Events

Six Degrees of Insight - Webinar Series - Purchase 6 Sessions for the Cost of 5!

Join us for Six Degrees of Insight - a webinar series brought to you by six local SHRM chapters.

From NOW until February 4, 2026, purchase access to all 6 webinars for the price of 5!

• $75 for members
• $100 for non members

Schedule of Sessions:

1. February 5 | Val Grubb | Strategic Leadership in Action: Building the Workforce of the Future | Sponsored by Ashtabula SHRM
2. March 5 | Summer Jelinek | How to Make Difficult People Disappear...Without Going to Jail | Sponsored by Medina SHRM
3. April 2 | Tamra Morowski | AI in HR | Sponsored by LGA SHRM
4. May 7 | Dyann McDowell | Civility in the Workplace | Sponsored by Portage County SHRM
5. June 4 | Michael Karst K|W|W | Immigration | Sponsored by Akron Area SHRM
6. July 2 | Jamie Lewis-Smith | Empowering Leadership | Sponsored by Western Reserve SHRM

2026 - January 8 - LGASHRM Board Meeting

LGASHRM Board Meetings

January 8, 2026, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Solon Manufacturing Company 425 Center Street Chardon, OH 44024


LGASHRM’s board meetings are open to all active LGASHRM members to attend. Why attend? Have a voice in shaping the chapter’s initiatives and events; gain leadership experience by serving on committees or the board; help influence HR policies and practices in the local business community; discuss local workforce challenges and opportunities; help develop programs that benefit local HR practitioners; and be part of initiatives that enhance workplace culture and employee well-being.

2026 January 21 | 2026 HR Legal Update: Key Changes You Need to Know

2026 HR Legal Update presented by Elizabeth Crosby, Attorney at Law
Join us for our annual HR Legal Update where Liz will provide you with general updates on labor and employment issues along with any legal changes in the employment sphere.  2.0 SHRM & HRCI credits will be provided.

Agenda - 8:00am | Registration & Breakfast - 8:30am - 10:30am | Presentation

Pricing

• LGASHRM Member: $45.00
• Non-Member: $55.00
• Member in Transition and Student: $20.00

Speaker Bio
Liz specializes in Labor & Employment Law and in Workers’ Compensation Law.  As the challenges of labor and employment matters increase, employers benefit from Liz’s deep level of expertise with dual certifications in labor & employment law.  Liz is also responsible for the oversight and management of workers’ compensation matters on behalf of employers.
Being the first woman attorney in Ohio to distinguish herself with dual specialization certifications, Liz’s passion for providing clients the best possible solutions in labor and employment matters is evident. She is a speaker on workplace conduct and regularly authors articles for the business and legal community on compliance with state and federal workplace requirements.
Liz conducts a monthly workshop called “ShopTalk!” designed to educate small business owners and HR professionals on workplace compliance and management topics.

Thank you to our sponsor, Gallagher!

2026-FEB 5: Six Degrees of Insight - Session 1/6

Join us for Six Degrees of Insight - a webinar series brought to you by six local SHRM chapters.

Kicking off on Thursday, February 5, 2026 with Strategic Leadership in Action: Building the Workforce of the Future presented by Val Grubb.

Session Description: The workplace is changing faster than ever — and leaders are racing to keep up. From AI and automation to Gen Z’s arrival as the dominant workforce, the future demands new thinking, new skills, and a new kind of leadership.

In this high-energy session, Val Grubb explores what it takes to lead in a world defined by constant disruption and five generations working side by side. You’ll uncover what today’s employees want most, why they stay (or leave), and how leaders can create a culture that drives innovation, engagement, and accountability across every level of the organization.

Packed with humor, data, and real-world examples, this keynote will help you reimagine how to lead, learn, and level up for the workforce of tomorrow.

Learning Objectives:

• Decode the Workforce of the Future: Understand the trends reshaping work — from generational shifts and gig-based employment to AI-driven transformation — and what they mean for your leadership strategy.
• Lead Across Generations with Confidence: Identify the expectations, motivators, and communication styles of Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers to build teams that collaborate, innovate, and stay engaged.
• Level Up Your Leadership Game: Discover actionable strategies to elevate your strategic thinking, strengthen trust, and drive culture change that positions your organization to thrive in the decade ahead.

