Thank you to everyone who joined us for the SHRM Virginia and DC Annual Conference April 12–15 at the historic Cavalier Resort in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Over four energizing days, HR professionals from across the Commonwealth, D.C., and beyond came together to learn, connect, and celebrate the impact of our profession—because You Can’t Spell HERO Without HR!
In a year defined by rapid change and evolving employee expectations, the conference underscored how HR continues to rise to meet workplace challenges. From strengthening culture and championing equity to supporting well-being and resilience, the sessions and conversations reinforced what we know to be true: HR professionals are everyday superheroes – capes optional, impact undeniable.
At the 2026 SHRM Virginia and DC Conference, thought leaders, industry experts, and practitioners shared practical insights and strategies attendees could take back to their organizations, helping each of us explore, harness, and strengthen our superhero powers.
Together, we leaned into adaptability, innovation, and collaboration, leaving better equipped to lead through complexity and help our organizations thrive.
As always, the 2026 conference featured dynamic keynote speakers and breakout sessions on timely, relevant topics. Attendees had the opportunity to earn up to 17 recertification credits for SHRM and HRCI certifications, and the week included plenty of ways to connect with Conference Partners and HR colleagues from across Virginia, D.C., and beyond.
Keynote highlights included:
- Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP, Chief People Officer for LaRosa’s Pizzeria, Inc., kicked off the week on Monday morning with his keynote, HR Without Boundaries – Deconstructing How We Practice to Move Organizations Forward. He shared energizing, practical perspectives on integrating HR as a true business partner and challenged us to expand how we show up for our organizations and our people.
- On Tuesday, attendees heard from Orlena Cowan-Bailey, SHRM-SCP, MHFA, a multi-faceted, innovative, inclusive, and strategic human resource leader and consultant with 15+ years of progressive leadership experience managing a full spectrum of HR processes, initiatives, and projects. A workplace superhero in her own right, Orlena drew on experience across retail, financial services, government, transportation, and banking to share practical approaches to building cultures that drive engagement, retention, development, and belonging. Orlena, an Employee Relations Consultant for The Hartford and former HR Business Partner at MassMutual, also highlighted her entrepreneurial work as founder of HR Zoom LLC and creator of the HR Swag Shop. Her keynote, Unmasking Greatness: Workplace Superhero Strategies for Leaders, offered actionable strategies leaders can use to elevate workplace culture.
- On Wednesday, the conference closed with the inspirational keynote session, The Hidden Hero: HR for HR, presented by Jamie Jackson. Jamie, known for the meme accounts @humorous_resources and @millennial_misery, paired humor with hard-earned insight from 20 years in Human Resources, speaking candidly about the pressures HR carries and the importance of taking care of the people who take care of everyone else. Jamie Jackson’s appearance arranged through Gotham Artists.
In addition to these keynote sessions, the conference featured a strong selection of concurrent sessions. Breakouts offered timely takeaways participants could immediately apply, sparking new ideas, practical tools, and peer-to-peer learning throughout the week.
Our always popular Marketplace was bustling with activity, bringing together vendors and partners who supported attendees with solutions for a wide range of HR needs. The Marketplace also delivered a fun, engaging networking environment, especially during Sunday evening’s happy hour, where participants connected with partners, reunited with colleagues, and were entertained by some talented and brave HR professionals who battled it out in the 2nd Annual Lip Sync battle. Shout out to Lynchburg SHRM for their rousing rendition of Proud Mary and guest appearance by Tina Turner, and kudos as well to Charlottesville SHRM, Roanoke Valley SHRM, and DC SHRM for their crowd-pleasing performances that turned the happy hour into a concert and dance party.
Thank you to our speakers, conference partners, volunteers, and every attendee who brought the HERO spirit to life. We left Virginia Beach with new ideas, stronger connections, and renewed momentum to lead our organizations with purpose, care, and courage—and we look forward to continuing that work together at next year’s conference, where we will be Cleared for Takeoff – Launching the Next Era of HR!
SHRM Virginia and DC Conference Committee
