HR Credit

Michele Whitehead is Senior Manager of Client Services at Berkshire Associates. In her position, Michele is responsible for overseeing, developing, and implementing training and consulting services related to affirmative action and pay equity analysis.

With over 20 years in the human resource industry, Michele is an expert in HR practices and procedures. This experience allows her to develop and present training sessions to educate clients on the latest affirmative action, applicant management, compensation, and workforce analysis topics and trends. She has a true passion for educating fellow HR professionals, which is why she has been an active speaker throughout the country at conferences and meetings including the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) Talent Management and Annual Conferences.

Michele has a Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management and Management Skills from New York State University at Buffalo. Michele holds both SPHR and SHRM-SCP Certification and is a member of the national Society for Human Resource Management.  

Dana Cotham is an attorney, law professor, and nationally-sought after speaker.   Dana considers herself a workplace advocate and enjoys making complicated employment law issues easy to understand.  She provides customized, in-house training and public seminars to her clients throughout the United States discussing human resources and employment law topics including the FMLA, ADA, Sexual Harassment, and Retaliation.  Dana has written policies and procedures for both large and small employers including the Nevada Supreme Court. 

Mark Toth has served as Chief Legal Officer of ManpowerGroup’s U.S. operations since 2000. He is a recognized expert on legal issues affecting the U.S. workplace and has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Business Week, 60 Minutes and many others. His award-winning employment law blog was recently named one of the Ten Best Corporate Blogs in the World. He has been named to SHRM’s national Top Ten Highest Rated Speakers list each of the past two years and is the former Chair of the American Staffing Association.

Matthew Effland is the Vice President – Employment Counsel for KAR Auction Services, Inc.  KAR is a provider of vehicle auction services in North America, facilitating the used vehicle marketplace by providing auction services for sellers of used, or whole car, vehicles and salvage vehicles through its auction locations and multiple internet venues. The Company has a network of 65 whole car auction locations and 164 salvage auction locations, as well as offering a variety of online and financing services.  In his role, Matt provides guidance and support to KAR’s Human Resources department, drawing on his 14 years of management-side private practice.  Matt is licensed in both California and Indiana, and is the author of the recently-published SHRM Book ”The Perils and Pitfalls of California Employment Law: A Guide for HR Professionals.”

Whitney Warner, SPHR is a Partner with the labor and employment law firm of Moody & Warner, P.C. Her practice includes representation of both employers and employees. Ms. Warner was named one of the Best of the Bar 2010 by New Mexico Business Weekly. She was awarded the 2009 Professional Excellence Award by SHRM of NM, the state’s top honor in the HR field. Ms. Warner and the firm are recognized by “Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” as leaders in employment law in New Mexico. She has been recognized in "Southwest Super Lawyers," a listing of the top 5% of lawyers based on peer nominations. She has been active volunteer leader in local, state and national SHRM activities.