Hiring Practices in a Post Pandemic World Friday, March 11, 2022 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Identify the challenges and look at creative solutions to fill open positions and keep businesses going strong during the great resignation. Andy Covell has been a Human Resources professional for over 17 years and have progressively worked my way through different HR functions. I began my HR career as a Safety & Compliance Manager for large hospitality company and was subsequently promoted into a Benefits Manager position where I was responsible for managing the entire benefits operation for 1,300 employees. After being based in San Diego for 3 years, I was elevated to Employment Manager in Cambridge, MA where I worked 10 months before relocating back to Southern California, working in Los Angeles for a large unionized hotel as a Human Resources Manager. In this role I partnered with the HR Director during union negotiations and employee disciplinary actions that involved the union. Following this, back in San Diego I became a Human Resources Manager, overseeing the HR function for 5 different companies under the same ownership.  Following that position, I diversified my HR experience by spending nearly 5 years in the Department of Defense Contracting (DOD) arena and supporting the HR function of an IT company and a tactical training company.  I am currently working with companies that have less than 100 employees by providing them full-cycle HR support and guidance. While being a consultant, I have worked with companies that are just starting and some that have had to close their doors.   Given the breadth my experience as an HR professional in a myriad of different industries, I possess an ample amount of knowledge and experience  that can be of great use  to new and upcoming professionals in the HR industry. Althea Salas is a native San Diegan who attended San Diego State University where she obtained a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resources Management. Having spent some time in retail and then with two Sheraton properties, she began her career in hospitality. Althea was hired by the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau as a Human Resources Administrative Assistant and now holds the position of VP of Human Resources with the San Diego Tourism Authority. In 2002, Althea received her designation of SPHR, Senior Professional in Human Resources, and in 2015 received her SHRM-SCP, Senior Certified Professional, designation and continues education in the field. Over the years, she has been involved with the Franklin Covey learning programs and is a certified facilitator for the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and strives to live the principles daily. Althea was recognized as a Finalist for the San Diego Business Journal’s HR Professional of the Year Awards for 2011 and 2012. Heather Whitley-Quinn began her career with Manpower in August, 1990 and has been managing the human resource functions of this organization since 1997. Heather’s sphere of influence incorporates employee relations, recruitment, benefits design and administration, and training program development and implementation.  Since 2005, she has lead Manpower’s workforce development initiatives, partnering with various public, private and community-based organizations to advise on issues relating to work-readiness.  Heather's collaboration with these organizations to develop and implement training programs has resulted in returning hundreds of San Diego County’s adult and dislocated residents to meaningful employment.