2024 UI SIDES Seminar Headshots & Bios
Scotty Gunther, Keynote Speaker - Sponsored by FAST Enterprises
Scotty Gunther's 25-year overnight success story is an ongoing journey. Born in Michigan, Scotty Gunther is a humorist, comedian, author, speaker, emcee, and award-winning syndicated radio host. His unique combination of original voice, ability to connect, improvisation, innovation, and an authentic view on relationships and life has captured the attention of audiences throughout the U.S. and Canada.
On the radio, Scotty Gunther is hilarious yet insightful and can be heard giving humorous and ridiculous relationship advice to women, and some sensitive men…all two of them. Scotty had the highest (age 18-34) rated top-40 afternoon show in the country before leaving to concentrate on his live performance. Now he can be heard on his "Funny Feelings" with Scotty Gunther Podcast featured on iHeartRadio with over 34 million registered listeners, weekly on My Skating Podcast, and every Monday-Friday 3pm to 6pm on 107.9 CDY in Michigan!
Scotty has written six books, and his viewpoint has been featured in national self-help magazines and newspapers throughout the US. On stage Scotty Gunther has performed at more then 2,000 colleges, corporations, conferences and private shows. He was named the Top Emcee in North America for 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 by Gigmasters.com Scotty Can be seen performing his highly sought after program: The Co-Workers' Challenge, Relaughsation, and Show Business Is YO' Business at corporate events and conferences across the country.
Michelle Beebe, Deputy Administrator, Office of Unemployment Insurance, USDOL
Michelle Beebe serves as the deputy administrator of the Office of Unemployment Insurance in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. She joined the federal government in December 2019 as director of the Division of Legislation and assumed her current role in July 2022. Prior to her federal service, Michelle oversaw the Unemployment Insurance programs in Utah and then in Michigan –two states of very different sizes and methods of administration. In that role, she chaired the NASWA UI Committee 2017-2018.Michelle also served with the national UI Integrity Center, first as a member of the steering committee and then as a senior subject matter expert in coordinating state intensive services. Michelle earned a Bachelor of Science in philosophy and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Utah.
Jennifer Bertrand, SIDES Coordinator, Montana Department of Labor
Jennifer has been with Unemployment Insurance division since 2014. She started her career as a phone center representative and quickly moved through the ranks, eventually becoming a Claims Processing Supervisor. Jennifer has been the SIDES Coordinator for Montana since 2019. The part she enjoys most about her job is educating claimants and employers about the Unemployment Insurance program.
Melody Branigan, Director, IT & Security, PeopleSystems NEC
Melody Branigan joined PeopleSystems in 2011 to integrate SIDES into their proprietary Unemployment Claims Processing System and is currently their Director of IT and Security. Melody’s background and passion is software development with a focus on extensibility. Originally from Delaware she is a SUNY graduate and has been in Syracuse NY for over 20 years. When not checking SIDES logs she is an avid dancer and kayaker.
Bill Brueggeman, Systems Automation Analyst, Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance
Bill Brueggeman has over 30 years of experience with Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance. He has served in a number of different roles and is currently a Systems Automation Analyst. Bill is the representative for Region V on the SIDES Operations Committee.
Michael Burke, Director, Unemployment Compensation Bureau, 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.
Nick Carter, Bureau Chief of Infrastructure and Operations, Iowa Workforce Development
Nick Carter currently serves as the Bureau Chief of Infrastructure and Operations at Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and has been leading the IT infrastructure team since 2021. In this role Nick is responsible for all the infrastructure and end user services that support critical workforce programs and services to ensure IWD is positioned to meet State and organizational goals. This includes Unemployment Insurance, Workforce Services, American Job Center network, and LMI.
Nick has been with the State of Iowa for 18 years and has a background in networking and network security. Nick has expanded his knowledge and skills in to cloud technologies, leading the way to modernize how IWD provides service delivery to its customers. During the pandemic he led efforts to successfully deliver remote working services, and led IWD’s effort to modernize the Unemployment Insurance contact center to migrate to AWS’ Connect offering. Subsequently, Nick has led and coordinated multiple efforts surrounding cloud infrastructure and how it can be leveraged to support IWD operations. IWD is currently migrating data center resources to AWS and also has a significant role in ongoing Unemployment Insurance benefits and tax modernization efforts.
Nick lives in the Des Moines metro area with his wife and son and has a daughter on the way!
