Program Details

Stuart Jackson

Attorney at Wright Lindsey Jennings Law Firm

@WLJEmployment

Stuart Jackson is one of the most highly regarded employment attorneys in Arkansas, whose focus as of late has been on managing medical marijuana in the Arkansas workplace, assisting clients with compliance issues surrounding the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and defending collective and class actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act. Practicing in the employment law field for more than thirty years, Stuart also advises employers on day-to-day compliance with the various civil rights laws, develops personnel policies and handbooks, and crafts employment and severance agreements. Stuart is recognized by Chambers USA, Mid-South Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America©, having been named Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” in Little Rock four times in the last five years in various employment law categories. He is a frequent speaker and writer on employment law topics for HR-focused groups around the state.

Daveante Jones

Attorney/Partner at Wright Lindsey Jennings

Daveante Jones is a Labor & Employment partner/attorney at Wright Lindsey Jennings in Little Rock. He helps employers build healthy and compliant workplaces by learning the unique features of their businesses and providing practical and tailored advice regarding: Employment agreements & personnel policies; Employee & management training; Day-to-day issues like accommodation & leave requests, disciplinary action & termination decisions; Internal, and state & federal agency investigations; Internal wage audits to ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act & other civil rights laws; and State & federal court lawsuits—including class & collective actions—involving claims under civil rights and wage & hour laws, and claims related to employment agreements, covenants not to compete & trade secrets. Daveante helps keep employers educated by regularly writing articles and speaking at events on relevant and timely topics covering employment issues ranging from the intersection of the ADA and FMLA, to wage and hour issues, to trade secrets, to National Labor Relations Act issues, to remote work.

Tim Orellano, PHR

President at The Human Resources Team

Tim is the President of The Human Resources Team, a Little Rock based human resources management consulting company. His consulting firm provides assistance and resources in preparation, training, support and implementation of Affirmative Action Plans with Positive Solutions. He works with a wide and diverse range of industries including banks and financial institutions, utilities, health care, technology, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, nonprofit, construction, and service organizations. He has over 30 years of experience in all areas of functional areas of HR as a Director of Human Resources in manufacturing, service and financial industries and in his consulting firm with client’s coast to coast. He is a top-rated speaker on the topic of Affirmative Action compliance for SHRM and other conferences many other professional associations and conferences across the country. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Member Award from the local SHRM chapter and the Arkansas Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development. He received the Arkansas Human Resources Professional of the Year Award and was finalist for the SHRM National Award for Professional Excellence and the Jim Wilkins Life Time Achievement Award in Human Resources and the Russell Gunter Legislative Advocacy Award. He is the Chair for the Arkansas Industry Liaison Group. He has served the ARSHRM State Council as Professional Development Director and is currently the Government Legislative Affairs Director. As a cancer survivor he serves as a coach for esophageal cancer patients with MD Anderson Medical Cancer Center.

Rachel Jessen, SHRM-CP

Change Management Lead Project Manager at Clarios

Rachel Jessen is strategic HR leader with over 15 years of diverse experience in Human Resource and Workforce Development. Rachel’s education foundation started out with a Bachelor’s degree in English Education and ESL from John Brown University in Siloam Springs and she spent her early career years teaching in these fields in Rogers, Arkansas. In addition to raising her 4 children, she then spent nearly 5 years living and working in non-profit cross-cultural engagement initiatives in Turkey before moving back to the U.S. This experience allowed her to cultivate a wealth of experience and knowledge in global HRD as she learned more about how other people process and interpret the world and interact with others. She spent 6 years working as a Community Business Development Manager with Barnes & Noble before spending time working in adult education at the Northwest Arkansas Community College. After graduating with her master’s degree in Human Resource and Workforce Development from the University of Arkansas, she gained her SHRM-CP and aPHR certifications. She had the privilege of helping found and launch the University of Arkansas’ HRD program’s now annual HRD Summit, a student-led virtual and in-person conference designed to foster collaborative learning experiences through valuable education from leading HRD professionals. She now specializes in talent development, change management, and organizational growth. Her focus is on designing and implementing effective employee engagement strategies and driving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives. She currently serves as a Change Management Lead Project Manager for Clarios. She brings expertise in conducting needs assessments, delivering leadership training, and offering expert HR guidance to support holistic business success. This past year she has enjoyed building NOARK’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee and writing a monthly blog post highlighting a diverse array of DEIB topics and spotlighting Northwest Arkansas HR professionals and organizations working to foster inclusion and belonging. Some of her work has included highlighting Arvest Bank’s Associate Impact Groups, investigating the effects of classism and socioeconomic disparities, spotlighting the nuances of lookism in the workplace, and sharing strategies and resources for how HR professionals can support employees who belong to protected classes. She helps identify unique challenges and the vast array of nuances that exist in today’s complex and diverse workplace. Rachel’s greatest desire is to empower individuals and organizations aiming to develop, whether in training and learning initiatives, organizational effectiveness, change management, or DEIB initiatives.