The Ever Changing Face of Work: What to Expect Going Forward

Dawn Gard O’Connell is the Chief Compliance Officer, VP & Deputy General Counsel for The Heico Companies, LLC. Heico is a large multinational company, with over 70 manufacturing, construction and industrial service companies located across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. As part of her responsibilities, Dawn serves as lead employment law counsel and business partner for Heico’s corporate human resources team, providing support on many different employment-related issues.

Dawn has spent over 18 years practicing law as in house counsel for public and private companies. She also spent many years working as a commercial litigator for Chicago-based law firms. She is a graduate of Boston College and the University of Michigan Law School.

Michael A. Chichester represents employers in labor and employment relations and employment litigation defense of all types.

Appearing in state and federal courts, he most frequently works with retailers, utilities, healthcare providers, transportation companies, and professional corporations and has particular experience defending clients in claims.

Michael has a deep interest on the impact of advanced technology on the workforce and is co-chair of Littler’s Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Automation practice group.

Prior to joining Littler Mendelson, Michael worked as an associate at a mid-size Detroit law firm, where his practice primarily consisted of representing employees in labor and employment matters. In law school, he was managing editor of the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review.

Ashley Kuruvilla is Vice President and General Counsel at Woodland Direct, Inc., one of the leading e-commerce giants in the fire and hearth industry. In her role, she oversees Legal and HR, including all of the corporation’s legal matters, from commercial disputes to employment law, compliance to corporate governance. She also leads the company’s HR team, which is focused on employee relations, training, workforce planning, and the overall employee experience.

She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Detroit Mercy and her Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law. She provides pro-bono counsel to philanthropic organizations in her local area and also serves as a Legal Advisor to a nonprofit working to support underprivileged communities in India. She resides in metro Detroit.

Ayesha Ahmed joined Nexus Pharmaceuticals in 2011 and currently serves as its general counsel. She is also on the board of directors at UMMA Center, a not-for-profit organization that is helping people of all backgrounds transform their lives and communities by offering GED classes, food pantries, career counseling and more.

After beginning her legal career in 2006 at a boutique law firm, Ms. Ahmed went on to clerk for the Honorable Moshe Jacobius at the Circuit Court of Cook County in 2008.

Ms. Ahmed holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Case Western Reserve University and a law degree from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Marni Helfand is the Chief HR Officer and General Counsel for The Planet Group. Marni oversees all legal and HR functions including providing training, advising on all areas of compliance, negotiating client agreements, managing litigation, and protecting the company's intellectual property. After leaving private practice with the law firm of Littler Mendelson, most of her career has been spent in the staffing and consulting industries.

Prior to beginning her career, Marni received her Bachelor's Degree in Industrial and Labor Relations form Cornell University, and attained her JD Law Degree from Northwestern University's School of Law.