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Professional Development Programs & Events

WATRA offers engaging and informative in-person and on-line professional development programs on a regular basis throughout the year. These programs are provided at a low cost to our members and $45 for non-members.

Whether provided by consultants and technical experts or academic faculty from a local university, our professional development programs provide critical technical knowledge and issue exploration. These are truly design to be continuing education and help forward the science of compensation and benefits.

​In addition, WATRA is a local partner of WorldatWork and supports its training and certification programming. WATRA will host in-person certification programs in the future but you can view their online catalog here: WorldatWork Certification Courses.


Upcoming Programs

    • August 22, 2024
    • 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
    • Webinar
    Register

    About the Event

    Gain knowledge from seasoned professionals, Jen Humphrey and Elizabeth Gordon, who collectively bring almost 40 years of experience. Discover the transformative power of a family-friendly work culture. Learn how to support your employees through life’s milestones, from childcare and caregiving to financial planning and mental health resources.

    Creating a family-friendly workplace involves implementing strategies that respect employees’ personal lives and allow them to balance work commitments with family responsibilities. Our expert insights will help you create a nurturing environment that values the human experience, boosts productivity, and enhances employee retention. Embrace a new era of workplace empathy and efficiency with our strategic solutions for today’s diverse workforce.

    Join us in shaping a future where work and family life coexist harmoniously. Embrace the human experience and foster a workplace where every family matters. Remember, a family-friendly workplace benefits not only employees but also contributes to a more connected and trusting team. By implementing these strategies, you can create an inclusive environment where everyone feels supported and respected.

    Speakers


    Elizabeth Gordon, Managing Consultant, OneDigital, Employee Benefits. Elizabeth has over 16 years of experience as a healthcare and employee benefits professional. Prior to joining OneDigital, Elizabeth served as the Senior Vice President of Client Services for Vxtra Partners where she vetted strategic partners & vendors, managed operations, and led the client services team.  Elizabeth and her team work closely with business owners and executives, gaining an in-depth understanding of company goals, employee culture, and the business model to best meet the clients needs. She takes that knowledge to help clients craft, implement, and maintain sustainable benefit solutions. Elizabeth has extensive experience with self-funded medical plans using reporting to target specific health conditions and promote well-being initiatives that positively impact population health and plan costs without sacrificing the healthcare of the employee.  Originally from Alabama and now based in Atlanta, Georgia, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in English with a minor in political science. She also holds several designations including NABIP Advanced Self-Funded Certified, NABIP Prescription Benefits Certified, NABIP Wellness Certified, & is certified as a Mental Health First Aid Responder for Adults.


    Jen HumphreySPHR®, SHRM-SCP®, Vice President of HR Consulting, One Digital. Jen leads OneDigital’s Human Resources Consulting Practice in the Carolinas. With over 23 years of experience, she has held executive-level HR roles, including Vice President of HR at a current OneDigital client. Jen’s expertise spans various industries, including HR consulting, construction, biopharma, engineering, manufacturing, and financial/credit unions. Jen has a proven track record of leading end-to-end HR initiatives while being passionate about fostering a culture of collaboration and communication that aligns with the business objectives and values. Jen is a transformational leader that empowers and educates her team and clients, with a mission to enable and facilitate the growth and success of people and organizations. Originally from New York and now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, she holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in psychology from the State University of New York, College at Brockport, and is certified as a Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)

    CEUs

    This SHRM continuing education course qualifies you for 1.5 CEUs toward your recertification. Attendance will be recorded and the code will be provided to you after the program.

    This WorldatWork continuing education course qualifies you for .25 CEUs toward your recertification. After attending this education program, you will self-report these credits to WaW.


    • September 16, 2024
    • 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
    • Webinar
    Register

    About the Event

    Come back soon for more details of this informative program.

    Speakers

    Ishita Sengupta, Senior Principal Workforce Strategy and Analytics, Mercer. Ishita has 19 years of experience as a Labor Economist and her analytical research has been published in various trade journals over the years. At Mercer, she has worked on internal labor market analysis for companies and planning for a sustainable workforce in the future using both internal and external labor market analyses. She is experienced in predictive modeling, which includes pay equity analysis, turnover analysis, and labor optimization modeling. She continuously works on Diversity and Inclusion analytics for the financial services industry, sports industry, retail and healthcare industry.  Ishita has directed research activities on comparing labor costs for firms across similar industries and has liaised with advocacy, labor, and business groups to ensure the accuracy of her findings. She has also testified in state senate hearings. Before joining Mercer in 2015, Ishita worked in a research think tank for 11 years as a Director of their research wing.  In addition to her professional achievements, Ishita Sengupta also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University, where she imparts her knowledge of human resource analytics to graduate students.  Her academic journey culminated in attaining a PhD in Economics from the University of Connecticut.


