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Timothy L. Watson, Regional Director for the National Labor Relations Board, Region 16, in Fort Worth will provide a comprehensive overview of the basic rights and obligations under the National Labor Relations Act. The presentation will provide an update on Agency leadership, NLRB jurisdiction, and statutory protections, while highlighting significant changes in law, procedures, and policy over the past year. Attendees will also gain insights into potential forthcoming changes that may impact their organizations.

Caroline Tang is an immigration shareholder in the Austin office of Ogletree Deakins. Her practice is national in scope, and she has spent her entire career representing corporations of all sizes—from start-ups to publicly-held multinational companies—sponsoring foreign national employees, with special emphasis on the technology, retail, energy, manufacturing, higher education, and consulting industries.

Sean C. Urich has been Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Labor and Employment Law since 2006, and has been named one of the Best Lawyers in America since 2021 for Litigation – Labor and Employment. He regularly advises and trains managers, HR professionals, and in-house counsel regarding compliance with state and federal employment laws and numerous workplace issues, including harassment prevention and internal investigations, family and medical leave, military leave and reinstatement rights, and overtime pay. Sean frequently assists clients in preparing employment policies and handbooks, and he has considerable experience in drafting non-competition agreements and evaluating their enforceability.

Sean also defends employers against single and multi-plaintiff lawsuits and arbitrations involving claims of harassment and discrimination on the basis of sex, age, race, national origin, disability, and religion, workers’ compensation retaliation claims, and common law claims for wrongful discharge, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault, and negligent hiring, retention, and supervision. Sean has broad experience representing both employers and employees in disputes arising from covenants not to compete, non-solicitation agreements, and covenants prohibiting the disclosure of trade secrets and confidential information.

In addition to his first-chair litigation and arbitration experience, Sean assists employers in responding to employee complaints filed with various state and federal agencies, including the Texas Workforce Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Department of Labor.

Jamshyd (Jim) M. Zadeh, Esq. is president and owner of the Law Office of Jim Zadeh, P.C. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Zadeh has 37 years of litigation experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury, commercial and employment lawsuits. Zadeh has received numerous awards, including being named a SuperLawyer for the past 13 years, an award which recognizes just 5% of the Texas lawyers.

Zadeh is also an adjunct professor at Texas A&M School of Law, currently ranked in the top 25 law schools in the US and is an adjunct professor at TCU Neely School of Business, one of the top 15 business schools in the US. Zadeh’s courses include Artificial Intelligence and Law Practice Management, Business Law and AdvancedTorts.

Catherine Clifton is a partner in the law firm of Gannaway | Clifton, PLLC. Catherine has more than 20 years of experience working for local governmental entities in Texas specializing in employment law. She worked with multiple local governmental entities as an employment law attorney and also served as a legal advisor for public safety. She spent several years as an administrator in a municipality, where she was responsible for Human Resources, Risk Management, and Payroll. She has advised clients on recruitment, selection, discipline, wage and hour, policies, and grievance matters, including federal and state laws related to labor and employment. Catherine also has experience with general municipal law, utility matters, public information, open meetings, and general governance matters.

Mike Coffey, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, consultant, and registered yoga teacher. He is also president of Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make better decisions about the people they involve in their business. Mike is the State Director-Elect for Texas SHRM. And each week, he hosts the Good Morning, HR podcast.

Eliud Jimenez is a bilingual Human Resources executive and strategic consultant with over 27 years of progressive leadership experience across construction, manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, and sports organizations. He holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management, along with certifications in Paralegal Studies in Immigration Law and  Employment Labor Law, Legal Administration, and Legal Interpretation, bringing a rare legal-informed perspective to HR governance and workforce strategy.

Currently serving as an HR Consultant and as a strategic advisor through Exceptional HR Solutions, Eliud specializes in building HR infrastructure that protects organizations while enabling scalable growth. His expertise spans regulatory compliance, OSHA safety governance (30-Hour General Industry & 30-Hr Construction certified and train the trainer), workforce risk mitigation, talent acquisition strategy, and executive-level organizational design.

Bhavani Kola is the founder of Eclatech Solutions, an AI education and training company helping organizations build practical AI fluency across their workforce. With 25+ years of teaching experience and certifications from NVIDIA, Microsoft, AWS, Google, and OpenAI, she brings both deep expertise and a talent for making complex concepts accessible to non-technical audiences.

Bhavani has delivered AI training for corporate teams, national nonprofit networks, and academic institutions, including a training engagement in Washington, D.C. for one of the country's largest child advocacy organizations. She also serves as Department Chair of Mathematics at TCC Connect Campus and is a sought-after keynote speaker at AI conferences.

Since 1995 Dan Dalton has worked in various HR roles as Trainer, Recruiter, HR Generalist, Manager, Director and Employee Relations Consultant. Dan has worked in the Banking industry with JP Morgan Chase and Southwest Bank, the retail industry with Neiman Marcus and the health care industry with, Texas Health Resources, Voyager Hospice Care, McKesson Specialty Health, Texas Oncology, EVP Eye Care and in manufacturing with Oil States Industries. Most recently, Dan has founded P3:14 Consulting focusing on helping organizations and individuals strive to reach their potential. Dan has held a Human Resources professional certification since 2005 and presently holds a HRCI Senior HR Professional (SPHR) certification as well as a SHRM-SCP certification.

Dan earned a BBA in Marketing with a minor in Economics from Southwestern University and an MS in HR Management from University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Dan has served with Fort Worth HR (local SHRM chapter) as board member and Past President and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Christian Women’s Job Corp of Greater Arlington where he facilitates workshops on resume writing and interview preparation.

Brittney Hale is the Director of People at Muckleroy & Falls, bringing over 15 years of experience in the construction industry. Starting her career as a project manager, she transitioned into HR through training and development and now specializes in leadership development, employee engagement, and organizational growth. Brittney has experience supporting privately held companies through mergers and acquisitions and is passionate about helping employees reach their full potential. She is also an advocate for integrating AI into the workplace to enhance employee experience. Brittney lives in Burleson, Texas, with her husband and two sons and enjoys hiking and gardening in her free time.