2023 SIDES Seminar Headshots & Bios
Wanda N. Alexander, Program Analyst, Benefits Administration, North Carolina Department of Commerce
Wanda N. Alexander –North Carolina Program Analyst -SIDES Administrator serving the Adjudication, Tax and Benefits Integrity units with over 17 years of Unemployment Insurance (UI) experience. Former Business Analyst, Assistant Chief of Adjudication and adjudicator. Wanda received her B.A in Finance with a minor in Computer Science from North Carolina Central University. Wanda enjoys traveling, photography and spending time with family and friends.
Roger Baker, Manager, Unemployment Hearings, Training, and Ancillary Services, Sedgwick
Since 1994, Roger has been perfecting best practices in unemployment cost control. His extensive training and experience have positioned him to successfully manage all aspects of unemployment programs in all U.S. states and various territories. Roger regularly leads training sessions for employers that provides valuable insight on how to successfully implement unemployment cost control strategies. Currently, Roger is a member of the World Speakers Association, the American Professional Speakers Association, the Ohio Speakers Association, and the International Association of Workforce Professionals.
Jeannette Bauer-Westrick, Business Analyst, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
Jeannette Bauer-Westrick received her degree from the University of Indiana in Family Studies and Human development. She is currently a senior Business Analyst with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. She started her career with DWS in October of 2012 and got a strong base learning of unemployment insurance in the positions as Customer Service Agent, Claims Adjudicator, Claims Advanced and Claims Specialist. Jeannette has been a Business Analyst for NMDWS for the past five years. She is responsible for multiple areas with Unemployment Insurance Department analyzing business requirements, side-by-side system technical enhancements with developers, and facilitating communication and collaboration between functional business areas and IT. Current functional areas include Tax Field Audit, UI Adjudication, SIDES, Over Payment Waivers, and Records department.
Jennifer Bertrand, SIDES Coordinator, Montana Department of Labor, UID
Jennifer has been with Unemployment Insurance division since 2014. She started her career as a phone center representative, assisting customers and employers with any questions they have about claims. Jennifer quickly moved through the ranks and is now a Claims Processing Supervisor. The part she enjoys most about her job is educating claimants and employers about the Unemployment Insurance program.
Kris Bowen, Lead Policy Analyst, Washington State Employment Security Department
Kris Bowen is a lead Policy Analyst with the Employment Security Department in Washington State. She has been in her current position for four and a half years. Prior to becoming a lead policy analyst, she was the BTQ coordinator and held that position for 8 years. Kris’s prior positions include working as a claims taker, adjudicator, and as a trainer.
Kris has participated in several projects to help bring improvements to the unemployment insurance program in Washington State, such as participating in the SIDES separation information exchange rewrite project, and as a Subject Matter Expert for the replacement of the WA UI benefits system.
Kris feels policy work can be like trying to solve a giant puzzle where all the necessary pieces must fit together, and she enjoys solving puzzles. Kris knows that in solving these puzzles, she is helpingserve the community in which she lives and works.
In Kris’s spare time, she enjoys sewing and embroidery, and is a huge Marvel movies fan, so it will come as no surprise that she loves spending time with her cats, Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, & Natasha Romanoff (aka the CATvengers), and trying to keep them out of her sewing cabinets.
Kathryn Broekemeier, SIDES E-Response Deputy Administrator, Kansas Department of Labor
Kathryn is the SIDES Assistant Administrator at Kansas Department of Labor. She has spent the last 4 years helping employers and integrated partners with their SIDES issues and questions. Specializing in customer service, Kathryn can effectively communicate while providing fast and knowledgeable responses to assist SIDES employers and brokers, while handling all her other job duties as well.
Over the years, Kathryn has been recognized by her supervisors for the number of employers she has enrolled onto SIDES and her ability to maintain relationships with those employers. Kathryn may spend her days at the office, but it’s the friendships and assistance with employers and integrated partners that gets her up in the morning.
When she is not the SIDES guru, Kathryn is an avid artist and loves spending time doing Diamond Paintings and being with family.
Bill Brueggeman, Systems Automation Analyst, State of Wisconsin
Bill Brueggeman has over 28 years of experience with WI Unemployment Insurance. He has served in a number of roles and is currently a Systems Automation Analyst. Bill also serves as Vice Co-Chair and representative for Region V on the SIDES Operations Committee
Michael Burke, Unemployment Compensation Bureau Director, New Hampshire Employment Security
Michael Burke has been with the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security (NHES) for over fifteen years and in his current role as Unemployment Compensation Bureau Director since March of 2018. Prior to that Michael, served as the Assistant UCB Director, responsible for the payment of UI benefits, and as a Benefit Adjudication Unit supervisor throughout the Great Recession. Prior State service includes Child Protection and Juvenile Probation and Parole. In his civilian life, Michael has worn many hats including that of a small business owner. With NASWA, Michael has a passion for SIDES and currently serves as the Chairman of the SIDES Operations Committee and as a voting member of the Unemployment Insurance Committee. Michael is proud to have the opportunity to serve on the SIDES Operations Committee and to assist in its efforts at improving integrity within the Unemployment Compensation System.
