Prior to joining Baker Tilly, she held increasingly responsible roles in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Touching on everything HR and Talent related from recruitment and talent acquisition, project management, compensation, employee relations, and training to immigration. In her roles, she successfully led several key initiatives including the implementation of new software tools for performance management and HRIS, and streamlined several key processes to enhance efficiency with onboarding and recruitment.

Catherine is active in the HR community and has been a member of SHRM since 2009. She started volunteering with the Philly SHRM Emerging Leaders committee in 2011 where she eventually held a board role co-chairing the committee. Following her time with Emerging Leaders, she co-chaired the Membership Committee and most recently served as Executive Vice President, Chapter Operations, where she was responsible for overseeing Sponsorship, Marcomm, Certification, and Membership. In addition to her leadership roles with Philly SHRM, she previously served on SHRM National’s Young Professional Advisory Committee (YPAC) and held a board role with Philadelphia WTS, chairing their Membership committee.

Catherine graduated Magna cum Laude from Temple University’s Fox School of Business with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management. She also holds SHRM-CP and SPHR certifications.

In her spare time, she enjoys doing activities with her husband and two children. You will often find them at the Jersey shore in the summer months spending time on the water. Outside of that, she has recently reignited her passion for singing and has been focusing on brushing up her skills.

Theresa has provided Human Resources support for both non-profit and for-profit organizations. She began her Human Resources career with ARAMARK in the company’s Human Resources Representative program. During her time as a Human Resources Representative, Theresa worked with Human Resources leaders in the Sports and Entertainment business providing HR support and guidance during large scale events.

Theresa later accepted the role of Human Resources Coordinator for one of the top symphony orchestras in the world, the Philadelphia Orchestra, where she assisted both administrative staff and orchestra musicians in all areas of employment.

In 2012, Theresa joined St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, a leading pediatric facility in Philadelphia, as a Human Resources Generalist for. In this role, Theresa worked as an advocate for healthcare professionals and provided support in all areas of Human Resources. Theresa was a Six Sigma Lean Leader for St. Christopher’s and worked to implement process improvement initiatives throughout the hospital.

Theresa is a graduate of Temple University’s Fox School of Business and Management where she obtained her Bachelors of Business degree in Human Resources Management and her People First certification. She has been an active member of Philly SHRM since 2009 and has worked on the Programming, Emerging Leaders, Philly SHRM Symposium committees.

Theresa lives in Northeast Philadelphia with her husband Jason, son Jacob, and Labradoodle Duncan.

Mr. McCarthy graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers University School of Law-Camden in 2014 and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Loyola University Maryland in 2011. While attending law school, Mr. McCarthy was an executive editor of the Rutgers Law Journal, was a Michael Young Scholar for his participation in the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project, and served as a judicial intern to a United States Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis as an associate, Mr. McCarthy was a Summer Associate in the firm’s Morristown, New Jersey office, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Joseph L. Yannotti, N.J. Superior Court – Appellate Division. Mr. McCarthy is currently admitted to practice law in the state courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey.

Ryan is a Philadelphia native and former all-public basketball player. Ryan carries the same ethics of hard work, integrity, and zeal learned on the basketball court to his business. Ryan has obtained several production awards including, District Leaders’ Corps. He continues to refine his processes and update his planning knowledge to achieve the highest level of service.

Ryan attended Clarion University of PA to earn his Bachelor Degree in Finance. He currently resides in Willow Grove, PA with his wife Michelle and their two children, Ryan Jr. (6) and Mirya (10).

Dr. Jo is the recipient of the 2015 Delaware Valley HR Person of the Year for Medium-sized companies and was a Finalist in the same category in 2023. She holds a Doctorate in Education from Gwynedd Mercy University. Her research and dissertation focused on the preparation and education of future HR professionals. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from Saint Joseph’s University. She has been SPHR certified since 2006 and SHRM-SCP certified since 2015. Dr. Jo has been a member of Philadelphia SHRM since 2006 and currently serves as Executive VP of
Strategic Initiatives on the Board. In addition, she is the Executive Producer of the Philly SHRM podcast “HR Fresh Take”.

