In this episode, Elle O'Flaherty, Co-Chair of NCDA's Government Relations Committee, hosts a conversation with Emily M. Dickens, Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs, and Corporate Secretary for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the current labor market, focusing on SHRM's Education-to-Employment (E2) Initiative, designed to bridge the talent gap through collaboration among various stakeholders including schools, employers, policymakers, and career development professionals. Emily emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning, and discusses the untapped potential in diverse workforce segments such as people with disabilities and formerly incarcerated individuals. She also underscores the role of artificial intelligence and demographic shifts in shaping the future workforce.
Elle O’Flaherty, JD, PCC, CCSP, ACCG is the Founder & CEO, Interlace Solutions Coaching. She is a speaker and coach known for her science-based and hyper-practical presentations, and a pioneer in inclusive leadership and neurodiverse workforce development with a specialization in ADHD coaching.
Emily M. Dickens, J.D., is an accomplished attorney, strategist, and senior executive at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) - the world’s largest HR trade association - where she serves as Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs and Corporate Secretary. In her role, Dickens oversees SHRM’s advocacy and policy agenda, guiding the work of the “A-Team,” a 340,000-member grassroots network of HR professionals who shape workplace policy nationwide. She has executive oversight for four divisions: corporate governance, government affairs and policy, legal and administrative affairs, and the SHRM Foundation.
Resources
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
iHeartOlympics: The Latest
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.