When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Hire Veterans
As organizations experience the impact of COVID-19, a social crisis and an economic crisis, they require a workforce that is both flexible and resilient. Cue military veterans. Veterans possess a skill set that makes them reliable and calm leaders, and their experiences have oriented them toward mission success. This session will make the business case for veterans-focused Employee Resource Groups and People and Business Resource Groups as a veteran’s retention tool.
This session is presented in partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb and the SHRM Foundation.
James M. Beamesderfer
Jim Beamesderfer is vice president, Veterans Initiatives and heads the Prudential Veterans Initiatives Office. He is responsible for the company’s external and internal veterans programs, which includes supporting Diversity and Inclusion activities, implementing the communications strategy and overseeing philanthropic activity in coordination with internal business partners. In addition, he oversees the VETalent program that in partnership with the nonprofit organization Workforce Opportunity Services, recruits, trains and hires Iraq and Afghanistan-era military veterans and military spouses. Beamesderfer has been a driving force behind the development of the company’s military spouse employment program and was recently appointed as the Co-Chair of the US Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Hereos Military Spouse Employment Advisory Council. He also plays a key role in expanding the VETalent program and other Military Talent employment programs to other companies.
Beamesderfer joined Prudential in 1997. Prior to his current role, he was a director, Information Systems in Prudential’s Individual Life Insurance business where he supported Prudential Advisors technology functions such as Customer Relationship Management, marketing, financial planning, and learning / professional development.
Prior to joining Prudential, Beamesderfer was a captain in the U.S. Army, serving six years in Infantry units.
Beamesderfer has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. He also earned the Project Management Professional designation.
Beamesderfer sits on the board of directors of the United Service Organizations (USO) of Metro NYC, the board of advisors for the Center for a New American Security and is an active member of the Rutgers Business School Military and Veteran Advisory Board.
Kristin Jemison, PMP
Kristin Jemison, PMP is a biopharmaceutical leader with a progressive 20-year career that includes delivering multimillion-dollar results by driving enterprise-level strategy, initiatives, and operations. Through her career she has held positions of increasing responsibility in Operations, Project Management, Manufacturing Sciences & Technology and Integrated Product Strategy. She currently leads the Veterans Community Network People & Business Resource Group for Bristol Myers Squibb, a global biopharmaceutical company, and has helped them increased veteran workforce representation by spearheading diversity initiatives.
As part of leading the Veterans Community Network, Kristin has worked hard to build, develop, and manage a robust leadership team with a sharp focus on member engagement and diversity hiring. She has liaised with congressional leaders to shape policies on veteran employment and military spouse underemployment. Kristin recently presented at The White House to The Second Lady’s Office and industry peers on solutions for improving military family benefits. She resides in Langhorne, Pennsylvania with her husband Michael and their two children.
John Perez
John Perez is the Head of Military & Veterans Affairs at Johnson & Johnson. John is a graduate of Johnson & Johnson's Procurement Leadership Development Program and Shaping Talent & Accelerating Results (STAR) Supply Chain accelerated development program; he has held previous Procurement, Supply Chain and Acquisition & Divestiture roles across Johnson & Johnson. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, John served as a US Army and US Army Reserve officer in various cross-functional roles, twice deploying to Iraq. John is a graduate of Seton Hall University and Yale School of Management and holds numerous professional certifications, including the SHRM Foundation’s Veterans at Work Certificate. John is also a George W. Bush Institute Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program alumnus.
Kevin Whirity
Kevin Whirity is the National Military & Veteran Recruiting Lead at Deloitte, where his efforts focus on Recruitment, Onboarding and Retention strategies for transitioning veterans. Prior to joining Deloitte in 2009, Kevin served 6 years on active duty with the US Navy as a Human Resources Officer. He completed his academic studies at the US Naval Academy (’03), Loyola University of Chicago (MBA – ’07), and the University of Florida (MS Real Estate – ’09). Kevin currently resides in Jacksonville with his wife and three kids.
Dr. Tina Atherall
Dr. Tina Atherall is a social innovation strategist with a concentration in non-profit management, community development, and advocacy. She obtained her Doctor of Social Work (DSW) from the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work focusing on the 12 Grand Challenges for Social Work to eradicate social isolation. She is the CEO of PsychArmor Institute and works extensively with communities educating and advocating for critical support for those who have served and their families. Tina has advanced certificates in nonprofit leadership, human-centered design facilitation, military family readiness, military social work, and is a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator. She is an Associate Adjunct Professor at Columbia University School of Social Work.
LTG (Retired) Nadja West
Lieutenant General (ret) Nadja West is the 44th Army Surgeon General and the former Commanding General of US Army Medical Command (USAMEDCOM). In 2015 West became the first African American woman 3-star General in the Army’s history, and is currently the highest-ranking woman to ever graduate from West Point.
A graduate of George Washington School of Medicine, West completed residencies in Family Medicine and Dermatology, and has held various clinical, operational and leadership positions throughout her 30+ year career as a Soldier.
In her last Army assignment, West managed an $11 billion budget and led an organization consisting of more than 130,000 healthcare professionals comprised of Active, Guard and Reserve soldiers, civilians, contractors and volunteers. She was responsible for medical centers, community hospitals and clinics; dental, veterinary and public health facilities; research, education and training platforms; and deployed medical formations around the globe, supporting over 4 million people. In her role as SG, West was the senior medical advisor to the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army. During her tenure, she led the AMEDD through the most comprehensive transformation that military medicine has seen in over three decades.
West is a 2019-2020 Hauser Leader at Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership, serves on the boards of directors for Americares, Nucor Corporation, and Tenet Healthcare Corporation. She is also a trustee of the National Recreation Foundation, dedicated to enhancing the role of recreation as a positive force in improving the quality of life of youth.
