Description

The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation is pleased to bring together employers and education leaders from across Arizona for our annual Workforce Summit on Wednesday, September 6^th .
 
This robust program will feature renowned keynote presenters and panels of local experts to discuss workforce trends affecting business. Guests will have the opportunity to explore specific issues that may be impacting their business—and walk away with tangible workforce solutions.
 
Why attend?

• Hear dynamic presentations from industry experts
• Participate in interactive breakout sessions
• Learn best practices to strengthen your talent attraction and retention strategies
• Network and connect with community leaders to build partnerships

• Session A: Fair Chance Hiring for Better Business: Recidivism rates are significantly reduced when job preparation while incarcerated and employment opportunities are available to people as they are leaving prison. Unfortunately, many employers struggle to navigate reentry. Opening your mind to fair chance hiring can lead to motivated employees, pre-screened candidates, tax incentives, and more to help your business and your community.
  • Shamia Lodge, Director of Community Engagement, Aventiv Technologies
  • Valerie Ochoa, Sales Executive and Arouet Storyteller
  • Alison Rapping, CEO, Arouet Foundation
• Session B: Accessing Underrepresented Populations: In Arizona, jobseekers and employers both miss out on opportunities simply because they struggle to connect. But ready-to-work talent is available, and Connect to Work AZ is here to help bridge the gap. Hear from local employers on how they utilized this partnership to access qualified unemployed/underemployed individuals to fill critical roles in their organizations—and how you can too!
  • Therese Valadez, Divisional Director of Human Resources, Phoenix Children’s Hospital
  • Kent Thomas, Senior Vice-President & Managing Site Director, Northern Trust
  • De Anne Russell, System Vice President, Talent Acquisition, Dignity Health

• Session A: Refugees in the Workforce: Refugees are seeking a better, safer life for themselves and their families, but resettling comes with challenges. This panel will help employers understand the resources available to help connect refugees seeking employment to employers seeking talent, and how to leverage this population within your workplace.
  • Charles Shipman, State Refugee Coordinator, Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program
  • Travis Thompson, Community Development Program Supervisor, Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program
  • Kevin Groman, Executive Director, Welcome to America Project
  • Erin Flothmeier, Director, Human Resources, Sheraton Phoenix Downtown
• Session B: Immigration Round Table: We want to hear from YOU on the challenges you face in employing immigrants-- engage in a discussion about the role immigration reform plays in filling talent pipelines. General concepts and overarching needs from the local business community may be discussed with Arizona’s congressional representatives as a component of a delegation trip to Washington D.C. this Fall.

• Session A: Neurodiverse Workforce: Everyone’s brain works differently—and you may be missing out on a significant talent pool if you aren’t considering the skillsets of neurodiverse individuals. Learn more about what it means to be neurodivergent and how you can attract, train, and retain neurodiverse employees for key roles to bolster your workforce.
  • Ernie Dianastasis, Founder & CEO, The Precisionists
  • Emily Paulson, Ernst & Young
  • Denise Resnik, Founder & CEO, First Place AZ
• Session B: Leveraging Education Partners: With talent needed from a wide array of backgrounds, skill sets, and education levels, employers must know how to access this workforce from many different educational institutions. With representatives from university, community college, and ElevateEdAZ (high school), employers can explore multiple avenues for accessing the workforce they need based on the priorities and expertise of each institution.​
  • Daniel Barajas, District Deputy Chief Director for Workforce and Economic Development, Maricopa Community Colleges
  • Tony Finn, Vice President, ElevateEdAZ
  • Lauri Perdue, National Workforce Director, University of Phoenix