February 2026 BAHREC Newsletter 
BAHREC | Message from Leadership
Brad Margolis, President, 2026-2027
Hello BAHREC Members,
As we settle into 2026, I find myself reflecting on the unique weight that HR leaders carry. We are often the steady hand guiding our organizations and our people through uncertainty, complexity, and change. And right now, there is no shortage of any of these.
Many of us are navigating challenging dynamics that extend well beyond traditional HR concerns. The issues affecting our workplaces today touch the lives of the people we serve, enable, and work alongside in profound ways. As people leaders, we hold space for others through these moments. But who holds space for us?
This is something our board has been exploring together, and it's shaping how we approach BAHREC's role this year. We want this community to be more than a professional network. We want it to be a source of genuine support for our members and for the emerging leaders coming up behind us.
With that in mind, we are launching new outreach efforts to better understand how BAHREC can best serve you. You may hear from board members in the coming weeks, and I encourage you to share candidly. We are also exploring changes to our meeting formats to create more opportunities for us to learn from one another in a safe, trusted space. Our community of practice is at its best when we can speak openly about our challenges and draw on each other's wisdom.
In the meantime, I want to offer a simple reminder: please take care of yourselves. Building our own resilience isn't a luxury. It's what allows us to continue showing up for the people who depend on our leadership. Whether that means setting boundaries, leaning on trusted peers, or simply pausing to breathe, your well-being matters.
I look forward to connecting with many of you in the weeks ahead.
Brad Margolis
President, BAHREC
Monthly Program & Networking Event
Grace Under Fire: Sticky Situations as an Executive
Date: February 18, 2026
Time: 5:15 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: 1 Tower Place, South San Francisco, CA 94080
BAHREC Members, click this link to register today for the Early Bird discount!
As an HR Exec, making the right move in a complicated situation can be tricky. Whether it’s disagreeing productively with your Board or others in the C-Suite, receiving unrefined ideas from your team that you can’t fully support, or needing to decline a request graciously. How you navigate these challenges shapes your leadership presence and ability to achieve your vision.
In this interactive session with David Lieberman, CEO and Founder of Gravity Learning, you’ll gain science-backed insights and learn useful techniques to handle these tough moments with intention and grace. You’ll walk away with new frameworks and skills, as well as the confidence to navigate sticky situations in all directions.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will understand the key components of what happens in the brain during a challenging situation identified by peer-reviewed, journal-published scientific research.
- Participants will gain research-proven strategies for turning tense moments into
relationship- and conversation-building experiences. - Participants will apply what they have learned to their individual professional context and walk away from the better-equipped session to navigate sticky situations with ease.
This program is APPROVED for 1.5 recertification credit hours for SHRM and HRCI.
This program is possible thanks to our New Gold Sponsor, MeetLifeSciences
Insights From Our Latest Program
In navigating the high-stakes environment of leadership, the workshop, "Transform Tough Conversations Into Breakthrough Moments" by Gabe DeRita offers a sophisticated framework for transforming professional friction into a catalyst for growth. This approach centers on "Authentic Relating," a series of tactical practices, such as welcoming all outcomes and relinquishing reactive impulses, to maintain equanimity during conflict.
We had numerous great reviews of our January 21st Program, including the following;
- “Platinum rule was eye-opening”
- “Good reminder for expert leaders”
- “Most valuable were the steps for giving or receiving feedback.”
- “I found most valuable the example questions, e.g., What’s coming up for you? Can we slow down? Are you open to hearing more?”
- “What I found most valuable was the content that is applicable to what we do and can be applied.”
Inclusive Leadership
A message from BAHREC VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Porsche C. Williams:
Black History Month
The origins of Black History Month can be traced back to 1915, when historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of negro Life and History to address the systemic exclusion of Black contributions from the American record. Fifty years later, President Gerald Ford formally designated February as Black History Month to honor the impact Black Americans have had on the nation’s life and culture, while acknowledging the ongoing struggle for freedom and equal opportunity. That historical data gap has never fully closed, and in today’s anti-DEI environment, it is widening.
Inclusive leadership requires a continuous commitment to learning about and honoring diversity so leaders can recognize difference, value uniqueness, and remain open to new perspectives. Cultural observances like Black History Month deepen the understanding that shapes how employees experience trust, voice, and opportunity at work. Leaders who stay invested in this learning are better equipped to support diverse teams with nuance, strengthen psychological safety, and intentionally design more equitable pathways for growth.
