GMVHRA upcoming events

Core Skills for Productive Conflict Engagement (10 Sep 2026)

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Remote Meeting

8:00 AM - 8:15 AM Networking Opportunity

8:15 AM - 8:30 AM Welcome from Jennifer Vining

8:30 AM - 8:55 Legal Update and Q&A with our Legislative Director Debra Dyleski-Najjar, Esquire

9:00 - 10:30 Program

1.5 SHRM & HRCI credits pending

TOPIC: "Core Skills for Productive Conflict Engagement"

Designed for professionals who routinely navigate workplace tensions, this session introduces the foundational skills needed to engage conflict constructively and reduce escalation. Through brief, practical interactive exercises, participants will examine the root causes of conflict, compare different conflict-management styles, and learn techniques for uncovering the underlying interests that lead to sustainable, mutually beneficial outcomes.

HR managers, consultants, and employment lawyers will gain fresh insights they can apply immediately in their work, from handling individual disputes to guiding organizational culture. The session also highlights other tools and resources available to strengthen internal conflict-resolution capacity and support healthy, resilient workplaces.

Our Speaker: Anya McDavitt and Laura Weiss

Anya McDavitt:

Anya is the Executive Director of The Resolution Center where she draws on a rich background in community engagement, nonprofit management, and experiential education. Her career began in youth development, leading programs in service learning, civic engagement, intercultural relations, and violence prevention. Across these roles, Anya has empowered individuals to make healthy, values-driven choices for themselves, their communities, and the environment. Anya is a trained mediator and violence prevention specialist, holding a B.A. in Applied Sociology and an M.A. in Intercultural Relations with a concentration in conflict management. Her broad experience gives her a deep, firsthand understanding of conflict transformation and the power of inclusive dialogue.

Laura Weiss:

For over 25 years Laura has partnered with global brands and their leaders to navigate change, spark innovation, and realize their goals. Originally trained and licensed as an architect, Laura’s own change story began when she left architectural practice to focus on the broader world of innovation. In addition, Laura has held teaching appointments at the University of Virginia, the California College of the Arts, and the Yale University School of Architecture, and has been a director on several nonprofit boards including the American Institute of Architects’ Strategic Council, Public Architecture, and the Yale Alumni Association’s Board of Governors. After serving as a Principal in Korn Ferry’s Leadership and Professional Development practice, Laura launched her private practice as an executive coach and leadership development consultant. Laura earned a B.Arch. with honors from Cornell University, an M.Arch. from Yale University, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. A lifelong learner, she holds a Professional Certificate in Mediation and Applied Conflict Studies from Champlain College in Burlington, VT, her CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach) credential through CTI and is a PCC (Professional Certified Coach) with The International Coaching Federation.

Our Sponsor: Interesting in Sponsoring? Contact Julie Moore at jmoore@employmentpg.com

Location: Webinar

For more information:

Contact: Caitlin Clary

Email: cclary@borislow.com

Drop here!

Communicating Up with Presence and Impact (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Remote Meeting

8:00 AM - 8:15 AM Networking Opportunity

8:15 AM - 8:30 AM Welcome from Amy Sabato

8:30 AM - 8:55 Legal Update and Q&A with our Legislative Director Debra Dyleski-Najjar, Esquire

9:00 - 10:30 Program

1.5 SHRM & HRCI credits pending

TOPIC: "Communicating Up with Presence and Impact"

The room isn't always a room. It might be a report, an email, or a five-minute update. Communicating up comes down to presence, clarity, and the ability to say the true thing simply, even when time is short.

What the session covers:

• Understanding the audience: reading what a leader actually needs to hear, whatever the channel

• Leading with the conclusion: the point first, the reasoning second

• Building trust fast: what earns credibility quickly, and what quietly erodes it

• Holding your ground with composure: pushing back or naming a hard truth without costing the relationship

• Two live scenarios: real practice, real-time feedback

What participants leave with:

A sharper structure for high-stakes communication, steadier presence under potential scrutiny, and language ready the next time they need to influence a decision upward.

Our Speaker: Deb Kaplan

Deb Kaplan is an organizational performance guide and a full-suite Dale Carnegie Trainer with over 35 years of experience helping people, teams, and organizations thrive through change. While her work reaches global audiences, her primary focus is on organizations based in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. She is a credentialed leader of Human by Design: Future Proofing Yourself in an AI-Driven World, a Dale Carnegie program designed in partnership with Matt Britton, author of Generation AI. Deb is known for her insight, empathy, and practical wisdom, energy, and grit—with a passion for seeing her clients soar. She has served on HR teams for three global businesses headquartered in New England. In 2022, she returned to where she got her start—working with leaders and organizations to realize strategic and people-centric transformations. Her mission is to elevate human capabilities in ways that align with the positive changes people and organizations want and need to make in the world.

Our Sponsor: Interesting in Sponsoring? Contact Julie Moore at jmoore@employmentpg.com

Location: Webinar

For more information:

Contact: Caitlin Clary

Email: cclary@borislow.com

Drop here!

Evening of Networking (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Join us for an evening of networking at The Irish Cottage in Methuen for good food, great drinks, and a fun, relaxed evening with fellow HR professionals!!

We’re planning something a little different this time — an interactive and fun evening designed to get everyone involved, meet some new people, reconnect with colleagues, and have a few laughs along the way. We’re going to keep the details under wraps for now, but we think you’ll enjoy what we have planned!

When: Thursday, October 1, 2026 - 5:30 - 8:30 pm

Where: The Irish Cottage

17 Branch St.

Methuen, MA 01844

Members: Complimentary (Includes two drink tickets)

Non Members: $10 (Includes two drink tickets)

All attendees must register as space is limited!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Communicating with Peers and Direct Reports (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Thursday, November 5, 2026

Remote Meeting

8:00 AM - 8:15 AM Networking Opportunity

8:15 AM - 8:30 AM Welcome from Amy Sabato

8:30 AM - 8:55 Legal Update and Q&A with our Legislative Director Debra Dyleski-Najjar, Esquire

9:00 - 10:30 Program

1.5 SHRM & HRCI credits pending

TOPIC: "Communicating with Peers and Direct Reports"

Some of the most important conversations we have are not with clients or leadership. They are with the peer whose priorities may look like they are competing with ours, or the direct report who needs honest feedback delivered well.

At first glance, those differences can feel like friction. But with effective communication, we strengthen connection, work toward alignment, and turn what looked like competing priorities into real collaboration.

What the session covers:

• Understanding what makes communication land differently with peers versus direct reports

• Practicing language that builds trust and alignment, even when priorities seem to compete

• Strengthening the ability to collaborate across roles and reporting lines

• Building confidence for the conversations people tend to put off

• Apply to

What participants leave with:

Sharper language, stronger tools, and the confidence to lead from where they stand, starting with the very next conversation on their calendar.

Our Speaker: Deb Kaplan

Our Sponsor: Interesting in Sponsoring? Contact Julie Moore at jmoore@employmentpg.com

Location: Webinar

For more information:

Contact: Caitlin Clary

Email: cclary@borislow.com

Drop here!