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, Director, Client Administration, Questco
With 20 years of dedicated experience in Human Resources, including a notable 14-year tenure in the Professional Employer Organization (PEO) industry, Emily Duncan has cultivated a reputation as a seasoned expert. Throughout her career, she has focused on key areas such as Unemployment, FMLA compliance, Screening Services, and the establishment of the Worksite Employee Call Center, consistently delivering top-notch solutions and guidance to clients and colleagues alike.
In addition to their professional achievements, Emily actively contributes to industry advocacy as a member of the State Government Affairs Committee and NAPEO Gives Back initiative. Her passion for advancing the field and dedication to giving back to the community underscores their commitment to making a meaningful impact in Human Resources and beyond.
Blake Dunham, Technical Lead, ICON, NASWA
Blake Dunham is the Technical Lead for ICON (Interstate Connection Network). Blake joined NASWA in 2020. His primary focus is to help facilitate the 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 many 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 is the Director of the Division of UUI Operations in the US Department of Labor. She has worked in the field of Unemployment Insurance for over 28 years. She has worked in the UI field for over 30 years. Ms. Edens has worked in two States, as well as the US Department of Labor Regional Office and the National Office. She currently manages the Division that provides oversight and policy recommendations for the Tax program as well as most of the UI Benefit programs.
Ms. Edens has a Master’s degree in Psychology and Public Administration. She lives in Maryland with her standard poodle, Nala, and her grey tabby, 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.
Tameka Fountaine, Unemployment Hearings Representative, Justworks
As an Unemployment Hearings Representative at Justworks, Tameka Fountaine specializes in advocating for fair and accurate determinations for thousands of PEO clients and their employees. With a robust background spanning almost two decades in unemployment insurance consulting, benefit charge auditing, and process and policy development, she possesses an in-depth understanding of unemployment regulations nationwide. Her areas of focus encompass reviewing and preparing claims cases and representing clients in unemployment hearings, ensuring statutory/regulatory compliance and fair outcomes.
As an Unemployment Claims/Hearing Representative she has worked in industries spanning logistics to health care and for Professional Employer Organizations including Justworks, Co-Advantage and TriNet. Last year she represented 67 clients in hearings, shielding them from hundreds of thousands of dollars in liability. Beyond hearing representation, she providescomprehensive support to clients, internal teams and vendors, addressing inquiries and issues related to unemployment. She actively contributes to enhancing service quality and efficiency by developing internal training resources and expanding the knowledge base.
Driven by a mission to facilitate direct and efficient communication with state agencies, she iscommitted to aiding Justworks in maintaining TPA and Broker status for its clients and members.
Tameka is a FloriJerseyan who shed her parka for tank tops and sandals 20 years ago. She currently lives and works in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. When she isn’t maintaining the integrity of the unemployment process she enjoys opera, theatre, museums and decorating her newly purchased home.
Kris Funk, Unemployment Insurance Administrator, Wyoming Department of Workforce Services
Kris Funk began her work in the Unemployment Insurance program in Wyoming in 2007 as a Compliance Auditor. Because Wyoming is a monopolistic state this work involved not only Unemployment Insurance but also Workers’ Compensation. She eventually moved on to perform joint tax/premium audits as well. In 2012, she became the UI Tax Supervisor and then in 2014 the UI Tax Chief. Kris started her current role as the UI Administrator in 2021. Through the years Kris served on TPS peer review teams with USDOL and has served on the UI IB Subcommittee. She is currently the chairman of that subcommittee as well as a regional representative. Kris holds Associates and Bachelor’s Degrees in Business Administration and is certified as a Public Manager.
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.
Jason Holzbach, Director, AEM Corporation
Jason Holzbach has been with the SIDES project since the end of 2007 as lead engineer. He took part in the SIDES requirements analysis with the original consortium and has lead the design and development of every piece of software within the SIDES system. He has a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Purdue University. Jason resides outside of Leesburg, VA with his wife and family.
Gregg Kallajian, Operations Coordinator, Connecticut Department of Labor
Gregg Kallajian is the Operations Coordinator for the UI Integrity Division at the State of Connecticut Department of Labor, overseeing Imposter Detection, Ui Technical Services, and BAM. In his 34 years at the agency, Gregg has also worked in Claims Exam, Call Center, Adjudications, Merit Rating, and BPCU. Gregg is a member of the SIDES Operations Committee representing Region 2. Gregg is a proud graduate of Southern Connecticut State University.
