Opening General Session
Join us for the Volunteer Leaders’ Business Meeting 2021 opening general session featuring SHRM’s Mike Aitken, Senior Vice President of Membership, Vernon Williams, Ed.D., Manager of SHRM Foundation Programs, and Wendi Safstrom, Executive Director of the SHRM Foundation, as they announce two categories of the 2021 Pinnacle Awards winners along with presenting the 2021 Meisinger Award winner.
We will also hear expansive insights from guest keynoters Dima Ghawi, virtual leadership coach extraordinaire, and Art Jackson, an executive coach who developed the Purpose Centered Leadership™ system, who will highlight the importance of partnership in the current climate of developing better leaders and managers, cultivating virtual enterprises, and more!
Mike Aitken
Mike Aitken is Executive Vice President, HR Professional Solutions at SHRM, following 15 years of leading SHRM’s successful advocacy programs as Vice President of Government Affairs.
Mike is a leading authority on the issues important to the human resource profession and drives SHRM’s membership vision, ensuring excellent member experiences, and implementing the organization’s newly developed business strategy.
He applies his proven model of engagement to shape the future of work, workers, and workplaces. He is an expert relationship-builder across diverse constituencies and stakeholders, always seeking out the “win-win” in every situation.
As a member of SHRM’s executive team, Mike also plays a key role in setting the strategic direction of the organization, offering important counsel on SHRM’s educational programs and professional development opportunities.
Before joining SHRM in 2003, he spent 14 years with the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), which represents more than 23,000 HR professionals at over 1,900 higher education institutions.
In 2015 and 2016, Mike served as an employer representative on the U.S. delegation to the International Labour Conference.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of San Diego.
Wendi Safstrom
Wendi Safstrom is a senior non-profit leader committed to serving the public through philanthropic program management, cultivating strategic partnerships and managing and developing high performing teams. She has both association and nonprofit management experience including; national program development and administration, membership strategy, marketing and product development, grant management, development and donor stewardship, and leading cross functional teams. Safstrom currently serves as President for the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation (SHRM Foundation), where she leads the development and implementation of SHRM Foundation's programmatic, development, and marketing and communication strategies in support of SHRM Foundation's new mission and vision, creating growth plans and ensuring alignment with SHRM goals.
Prior to assuming the role at SHRM Foundation, Safstrom served as Vice President at the National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, where she led the development and implementation of their Foundation's most recent five-year strategic plan, and was responsible for all Foundation programming, including workforce development initiatives, scholarship and event management, community relations and engagement initiatives. The NRAEF's philanthropic programming supported a number of audiences including high school youth, veterans transitioning from service to civilian work and life, opportunity youth and incumbent workers. Of particular note, she led the implementation of the restaurant industry's premier high school career and technical education program, growing the program to over 2,000 public high schools, engaging over 150,000 students annually, nationwide. In 2016, she served as lead project director for the development of a $10 million contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to develop the hospitality industry's first apprenticeship program, and was instrumental in the Foundation's reorganization and relocation of operations from Chicago, Illinois to Washington, D.C., transforming the staff and culture.
Safstrom has also held human resource management roles with the Leo Burnett Company and Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. She has a BS in Business Administration from the Eli Broad School of Business at Michigan State University and was recognized as a member of the 2014 "Power 20" by Restaurant Business Magazine as a leader in philanthropy within the restaurant industry.
Dima Ghawi, MBA
Dima is Middle-Eastern in her genes and global citizen in her spirit. She ignites the untapped potential in individuals across the globe, empowering them to shatter limitations and become courageous, purpose driven leaders.
Through keynote speeches, workshops, and executive coaching, Dima shares her unique leadership transformation journey with one goal in mind: motivate those around her to reimagine their potential and grow into leaders.
Dima has worked across the United States, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa for several Fortune 100 companies and has honed a keen expertise in developing leaders to meet the demands of the global workforce.
Arthur D. Jackson
Art Jackson is a professional speaker, trainer, consultant, coach and counselor. Mr. Jackson is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, a Master of Science degree in Management and a Master of Arts degree in Theology and Pastoral Counseling. Art is certified in Christian Counseling through the American Association of Christian Therapists. Mr. Jackson is also certified by the Supreme Court of Virginia as a mediator for the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.Mr. Jackson is a professional speaker through the National Speakers Association and the President of Eagles Nest Performance Management, Inc.
Vernon Williams, Ed.D.
Dr. Vernon Williams is the Operations Manager for the CEO Academy. In partnership with The Wharton School and powered by SHRM, CEO Academy connects leaders to their peers with the aim of gaining insight into strategy, innovation, growth, finance, talent, compensation, succession, governance and other issues of pressing concern to organizations. Dr. Williams has worked at SHRM for the past three years, previously as a part of the SHRM Foundation team supporting student Initiatives as well as managing the $500,000 portfolio of scholarships, professional development grants, and awards.
Prior to joining the SHRM Foundation, Dr. Williams was the Assistant Dean of Students and spent over 20 years in higher education overseeing various student service units including, Campus Events, Conduct, Crisis Response, Engagement, Graduate Services, Housing, and Orientation at such institutions including George Washington University, in Washington, DC and Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.
Whether supporting educational programs on-campus or through professional organizations, Dr. Williams enjoys helping others develop and maximize their potential. Dr. Williams displays this passion outside of work as well through community-based initiatives, including SOUL, an organization that uses sports to connect high school aged youth to diverse opportunities that build the life skills needed to succeed academically and professionally.
Dr. Williams earned his doctorate in Higher Education from George Washington University. He earned his Master of Business Administration from Loyola University in Maryland and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Morgan State University.