About Our Breakout Session Speakers

Amber Johnson

Founder, Bright Threads Leadership Group

Mastering the Art of Feedback Without the Drama

Dr. Amber Johnson is the founder of Bright Threads Leadership Group. She is an executive advisor and leadership coach who works with organizations of all sizes to enhance collaboration, shape culture, improve communication, and drive results.

Previously, Amber spent 11 years with the Center for Values-Driven Leadership at Benedictine University, including six years as the Chief Communications Officer. She worked in marketing for World Vision, was a US Peace Corps volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga, a public relations consultant, and a university editor.

Amber is a TEDx speaker and an author – you can find her work at Forbes.com, Psychology Today, Smartbrief, and in her newsletter, Better Than Fine. She holds a PhD in leadership, two degrees in communications, and (relevant to today’s group) is a Central Illinois native and a graduate of Warrensburg-Latham High School.

Annie Monyok

Founder, Monyok Leadership

Jerks at Work: How to improve the overall accountability for short, disrespectful, or impersonal communication within the team.

Annie Monyok is the Founder and CEO of Monyok Leadership, a consulting firm focused on smart strategies, strong teams and standout brands. With nearly 15 years of experience, Annie partners with organizations to solve complex challenges, strengthen teams, and drive meaningful results. Known for blending practical strategy with a people-first approach, she is a trusted advisor, facilitator, and executive coach for leaders navigating high-stakes decisions.

Julienne Shields

Director – Center for Entrepreneurship
Millikin University

HR’s Role in AI‑Driven Layoffs and Reskilling Trade‑Offs

Julienne Shields is the Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and a Clinical Instructor at Millikin University, where she returned in 2025 after serving as President and CEO of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE). In this role, she led national efforts to advance entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship, and practice.

Shields previously served as Director of Millikin’s Center for Entrepreneurship from 2015 to 2020, where she built innovative programs bridging arts and entrepreneurship. She has authored and edited books on arts entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education, advocating for safe spaces where educators can infuse entrepreneurship into diverse disciplines.

Her entrepreneurial journey includes launching a technology startup at the University of Illinois’ EnterpriseWorks incubator, pioneering educational innovation in K-12 settings as Extended Learning Coordinator for Decatur Public Schools, and working in computer software consulting. She holds a B.A. in Classics (Archaeology) and History from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from Millikin University which is foundational to her belief in the value of humanities and history as part of the entrepreneurial experience.

Most recently, Shields founded Silver Uprising, a movement redefining life after 50 through an online support and positive image venture, demonstrating that entrepreneurial reinvention knows no age limits.

A mother of four, Shields brings her passion for reimagining possibilities to every endeavor, whether leading global entrepreneurship programs or breaking barriers in the modeling industry.

Heather Zeigler Acerra

Employee Benefits Consultant, Cottingham & Butler

Meeting Employee Expectations in 2026: Smart Benefits Strategies That Control Costs and Support Retention

Heather Acerra is a Group Benefits Consultant with Cottingham & Butler, bringing 20+ years of HR leadership experience to her work with employers. She helps HR teams and CFOs simplify and strengthen their benefits strategy through practical, data-informed guidance. Heather also serves as the College Relations Director for Illinois State SHRM and the HRA of Greater Oak Brook, supporting the next generation of HR leaders. Known for her engaging and actionable style, she delivers sessions that equip attendees with clear, real‑world takeaways.

Jeff Risch

Attorney, Amundsen Davis, LLC

2026 Legal Update

As Co-chair of Amundsen Davis LLC’s Labor and Employment Practice Group, Jeff oversees a team providing comprehensive counsel to employers across the country. His practice emphasizes all aspects of management side labor and employment litigation in addition to traditional labor matters. His practice focuses heavily on advising employers on how to effectively manage and avoid problems. However, he is also an accomplished litigator, taking several prominent cases successfully through arbitration, trial, and when necessary, appeal. Jeff is a prolific author and speaker. He often creates presentations on trending topics in labor and employment at the request of clients and various educational services. He is also regularly recognized by his peers as one of the leading management-side attorneys in the country.

Tami Ireland

System Director, Colleague Relations, Health and Compliance, Memorial Health

Tentative – From Burnout to Balance: Supporting HR Professionals

Katherine Del Rosario

Immigration Attorney, Davis & Campbell

Federal and State Legal Updates That You Need to Know About

Katherine Del Rosario is an Immigration Attorney at Davis & Campbell’s Chicago office. Born to Filipino immigrants, Katherine carries a deep respect for the culture, history, and dignity of her clients. Her experience includes both employment and family-based immigration matters. She has represented a diverse range of employers, from new start-ups to established multinational corporate clients, and helped families stay together to build a brighter future in the United States.

Katherine earned her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, and her B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Washington. During law school, she co-founded Alliance for Immigrant Neighbors (AIN), which provides direct service representation and community education to low-income families in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.
Before joining Davis & Campbell, Katherine built her career at several leading immigration law firms and non-profit organizations in Chicago.

Michael Engelhardt

Vice President, Benefits Consulting, Alera Midwest

Emotional Wellness & Mental Health in the Workplace

Michael specializes in working with mid-market employers to provide their employees with the best benefits at the right cost. He is a problem-solver and provides innovative solutions that deliver his clients with the best outcomes. Michael created a unique approach to addressing his clients healthcare challenges, which leverages the principles of LEAN, to improve efficiencies and drive greater outcomes. Over his 30 years in the industry, his LEANBenefits approach has ensured his clients receive the best return on their investment from their benefit program.

Michael is involved in all aspects of negotiations, plan architecture, contribution strategy, carrier selection, employee communication, and ongoing support. His clients appreciate his high attention to detail, responsiveness to issues or questions, and his ability to provide reliable data to make informed decisions. Michael’s creative and progressive ideas have helped many employers save millions of dollars while maintaining a rich benefit offering.