Saint Leo University Presenting Workplace Re-Imagined Webinar on Oct. 8

While the true implications of the COVID-19 pandemic may not be known for years, its effect on employees and business owners is in full force as they return to the workplace. Saint Leo's Tapia College of Business will present Workplace Re-Imagined from 6 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 8, to focus on "human capital and the return to the workforce."

This free webinar will be part II of the Business Re-Imagined: Surviving the Pandemic webinar series, which was presented in June and July.

Dr. Sheri Bias, associate professor and human resource management lead faculty member, will be the host for this webinar, which will feature experts from three of the university's colleges to present a multidisciplinary look at helping employees in the "new normal."

Business owners and the public are invited to join Saint Leo's Tapia College of Business for this presentation.

This webinar will focus on the following areas:

Employee Safety in the Workplace: Presented by Dr. Rafael Rosado-Ortiz, chair of the Health Care Administration Department, and Dr. Kathy Van Eerden, associate dean of the College of Health Professions. Topics to be explored include

• Safety of employees and customers—Following the current Centers for Disease Control and Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines;
• Infection control and exposure reduction initiatives; and,
• COVID-19-positive employees—what to do next.

Employee relations and mental health: Presented by Dr. Sheri Bias, associate professor of human resource management. Topics include:

• Strategies for reengaging the workforce in the workplace;
• Importance of communications; and,
• Change fatigue and employee mental health—taking care of the employees.

Digital wellness in the workplace: Presented by Brandy Pollicita, instructor of health and wellness in the College of Education and Social Services. The topics featured include:

• Digital landscape—trends in "smart" culture and work-life balance;
• Wellness model for digital interventions;
• Employee technology use and misuse; and,
• Integrating digital wellness in the workplace.

For more information, email Kim.Bulmanski@saintleo.edu.

Info about the presenters

Dr. Sheri Bias is an assistant professor of human resources administration at Saint Leo University and has been teaching at Saint Leo since 1997. She has worked for NASA, Anheuser Busch, Philip Morris, and Pricewaterhouse Coopers in various HR positions. In addition to her PhD, Bias possesses the credentials for Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and the Society for Human Resources – Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). Bias's research interests include generations in the workplace and the implications on HR, as well as corporate social responsibility and HR. She is a native of the Hampton Roads, Virginia-area where she started her career in the Employee Relations Office at NASA Langley Research Center. Bias also is a Saint Leo alumna, having earned her bachelor's in human resources administration. She earned her MBA from the College of William and Mary and a master's in adult learning from George Washington University. She received her doctoral degree in human and organization systems from Fielding Graduate University in 2010.

Dr. Rafael Rosado-Ortiz is a family practice physician with more than 30years of professional and personal experience in the fields of public health management, preventive medicine programs, health care management, state- and private-managed care programs research, development and implementation, and development and management of comprehensive community health care initiatives addressing the needs of minority target markets and the under-serve populations in the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Rosado-Ortiz is the chair of the Health Care Administration & Operations Management Department at Saint Leo University and a full-time assistant professor of health care management.

He obtained his bachelor's degree from Charter Oak State College in New Britain CT, his medical degree from the Universidad Centro de Investigacion Social Medical School (UCIFAS), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and he is a proud graduate of the Saint Leo University MBA program. Dr. Rosado-Ortiz is the Chair of the Healthcare Administration & Operations Management Department at Saint Leo University and Full-Time Assistant Professor of Health Care Management.

Dr. Kathleen Van Eerden, associate dean of the College of Health Professions, joined Saint Leo University in March 2019. She is involved in program development and collaborative efforts with health care organizations and community agencies interested in partnerships with Saint Leo. She came to the university after working five years at Cardinal Stritch University, a Catholic institution in Milwaukee. She was associate dean of nursing and health sciences there. She has a PhD in higher education leadership and also holds a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in nursing and is a Certified Nurse Educator. In addition to her many years of work in nursing and education, Van Eerden has served as a consultant, community organization board member, and grant reviewer.

Brandy Pollicita is an Instructor of health and wellness at Saint Leo University. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from Arizona State University. Prior to arrival at Saint Leo University, she taught at the University of South Florida in the College of Education/Exercise Science Department and College of Public Health. Pollicita specializes in health and wellness education. When she is not in the classroom, she assists in designing online and on-campus health education courses. She is also interested in the assessment and promotion of wellness for students and employees.

She is certified through the American Council on Exercise, Silver Sneakers, YogaFit, and is a CPR/AED certified Instructor through the American Red Cross. She was a corporate wellness manager for three Fortune 500 companies in Arizona and Florida prior to focusing on academics.

Saint Leo University invites area small business owners, managers, and others to join in the conversation about "re-imagining" the workplace.