About our Program:

Social media continues to change the way the world communicates and collaborates.  Join Gail S. Perry, Managing Partner at Baylor Evnen, Randy Hawthorne, Executive Director of Nonprofit Hub of Firespring and Susan Merwick, Workplace Consultant/Account Manager for Continuum EAP who will give us insight on the benefits and risks of social media in today’s workplace.  In this session, the panel will share information on topics such as:

• New social media issues that HR needs to be aware of
• How social media is impacting communication in the workplace
• How you can protect your employment brand using social media
• Can social media be used to increase employee engagement in your organizations?
• When an employee becomes out of control on social media, what disciplinary action do you take?
• If your workplace is on social media lock down, how do you regulate mobile usage?; and, if you found someone had posted during work time from a personal mobile device, how should it be addressed?
• Most HR professionals are extremely busy and fear the use of social media will be time consuming. What is recommended as a starting point that takes the least time out of an already busy schedule, but delivers bang for the buck?
• How can social media help save you time or provide you with resources in your role as an HR practitioner

Take home a sample social media policy and get your most pressing social media questions answered in this interactive session.  Register today!

PANELIST BIOS:

Gail S Perry
Currently, Gail is the Managing Partner at Baylor Evnen. Gail’s 25-year litigation practice, solidly grounded in personal injury, professional negligence and employment defense for the firm’s national, multi-line insurance clients, has expanded to include commercial and employment litigation for private business clients and governmental entities in state and federal courts. She negotiates or brings to trial cases of business gridlock, partnership splits, breach of contract, wrongful employment termination, discrimination and claims for unpaid compensation and benefits.

Gail’s litigation skills include an eye for negotiation leverage throughout the litigation process. She is a certified mediator and acts as a consultant to a national insurance client to review and troubleshoot complicated or high-risk litigation with the goal of managing risk and eliminating surprise. She puts a premium on humor, compassion and reality as tools in court, in mediation and in advising clients on difficult personnel issues to avoid litigation.

Gail says she is especially proud of Baylor Evnen’s support for the success of women partners and associates (more than a third of the firm’s partners are women) and its charitable support of Cedars, Lighthouse, and Fresh Start, Nebraska non-profits serving children, at-risk teens and women reentering the work force.

Juris Doctor, University of Nebraska College of Law, 1983
Master of Arts, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, dual law and psychology degree, 1984
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with high distinction, 1980
Admitted to practice in: State of Nebraska; United States District Court, District of Nebraska; United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
Invited speaker on personal injury and employment disputes, including work-place harassment, age, disability, and civil rights claims.

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• Nebraska State Bar Association
• Lincoln Bar Association

Special Distinctions

• American Board of Trial Advocates
• YWCA “Tribute to Women” award recipient, 2012
• Great Plains Super Lawyers, published by Thomson Reuters, 2012
• Super Lawyers Business Edition, Employment Law, published by Thomson Reuters, 2012
• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers 2007
• Liberty Bell Public Service Award, 1997-Lincoln Bar Association
• Robert M. Spire Pro Bono Award, Nebraska State Bar Association, 1997
• Nebraska State Bar Association, House of Delegates, 1991-1999
• Robert Van Pelt American Inns of Court, Master of the Bar, 1987-1990
• Judicial Law Clerk, Hon. David L. Piester, United States Magistrate Judge, District of Nebraska, 1984-1986
• Allen Moot Court Board, 1982-1984
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Author of several articles in the law/psychology interdiscipline
• President, Women Business Owners Network 2006-2007

Area(s) of Practice
Employment Law
Litigation

Randy Hawthorn
As Executive Director of Nonprofit Hub and a Professional Certified Marketer, Randy makes it his mission to help nonprofit organizations implement marketing, fundraising and organizational leadership principles to further their missions.

Randy not only researches and writes on current nonprofit trends, he gets in the trenches and practices what he preaches with several nonprofits in his community. You can see him shoulder-to-shoulder with other community volunteers in activities for the American Marketing Association, Lincoln Community Playhouse, Rotary Club #14, Sheldon Art Association, Community Services Fund, Heartland Big Brothers Big Sisters, TEDx, Leadership Lincoln and Launch Leadership.

For his community service, he’s been recognized by the International Festival Events Association as the Volunteer of the Year. Leadership Lincoln has named him the Servant Leader of the Year and Launch Leadership recognized him for outstanding contributions to Nebraska’s youth. When he’s not helping nonprofits, he mentors students and young professionals, occasionally makes his way to the stage, geeks out on local history and goes on photography adventures.

Previously, Randy oversaw the research and development of marketing products and services for Firespring. As part of his responsibilities, he managed the Firespring brand and was instrumental in designing the culture that garnered the company recognition as one of Inc. Magazine’s Top Small Company Workplaces and most recently one of Lincoln’s Best Places to Work.

Susan Merwick, LCSW
Susan is a Workplace Consultant/Account Manager for Continuum EAP. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska – Omaha and is experienced in Conflict Resolution, Work Performance Improvement Coaching, and Drug/Alcohol Assessment Services. She is a trained Critical Incident Stress Debriefer as well as the coordinator of Continuum’s EAP network of providers across the United States. Susan’s favorite aspect of EAP work is helping companies and managers be the best they can be.