Community Spotlight – District 8 Update
By: Stephanie Deiter, MBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, District 8 Director
The chapters of District 8 encompass Charlotte County SHRM, SHRM SWFL, and HR Collier. Their region spans approximately 100 miles along the beautiful gulf coast of Florida. While their geographic location makes them special, what makes them even greater is their volunteers.
Throughout the past year, chapter leaders have been laser focused on making an impact. Their collective efforts have been instrumental in providing an environment of professional development for Human Resources professionals while also serving their communities with intention. Recognizing the trends in the industry, all three chapters aligned their initiatives in 2024 to serve the HR professional and provide the tools needed to best serve their organizations and community. Their superpower is a long-standing tradition of tri-county collaboration, leveraging their talent and creating opportunities to deepen relationships, provide quality meeting content and contribute to workforce development.
Starting at the top of the district geographically, Charlotte County SHRM (CCSHRM)has much to be proud of. Recently celebrating their 30th Anniversary, it has a highly dedicated Board of Directors that has grown to an organization recognized for its ability to serve the local HR community and its members. It consistently provides current, useful information, and practical knowledge on human resource laws, industry trends and qualified educational programs. Their goal to be the community leading authority on human resource issues remains at the forefront as they serve their members with purpose. This year’s program line up included topics with intention, including building trust in teams, cyber security risks, ethics, and mental and fiscal wellness. On deck is their Annual People Manager Training in late September. Featuring leading human resources professionals, business leaders and experienced employment and labor law attorneys, this conference focuses on supporting effective strategies for their business and employees.
Additionally, this year the chapter is excited to have the 32nd Annual HR Florida Leadership Conference at Sunseeker Resort (right in its backyard, or shall we say Harbor). This event will offer various educational sessions focusing on chapter leadership and management that will provide you with critical information, best practices and tools that you can use to enhance your volunteer experience.
Next in line in the district is SHRM Southwest Florida (SWFL). In addition to providing consistent quality monthly programming for their chapter members their volunteer leaders have focused their work on a collaboration which will have a significant impact in their community. The Workforce Development Committee of SHRM SWFL, in partnership with the FutureMakers Coalition and the Southwest Florida Community Foundation DBA the Collaboratory, is leading this program. Together, they are developing an Employer Recruitment Specialist (ERS) program that aims to improve the hiring process by identifying key areas of traditional and alternative hiring methods, particularly for reconnectors—unemployed or under-employed individuals. The program was initiated by securing a grant to hire an ERS who liaises between the business community and job seekers, including individuals with disabilities, Veterans, and those seeking second chances after incarceration. The ERS aids employers in altering their recruiting methods to find reconnectors ready for career advancement. The program, designed to streamline processes and foster connections between community programs, educational partners, and employers, highlights methods like Earn and Learn, Guaranteed Interviews, and Guaranteed Hire to better connect job seekers with opportunities.
In healthcare, for example, medical employers collaborate with educational institutions through the program to upskill the workforce for roles such as medical assistants and CNAs using Earn and Learn methods. The program aims to change hiring processes and create employment pathways for graduates from training programs.
Achievements include developing a job description for the ERS and an Employer Recruitment Continuum Planning Guide, which assists with connecting job seekers to employers and refining educational curricula to align with local employer needs. The addition of a second ERS was made possible by additional grant funding due to the program’s initial success.
The program benefits both job seekers and employers by bridging the gap between education and employment, thus better-aligning training programs with local job market needs. SHRM SWFL’s involvement demonstrates its value and impact on the HR community and job seekers in Southwest Florida.
In addition to this impactful work, SHRM SWFL is proud to announce that they transitioned to a DMR Chapter earlier this year.
Serving the southernmost region of the district in Bonita Springs, Naples and surrounding communities is HR Collier. They too are excited for their successful transition to being a DMR chapter. Making the switch at the close of last year, much of the work behind the scenes occurred in 2024. It was a team effort with two volunteer leaders at the helm, Sara Barcarolo and Pam Harriman who were instrumental in ensuring a successful conversion.
Focused on increasing member engagement outside of regularly scheduled meetings, the chapter launched a book club this summer. Named the HR Page Turners book club, their first read was Growing the Elephant. It’s message of increasing innovation, performance, and inclusion by building practices and mindset to meet and stay with what’s difficult was in direct alignment with the chapter’s strategic objective to focus on diversity and inclusion.
Diversity Director Anjeza Osmenaj, has been instrumental in leading those efforts, including ensuring the chapter’s diversity page of the website consistently highlighted meaningful content.
Individually, the work these chapters are doing is more than award worthy, their efforts have elevated the knowledge of Human Resources professionals in their communities and strengthened networks. Together, however, is something even greater.
For nearly twenty years, CCSHRM, SHRM SWFL and HR Collier recognized their strength was in unity and collaboration. In July, following a 3-year hiatus, the three chapters relaunched the Tri-County Conference, the trio’s signature event, celebrating its twentieth anniversary.
Their line-up of speakers, including keynote Johnny C. Taylor, provided evidence-based insights and practical advice on best practices with a focus on real-world strategies and tools for HR professionals to effectively engage and inspire employees, while leading with integrity and ethical principles – and added in a little bit of humor along the way. Supported by more than twenty sponsors and endorsed by SHRM, it was a sold-out event.
The chapters of District 8 have much to be proud of. Whether it’s a milestone chapter anniversary spanning four decades of volunteer leadership to the community; dedication to serving the business leaders in their region to ensure that they are building better workplaces; or fostering collaboration and networking with college students transitioning to the next generation of people leadership, these volunteer leaders are making an impact.
Let us recognize and thank them, for many are working volunteers, serving more than five thousand affiliate chapter members in their region. Passionate about their roles in their organizations, as well as in their chapters. They truly are building better workplaces in their community and making a difference in the lives of those in it.
Well done District 8!
Stephanie Deiter is Chief Human Resources Officer for the YMCA of Southwest Florida. She possesses nearly 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has been recognized for her contributions as a cause driven leader and strategic business partner. Stephanie holds both SHRM-SCP and SPHR certifications, an MBA from Springfield College and a BA from USF.
Her career recognition includes, 2018 Tampa Bay’s HR person of the year, 2019 HR Florida President’s Award for outstanding leadership of her home chapter, Sarasota Manatee Human Resources Association (SHRA), and HRUnite 2022 Community Award. She currently serves on the HR Florida State Council as a District Director for District 8 and is a board member and Peer Community Leader for the Y Professional Network (YPN) for the state of Florida.
Stephanie credits much of her career advancement and development to her involvement in her local SHRM chapter and with the HR Florida State Council.
“I am truly grateful for the opportunities and relationships I have built over the years. My involvement with SHRA and the HR Florida State Council have made me a better leader and HR professional. It is so important. We network, we learn, we grow, and we take that back to our workplaces, committed to advancing our vision: To lead the way and make Florida the best place to work.”
Tri-County conference attendees enjoying a day of learning and connection.
The best of the best of Southwest Florida’s HR professionals lead District 8
Council and District leadership spending a few moments with Johnny C. Taylor
Thank you to all of the community partners whose sponsorship supported the event.