Our 2019 Speakers

Michael J. Sciotti, Esq.

Partner
Barclay Damon, LLP

Michael is a Partner with Barclay Damon, LLP and a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Law and Health Care & Human Services Practice Areas.

His practice includes the defense of employers and members of management in all  types of discrimination, harassment, whistleblower and retaliation claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, New York State Human Rights Law, New York State Labor Law and numerous other laws.  Michael also defends all types of wage and hour actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York State Labor Law.  Michael has also represented numerous employers and fiduciaries in claims involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.  In addition, he has represented numerous employers in dealing with the New York State Workers' Compensation Law on various issues.

Michael provides day-to-day counseling for employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, and conducts internal investigations, audits, and supervisory and employee training on a regular basis.  During his 26 year career, Michael has presented over 500 times on wide variety of labor and employment topics for many organizations including the Society for Human Resource Management, American Payroll Association, American Corporate Counsel Association, New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, Northern District of New York Federal Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, and Lorman Education Services.

Michael is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association,  and is the Immediate Past President for the Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association having served as an officers of the bar association for over 5 years. Michael received his Bachelor of Science degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, where he graduated summa cum laude. He received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees from Syracuse University College of Law. 

Michael was also recently awarded the following distinctions:

    The Best Lawyers in America 2016 Syracuse Employment Law - Management "Lawyer of the Year"

    The Best Lawyers in America 2016 Syracuse Labor Law - Management "Lawyer of the Year"

Dr. Martin Armstrong, CPP, MBA, DBA

Vice President, Payroll Shared Services
Charter Communications

Dr. Martin Armstrong is the Vice President of Payroll Shared Services for Charter Communications, a Fortune 100 company in the United States. Charter Communications is a $43.6B cable operator with 28 million customers and over 98,000 employees in 45 states.

Dr. Armstrong has written over 45 published articles and has extensive training in performance metrics, process improvement methodologies, change management, strategic tax planning, and mergers & acquisitions.

Dr. Armstrong has been a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) since 1990, holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, a MBA degree from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC), and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree from Argosy University. His dissertation concentrated on employee readiness for organizational change.

Dr. Armstrong served 24 years in the U.S. Navy and retired in 2008 as a Navy Supply Corps officer where he was awarded five Navy Achievement awards. He is currently a professor for the University of Phoenix where he serves as Area Chair for the Finance & Accounting Departments; he was also named the 2018 University of Phoenix Distinguished Faculty of the Year.

Dr. Armstrong is a former Vice President, Board of Advisor, and current member of the American Payroll Association (APA). Additional appointments include the APA’s National Speakers Bureau, the HR Advisory Committee for the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, the Advisory Board for Bloomberg Tax Payroll Administration Library, the Advisory Board for the Workforce Institute at Kronos, and a contributing writer for the Bloomberg Tax Payroll Administration Guide.

Professional accolades include the APA’s 2018 Shared Services Prism Award, 2012 Prism Award for Overall Best Practices, 2010 Prism Award for Management Best Practices, 2008 Payroll Man of the Year, 2006 Special Recognition Award, 2002 Meritorious Service Award, and the author of an Institute of Management and Administration (IOMA) seminar book entitled “Leading and Managing Payroll”. Dr. Armstrong has written for, or been covered by, the APA’s PAYTECH magazine, the Bloomberg Tax Payroll Administration Guide, Human Resource Executive, The Paycard Advisor, Accountant’s World, The Institute of Management & Administration, Training Magazine, and Business Finance. He has given lectures and keynote presentations on Strategic Leadership, Management Practices, Employment Taxation, Effective Communication, Change Management, Emotional Intelligence, Lean Labor, Disciplined Decision-Making, Payroll Best Practices, and Mergers and Acquisitions at the APA’s annual Congress, national and statewide conferences, and at numerous cities around the country.

Dallas Wilfong

Director of Sales, Eastern US

Dallas is the Eastern Division Director of Sales at rapid! PayCard, and while growing up in a Navy family, he has lived all over the country. He now lives in Indian Rocks Beach, FL with his wife and daughter.