Renee Carboni, Senior Business Analyst, UI ITSC, NASWA
Renee currently serves as a Senior Business Analyst for the Unemployment Insurance Information Technology Support Center (UI ITSC) within the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA). In her role, she has helped states with modernization projects, RFP requirements, and provided training.
Prior to this she has 25 years of experience in Unemployment Insurance working for New Hampshire Employment Security. She last held the position as a Training Supervisor, which included providing UI training to all staff, project management, business process improvement. She was also the SIDES Coordinator and worked on modernizing the benefits system, including system enhancements after implementation.
Tom Crowley, Director, Government Affairs, ADP
Tom has served as a Director of Government Affairs for ADP since January 2015 where he is responsible for relationship management for ADP with state unemployment insurance (UI) tax agencies. He also serves as the current Chairman, Board of Trustees of the National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation and Workers' Compensation (UWC), as well as the Chairman of the UWC.
Prior to joining ADP, he served for nearly nine years as the UI Tax Chief for the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington DC, where he provided national leadership for the Office of Unemployment Insurance to fulfill Federal oversight responsibilities for the state UI tax programs.
Prior to Federal service he served for 30 years in various leadership positions for the State of Maryland in the area of UI tax administration.
He is a graduate of Loyola College in Baltimore, MD with a degree in accounting and currently resides in Apollo Beach, Florida.
Jorie Cummis, CEO/COO, NSN Employer Services, Inc. and ValeU NSN, LLC
Jorie received her B.S. in Business from Indiana University Kelley School of Business. While working as a Human Resources Director early in her career, she received her M.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University. As a Human Resources Director Jorie oversaw the payroll, benefits, and recruiting functions, as well as employee relations. Managing expenses was a key responsibility and, of her many accomplishments, she implemented cost cutting strategies through management of the unemployment administration program, reductions in turnover, as well as analysis and implementation of new benefit plans.
Jorie then joined NSN where she utilizes her pairing of education and experience to service and guide her clients with effective cost management strategies. Jorie reviews unemployment claim activity regularly and provides knowledgeable and attainable best unemployment practices. From separation and the initial filing of an unemployment claim through the Board of Appeals, Jorie represents her clients’ best interests throughout the unemployment claim process. Jorie currently serves on the Board of the National Association ofUnemployment Tax Organizations (AUTO) and is a voting member of the SIDES Operating Committee.
In 2019, NSN, a leader in unemployment claims management partnered with ValeU Group, a leader in unemployment tax management. Together, ValeU NSN our clients the best-in-class service across all elements of unemployment cost management. Through this partnership, NSN provides a multitude of additional employer services to our clients including WOTC, Verification of Employment, and Unclaimed Property.
Emily Duncan, CHRP, Director, Client Administration, Questco
Emily Duncan has worked in the HR Industry for nearly 20 years. She has specialized in the PEO Industry for 13 years with a concentration in Unemployment Insurance management. Emily has held many different job titles within that time frame but she most enjoys her time as Director managing the fabulous team that is Client Administration. In this role Emily is responsible for directing all aspects of UI Management, FMLA, Screening Services and the Worksite Employee Call Center. Emily also serves as member of the State Government Affairs Committee with the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations.
Emily lives in Oakhurst, TX and enjoys spending time with family and playing outdoors with her 3 dogs.
Blake Dunham, Technical Lead, ICON, NASWA
Blake Dunham is the Technical Lead for ICON (Interstate Connection Network). Blake has been with NASWA for almost three years. His primary focus is to help facilitatethe successful transition from mainframe technologies to cloud-native solutions compatible with the Amazon Web Services GovCloud offering. Prior to working with NASWA, his experience afforded him several opportunities to assist with the transformation of heavy technical architecture from traditional solutions into lightweight application logic.
Candace Edens, Director, Division of Unemployment Insurance Operations, USDOL
Ms. Candace Edens has worked in the field of Unemployment Insurance for almost 30 years. She started her career taking claims in a local office and worked her way up to writing policy and procedures for the State of California’s Employment Development Department. Ms. Edens was hired by the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington DC in 2006. During her career at DOL, Ms. Edens’ has written policy and procedures for almost all of the UI programs, including the UCX program. Ms. Edens worked as the UI Benefits Chief in the District of Columbia, where she was responsible for all UI benefits programs. She also worked as the UI Chief in the San Francisco Regional office from 2013 to 2017, where she oversaw both the benefits and tax programs. In 2017 she moved back to DC and is currently the Director of the Division of Unemployment Insurance Operations.
Ms. Edens has a Master’s degree in Psychology and Public Administration. She lives in Maryland with her standard poodle, Nala and her cat, Kit Kat.