    Jonathan Cottrell, Ph.D, Principal Workforce Strategy & Analytics, Mercer. Jonathan assists in delivering analytical insights to large companies related to pay equity, performance improvement, workforce diversity, and other workforce analytics. He is the lead author on a seminal 2015 Journal of Applied Psychology paper cited 50+ times entitled, “Explaining the Black–White Gap in Cognitive Test Scores: Toward a Theory of Adverse Impact.” Jonathan has a deep interest in issues of DEI as they relate to the employee lifecycle and has a strong interest in applying basic and advanced research methodologies to address these and other organizational issues. Jonathan is co-chair of Washington DC’s Racial & Ethnic Diversity Business Resource Group, whose mission is to create a more diverse and inclusive environment at Mercer for employees of various cultural/ethnic backgrounds.  Jonathan graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2017, PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology with a minor in Quantitative Psychology.

    CEUs

    This SHRM continuing education course qualifies you for 1.5 CEUs toward your recertification. Attendance will be recorded and the code will be provided to you after the program.

    This WorldatWork continuing education course qualifies you for .25 CEUs toward your recertification. After attending this education program, you will self-report these credits to WaW.

    • December 05, 2024
    • 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
    • HUB International Office, 8300 Greensboro Drive, McLean, VA 22102

    About the Event

    We are excited to wrap up 2024 with an industry happy hour. We can't wait to toast with you the success of the past year 

    Parking Information

    The P4 Parking Deck is located behind the building

    Garage Rates:

    0-2 hrs. ($6.00)

    Daily Max ($13.00)

Past Programs

July 18, 2024 Aligning Total Rewards Strategies with Financial Goals: A Total Rewards and CFO Collaboration
June 11, 2024 Legacy Planning: Wills, Estates and Trusts
May 15, 2024 The Future of Total Rewards: Challenges Employers Face and Implication for Future Total Rewards Approach
April 25, 2024 Leveraging Survey Data to Flex Your Benefits
March 20, 2024 Financial Wellness Strategies: Nurturing Prosperity and Well-being in the Workplace
February 21, 2024 Mastering Hybrid Work: The Compensation Professional's Guide to Boosting Retention, Enhancing Productivity, and Minimizing Costs
January 23, 2024 Leveraging AI in Today’s Total Rewards
December 14, 2023 Holiday Happy Hour
November 15, 2023 Pain Points around New Regulations/Pay Transparency and Leave Plans
October 18, 2023 Current Trends in Compensation Structure Design and Practices
September 21, 2023 M&A and Total Rewards: Achieving Synergy Through Strategic Alignment
September 19, 2023 WaW Affiliates Event: Mini Mastermind: Well-Being Meets AI
August 09, 2023 People Analytics: Understanding Best Practices and How It Can Enhance Your Workforce Strategy
July 13, 2023 Pay Transparency: The Benefits, Challenges, and Legal Requirements
June 21, 2023 The Ultimate Benefits Upgrade! How to Maximize Your Existing Offering and Take Advantage of Recent Exciting Changes
May 17, 2023 Keeping the Momentum on DEI
April 13, 2023 Lifestyle Benefits: How to Use Non-Salary Benefits To Improve The Lives of Employees
March 22, 2023 WaW Affiliates Day: Salary Structure & Compensation Trends
March 09, 2023 Sales Compensation Formula Mysteries Solved!
February 08, 2023 Mental Health Awareness and Education
December 07, 2022 Washington Area Employer Total Rewards Trends
October 20, 2022 Compensation Basics Series: Working with Market Survey
September 14, 2022 The Washington Metropolitan Area Economic Performance and Outlook: Uncertainty, Resilience, Opportunities
June 22, 2022 CHRO's Biggest Reward Challenges of Today
May 24, 2022 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Employee Benefit Plans

WATRA

P.O. Box 4313

Arlington, VA  22204


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