The Critical Steps to Building an Effective Workplace Violence Prevention Program

Agenda

3:30 – guest arrival
4:00 – 5:00 presentation
5:00 – 6:00 networking / happy hour

Overview

Workplace violence incidents continue to rise, impacting more than 2 million American workers annually. Reportedly higher rates of mental health issues, suicide and domestic abuse may signal a need to build or refresh your approach to workplace violence prevention. An impactful solution to mitigating these incidents is for employers to create a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program. Every opportunity to integrate proactive violence prevention into the culture of your organization helps create a safer and more attractive workplace and that translates into sound economic and productivity benefits. 

As a leading expert in workforce risk management, Matt Doherty will share engaging insights and lessons learned from real-world incidents and a best practice-based approach to creating an effective program. Over the decades, Matt has worked with hundreds of clients to develop company-specific programs, establish and train threat management teams, conduct safe terminations, and implement other prevention and support measures to keep organizations and workers safe — and save lives.

Registration

$30 Member Registration
$40 Non-Member Registration

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Opening Remarks

Melanie Barnes, CPA Partner Sikich

Melanie Barnes, CPA, is a partner at Sikich and leads the firm’s For-Profit Assurance practice. With over 17 years of public accounting and industry experience, Melanie understands her clients’ business goals and works with them in a pragmatic approach to provide technical accounting expertise, ensure compliance requirements are met and help position them for success. 

Prior to joining Sikich, she worked at a global accounting firm in audit services and at Navistar in both technical accounting and finance business transformation roles. Melanie has extensive experience serving diverse businesses, ranging from private equity-owned companies to family-run businesses, with a focus on middle-market, for-profit companies. 

Melanie also has in-depth experience in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures on both the client advisory side and in an industry role. She has assisted clients with the implementation of new accounting standards and has helped to lead a US GAAP to IFRS conversion in a previous role. Melanie is also passionate about streamlining processes and leveraging technology, and she has led finance and accounting business transformation initiatives. 

When she is not working, Melanie can be found cheering on her son at a baseball game or watching her daughter dance. She also enjoys traveling with her husband and playing pickle ball with friends.

Panelists

Matthew Doherty is nationally recognized for his work in violence prevention and threat assessment and management. As managing director of the Sikich workforce risk management team, Matt brings extensive experience gained in four decades of distinguished service across government and the private sector. He helps organizations build and expand violence prevention programs; assess and manage violence risks; train and empower workforces; and gain the business benefits that come with safe and supportive workplaces. Matt previously led the threat and violence risk management practice at Jensen Hughes, formerly Hillard Heintze, and retired from a 21-year career with the United States Secret Service as the U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge of the National ThreatAssessment Center. Matt is frequently tapped by television news media and publications to share expert insights on workplace violence, insider threats, assassinations and more.

Dana R Cooper, Founder, and President/CEO of Cooper Hayes LLC., founded in 2016, brings over 29 years of experience in the fields of global manufacturing, engineering, marketing, M&A, financial and management. She has earned a reputation for creating value, advising and transforming functions by being creative in finding new and innovative ways to increase Best Practice Alignment, Business Integration, Strategy Formulation, and Delivering Financial Results. She engages and aligns cultures for excellence in Safety, EHS, Innovative Product Development, Lean Manufacturing and Sustainability.

Moderator

Elaine is a trusted business advisor and attorney, with 25 years’ experience delivering practical guidance to middle-market businesses, through growth and transition. She is a Partner with McCarthy Duffy LLP, in Chicago and leads the firm’s Private Investment practice, guiding clients on a wide range of matters, including enterprise funding and structuring, risk mitigation and corporate governance. Elaine is an active member of PDA, currently serving as its Corporate Secrtary and volunteering as a member of the Chicago Chapter Programming Committee and as Co-Chair of the Chicago Chapter Nomination and Governance Committee. Elaine earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Purdue University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law. She is licensed in Illinois and Florida and has been admitted to practice in several federal and state courts throughout the country.

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