Brett Flachsbarth, Director, UI ITSC, NASWA
Brett Flachsbarth currently serves as the Director of the Unemployment Insurance Information Technology Support Center (UI ITSC) within the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. Prior to joining NASWA in 2021, Brett worked at the Kansas Department of Labor for over 15 years. During his time with KDOL he served in a variety of agency leadership roles, including Chief of Appeals, Director of Unemployment Insurance, Deputy Secretary and Acting Secretary. Brett is a graduate of the University of Kansas and Washburn University School of Law.
Andrea Frederick, Chief Product Officer, Unemployment Tracker
Andrea is a self-professed “NERD” who loves the combination of integrity and efficiency represented by SIDES. In her role with Unemployment Tracker, she has worked to build software that leverages technology such as SIDES exchanges to streamline the UI claims management experience for Employers, PEOs, and TPAs. Unemployment Tracker is proud to be the first software provider to go live with all the available exchanges including SI, MPC, EV, DD, ADF and BC.
Lynsey Goins, Senior Business Analyst, UI ITSC, NASWA
Lynsey currently serves as a Senior Business Analyst for the Unemployment Insurance Information Technology Support Center (UI ITSC) within the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA). In her role, she has partnered with multiple states in drafting RFPs, testing and other activities surrounding modernization projects. She, with other UI ITSC staff, has also delivered multiple training sessions, both in person and virtually, to both state and vendor partners.
Prior to that, Lynsey had over 15 years of experience in Unemployment Insurance with the State of Arizona, starting in the UI Benefits Office, and spending most of her time in various roles within the UI Tax Office, including training staff, employer outreach and education and custodian of records roles.
JoLynn Haresign, SHRM-CP, Regional Vice President, Industrial UI Services
JoLynn Haresign is the Regional Vice President of Industrial UI Services. Since starting her career in the industry in 2009, she has worked with employers all over the U.S to provide consultation and training on complex HR issues such as; interviewing and hiring; conducting workplace investigations; preventing workplace harassment; developing employer policies, preparing responses for Division of Human Rights and EEOC complaints, and assisting employers with FMLA and other leave compliance. In addition, she provides employers in all 50 States with Unemployment Insurance claims management services and successfully represents employers with Unemployment Insurance Hearings and Appeals. JoLynn received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Syracuse University in Political Philosophy. She attained her SHRM-CP certification and is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management. Currently serving as an Integrated Partner member on the NASWA SIDES Operations Committee, Communications Subcommittee on Social Media and DEI subcommittee for CNYSHRM.
David Harrod, Alliance Relationship Manager, ADP
David Harrod started his career with ADP in 1995, focused on assisting clients with their Unemployment Claims process. During these years he has fulfilled numerous roles including hearings representative, benefit charge audit, tax rate audit, penalty abatement, business analyst and is currently in relationship management. Prior to joining ADP David worked as a paralegal in the areas of workers compensation and risk management. He holds specialized certificates as a paralegal, business analyst and Six Sigma.
David currently serves as board president of Radiant Health Centers, a non-profit health care and social services agency located in Orange County, California. David has lived in Southern California his entire life and currently lives in the Anaheim Resort District. This means he gets treated to the Disneyland fireworks display every night! He likes to travel and has been to so many great places over the Americas as well as to the Middle East and South Asia.
Kelley Hauschildt, Benefits Bureau Chief, Iowa Workforce Development
Kelley Hauschildt has been with Iowa Workforce Development for over 6 years. She is currently the Benefits Bureau Chief and has held previous roles of Adjudication Manager and Unemployment Insurance Manager. Prior to joining IWD, Kelley was a Call Center Director in the private sector.
Jason Holzbach, SIDES Technical Architect, AEM Corporation
Jennifer Juarez, Operations Manager, NSN Employer Services, Inc.
My name is Jennifer Juarez, Operations Manager with NSN Employer Services, Inc. Having spent over 15 years with the company, I have gained extensive experience in delivering exceptional service to our clients, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
My expertise extends to unemployment law and best unemployment practices, which I strive to grow daily. Currently, I am a member of the SIDES Recognition Subcommittee, where I actively contribute to the development of industry standards.
It gives me immense pride to share that NSN Employer Services, Inc has been awarded the SIDES Seminar Award for Integrated Partners for the last 8 years in a row!
As an avid learner and collaborator, I am always open to new opportunities to work with organizations that share my outlook. Please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter to explore synergies further.
Gregg Kallajian, Operations Coordinator, Connecticut Department of Labor
Gregg Kallajian is the Operations Coordinator of the UI Integrity Division at the State of Connecticut Department of Labor. In his 33 years at the agency, Gregg has worked in Claims Exam, Call Center, Adjudications, Merit Rating, BPC and BAM.
Bonnie Lander, Operations and Policy Analyst for UI, Oregon Employment Department
Starting with the Oregon Employment Department (OED) as an unemployment insurance claims specialist a claims specialist in 2008, Bonnie worked as an adjudicator for a decade before moving to UI Operations in May of 2020. Although the role in UI Operations allows for quite a bit of variance, SIDES Administration and the provision of SIDES support for OED staff and customers are mainstays. Bonnie expects to be quite busy in the coming months and years as Oregon is planning for the potential implementation of all SIDES exchanges within their current modernization process.
