Daniel B. Klein, Esq.

Partner

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Daniel Klein is a partner in the Labor and Employment Department of Seyfarth Shaw's Boston office. Mr. Klein's practice includes the representation of management in employment and non-competition litigation matters before state and federal courts, at trial and appellate levels, as well as federal and state agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities.

Mr. Klein also counsels national, regional and local employers on a wide variety of employment matters, including disability accommodation, family and medical leave, workplace investigations, wage and hour compliance, commissions disputes, performance assessment and discipline, terminations, reductions-in-force, training, background checks, whistleblower claims, defamation, handbook and policy review, and trade-secrets protection strategies.As a member of the firm's Complex Discrimination Litigation Practice Group, Mr. Klein has defended employers in a variety of complex discrimination cases, including multi-plaintiff discrimination lawsuits, EEOC pattern and practice cases, and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Mr. Klein also has defended employers against the full spectrum of cases involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, defamation, and wage and hour violations, as well as representing employers in non-competition and contract disputes.Mr. Klein regularly assists clients in drafting employment contracts, severance agreements, non-competition, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, personnel policies and company handbooks. He has represented employers in a variety of industries, including healthcare, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, staffing, professional services, transportation, and technology.Mr. Klein lectures frequently on a variety of employment law topics for human resource specialists and in-house counsel, including regular presentations on behalf of the Northeast Human Resources Association, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education.

Mr. Klein served as a legal intern at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. From 2005 through the present, Boston Magazine and Law and Politics have named Mr. Klein one of Massachusetts' and New England's "Super Lawyer Rising Stars." Mr. Klein received his J.D., from Boston College Law School, and his B.A. from Colgate University.

Daniel B. Klein 

Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Phone: (617) 946-4840

Email: dklein@seyfarth.com

Online Bio

Tracy Burns

CEO, NEHRA

Tracy Burns has served as NEHRA’s Chief Executive Officer since November of 2010. Prior to this role, she spent nearly 20 years working in corporate HR, holding leadership positions across various industries, including financial services, higher education/healthcare, publishing and food/beverage.

Tracy is the author of,Before and After Resumes: How to Turn a Good Resume Into A Great One. In 2016 she received SmartCEO’s Brava Award as one of 40 female leaders in Greater Boston. In 2017, she was featured in Boston Business Journal’s series “Women of Influence”. A sought after expert in “all things HR”, Tracy is often quoted in local and national media outlets and has been featured on various industry related podcasts, including The Hennessy Report and HR Rebooted.

In 2017, Tracy and business partner Mim Minichiello developed and launched Hytched (www.hytched.co), an on-line platform connecting companies who need interim HR expertise with experienced HR professionals. Currently in its second iteration, Hytched has seen early success as a growing “gig” resource and landed Tracy on the “Top 300 Women to Watch in HR Tech”.

Tracy is actively involved in the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), as well as the American Society of Association Executive (ASAE). She sits on the HR Management Advisory Board at Bryant University and the Work Without Limits Business Advisory Council at UMass Medical School in Worcester, MA.

Tracy holds a bachelor’s degree in business/human resources from California State University and a master’s degree in Organizational Development from Lesley University. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Tracy has called the Boston “home” since 1996. She is passionate about advancing female leaders, raising two fabulous boys and her bulldog Moose.

David Weaver

President, Compensation and HR Group

David is President of the Compensation & HR Group and is responsible for all consulting functions within the organization. He is the Author of the bestselling HR book Pay Matters: The Art and Science of Employee Compensation.

Prior to joining the Compensation & HR Group, David spent 20 years managing a human resources membership and consulting organization. He has also held positions with industry leaders Liberty Mutual, Honeywell and Hewlett-Packard as a corporate human resources professional. During this period, he gained essential hands-on experience in compensation program development, marketing and internal communications.

A graduate of The University of Massachusetts at Amherst, David has also made his mark in academia, having served as adjunct faculty member for both Northeastern University and Newbury College where he taught courses in Compensation Management and Human Resource Management. He also worked as an instructor for the certification courses at the Compensation Analyst Academy, WorldatWork and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Emily J. Miller

Associate, Labor & Employment

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Employers have to be prepared to address harassment and discrimination in the workplace—and it can feel challenging to keep up with complex and evolving laws in these areas. This is where Emily comes in. Clients look to Emily for guidance when it comes to preventing workplace issues from blossoming into litigation—and for effective leadership in litigation when faced with a lawsuit.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Emily worked in higher education for eight years in LGBTQ student life, general student conduct, and Title IX. She is equipped with the tools to make quick, sound judgment calls when faced with challenging, sensitive concerns.

