.

Michael routinely defends claims involving the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and comparable state laws. Michael takes a practical approach to litigation that considers the most efficient method to resolving claims either through resolution or early motions to dismiss. When matters do not resolve, Michael is an accomplished trial attorney who feels comfortable taking a case to verdict.

Prior to joining KWW, Michael worked at a local labor-side law firm where he gained insight on how employers can avoid disputes before they occur. Michael’s experience also provides him with practical knowledge on how and when to negotiate with employees and their attorneys.

Michael prides himself on the personal attention given to each client. He strives to return phone calls and emails promptly and ensures that he keeps clients up to date on the status of their matters. Michael also understands that workplace questions can arise at any time. For that reason, Michael is happy to schedule phone calls and meetings outside normal business hours to ensure that all client needs are met.

2026 - June - Member Appreciation - DATE & LOCATION TBD

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event: Member Appreciation

Location: TBD
Agenda: TBD

Six Degrees of Insight - Session 6/6 - July 2, 2026

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

Join us on Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 with The Transformation of HR: Leading Human Work in the Age of AI presented by Tamra Moroski.

Session Description: As AI accelerates productivity, a quieter shift is happening inside the workforce. Employees are questioning their relevance, their value, and even their identity. Burnout is rising, focus is fractured, and many leaders are sensing a deeper crisis of meaning beneath the metrics.

This moment is not simply technological. It’s transformational. AI is acting as a mirror, forcing individuals and organizations to confront what work is for, who we are without our output, and what kind of future we are designing. In this session, Tamra Moroski reframes the role of HR from managing resources to stewarding human transformation. Drawing on research in intrinsic motivation, psychological safety, and flow states, she explores how alignment, autonomy, and purpose directly influence performance and retention.

Learning Objectives:

• Reposition AI as a system optimizer rather than a speed amplifier
• Design for sustainable performance instead of chronic burnout
• Introduce regenerative work models that build innovation, resilience, and meaning
• Equip leaders with nervous system literacy as a modern leadership competency

Speaker Bio: Tamra Moroski is a transformation strategist and AI revenue leader helping organizations stay human in the age of artificial intelligence. With over 15 years navigating change across marketing and tech, she blends business strategy, mindfulness, and intentional AI frameworks to help leaders preserve agency, prevent burnout, and design a future where technology amplifies — not replaces — human potential.

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 - Legislative Update Presented by KWW

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

Speaker Bio:
Alexis Eichelberger is an attorney at Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC, a management-side labor and employment law firm located in Akron. She also serves as Legislative Chair of Akron Area SHRM. Alexis earned her law degree at the University of Akron School of Law in 2023 and has been assisting employers with a variety of workplace challenges since. Much of her practice focuses on public sector labor relations, multistate compliance, and defending employers in litigation and administrative proceedings.

Thank you to our sponsor, KWW!

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 - November 11- Chapter Meeting

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event

"WHEN AN IEP BECOMES AN I-9…..Bridging the Gap for a better work environment," presented by Shari Warman.
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: In the state of Ohio, approximately one in six students have an IEP (Individual Education Plans) at some point of their school careers. IEP’s can be implemented for a variety of educational concerns, delays, assistance, and accommodations. When an employee has had advocates and teams to give them a successful path, let’s talk through some ways they can also be successful in the workplace too while keeping Human Resources in compliance.

Speaker Bio: Shari Warman, MBA, SPHR, is an accomplished HR professional who currently serves as the Human Resources Manager at GED Integrated Solutions. Her extensive background spans over 20 years across diverse industries—including hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, distribution, and education—enabling her to navigate a wide variety of organizational cultures and learning styles. Over her career, she has also been on the student advocate side of the desk representing her child in IEP meetings. Bringing a perspective of not only a Human Resources professional but also has a person who has watched as her son as made the transition from student to graduate and now is an employee.

Thank you to our Non-Profit Spotlight Sponsor:

2026 - December 9 - Chapter Meeting (LUNCHEON)

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event

"HR’s Gone Wild: Business Lessons from the Animal Kingdom, " presented by John Bernatovicz.

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

Agenda:

• 11:30am - Registration Opens/Lunch
• 12:20pm - 1:20pm - Presentation

Session Description: What can butterflies, dolphins, and elephants teach us about business and life? More than you might think! This unique session blends nature’s instincts with business insights, offering ten (plus a very special bonus idea) powerful lessons from the animal kingdom that can be applied to leadership, teamwork, adaptability, and resilience at work. Join us for a fresh, fun, and thought-provoking talk that will inspire you to approach challenges with new perspective and maybe even a little wild wisdom.

Learning Objectives:
- Identify and apply ten animal-inspired lessons to strengthen leadership, teamwork, and adaptability at work.
- Explore how instincts from nature can improve precision, problem-solving, and decision-making in the business community.
- Develop strategies to approach real-life business challenges with creativity, resilience, and a renewed perspective drawn from the animal kingdom.

Speaker Bio: John Bernatovicz is a family first, business leader, balancing roles as a husband, father, brother, coach, and competitive amateur golfer. In addition to being an entrepreneur, podcast host, keynote speaker, author, and HR and payroll expert, John is on a mission to empower leaders to transform how people feel at work while making a positive impact. With a rich entrepreneurial history spanning 25 years, John has been at the helm of six business ventures. Currently serving as the president of Willory, a boutique professional services firm empowering the HR tech, payroll, and HR communities, John's passion lies in elevating purpose-driven organizations to their full potential. At Willory, he is dedicated to attracting, developing, and empowering top talent. John's leadership has propelled Willory to remarkable achievements, including recognition in prestigious lists such as NorthCoast 99, Weatherhead 100, Crain’s 52, and Inc. 5000. In addition, John’s book, HR Like a Boss, is the first SHRM-published book to reach #1 New Release on Amazon, and his co-authored book, Payroll Like a Boss, was released on April 28, 2026.