Evan E. Littrell, Director, State Engagement, NASWA
Evan E. Littrell serves as the Director of State Engagement at the UI Integrity Center and Director of UI Tiger Team Projects at NASWA. In these roles he leads teams of UI subject matter experts in the design and implementation of innovative UI operational and programmatic solutions. He joined NASWA in June 2017, as a Senior UI Subject Matter Expert and specializes in UI Integrity Operations and Policy Development.
Prior to joining NASWA, Evan spent over 10 years at the Nebraska Department of Labor serving in several leadership roles, including Integrity Program Supervisor directing UI integrity operations and program development. He was also the UI Benefits Director, a capacity in which he oversaw the UI program in all matters of operations, policy, technology enhancement projects, and personnel development.
Throughout his career in UI, he has collaborated with several state, regional, and national organizations to strengthen and enhance the UI system.
Evan attended the University of Nebraska where he received an MA in Political Science and BA in Philosophy, History, and Political Science.
Jerome Lord, Senior Program Analyst, Integrity Center, NASWA
Lauren Mann, Director of Client Services and Program Management, Industrial UI Services
Since 2012, Lauren has worked in the unemployment industry in client services and claims management. During that time, she became a subject matter expert and worked with HR professionals, state unemployment agencies, and NASWA to help companies reduce their unemployment costs while improving the overall integrity of the unemployment system. Lauren has her undergraduate degree from Savannah College of Art and Design and MBA from National-Louis University. She recently joined Industrial UI Services and is excited to be part of the modernization of the UI industry.
Judy Mattinson, Director, ICON, NASWA
I have worked in Unemployment insurance for 25 years. Most of my career was with the State of Utah. I did work briefly for the state of Michigan, prior to joining NASWA in 2018 as the ICON Director. I have worked on multiple successful UI Benefit system modernizations.
Melanie McEwen, Task Director, UI Tiger Teams Projects, NASWA
Melanie McEwen, an active member of the Project Management Institute, has led cross-functional teams in the development and delivery of innovative business goals in Mississippi for 25 years. Melanie has served in several technical and project management roles in Mississippi State Government including service delivery, networking, security, audit, and compliance. Melanie led the migration of legacy mainframe systems to web-based multi-tiered technology, modernized and automated streamlined system processes, self-service, and cloud technology.
Prior to joining NASWA, Melanie served as a key member for REEMPLOY USA Consortia serving as the technical procurement liaison in addition to serving as a key member to InnovateUI Consortium with the states of Missouri, Wyoming, Maine, Connecticut, and Mississippi to determine the feasibility of joint support and maintenance.
Aaron J. Miller, Business Analyst, Syndeo Outsourcing
Aaron Miller is a Business Analyst with Syndeo Outsourcing in Wichita, Kansas. Aaron has 8 years of experience working in Human Resources, with almost 5 years being with Syndeo. His primary focus at Syndeo is building process efficiencies, consulting on technology initiatives and assisting with new client implementation. While at Syndeo, Aaron has led multiple projects to advance process efficiencies including the implementation of electronic onboarding for all clients, the integration of Unemployment Tracker and modernization efforts of the internal Unemployment Claims processing.
A native of Wichita, Aaron enjoys attending football games at his Alma Mater, Kansas State University, visiting and hiking our National Parks and spending time with his French Brittany, Louis.
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Chris Moore, SIDES Administrator, Maryland Department of Labor
Chris started his career with the Maryland Department of Labor in 2006. During his time with the agency, he has held various roles in adjudication and supervision. Since 2018, he has served as the SIDES Administrator. In April 2022, he was appointed to the SIDES Operations Committee for region 3. Chris continues to play an integral part in Maryland's efforts to integrate SIDES into their everyday business processes.
Chris resides in Western Maryland with his wife and son.
Amy Newburg, Project Manager, Unemployment Tracker, LLC
Amy Newburg has worked for Unemployment Tracker in a variety of capacities. She started in 2018 as a Claims Specialist where she was moved to Claims Manager, then to Project Manager. As a Project Manager, she is responsible for onboarding new clients (software and full service), training the clients in Unemployment Tracker software, as well as customer relations. She is responsible for contract renewals, and SIDES representative for the clients that are using the SIDES Exchanges. Prior to working at Unemployment Tracker, Amy held positions such as, Technical Recruiter, Sales, Office Manager, and Executive Assistant to the President and Vice President of an organization. Amy graduated from Central Michigan University with a BS degree in Interpersonal and Public Communications.
Donna Njuki, Reporting & BAM Manager, Kansas Department of Labor
Donna Njuki is the SIDES Administrator for the Kansas Department of Labor. She has been with KDOL for 14 years. She has worked in many roles but currently serves as the Quality Control Manager. Donna loves SIDES so much that she moved it with her to this new role. Incorporating the SIDES platform with quality control encourages further commitment by KDOL to integrity and ensuring open communication with employers and integrated partners.
