HR Credit

A master teacher and world-class speaker, Dr. Roch Parayre is a strategist who blends rigor with contagious enthusiasm. He urges leaders and organizations towards new ways of thinking: “My job is to energize people – both in the classroom and in the boardroom. If you aren’t passionate about your strategy, you’ll never get the buy-in you need to grow and transform your business.”

Roch has advised organizations on five continents and across a wide spectrum of industries. Clients such as Pepsi, Microsoft, GE, Disney, L’Oreal, Merrill Lynch, and Comcast rely on Roch for his expertise and motivational skills. His executive education seminars focus on decision-making, scenario planning, innovation, and strategy.

A Teaching Fellow at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, he is co-Academic Director of Wharton’s Full-Spectrum Innovation program. Roch also teaches at CEDEP and INSEAD in France, for Duke Corporate Education, and at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He was previously a Senior Fellow in the Mack Center for Technological Innovation at the Wharton School, and was a faculty member at the Cox School of Business at SMU, where he won numerous MBA teaching awards.  Roch holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Ottawa, an M.S. in Engineering Economic Systems from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Business Strategy from the University of British Columbia. His work has been published in a variety of academic journals, industry reports, and trade publications. He also leads DSI’s Blue Ocean Strategy practice.

Steve is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame and was recognized in 2015 as one of the top 10 motivational speakers globally from over 9,000 candidates.

In addition to being one of the most sought-after speakers in North America, he has written 11 books and was named Author of the Year by Advantage/Forbes for his book Enjoy The Ride.

Steve built a multimillion-dollar company, which the Pittsburgh Business Times named one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the region. Steve is one of SHRM’s top-rated speakers. This is his 18th consecutive year speaking at the SHRM Conference.

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, a strategic organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500's to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought-leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker and blogger, author of three books, and she has 50+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning.

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, a strategic organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500's to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought-leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker and blogger, author of three books, and she has 50+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning.

Rob Harkins leads the Willis initiative for private exchanges, which focuses on a Defined Contribution approach and emphasizes cost control through a total population health management strategy. Harkins has over 30 years of experience at medical carriers, including UnitedHealthcare, Coventry and Prudential. Most recently, he was Vice President of Sales for Extend Health, the nation’s largest private exchange.

Derek has over 20 years of Manufacturing Human Resources experience, with 10 of those years being in union environments.  Derek began his HR career working as a Recruiter for Courtney Services a staffing agency in 1994.  Derek is currently the Human Resources Manager for Cooper Standard in New Lexington, OH, a unionized (UAW) tube plant that makes fuel and brake tubing for the automotive industry.

Derek graduated from Urbana University with a double major in Business Management and Human Resources then went on to obtain an MBA from Franklin University.   Derek has been a certified HR professional since 1997, he holds SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications.  Derek has been a speaker at 3 prior SHRM conferences (1 Annual and 2 Talent Staffing), he trains and consults on performance development, leadership, and diversity.

Dozer sits on the Advisory Board for the Zanesville Salvation Army, served on the Adult Education Advisory Board at Mid-East Ohio Vocational School.  Dozer also volunteered on the board for the Human Resources Association of Central Ohio.  Derek is an elected official serving first as a Township Trustee for 8 years, and has just over 5 years currently as Fiscal Officer for Newton Township the second largest geographical Township in the State of Ohio, located in Muskingum County.

Derek and his family live on a farm settled by his great, great grandfather in 1863 near Roseville, Ohio where he raises Angus beef cattle, watermelons, and Boxer dogs.  Derek has 2 boys (18 and 16) and a daughter (who just turned 15).  Derek is a serious National Park junkie.  Derek is very serious about his vacation time.

Giselle is the Practice Lead in Optimus SBR’s Learning & Development Group with over 25 years experience as a sought after resource to industry leaders across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors dedicated to building strategies and programs that help clients target, motivate and engage employees in order to increase performance and productivity.

Giselle has devoted more than 20 years to researching the impact that generational differences have on organizational performance, creating solutions and programs in four areas – leadership, high performance teams, early career talent, and reinforcement & sustainment of learning. Giselle has co-authored two books and completed her Master of Arts Degree in Communications Studies at the University of Windsor.

She is Chair of the Board at The Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL), co-chair of the Cross Academy Association and Advisory Council member at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Psychologist and humorist, Bruce Christopher, is America's foremost "Enter---Trainer" today. He has earned this distinction because of his high-energy style and humorous presentation of his material. He is a licensed psychologist holding degrees in Professional Psychology and Interpersonal Communications. Bruce has Enter-Trained audiences internationally because of his humorous approach to today's hot topics which impact our personal and professional lives. He combines excellent content with loads of laughter and contagious comedy.  He has earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation (CSP), which is the speaking profession's highest merited international measure of professional platform competence.Psychologist and humorist, Bruce Christopher, is America's foremost "Enter---Trainer" today. He has earned this distinction because of his high-energy style and humorous presentation of his material. He is a licensed psychologist holding degrees in Professional Psychology and Interpersonal Communications. Bruce has Enter-Trained audiences internationally because of his humorous approach to today's hot topics which impact our personal and professional lives. He combines excellent content with loads of laughter and contagious comedy.  He has earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation (CSP), which is the speaking profession's highest merited international measure of professional platform competence.

Louis R. Lessig, Esquire, SHRM-SCP, SPHR is a Partner at the law firm of Brown & Connery, LLP in Westmont, NJ in their labor and employment group.  He regularly counsels clients, conducts training sessions and represents clients in federal and state court as well as before administrative agencies. Also known as The Employment Law Translator®, Mr. Lessig speaks across the country and regularly writes articles that appear in publications nationwide including XpertHR.  In 2018 he won the Delaware Valley HR Consultant of the Year Award. He is a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and a Past President of the Philadelphia chapter.  Mr. Lessig is an active volunteer for The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) as the Northeast Membership Advisory Council (MAC) Representative.

Todd Solomon is a partner in and Chicago local practice group leader of the employee benefits practice group of McDermott Will & Emery LLP in its Chicago office.  Todd focuses his practice primarily on designing, amending, and administering pension plans, 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans, 403(b) plans, and nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements.  He also counsels corporations and tax-exempt entities regarding fiduciary and plan investment issues under ERISA, employee benefits issues involved in corporate transactions, executive compensation and Code Section 409A compliance and correction matters, and the implementation of benefit programs for domestic partners.