Speaker Bio: Val Grubb helped launch Oxygen for Oprah and IAC for Barry Diller. Now, she partners with companies and associations to transform leadership potential into measurable performance that impacts the bottom line.

With additional leadership experience spearheading high-performance teams at NBC Universal and Rolls-Royce, Val knows what it takes to drive accountability and engagement under pressure.

Val specializes in executive training, keynote speaking, and leadership coaching focused on skills that directly affect financial results. Her book, Clash of the Generations: Managing the New Workplace Reality, equips leaders to harness the strengths of multigenerational teams.

Be on the lookout for a confirmation email with Zoom Login information! We will meet from 12:00pm to 1:15pm EST. Sessions have been submitted for credits from SHRM & HRCI. Sessions will be recorded and credits will be available for up to 60 days.

2026 - February 11th - New Member Orientation

Virtual New Member Orientations (45 minutes) | February 11th, 2026 | 12:00pm – 12:45pm

The Lake Geauga Area Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, as well as SHRM, has the following primary goals:

• Be the primary influencer of workplace policies and practices that benefit our members and the organizations they serve
• Build a broad and actively engaged membership that ensures dissemination of leading practices to the workplace
• Be the major source for building strong competence and developing the talent and leader-ship of people in our organizations
• Ensure a solid financial structure that permits reinvestment in initiatives and learning that advances the state of the profession

Free to members but we do need you to register. Your email confirmation will have the zoom login information.

2026 - February 26th - HR Networking Happy Hour

2026 - February 26th - HR Networking Happy Hour


The Lake/Geauga Area Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management invites you to our next HR Networking Happy Hour.

Time: 5pm to 7pm
Location: Billy’s – A Cappelli Martini Bar / 7338 Industrial Park Blvd, Mentor OH 44060

Come for the camaraderie, stay for the fun! We’ll have refreshments, appetizers, and a relaxed atmosphere to unwind and connect with fellow members.

This is a free event – but we do need you to register.

2026 March 5th | Problem Gambling in the Workplace

Problem Gambling in the Workplace presented by Taylor James & Claire Spada.

Join us for an eye-opening session that dives into the hidden impacts of gambling in the workplace. Problem Gambling in the Workplace provides gambling-specific education designed to increase participants’ knowledge and understanding of basic gambling concepts and how gambling issues can arise in the workplace. The training will specifically examine the growing relevance of online gambling and its potential to disrupt workplace environments. Participants will also gain an understanding of problem gambling and the common co-occurring conditions that often accompany it.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the basics of gambling and it terminology
• Identify the risks and warning signs of problematic gambling
• Recognize common co-occurring conditions associated with disorder gambling
• Describe how gambling can impact the workplace
• Identify available support services and resources for individuals affected by problem gambling

Agenda:
• 8:15am - Registration
• 8:30am - Breakfast & Networking
• 9:00am - Presentation (1 Hour)

Taylor James Bio: Taylor James is a Prevention Specialist in Problem Gambling serving Lake and Geauga Counties. His prevention career began in South Carolina with Alpha Behavioral Health Center, where he led extensive outreach initiatives within local school systems. At Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers, Taylor is dedicated to increasing community awareness about problem gambling and ensuring individuals have access to appropriate prevention and treatment resources. In addition to his direct prevention work, Taylor collaborates with multiple regional coalitions and task forces, including the Cuyahoga Problem Gambling Coalition and the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Geauga County.

Claire Spada Bio: Claire Spada, an Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant, has over 15 years of experience working in the prevention field in varying capacities. She has a passion for educating others on issues that can greatly impact their lives including drug, alcohol, and gambling prevention, coping with emotions in a positive way, and empowering young people in leadership roles.
This program has been approved for 1.0 recertification credits from SHRM & HRCI.

Thank you to our Platinum Corporate Sponsor, CGI!