Joe Okimi, UI Program Supervisor, Nebraska Department of Labor
Joe has been with the Nebraska Department of Labor since 2011. He started in the call center and progressed to management in early 2016. Today he is a UI Program Supervisor and oversees areas such as the SIDES program, data validation, and federal reporting.
Christine Paquette, State Liaison/Senior Subject Matter Expert, NASWA
Chris is the State Liaison for USDOL Regions 1 and 3 and a Senior Subject Matter Expert at NASWA’s UI Integrity Center. Chris started at NASWA in 2014 after working for the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) for over thirty years. At CTDOL she held a variety of supervisory and management positions in both Employment Services and Unemployment Insurance. Her last position with CTDOL was as the UI Director.
Jerry Pectol, Director, SIDES, NASWA
Jerry Pectol joined NASWA in 2011 as a part-time liaison for the states and employers working to implement SIDES. In 2013, he began as the Operations Director of SIDES before being promoted to SIDES Director in 2014. In this role, Pectol is responsible for supporting a national Unemployment Insurance (UI) system to allow state UI agencies to communicate electronically with employers and Third Party Administrators (TPAs). SIDES commitment includes 50 state UI agencies and 30 of the largest Employers/TPAs that represent nearly 50 percent of the national UI activity. Other duties include overseeing a $3.8 million budget, directing the development and implementation of the SIDES system in most states, and facilitating discussions at all SIDES training programs with states, employers, and TPAs.
Prior to joining NASWA, Pectol was the Director of Unemployment Insurance for the State of Oklahoma from 2004-11. During that time, he managed many successful UI technology projects including a new Call Center in 2004. He was also accountable for meeting all performance criteria in both UI Benefits and Tax functions are required by the U.S. Department of Labor.
In 1986, Pectol began working for the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) and spent 25 years at OESC working as a Claims Manager, Office Manager, Area Manager and Call Center Chief.
Ben Peirce, Vice President, Technology Services & Programs, NASWA
Ben Peirce is the Vice President of Technology Services & Programs and a member of the Executive Team at the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA).
In this role, he oversees the State Information Data Exchange System (SIDES), Interstate Connection Network (ICON), and the Workforce and Unemployment Insurance Information Technology Support Centers (WITSC and UI ITSC).
Prior to joining NASWA in 2018, Ben served the citizens of Wisconsin for more than 25 years in various roles within the Unemployment Insurance Division at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
Amy Perez, Timeliness Supervisor, Office of Unemployment Insurance, USDOL
Amy Perez serves as the Timeliness Supervisor for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Unemployment Insurance’s Central Response Division. Among other efforts, the Central Response Division oversees the Tiger Team initiative for USDOL. Amy leads a team of subject matter experts in Unemployment Insurance and Process Improvement that use quantitative and qualitative analysis, program management and change management to help states streamline workflow, adopt new technologies and create an iterative improvement culture. Amy and her team developed a Robotic Process Automation Toolkit that was recently published by USDOL.
Prior to joining USDOL, Amy worked for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) Unemployment Insurance (UI) Division for over ten years. Amy served in a variety of roles with CDLE including the Pandemic Extended Benefits Program Manager, Staff Operational Services Program Manager, Operational Excellence Program Manager, Integrity Task Force Program Manager, Process Improvement Supervisor, Disaster Unemployment Assistance Supervisor and Customer Service Center Supervisor. Amy is best known for her track record of successfully implementing a variety of technology systems and programs from idea to inception, including long term sustainability. In May 2021, Amy won CDLE’s Employee of the Year award for her work overseeing Colorado’s Pandemic Benefit Programs.
Amy received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado. She earned her Project Management certification from Colorado State University and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification from Villanova University. She is extremely passionate about UI and helping states serve their customers while promoting a healthy work-life balance for staff. In her free time, Amy loves to golf, travel and relax at home with her family.
Trish Pesek, BPC Supervisor, State of Wyoming, Department of Workforce Services
Trish Pesek has participated in the SIDES Training Seminars for the past several years as a presenter and attendee. She started her career with the State of Wyoming in January 2006in Appeals. She is currently Wyoming’s BPC Supervisor and UI SME. Previous to that, she was an adjudicator and SIDES Helpdesk. She has conducted multiple UI 101 training sessions for employers as well as statewide Workforce Center staff. She is one of the Unemployment Insurance SME’s involved in the Wyoming UI Modernization project.
Courtney Pontack, Senior Director of Operations / Attorney at Law, Michigan Health & Hospital Association Unemployment Compensation Program
Courtney Pontack is an attorney andSenior Director of Operations for Michigan Health &Hospital Association’s Unemployment Compensation Program (MHA-UCP). MHA-UCP is a third-party administrator for unemployment claims management representing over 700 clients in 47 states.
Courtney began her career with MHA-UCP while still in law school, learning how to process and respond to claims for MHA-UCP. Upon graduating from law school, she started representing employers in administrative hearings, focusing on UI’s appellate side.