Prior to joining the PayCard industry in May of 2012, most of Dallas’ experience dealing with the unbanked and underbanked segment of the population came from his long career in the staffing industry. There he held the roles of Senior Sales Executive, General Manager, and National Business Development Manager. In these roles, Dallas experienced firsthand the challenges faced with the payroll and check distribution of thousands to unbanked employees working in local markets as well as per diem employees who travelled to remote jobsites both in and outside the US.

Sarah Pillittere

Sarah Pillittere is a certified DISC Coach, certified Crucial Conversations facilitator and adjunct faculty member. She has a strong background in employee training and management and leadership development. She holds a master’s degree in human resource development.

Debbie Spencer

Debbie Spencer is a certified DISC Coach and adjunct faculty member with a strong background in Human Resources including employee relations, employee training, and management and leadership development. She holds a master’s degree in service management.

DANIEL E. COLACINO, Principal, Dan Colacino, LLC.

Dan Colacino is the owner and principal consultant with Dan Colacino, LLC, an education and employee benefit consulting firm. The firm specializes in the design, underwriting and pricing of employee benefit plans and their compliance with State and Federal regulation and legislation. He retired from Rose & Kiernan, Inc in 2018 where he was Vice President of Compliance and Underwriting. Prior to joining Rose and Kiernan, Colacino was the Chief Marketing Officer at Capital District Physician’s Health Plan in Albany.

Dan was an adjunct professor in the School of Management at Union Graduate College, now part of Clarkson University where he taught Healthcare Financial Management and Health Care Policymaking.  He served for 3 years as President of the New York State Association of Health Underwriters and is currently the Vice Chair. He is also Vice President of the Maine Association of Health Underwriters and serves as Legislative Director.  He is a member of NY State of Health Advisory Committee.  Dan received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health from SUNY Brockport and his Masters in Health Care Administration from Union College

Christine Wescott, CPP- Bryant & Stratton College

As Payroll Administrator for Bryant & Stratton College, Tina Wescott is responsible for the administration and payroll processing of 21 campuses, the Online division and the Systems Office throughout the states of NY, OH, VA and WI.  This includes leadership and payroll services to over 1,000 FT and 1,000 PT associates.  She has 27 years of accounting, payroll and benefits experience.  She has worked as an Accounting Clerk, Corporate AP Clerk and for the last 24 years, as Payroll Accountant/Administrator.  She was also a member of Bryant & Stratton’s Human Resource Specialist program development team.

Mrs. Wescott earned her Associates Degree in Business Administration from Erie Community College and her Bachelors Degree in Accounting from the State University of New York at Buffalo.  She successfully completed the Certified Payroll Professional Exam in September 2003, recertified in 2008 and will apply for recertification again at the end of 2018.

Mrs. Wescott is a member of the American Payroll Association and its local chapter, Buffalo~Niagara Payroll Association.  She is a Past President of BNPA, has served on several NY Statewide Conference committees and is a founding member of the NY Statewide Payroll Conference.  In 2010-2012, she served as APA’s Board of Advisor for Region 8.

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Kirstin Guanciale

Kirstin is the Senior Payroll Specialist in the Payroll Service Center at Syracuse University.  She has held other positions including Payroll Analyst and Tax Specialist.  She handles tax and reporting matters for all payments made to, or on behalf of, nonresident alien individuals and foreign entities.  By fully utilizing PeopleSoft HRSA in conjunction with WINDSTAR software, Kirstin ensures the University’s compliance with payments made to foreign persons.  

Kirstin has been with the University for over 12 years.  Previous to that she worked as an accountant with a local CPA firm.  In 2003 Kirstin graduated magna cum laude from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.  In 2008 she obtained the APA’s Fundamental Payroll Certificate.  Currently she is a member of the Salt City Payroll Association, and was a member of Orange Orators (Syracuse University’s International Toastmasters Club) for 10 years.  In 2014 she won 1st place in the Toastmasters’ District Evaluation Contest.

Rosemary Enright- from Barclay Damon, LLC

Rosemary Enright focuses her practice on labor matters as well as education law and counseling. Her employment experience includes defending and counseling clients from a broad range of industries with regards to matters such as discrimination in hiring, firing, and promotion; wages; benefits; civil rights claims; workplace investigations of discrimination and harassment claims; and drafting of employee manuals, employment agreements, severance agreements, non-compete agreements, and employment policies and procedures.

