Chapter Chatter
July 15, 2026
Upcoming Meeting
July 22 How to be a Strategic Partner to the Business: An HR Panel Discussion
moderated by 
Kelly Picone
Ceallaigh Leadership Consulting, LLC
The future of HR requires more than expertise in people practices—it requires influence, business insight, and the ability to drive meaningful outcomes.
Join us for an informative panel discussion of distinguished HRBPs sharing how they have built credibility, earned trust, and positioned themselves as strategic partners within their organizations. Walk away with actionable ideas to increase your impact and strengthen your role as a valued business advisor.
Panelists:
Irisa Barry, Director of HR at NOCO
Sue Passmore, Sr. HR Business Partner at Kaleida Health
Bobby Spanziani, HRBP II at M&T
Event schedule:
5-5:30 p.m. refreshments and networking
5:30-6:30 p.m. panel discussion
$15 for members, $20 for non-members, $10 students
aug 11 Tap into networking: A summer networking event at hydaulic hearth
Summer is the perfect time to grow your network, share ideas, and reconnect with the HR community. Dive into summer with an evening of great conversations, new connections, and a relaxed atmosphere at Hydraulic Hearth!
Join your fellow BNHRA members and HR professionals for an evening of networking, learning to connect in conversation, and fun on the patio at Hydraulic Hearth. Whether you're a seasoned HR leader, new to the profession, or looking to expand your network, this casual gathering is a great opportunity to build relationships, exchange ideas, and enjoy a summer evening with colleagues.
Your registration includes:
🍺 One complimentary drink (craft beer, cocktail, or non-alcoholic beverage)
🥨 Light appetizers
🎯 Patio games and plenty of opportunities to connect
🚗 Free parking
Feeling hungry? Hydraulic Hearth's famous brick oven pizzas, craft beer, handcrafted cocktails, and full menu will also be available for purchase.
BNHRA Members: $20 |
Invite a colleague to register and if they join you earn an extra drink ticket. We can't wait to see you on the patio!
July 21 Fiduciary Training Program
This is a free half day training that includes breakfast and lunch plus HRCI and SHRM credits!
Register here: https://www.tpsuniversity.com/event/university-of-buffalo-buffalo-ny-certified-401k-plan-fiduciary-program/
call for volunteers! open positions for the bnhra board of directors
Looking to get more engaged with BNHRA? We are recruiting for these Board positions: Secretary, College Relations Director and Certification Director. BNHRA Board Application Form
cast your vote! Equity in Action Leadership Forum and DEIA Awards
At BNHRA, our commitment is to advance workplaces and strengthen communities — and through that commitment, the Diversity Committee is proud to host:
The Equity in Action Leadership Forum
🗳️ Cast your vote and help us recognize leaders making real impact
📅 Save the Date
Equity in Action Leadership Forum
Advancing Workplaces. Strengthening Communities.
Featuring DEIA Awards
📍 Northland Training Center
📅 October 22, 2026
🕣 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Tickets are $39.99 each.
new SHRM series:HR Pathways & Perspectives
Aug 19, 2026: Ask Me Anything with HR Leaders
Sept 23, 2026: Global HR
Oct 22, 2026: Inclusion & Belonging
Nov 18, 2026: Talent Acquisition
Dec 15, 2026: Emerging HR Trends
Free virtual sessions. All are welcome!
Sept 28-30 SHRM New York State Annual Conference 2026
For the first time in 13 years, the SHRM New York State Conference will be held in Buffalo!
Looking to be a sponsor? Check out this year's sponsor guide and send us a message to learn more about 2026 options!
deiA monthly newsletter:
View the June 2026 DEIA Newsletter here
HR Mentors Needed!
You probably have had a mentor (maybe even more than one!) in your career. If you have, you know what even one hour a month of advice and support from an expert can do. Think about how much that has shaped your success, and how much you could impact the success of someone else going into HR.
SHRM and SHRM Foundation are looking for dedicated HR professionals who have a passion for helping the next generation of HR leaders excel and succeed as they prepare to launch a career in HR. We are looking for mentors to work one-on-one with a SHRM student member for approximately 1 hour a month for three months. The maximum time commitment is four to eight hours (over the course of three months) and you could earn 3 PDCs!
Mentorship is a key way you can support the next generation of HR professionals and help them thrive.
certification prep
SHRM NYS Certification Preparation Program 2026
Oct 3 - Dec 12, 2026
SHRM New York State is offering a virtual certification preparation course. The facilitator, Matt Burr, will lead participants through 11 weeks of material to prepare students to take the SHRM Certification Exam.
The class will meet on Saturdays from 9am-12pm EST between October 3, 2026 - December 12, 2026. The cost for the course is $1,000 per person and the class can accommodate 15 students.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Matthew Burr at [email protected]
To access, simply log in as a member. Not a member yet? Learn more about joining here or reach out to our Membership Director at [email protected]
DAEMEN OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BNHRA MEMBERS!
Daemen University is offering BNHRA Members a Discount on select Graduate programs! Please click HERE to learn more!
Legal Update: Phillips Lytle LLP Alert for BNHRA Members: Labor & Employment
EEOC Rescinds Pair of Affirmative Action Guidance Documents
Written By: James R. O’Connor, July 1, 2026
Decision is in Line with EEOC’s New National Enforcement Plan
Employers with voluntary affirmative action plans should take note. On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it has rescinded several decades-old guidance documents relating to voluntary workplace affirmative action plans.
The now-rescinded documents include a 1979 interpretative rule called “Affirmative Action Appropriate Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” which outlined how employers could lawfully deploy affirmative action plans. The EEOC also struck a section of its compliance manual that was adopted in 1981—Section 607–which included a lengthy discussion about how affirmative action plans could be legally implemented. Continue reading here
Read past Legal Update articles HERE
Corporate Membership Spotlight
Evergreen Health fosters healthy communities by providing medical, supportive and behavioral services to individuals and families in Western New York — especially those who are living with chronic illness or who are underserved by the healthcare system. Read more
Sponsorship Opportunities
Are you looking for more ways to get involved in the BNHRA and reach out to the BNHRA Community? The BNHRA offers a variety of ways to become a sponsor:
Website Sponsorships:
- Website Logo Sponsorship
- BNHRA Home Page Sponsorship
- Career Center Page Sponsorship
- Sponsorship of an Individual Website Page
Program Sponsorships:
- Program Featured Sponsor
- General Meeting Sponsor
- Vendor Table
- Sponsorship of Dessert and Coffee at a Dinner Meeting
- Sponsorship of Social/Networking Event
Learn more about the Sponsorship Options here!
In Transition Memberships
Do you know of fellow HR professionals who are currently in between jobs? If so, please let them know BNHRA offers a NO cost In Transition membership package that includes our Goodwill Fund, sponsored by StaffBuffalo & HRBuffalo!
In-transition Committee
The In-transition Committee connects BNHRA members that are currently in-transition and also those seeking a new employment opportunity with one another, as well as services in the community such as training, career coaching, and networking. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Cathy Lanzalaco at [email protected]
Helpful Resources
Check out our updated In-Transition page HERE
If you are a current SHRM member who is in a job transition, you may request a 3 to 6 month membership extension by emailing [email protected] within 30 days prior to your membership expiration date.