In 2013, Courtney began overseeing the appellate division of the MHA-UCP, and in 2018 was promoted to also managing the claims division. During this time, she added the project of developing a new software solution for claims management, and along with her team, she launched UI ORCA in August 2021. With nearly 15 years of working exclusively in unemployment law, she now focuses on oversight of the MHA-UCP program, appellate strategy, client relations, marketing, and technology.
Courtney received her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University (Go Green!) and her law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.
Caroline Pratt, UI Integrity Director, Connecticut Department of Labor
Caroline Pratt is the UI Integrity Division Director for the Connecticut Department of Labor. The Integrity Division encompasses Imposter/Criminal Detection, BAM, UI Tech, and Internal Security. In her 20+ years with CTDOL, Caroline has worked in Merit Rating, GUIDE, Automation Support, BPC, and UI Operations. Caroline is also a member of the UI Integrity Center Steering Committee and a proud graduate of the University of Connecticut, home of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champions. Go Huskies!
Krishnakumar (KK) Raghavan, Technical Architect & Advisor, UI ITSC, NASWA
Lori Roberts, Sr. Manager, UI Program Relationship, Equifax
Lori Roberts is UI Program Relationship (UIPR) Sr. Manager with Equifax Workforce Solutions. In this role, Ms. Roberts and the UIPR team fosters lines of communication with key state and federal UI Program leaders to enhance the integrity of the program through engagement and collaboration.
Currently serving as the Board of Directors Vice Chair for UWC, Inc., Ms. Roberts is a past recipient of the J. Eldred Hill Jr. Award, a national leadership award for excellence in the public policy matters in service to the employer community. During her tenure of 30+ years in the UI sector, Ms. Roberts has been a frequent presenter for a variety of UI Program webinars and conferences, and has been a contributing writer for industry publications such as the Journal of State Taxation.
Ms. Roberts is a summa cum laude graduate of The Ohio State University.
Racquel Robinson, UI Policy and Procedures Chief, Georgia Department of Labor
Racquel Robinson is a career employee of the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) where she has worked more than 20 years. Her work experience includes re-employment services, adjudication, tax auditing, and serving as a lead subject matter expert on multiple UI projects. This career journey lead to her current role as Chief of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Policy and Procedures (UIPP) Section which provides oversight of the UI program, benefits and tax, for the state of Georgia. In this role she has the pleasure and joy of leading a talented group of staff in the UIPP, BAM, Integrity and Customer Service Unit.
Bekah Roney, UI Subject Matter Expert, NASWA
Bekah Roney is a UI Subject Matter Expert on the State Engagement team with the NASWA Integrity Center at the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. Prior to joining NASWA in 2020, Bekah worked for the Kansas Department of Labor Unemployment Insurance program for 11 years.
Billy Rudnick, HR Manager of Unemployment Insurance Services, G&A Partners, Inc
Billy Rudnick has worked in the UI industry since 2003. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida and an Advanced Paralegal certification from Edmonds College. He has held positions as an Appellate Hearing Manager and Government Relations Manager with the largest employer UI TPA. He is a past a member of the Washington State Unemployment Insurance Advisory Committee.
Billy has testified before state legislative committees and provided comment to state workforce agencies on numerous proposed and existing regulations. He is an accomplished liaison with unemployment program leadership at the state and federal levels.
Billy is currently the co-manager of G&A Partner’s Unemployment Compensation Management team. G&A Partners is a full-service HR outsourcing and administrative services provider.
Wendy Sanders, Benefits Services Consultant, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
Wendy Sanders is the Program Manager over the Employer Support Unit for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Her hometown is Tallahassee, Florida, the state capitol. She has over 16 years of UI experience, with the last eight years focused on the integrity of the employer and TPA experience in the Reemployment Assistance program. Wendy manages the process of the Quarterly Benefit Charge file validation, collaborates with Florida Department of Revenue to monitor trust fund totals and tax rates, builds partnerships with TPAs and employers, participates in RA system modernization, manages the New Hire team, and serves on the SIDES Operation Committee and the MPC rewrite sub-committee.
Amanda Seagle, UC Unit Supervisor, Alabama Department of Labor
14+ years’ experience in Unemployment Insurance with experience in Claims/Inquiry, Fact Finding, Adjudication, and Technical Services serving as a project manager for UI Modernization and training lead for the Unemployment Division. Served as project manager for several Pandemic-related initiatives involving UI benefits, including overseeing the training and start-up implementation tasks for deployment of third-party vendor claims intake center. Currently serving as business project manager for implementation of third-party fact-finding services. Alabama Department of Labor management roles include, Unit Supervisor over the Fact Finding and Adjudication Sections and the co-coordinator for BTQ.