Rosemary is a former senior executive whose background spans both the for-profit and nonprofit worlds and whose experience ranges from staff and management functions to executive and board positions. She brings more than 15 years of experience in the consulting, education, and operations divisions of a multinational software company. She has extensive international experience, having managed teams in India and Asia, and has in-depth knowledge of product management and development, talent management, and organizational effectiveness.

Christopher J. Harrigan- from Barclay Damon, LLC

Chris Harrigan counsels and represents employers of all types in labor and employment-related matters, including employment litigation in federal and state courts and before the EEOC and the New York State Division of Human Rights. From Fortune 500 companies to small family-owned businesses, Chris has extensive experience counseling clients and litigating claims regarding workplace discrimination and the enforcement of non-competition agreements. In addition, Chris advises clients on a variety of business issues, including collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, union organizing campaigns, executive employment agreements, wage and hour law investigations, employee theft, severance agreements, the development of employment policies, and the preparation of restrictive covenants/non-competition agreements.

Chris also provides a broad range of counseling and training to executives, supervisors, managers, and employees on topics including positive employer-employee relations, anti-harassment compliance, wage and hour issues, investigations of workplace misconduct, documentation and performance reviews, and avoiding workplace violence. In addition, Chris represents institutions of higher education, charter schools, and public school districts in employment law issues and education law matters, including student disciplinary issues.

Michael J. Sciotti

Michael is a Partner with Barclay Damon, LLP and a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Law and Health Care & Human Services Practice Areas.

His practice includes the defense of employers and members of management in all types of discrimination, harassment, whistleblower and retaliation claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, New York State Human Rights Law, New York State Labor Law and numerous other laws. Michael also defends all types of wage and hour actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York State Labor Law. Michael has also represented numerous employers and fiduciaries in claims involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. In addition, he has represented numerous employers in dealing with the New York State Workers' Compensation Law on various issues.

Shequeila Birdsong

Mrs. Birdsong is the Community Outreach and Planning Specialist for the Federal Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. She was initially hired by the Department of Labor as a Wage and Hour Investigator.  She investigated employers’ compliance with many labor laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Service Contract Act (SCA), Davis Bacon and Related Contracts Act (DBRA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA), and certain provisions set forth by the Immigration and Nationality Act regarding temporary workers with H- Visas.  During 2016, Shequeila accepted a position as the Albany District’s Community Outreach and Planning Specialist (CORPS).  As a Community Outreach Specialist, Shequeila educates employees and employers of Federal labor law requirements.

Nick Foucault

Nick Foucault, Product Director and software expert for Certified Payroll Reporting, has been working with companies and payroll administrators since 2011 on Davis-Bacon reporting.

Nick has deep expertise around processes specific to prevailing wages, certified payroll, and human resource functions developed over nearly a decade. Furthermore, he has helped design several software products used by hundreds of companies in relation to Davis-Bacon, Equal Employment Opportunity, and the Affordable Care Act, to help companies stay compliant and save time and money. He is an expert in the area of Davis-Bacon compliance at the federal, state, and municipal level.

Steve Ingraham

Senior Stakeholder Liaison, New York Area Field Office Internal Revenue Service – Communications and Liaison

Steve Ingraham has 32 years with IRS and currently serves as Senior Stakeholder Liaison for the New York Field Office in the Communications and Liaison Division of IRS. Steve has served in the following positions: as Supervisory Tax Specialist in the Stakeholder Liaison Field function for the Central U.S. and NY Areas, as Headquarters Management & Program Analyst in the Small Business Self Employed division, as Senior Tax Specialist and Supervisory Tax Specialist in the Wage & Investment Division and Supervisory Tax Specialist in the Small Business Self Employed Division. He supervised IRS offices and personnel in MA, NY, NH, Ill, MO, KS and OK.

In his role as Senior Liaison, Steve works closely with tax professionals and tax professional organizations, industry associations and small business leaders. His focus is to provide education and information on strategic compliance initiatives, industry outreach programs, tax incentives and services, to expand and strengthen relationships with all professional partners in the field both in person and the virtual environment.

