Monthly Newsletter

Summer is officially here, and the weather is certainly making that known! As we settle into the season, we're excited to share the latest updates from CRHRA, highlight upcoming programs and opportunities, and give you a preview of our Summer Social. We hope you'll join us for an evening of networking, connection, and summer fun with fellow HR professionals!

As always, we want to hear from you! If there's a topic, resource, or idea you'd love to see covered in 2026, drop us a note in our Suggestion Box. 

What we’re covering this issue:

Upcoming Events 

2026 Summer Social - Tuesday, July 14th 5:30 - 7:00 PM at The Flats Restaurant & Tavern (675 Grooms Rd. Clifton Park, NY)

Join us for a FREE evening of networking, connection, and summer fun as three local professional organizations - CRATD, CRHRA, and CRRN - come together to host a collaborative Summer Social Happy Hour!

Connect with fellow HR, talent development, and recruiting professionals while enjoying great food, refreshing drinks, and interactive games in a relaxed atmosphere at Flats Tavern in Clifton Park. Whether you're looking to expand your network, reconnect with colleagues, or simply unwind after work, this event is the perfect opportunity to mix, mingle, and celebrate the season.

A special thank you to our event sponsors, redShift Recruiting and Gallagher, for helping make this event possible. One additional sponsorship spot is available! Contact [email protected] to learn more.

Register Today! 

Programs Committee Updates

We’re planning for December and BEYOND—and we want to hear from you!

The Capital Region Human Resource Association (CRHRA) is now preparing for our December ½ Day Conference, and we’re taking a more data-driven approach to ensure the content truly reflects what HR professionals need.

We have two asks for our community:

1. Complete our short surveyYour input will directly shape our December conference content and our 2027 programming. This is one of the most important ways you can influence what we bring to the CRHRA community.

2. Submit a speaker proposalIf you have a compelling, practical topic to share, we’d love to hear from you. We’re particularly focused on sessions that bring real-world tools and actionable takeaways.

What we’re hearing so far:

• Strong demand for professional development in compliance, strategic HR, and HR operations

• Growing need to build business acumen and leadership coaching skills

• Employee communication is an area that needs significant modernization

• AI continues to be one of the main topics executives are actively discussing

This is your opportunity to help us deliver programming that is relevant, practical, and aligned with the realities HR teams are facing right now. 

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and share your feedback. We are using this input to select topics for December and guide our 2027 programming.

Thank you for being part of the CRHRA community and helping us shape what comes next!

Local Hr job postings

Did you know that CRHRA administers a job posting service to benefit both our members and businesses searching for an affordable way to reach a large pool of qualified HR professionals? Job openings are posted on our website and on LinkedIn!

Check out our Career Center on the CRHRA website!

Current Openings:

HR Assistant - The Research Foundation for SUNY

Manager of HR, NY State United Teachers (NYSUT)

Rebecca's reflections

In this month’s edition, CRHRA President Rebecca Harris shares how to make the most of your summer, the HR way! Read all about ways to continue making an impact regardless of whether summer is your “busy season” or “slow season.”

Rebecca's Reflections - June 2026

Volunteer spotlight

Meet Kelly O'Brien

I am an HR Consultant with Integra HR, where I partner with organizations on a wide range of human resources and employee relations matters. What I enjoy most about consulting is the opportunity to work with different employers and industries, help solve complex workplace challenges, and support organizations in creating positive and productive work environments.  I love being part of the Integra team!

I have been a member of CRHRA since 2010 and began volunteering with the Workforce Readiness Committee in the fall of 2024. The committee's mission of helping job seekers present their best selves to potential employers aligns closely with why I chose a career in HR. I am also an alum of the CRHRA HR Leadership Class of 2015. 

My favorite CRHRA event is the annual December half-day conference and holiday celebration. It combines perfectly the two of the things I feel make CRHRA special: professional development and meaningful connections. I always leave with new ideas, fresh perspectives, and the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and friends across the HR community. It's a fun and energizing way to wrap up the year and kick off the holiday season.

One of the reasons I have remained involved with CRHRA for more than 15 years is the incredible network of HR professionals it provides. HR can sometimes feel like a profession where you're expected to have all the answers, but CRHRA reminds us that we don't have to do it alone. Whether you're new to the field or have decades of experience, there is always something to learn and someone willing to share their knowledge. I am grateful to be part of a community that is so committed to supporting one another and advancing the HR profession.

Board member Spotlight

Meet David Russell, Workforce Readiness Co-Chair

With over 10 years of experience as a HR Business Partner in Manufacturing, Distribution & Transportation, Telecommunications. David is a strategic and results driven HR professional.  His experience has built a foundation that supports performance management, talent management, improved employee engagement, and workforce strategy planning.  He has built systems that allowed for data-driven projects that contributed to HR foundation KPI, and data driven decisions.

Prior to joining Ducommun Aerostructures, he has worked for Target, Hannaford, and Verizon.  David is a certified HR professional SHRM-SCP. 

What HR trend are you paying close attention to right now?  

You may think I will say AI, but that is not what I am watching. I am learning how to utilize it though.  I continue to monitor HR’s role in building culture, and engagement with their Clients.  HRBPs/People Operations leaders will be pushed to the spotlight sooner rather than later when it comes to building people strategy that meets the needs of a shrinking workforce.  We are in an interesting time, but there needs to be Field HR Practitioners out there building models that allow for growth and development of employees. Business leaders don’t know what they don’t know.  We need to lead from the front, build, develop, and advise.  It should not just employees becoming leaders, but also employees growing and leveling up in their existing roles.  Talent growth should not just be going from Individual contributor to leader.

What advice would you give someone just starting in HR? 

Connect with an organization like CRHRA early.  It will help you network and connect with people that have been in the field for many years.  Networking should be about learning from other experiences and growing with it.  Just connecting with people you work with is not enough because you will only get one perspective.  Seeking a network outside of your employer will help you create a wider understanding of the HR field, and what is really going on.  Not just what you are reading.

What’s your favorite part about serving on the board?  

The opportunity to share thoughts and ideas that can help grow CRHRA.  This is my first board appointment, and it has been a great learning experience to connect with so many different people who not only have a passion for HR but also come from different parts of the field. 

CRHRA Storefront

Don’t forget about our CRHRA storefront! Get some CRHRA swag today.

HR education calendar 

Check out the community HR Education Calendar on the CRHRA website! Here you'll find events not hosted by CRHRA but that might be of interest to our community of HR professionals. 

VolunteerS always welcome

Interested in helping on a project or committee? Wonder what being a Volunteer Leader is all about? Reach out to us today.  Email us at [email protected]

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