Pete Shipman, Assistant Director of Benefits, Oklahoma Employment Security Commission
From the seas of ES to the mountains of UI to the valleys of IT, Pete Shipman continues his amazing race through the realm of the State Workforce Agency. With 20 years of experience at OESC, it’s been a pleasure to have worked in a myriad of positions. Much of my time has been spent in various roles within the UI program. Born and raised in OKC, OK. I often get to places Sooner than others. If I play ball, go Cubbies. If the ice rink is where it’s at, Blackhawks rule. And hail to the Commanders.
Rich Siegel, President, Unemployment Tax Management Corp/AUTO
Rich Siegel is the President of Unemployment Tax Management Corp. Siegel has over 34 years of experience representing employers before states' Employment Security Divisions. Siegel continues to serve current clients as well as sitting on numerous business advocacy committees that relate to unemployment compensation. Siegel also currently serves as President of the national association of Third Party Administrators-The Association of Unemployment Tax Organizations ("AUTO"). AUTO was founded in 1979 to promote, protect and improve the integrity, administration and operation of the nation's unemployment compensation system for all parties participating in the system- claimants, employers and state agencies. In this position, Richard Siegel chairs numerous committee boards, such as Legislative, Standards and State Information Data Exchange Systems (SIDES). Currently, he is a voting member of the SIDES Operations' Committee. In October 2020, Rich was appointed by then Governor Charles Baker to serve on the Advisory Council to lend counsel to the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and Secretary of Finance and Administration in their modernization efforts of the Massachusetts On-Line Unemployment System.
In 2022, Siegel received the J Eldred Hill, Jr. Award from National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation and Workers' Compensation. The J. Eldred Hill, Jr. Award is considered the highest award to be given to a leader in the industry in recognition of outstanding service to the Unemployment Insurance System. It is named for the longtime Executive Director of Unemployment Benefit Advisors (UBA).
Rich lives in the Boston area with the love of his life, his wife Beth, and they have 2 amazing daughters, Monica and Rachel.
George Smith, Claims Processing Manager, Unemployment Insurance, Montana Department of Labor and Industry
George Smith is an employee of the Montana Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Division where he has worked for 14 years. His work experience includes front line claimant support, claims issues adjudication, Integrity Committee member and in his current role as a Claims Center Manager. In his current role he directly supervises a strong team of claims Adjudicators and is currently involved in the states new claims system testing. George is proud and invested in supporting the citizens and employers in the great state of Montana.
Tyler Smith, UI Technical Services Specialist, Idaho Department of Labor
Tyler Smith has worked in unemployment for the past 14 years and has been the SIDES Administrator for the state of Idaho for the past 8 years. He serves as the Region 10 voting member on the SIDES Operations Committee and is co-chair of the SIDES Seminar Planning and SIDES Training sub-committees. In addition to SIDES, Tyler is the federal program coordinator, RESEA coordinator, and Electronic Funds coordinator for the state of Idaho.
Nellie Spangler, Senior Business Analyst, ICON, NASWA
Nellie Spangler is a Sr. Business with NASWA’s ICON Team. Nellie has worked for NASWA since 2019. Prior to NASWA, Nellie worked in various Unemployment Insurance roles over ten years with the Nebraska Department of Labor and during that time served on multiple NASWA policy committees.
Margaret Streater, Subject Matter Expert, UI Tiger Teams Project, NASWA
Margaret Streater is a Subject Matter Expert for the UI Tiger Team with NASWA. Prior to joining NASWA, she worked for the NC Division of Employment Security in various roles, most recently as the Chief of Tax. She worked with the division for many years serving in various roles including Benefits Integrity Chief, Integrity Tax Auditor, Field Tax Auditor, Fraud Investigator, DES Branch Office Manager, and Employment Consultant.
Whitney Swingle, Program Coordinator II, South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
Whitney has worked at the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce for 11 years. She began her career in the Tax Department processing payments and the quarterly wage filing.After a few years, she transitioned to a UI Tax Specialist, then to a UI Tax Analyst. In 2019, she was promoted to the UI Technical Services Department as a TAX Subject Matter Expert (SME). In 2022, she began making the transition to Benefits and is now a SCUBI Subject Matter Expert. Whitney has served as the SIDES back-up for the SIDES Administrator since 2021.
Nidhi Tandon, Project Coordinator, UI Tiger Teams, NASWA
Nidhi Tandon, an interdisciplinary researcher with an M.Phil and MS in Public Policy and Planning, currently serves as a Project Coordinator at the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA). She was previously the Social and Behavioral Statistician at the University of Pennsylvania (CGIR), leading the quantitative research and analysis division. Nidhi is certified in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities, and Equitable Education from MIT, and has additional certifications in blockchain technologies from Wharton and project management from Cornell University. She co-founded and directs a non-profit organization in New Jersey dedicated to enhancing STEM education in underserved communities. Her research focuses on conceptualizing solutions for workforce skills, and affordable housing policies. She has co-authored a book on the digital transformation and the future of work in India.
