Speakers
Faith A. Alejandro - Faith partners with leaders to foster inclusive and productive workplaces.
A trusted partner, Faith offers effective and prompt solutions for a broad spectrum of HR management issues. With a deep understanding of regulations and case law, she provides thorough legal analysis to support her clients’ success. She attentively aligns her services with your organization’s unique legal needs and objectives, helping you achieve your desired outcomes.
Her goal is to enable businesses, local governments, and nonprofits to focus on their core mission, while she provides robust legal strategies tailored to their specific needs.
With a strong background in mediation and dispute resolution, Faith excels in negotiating settlements and achieving favorable outcomes. As a leader of the Sands Anderson Diversity and Inclusion Committee, she brings a unique perspective to fostering inclusive and equitable workplace environments.
Faith joined Sands Anderson in 2011 and quickly established herself as a trusted advisor and defender for employers. Fluent in essential employment laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, she skillfully navigates claims involving discrimination, harassment, employment agreements, non-competes, whistleblowers, and beyond.
Patrick C. Patrong - Patrick Patrong is currently engaged at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts as the Chief Diversity Officer, Assistant Deputy Director for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, and Human Resources Strategic Initiatives. With over 30 years of experience as a public service leader, he has implemented organizational and employee development programs at several state agencies, cities, and universities. Patrick is also the president of Patrong Enterprises, Inc., an organizational and employee development consulting firm.
Patrick served as Training Manager for Virginia’s Department of Transportation on the Workforce Development team. In this capacity, he developed, implemented, and evaluated apprenticeship programs throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Patrick also served as Director of Organization and Employee Development for the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Training and Exercise Division for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Workforce Planning and Development for the Virginia Social Services Administration, and the Division Chief of Employee Development for the Cities of Richmond, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland. Additionally, as an adjunct professor at the University of Phoenix, he was recognized in the summer of 2011- by Faculty Matters Magazine.
Patrick was one of the writers of the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, which provides $140M annually to assist teens’ transition. Patrick also led the initiative to pass the Maryland Foster Care College Tuition Waiver legislation. He has received many awards, including a senate resolution from the State of Maryland and recognition by two US Presidents.
Professionally, Patrick is a graduate of the Virginia Executive Institute and the Commonwealth Management Institute, where he is a frequently requested facilitator. Patrick is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Academically, He attended Grambling State University to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Design Engineering. As a life learner, Patrick has earned a Master's in City and Regional Planning from Morgan State University, a Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University, and postgraduate studies in Child and Youth Studies from Nova Southeastern University. He is pursuing his Doctorate in Strategic Leadership at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia -which he plans to complete on December 9, 2024.
Patrick's recently published book “Transitioning From a Seat at the Table – to a Voice in the Room” is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites. Over the past 35 years, Patrick has enthralled audiences throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean with his keynotes, seminars, workshops, and lectures. His unique presentation style, “Magic with a Message,” translates critical messages into a palatable form - challenging audiences to think and act differently, resulting in the transformation of organizations – one employee at a time.
Shanna B. Tiayon, Ph.D. - Dr. Shanna B. Tiayon is a Social Psychologist and the Founder and CEO of Yes Wellbeing Works, LLC. She has a rich academic and professional background in human centered work, starting with her experience as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, followed by more than a decade as a senior leader in the field of international development as a Director of Finance and Administration and later providing Human Resources consultative services. While in academia she was a National Science Foundation and Ford fellow and her academic research focused largely on mental and physical health in minority populations.
During her doctoral studies she continued to work in the field of Human Resources and she noticed a gap in the training, knowledge and capacities of HR professionals to develop structures that support the psychosocial needs of employees, key drivers of employee productivity. It was at the intersection of her academic and professional experience that Yes Wellbeing Works was born, a consulting firm focused on partnering with organizations to effectively support employee wellbeing. Yes Wellbeing Works has been recognized and featured in the American Psychological Association’s publication and Dr. Tiayon was a Culture Amp 2024 Top 25 Emerging Culture Creator, a global recognition.
Dr. Tiayon also writes on the topic of wellbeing and the ways we may infringe upon the wellbeing of others. Her writing has appeared in Greater Good Magazine, The Guardian, Longreads, Yes! Magazine, AARP, Pipe Wrench, Food and Wine, Narratively and other media outlets. She was a 2019 Best American Travel Writing Honoree and a 2022 National Magazine Award Finalist.
CONTACT: Jillian Waller, Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education
Email: wjillian@vt.edu