Based in Geneva, Switzerland

For over 20 years, Allison West has used her employment law background in delivering customized workplace training, conducting investigations, coaching executives/managers, serving as an expert witness, and specializing in conflict resolution and facilitated discussions to create more collaborative work environments. 

Allison is a top-rated speaker at the SHRM Annual Conference as well as other HR/diversity conferences, and is a national expert on harassment, discrimination and investigations. She has appeared on PBS, CBS This Morning and in O Magazine discussing workplace harassment issues. 

She is a member of the State Bar of California and holds her SHRM-SCP certification and AWI-CH (investigation) certificate.

Toni Pilzner is an attorney with more than 15 years' experience in advising employers on creating and administering employee welfare and retirement benefit plans. Having worked as a certified public accountant and as an in-house corporate tax analyst dealing with employee benefit plan matters before becoming an attorney, she also understands the financial and practical aspects of employee benefit plan administration. Toni has shared her expertise with SHRM members by presenting concurrent sessions on employee benefits topics at a number of SHRM conferences in addition to writing SHRM Legal Alerts and contributing to SHRM Online articles on employee benefit matters. She also served on the SHRM Total Rewards Special Expertise Panel and its predecessor, the SHRM Compensation and Benefits Committee, as well as serving a three-year term on the U.S. Department of Labor's ERISA Advisory Council.

James J. McDonald, Jr. is a partner in the Irvine, California and Tampa, Florida offices of Fisher & Phillips LLP, where he is a litigator, trial lawyer and strategic advisor to employers regarding labor and employment law matters.  He is author of the SHRM-published book, California Employment Law: An Employer’s Guide, and he is a frequent speaker on employment law issues.  He is a cum laude law graduate of Georgetown University and a member of the California and Florida Bars, and he holds the SHRM-SCP certification.

Clint Swindall is the president and CEO of Verbalocity, Inc., a personal development company with a focus on leadership enhancement. These solutions include leadership development programs, training, speaking and general consulting.

As a professional speaker, Clint Swindall travels the world delivering high-content speeches and training in an entertaining and inspirational style to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and trade associations.

Clint enjoys the challenge of enhancing employee engagement for his clients by delivering programs based on his book entitled Engaged Leadership: Building a Culture to Overcome Employee Disengagement (John Wiley & Sons, 2007). He recognizes that a culture of employee engagement is a two-way road, and that true engagement comes when leaders and employees are both doing their part. In addition to working with leaders to build a culture to overcome employee disengagement, Clint addresses the employee’s role in his follow-up book entitled Living for the Weekday: What Every Employee and Boss Needs to Know about Enjoying Work and Life (John Wiley & Sons, 2010).

Follow Clint on Twitter @ClintSwindall.

Based in Lanseria, South Africa

Buckle Up!  Be ready to be energized, interactive and entertained!  Candy has been a regular keynote and breakout session speaker for SHRM Conferences across the country and presented at the 2009 SHRM Annual Conference. When Candy speaks and shares her knowledge her participants always come away with the knowledge and skills they need to build and maintain better, more productive relationships, as well as a sense of purpose and direction.  

She brings a wealth of experience from many industries including: training, retail, customer service, restaurant, entertainment, management, and youth ministry.

Candy graduated Cum Laude from Missouri Western State College with a B.S. Degree in Speech Communications, with a Human Relations Emphasis, and earned her Master in Management from the University of Phoenix.

Follow Candy on Twitter @candywhirley.