Richard Thielman, Manager, System Security and Compliance, Integrity Center, NASWA
Nakia Thompson, UI Technical Services - Manager, South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
Nakia has worked for the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) for 13 years. Her career began in Benefits taking claims then she transitioned to an Adjudicator in the local office. After adjudicating non-separation issues, Nakia waspromoted to the UI Claims Supervisor position, which included the Call Center. In 2013, Nakia was promoted to UI Hub Manager. After working in the local office and Hub for several years, she was promoted to UI Technical Services at SCDEW as the Southeast Consortium for Unemployment Benefits Integration (SCUBI) Subject Matter Expert (SME) and SIDES Administrator for South Carolina. Nakia is currently one of two Team Leads in UI Technical Services at SCDEW.
Josh VandeVoort, Project Coordinator, UI Tiger Teams Projects, NASWA
Joshua VandeVoort is a Project Coordinator for the UI Tiger Team with NASWA. Prior to joining NASWA, he worked for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development in various roles, most recently as an Operations Analyst in the QPIT department. Previously held positions in the Benefits division include Program Director and Adjudication Supervisor.
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Maridale Vanek, Subject Matter Expert, NASWA
Maridale Vanek has worked with Unemployment Insurance over 41years. She spent 37 years working for the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission as the Assistant Unemployment Insurance Benefits Director, Chief of the UI Technical Unit, Chief of Benefits, and Appeal Tribunal Hearing Officer. While she held manyhats during her career her true passion was for BTQ, QPI, aka non-monetary determination quality. She served in the DOL workgroup that finally designed a definition for a “Reasonable Attempt” when gathering information for a quality Determination. She spent 2 years working for the US Department of Labor on a temporary special project pertaining to the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act. “Really retired” for several years. In 2016, Maridale went to work for SIDES as a consultant and begin working for NASWA SIDES in 2017.
Caleb M. Walker, Business Analyst, Netacent Inc.
14+ years’ experience in Unemployment Insurance with experience in Claims/Inquiry, Fact Finding, Adjudication, Benefit Payment Control, Employer New Hire Compliance, Tax, and Technical Services serving as a project manager for UI Modernization. Transitioned in summer 2021 to a Business Analyst with Netacent Inc. in the Benefits section and SIDES project team leader.
Katie Watkins, VP of Product and Operations, VerifyToday
Katie Watkins is the VP of Product + Operations and resident Mathemagician at VerifyToday, a technology firm focused on software solutions in the HR space. Specializing in process flows using technological automations, Katie has worked in the HR software industry for 7 years. Katie has a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics (Emphasis in Statistical Theory) from The University of Houston. She has been an Adjunct Professor for her alma mater for 8 years. Go Coogs! Katie has been a member of the SIDES Operations Committee for 4 years and is currently on the committees for the Earnings Verification rewrite and SIDES Social Media Workgroup. In her free time, Katie enjoys making memories with her son, rock climbing, all things Harry Potter, and traveling to new places. Be sure to ask about her upcoming trip to Fiji!
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Janey Watkins-Sondrini, SIDES Program Director, Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Janey Watkins-Sondrini has a Bachelor of Science from Ball State University in Psychology, and her private sector work experience includes office management and ownership in a small kitchen and bath remodeling company. She started UI government work in 2012 at the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Janey has worked in multiple different roles at DWD focusing on work in improper payment recovery, employer benefit charging, and adjudication before being promoted to the SIDES Program Director in 2016. Janey is also an active voice on the SIDES Operations Committee and has enjoyed collaborating with members from other states and the employer/TPA community on various committees charged with improving SIDES processes. Off work, her free time is often spent at the local Indiana dirt tracks watching Sprint car races or enjoying the backyard firepit with friends and family.
Julianne Zawislak, Program Specialist, SIDES, NASWA
Julianne Whitney Zawislak is the newest member of the NASWA SIDES team, joining in October 2022 as a Program Specialist. Prior to that, she spent 14 years working for Utah’s Department of Workforce Services as a Senior Business Analyst on the CUBS team. She worked as the primary SIDES Business Analyst along with testing the State’s internal Unemployment software for six years. She has also spent seven years working in Adjudication, followed by working in BAM and as a Program Specialist and Trade Specialist. Julie has loved working in the Unemployment Insurance field on the state level and contributing to the local population and looks forward to continuing to do so on a broader scale on the SIDES team with NASWA.
David Zemel, Director of Service Delivery, Atos IT Solutions and Services
Mr. David Zemel has been supporting the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program for over 28 years at the Information Technology Support Center (ITSC) and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. He is presently the Technical Manager for the SIDES project since it started in October of 2007. Mr. Zemel is employed by Atos Corporation as the Service Delivery Director that supports NASWA.
Mr. Zemel has an extensive background in Information Technology (IT) development, hosting, operations, and modernization projects. He led the development and deployment of the US Virgin Islands integrated Benefits and Tax system, the UCFE modernization study, and the SDDS system. Mr. Zemel has significant expertise in management consulting in the areas of technology planning and operations within a large professional data center environment. He holds two Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science and Finance from the University of Maryland College Park, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis in Information System Management from The George Washington University, Washington DC, and a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.