An avid runner, Joanna has finished her 10th Broad Street Run 10-Miler and second Half-Marathon. She is currently training for her next half-marathon and Spartan Race.

She began her career at Vanguard after graduating from Saint Joseph’s University in June 2000. She has had experience in various areas, first as a client service associate for a department specializing in small business retirement plans. She then transitioned to various leadership roles as well as those focused on process improvements through data and process analysis.

Maria became interested in Human Resources while obtaining her Master’s degree. Her career in HR began as a supervisor leading the Data and Reporting team. As a result of her strong project management, she led a project looking to redesign the current reporting tools and develop the strategy for human resource reporting.

Maria has received her Master’s in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s University. She also has her SPHR, SHRM-SCP and recently obtained her Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification. She enjoys spending time with her husband Ryan and two daughters Allison and Liliana. In her free time, she enjoys running and exercising.

Prior to specializing in DE&I, Kaela’s background is centered around critical HR functions, like talent management, organizational development/change, HR systems/analytics, communications, and employee engagement. They also served as an ERG leader during their time in HR roles. Kaela has a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership with a focus in Human Resources from Northeastern University and is an alum of Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. They hold a Senior Certified Professional (SCP) certification from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). Kaela is also an active member of the local Philadelphia community and holds board and operational leadership roles with Philly SHRM, Making Worlds Cooperative Bookstore and Social Center, and cinéSPEAK.

Kaela is also an active thought leader and frequently contributes their insights on panel discussions, workshops, and conferences. They were nominated as an HR Rising Star in 2020 by the Delaware Valley HR Person of the Year Awards and named Philadelphia’s Top 40 Connectors and Keepers by Leadership Philadelphia in their class 2021. True to their passion, Kaela loves to travel to new cities and explore new foodie dishes to learn more about the cultures of others. They also geek out on sci-fi and space travel and can easily get lost in a good book, movie, or tv show.

Before starting this HR practice, Jackie was the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for HR&Talent for the City of Philadelphia. In this role, she focused on improving the operation of City departments and agencies through strategic human resource activities such as training and development, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, recruiting, onboarding and process improvements through internal consulting engagements. Prior to joining the City of Philadelphia, she held executive level HR positions including the Chief Human Resource executive for Synagro, the Vice President of Organization and Leadership Development at ARAMARK Corp. and the Vice President of Human Resources at Intracorp, a subsidiary of CIGNA Corp.

Jackie is a firm believer in giving back to the community and she has demonstrated this in her volunteer work. She is the past president for Philly SHRM, the Philadelphia chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management and was nominated for the 2017 HR Person of the Year. She is also a project executive working closely with MBA students at the Fox School of Business at Temple University as they complete their capstone project. Her volunteer experience also includes membership on the board of Career Wardrobe, participation as a counselor for SCORE, a small business support organization and participation as a tutor for adult learners with the Lutheran House.

She holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute, a Senior Certified Professional certification from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP), a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Illinois.

Ragine is passionate about embedding new perspectives of Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. She is a graduate of La Salle University, with a Master’s Degree in Human Capital Development. Ragine attended Penn State University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Labor and Employment Relations. Ragine was a finalist in the Rising Star Award for the 2021 HR Person of the Year award ceremony. As a Human Resources Professional, her goal is to put the Human back into Human Resources, making sure that every employee feels valued and appreciated. Ragine is dedicated to making the workplace an equal and safe environment for all employees—expanding her reach. Ragine is continuously thinking of new and innovative ways to embed Diversity and Inclusion into everything that she does! She taught Strategic Human Resource Management as an Adjunct Professor at Drexel University. Ragine is also a volunteer with various nonprofit organizations in the Philadelphia area. She is a current and active member of Society for Human Resource Management Philadelphia Chapter. Ragine spent 4 years serving as PhillySHRM’s Vice President of Marketing & Communications. Ragine is a lifelong learner who enjoys exploring the world.

With over 20 years of experience, Dawn leverages the insights she gains through working with ownership, management, and employees to help shape the strategic direction of the organization. Her blend of experience with business management and employee relations gives her a unique perspective that she brings to our firm’s leadership team.

