Emmanuel Michael is a seasoned and highly sought after strategic human resources leader with almost three decades of management experience spanning various industries such as multidisciplinary engineering, information technology, hospitality and financial services, of which almost two decades have been in human resources management practice. Between March and August 2017, he was the Interim CEO & Head of HR of Letshego MFB, a national microfinance bank in Nigeria. He is currently the Head of People and Culture at Letshego Nigeria. Emmanuel is a globally certified HR practitioner (SPHRi™, HRPL, MCIPM, MITD), subject matter expert with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), HR Certification Institute (HRCI), and a Microfinance Certified Banker (MCIB). He serves as a career and business mentor on various local and international platforms in addition to being an internationally certified Leadership and Career Success Coach. His contribution to the global HR community has resulted in several recognitions and awards both locally and internationally, chief among them are the 100 Most Influential Global HR Leaders (2018), 101 Global HR Heroes (2019) awards by the World HRD Congress, and Top 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership (2022 and 2023). In addition to being a regular contributor on current HR issues and trends on social media, Emmanuel enjoys public speaking at both local and international forums, writing blogs, and hosts #HRwithEM - a platform to #Connect, #Learn, and #Share on everything Leadership, Career Development, and Employee Experience. He is fondly called "The HR Celebrity" by the Nigerian HR community.
Babs is a Senior People Systems & People Analytics Leader at National Gas - the backbone of Britain's energy system responsible for securing Britain's energy. In his role, Babs is responsible for the overarching HR Technology strategy with emphasis on Employee Experience and Productivity. He has significant HR experience across different industries such as the Manufacturing, Media and Financial sectors. His experience spans over 25+ years working in various capacities for great brands like Coca-Cola, Jaguar Land Rover, Serco and the BBC. Babs’ vast experience in the field of HR has made him a versatile business ally and operational executor. His areas of expertise include: Information Systems and Transformation Projects, Talent sourcing, Learning/organizational development, role/team design, succession planning, and compensation/ benefits. Babs earned an MSc in Human Resource Management from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen UK. He holds multiple HR, HR Systems and Project Management certifications from various HR & project management professional accrediting bodies in the UK, USA and Nigeria. Certifications include GPHR, SPHRi and SPHR from HRCI and a Chartered Member, Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, UK. Babs is also a SAP Certified Application Associate in four different modules of SuccessFactors and is a Prince2 Project Management Practitioner.
Nancy Hill has nearly three decades of health care human resources experience and currently serves as the senior vice president and chief talent officer at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Previously, Hill served as the chief human resources and risk management officer at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois; regional director of human resources at Vencor in Alpharetta, Georgia; and chief human resources officer at Greater Southeast Healthcare System in Washington, D.C. Hill is a long-time HRCI volunteer, serving in various capacities including Certification Council member, HR Body of Knowledge contributor, exam developer, and practice analysis task force member. Hill earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, a Master of Health Services Administration degree from The George Washington University and a Master of Jurisprudence degree in Health Law from Loyola University. She holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and is Certified in Healthcare Human Resources (CHHR). In addition to HRCI, Hill’s other volunteer service includes vice chair of the Four Oaks Family and Children's Services Board of Directors, president-elect of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation Board of Directors, member of the Matthew 25 and HallMar Village (Mercy-PHS Senior Housing, Inc.) boards of directors, and Big Sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids.
Bhavik Gohil is a senior human resources sergeant at the North Central Cyber Protection Center, equivalent to a senior human resources manager. With 14 years of experience in the HR field, primarily within the defense industry, Bhavik plays a pivotal role in overseeing the growth and management of the center's personnel, which is set to expand from 8 to 46 members within the next two years. Additionally, Bhavik manages three cyber protection teams of 39 personnel, with plans to double the number of personnel under his oversight. In this role, he is responsible for comprehensive HR functions, including employee orientation, health benefits and insurance programs, retirement plan management, and developing and implementing HR policies and procedures that support organizational goals. He is also instrumental in fostering employee engagement, overseeing complaints, facilitating investigations, and ensuring compliance with compensation and benefits regulations. Throughout his career, Bhavik has demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in HR. He has been recognized by a three-star general for his work in developing products that ensured 100% accountability and up-to-date administrative records. His efforts in streamlining processes have significantly improved efficiency, resulting in higher satisfaction among soldiers. Bhavik holds a Master of Science in Human Resources and Organizational Development and holds both aPHR and PHR certifications from HRCI. He is an active member of The Adjutant General's Corps Regimental Association (AGCRA) and has contributed to the AGCRA Journal. As a subject matter expert in HR, Bhavik is dedicated to solving complex HR challenges with solutions firmly grounded in regulations and laws.
