Community Spotlight – District 6
By Leydiana Patzer, SHRM-CP, District 6 Director
District 6 wrapped up 2025 with the commitment by all three chapters to further align themselves with SHRM through Co-Branding! It is an honor to serve the Chapters of District 6, comprised of SHRM Brevard, Treasure Coast Human Resources Association (soon to be SHRM Treasure Coast), and SHRM St. Lucie County. Here are a few highlights from District 6.
The first meeting of the year was held on February 19th as a breakfast meeting where speaker Attorney
David Miklas presented “Employment Law Update: What will get you sued in 2026”. There were approximately 50 attendees that could attest it was a real eye-opener! During this presentation attendees learned how to spot the warning signs and early indicators of potential legal risk under a Trump 2.0 presidency, how to develop proactive strategies to minimize risk, and reviewed strategies for prevention by implementing effective policies and training programs.
The March meeting was once again about compliance and the SECURE 2.0 Law. Andrew Zito, CPFA, AIF provided the status of SECURE 2.0 Legislation as well as guidance received by the IRS and DOL.
The Big Waves in April will be the Chapter’s Annual Legislative Conference on April 8th from 1pm -5pm at the Vero Beach Museum of Art. The keynote speakers will be Labor & Employment Attorneys, David Miklas of The Law Office of David Miklas P.A. and Louis Wilson, Partner at FordHarrison, LLP. Later in the month of April on the 30th the Chapter will hold it’s Annual Casino Night where monies raised will benefit local charities and the SHRM Foundation.
SHRM St. Lucie County – Looking to make Waves of their own, SHRM St. Lucie County will bealigning their squares with a BINGO Social on April 22nd from 6-8pm at the PGA Golf Club! The proceeds from the Bingo Social will benefit local charities and the SHRM Foundation. They will wrap up April on the 30th with Workplace Wellness Speaker Melissa Severance presenting “Infusing Mindful Moments to Combat Burnout & Enhance Workplace Wellness. A great way to prepare for the next Wave and their Mental Health Kickoff in May!
SHRM Brevard – In late fall of 2025 SHRM Brevard had the idea of increasing their Workforce Readiness, the BOD decided to take on the challenge of supporting the Junior Achievement (JA) Career Success Program in Brevard County. JA Career Success is an engaging learning experience that introduces students to the workplace. Through this initiative, SHRM Brevard members delivered structured, career-focused content to approximately 500 Brevard County Adult Education students, ranging in age from teens to mid-career adults. These students are enrolled in GED, diploma, and adult education programs and represent a critical, often underserved, segment of the local workforce pipeline. The SHRM Brevard BOD and members will continue to facilitate this program for the local students through April 2026.
In November, they had a food drive to address the ongoing food insecurity that many face in Brevard County. Their members brought in 100’s of pounds of food to share with the South Brevard Sharing Center (now Providence Connects).
In December they had a fun Holiday Social and Networking event with their members at Hell N’Blazes Brewing Company where they enjoyed great food, friendship and conversations. A couple of pictures are below.
To kick off the new year, they held their Annual ½ Day Legal Conference on January 22nd at Suntree Country Club. They kicked off the event with the installation of the new BOD for 2026. Louis Wilson and Michelle Tatum-Bush, Partners at FordHarrison, then started the Legal Conference where approximately 90 attendees enjoyed learning the most up to date HR legal and compliance information with a deep dive into I-9s and employer requirements. At the end of the day, all attendees enjoyed an engaging HR related “Family Feud” game. It was an excellent event.
Leydiana Patzer, SHRM-CP
The Professional
Leydiana is a qualified Human Resource Professional with her SHRM-CP Designation and more than twenty years of Human Resource experience in a variety of industries such as Hospitality, Agriculture, Communications, Professional Employer Organizations, Retail, and Underground Utilities. She is currently serving as the Director of Human Resources with Costa d’ Este Beach Resort & Spa in Vero Beach, FL as well as the Cardozo Hotel in South Beach Miami, FL. Both properties are part of the Pyramid Global Hospitality Luxury Portfolio and owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
The Volunteer
Leydiana feels very strongly about community involvement and volunteering as a professional and a private citizen. A Board Member of Treasure Coast Human Resource Association since 2012, She has also served as President, Past-President, Social and Community Events Chair, and Programs Chair. An area she is most passionate about is serving the Veterans. She spearheaded a dual Veterans Initiative with the TCHRA to Mentor local Veterans and fundraising efforts for the WORDS FROM WAR – Iraq/Afghanistan Memorial Monument, she served as the Director of Development for the Veterans Council of Indian River County and also serves to provide HR Guidance when needed, and lastly served as Secretary on the Executive Board of Next Generation Veterans, Inc. (Veterans that have served after 1990 in the War of Terror). As a civilian member of Next Generation Veterans and the Veterans Council, she works side by side with local veterans to engage and educate the community and veterans at large on PTSD support groups and various services available in the community. Additionally, she is part of the Pyramid Global Hospitality Leadership Conference Committee focused on Community Cares Events.
The Person
Leydiana was born in Havana, Cuba and has spent most of her life in the Sunshine State of Florida. She loves to dance and before finding her passion for HR, was a Dance Major at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She currently resides in the beautiful beach town of Vero Beach, FL with her family!