Kelley F. Cornish is the Director of Talent Management and Diversity & Inclusion at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia - the #1 pediatric hospital in the nation with over a 150 year history of serving children. In this role, Kelley provides strategic direction for the talent management and workforce development function of the organization and champions the development of an inclusive environment by integrating diversity into all aspects of the business.

Kelley joined the organization in 2005. Within the first two years with the organization, the diversity, inclusion and benefits work contributed to the Children’s Hospital being recognized as the Best Place to Work for Work/Life Balance by Philadelphia Magazine. In 2007, Kelley’s vision helped launch The CHOP INSIGHTS Forum ™, a program designed to enhance the leadership skills, management potential, and advancement of under-represented employees. In 2008, the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Association of Health Service Executives recognized Kelley with the Pioneer Healthcare Leadership Award for the vision and development of the CHOP INSIGHTS™ Forum.

In her expanded role of Director of Talent Management and Diversity & Inclusion in 2008, Kelley and her team elevated the talent pipeline and workforce development function of the organization to help maximize and leverage existing and incoming talent from the community and across the country during this economic downturn via partnerships with workforce development agencies, school systems, colleges and universities and internal departments. In addition, Kelley was a 2008 nominee for the Delaware Valley Human Resources Person of the Year in recognition of her dedication to excellence in human resources.

Prior to joining the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Kelley’s professional career includes time spent with a large banking institution where she was an Assistant Vice President in Corporate Relations and the Vice President of Marketing and Development for a United Way organization. To her credit, Ms. Cornish was also the first woman and youngest person to serve as an Executive Director of a U.S. Department of Commerce funded Minority Business Development Center in Augusta, GA early in her career.

Ms. Cornish has been committed to serving and volunteerng in community based organizations throughout her career including Girls, Incorporated, the NAACP, Chambers of Commerce, Alumni Associations,  her church and mentoring programs for youth to name a few.

Kelley holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina - Aiken, a Masters in Human Resource Management from Webster University and is a graduate of Cornell University’s Diversity Management Program which certifies her as a Cornell Certified Diversity Professional (CCDP).   She is a member of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) – local and national and the Metropolitan Career Center – Advisory Board in Philadelphia, the national and local Society of Human Resource Management.   Kelley also spends part of her professional career speaking about her work in talent management and diversity.

Erik Johnson joined CIGNA in 2008 as part of the University Relations team within Human Resources and Services. Erik manages relationships with targeted Universities across the U.S., and helps to develop and implement college recruiting strategies for select business functions. He is also responsible for the recruitment of undergraduate and graduate degree rotational programs, entry level positions, internships and co-ops for the enterprise-wide college recruitment strategy.

Erik graduated from Temple University with a degree in Human Resource Management. While in college, he served as the President of Temple SHRM, Vice President of Development for Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and was the Temple mascot – Hooter the Owl – all four years.

Erik began volunteering for Philadelphia SHRM in 2007 as part of the College Relations Committee. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing and road cycling.

Samuel M. First serves as Labor & Employment Department Chair at Jacobs Law Group. He has 15 years experience representing private and public sector employers in all aspects of labor and employment law. From 2001 to April of 2007, Mr. First was a partner with the national law firm of Blank Rome, LLP where he concentrated his practice in the areas of labor and employment.

Mr. First represents and advises employers, both large and small, in employment discrimination matters, non-compete, non-solicitation and trade secret disputes, executive employment agreements, employee termination and disciplinary matters, reductions in force, severance arrangements, wage and hour laws, personnel policies and practices and the complex web of federal, state and local laws governing the workplace. In addition, he regularly represents clients on labor and employment issues in mergers, acquisitions and other business transactions as well as all issues affecting unionized workforces.

Mr. First is a frequent lecturer on labor and employment law topics and currently serves as the legal/legislative Board member for the Philadelphia Regional Chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management, and Vice-Chair of the Board of JEVS Human Services.

Salonia is an experienced Finance Professional with over 8 years experience in a variety of roles and industries. Prior to on boarding with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as an Administrative Fellow, Salonia served as the Operational Risk Manager for The Bank of New York Mellon where he was instrumental in Benchmarking, Operations and Risk and Compliance for the Philadelphia region of BNYMellon which included Remittance Processing, Collections and Disbursement's and the Private Wealth Center. During the past year while enrolled in his Fellowship Salonia was asked to become the Interim Director of Investment Operations for The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where had Operational, Accounting and Risk Management duties of the infrastructure for CHOP's Foundation and Pension.

Salonia attended The Pennsylvania State University and received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Business Administration and a Master's of Business Administration concentrating in Business Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University. In addition to SHRM some of his affiliations include the National Association of Health Services Executives and the National Black MBA Association.

Therese M. Williams, MA is a Partner with Pinnacle Group Business Resources and Solutions, a leader in business consulting, specializing in Human Resources, Training & Organization Development. Pinnacle Group has the ability and expertise to understand challenging business situations and to implement the right solution.

