Brooke Lipperini – EMPOWER Conference Panelist Regional Manager, Human Resources, CANPACK US Presentation: Managing Conflict Panel The ability to resolve conflict in the workplace is an essential ability for leaders in any organization. When there is open and transparent processes for identifying, resolving, and managing conflict, it is proven to improve productivity and job satisfaction of employees. In this session, our panelists will discuss techniques on how to engage in meaningful conversations and manage conflict in the workplace. Bio: Brooke Lipperini, SHRM-SCP, has over 15 years of professional experience in human resources, primarily in manufacturing organizations. Currently, she is the regional manager, human resources at CANPACK US, a manufacturer of aluminum beverage cans. Prior to joining CANPACK US, she was the human resources manager at The AZEK Company, a manufacturer of premium building products in Scranton. Lipperini holds a SHRM-SCP certification and has been awarded the Veterans at Work Certificate by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation. She has served on the NEPA SHRM board of directors since 2017 and currently holds the role of president elect. Brooke also serves on the board of directors of Skills in Scranton, the workforce development affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. Brooke lives in Olyphant with her two children, fiancé, and two dogs. GET TICKETS
Jackie Kerekes – EMPOWER Wellness Presenter Owner, The Training Loft Wellness Presentation: POUND Pound is a fun, energizing workout developed through playing the drums. We use light-weight drumsticks to make some noise with a cardio jam session. This workout has you sweating while moving to the beat of energy-filled music. Whatever your fitness level is, join us! We sit, stand, and get on the floor to rock out and burn yours legs, arms, and abs. Bio: Jackie Kerekes is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) certified personal trainer and NASM certified fitness nutrition specialist. She is also group fitness certified through the Athletics and Fitness Association of America and has taught many different classes throughout the area. Her specialties include strength training, core strength, HIIT, Fit Factor, and Pound. Jackie has a life-long passion for fitness and nutrition and loves coaching individual clients and embracing positive results with them. Jackie’s personal training boutique, The Training Loft, located in Clarks Summit, offers one-on-one personal training, small group training, nutrition coaching, and some group classes. Recently relocating her studio and adding a smoothie bar that is open to the public, Jackie is excited to offer healthy, delicious options for a meal or snack on the go! Jackie believes fitness and nutrition fits into everyone’s life, no matter how busy. Exercise in some form every day helps the mind, as well as the body! Whatever your age or gender, there is a fit for you! As a proud mom to four amazing kids, Jackie has the drive and energy to pursue her dream of sharing a passion for fitness, nutrition, and wellness with the community. GET TICKETS
Maria Traino – EMPOWER Conference Speaker Owner, Inspired Studio Presentation: Get Out of Your Own Way Learn how to get out of your own way and intentionally design all areas of your life through brain-based transformation. Bio: Maria Traino is an award-winning, professional brand designer of nearly two decades. She founded Inspired Studio, a design and marketing agency, and is a certified NeuroCoach who works with entrepreneurs to intentionally define and design their version of success… from the inside out. Maria developed The Designer’s Approach, a step-by-step framework for brain-based transformation. Maria naturally approaches life and business challenges the exact same way she would approach a design challenge: with curiosity, creativity, and knowing that a solution always exists. Part of Maria’s secret for success has been understanding that her clients already have answers inside of them—it’s her honor, as a designer and a coach, to help them realize their uniqueness, shatter limiting beliefs, and intentionally create lasting transformation using the power of neuroscience. GET TICKETS
Jennifer Ciarimboli – EMPOWER Conference Speaker Owner, studio BE Presentation: Leading Mindfully: Personal and Professional Empowerment This session offers you practical, wholehearted tools for well-being that are grounded in the real world of the 21st century. Rooted in mindfulness, Jennifer offers simple tools for dealing with conflict, managing stress, leading cohesive teams, and creating cultures that thrive. Jennifer talks statistics on stress and burnout in the workplace, as well as information on how to counter these challenges, at home and at work. Bio: Suffering from burnout after nearly a decade in corporate sales, Jennifer Ciarimboli walked away from her career and her successes to transform her life. She embarked on a journey of deep study, training with world-renowned experts in yoga, the teachings of the Buddha, spiritual inquiry, and mindfulness meditation, opening her heart and mind to a new way of serving the world. Jennifer recognized that if she had access to mindfulness meditation years ago, she might have been better able to manage stress—and from this insight, studio BE was born. studio BE specializes in well-being based on mindfulness and mindfulness-based practices—including meditation, psychological inquiry, body integration, breathwork, and other alternative modalities—taught both on-site and virtually. The goal of the company is simple: to reduce suffering in the world. This is achieved by helping individuals cultivate their own inner-resources, resulting in happier, more resilient people. When these practices are embraced wholeheartedly within organizational culture, it opens the door to unlimited potential for better connection, deeper trust, and renewed creativity—this is the new face of the 21st-century workplace. GET TICKETS
