Events

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.

Thank you to our sponsor, McGohan Brabender!

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.

Thank you to our sponsor, Pixel Leadership Group!

2026 - March 11 - Legislative Update Presented by KWW

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: 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!

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.

Non Profit Spotlight: NOGCF

2026 April 23rd - Board Meet & Greet / Networking Happy Hour

Join us for the next AASHRM Board Meet & Greet / Networking Happy Hour

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!

Six Degrees of Insight - Session 4/6 - May 7, 2026

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

Join us on Thursday, May 7, 2026 with Civility Unleashed: Turning Chaos into Collaboration presented by Dyann McDowell.

Session Description: Workplace culture is collapsing quietly, not through one big event, but through the normalization of disrespect, avoidance, and inconsistent accountability. HR professionals often become the “cleanup crew” when leaders fail to set and enforce a clear standard for how people treat each other while the work gets done.

This interactive session equips HR leaders and people managers with a practical, repeatable approach to disrupt incivility in real time and rebuild trust through systems, not slogans. Participants will learn a simple in-the-moment tool—L3: Lean-in, Listen, Learn—and how to connect it to leadership standards and follow-through using the AIMS™ Framework (Assess ? Implement ? Mobilize Leadership ? SPARK) and Civility OS™ (Ask ? Implement ? Support ? Enforce).

Attendees will leave with language they can use immediately, plus an implementation path that strengthens accountability without dehumanizing people.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify early warning signs of culture erosion and the organizational risks associated with normalized incivility.
• Apply L3 (Lean-in, Listen, Learn) as an in-the-moment disruption tool to de-escalate tension while maintaining accountability.
• Use the Civility OS™ response loop (Ask ? Implement ? Support ? Enforce) to ensure consistent follow-through after conflict or misconduct.
• Outline an HR-led action plan using the AIMS™ Framework to embed civility standards into leadership routines and workplace expectations.

Speaker Bio: Dyann McDowell is the President and HR Business Partner at Training Marbles, Inc., a workplace culture and leadership firm specializing in civility, accountability, and organizational realignment. With nearly three decades in the Drug-Free Workplace and HR training arena, Dyann is known for helping organizations confront culture breakdowns before they become costly crises. Her work equips HR leaders and managers with practical tools to disrupt disrespect, strengthen leadership follow-through, and build standards employees can trust.

Dyann is the creator of Civility Unleashed™, a framework-driven approach that combines her AIMS™ Framework (Assess ? Implement ? Mobilize Leadership ? SPARK) with Civility OS™ (Ask ? Implement ? Support ? Enforce). She partners with public-sector organizations, municipalities, and service-based companies to improve workplace climate, reduce conflict drag, and restore professionalism without sacrificing humanity. Dyann’s signature message is clear: civility isn’t “being nice”—it’s a standard, and leadership sets the tone.

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

2026 - June - Member Appreciation - DATE & LOCATION TBD

Join us for the next AASHRM Chapter Event: Member Appreciation

Location: TBD
Agenda: TBD

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

Shari Warman will be our speaker.

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 - 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