Danny Lee, Leader, Labor and Workforce, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Danny Lee is the labor and workforce practice leader at Amazon Web Services (AWS) supporting US state and local government customers. Before joining AWS, he led digital transformation initiatives at the New York State Department of Labor, leveraging cloud technology to drive improved customer experience and better business outcomes. There, he led product management for New York’s unemployment insurance modernization project and helped launch the state’s first Excluded Workers Fund, a cloud-native $2.1 billion program benefiting undocumented and essential workers. Danny has also served as the state-appointed ombudsman for unemployment insurance in New York State. He has more than 15 years of experience advocating for unemployed workers at both grassroots and systemic levels.
Colin Lennox, Director, Project Management Office, UI ITSC, NASWA
Colin Lennox is an IT and management professional who has served in numerous technical positions within NASWA’s UI Information Technology Support Center over the past two decades. He currently serves as UI ITSC PMO Director, and leads a team of UI focused business analysts in support of state and US DOL projects. Mr. Lennox boasts a robust technical foundation, navigating roles as a software developer, IT project manager, test lead and business analyst. He has been involved in numerous types of projects including AI research, and was a member of the original SIDES Separation Information Requirements team in 2008.
Jerome Lord, IDH Support Team Manager, UI Integrity Center, NASWA
Jerome Lord is the IDH Support Team Manager for NASWA’s Integrity Data Hub. Jerome and his team work closely with State Workforce Agencies on the implementation, integration, and subsequent utilization of the IDH. Jerome joined NASWA in August of 2018. Jerome has an extensive background in investigations and fraud, having spent time as an investigator, investigations trainer, police captain, and elected City Court Judge. Prior to Joining NASWA, Jerome was the Compliance manager for the Montana Department of Labor, UI Division. Jerome is an avid outdoorsman and loves spending time in the wilds of Alaska where he lives with his wife and their golden retriever.
Lauren Mann, Director of Client Services and Program Management, Industrial U.I. Services
Lauren Mann has been in the unemployment industry for 15 years. She currently works at Industrial UI Services as the Director of Client Services and Program Management. Lauren obtained her MBA from National-Louis University in 2010. Between September 2020 and March 2021, Lauren was responsible for managing tens of thousands of fraudulent claims and providing client education around imposter/fraudulent claims. She also hosted webinars guiding victims of fraud through the process of reporting the claim, at both a state and federal level, and protecting their identity going forward. Lauren is dedicated to improving integrity in UI and shutting down fraud for good.
Shaun Meinert, Business Analyst, Division of Unemployment Insurance, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Shaun Meinert is a Business Analyst for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Division of Unemployment Insurance and has been with the agency for ten years. Shaun started out in Benefit Overpayment Collections before moving into his current position in the Systems and Processing Section. Shaun has been working with SIDES for approximately one year and recently took over as the SIDES Coordinator for Wisconsin.
Aaron Miller, Business Analyst, Syndeo Outsourcing
Aaron Miller is a Business Analyst with Syndeo Outsourcing in Wichita, Kansas. Aaron has 9 years of experience working in Human Resources and has been with Syndeo in various roles since 2018. 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 Unemployment Tracker and Syndeo’s participation in SIDES.
Outside of work, Aaron is involved in multiple non-profit organizations including Family Promise, a non- profit serving families experiencing homelessness, and the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Seminar. He enjoys attending football games at his alma mater, Kansas State University, and spending time with his French Brittany, Louis.
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 UI agencies and 80 of the largest Employers/TPAs that represent over 50 percent of the national UI activity. Other duties include overseeing a $4.6 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.
In 2023, Pectol received the UI Integrity Award from the National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation and Workers’ Compensation. This award is given to an individual who has demonstrated commitment to preserving the integrity of the unemployment system.
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.
Caroline Pratt, Director, UI Integrity Division, 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 the chair of the UI Integrity Center Steering Committee and a proud graduate of the University of Connecticut, home of the five time NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champion Huskies.
John Quichocho, Product Manager, UI ITSC and Technology Committee Staff Co-Lead, NASWA
John Quichocho is the Product Manager for NASWA’s UI Information Technology Support Center (UI ITSC) overseeing the SUTA Dumping Detection System (SDDS), OccuCoder, and other UI ITSC products. He is also the staff co-lead for the NASWA Technology Committee. He has been with NASWA for over 13 years.