Chelsea Manganaro – EMPOWER Wellness Presenter Owner, Nearme Yoga & Nearme Cafe Wellness Presentation: Yoga for All Come take a break to be present, relax, and get inspired to move your stiff body. This yoga class will be accessible to all levels from beginner to advanced, with an option to use a chair. Bio: Chelsea Manganaro (500RYT) is the owner of Nearme Yoga in Moosic & Peckville, Nearme Cafe, and NEPA Yoga Festival. She has created and expanded her businesses with the idea of connecting a community with the goal to spread as much love and knowledge of yoga and wellness as she can. Nearme Yoga & Cafe creates an environment where inclusion, consistency and community take priority – one yoga class, one coffee cup & Buddha Bowl at a time. Behind every small business there’s a real family, and Nearme Yoga & Cafe is no exception. Owner Chelsea Manganaro always had passion for hospitality in her professional and personal life, and brought her ambitious vision to the local community with the first location of Nearme Yoga & Cafe here in Moosic. Nearme Yoga is a creation sparked by passion and community needs. It is and will continue to grow and morph into what is needed in each and every community it makes it way to. Chelsea left her career with Lockheed Martin in 2019 to pursue this vision 100%. She believes that in a world of ceaseless innovation, sometimes taking the most basic of human needs and providing it to the community can make the most fulfilling life. Healthy, affordable and attainable food mixed with mindfulness and keeping our bodies healthy allows so many people to make their way to better versions of themselves. We have been able to help and change so many peoples lives for the better. This spirals way beyond a yoga class, it is just the start. Having the Cafe and store has allowed people to come and experience the look and feel of the yoga studio without the fear of actually committing to a class. Many people have started yoga because they were able to see the space before hand. Although the goal for the business was always to franchise, it really took COVID to shake up the business model and create what we call is our ecosystem. Find out all studio information at nearmeyoga.com and nearmecafe.com for cafe info. GET TICKETS
Talia Walsh – EMPOWER Wellness Presenter Owner, Quest Studio Wellness Presentation: LifeStretch: Learn How to Stretch for Life! Join Talia, level 3 fascial stretch therapy practitioner, for a guided mobility stretch class. It targets your body’s fascial system to get amazing results with no pain and no strain, allowing you to discover the best path for your body to become more flexible and relaxed. The class addresses the tension throughout your body and then reduces, rebalances, and releases it to help you feel better, move better, and perform better. All bodies welcome! Bio: Talia is on a Quest to inspire others, using her life experiences and knowledge, to become their best self in all aspects of their lives. As an exercise physiologist, entrepreneur, and business owner of two fitness studios, she focuses on empowering others to reach their goals using multiple tools touching on health, fitness, nutrition, goal setting, and mindset. Talia has a passion for speaking in corporate settings, understanding the importance of a healthy work environment, as well as empowering women and college students. Her audiences are captivated by her engaging style. She inspires, motivates, and ignites her audiences to embrace life and reach for their highest potential. Quest Studio is a specialty fitness studio and wellness center that’s been operating for 5 years. The newest location is a yoga studio located in a refurbished church. Talia also created Quest Studio On Demand to be able to impact others around the world. GET TICKETS
Tina Welch – EMPOWER Conference Speaker Founder, Welch Performance Consulting Presentation: Oh, Look…a Squirrel! The Distracted Workforce and Strategies to Refocusing for Resilience People are experiencing an unprecedented level of distraction, and lack of focus in their daily lives. These issues don’t stay outside of the workplace. They impact productivity, safety, goal attainment, progress and quite frankly, enjoyment at work. This session will provide participants with an understanding of what causes distraction, strategies to help yourself become more focused, and leadership skills for you to coach others. Bio: Tina Welch is the founder of Welch Performance Consulting, a strategic human resources consulting firm that helps employers create great workplaces! Known for putting her heart and soul into the organization, Tina takes a practical approach when evaluating any HR system or process, ensuring that it is tailored to achieve the business strategy desired. Tina has more than 30 years of senior leadership experience working with for-profit, employee owned, non-profit, and public institutions in a variety of industries helping shape their organization’s culture and value system through strategic HR and OD practices. She brings all of this experience to bear when working with her clients so that organizations can learn from this experience and adapt the best ideas to suit their needs.Tina holds a B.S. in health policy and administration and an M.S. in human resources training and development from Penn State University, as well as the Senior Certified Professional certification from the Society for Human Resource Management. She has taught human resources management courses for various colleges and universities and is a frequent invited speaker for HR and career development courses, symposiums, and conferences. Tina continues her service to organizations through board membership with several private and community organizations. GET TICKETS