Six Degrees of Insight - Session 2/6 - March 5, 2026

Join us for Six Degrees of Insight - a webinar series brought to you by six local SHRM chapters.

Kicking off on Thursday, February 5, 2026 with How to Make Difficult People Disappear...Without Going to Jail presented by Summer Jelinek.

Session Description: Have you ever wondered why people won’t listen to you? Or found yourself surrounded by those jaw-clenching, nerve-fraying, challenging personalities? As an HR Professional, you’re expected to walk a tightrope; strong, but not aggressive; polite, but not a pushover. It’s exhausting!

This high-energy session based on the True Colors Personality Assessment will help you decode behaviors, adapt your communication, and transform difficult relationships, all while keeping the experience fun, engaging, and full of laughs.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover the Trick of Self-Management...because the first step to handling difficult people is managing yourself.
• Uncover the 4 Types of Difficult People—and how to work with them instead of against them.
• Walk away with actionable strategies to improve relationships with clients, teams, and even family.

Speaker Bio: Do you find yourself wondering if people are intentionally being difficult or if they just have a special skill?

Do you wish that there was something you could do to make the difficult people in your life disappear that wouldn’t get you arrested?

Does it sometimes feel like your job would be so much easier if it weren’t for the people?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are in the right place!!!

Our next speaker has over 25 years’ experience leading with companies such as Walt Disney World, The Disney Institute, the Center for Creative Leadership, and even a dude ranch.

When she is not transforming leaders, she is chasing her 9 year old daughter, determining which Disney villain has the greatest redemption arc, and studying neurodivergence in the organization for her PhD.

2026 - April 22nd - New Member Orientation

Virtual New Member Orientations (45 minutes) | April 22nd, 2026 | 12:00pm – 12:45pm

The Lake Geauga Area Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, as well as SHRM, has the following primary goals:

• Be the primary influencer of workplace policies and practices that benefit our members and the organizations they serve
• Build a broad and actively engaged membership that ensures dissemination of leading practices to the workplace
• Be the major source for building strong competence and developing the talent and leader-ship of people in our organizations
• Ensure a solid financial structure that permits reinvestment in initiatives and learning that advances the state of the profession

Free to members but we do need you to register. Your email confirmation will have the zoom login information.

2026 - June 4th - LGASHRM Board Meeting

LGASHRM Board Meetings

June 4th, 2026, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Fairport Harbor Yacht Club.


LGASHRM’s board meetings are open to all active LGASHRM members to attend. Why attend? Have a voice in shaping the chapter’s initiatives and events; gain leadership experience by serving on committees or the board; help influence HR policies and practices in the local business community; discuss local workforce challenges and opportunities; help develop programs that benefit local HR practitioners; and be part of initiatives that enhance workplace culture and employee well-being.

2026 - July 15th - New Member Orientation

Virtual New Member Orientations (45 minutes) | July 15th, 2026 | 12:00pm – 12:45pm

The Lake Geauga Area Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, as well as SHRM, has the following primary goals:

• Be the primary influencer of workplace policies and practices that benefit our members and the organizations they serve
• Build a broad and actively engaged membership that ensures dissemination of leading practices to the workplace
• Be the major source for building strong competence and developing the talent and leader-ship of people in our organizations
• Ensure a solid financial structure that permits reinvestment in initiatives and learning that advances the state of the profession

Free to members but we do need you to register. Your email confirmation will have the zoom login information.

2026 - October 7th - New Member Orientation

Virtual New Member Orientations (45 minutes) | October 7th, 2026 | 12:00pm – 12:45pm

The Lake Geauga Area Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, as well as SHRM, has the following primary goals:

• Be the primary influencer of workplace policies and practices that benefit our members and the organizations they serve
• Build a broad and actively engaged membership that ensures dissemination of leading practices to the workplace
• Be the major source for building strong competence and developing the talent and leader-ship of people in our organizations
• Ensure a solid financial structure that permits reinvestment in initiatives and learning that advances the state of the profession

Free to members but we do need you to register. Your email confirmation will have the zoom login information.