Webinar: Navigating Reasonable Employee Accommodations: Leveling up to the 2022 Challenges

Kim Jeffers-Whitaker is the Director of Human Resources and Risk Management for Anderson County Government located in East TN. Practicing human resources in a variety of areas (manufacturing, State and Local Government) and serving 25+ years in local government has provided her the opportunity to work in countless areas of HR&RM including recruiting, onboarding, training, employee relations, performance management, leadership training and development, workers compensation, benefits, and safety. Combining the human resources and risk management responsibilities create a broad scope and requires Ms. Jeffers-Whitaker to possess strong leadership and independent judgment on issues that are complex, interpretive, and evaluative in nature.

Outside of her primary responsibilities, Ms. Jeffers-Whitaker has had a lifetime of community contribution through volunteering with programs such as veteran’s food drive, serving as the vice president and secretary of the Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars, and participating with her children through the University of Tennessee Agriculture 4-H Program. Today, Ms. Jeffers-Whitaker continues to serve her community through volunteering that includes job prep through junior achievement classes at local institutes. Whitaker also sets on the Employee Insurance Board of Trustees, serves on the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Advisory Board and is active in International Professional Management Association for Human Resources Professionals by serving on the 2022 Fellowship and Publishing Committees.

Whitaker obtained a BS from Bellevue University and holds HR certifications with IPMA-HR and HRCI. Her designation as an associate professional in human resources (aPHR) through the Human Resource Certificate Institute and a senior professional certification (SCP) in human resources from International Professional Management Association for Human Resources Professionals.

Phil worked for Maryland Classified Employees Association, a union representing state employees for 11 years.  After 11 years Phil accepted a position with Maryland State Department of Education as Chief of Employee Relations.  Phil went from defending state employees to defending management against the employee.  Four years later Phil accepted the position of Director of Human Resources for Maryland Department of Juvenile Services.  Phil has mandated several trainings to create an atmosphere of trust between the supervisor and the employee.  Phil created interview skills training to take out the bias when interviewing and created an objective scoring tool.  Phil also created an employee evaluation training based on his article on How to use the Employee Evaluation to Motivate Employees and understanding what bias is and how a supervisor can rate employees without bias.  Phil also has a training on how to Coach Employees and How to listen to what the employee is saying.

Phil uses his skills as a mediator to assist the State of Maryland, Share Neutral Mediation program and worked as an adjunct facility at Carroll Community College.  Phil has written several articles for IPMA-HR NEWS and has presented at Maryland Public Employer Labor Relations Association Conference, the National Public Employer Labor Relations International Conference and the International Public Management Association for Human Resources.

Phil earned a Bachelor’s in Human Resources from Towson State University and a Master of Sciences in Human Resources Management and Industrial Labor Relations from University of Baltimore.  Phil holds national certifications from Society Human Resources Management and International Public Management Association for Human Resources as Senior Certify Professional and a Certify Labor Relations Professional from the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association.       

Cindy Delgado is the Associate Director of Workers’ Compensation, Occupational Disability, Risk, and Wellness Programs for the University of California Santa Cruz.  

Carl Sells has been in public service his entire adult life. In 2017 he retired from law enforcement after a thirty-six year career as a police officer. He then accepted an offer to serve as the Risk Manager for the City of Cookeville, Tennessee. Earning his IPMA-SCP in 2018, Carl was appointed by the City Manager to replace the retiring Human Resources Director in 2020. Carl holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s degree in Executive Development for Public Service.

Carl’s small staff of four are kept quite busy tending to all things HR. He attributes his staff’s ability to stay current in the ever-changing HR landscape to its membership in the IPMA-HR and active participation in the Tennessee Public Management Association.
Cookeville, Tennessee has a population of nearly 36,000 residents. Approximately 450 persons are employed by the City in a full-time capacity.