Stacey Nybeck – EMPOWER Conference Speaker Chief Operating Officer, Serve, Inc. Presentation: Let’s Talk About YOU! Diversity is more than just the law and HR; race and ethnicity. It includes culture, religion, age, gender, orientation, and abilities. Understanding your role in EVERY environment is essential to bringing about lasting change in our workplaces and our world. This discussion will help you self-identify your roles to better understand how every individual is an integral part of the bigger picture. Bio: Stacey Nybeck lives in the small town of New Albany, Pennsylvania…known for being the wreath capital of the world, and most recently, famous for when its library was washed into the middle of the road due to a flood that struck most of the town and local area. Currently, Stacey is the chief operating officer at Serve, Inc. – a day training facility for individuals with varying disabilities. Her ultimate goal is to add value to people to help them see their own value. She has worked for Serve, Inc. for 32 years, proud to have worked her way up as the secretary and now the chief operating officer. Stacey earned her bachelor’s degree and MBA while working full-time and raising kids. She loves learning new things and recently became a certified leadership trainer and coach, as well as a certified diversity trainer. Stacey’s proudest achievement (along with her husband of 31 years) is raising two boys who have become wonderful human beings and are now adding value to other people. She’s also proud to be a Mimi to four beautiful grandchildren. GET TICKETS
Michele Morgan – EMPOWER Conference Speaker Executive Director, NiUG International Presentation: Productivity and Efficiency Even in a Remote Work Environment Statistics report a significant increase in productivity while working from home, but how? Kids are crying, dirty clothes need to be washed, there is a sink full of dishes, and there is no food in the house! How can you think about work with so much on your mind? Join Michele as she shows us how to be more productive with her methods, tips, and tools to help you meet deadlines and not be sidetracked by life. Bio: In association management for over 25 years, Michele began her career first with a trade association – the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) – and then as an association manager and executive director of NiUG International. Little did Michele know her career at NKBA would give her the foundation needed to run NiUG International. Michele worked in a hands-on environment within several areas of the business, including; meeting/conference planning, membership, production, accounting, customer service, marketing, database management, reporting/analytics, and content/website management before becoming the Assistant Director of Operations. All of that experience and motivation, as well as her move to learning more about database management, set her up to become the first employee of NiUG International, as their association manager and then executive director beginning in 2004 where she continues to run the company today. Needless to say, association management has NEVER been a dull moment and she continues to learn as she wears the many hats needed as the ED!She truly enjoys what she does, but when not working, she fulfills her role as a mother of three amazing boys (now men) and a grandmother of seven beautiful grandchildren! Life is a blessing, be thankful for what you have and never take it for granted! And always remember… you are in charge of your own destiny, so dream big and work hard! GET TICKETS
Marianne Gilmartin, Esq. – EMPOWER Conference Panelist Shareholder, Stevens & Lee Presentation: Managing Conflict Panel The ability to resolve conflict in the workplace is an essential ability for leaders in any organization. When there is open and transparent processes for identifying, resolving, and managing conflict, it is proven to improve productivity and job satisfaction of employees. In this session, our panelists will discuss techniques on how to engage in meaningful conversations and manage conflict in the workplace. Bio: Attorney Marianne Gilmartin focuses her practice in litigation issues in the areas of construction, toxic torts, product liability and catastrophic casualty, banking, insurance, manufacturing and complex commercial litigation. She represents public utilities, owners and developers, contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers, as well as colleges and universities, utilities, banking institutions, local government, manufacturers and insurance companies in a wide range of litigation matters. She is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a civil trial advocate and is a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. Marianne serves as a commercial and construction arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. Attorney Gilmartin counsels clients regarding risk avoidance and manages construction litigation and dispute resolution proceedings, including mechanics’ lien claims. She has tried and mediated dozens of significant catastrophic casualty cases throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania, including some at the appellate level. Marianne has tried cases involving shareholder disputes, commercial transactions and trade secrets and proprietary information. She also has experience with real estate litigation, including eminent domain/condemnation, quiet title and oil and gas lease litigation throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania, including the Marcellus Shale Region, where she litigates federal claims under the Natural Gas Act. As published in Philadelphia magazine, Marianne was recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer from 2009 through 2020 by being selected by her peers as among the top 5 percent of lawyers in the Commonwealth. She also was a Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal’s Top 25 Women in Business Honoree for 2010. Attorney Gilmartin is the recipient of Marywood University’s Award of Excellence in Liberal Arts and Sciences for 2016. GET TICKETS
