May 2026 Meeting -
Neurodiversity in the Workplace: What It Is and What HR Professionals Can Do to Promote It
PRESENTER: Marissa Mosunich, Operate Well Consulting
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
11:30am - 1:00pm
Neurodiversity is more than a buzzword—it’s a growing movement reshaping how organizations think about talent, inclusion, and performance.
As workplaces evolve, HR and organizational leaders are being called to create environments where every employee can thrive. Neurodiversity recognizes the natural variation in human neurology, including Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other forms of neurodivergence. Understanding neuroinclusion—the intentional effort to design workplaces accessible to a wide range of minds—is quickly becoming an essential leadership competency.
In this engaging, introductory session, Marissa Mosunich will break down what neurodiversity means in practical workplace terms and why neuroinclusion benefits teams as a whole. Rather than focusing on clinical or legal technicalities, this session emphasizes awareness, mindset shifts, and realistic, actionable strategies HR professionals can begin applying immediately.
You’ll leave with clarity on:
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Why neurodiversity matters for today’s organizations
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How neuroinclusion strengthens culture, innovation, and retention
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Practical next steps in manager education and hiring process design
The session includes facilitated discussion, giving HRCC members the opportunity to reflect on their own workplaces, share challenges, and identify meaningful next steps.
If you are looking to stay ahead of evolving workplace inclusion practices—and strengthen your organization’s ability to attract and support diverse talent—this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
About Marissa:
Marissa Mosunich is the founder of Operate Well Consulting, where she helps organizations align people, process, and strategy through systems thinking and human-centered design. After discovering her own neurodivergence later in life, she shifted her focus to coaching neurodivergent professionals and advising organizations on building more neuroinclusive workplaces. She holds graduate degrees in Organizational Development and Leadership and Industrial Engineering and lives on California’s Central Coast.
Lunch Menu Options:
Entrees:
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Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
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Farmer's Market Salad (Vegeterian)
Dessert:
- Carrot Cake
Meeting Location:
Madonna Inn Garden Room
100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805) 543-3000
Spotlight Speaker
Speaker: Stephanie Potter, Development Manager
As our May Splotlight speaker, ECHO (El Camino Homeless Organization) will share how they serve San Luis Obispo County through two North County facilities that provide meals, safe overnight shelter, and individualized case management to families and individuals facing hunger and homelessness. Since 2001, ECHO has helped residents build life skills, secure employment, and transition to stable housing, supported by more than 1,500 community volunteers who help serve up to 150 dinners each night. During this session, they will also highlight ways local employers can partner on job placement opportunities and how businesses and individuals can get involved through meaningful volunteer roles that make a direct impact in our community.
Register: Click Here
June 2026 Meeting -
"Do I Have to Pay My Employees for That?" Common Wage & Hour Mistakes
PRESENTER: Jonathan Fraser Light, Managing Partner at LightGabler LLP
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Join us for a practical, high-impact seminar designed to help employers avoid costly wage and hour mistakes before they turn into audits, penalties, or lawsuits. This session is ideal for business owners, HR professionals, payroll administrators, and anyone responsible for compensation and compliance.
This program will break down the most common compliance missteps and clarify exactly what employers are legally required to pay for, where risks often arise, and how to strengthen your payroll practices. Walk away with clear, actionable guidance that can help you protect your organization, reduce exposure, and ensure compliant pay practices.
Objectives:
• Recognize the liabilities associated with misclassifying employees
• Identify the nine categories of pay stub requirements
• Determine the correct way to calculate bonuses and commissions, vacation, sick time, and PTO
Employment law attorney Jonathan Fraser Light will discuss some of the basic rules regarding when employees do and do not have to be paid as part of their work, including valuable tips employers can use to avoid lawsuits on these issues. Discussion points will include: meal and rest breaks; exempt v. non-exempt employees v. independent contractors; vacation, sick time, PTO, among others.
About Jonathan Light:
With over 40 years of experience, Jon has multiple successful employment law jury trials under his belt. He and his team provide day-to-day employment law counsel to thousands of employers of all sizes over virtually all industries. Jon is the Managing Partner and a Founding Partner of LightGabler LLP, focused exclusively on representing management in employment law issues. He speaks over 40 times a year on a multitude of issues to help ensure protection for employers.
Lunch Menu Options:
Entrees:
- Italian Lasagna
- Vegetarian Lasagna
Dessert:
- Berry Cobbler
Meeting Location:
Madonna Inn
100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805) 543-3000
Register: Click Here
July 2026 Meeting -
Claim vs. Defense: Navigating the Work Comp Litigation Process
PRESENTER: Joseph Menapace, Partner at Hanna, Brophy, MacLean, McAleer & Jensen, LLP
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Workers’ compensation claims don’t become costly overnight—but without the right strategy, they can escalate quickly into complex, expensive litigation. This highly practical session is designed to give employers the insight and tools needed to prevent claims from spiraling—and to confidently navigate the litigation process when they do.
Join us for an engaging and informative discussion from the defense perspective, featuring real-world case studies, common employer missteps, and proven strategies to reduce exposure and control outcomes. Whether you’re managing claims internally or partnering with outside counsel, this session will provide actionable guidance to strengthen your approach at every stage of a claim. You will gain a clearer understanding of the workers’ compensation process and court system, including how claims progress, key decision points, and what to expect at each stage of litigation.
Objectives:
• Identify common employer actions and supervisor missteps that trigger litigation
• Understand proactive steps to prevent claims from escalating
• Learn documentation best practices that support a strong defense
• Explore strategies to reduce settlement costs and move cases toward resolution
• How to effectively partner with defense counsel to improve outcomes
Attendees will walk away with clear “do’s and don’ts” of workers’ compensation litigation, practical tools for managing complex claims, and insight into handling challenging scenarios such as preexisting conditions, remote work injuries, and potentially fraudulent or predatory claims.
About Joseph Menapace:
Joseph Menapace joined Hanna Brophy in 2012. He defends insurance carriers and self-insured employers in all areas of workers’ compensation. Joseph graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.S. degree in biotechnology with a minor in political science. While at UC Davis, he interned for the American Bar Association’s Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law (now Commission on Disability Rights) in Washington D.C.
In 2011, he was admitted to the California State Bar after obtaining a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he served as a senior articles editor for the UC Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal. Joseph also had the pleasure of serving as a judicial extern to the Honorable Richard A. Kramer of the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco where he gained invaluable experience and insight into the judicial process.
Professional Activities
• Senior articles editor for the UC Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal
• Judicial extern to the Honorable Richard A. Kramer of the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco
Meeting Location:
Madonna Inn
100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805) 543-3000
Spotlight Speaker
Speaker: Cuesta College Career Services
As our July Spotlight Speaker, Cuesta College will join us to share more about Career Services and the Cougar Career Closet. The presentation will highlight the range of services available to support student career readiness, strengthen employer connections, and advance workforce development in our community. Attendees will gain insight into how local employers can partner with the Career Center to build talent pipelines and support student success.
In conjunction with this presentation, HRCC will host a donation drive benefiting the Cougar Closet—an on-campus resource that provides students with access to professional attire for interviews, internships, and career opportunities—offering members a meaningful way to give back while supporting the next generation of professionals.
Register: Click Here