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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. 

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 total rewards.

​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 WorldatWork's online catalog here: WorldatWork Certification Courses.


Upcoming Programs

    • July 17, 2025
    • 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
    • 800 N Glebe Road, 10th floor Georgetown Room, Arlington, VA 22203
    Register

    About the Event

    Global Compensation (more details coming soon)

    Location

    800 N Glebe, 10th Fl, Georgetown Room

    Arlington, VA 22203


    Office is Located at the intersection of North Glebe Rd and Wilson Blvd

    Hourly/Daily Parking Garage access is at the side of the building on 9th street

    Agenda:

    • 8:30 am - 9 am: Breakfast and Networking
    • 9 am - 10 am: Presentation
    • 10 am - 10:30 am: Questions and Networking

    Speakers

    Mike O’Brien – Hilton, Senior Director, Global Compensation

    Ken Kuk – WTW Senior Director, Metro DC Line of Business Leader, Work and Rewards | Executive Compensation and Board Advisory

    Carolyn Mayer – WTW Director Work & Rewards

    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.

    • August 13, 2025
    • TBD

    About the Event:

    Coming soon...

    Location:

    TBD

    • October 28, 2025
    • 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
    • Tyson's Corner, VA
    Register

    About the Event:

    "Wicked" is more than just a blockbuster musical: in planning and policy, a wicked problem is difficult or impossible to solve. "Wicked" problems are resistant to resolution, have incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize and no single solution.

    What better way to describe the challenge of fair pay? With so many pressures to identify and report on pay equity and pay gaps, we are hosting a fireside chat on the next stage in the process: how to solve it. We'll discuss strategic best practices in pay equity, remediating current shortfalls, and working to create an infrastructure centered on preventing and managing future gaps.

    Our discussion will focus on:

    • Best practices for developing a remediation strategy including budgeting, implementing proper adjustments, communicating, and developing an ongoing sustainable process

    • Evaluating strategies around the drivers of pay, how you're comparing employees, and how to make adjustments over time

    • How to transition from how you pay in practice today to your future state of how you WANT to pay

    Agenda:

    • 8:30 am - 9 am: Breakfast and Networking
    • 9 am - 10 am: Presentation
    • 10 am - 10:30 am: Questions and Networking

    Location:

    Tyson's Corner, VA

    Speaker:

    Sean Luitjens is the former General Manager for the Total Rewards suite of Visier, currently with Salary.com.   

    Sean has an extensive background working in strategic roles across organizations holding positions in Product Development, System Architecture, Global Sales, Corporate Strategy, Marketing, Benchmarking, and M&A. 

    Sean has also held leadership positions at Korn Ferry’s Total Rewards Data Business, AIRINC, and a Principal at Mercer, where he managed the global benefits benchmarking business.  His background also includes Monster as the Director of Product Strategy,  and a Product Development for the interactive businesses of Fidelity Capital. Additionally, Sean also serves on the board of directors for two additional non-profit organizations.

    Sean has worked with clients and partners as well as spoken on a wide range of topics including but not limited to total rewards, pay equity, global mobility, recruitment, compensation and benefits methodology and trends, as well as merger & acquisition strategies.  When not working, Sean can likely be found in the great outdoors hitting the trails, climbing, or partaking in a triathlon.

    • December 10, 2025


Past Programs

June 12, 2025 Legal Update: State Law Compliance
May 20, 2025 Optimizing Executive Rewards for Business Growth
April 16, 2025 Understanding the Secure 2.0 Act
February 26, 2025 Meeting Global Regulatory Standards through Compensation Analysis
January 16, 2025 Trends and Issues in Sales Compensation
December 05, 2024 Holiday Happy Hour
October 09, 2024 World at Work Total Rewards Summit Series: Arlington ’24
September 16, 2024 Pay Equity 101
August 22, 2024 Empower Your Workforce with Family-Friendly Policies
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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