April 1, 2026 
Upcoming Meeting
APr 9 - Networking / Workforce Development Morning Mingle
This is a great opportunity to network with HR professionals across WNY while learning about a great local organization. You can network with peers as well as tour the Caz Recovery facility and learn more about opportunities for collaboration and involvement.
ask the attorney!
BNHRA is teaming up with Kinsey O'Brien, partner at Hodgson Russ, LLP. Kinsey is an attorney in the Labor & Employment Practice and has kindly agreed to contribute to our Substack with answers to your HR questions. We are collecting questions from BNHRA members via a Google form, to be reviewed and compiled for Kinsey to respond.
APr 16 - Skills and Strategies for the Evolving Job Market
Join the UB School of Management and BNHRA for an engaging panel discussion exploring today’s evolving job market and the skills graduates need to stay competitive. HR leaders and career development experts will share insights on hiring trends, the growing importance of upskilling, and strategies students can use to build resilient, future‑ready careers.
Panelists:
- Jay Marlow - Human Resources Generalist at Dimar Manufacturing Corp
- Daniel Castelli - Talent Acquisition Advisor at Catholic Health
- Beth Cote - Operations & Talent Manager at IBM Buffalo CIC
Price: Free to attend
Apr 23 - HR Leaders Unplugged: Career Stories, CHallenges & Breakthroughs
Join fellow HR professionals for a high impact evening with local Chief Human Resources Officers sharing practical strategies on talent, culture, technology, and the evolving role of HR.
Designed for everyone in HR! From early career professionals to seasoned leaders, you will receive honest insights and create meaningful connections.
Meet our esteemed panelists:
- Dr. Ian Barrett, Executive Vice President & Chief People Officer, Kaleida Health
- Andrew Cianflone, VP, Human Resources, New Era
- Laura Cianflone, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Catholic Health
- Errol Douglas, PhD., SVP and Chief HR Officer, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Julie Kline, Chief Human Resources Officer, Erie County Medical Center
- Ana G. Rodriguez, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Delaware North
- Paul Wilkinson, Vice President & Chief HR Officer, Moog
- Kristine Wydro, Vice President Human Resources, Tops Markets
- Lori Florack, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, The Lifetime Healthcare Companies
Event schedule:
5:30 PM Check in and networking
6:00 PM Panel discussion
7:30 PM Roundtables
8:15 PM Closing remarks
Cost: $10 members of BNHRA and WNY NHRA | $20 non-members | $5 students
View and share our Sponsorship Options Sheet
BNHRA is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. This program is valid for 2.5 PDC for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®.
This program has been pre-approved for 2.5 general recertification credit hours toward aPHR®, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®)
new SHRM series:HR Pathways & Perspectives
April 22, 2026: Talent Acquisition
May 21, 2026: Total Rewards
Aug 19, 2026: Ask Me Anything with HR Leaders
Free virtual sessions. All are welcome!
Apr 30: Networking/Workforce Development Morning Mingle
This is a great opportunity to network with HR professionals across WNY while learning about a great local organization. You can network with peers as well as tour the Journey's End facility and learn more about opportunities for collaboration and involvement.
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!
Register by 03/31/26 and SAVE!
Looking to be a sponsor? Check out this year's sponsor guide and send us a message to learn more about 2026 options!
deia newsletter:
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Newsletter
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 Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace
Written By: James R. O’Connor,
Employers Must Continue to Follow Title VII and Protections Set Forth by
On January 22, 2026, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted to rescind its Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace. This is one of the first acts the EEOC has taken since it achieved a quorum in October 2025.
The rescission took effect immediately. EEOC guidance is certainly an instructive resource for employers and practitioners, but it is not binding law. Thus, the rescission does not significantly change federal law, and employers must remain vigilant
What Employers Need to Know About New York
Written By: James R. O’Connor, Linda T. Prestegaard, Colleen R. McMullen,
Workers Cannot Be Required to Repay Certain Advances, Stipends, or
Does your business require employees who leave before a set period of time to repay the business certain advances, stipends, or reimbursements the employee received—such as for training costs? If your business is located in New York State, a major development in New York Labor Law may apply.
On December 19th, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the “Trapped at Work Act” (the “Act”) into law. The Act, which takes effect immediately, mandates that “no employer may require, as a condition of employment, any worker or prospective worker to execute an employment promissory note.” If any employment promissory notes are executed, the “note shall be null and void.”
Read past Legal Update articles HERE
Corporate Membership Spotlight
Say Yes Buffalo was established in 2011 by a diverse group of community leaders to strengthen the Western New York economy by investing in the education of Buffalo’s future workforce. The mission of the Say Yes Buffalo partnership is to remove barriers to educational attainment, workforce participation and economic mobility for students in public and charter schools in Buffalo, NY. Read more
Did you Know?
- Get Involved and Give Back! Junior Achievement WNY Volunteer Opportunities
- Sponsorship packages available for our monthly events! Check out bnhra.org/sponsors
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.
Other Professional Events
Other Professional Events - be sure to check out this page for many exciting events in WNY!
Job Postings!
Do you have an HR Position that you would like to share with the BNHRA Community? BNHRA Members can post HR jobs for FREE! Learn more here!
