The Employment Law & HR Summit: Houston

Cynthia Foster, is the Vice President of Human Resources at Safran Seats USA, a division of the Safran Group. Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation, defense and space markets, with more than 100,000 employees in 27 countries, where Cynthia is  recognized for her innovation and geekiness. With a 20+ year history of performance improvement, Cynthia transitioned to HR in 2007 to impact employee performance and quality, consistently bringing creative solutions to the workplace, from spearheading digital transformation projects to implementing AI and digital tools that boost productivity, engagement, and collaboration. She is celebrated for leading teams through change, driving measurable improvements in turnover and training, and fostering cultures that thrive on open communication and continuous improvement. Cynthia holds an MBA, SHRM-SCP, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. In addition to her corporate leadership, Cynthia is a double-bassist and the co-owner of Top Secret Rehearsal Studios in Denton, Texas.

Sadiqa Banks has 14.5 years of experience in employment law, which involves employment litigation, federal agency, corporate employment consulting, HR development, corporate employment investigations, and employment training and development. Currently, Sadiqa is the Associate General Counsel, Employment & Immigration for a fintech, OppFi. Prior to OppFi, Sadiqa served as Assistant General Counsel & HR Consultant at Engage PEO.
Sadiqa has been described as having a 360-degree view of the employment relationship. She ultimately promotes, “Your career. Your responsibility.” She teaches this approach to help employees be proactive about their career path and how they can better participate and show up in the workplace.
Sadiqa is born and raised in New York City, holding a J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law – Texas Southern University, and a B.A. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.

Ashley Eziama is a dynamic Global People Business Partner with a proven track record of shaping inclusive, high-performing workplaces across leading companies like Peloton, Tesla, and Target. With deep expertise in talent strategy, change leadership, and employee engagement, Ashley is passionate about empowering people-first cultures that drive business success. As the founder of The People Partner Co., she also consults and coaches organizations on building impactful HR strategies. Her keynote will inspire HR leaders to lead boldly and reimagine the future of work.

Micah S. Heilbrun is Manager, Labor & Employee Relations at Phillips 66 Company in Houston, Texas. He leads the HR team for all unionized workforce management and non-union employee matters.  Before his current role, Micah spent 5 years as Senior Counsel, Labor & Employment for Phillips 66.

Prior to joining Phillips 66, Micah worked for Exxon Mobil Corporation’s Legal Department and Patterson-UTI Drilling Company as Senior Counsel and VP-Human Resources.  Before working in-house, Micah was in private practice with Littler Mendelson’s Austin and Houston offices specializing in labor and employment law.  He has been board-certified in labor & employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2008.

Micah is a member of the Texas State Bar’s Labor & Employment Law Section, the ACC’s Traditional Labor Law Practice Group and the American Petroleum Labor Lawyers Association. He is a volunteer for the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program (HVLP) and provides pro bono representation for unaccompanied minors in immigration proceedings through Kids in Need of Defense (KIND).

Micah earned his BA from Denison University (Granville, Ohio) and his law degree and Master’s degree in Industrial Relations from Wayne State University (Detroit, Michigan).  Micah played college football and lacrosse for Denison University and professional rugby for the Detroit Tradesmen for 2002-2004.

Taylor White partners with senior business leaders, HR professionals, corporate counsel, and decision-makers on employment decisions and litigation. He regularly advises employers on day-to-day issues, including requirements and best practices regarding discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims under state and federal employment laws, and he often counsels clients on a myriad of litigation avoidance strategies. As a litigator, Taylor is a zealous advocate on behalf of his clients for claims of wage and hour violations; discrimination, harassment, and retaliation issues; breaches of employment agreements; breaches of covenants not to compete and not to solicit; misappropriation of trade secrets; breaches of fiduciary duty and other employment-related torts; and other state and federal law issues stemming from workplace disputes. Taylor is the lead blog writer for employerlawresource.com.

Tracy is a seasoned trial lawyer skilled at utilizing the litigation process to achieve her clients’ business goals.

Tracy has extensive experience in employment law, complex commercial litigation (including technology-related products and services), directors & officers’ litigation, general liability, and intellectual property.

