Community Spotlight – District 5
By Tawnya Titus, SHRM-CP, PHR
Volusia/Flagler SHRM (Volusia/Flagler), SHRM Greater Orlando, and Space Coast Human Resources Association (SCHRA) make up District 5 of HR Florida. District 5 is doing BIG THINGS!
Volusia / Flagler SHRM:
As always, the VF SHRM chapter remains dedicated to serving our community. Our members have graciously donated pet food and hygiene products to groups supporting the elderly and school-age girls in need. We are also slotted for several volunteer opportunities, including the Special Olympics and Miracle League, as well as assisting in a soft skills fair as part of the Volusia County Schools Workforce Expo.
We recently hosted a half-day program on Employee Retention, presented by none other than Dick “The Turnover Expert” Finnegan himself! The best-selling author of The Stay Interview shared vital statistics and trends, but also taught members how to improve retention through the use of the Stay Interview and its impact on employee trust and engagement.
Our Inclusion & Diversity chair facilitated a newly launched Book Club focused on creating conversations around inclusion in the workplace. We started with This Land Is Our Land: An Immigrant’s Manifesto by Suketu Mehta, a compelling exploration of immigration and global perspectives. The discussions are planned to continue throughout the year.
Our chapter was the recent recipient of both the Learning System Champion and Top 25 SHRM Foundation Giving Chapter awards for 2024. We also won the HR FL Community Impact Award for the third straight year!
Finally, the chapter continues the New Member Breakfasts, Legislative Updates, and expanding relationships with local colleges. Lots of exciting new – and legacy – initiatives happening with Volusia / Flagler SHRM!!
SHRM Greater Orlando:
SHRM Greater Orlando is dedicated to giving back to the community through meaningful acts of service. In December 2024, SHRM Greater Orlando and its members demonstrated incredible generosity by assembling over 60 Welcome Home Kits filled with full-size, high-quality hygiene items for clients of Operation New Hope. These thoughtful donations provide essential supplies while ensuring that individuals impacted by the justice system feel respected and supported as they transition back into the workforce. While the total value of these donations is difficult to determine since chapter members contributed products rather than dollars, estimates range between $1,800 and $3,000. Kiara Rucker, Senior Manager of Community & Workforce Development at Operation New Hope, shared that the participants in their Completer’s class, who received the first donations, were “ecstatic!” This initiative reflects our commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others and will continue through 2025.
Space Coast HR:
Space Coast HR’s 2024 focus was seniors, and we partnered all year with Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation, Inc. (home of Joe’s Club). On Veterans’ Day, we paid a special visit to honor those who served. We finished the year with a holiday gathering where we hosted a holiday-themed crossword puzzle and provided colored pencil boxes for them.
Building on our focused themed success from last year, our 2025 theme is Veterans. We started by collecting and filling 30 American Flag backpacks with essential items for homeless Veterans in need. We partnered with the Cocoa Beach Elks Lodge 2387 and sponsored three Veteran families to make their Christmas a little bit brighter. Next, we assisted the Elks Lodge in taking homeless and transitioning Veterans shopping for a Welcome Home kit.
Our monthly speaker series started in January where we coordinate for a local not-for-profit to highlight their organization. In January, we hosted Vanessa Vinicombe, from The Arc of Space Coast, who gave a heartfelt presentation on their mission and how they serve homeless and disabled Veterans in our community. February, Angela Neal, provided business resources for hiring Veterans to assist in getting our Veteran population back to work. Wrapping up the first quarter of the year, Tangi Combs from Love INC (love in the name of Christ), explained all the great things and services they provide while highlighting Veterans they have assisted. We have many more events around the community, and we have recently partnered with the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery to volunteer at a few of their upcoming events.
Tawnya Titus, SHRM-CP, PHR
Tawnya is Human Resource Director with Teledyne Marine in Daytona Beach Florida. She has been in the Human Resource, Management, Recruiting, and Staffing field in Volusia, Flagler and Seminole Counties for over twenty-three years.
Tawnya has been a member of SHRM since 2011. She obtained her Professional in Human Resources Certification in 2014, her SHRM-CP Certification in 2015, and her Certified Staffing Professional Designation in 2019. She has previously served on the Volusia Flagler SHRM Board in 2022 and 2023 as Chapter President, 2021 as President-elect and 2018 and 2019 as the VP of Finance. She is also an active member of The Volusia Manufacturing Association.
Tawnya is passionate about connecting with people in her community and learning new things.