SHRM Public Policy Discussion: What to Expect from a Trump Administration and a Narrowly Divided Congress

Emily M. Dickens is Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs and Corporate Secretary for SHRM. As a member of the executive team for the world’s largest human resources trade association, and 4th largest trade association in the world, Emily M. Dickens leads SHRM’s efforts across multiple critical areas of strategic and operational importance. In addition to guiding SHRM’s advocacy and policy initiatives, she oversees government affairs, global policy, legal affairs, and the SHRM Foundation — the 501(c)(3) philanthropic arm of SHRM. Dickens plays a pivotal role in aligning these functions to advance SHRM’s mission of creating better workplaces for a better world while driving organizational effectiveness and impact. Through her leadership of SHRM’s Advocacy Team — the “A-Team” — comprising nearly 30,000 active HR professionals across the United States, Dickens ensures the HR profession remains at the forefront of advancing workplace policy. A sought-after expert on workplace issues and business leadership, her insights have been featured in CBS News, NBC News, AP News, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg Law, Crain's Business, Marketplace, WTOP, Yahoo Finance, HR Brew, and HR Dive. She has also testified before Congress and the EEOC on AI, gender bias, and paid leave. 

Camille Olson is a partner at Seyfarth. She serves on the firm's National Labor and Employment Law Steering Committee and is the past national chair of the Labor & Employment practice department. Since 2010, Camille has co-led Seyfarth’s Global Policy Counsel on workplace matters, including amicus briefs, regulatory commentary, and best practices recommendations for human resource professionals on all equal employment opportunity topics. In high-profile situations with significant risks, global organizations rely on Camille for counseling, policy thought leadership, external and internal investigations, public relations management, and litigation defense. Camille serves as a trusted advisor, outside investigator, and lead litigation counsel for numerous Fortune 500 companies and organizations on the most pressing current legal risks.

Yasmin Nelson is a senior policy advisor at Holland & Knight and a member of the firm's Public Policy & Regulation Group. Ms. Nelson is an experienced policy strategist and advocate with more than a decade of experience building coalitions, with a focus on creating client-focused campaigns. She has served for four senators and worked on a U.S. Senate committee, as well as on presidential and federal campaigns. She has a demonstrated history of bipartisan and bicameral work, aiding senators in passing legislation into law, shaping regulations, and developing public policy proposals.

James Redstone is a Professional Staff Member of the Committee on Appropriations in the House of Representatives. He has responsibility for the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services public health agencies for the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Labor-Health and Human Services subcommittee. He joined the Committee in January 2023. Previously, he was the Director of Public Policy at SHRM. From 2018-2020, he served in the White House as the Special Assistant to the President responsible for workforce development policy and overseeing initiatives to modernize federal hiring, among other issues. From 2015-2018 he was the lead workforce development policy expert for the House of Representatives, negotiating the 2018 reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and oversaw the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.