8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Registration and Networking Breakfast
9:30 AM – 9:35 AM Welcoming Remarks
Kathie Mainzer, Director, Workforce Solutions Group
9:35 AM – 9:55 AM Plenary: Massachusetts's New Pay Equity Law: How it Got Over
the Finish Line and Expected Impact
Moderator: JD Chesloff, Executive Director, MA Business
Roundtable
Panelists: The Honorable Patricia A. Haddad, Speaker Pro Tempore,
Massachusetts House of Representatives
John Regan, Executive Vice President for Government Affairs,
Associated Industries of Massachusetts
10:00 AM – 10:40 AM Business Leader Panel: Hiring Forecast, Building High
Road Partnerships and Quality Jobs
Moderator: Nancy Snyder, President and CEO, Commonwealth
Corporation
Panelists: David Howe, President, J. Derenzo Co.
Dane Linn, Vice President, National Business Roundtable
Rachel Kaprielian, Vice President of MA Community and Government
Affairs, Vertex
Joe Quinn, Senior Director, Public Affairs and Government Relations,
Walmart
10:40 AM – 10:55 AM Networking Break
10:55 AM – 11:30 AM ISSUE PLENARY: Youth Leadership Today: Sharing Success
Stories, Best Practices
Moderator: Rajon Brooks, Connection Center Outreach Manager,
Boston Private Industry Council
Panelists: Lashon Amado, National Coordinator, Community Action
Teams, Opportunity Youth United
Gina Belvin, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Digital Boombox Neetwork,
YouthWorks alumna
Brittany Velez, Student at Fitchburg State University, SkillsUSA
alumna, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
Graduate
Amanda Shabowich, Program Coordinator, Youth Voice Project and
Program Assistant, Boston Youth Service Network
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM LUNCH PROGRAM
WSG 2016 Workforce Champion Awards
Employer of the Year
Workforce Training Partnership of the Year
Youth Workforce Program of the Year
Lifetime Achievement Award for Advocacy
Legislator of the Year - Senate
Legislator of the Year - House of Representatives
12:30 PM - 12:45 PM Networking Break
12:45 PM – 2:00 PM Mini-Plenary Sessions:
Session 1: The New SNAP to Skills Program: How to Get Federal
Money for Training Programs and Community Colleges
Moderator: Sue Beaton, Fireman Family Foundation
Panelists: Amy Kershaw, Associate Commissioner, MA Department
of Transitional Assitance
Luc Schuster, Senior Fellow, MA Budget and Policy Center
Kelly Tessitore, Director, Institutional Giving, JVS
Session 2: Job Quality in Long Term Care: How state policy and
employer retention strategies impact the role of the CNA,
frontline supervisors and wages
Moderator: Steve Dawson, Consultant
Panelists: Tara Gregorio, Senior Vice President, Massachusetts
Senior Care
Kira Khazatsky, Vice President, Jewish Vocational Services
Mark Williamson, Director of Human Resources, The Boston Home
James Willmuth, Senior Policy Analyst, 1199 SEIU
Session 3: Opportunities in Construction and Transportation
Infrastructure: Who's Hiring and What Skills are Needed?
Moderator: Mary Vogel, Executive Director, Building Pathways, Inc.
Panelists: Joseph Bonfiglio, Business Manager, Massachusetts and
Northern New England Laborers' District Council
Liz Skidmore, Business Representative/Organizer, New England
Council of Carpenters
Shelley Webster, Compliance Officer, Suffolk Construction
2:00 PM – 2:15 PM Networking Break
2:20 PM – 2:30 PM The Honorable Ronald Walker II, Secretary, Massachusetts
Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Featured Speaker:
The Honorable Charlie Baker, Governor, Commonwealth of
Massachusetts
3:05 PM – 3:25 PM Featured Speaker:
The Honorable Seth Moulton, Congressman for Massachusetts
6th District, United States House of Representatives
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Steve Kozela, President of Mass INC Polling Group:
Presidential Preview and Massachusetts Fun Facts
Final Remarks and Wrap-up