NKY SHRM Newsletter - March 2026 
Words from the President
After a snowy couple of months, I am ready for spring. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that March brings us warmer temperatures and nicer weather. Thoughts of spring, of course, easily lead to thoughts of spring cleaning. NKY SHRM this month is certainly in that mode.
First, we have had some fresh people filling important roles on the NKY SHRM Board. I am thrilled to announce that Christine Barth of Gallagher and Bobbie Webster of The Family Nurturing Center have agreed to serve as our Special Events Co-Chairs. They are both experienced and will be working to plan some great events for NKY SHRM in the coming year. The Board and I are thrilled to have them involved.
Next, our luncheon topic this month also relates to sprucing things up. My colleagues at Bricker Graydon Wyatt, John Kirk and Michaela Taylor will talk about employee benefits plans. Their session will offer a roadmap to help you form, update, or guide changes to your benefits plans. Thank you to Erin Thiel, our accreditation guru, who ensured that this session was approved Business Credit from HRCI as well as PDC credit from SHRM.
Finally, NKY SHRM is working to keep our organization fresh by recruiting new members with our March Membership Madness effort. As you may have seen in the last few months, our membership is strong and our luncheon meetings have been very well attended. Even so, we want to ensure that others in the HR world can access the community, support, and resources of NKY SHRM. We will be raffling off Amazon gift cards to a new member who joins during March and to a current member who refers a new member during March.
Thanks to Membership Chair, Patti Cochran for leading this effort. Reach out to Patti with any questions or referrals.
Next Monthly Meeting
Join us on March 31, 2026 from 11:30 - 1:00 at Receptions - Erlanger
1369 Donaldson Highway, Erlanger, KY 41018, and hear from John R. Kirk & Michaela Taylor - Bricker Graydon Wyatt LLP , on the topic Health Plan Formation and Changes: A Roadmap.
Presentation Description
This presentation will provide an overview of rules and issues surrounding health and welfare benefit plan formation and compliance.
Learning Objectives
Audiences will be able to:
• Provide a basic overview on the structure of ERISA welfare plans
• Discuss options employers may take as it relates to plan design & cost management
• Discuss strategies for effective benefits communication & employee engagement
• Provide practical guidance on complying with specific regulations, including those related to COBRA, HIPAA, or the Affordable Care Act fit into the larger scheme?
• Discuss evolving trends in healthcare compliance
Bio
• John R. Kirk is a Partner at Bricker Graydon Wyatt, LLP where he practices exclusively in the employee benefits area. John specializes in providing comprehensive support for employers of all sizes, including both public and private entities. His expertise spans all facets of employee benefits, including the design, implementation, and compliance of tax-qualified plans such as 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, ESOPs, and supporting clients' health and welfare plans. John has extensive experience representing plan sponsors, trustees, and fiduciaries in transactions involving ESOPs. In his practice, he guides companies through the entire ESOP life-cycle, including formations, acquisitions, divestitures, and administration matters post-formation. John further assists ESOP entities and other benefit plans with governmental audits/investigations and litigation. John earned his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law, and a B.S. in Accounting from Georgetown College. He lives in Union, KY with his wife, Casey, son, Jack, and daughter, Nancy.
• Michaela Taylor is an associate in the Employee Benefits Practice Group at Bricker Graydon Wyatt, LLP, specializing in the design, administration, and regulatory compliance of a diverse array of employee benefit issues, including, welfare benefit plans, health care reform, tax-qualified retirement plans and executive compensation. She supports clients in navigating the intricacies that emerge during plan administration. Michaela regularly assists clients on issues related to reporting and disclosure requirements, compliance with ERISA, the SECURE Act, the Internal Revenue Code, the Affordable Care Act, HIPAA and COBRA. She is located at the downtown Cincinnati office. Michaela is a "super cat" holding a BHS in Clinical Leadership and Management, Master of Health Administration, and a J.D. from the University of Kentucky. She resides in Covington, KY, with her husband, Dillon, and two goldendoodles, Woodford and Weller.
Sponsor Article
Built on Experience. Driven by Innovation. The Bricker Graydon Wyatt Advantage in Employee Benefits.
