Meeting/Event Information

Widening the Pathways to Work: A Skills-First Approach to Inclusive Hiring
A Panel Discussion

The SHRM Foundation calls on HR professionals to embrace untapped talent pools and adopt a skills-first mindset - unlocking opportunities that allow all talent and workplaces to thrive.

From veterans and military spouses to individuals with disabilities or criminal records, many capable job seekers remain underutilized. At the same time, employers continue to face challenges in recruitment and retention.

With these issues ranked among the top concerns of our membership, we wanted to bring the conversation local by bringing together three subject matter experts - each representing unique talent communities - to share their perspectives and offer practical, actionable strategies you can take back to your organization.

Moderator
Dr. Darryl S. Diggs, Jr. is an experienced educational leader dedicated to equity, inclusion, and reaching our greatest collective outcomes. He holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and has served as a middle and high school administrator. Through his journey in advocacy, Diggs co-founded several organizations driven to connect educators to intentional support and gainful employment. Currently, Dr. Diggs is the Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility for the Special School District of St. Louis County. His work is deeply connected to building inclusive learning environments, building leadership capacity, and building community. In 2024, Dr. Diggs received the Vocational Excellence Award from Missouri Baptist University and serves as the Vice President of Diversity and Workforce Readiness for SHRM of Greater St. Louis. 

Panelists
Maureen Hergenroether is the Executive Vice President of Employment, Education, and Housing at Concordance, where she leads national efforts to advance career education, employment pathways, and housing stability for individuals in re-entry. In her role, Maureen oversees strategic initiatives that drive job placement, foster partnerships with industry leaders, and design innovative solutions aimed at achieving long-term economic mobility and self-sufficiency.

“Access to stable living tools—like secure housing, employment, and a support system—are catalysts for long-term growth, resiliency, and self-sufficiency. I am deeply committed to ensuring individuals gain skills and meaningful employment that allows them to thrive during their re-entry journey and build a strong foundation for their futures,” Maureen shares.

Maureen brings nearly two decades of experience in social impact having held roles at Edward Jones, Mastercard, and Cigna, and serving as an education nonprofit executive. She is the founder of a mission-driven social enterprise dedicated to removing barriers to employment. Her multidisciplinary expertise spans human resources, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), strategic communications, and workforce development, with a strong focus on equity and community collaboration.

Maureen has a proven track record of building impactful programs that connect underserved populations with to critical resources, education and meaningful career opportunities. She is passionate about transforming systems to create more inclusive, supportive pathways to economic independence.

Maureen holds a Master of Science in Communications with an emphasis in Adult Education from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Missouri State University.

Matt Jannings joined BCI in 2020 with a diverse background in employment services, recruitment, and nonprofit leadership. With a demonstrated track record of building programs and relationships that create opportunities for people with disabilities, he is passionate about empowering people to realize their potential and articulate their value. Since joining BCI, Matt has helped build BCI’s external, community-based employment programming that now spans multiple regions in both Missouri and Illinois. Matt has a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership.

Jodie Lloyd is the Director of Business Development & School Initiatives at Washington University. She engages leaders of the public and private sectors to develop and promote cross-sectoral partnerships and collaborations. Jodie helps develop partnerships to increase economic equity and access to education in the St. Louis region. She collaborates with other members of the WashU community to implement and strategically align cross-campus stakeholders through networking, program development, and communications. She also leads the implementation of the WashU Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) Strategic Plan. Jodie holds a BA in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Missouri St. Louis.

Schedule
8:00 am - Breakfast & Networking
8:30 am - 9:45 am - Keynote Presentation

Fees
SHRM St. Louis Chapter Member - Included in Dues
Non-Chapter Member - $50

Thank You to Our Meeting Sponsor!