Luke Becker a life-long learner and a passionate student. Luke received his B.S. degree from Iowa State University and completed his MBA from Upper Iowa University. He has been in the business and higher education fields his entire career, teaching a variety of Business and Human Resources courses. He is very passionate about online learning and all of the benefits that are presented in the online classroom. In his spare time when he is not working, he enjoys doing home improvement projects, being active outside, jogging with his German Shepherd, spending time with his children, and rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs when they play.
Sarah Bowles is the Director of Human Resources at Rainier Industries located in Seattle, WA. Rainier Industries is one of Seattle's oldest companies and has offered Display, Shelter and Shade solutions since 1896. In her role, Sarah provided primary leadership for all functional elements of HR supporting the business. Sarah has an MBA and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). Sarah serves on the board for the South King County SHRM chapter.
Shannon Clawson is an associate attorney with Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. Her practice centers on employment litigation, and ranges from matters involving claims of wrongful termination to disability discrimination and accommodations, sexual harassment, retaliation and wage and hour class actions. Shannon also provides advice and counsel to employers seeking guidance on new laws and workplace issues. She graduated cum laude from Claremont McKenna College with a dual B.A. in Literature and Economics and received her J.D. from U.C. Davis School of Law.
Lesa is the CEO of Prof360, a management platform designed for higher education and small businesses. She has more than 25 years in the field of Human Resources and has been the Chief Human Resources Officer for three universities. She consulted on HR, training, and organizational development with over 60 companies and has more than eight (8) years serving as Chief Diversity Officer and Chair of diversity committees. Lesa received a B.A. from The Ohio State University, an MPA in Human Resources Development from Golden Gate University, and a Ph.D. in Transformative Learning and Change from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Ali Imrani is a senior HR professional with over 10 years of experience in managing and leading strategic human resources at Fortune 500 companies that include Unilever, Nestlé, Ecolab, and Bayer. Ali’s skills and expertise lie in talent management, organizational effectiveness, executive coaching, learning and development, organizational transformation & change, and diversity & inclusion.
Ali holds a Master of Industrial and Labor Relations (MILR) degree from Cornell University. Ali is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SCP), Certified Leadership Coach, and a Certified Diversity and Equity Practitioner from Northwestern University.
Dawn Thomas is a human resources professional with over 20 years of progressively responsible experience as a human resources and operations supervisor, consultant, generalist, position/compensation analyst, and trainer, working with a wide range of executive-level management, employees, and academics. Dawn’s additional experience includes recruitment, employee and labor relations, conflict management, and management consulting. She has been teaching human resource courses in higher education since 2011. Dawn completed her Master's Degree in Public Administration in 1996 from California State University, San Bernardino. She has her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification and Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from HRCI. Dawn has previously served on the steering committee for the Milliman Public Employers Salary Survey for Washington State. She is currently serving on the Personnel Board for the largest county in Washington State. She is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Jonathan McNeil Wong is a partner with the Oakland-based law firm of Donahue Fitzgerald LLP. His practice areas include employment law, labor relations, immigration and nationality law, employment and business litigation, and business counseling. He is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell and has been named one of Northern California's "SuperLawyers" annually since 2008.
With over a decade of robust experience in Human Resources across diverse industries such as retail, manufacturing, technology, financial services, and entertainment within prominent Global Fortune 500 and U.S. national companies, Kathy possesses a wealth of expertise and insights.
In her role as an educator, Kathy has nurtured and guided thousands of students, empowering them to successfully achieve their Human Resources certifications. Her unwavering commitment to cultivating a culture of learning and accomplishment has been instrumental in supporting numerous aspiring HR professionals on their journeys.
Kathy earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with distinction, graduating Cum Laude. Her academic pursuits led her to attain a Master's degree in Organization Development and Change from Pennsylvania State University. Additionally, she acquired an Advanced Strategic Human Resources Management certificate from Cornell University Graduate School in New York.
Demonstrating her proficiency in global HR practices, Kathy holds esteemed HR certifications, including the Certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR)® accredited by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) and the SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP®) designation from The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Beyond her professional endeavors, Kathy finds immense fulfillment in imparting knowledge through teaching HR-related subjects and mentoring emerging professionals. Her dedication to ongoing professional development, leadership enhancement, understanding human psychology, optimizing organizational effectiveness, and staying abreast of cutting-edge HR technologies signifies her steadfast commitment to excellence within the field.
Larry T. Yok, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, has more than 40 years’ experience managing and consulting in the fields of human resources and labor relations. His career includes senior executive positions in state and local governments and in the utilities and healthcare industries in which he directed finance and operations functions in addition to human resources management. He holds a BS in public administration from the University of Oregon (Eugene, OR), an MBA in finance from the University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA), and a PhD in economic development studies from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Port Elisabeth, SA).