Tracy’s experience in the area of employment law is deep and covers virtually all disputes that arise in the employment context, including litigation concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), discrimination claims under Title VII, and workers’ compensation retaliation claims. She is board certified in Labor & Employment by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Tracy’s litigation background is extensive and covers a wide range of disputes—including commercial litigation, ERISA, IP, trade secrets, the enforcement of noncompete agreements, RICO, and securities fraud—in both federal and state court. Tracy uses this broad knowledge of the litigation process to help clients develop strategies that achieve underlying business goals in the most efficient manner possible. Her no-nonsense, business-centered approach is appreciated by clients from across the spectrum of industry and business, and she routinely handles matters for a wide range of organizations, including healthcare providers, institutions of higher education, school districts, public utilities, and a variety of private businesses.

Since 2020, Tracy also serves as an adjunct law professor at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, where she teaches a section in trial advocacy.

Josh Northcutt is the Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Inchcape Shipping Services. Founded in 1847, Inchcape is one of the largest maritime services providers, with over 250 offices in 61 countries and a team of over 3,100 professionals and committed staff. A seasoned Human Resources and Talent Acquisition leader with extensive experience supporting complex workforce operations across global logistics, maritime services, and corporate environments. His background includes comprehensive responsibility for recruitment strategy, workforce planning, employee relations support, policy interpretation, compliance alignment, and the development of processes that strengthen organizational effectiveness.

Josh has been globally recognized by OnCon as a 2024 Top 100 Talent Acquisition Professional, and under his leadership, his organizations earned the Top 50 Talent Acquisition Team Award and the Top 50 Human Resources Team Award. His continued impact in the profession has also earned him finalist distinctions for the 2025/26 Top 100 Talent Acquisition Professional, Top 100 Talent Acquisition Team Award and Top 100 Human Resources Team Awards—further underscoring his influence and excellence across the people function.

In his leadership capacity, Josh has collaborated closely with senior management, legal partners, and operational stakeholders to ensure employment practices remain compliant, consistent, and aligned with both organizational objectives and regulatory requirements. He has led initiatives that enhance hiring integrity, improve documentation standards, streamline employee lifecycle processes, and reinforce a culture of accountability within HR and Talent Acquisition functions.

Josh is recognized for his disciplined approach, his strong adherence to ethical employment practices, and his ability to translate complex HR and legal considerations into clear, actionable workforce strategies.

Denise brings expertise in workplace discrimination, wrongful terminations, investigations, policy development, and performance management. She has led complex employee relations matters, shaped HR policies, and implemented training programs that equip leaders and employees for long-term success. Her focus is on building supportive environments that empower employees and align with organizational goals, grounded in integrity and compliance.

Lee Barrett is Vice President, Associate General Counsel at Planet Home Lending, where he advises leadership on litigation, consumer bankruptcy, and regulatory compliance across the mortgage lifecycle. Additionally, he manages all employment related litigation, administrative proceedings and investigations. Lee provides primary legal support to the Human Resources team in areas such as wage and hour matters, restrictive covenants, leave and benefit administration, accommodation requests, termination and disciplinary reviews, whistleblower complaints, and development of employment policy and procedure for a nationwide workforce.  Before joining Planet, Lee served as Assistant General Counsel and Privacy Officer at Pacific Union Financial and as an attorney with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and he has extensive experience in private practice focused on commercial litigation.

Lizeth Moreno is an accomplished Human Resources Business Partner with more than a decade of progressive experience specializing in employee relations, organizational development, and workforce strategy. She currently serves as the HR Business Partner, Corporate & Compliance at U.S. Silica, where she partners with senior leadership to drive people-focused initiatives, elevate compliance practices, and strengthen organizational culture across corporate functions.

Throughout her career, she has held key HR roles supporting multi-state operations in the energy and industrial sectors. Her expertise includes managing complex employee relations matters, leading investigations, shaping HR policies, overseeing performance management frameworks, and implementing training and development programs that equip leaders and employees for long-term organizational success. She is passionate about cultivating workplaces where employees feel supported, empowered, and connected to organizational goals.

Outside of her career, Lizeth enjoys the joyful chaos of raising her two small children, who keep her humble and regularly on her toes. She is also a proud wife and credits much of her success to the unwavering support of her husband, who consistently celebrates every win in her journey as a dedicated professional and working mom.