This February, I invite you to engage Black History Month as an act of stewardship and preserve the legacy of leaders whose contributions shaped labor, innovation, and progress, and carry those lessons forward into how we lead and the systems we build.
People First Synergy Lab: October Event Recap
In a moment marked by rapid change, rising complexity, and growing polarization, People First: A Synergy Lab was designed to offer something different: a platform for underrepresented perspectives and space for leaders to move beyond silos and engage in honest, human-centered dialogue about what the future of work truly demands.
On October 25th in collaboration with Bay Area Organizational Development Network, more than sixty-five HR leaders, OD professionals, leadership coaches, and transformation consultants convened at the David Brower Center around the central question: How might we evolve our practices to meet the emerging needs of today’s workforce and tomorrow’s workplace? There wasn’t a fixed agenda, in fact, participants surfaced questions most pressing to their work and joined conversations aligned with their curiosity.
Across more than 20 community-led discussions participants explored themes including trust, AI, change, and the future of work. Conversations examined how organizations might encourage distributed decision-making, which human-centered skills will be essential in 2030 and beyond, and how HR leaders might align compliance responsibilities with the ethical and responsible use of AI.
Sessions were thought-provoking and highlighted the depth and urgency of the times. SHRM@SJSU member and BAHREC volunteer, Flos Verde facilitated a discussion on apathy, inviting participants to examine how rising disengagement among younger workers is influencing expectations around purpose and meaning at work. BAHREC Emerging Leader, Sochi Odidika, led a conversation on AI, exploring how HR leaders can leverage technology to build trust, expand opportunity, and design a people-first future where technology enhances human potential.
The People First: A Synergy Lab Book captures the questions raised, the perspectives shared, the collective learning that emerged, and the questions that remain. You can learn more about this energizing event and the facilitation method that was used here: Link to People First: A Synergy Lab Book.
Cultural Observances: February 2026
2/1: Black History Month begins
2/7: Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
2/11: Day of Women and Girls in Science
2/17: Lunar New Year - Year of the Horse & Ramadan begins
2/18: Ash Wednesday
2/20: World Day of Social Justice
Member Spotlight
Whitney Jones, Chief People Officer at Vaxcyte
“I was interested in BAHREC because of the strong sense of community and collaboration among HR leaders. I’m really looking forward to connecting with peers, learning what others are doing across the Bay Area, and sharing ideas and experiences. Being part of a supportive community where we can learn from one another and grow together is what excites me most about joining this group.”
~Whitney
Legislative Article of Interest
California’s 2025 Legislative Session concluded with fewer sweeping employment-law changes than prior years, but make no mistake, several high-impact updates are coming that HR and business leaders must prepare for in 2026.
The most significant changes focus on worker protections, pay transparency, records retention, and workforce reporting, while notable AI- and surveillance-related bills were vetoed by the Governor.
Prepared by Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP for SHRM California: Read the full SHRM California Legislative Update (2025) here.
Mentorship Opportunity - SHRM at SJSU
the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) at San Jose State University is Looking for Mentors
BAHREC members are warmly invited to volunteer as mentors in the upcoming SHRM at SJSU's Mentorship Program. This six-week program pairs SJSU students with experienced HR professionals for career guidance, complementing their ongoing education with meaningful, real-world insights over two months (minimum three mentorship virtual or in person session required).
Mentoring is a rewarding way to give back to the HR community while expanding your professional network, strengthening leadership skills, and demonstrating community involvement. Your time and expertise can make a lasting difference, helping mentees grow with confidence while creating a fulfilling experience for everyone involved.
If you are interested in beginning your journey as a mentor, please complete the application form here: SHRM@SJSU Mentorship Program Application
Additionally, there will be a Mentorship Info Session on Monday, February 9th, from 6:30 pm - 7 pm, where more information will be provided about the Spring program structure and introduce you to this semester's SHRM cohort! Please RSVP here.
Some key dates during the semester to highlight are:
- Mentorship Mixer: Thursday February 19 @ 6 pm - 7:30 pm
- Meet potential mentees.
- Mentorship Mingle: Thursday March 26 @ 6 pm - 7:30 pm
- Networking! Meet other mentors, mentees, & SHRM members.
- Mentorship Finale: Thursday April 23 @ 6 pm - 7:30 pm
- Celebrate the program's completion with your mentee! This event includes the presentation of Certificates of Recognition.
Share Opportunities with the BAHREC Network
The BAHREC Jobs & Ads page is now online. Please share opportunities and let the power of the network support your organization today.