For over twenty five years, Therese has provided leadership and expertise to organizations in Staffing, Training, Organization Development and Management. As a senior manager at companies such as AIG International, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia University and Concord EFS as well as an independent consultant in the for-profit, not-for-profit, and higher education arenas she has moved organizations forward and supported them in achieving their business goals. She has designed and facilitated programs in executive and management development, human resource management, sales, customer service, train-the-trainer, communication skills and many others. Therese has extensive experience facilitating strategic planning processes for many organizations as they seek ways to achieve greater levels of success.

Therese is a graduate of Villanova University, where she has earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts degree in Education and is currently an adjunct professor for the Master’s Certificate Program in Project Management.

Dana M. Springer is a Human Resources Professional with over 10 years of experience in various roles at organizations such as The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and The A.I. duPont Hospital for Children. Currently, Dana is a Workforce Planning Consultant at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – the #1 Pediatric Hospital for 7 consecutive years and with a 150 year history of serving sick children from around the globe. In this role, Dana provides strategic oversight to student pipeline programs including; the Administrative Fellowship, Non-Clinical internships/externships, scholarships, and high school programs.

During her tenure at CHOP, Dana has served in a number of different roles, including, Human Resources Consultant, Nurse Recruitment Manager, and Sr. Talent Management Consultant. Additionally, Dana also served as the Associate Director of CHOP’s Retention Collaborative, an initiative aimed at reducing voluntary employee turnover. In May 2009, The Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania recognized the Retention Collaborative with an award in excellence in Workforce Initiatives.

Dana holds a B.A. in Elementary and Special Education from LaSalle University and will complete her MBA from Rosemont College in the Spring of 2010. Additionally, Dana has attended various leadership conferences at educational institutions such as Wharton Business School, Harvard Medical School, and Villanova University.

Dana resides in Center City, Philadelphia with her husband Dennis and their two dogs and one cat. In her free time she enjoys traveling, reading, and baking.

Darnela Kenton has over 10 years of professional business experience, eight of which were spent in the pharmaceutical industry with experience consulting on both the client and vendor side.  She has worked for IMS Health’s Global Client Service Team as the Oncology Principal. There she was responsible for carrying out oncology business analysis and strategic consulting projects as well as supporting clients in their use of Oncology Analyzer and fulfilling the services contracts associated with this data base.  Darnela also worked for IntrinsiQ as a consultant. She has experience working on product life-cycle and sales revenue management projects for new/mature products, business analysis for pipeline products and fielding market research for phase I/II compounds. Darnela was a product manager for Oncology Therapeutics Network (OTN), a former subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb and a market research consultant for Wyeth and Centocor.

Currently, Darnela is an Institutional Consultant with Drexel University where she provides customized learning solutions consulting to a variety of academic, institutional and corporate clients. She draws on the University’s nationally-recognized academic programs as well as the expertise in adult learning, which is the focus of Drexel’s Goodwin College of Professional Studies. In the capacity of consultant Darnela works with companies and organizations to identify customized training program opportunities that both Drexel’s internal experts and partner companies deliver using technology like Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) for webinars and online programs; and face-to-face format, depending on the needs of the project.

Darnela also serves as a college level instructor, teaching business and liberal arts courses. 

Darnela holds an MBA from the F.W. Olin School of Business at Babson College and BA from Douglass College, Rutgers University. She has completed various leadership conferences including a Finance Seminar Program at Harvard Business School, participated in various international and domestic nongovernmental programs such as Conflict Resolution Intern at The Carter Center and received various awards including the Woodrow Wilson Graduate Fellow.

Valerie Walls is a Senior Recruiter for Sovereign-Santander, one of the largest banking institutions in the Northeastern U.S. In this role, she is responsible for managing the full-cycle recruitment process for high-level management and sales professionals. This includes sourcing, interviewing and on-boarding candidates for the both the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Prior to joining Sovereign-Santander, Valerie enjoyed a successful career in sales spanning various industries ranging from pharmaceutical to hospitality.

Valerie earned her B.A. from Lehigh University in 2002 and is currently pursuing an advanced Human Resources degree at West Chester University.

Rich is the Director of Business development at Charon Planning, a leading employee benefit consulting firm headquartered in Bucks County. Rich coordinates Charon’s business development and marketing efforts. He also plays a key roll in managing existing clients. His creativity and client focus have been instrumental in attracting and retaining client-partners to Charon. Rich and the consulting team at Charon focus on employers with 100-5,000 employees and assist them in reducing cost, maximizing benefits and improving the lives of their clients and employees.

Previously, Rich was a marketing executive with ADP Employer Services-Major Accounts in Fort Washington, PA, where he assisted middle market employers with HRIS and Benefit Administration.

Rich is a graduate and active alumnus of Lower Merion High School and Penn State University. He passionately serves on several non-profit boards and committees including PEBA (PENJERDEL Employee Benefits and Compensation Association), the Philadelphia Chapter of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), and the Philadelphia HRPS (Human Resource Planning Society).

