Second Chance Business Coalition Lessons, Best Practices and Resources for Your Workplace
In-person session offerings are on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is limited.
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Learn how your company can get involved with the Second Chance Business Coalition, a cross-sector coalition of large private-sector firms committed to expanding second chance hiring and advancement practices within their companies. Learn about inclusive hiring for second chance and opportunity youth. In this session, the panelists will share lessons, best practices and the resources you can leverage to start or enhance your own second chance efforts. Join the growing community of companies who expanding career opportunities to individuals with criminal records that will have the added benefit of meeting your workforce needs
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the business case for second chance hiring and why it is not just about inclusion but an invaluable talent strategy for your workforce.
- Learn lessons from best practices and lessons learned from employers on their second chance programs.
- Take away resources and next steps for you to start your own second chance initiative.
If a speaker has provided session materials, please see below or visit https://presentations.shrm.org
All virtual sessions inherently run the risk of audio or visual issues due to factors out of our control. If any technical difficulties arise, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work diligently to resolve it. All virtual sessions, unless marked as "LIVE ONLY" or "VIRTUAL LIVE ONLY", are recorded and will be available to view on demand until December 1, 2023.
Aleta Howell
Aleta Howell currently leads Global Inclusive Recruiting and Business Strategy for Cisco Systems. In this role she works to align corporate diversity, equity and inclusion strategies that drive diverse and inclusive hiring.
Prior to her current role, Aleta led Inclusive Recruiting Strategy for University recruiting, where she worked with leaders and HR Partners to drive hiring strategies and program development to attract diverse university talent. She also served as a Program Manager with Cisco’s Office of Inclusion and Collaboration where she helped to create new processes to drive diversity metrics review discussions with senior leaders.
Before joining Cisco, Aleta spent more than a decade as a senior branding consultant, working with senior leaders and executives to develop and guide branding and business strategy. Her experience includes leading brand marketing teams, strategic consulting, education recruiting and talent acquisition strategy for numerous Fortune 500 companies.
Aleta began her career as a brand manager with Nabisco Foods. Upon leaving Nabisco, she returned to Kenan-Flagler Business School as Assoc. Director of Admissions for Minority Recruitment and later became MBA Admissions director, where she led all recruiting and admissions for the full-time MBA program.
Aleta is an alumnus of NC State University where she earned a BA in Economics and Business Management. She also earned an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at UNC Chapel Hill. Aleta resides in Raleigh, NC with her husband Kevin. She is the mother of two college-aged daughters. In her spare time she loves to sing, cook, write and travel.
Jonay Foster Holkins
Jonay Foster Holkins is Senior Director of Policy for the Business Roundtable. In this role, she oversees the Roundtable’s racial equity and justice policy agenda.
Before joining the Business Roundtable, Ms. Holkins was Counsel for Congressman David N. Cicilline, where she managed the Congressman’s Judiciary Committee portfolio, including civil rights, criminal justice reform, election security, immigration, intellectual property, police reform, privacy, and technology. She advanced the Congressman’s legislative priorities by drafting and analyzing legislation, building strategic alliances, and preparing the Congressman for hearings and other public appearances. Ms. Holkins was also responsible for analyzing legislation and providing policy recommendations on issues related to health care and financial services.
Prior to moving to Capitol Hill, Ms. Holkins was a senior litigation associate at Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP, where she advised and represented community health centers and other federal grantees across the country on a range of issues involving constitutional and administrative law, immigration, internal investigations, the False Claims Act, Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Federal Tort Claims Act.
Ms. Holkins graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Studies, and received her J.D. from the University of Arizona. During law school, she interned in White House Counsel’s Office and was an associate in the Presidential Personnel Office for President Barack Obama. She also served as a fellow with the Committee on Education and the Workforce and interned with the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. After law school, she served a two-year term as a judicial law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. She resides in Washington, D.C with her husband, Patrick, and dog, Jackson.
Caz Walcott
Caz is Director of Inclusive Hiring, where she leads RBIJ’s first and second chance hiring programs, including Unlock Potential (UP). In addition to leading the Inclusive Hiring team, her responsibilities also include collaborating with community-based organizations, advocacy leaders, and social services providers.
Previously, Caz worked at various nonprofits, including as the program manager at the Vera Institute of Justice’s Redefining Public Safety team, the Director of Employment Services for Westhab’s NYC and Westchester County shelter and community-based employment programs, and as Director of Fathers Count - Family Services of Westchester’s federally-funded Responsible Fatherhood Program. She received a Citation from Mayor Mike Spano for her contribution to Westchester County and the City of Yonkers and a Certificate of Recognition from the Senate of the State of New York for Exemplary Service to the community. While in the UK, Caz also worked as a probation officer for HM Prison & Probation Service and as a youth social worker with Camden Children & Family Services.
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.