Emily’s professional background working in sexual and gender-based harassment education, prevention, and response coupled with her educational background in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Theological Studies gives her a competitive edge when it comes to addressing some of the most sensitive challenges that can arise for employers.

Emily loves counseling clients on how to navigate identity-based questions and concerns that arise in the workplace. She has extensive experience educating others in the realms of sexual and gender-based harassment prevention and response and best practices for creating inclusive workplaces for LGBTQ people. She thoroughly enjoys collaborating with clients to devise litigation strategies and then bringing those strategies to life.

John Ayer-Mann

Associate, Labor & Employment Law

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Clients seek John's counsel when they are facing a multitude of legal issues related to their status as an employer. Whether they are seeking advice on labor issues or facing litigation in a wage-and-hour matter, John advises clients on ways to avoid or minimize legal risk, while also guiding clients through the litigation process. John has litigated in a variety of forums, from the agency level to state superior and federal district courts.

Gina Abudi

Founder

Abudi Consulting Group

Gina Abudi, MBA has 25+ years’ experience working with organizations of all sizes – from smaller businesses, non-profits, through to large, global organizations – providing expertise around projects, processes and people. Additionally, she works closely with a variety of clients to develop and deliver customized workshops/seminars and training programs to meet long term strategic needs.

Gina keynotes and speaks at conferences, forums and corporate and industry events on a variety of topics. She has written a number of white papers and articles on various management and project management topics, which can be found on her blog: http://www.GinaAbudi.com. Gina is leading author of Best Practices for Managing BPI Projects: Six Steps to Success, J Ross Publishing, 2015 and author of Implementing Positive Organizational Change: A Strategic Project Management Approach, J Ross Publishing, 2017.

Gina is active with the Northeast Human Resource Association (NEHRA), Association for Talent Development (ATD), and the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP).

Gina is adjunct faculty at Granite State College teaching in both the Masters of Science in Leadership and Masters of Science in Project Management Program, as well as an adjunct faculty at the University of New Hampshire and New England College, facilitating ACG’s workshops for their corporate clients.

Frank Dadah

Vice President Consulting Services

MCG Partners

Frank Dadah is Vice President of Consulting Services for MCG Partners. Frank engages with clients to identify and implement strategies to optimize their talent and improve overall organizational performance. MCG specializes in leadership and talent optimization by aligning your business and people strategy for maximum results.

Working with a variety of companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies, Frank has supported clients with their talent management need from the C-level executives to operational support. Frank approaches clients by building lasting relationships and understanding the strategic business goals, allowing him to provide guidance and best practices on growth, leadership development, strategy, and succession planning.

Frank has worked with a number of industries including pharma, e-commerce, healthcare, financial services, high tech, retail, advertising, online and print publications, academia, gaming, non-profit, media, and insurance. Clients have put their trust in him and through his consultative approach he has helped them realize their talent management plans and reach their growth goals. Internally, at his own organizations, Frank has managed and developed over 25 people earning them an opportunity to advance and achieve leadership roles.

Frank has spent his entire career in the service industry in one form or another. Prior to his career in talent management, he was in the hospitality industry. He worked his way from chef, to General Manager taking part in opening more than 30 new restaurants up and down the east coast before coming a Managing Partner.

Frank lives northwest of Boston in Bedford with his wife and daughter and their dog Taggert. Frank graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Boston with a BS in Management and has a passion and drive to help individuals and organizations reach their full potential.

Roxana Pupkin

HR Director for Technology and Innovation

ConvaTec

Roxana is a Global HR Leader and Executive Coach with over two decades of helping executives and their organizations drive results around the world. 

Her extensive experience in strategic Human Resources (HR) has provided her with a deep understanding of the intricacies of doing business globally and how to translate business challenges into effective Talent strategies and solutions. 

She has lived and worked in a number of countries while working at Boston Scientific, one of the world’s leading medical device companies. As a Senior HR Leader at Boston Scientific, Roxana had the privilege of serving as a member of the senior leadership team of a dynamic, fast-growing global business division, among other roles. 

She is currently a senior HR Leader at ConvaTec, a  global medical products and technologies company focused on therapies for the management of chronic conditions, where she is responsible for helping shape the Technology and Innovation organization and build their new Innovation Lab in the Boston Area.  

Roxana studied Psychology at Universidad de Belgrano, Argentina and she is certified as a coach by the International Coach Federation (ICF).  

Michelle Roccia

Chief People Officer

ETQ

Michelle is responsible for all employee engagement activity including talent acquisition, people management, corporate culture and organization design. previously, Michelle was Executive Vice President of Corporate Development at WinterWyman. She has held executive HR positions at technology companies Authoria and Centive. Michelle holds a Certificate in Human Resources Management from Bentley University and is a Certified Professional Coach (iPEC Program). 

