Step Up: Why Military -Connected Talent Hiring Is The Solution You Are Looking For!
The panel will present on strategies and resources to target military connected talent which include veterans, military spouses and caregivers. We will go beyond the research that demonstrates the business case of why to hire to how workplaces should leverage this untapped talent pool. Panelists will present their experiences, best practices and lessons learned.
We will also share new resources and initiatives from SHRM Foundation to support your own professional development and hiring efforts so you leave the session with the strategies and support you need.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn the benefits of starting your own military hiring program and how you can get there along with successful tips, tricks and management skills.
- Discover the abundance of programs SHRM Foundation has available to the successful recruiting, hiring, and retaining of members of the military community and learn why/how SHRM Foundation can help you get there.
- Increase the number of informed HR managers, business leaders and employees with programs/certificates that can help your organization flourish!
In-person session offerings are on a first-come, first-served basis.
To view all event accessibility & accommodations details visit here.
If a speaker has provided session materials, please visit https://presentations.shrm.org
Mona Dexter
Mona Dexter is the Vice President of Military and Veteran Affairs at Comcast NBCUniversal. In this role, she leads a team that works across Comcast NBCUniversal to provide strategic leadership to aspects of programs and outreach engaging the military and veteran community, including efforts to make the Company one of America's most military-ready employers, advancing digital equity among veterans and military families, and delivering special media and entertainment experiences to military customers.
Prior to this role, she was the Chief of Staff and Vice President of Hiring Our Heroes, a workforce development program and the largest center of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Mona oversaw the organization's mission to educate the business community on best practices in diversifying their workforces with military-connected and nontraditional talent and improving workplace equity for underserved populations.
She has extensive community leadership experience with adult learning and career and workforce development in higher education and programs, including Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), Army Family Programs, and multiple school districts. Mona also serves as the chair of the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education (VACOE), advising the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on educational issues affecting Veterans and ensuring access to quality programming and services.
Mona holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Maryland and a Master of Science in higher education administration from Kansas State University. She was a military spouse for over 25 years and lives in Washington, D.C.
Sean Passmore
Sean oversees enterprise military and veteran initiatives at Wells Fargo, supporting the military community primarily with housing affordability, financial wellness, small business support, and career transition assistance
programs. He manages relationships with strategic military, non-profit and for-profit veteran serving organizations. Sean also oversees military talent sourcing strategies and marketing strategies focused on the military
segment. The Military Talent Strategic Sourcing team is comprised of military talent liaisons, strategists, consultants, and analysts, all 100% dedicated to attracting, recruiting, coaching, and advocating for veterans
seeking career opportunities at Wells Fargo.
Sean was previously the Military Hiring Advisor for USAA, where he led the corporate effort to recruit and hire veterans and military spouses, and represented USAA globally as a military hiring, transition, retention, and
talent programs subject matter expert.
Sean served 22 ½ years in the Army before retiring in 2014 as a senior Presidential Communications Officer in the White House Communications Agency, where he provided direct and personal support to the President of
the United States and led teams supporting Presidential events around the World. Sean earned his Master of Science degree in Project Management from The George Washington University.
Sean and his wife, Mary, live in San Antonio, TX
Marcus Ohlenforst
Marcus Ohlenforst – better known as Ohley – currently serves as the Lead Military Workforce Strategist responsible for USAAs enterprise Military Workforce Strategy in addition to managing and championing various strategic military talent programs and initiatives to ensure the company attracts world-class veteran and military spouse talent. He served 25 years in the Marine Corps both Enlisted and as an Officer and retired in 2016. His transition led him to some great organizations that connected him with people who invested their time and energy to ensure that he was successful, and he is committed to continuing to pay it forward within the military community.
Ohley represents USAA as not only a brand ambassador, but also an expert in national level discussions that impact the military community and works closely with internal and external stakeholders to differentiate the company’s goal of being the employer of choice for the military community. In 2022, Ohley was selected as the GI Jobs Veteran Champion of the Year in Corporate America due to the extraordinary amount of effort that he exerts to inspire, educate, and advocate for the military community.
Ohley leads numerous strategic workforce programs and initiatives while also being an active participant in numerous Non-profit advisory boards and committees, such as the US Chamber Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Advisory Councils, JP Morgan Veteran Jobs Mission Advisory Board, and the SHRM Foundation Military Community Advisory Committee. He is sought out as an industry thought leader and influencer who has been featured by nationally recognized magazines and social channels due to his devotion and servant leadership with organizations and respective communities.
Elizabeth Kohm
Elizabeth is currently the Manager, Foundation Programs overseeing SHRM Foundation’s strategic priority of Building Inclusive Workplaces. In that capacity, she oversees the Foundation’s initiatives around leveraging untapped talent including Veterans At Work, Employing Abilities and Getting Talent Back to Work. She joins the Foundation with extensive experience across the corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors. She most recently served as the Deputy Executive Director for PFLAG National working to advance equality and anti-discrimination efforts. In that role, she also partnered with corporate diversity and HR professionals on partnerships to impact the workplace culture for the LGBTQ community. She lives in Alexandria with her spouse, two sons, and an oversized rescue dog.