Rich’s enthusiasm for the advancement of the Human Resource professionals led him to co-found HR Today Radio (www.hrtodayradio.com), the Delaware Valley’s #1 radio show dedicated to Human Resources.

Rich is a resident of Philadelphia where he is active in a number of charitable organizations including NFTE, Philadelphia Academies, JNF, and the Narberth youth summer basketball league.

Kimberly Woods is a Principal at AllHRMatters, a human resources consulting organization specializing in partnering with client organizations to identify and articulate Human Resources needs, developing action plans to address gaps, and facilitating change focused on enhancing the attainment of organizational strategic business goals via people practices and the achievement of proactive solutions.

Kimberly has over 20 years of Human Resources experience with leadership positions in both specialist and generalist capacities. Kimberly has worked with a full spectrum of organizations of diverse complexity with local, national and international presence, including start up, entrepreneurial and Fortune 500 companies.

Kimberly holds a BS in Human Resources Management from Drexel University and is currently certified as a Senior Professional of Human Resources.

In addition to her work with the Philadelphia Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, Kimberly enjoys involvement as a professional development consultant and facilitator for The Career Wardrobe, a non-profit organization which offers services to women who are transitioning into the workforce.

Sheila Scanlon is currently a Knowledge Manager/Editor at iWorkwell, Inc., a web-based HR service with an online A-to-Z advisory system. Previously, Sheila worked as a Human Resources Generalist in the legal and insurance industries. Sheila developed and conducted a training program for staff and line managers at a prominent Center City law firm and has worked extensively with staff and managers to improve workflow and efficiency. She attended Chestnut Hill College and St. Joseph's University where she majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. Sheila is a long-time member of the Society for Human Resource Management and is a former board member of the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Human Resources Association. She has participated in the mock interview program run by the Philadelphia Academies, Inc. of the School District of Philadelphia and is also a volunteer in her community’s organizations. When Sheila has free time, she enjoys being with her grandchildren, gardening, digital photography and trying out new software.

Gloria Sinclair Miller is a Human Resources Professional with over 15 years of accomplishments in multi-unit human resources management positions within the pharmaceutical, retail and finance industries. Ms. Sinclair Miller is an Associate Director, Organizational Development with Bristol-Myers Squibb, a global pharmaceutical company. Prior to this position, she served as an Associate Director, Human Resources for the Information Management organization within Bristol-Myers Squibb. In this capacity she worked with the Chief Information Officer to oversee the human resources strategic planning, employee recruitment, performance management and employee relations, while also serving as HR project lead in multi-million dollar global Information Technology outsourcing initiatives.

Ms. Sinclair Miller has also held increasingly responsible multi-unit Human Resources Management positions with Borders Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company specializing in books, music and food. Prior to Borders Group, Inc., Ms. Sinclair Miller developed, and served in, the role of Regional Human Resources Manager for TD Bank (formerly Hudson United Bank) in New Jersey, and held the position of Human Resources Administrator for American Express Travel in Pennsylvania.

Ms. Sinclair Miller holds a Masters of Science in Human Resources Management from Widener University; a Bachelors of Science in Human Resources Management from Wilmington University; and an Associates of Arts in Paralegal Studies from Peirce College. Ms. Sinclair Miller is currently certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and recently received the Global Professional in Human Resource (GPHR) certification. She is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and serves on the Board for Philadelphia Chapter. For the last two years, she has been the chair for the Mentoring committee and has just been named the co-chair of Programming for the 2009-2010 program year.

Ms. Sinclair Miller brings her passion, integrity and leadership to volunteer positions in the community as well. Some of her affiliations include the International Minority Women Business Leaders; the National Black MBA Association, and the Mercer County, NJ Chamber of Commerce’s Young Business Leaders Council. Ms. Sinclair Miller also serves on the Bristol-Myers Squibb, African American Affinity Group (AAAG) Leadership team as the co-chair for the Professional Development Strategic Focus Area (SFA) and serves as a Global Culture Ambassador.

Connie Pearson-Bernard, has years of experience as a professional event planner and association executive director. A one-of-a-kind association and event planner from early on, Pearson-Bernard began her career while in college where she helped many associations brand their chapters and plan events that increased awareness.

Prior to founding Seamless Events Incorporated, Pearson-Bernard held several positions in the corporate world, most recently serving in Relationship Marketing for the entire US Business Marketing Group for Spherion at Microsoft Corporation. Her main role was to execute quarterly communication to over 10,000 of the top decision-making customers. Other responsibilities included managing budgets, event planning and executing, customer relationship management and much more.

Pearson-Bernard holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from West Chester University. She graduated with the honor of Magna Cum Laude and recognized as one of the most active leaders in the Communication Studies Department. You can also find her name listed in the Who’s Who Amongst Students in Universities and Colleges.