In this role, her exemplary strategic planning and natural interpersonal and communication skills were an asset to dozens of clients and students with professional development needs. Kena is an alumna of Penn State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Master of Business Administration. She resides in Philadelphia with her husband and two children.

She currently works as a HR Business Partner for Merck & Co in the Merck Research Laboratories division, where she serves as a strategic people partner for her clients in the Global Regulatory and Clinical Safety space. LaRhonda focuses on partnering with senior leaders to build and sustain high quality talent through talent acquisition and retention, talent management, career development, diversity and inclusion, and organizational development strategies. Before joining Merck’s HR team, LaRhonda worked in the Higher Education, Retail, Industrial Manufacturing and Behavioral Health industries. In addition to her daytime profession LaRhonda is an Adjunct Professor at Temple and Drexel University; as well as a wife, mother and phenomenal baker, she enjoys creating treats for her family and friends during the holiday seasons and beyond.

Nicole holds both her BBA in Human Resources and MBA with a focus in Strategic Management from Temple University.  As part of her graduate degree studies, Nicole embarked on two international immersions, studying business abroad in Peru and Italy. In her free time Nicole is training for her second marathon this fall and enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and exploring new restaurants.

Samantha currently serves as the events and special projects assistant at The Wharton School | University of Pennsylvania. Using data, effective communication, and providing high-caliber customer service, she is instrumental in increasing prospective student awareness of the Wharton MBA Program.

Samantha is committed to developing meaningful relationships with Philadelphia SHRM partners and small businesses by initiating thoughtful conversations and platforms for strategic collaboration.

Evelyn Y. Reed is a dynamic powerhouse, and progressive HR Leader with over 15 years of experience in various industries and markets throughout North America (US & Canada) and all aspects of the employee & HR cycle, from hire to retire. Evelyn holds a Bachelor’s and MBA degree along with multiple HR certifications (SPHR & SHRM-SCP), and a notary license. Evelyn is an official member of the Forbes HR Council and an active Board Member of DisruptHR Philadelphia.

Throughout her career, she’s worked with global brands such as Amazon and Hertz. Evelyn has also worked with Philadelphia-based non-profits and healthcare sectors.

Currently, Evelyn serves as the Senior HR Director at Jacent Strategic Merchandising, a multinational impulse merchandising company, where she strategically designs & oversees 90% of the company’s HR functions. In addition, Evelyn is the founder and owner of the “HR Jawn” brand. HR Jawn is not only a social media brand, but also a boutique firm that offers HR, Business, Notary, and Advocacy content and services for individuals, startups, and small to midsize businesses.

You can reach Evelyn via Social Media: @HRJawn

Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Linkedin | www.hrjawn.com |  www.msevelynreed.com

Client industries include Healthcare System, Municipal Economic Development, Military Contracting, Pharmaceutical Packaging, Manufacturing and various other diverse product and service organizations.

Dennis’ experience includes instructing, speaking, consulting, and coaching on new ventures, product strategy, and execution planning to a variety of businesses, domestically and internationally, including non- and for-profit. For the Dutch conglomerate Philips, he had responsibility for developing disruptive international marketing strategies that influenced market adoption of innovative technologies in the global computing marketplace.

Subsequently recruited by the multibillion-dollar Japanese technology firm, Oki Data, Dennis led international strategic marketing initiatives including the planning and start-up of a new technology division, the turnaround of a South American business unit, and the start-up of Mexico and Brazil subsidiaries.

Dennis has served in advisory capacities to the Pharmaceutical-Drug Exchange, the Manufacturing Alliance of Philadelphia, and Peirce College in Philadelphia. He is the President of the Economic Development Partnership Corporation of Gloucester Township, NJ, and serves on Philly-SHRM’s Board as Vice President and Co-Chair of Thought Leadership. Dennis also fulfills services to Temple University as Academic Advisor for Temple University’s Consulting Club, the Fox DEI Council’s Marcom Chair, Undergraduate Course Coordinator, and Masters Program Committee Secretary.

