Oct 1, 2026 
Upcoming Meeting
Oct 22 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:
📅 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.
Thank you to our Event Sponsor: Northwest Bank
Thank you to our Awards sponsor: HerHR Solutions, LLC
BNHRA is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. This program is valid for 1.75 PDC for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®.
This program has been pre-approved for 1.75 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
Oct 22, 2026: Inclusion & Belonging
Nov 18, 2026: Talent Acquisition
Dec 15, 2026: Emerging HR Trends
Free virtual sessions. All are welcome!
deiA monthly newsletter:
View the Sept 2026 DEIA Newsletter here
diversity spotlight
Director of Staff Enrichment & Organizational Culture
Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc.
1. How long have you been with your organization, and what originally drew you to join the team?
I've been with Neighborhood Legal Services since 2023, first in human resources and now as Director of Staff Enrichment and Organizational Culture. What drew me to NLS was the passion people bring to serving the community. I have always been equally passionate about building workplaces where employees can thrive, so that connection felt very natural to me. As my role has grown, I've been able to focus more intentionally on supporting the people who carry out that work.
2. In what ways does your organization create an inclusive culture where employees feel seen, valued, and heard?
At NLS, we try to create a culture where employees have real opportunities to share their perspectives and help shape the employee experience. For me, being heard is about more than being asked for input. It's about knowing your perspective is respected and can lead to thoughtful reflection or change. I think inclusion becomes most meaningful when employees can see themselves as part of the culture, not simply participants in it.
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
Selective Staffing Solutions is a full-service WBE Certified Woman-Owned staffing and talent acquisition firm located in Williamsville, NY. We specialize in uniting top local talent with the companies who need them to drive their business forward. We work across all industries with small to large businesses in the Western New York area. 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!