Michael J. Sciotti

Michael is a Partner with Barclay Damon, LLP and a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Law and Health Care & Human Services Practice Areas.

His practice includes the defense of employers and members of management in all types of discrimination, harassment, whistleblower and retaliation claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, New York State Human Rights Law, New York State Labor Law and numerous other laws. Michael also defends all types of wage and hour actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York State Labor Law. Michael has also represented numerous employers and fiduciaries in claims involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. In addition, he has represented numerous employers in dealing with the New York State Workers' Compensation Law on various issues.

Neil Gilberg

Neil Gilberg has significant experience in the private sector.  Mr. Gilberg comes from the hospitality industry, where he spent 20 years running a major Catskills resort, managing 300 employees and a multi-million dollar budget. He also has background in government service as the former Sullivan County Clerk; as a member of the Fallsburg Town Council; and as a trustee of the Fallsburg Central School District. Mr. Gilberg was on the Board of Directors for C.A.S.A (Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children).

Mr. Gilberg was subsequently appointed by the Governor to serve as the Business Ambassador/Advocate for Business for the NYS Workers' Compensation Board.  In this capacity, Mr. Gilberg addresses employers' concerns regarding the workers' compensation system in New York State and develops policies to address those concerns.

Amber Morris

Vice President, Commercial Development – Immedis

Amber is the US Vice President of Commercial Development with Immedis and based in the New Jersey office.
She has extensive experience in global payroll and is highly regarded within the industry by both clients and partners.
Amber is committed to delivering the right global payroll solution for multi national organizations around the world with the help of the service delivery team and our market leading platform, iConnect.

Virginia A Pantle, CPP

Virginia A Pantle, CPP, aka Ginger, is the Payroll Administrator for The Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference in Binghamton, NY. She has been in this position for nineteen years. She has an Associates degree in Accounting from Broome Community College. She started her career working for Endicott Johnson Corporation, she started in Data Processing/IT and moved to the Accounting Department where she processed the Executive and Administrative Payrolls.

Rori Carney

Senior Tax Manager-  Equifax Workforce Solutions

Rori Carney joined the Equifax Workforce Solutions Employment Tax Practice in September, 2012. With over twenty (25) years of experience, Rori is a subject matter expert who specializes in all employment tax issues associated with mergers, acquisitions and internal reorganizations.

Working with the Equifax client base of over 3,600 accounts, Rori leads a wide variety of employment tax engagements within the practice focusing on compliance, advisory and controversy services. She has a strong technical knowledge of a wide variety of employment tax issues including state unemployment and withholding tax sourcing, federal and state payroll tax implications of mergers and acquisitions, federal and state taxpayer advocacy procedures and federal and state refund recovery analysis.

Prior to joining Equifax, Rori spent 11 years in with EY where she was a Senior Manager and a leader for the firm’s Employment Tax practice in the Midwest region. She has also worked with the KPMG state and local tax practice as an Employment Tax Manager and at Barnett Associates as an Account Executive. Rori has a Bachelor of Business Administration, Accountancy from Hofstra University and has been a Certified Payroll Professional since 2008.

Susan B. Dermody

Account Executive - Equifax Workforce Solutions - Employment Tax Consulting

Susan Dermody is an Account Executive for Employment Tax Consulting Services at Equifax Workforce Solutions. She is responsible for delivering consultative advice regarding employment tax liabilities and tax saving opportunities to employers. Susan’s expertise is focused on state and federal unemployment tax management including mergers, acquisitions and business strategies for a variety of business industry sectors including Professional Employer Organizations (“PEO”), Administrative Services Organizations and Non-Profit Organizations.

She has been with Equifax for six years. Her previous work experience includes unemployment tax and strategic business development for a PEO and Payroll HR outsourcing firm. She has extensive experience with the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (“NAPEO”), Florida Association of Professional Employer Organizations (“FAPEO”) and is a frequent speaker on unemployment cost controls and trends for local and state level American Payroll Association conferences as well as FAPEO and NAPEO events. She has an Accounting degree from Bryant and Stratton Business Institute and Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology.