Elizabeth Borges | Diversity & Inclusion Leader, GitHub
Elizabeth Borges, Diversity and Inclusion Leader at GitHub, is committed to understanding the barriers to women's advancement and identifying the concrete, actionable solutions that make a real difference. She's leveraged her expertise in social psychology and human-centered design to create and deliver women's leadership programs to companies including Everwise, Booking Holdings, Nokia Tech, Sequoia Capital, Twitter, and Zendesk. As a facilitator, coach, strategist, and natural team leader, Elizabeth brings her passion and energy for social change to all of the projects she champions. She graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University.
Jen Mueller | Founder & Speaker, Talk Sporty to Me
Jen Mueller, is rarely at a loss for words. She pursued a career in sports broadcasting after repeated comments of "talks too much" from teachers and family members. A 17-year sports broadcasting veteran, Jen currently serves as the Seattle Seahawks sideline radio reporter, a role she's held since 2009. She is also part of the Seattle Mariners television broadcast team on ROOT Sports. In addition to her work on the sidelines, Jen launched Talk Sporty to Me in 2009 and teaches business professionals how to improve communication skills and leverage fandom in business. Jen's third book, The Influential Conversationalist was published in October 2017 Jen graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2000 with degrees in Broadcasting Journalism and Public Policy.
Tracy Bean | Partner and PNW Office Business Leader, Mercer Career Practice
Tracy Bean is a Partner and leads Mercer's Career business in the Pacific Northwest. Tracy focuses on executive and broad-based compensation issues. She designs compensation strategies, focusing on total rewards for executives and employees. Tracy has more than 25 years of compensation and HR consulting experience. Tracy's particular areas of expertise include compensation philosophy development, executive and employee compensation consulting, incentive program design, performance measurement and change management for rewards programs. Tracy earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with an accounting emphasis from Portland State University. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist.
Cassie Buckroyd | Manager, Wellbeing Programs, Columbia Sportswear Company
Cassie Buckroyd first began working with organizations on employee wellbeing strategy, program implementation and evaluation more than 12 years ago. Currently, Cassie is the Manager of Wellbeing Programs at Columbia Sportswear Company where she has spent the last four years developing corporate initiatives focused on physical health, community connectedness, career development, and financial, social & emotional wellbeing. Cassie is also a founding member of Columbia Sportswear's Women's Leadership Initiative. When she's not working, Cassie is in the outdoors hiking, skiing, backpacking and exploring.
David Cichelli | Senior Vice President, The Alexander Group, Inc.
David Cichelli, a Senior Vice President with The Alexander Group, Inc., a revenue growth consulting firm, contributes his knowledge and experience to a wide array of sales organizations. He has worked with hundreds of sales organizations to structure, manage and deploy winning sales functions. The Alexander Group's Revenue Growth Model™ helps ensure and sustain alignment between customers and sellers. He is author of Compensating the Sales Force (third edition) published by McGraw Hill. He is also the author of WorldatWork's Elements of Sales Compensation and Sales Compensation Design education classes. He has never met a sales department that could not achieve its own greatness.
Larry Daniels | Principal, Survey Director, Milliman
Larry is a principal and senior compensation consultant and survey manager with the Seattle office of Milliman. Larry's professional experience includes the development and implementation of salary administration programs, the conducting of compensation surveys, and the review and development of human resource policies and procedures.
Aimee Des Champs, CCP, SPHR | Senior Consultant/Project Manager, Compensation Works
Aimee Des Champs is a career HR leader who is passionate about providing data-driven solutions for organizations to maximize the effectiveness of their HR programs. Aimee's experience spans over 20 years in senior HR leadership roles with an emphasis in compensation and benefits, HR operations (systems, processes, policies and compliance), mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, employee relations, and change management. Aimee is highly motivated to help organizations strengthen their HR programs and practices and loves to conduct pay equity analysis for organizations.
Heather Dodge | Manager, Retirement & Financial Wellbeing, KinderCare Education
Heather currently leads the retirement and financial wellbeing programs for KinderCare Education. She has over 17 years of deep and progressive expertise working within the employee benefits field and has diverse industry experience ranging from transportation, healthcare, retail, metal & mining, hi tech, energy and education - with mostly mid-size to large employers in both the private and public sector. She also currently teaches a Benefit Management course through Portland State University's Center for Executive and Professional Education. In the complex and rapidly evolving world of employee benefits- Heather is committed to ensuring plans & programs are relevant, engaging and easy to understand.
Krissy Ehlers | Benefits and Compensation Analyst, Smarsh
Currently oversees benefits and compensations programs at Smarsh, based in Portland, OR. Over 10+ years of HR experience, specializing in employee relations, employee benefits, compensation programs and 401(k) retirement plans. Previously worked in food manufacturing and engineering companies. BA in Political Science and Spanish from Oregon State University.
Tricia Hecht-Glad | First Vice President, Alliant Employee Benefits
Tricia Hecht-Glad is an Alliant Insurance Services First Vice President and Consultant in the NW Region. Tricia has been in the industry for over 25 years working with companies across the country to design, implement and analyze strategic benefit solutions. Since 2002 Tricia has given hundreds of speeches on motivation, marketing, insurance trends, health care reform, eliminating expenses through transparent benefit programs and the dangers of owning life insurance. She is an accomplished speaker giving her audience direct, comprehensive and strategic solutions. Tricia has served on Agent Advisory Committees for several National insurance companies, served on the board of directors for Portland Association of Health Underwriters and represented Oregon in Washington D.C. to discuss trends and their impact on the future of health insurance. Tricia is on the Board of Directors for NW Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Cancer Association and Lake Oswego Water Polo Organization. She is married, has two teenage daughters and enjoys running, biking, water skiing and rock climbing with her family. Tricia has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Portland State University and a Master of Business Administration specializing in Finance from Marylhurst University.