KK Raghavan, Technical Architect & Advisor, UI ITSC, NASWA
KK Raghavan, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of technical experience, serves as a Technical Architect Advisor at UI ITSC. His journey with the organization began over 13 years ago as a contractor before transitioning to a full-time role in October of 2022. Holding a Master's degree in Information Technology with a specialization in information security from Purdue University Global, KK brings a wealth of knowledge to the Unemployment and Workforce domain.
In the capacity of a Technical Architect Advisor, KK undertakes the responsibility of providing guidance and recommendations to UI ITSC, specifically focusing on technical aspects related to relevant solutions for Unemployment and Workforce agencies. Utilizing his expertise, he assesses and formulates technical solutions that harmonize with UI ITSC’s and its partner agencies business needs, ensuring they adhere to the standards of security, reliability, and scalability.
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 the last 26 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 led her to her current role as Chief of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Policy and Procedures (UIPP) Section which provides oversight of the UI program including projects to improve system and business processes. She is also the Benefits Lead for the Benefit, Tax and Appeals (BTAp) modernization project set to launch in 2026.
Billy Rudnick, HR - Manager of Unemployment Insurance, G&A Partners
Billy has worked in the UI industry since 2003. He holds a B.A. with a major in Political Science from the University of South Florida, and an Advanced Paralegal certification from Edmonds College.
He began as a hearing representative for a boutique third-party administrator. He has held positions as Appellate Hearing Manager and Government Relations Manager for the largest employer UI TPA.
Billy has advocated for employers before state legislative committees and testified at state UI agencies regulatory hearings. He is an accomplished liaison with unemployment program leadership at the state and federal levels. He is a past a member of the Washington ESD Unemployment Insurance Advisory Committee.
Billy is currently the co-manager of G&A Partner’s Unemployment Compensation Management team. G&A Partners is a full-service, world-class Professional Employer Organization.
Scott B. Sanders, President and CEO, National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA)
Scott B. Sanders has been the President and CEO of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) since October 2014. He manages the association of state administrators who handle workforce training, unemployment insurance, employment services, employment statistics, labor market information programs and veteran reemployment in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and US Territories. The association provides advocacy at the national level for a more effective workforce system, and engages with the US Department of Labor, employers and the public. He previously served as Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and was a member of the cabinet of Governor Michael Pence and Governor Mitchell Daniels. DWD managed and implemented training and employment programs for Hoosiers, collaborated on regional economic growth initiatives for Indiana, coordinated the adult education system, and oversaw the unemployment insurance system. He was also involved in the launching of JAG in Indiana in 2007.
Scott served on American Workforce Policy Advisory Board from February 2019-January 2021, and also serves on the boards of the LMI Institute (Chair 2020-2021) and the UWC Foundation.
Scott also has over 20 years of private sector experience prior to his role at DWD.
Scott earned his master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and his bachelor’s degree from Miami University.
Amanda Seagle, UC Unit Supervisor, Alabama Department of Labor
15+ years’ experience in Unemployment Insurance with experience in Claims/Inquiry, Fact Finding, Adjudication, and Technical Services. 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.
Rajesh Seth, Senior Software Developer, Atos
Rajesh Seth has been supporting the SIDES program since Feb 2013 and works closely with SIDES participants providing technical support. Rajesh supports SIDES system maintenance and is a member of the technical team providing software development. Prior to joining SIDES Rajesh worked with Pepsico and BMW as a senior technical engineer and project lead.
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 proudly 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. Rich is also a member of the Board of Directors of UWC Foundation
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 his wife Beth, and they have 2 amazing daughters, Monica and Rachel.
Tyler Smith, UI Technical Services Specialist, Idaho Department of Labor
Tyler Smith has worked in unemployment for the past 15 years and has been the SIDES Administrator for the state of Idaho for the past 10 years. He serves as the Co-Vice Chair and 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.
Julie Squire, Vice President of Policy and General Counsel, NASWA
Julie Ellen Squire is Vice-President of Policy and General Counsel with the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), an Association of workforce agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. NASWA provides policy expertise, shares promising state practices, and promotes state innovation.
Previously serving as Assistant Secretary for two Divisions with the State of Maryland’s Department of Labor, Julie is passionate about workforce development. Julie started working closely with workforce issues as an Assistant Attorney General in Maryland where she advised both the unemployment insurance and workforce programs for nine years.