Bricker Graydon Wyatt is a leading full-service law firm, with more than 325 attorneys operating from 14 offices across Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. Our firm is large enough to provide effective and sophisticated counsel across a wide variety of industries and practice areas, while also delivering highly personalized service and access to our most experienced attorneys. Providing innovative legal services to clients, both public and private, throughout the region is a key component of our firm’s foundation.
Bricker Graydon Wyatt is a long-serving law firm, with over 200 years’ experience serving a diverse mix of clients across the country. We have the requisite experience and skilled capacity to effectively assist clients with comprehensive legal services. Areas of practice include Corporate, Economic Development, Education, Employee Benefits, Estate Planning, Government Relations, Health Care, Insurance, Labor & Employment, Real Estate, and Tax law, as well as a range of services related to Public Sector clients.
For many years, our clients have benefited from our experience in the areas of employee benefits and executive compensation (EB). Bricker Graydon Wyatt’s EB practice began in the 1940s, long before ERISA was enacted as a law, and remains one of the strongest groups at the firm. Our EB attorneys have experience in tax law, accounting, and perhaps most importantly - a working knowledge of human resources legal issues
Often in collaboration with our Employment team, our experienced EB team offers not only the foundational work on day-to-day employee benefits and executive compensation matters, but also a comprehensive suite of services encompassing the entire spectrum of benefits and executive compensation. We extend our expertise to financial institutions, RIAs, brokers, mutual fund service providers, benefit plan auditors and recordkeepers, offering insights into the intricacies of ERISA and assisting them in ensuring the compliance of their services with the law. In addition, Bricker Graydon Wyatt’s team of EB attorneys have experience in tax law and accounting specific to benefits issues.
Our employee benefits experience focuses on retirement and benefits plans, executive compensation, ERISA advisory services and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPS). Please reach out to Bricker Graydon Wyatt’s Employee Benefits team with any benefits and compensation questions.
For up to date information on a range of employee benefits topics, subscribe to our Benefits Insights blog.
March Madness Membership Drive
March Membership Madness 2026 is Here! 🏀
HR professionals across Kentucky — this is your moment to strengthen your network and invest in your growth!
March Membership Madness is all about connecting with peers who understand the challenges and opportunities you face every day. When you join your local SHRM Kentucky chapter, you gain direct access to a powerful community of HR leaders who are ready to collaborate, share insights, and support one another.
Why Join During March Membership Madness?
• Build meaningful peer-to-peer relationships with HR professionals in your local community
• Access high-quality, local educational programming tailored to Kentucky’s workforce landscape
• Earn SHRM professional development credits close to home
• Engage in leadership opportunities that elevate both your career and the HR profession
✨ Bonus for NKY SHRM Members! ✨
NKY SHRM will be raffling:
🎁 One $25 Amazon gift card to a new member
🎁 One $25 Amazon gift card to an existing member who refers a new member
If you refer a new member, please email our Membership Chair, Patricia Cochran, [email protected], and let her know!
Your local chapter is more than a membership — it’s a trusted network of professionals committed to advancing HR across Kentucky.
Certification
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
SHRM recognizes the value of joining the wider community of HR professionals by becoming a member of SHRM or of other HR-related organizations. Professional association membership also earns SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCPs SHRM recertification PDCs.
Here’s the link to the entire recertification guide: Find Activities
Have you recently obtained your HR certification? Let us know. We would love to present you with a gift to congratulate you, as well as feature you in our next newsletter article. Reach out to Erin Thiel at [email protected]
Board of Directors
2026 NKY SHRM
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Claire Parsons, President Vicki Crawford, Vice President Jayden Julian, Secretary OPEN, Treasurer Holly Duffy, Past President Mary Spadaro, Chapter Administrator Sarah Leyshock, Legislative Co-Chair Allyson Cook, Legislative Co-Chair Allison Williams, College Relations Chair Kathy Papp, Diversity Chair Kathy Papp, SHRM Foundation Chair Patty Cochran, Membership Chair Angela Shell, Workforce Readiness Erin Thiel, Certification Chair Bobbie Webster, Special Events Chair Amy Hatfield, Regional Liaison Jennifer Pauly, Social Media Chair Julie Stockman, Technology Chair |