Dennis earned his MBA from the LeBow School of Business at Drexel University, and a BBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. During an earlier career with the Philadelphia Police Department, he also earned an Associate Degree and Certificate in Criminal Justice and Administration of Justice respectively from Temple University. Additionally, Dennis received training at the Center for Creative Leadership in Boulder CO and at INSEAD Business School in France for organization-management.

Dennis served for 13 years in a reserve unit of the United States Air Force, and with a love for choral arts, has performed internationally with the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Men’s Choral, as well as the Greater South Jersey Chorus and Chamber Singers.

She also serves on her company’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Council.  Paige knows that people are a company’s greatest asset.  She believes that HR professionals have the amazing opportunity to positively influence leadership, workplace culture, and overall employee engagement. She finds no greater joy than watching others succeed and truly enjoy where they work!

Her experience led her to be appointed to communications coordinator for the Philly Vets Home coalition, a community-wide, collaborative, and inclusive effort to end homelessness among Veterans in Philadelphia by Veterans Day 2015 and driven by an unprecedented collaboration between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, two City offices, the Housing Authority, and four non-profit organizations committed to ensuring the success of the campaign.

Debby is also a Leadership Philadelphia 2015 Fellow. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Psychology from New York University.

If given the opportunity to boast, she will definitely mention her most beloved pit bull, Kennedy.

Lauren stays current on cutting-edge benefit solutions and the ever-evolving compliance landscape to best serve clients. She joined the Board of Philadelphia SHRM as VP of Sponsorships in 2023. She is an active member of multiple local and national Women’s Organizations and a Mentor to a Little Sister with Big Brother Big Sister in Philadelphia. Lauren demonstrates her commitment to supporting Health & Wellness as an Indoor Cycling Instructor in her local community.

Additionally, I am currently a member of PHLY’s DEI Council where I serve as the Council’s Secretary. I began my PHLY career in June of 2019 after graduating from St. Joseph’s University in May of 2019 with a double major in Managing Human Capital and Spanish. I enjoy playing soccer, going on hikes and traveling on my free time. During the pandemic, I have been able to practice and enhance my cooking and baking abilities. I look forward to serving as the Director of Day Programming for Philly SHRM.

In her current role, Shakema is responsible for tracking all diversity metrics – analyzing and generalizing data to show trends and impact across the firm; helping to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion educational efforts such as the development and facilitation of training/workshops, tools and resources; and researching, benchmarking, developing and executing the ERG strategy through project plans, communications, stakeholder engagement, timelines and milestones. In addition, Shakema enjoys facilitating on how to use diversity metrics for business impact, psychological safety in the workplace and self-care for busy professionals.

Prior to joining The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Kelly worked at Alleghany Corporation as the strategic advisor for people and inclusion, and previously he held key leadership roles with Aramark, Lockheed Martin and Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals. Throughout his career, Kelly has been
recognized as a collaborative leader with a demonstrated track record of developing teams, coaching leaders and connecting human resource strategies to tangible business outcomes. He has led and sponsored corporate diversity councils, employee resource groups, community service projects and has been instrumental in raising funds and awareness in support of Autism research.

Kelly earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Temple University and his master’s degree from Rutgers University. Kelly resides in Montgomery County, PA, with his wife and their three children.

Prior to working for DOL, Ed spent 12 years with the PA Human Relations Commission (PHRC). Before leaving the PHRC, Ed was the Director of Compliance responsible for all dimensions of training and development of the staff and reporting monthly to the commissioners.

Prior to joining CSB, Dominic was EVP and Market Leader for the
Philadelphia offices of Arthur J. Gallagher, a global brokerage and
consultancy. In this role, Dominic oversaw a team of producers and consultants, leading key initiatives including sales accountability and process standards, resulting in record client retention and 200% pipeline growth. Previous to AJG, Dominic played a significant role in helping grow NFP into the one of the largest privately-held employee benefits firms in the Delaware Valley, delivering benefits consulting service and support to over 320 mid-market clients.