A native Buckeye, Julie attended law school at The Ohio State University. Julie first came to Maryland to attend Goucher College, and has lived in Baltimore since 1990. Julie was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Job Opportunities Task Force, a non-profit focused on job opportunities for low wage workers and job seekers in Maryland.
Whitney Swingle, Employer Tax Services Assistant Manager, South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
Whitney graduated from the University of South Carolina Aiken in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts English degree. She began her employment at the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce in 2011, where she has primarily worked with the Employer Tax Services Department. In 2019 she transitioned into the UI Technical Services Department as a TAX Subject Matter Expert (SME) and served as the SIDES Administrator back up. Currently, she is serving as the Employer Tax Services Assistant Manager.
Nakia Thompson, UI Technical Services Manager, South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
In 2009, Nakia began her career at the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce specializing in Unemployment Insurance. Her first role with the Agency was in the Benefit’s Department taking claims, and she later transitioned to the local office as an Adjudicator. After a year, she was promoted to a UI Supervisor, and later a UI Hub Manager. In 2013, she was promoted to the UI Technical Services Department as the benefit’s system (SCUBI) Subject Matter Expert (SME). She was a part of the SCUBI core team that implemented the modernized South Carolina benefit system. She is currently serving as the UI Technical Services Manager and the SIDES Administrator for South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the Coastal Carolina University, and is a longstanding member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
Caleb 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.
Nancy Walker, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
Nancy A. Walker was confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate on June 21, 2023 to serve as Secretary of the Department of Labor & Industry under Governor Josh Shapiro. Since accepting the nomination in January 2023, Walker has remained committed to leading the department's efforts to build a resilient Unemployment Compensation (UC) system, prioritizing the enforcement of Pennsylvania's 13 labor laws, and strengthening Pennsylvania's economy by empowering workers to pursue opportunities like apprenticeships that lead to family-sustaining jobs.
Before serving as Labor & Industry Secretary, Walker served as the first Chief Deputy Attorney General of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General's newly created Fair Labor Section in 2017. Under Walker's leadership, the Fair Labor Section has worked on behalf of workers and law-abiding employers across Pennsylvania to ensure they are being treated fairly and lawfully and has served as lead counsel in matters of national importance, including lawsuits bringing Administrative Procedure Act challenges to amendments to the tip and joint employer rules, and has led a successful criminal wage and benefit theft investigation resulting in a $21 million dollar plea deal, the largest case of its kind in the country.
Prior to her appointment as Chief Deputy, Walker focused her private practice on labor and employment law throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, in federal and state courts, before administrative agencies, and in arbitration and mediation proceedings. She is licensed to practice before state and federal courts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a Fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and was a long-time volunteer with the Support Center for Child Advocates.
Walker comes from a family of teachers and steelworkers. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
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 5 years and is currently on the committees for the Earnings Verification rewrite, SIDES conference planning, and the new POA exchange. In her free time, Katie enjoys making memories with her son, rock climbing, all things Harry Potter, and traveling to new places.
K-Ann Wilson, Director Unemployment Insurance, Justworks Employment Group LLC
K-Ann Wilson is a seasoned professional with a demonstrated track record in the Unemployment Claims Management and Human Resources industry. Her passion lies in driving efficiency, ensuring compliance, and fostering strategic growth. With expertise spanning Professional Employer Organizations (PEO) and Third-Party Administration (TPA) services, K-Ann has cultivated strong relationships with employers, state agencies, and industry groups such as the National Association of Workforce Agency (NASWA), Unemployment & Workers’ Compensation (UWC), and the National Association of Professional Employer Organization (NAPEO).
In her pursuit of meaningful change within industries such as Unemployment Insurance, Professional Employer Organization, and Customer Success landscape, K-Ann’s focus centers on compliance. She seizes every opportunity to educate internal and external stakeholders on contributing to the integrity of the UI program. This philosophy underpins her proven track record in risk analysis, troubleshooting, cross-functional collaboration, and motivating multiple teams to meet tight deadlines.
David Zemel, Director, Service Delivery Management – IT Services, Atos
David Zemel has been with the SIDES project as the Technical Manager since its inception in 2007. He helped lead the SIDES design with the original consortium and now leads the SIDES technical team in system operations, enhancements, and application development. David 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. David resides in Maryland with his wife and family.