Jennifer Gutierres has more than 25 years of experience in human resources across a range of industries, from Fortune 500 companies to government entities. Since 2016, she has served as the head of human resources for the City of Simi Valley in Southern California. Previously, she held roles including human resources manager for the County of Santa Barbara; HR client relationship executive at ADP; area human resources manager for Sears; and human resources manager for Ryland Homes and Ryland Mortgage. Since 2009, she has actively volunteered with HRCI, contributing to exam development in areas such as pass-point analysis, item writing, and form review. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies with an emphasis in management from Antioch University, Santa Barbara, and holds a Human Resource Management Certificate from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and a Professional in Human Resources—California (PHRca).
Christine Hopkins is the President & CEO and majority owner of Advanced Supply Chain International LLC and ASCI Federal Services LLC, two professional services firms supporting federal, defense, and commercial clients with mission-critical solutions in logistics, human capital, and operational transformation. With more than two decades of leadership in global human resources and organizational development, Christine has overseen strategic workforce initiatives in highly regulated and complex environments. Her career has been rooted in aligning people strategies with enterprise performance, with a focus on psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and organizational resilience. Christine was recognized as the 2025 U.S. Small Business Administration Small Business Person of the Year for the state of Alaska, awarded for her resilience in the face of adversity—an achievement grounded in her expertise in HR and OD. Christine holds both the Senior Professional in Human Resources® (SPHR®) and Global Professional in Human Resources® (GPHR®) certifications. She earned a Master of Arts in Applied Industrial & Organizational Psychology from The Chicago School and a Master of Science in Business Organizational Management from the University of La Verne. An engaged and long-time HRCI volunteer, Christine has served as a Subject Matter Expert since 2011, supporting exam development, certification content, and credentialing initiatives wherever her skills are most needed. Her commitment to elevating HR standards and advancing practitioner excellence continues through her role on the Certification Council.
Lisa Mockler is the VP, People Operations for ZoomCare, which provides a variety of health care services. Based in Portland, Oregon, she oversees human resources and learning and development. Previously, Lisa was the Human Resources Director for Pinkerton and was responsible for human resources and talent acquisition for the western U.S. and Canada. Throughout her career, Lisa has worked in a variety of industries for small and mid-sized organizations. She earned a Master of Business Administration from Willamette University, Atkinson Graduate School of Management, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Washington State University. She is Senior Professional in Human Resources® (SPHR®) and the Global Professional in Human Resources® (GPHR®) certified. Lisa has served as an Item Writer, Item Writer Coach, Forms Reviewer, and participated in the Job Task Analysis for the SPHR, GPHR and SPHRi® exams.
Rali Petrova is the Deputy Director of Certification at American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT). She has worked in the certification field more than a decade and is a Certified Credentialing Professional (ICE-CCP) with Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) Petrova volunteers on several ICE committees. She earned her Master of Business Administration from American Military University and Bachelor of Science in Health Systems Management from George Mason University. Petrova resides in the Washington D.C. area, enjoys cycling and is a self-proclaimed “foodie”.
Ravi Puddoo is a certified Professional in Human Resources - International (PHRi) with over 18 years of global experience in diverse industries such as telecommunications, hospitality, automotive, retail, life sciences and technology. He currently serves as a Talent & Transformation Executive at IBM Consulting leading global talent acquisition and HR delivery strategies. In his role, he provides a consultative and trusting partnership to clients while executing on talent solutions to provide optimal experiences using workflow management and data. In his prior roles, he has overseen efforts that have resulted into effective and streamlined human resources practices and change management including initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion. Ravi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from University of Mumbai, an MBA from IIMT New Delhi and an Executive Program in Human Resources from Rotman Business School, University of Toronto. He started collaborating with HRCI in 2012 and has since served as a subject matter expert in different workstreams like focus groups, Item Writing and Exam Form Reviewer. His passion revolves around coaching, mentoring, engaging with teams at all levels and serves as a foundation for change and progress.
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Jamie Womack is a seasoned human resource professional currently serving as a Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Amazon. With a proven track record in navigating fast-paced and dynamic environments, Jamie leads the day shift PXT (HR) team, exemplifying Amazon’s leadership principle of "Hire and Develop the Best." Jamie has owned talent for Amazon’s AR Sortable business line for the Eastern Region in 2024 and 2025, to include the performance management and development practices for front line leaders. Prior to her current role, Jamie gained extensive experience in various HR positions at Amazon, honing her skills in employee relations and organizational development. Her broad industry expertise also includes roles as a Billing Specialist, Senior HR Data Specialist, Senior Master Data Analyst, Payroll Compensation Specialist, and as an HR Advisor for Coca Cola Refreshments. Jamie, who has an aPHR certification from HRCI, also holds an MBA, a professional certification in human resource management, and is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt certified, highlighting her dedication to excellence in HR practices and ongoing professional growth. Her career reflects a passion for building effective teams and fostering a culture of growth and empowerment within organizations.