Prior to joining NFP, Dominic spent eight years in a number of sales positions with Comcast-Spectacor, most recently as a Sales Executive in charge of contracting multi-year luxury suite and sponsorship deals for the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers. In this capacity, Dominic led the sale of nearly $30 million in annual revenue generated for the Premium Seating Department.

Dominic is actively involved in numerous charitable organizations, including Melmark, Girl Scouts of Eastern PA and CUPA-HR. ia. As a board member for the Schoemaker Classic, Dominic leads fundraising efforts to benefit Melmark, an organization that helps individuals with special needs, Dominic is also passionate about HR, serving as a long-time Board Member at Philadelphia SHRM, one of the largest chapters in the country.

Dominic resides in Yardley, PA with his wife, Rachel, son, Jace, and daughter, Susannah.

Prior to AAA, Kim spent time as the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY), a premier national Property/Casualty and Professional Liability insurance carrier and as the Sr. Mgr. of HR/Talent Management at CTDI, a full-service, global engineering, repair and logistics company.  Kim has led the development and implementation of strategic talent acquisition campaigns and owned the evaluation of recruiting function, strategies, and procedures while building strong relationships in a rapidly and constantly evolving environment.

Kim was also an HR Manager in a Global Shared Services organization at The Vanguard Group, managing a multi-site team responsible for all domestic recruiting operations and HR sponsored events. Kim was with Vanguard for 20 years, spending time managing teams in Talent Acquisition & Event Logistics, Leadership Development and HR Data & Reporting and also managed the strategic development and implementation of Vanguard’s Performance Management program.

Kim has extensive people leadership, HR, and business knowledge coupled with creative ideas for designing and implementing new processes and training with a solid history of success. She has strong operational leadership and planning skills, combined with the ability to coordinate the efforts of many to meet organizational goals.

Kim has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Performance Management from Immaculata University and has served on the PSHRM Symposium planning committee since 2012.

Kim enjoys spending time with her husband Patrick, their two college age children Toni and Michael, is a devoted “Drama & Swim Mom” spending her free time attending her daughter’s musical performances and her son’s swim meets.

During her tenure at Villanova, Madalyn severed as the Director of Finance for Villanova’s student SHRM chapter. She is excited to continue her work with HR student chapters through this position with Philly SHRM! In her free time Madalyn enjoys long walks, NYT puzzles, reading, and traveling to see family and friends!

Anna Greenwald is a mindfulness and wellbeing speaker, professor, and founder/CEO On the Goga. Through her work, Anna helps companies of various sizes and industries think differently about the future of work. She works with leaders and their teams to enhance employee wellbeing, team performance and organizational value through culture change and technology. Specifically, Anna focuses the power of systemic change and organizational practices that promote emotional intelligence, inclusive cultures, and comprehensive wellbeing. Anna believes that organizational success is built upon the success of individuals. Companies that nurture personal development gain a unique advantage in the competitive landscape. She has worked with professionals and teams at Johnson & Johnson, PwC, Lyft, L’Oreal, Urban Outfitters, DELL, and others to help foster happy, high-performing teams. She is a TEDx Speaker, and has been featured in numerous publications and events including Philadelphia Magazine, #MILLSUMMIT, ATD Magazine, and the Women to Watch Radio Show. Anna is an adjunct professor of mindfulness and wellbeing at Drexel University, and has served on the board of Philly Startup Leaders and the Philadelphia Mayor’s Millennial Advisory Committee.

Passionate about making meaningful connections between individuals and their work, Swain possesses a deep desire to help people align their passions with their professional pursuits. Recognizing that fulfillment comes from engaging in work that ignites one’s inner drive, he goes above and beyond to help talented and passionate individuals connect with their next opportunity, wherever it may be. Alongside his professional endeavors, he is an avid softball enthusiast and takes great pride in being a dedicated father and husband.

Before her role at Venatorx, Christina held various HR positions at Aceragen (formerly Idera Pharmaceuticals) and began her career as a recruiter in the life sciences. She holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Development from Villanova University and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of the Holy Cross. In addition, she has a certification in Inclusion & Diversity Strategy from Villanova and is a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). Christina also uses her HR background to give back to the community by participating in various mentorship and professional development programs for college students