Has “having a seat at the table” become another word for “collusion”?   Being a strategic HR leader requires living the paradox of partnering with the most powerful leaders in a company to drive business results while boldly standing up for what’s right, even if it hurts the bottom line or otherwise crosses those in power. 
  
The courageous HR leader insists on holding “star performers” to the same standards as everyone else. They are a forceful voice around upholding a culture that thrives on inclusion and belonging. They skillfully work leaders through the crystallization the totality of what their business, organization, and culture need for sustainable success.  This, of necessity, sometimes causes the HR leader to weigh deeply unsettling choices about when, how, and why to “speak truth to power” about politically-charged or risky clashes between the bottom line or the leader’s personal agenda, and doing what’s right. 
  
Join us May 15 as we explore together approaches for:

• Identifying when to “engage in the conflict” and speak truth to power when much is at stake 
• Deliberately preparing and entering the fray with confidence 
• Coaching and positioning the HR team in your organization to make wise choices to have the desired impact when they, too, need to speak truth to power 

The session will begin with a panel discussion of professionals from different vantage points of the HR ecosystem sharing their own frameworks and experience, followed by a working session where small groups will integrate the concepts and collaboratively strategize a relevant scenario to build a plan to speak truth confidently to power.

Our Panelists

Barb Hardy

Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, NetApp

Barbara Williams Hardy is a visionary, connector, catalyst for change and global citizen of the world. She is an award-winning thought leader with a global mindset and is known as a “Go To” leader who develops high-level relationship alliances that foster inclusion, belonging, collaboration and commitment to align diversity strategies with business objectives to accelerate employee engagement, innovation and organizational success. She recently joined NetApp as the Global Head of Global Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. Prior to NetApp she was the Managing Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Oracle. Mrs. Hardy’s mission is to unlock the untapped brilliance in all of us.

Barbara is the creator of the Barb List, Principles for Achieving Success and Living an Amazing Life, a frequent speaker on a variety of leadership topics for corporate leadership summits and organizations including Changemaker Chats, Value of a Veteran Recruiting Conference, Women of Color STEM Conference, Veteran Women’s Unconference, Powerful Women of the Bay, the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Oakland Bay Area Chapter, Women’s Empowerment Forum and How Women Lead. As a leader in the community, she’s served as an executive sponsor keynote speaker, cultural mentor for the U.S. Department of State TechWomen Initiative , as Vice Chair and Commissioner for the Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women, and on the Advisory Board Member for the Information Technology Senior Management Forum. Currently, Barbara serves on the World Wide Women Girls Festival Leadership Council and on the Board of the Women Funding Network

Elizabeth Mye

Global VP Human Resources, Intermedia

Elizabeth Mye is currently Global Vice President of Human Resources at Intermedia.net, a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and business cloud email provider. Elizabeth has over 25 years' Human Resource leadership experience in high-growth emerging companies as well as Fortune 100 national and international organizations in the technology, technology consulting services, biotechnology, healthcare and consumer products industries. Her focus and success has been in the ability to build scalable and practical corporate human resource solutions in high-change, rapid-growth start-up business environments. Elizabeth also has had a long professional music career as a classical singer, currently directs two choirs and is married with one daughter.

Katrina Thomas-Dycus

Director of Global Employee Relations, NetApp

Katrina Thomas-Dycus is a San Francisco Bay Area native. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology, from the University of California, Davis, with minor degrees in Education and Human Development. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law.

Katrina serves as the Director of Global Employee Relations for NetApp, Inc. supporting more than 12,000 employees. At NetApp Katrina has redefined global protocols and processes and leads the administration of Employee Relations practice areas including HR workplace investigations, corrective performance management and employee conduct management strategy. She is responsible for proactive HR risk mitigation consultation for managers, business leaders and HR professionals.

Prior to NetApp, Katrina held several roles in Human Resources across industry lines, including both as an HR Director and ER Director for non-profit organizations, and in the private, public and government sectors. As an accomplished Attorney, Katrina has represented clients, including successful court trials, in areas of domestic violence, dissolution of marriage, child custody, employment law and other civil law matters.

Outside of work, Katrina supports the work of multiple non-profit organizations. She leads several annual community events focused on two of society’s most vulnerable populations: young children, and seniors of advanced-age in underserved communities. Katrina spends her weekends enjoying time with her husband and 5-year old daughter, cooking, traveling, and viewing historical documentary films. After more than 16 years, Katrina remains deeply passionate about the practices of Employee and Labor Relations. Her enthusiasm is rooted in her strong belief in the power and transformative synergy that is created for any organization when the employee experience, company values, and pursuit of unmatched company performance not only co-exist but are inextricable in daily practice.

Jonathan Wong

Partner (Immigration & Employment Law), Donahue Fitzgerald LLP

An experienced litigator, Mr. Wong counsels employers and defends them against claims of wrongful termination, discrimination and sexual harassment, and other employment-related issues. He has also represented plaintiffs in employment-related individual and class litigation. He has served as trial counsel in multiple trials, has represented clients in numerous mediations and arbitrations, and has successfully argued his clients’ cases before California and federal appeals courts. He was lead counsel for instatement procedures and was responsible for negotiating the settlement of all claims made by 1,200 employees in a class action lawsuit settled by a consent decree. His litigation practice also includes advising clients, in-house counsel, and partner law firms on electronic discovery

best practices, technology assisted review, and compliance with new federal and state electronic discovery rules.

Mr. Wong advises employers on personnel disputes, employee discipline, demotions, and terminations. He drafts and reviews employee policy manuals, checking for compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations. He also counsels employers on workplace safety and OSHA compliance and on the implications of the Americans With Disabilities Act. He assists employers in complying with federal, state, and local requirements governing wages, hours, and other conditions of employment and defends them in administrative proceedings brought by government agencies. As part of his employment and labor law practice, Jonathan negotiates and drafts employment agreements for key employees, executives, and officers. His labor relations practice concentrates on advising employers regarding union elections, employee grievances, contract interpretation and collective bargaining strategies and techniques.

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