Join the NYC SHRM Emerging Professionals SIG on Thursday, March 12th at 12pm EST with invited panelists to learn all about a day in the life of an HR professional. You will gain an understanding of what the actual job duties and responsibilities of various HR roles are, how to be successful in the role, and how the panelists got to where they are today!
1 HRCI and SHRM certification credit
Speakers:
Amar Vajjhala
Amar is an Adjunct Instructor of Analytics courses in the Human Capital Management program at NYU School of Professional Studies and a strong advocate for data-driven leadership in HR. Amar created and leads the NYU SPS’s People Analytics Certificate Program, where he equips HR professionals and students with principles of Workforce analytics through practical skills in Excel, SQL, R, Python, and Tableau. With nearly two decades of experience spanning computer science, applied statistics, finance, and analytics, Amar brings a unique cross-functional perspective to the future of HR. Amar firmly believes that analytics is a core capability for every job function, especially HR, and delivers this through a hands-on, project-based learning approach across all his courses, carefully customized for beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced practitioners. In parallel, through his organization UNP Education, he has trained thousands of learners globally, helping them translate data into actionable insights and strategic impact. His mission is to equip the next generation of learners to comfortably move beyond intuition and become confident, data-driven students, professionals, and business partners.
Sara Rocha
Sara Rocha is an experienced professional with 10+ years of experience creating, delivering, facilitating and consulting in the learning and development training space. She is currently managing 5 global programs at Rakuten which are catering to individual contributors, first time managers and emerging leaders’ audiences.
She focuses on adult learning principles and prioritizing application exercises for the learner to walk away with tangible take aways. As a dynamic presenter with a passion for helping people at all levels, she looks to solve a business problem that meets the needs of its users. Managing professional development programs for employees, facilitating in-person and virtual sessions, building relationships with key programs for employees, facilitating in-person and virtual sessions, building relationships with key stakeholders while overseeing the participation and engagement of global courses.
Laura Sighinolfi
(3) Laura Sighinolfi | LinkedIn
Laura Sighinolfi is a seasoned recruitment leader with 13+ years of experience delivering temporary and direct‑hire solutions in the tri-state area. She currently manages the recruitment efforts at LHH Recruitment Solutions where she partners with employers to navigate an ever‑changing talent market, using a consultative, data‑driven approach to fill hard‑to‑fill roles specializing in the HR and administrative support positions. Over her tenure, Laura has helped more than 1,000+ professionals secure roles at leading organizations, earning repeated President’s Club recognition and consistently ranking among the top recruiters in the company.
Her clients value her straight‑line execution, market insight, and ability to de‑risk hiring plans while accelerating time‑to‑fill.
Moderator:
Michelle Perez, SHRM-CP
Michelle is an HR Generalist with over 6 years of experience in HR and Operations. She began her career in operations within nonprofit and educational organizations, where she developed a strong foundation in organizational systems, process improvement, and people management. After earning her SHRM-CP certification, she officially transitioned into Human Resources, bringing an operations-informed and strategic approach to HR. She is passionate about supporting emerging professionals, fostering inclusive workplace cultures, and positioning HR as a proactive partner in organizational growth and sustainability.