Christine Scarafoni

Chief Human Resources Officer

KLR

Ms. Scarafoni joined KLR in 2019. Prior to joining KLR, Christine was the Senior Vice President and CHRO at Century Bank, and before that, Director of Human Resources at UniBank for Savings. Christine holds more than 25 years of strategic and hands on tactical experience improving leadership effectiveness, employee engagement and driving change management throughout a company.

Beyond that, Christine also specializes in talent and management acquisition, performance management, succession planning, strategic planning, benefits, 401(k), payroll and HRIS, executive compensation, employee relations, learning and development.

As KLR’s CHRO, Christine will be focusing on expanding University and College relationships, enhancing learning and development initiatives, improving employee engagement and retention as well as ensuring human resources is a valued strategic partner to all business lines.

Christine holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration, Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership from Nichols College, as well as a certificate in Banking, Leadership and Financial Support Services from ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.

She currently serves on the Co-Chaire of the Board of Advisors for Nichols College, and as a Governing Body Member at Evanta. She is a former Board Director of Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Blackstone Valley Education Foundation, and a former Board Member and Vice President of Boys and Girls Club- Middlesex County.

Christine is also on the adjunct faculty of Nichols College and Suffolk University.

Mike Tufts

Chief Human Resources Officer

The Norfolk & Dedham Group

Michael joined The N&D® Group in June of 2017, bringing more than 20 years of experience to his role as CHRO. He provides leadership and subject matter expertise in Talent Management, Business Continuity Planning, and Facilities Management. 

Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in Management (magna cum laude) from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School executive education program, Leading Change and Organizational Renewal (LCOR). 

Michael was appointed to the Board of the Norfolk & Dedham Foundation in 2018. He is also the Chair of the Retirement Plans Committee for N&D® and serves on the Board of Directors of the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA).  

Heather Wood

Vice President - Leadership Developer & Facilitator, Executive Coach

MCG Partners

Heather Wood is Vice President, leadership developer & facilitator, and executive coach with MCG Partners. We are a firm specializing in leadership and talent optimization aligning your business and people strategy for maximum results.

With more than 20 years of experience in engaging all levels of leadership across multiple business sectors, Heather draws from her experience and insight training hundreds of managers globally. Heather develops and coaches’ executives in leadership effectiveness, communication style, team building, diversity and inclusion, unconscious bias, conflict resolution, and career development. Heather is also an accomplished designer and facilitator of customized interactive management workshops, virtually, and in-person.

Heather is a Harvard Business School executive coach providing coaching and advisory services to attending global executives.

Heather’s other training content includes: The Agile Leader™, Situational Leadership, InsideOut Coaching, Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode (TKI) and Lominger Leadership Architect. Heather’s industry areas of expertise include financial services, software development, bio-pharmaceutical, healthcare, and human services.

Previously, Heather was an AVP at Brown Brothers Harriman, where she developed long-term leadership development programs as well as employee engagement surveys and feedback sessions to diagnose competency gaps and improve individual, team and organizational performance. Prior to that, she served as a HR consultant for Idenix Pharmaceuticals and in several capacities at Fidelity Investments in corporate learning and development.

Heather earned her Bachelor of Science from Simmons College in Boston and her Certificate in Professional Coaching (CPC) from the Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). She is a certified Analyst in the Predictive Index^® (PI^®) as well as in several additional assessments and tools.

She volunteers as a mentor for Babson College MBA students as well as for the Social Innovation Forum. Additionally, Heather is an active member of the Boston Facilitators Roundtable. She lives with her family outside of Boston, MA.

Dick Finnegan

Speaker, Author & CEO

C-Suite Analytics

Dick Finnegan is THE global turnover expert, having cut turnover by 30% and more for healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, distribution centers, call centers, and other industries…and on all six inhabited continents. 

Dick has authored the top-selling SHRM-published book in history, The Power of Stay Interviews, along with four other books. BusinessWeek magazine has said “Finnegan offers fresh thinking for solving the turnover problem in any economy”. He has been similarly cited by Forbes, Chief Executive Magazine, and Consulting Magazine. 

As a supremely rated speaker, Dick Finnegan opens executives’ eyes to turnover’s mega-impact on their productivity and profits, and provides strongly-researched and business-driven ways to fix turnover, comparing those same solutions to the ways organizations improve sales and service. 

He holds bachelors and graduate degrees from The Pennsylvania State University and lives in Orlando, Florida.