Michele Mather, CPC, PCC | Certified Professional Life & Business Coach, Portland Coaching Collective
Seeking clarity on career direction, to develop leadership skills, or workshop business plans? Michele is known as an inspirationalist and vision catalyst. Prior to coaching & business consulting, Michele spent 20 years in advertising and marketing supporting clients across many industries. She's relatable, creative and intuitively listens to her clients without judgement to identify barriers and co-create plans to achieve success. With certifications in Professional Coaching (IPEC), Stakeholder Centered Coaching (Marshall Goldsmith), Intuitive Speaking & Facilitation (BrandYouBusiness) and BA degrees in Organizational Psychology and Communications, Michele's background and credentials make her a strong partner for HR professionals and their organizations. In addition to 1:1 coaching, Michele is known for her meeting facilitation skills and ability to align team members toward a common vision. She also creates customized dynamic, engaging team workshops and retreats.
Anna Meiners | Director of Account Services, Cascade Centers Inc.
Anna Meiners is the Director of Account Services at Cascade Centers, Inc. She holds a MA in Counseling Psychology from Pacific University with an emphasis on Organizational Behavior. In addition, Anna has completed health coach certification through the National Society of Health Coaches. Anna's experience includes provision of direct clinical services, wellness program development and consultation in all areas of Employee Assistance Services. Anna is an experienced presenter on the topic of mental health integration into the workplace. Her focus is on helping people achieve measurable health improvements while reducing organizational costs.
Beverley Menillo | Head of Benefits and Compensation, LAIKA
Beverley Menillo is the Head of Benefits & Compensation at LAIKA, a stop motion animated feature film studio based in Hillsboro, Oregon, where she is continually searching for innovative solutions to support the company's employees and their lifestyles. These solutions have included onsite alternative care including massage, yoga, an on-site naturopathic physician and meditation, a medical plan that includes a members only, direct access primary care option, online app-based mental health support through Talkspace, a dependent care FSA match and personalized solutions for top of the line cancer care and support. Prior to joining LAIKA Beverley worked as an HR Administrator at Maxim Integrated Products specializing in statutory leaves of absence and Workers' Compensation administration and compliance. She has a BA in Political Science and Communication from Linfield College.
Tad Mitchell | President and CEO, WellRight
Tad Mitchell is the President and CEO of WellRight, a leading provider of employee wellness solutions. Mr. Mitchell is the author of 21 Habits, 101 Challenges, and 102 Challenges. Prior to joining WellRight, Mr. Mitchell was the President and CEO of Compliance11, a software company that was sold to Charles Schwab in 2011. Mr. Mitchell also authored the children's book Where Is the Sears Tower? Mr. Mitchell completed his B.S. in Computer Science and MBA at Brigham Young University. Tad's generally a quiet person, but if you want to get him talking ask him about baking bread.
Kathi Myers | Principal, Mercer Career Practice
Kathi is a Principal Consultant based in Mercer's Seattle office. Her expertise is in the assessment, design, and delivery of executive and employee pay programs. Kathi has been in the compensation field for 20 years and has assisted organizations across a wide variety of industries in building out their career and rewards infrastructures. Prior to joining Mercer, Kathi was a Director with Buck Consultants and has also held senior corporate compensation roles at prominent PNW companies including Amazon, Nordstrom, and Coinstar. Kathi holds a Masters degree in Labor & Human Resources and a BA in Psychology from The Ohio State University. She is a Certified Executive Compensation Consultant.
Sarah Redgrave | Vice President, Total Rewards & Family Support and Interim VP, Center Operations, KinderCare Education
Sarah has over 17 years of international experience in benefits, compensation, internal communication, and change management. Currently she is accountable for the Total Rewards, Family Support and Center Operations programs within KinderCare Education, a provider of early childcare education with more than 30,000 employees across the United States. Previously, she was accountable for Eddie Bauer's Benefits, Compensation, Employee Communication, and Recognition Programs across the US, Canada, and Hong Kong. Prior to Eddie Bauer, she helped to build and lead the Communication and Change Management Practice at Hymans Robertson, a UK-based HR consulting firm. She spent five years as a communication consultant for Eckler Partners in Toronto, a pension and benefit consulting firm, where she consulted to clients across a wide variety of industries; and provided solutions that helped keep employees informed and engaged through times of significant cut-backs.
Dan Walter | Managing Consultant, FutureSense
Dan Walter, CECP, CEP is the President of Performensation. He is passionately committed to aligning pay with company strategy and culture and is considered a leading expert on equity compensation issues. Dan has authored and co-authored several industry resources including an "Issue Brief on Performance-Based Equity Compensation", "Everything You Do In Compensation is Communication", "The Decision Makers Guide to Equity Compensation", "Equity Alternatives" and other books. Dan is an enthusiastic speaker who often still has some audience members awake at the end of presentations.
View our speaker line-up from previous Conferences 2016 & 2014