Salem Convention Center
Summit Materials
Thank you for joining us in Salem for a day of H2 labor updates, breakout sessions, and networking!
Here, you will find the Seminar agenda, speaker bios, slide decks, and supplementary resources to help you make the most of this informative event.
A recording of the General Session and Track 1 Breakouts, along with all Breakout slide decks, will be posted after the conference.
General Session
Enrique’s Insights: Reflecting on the Past Year and Shaping the Future
ENRIQUE GASTELUM
Learn about our achievements from the past year and our vision for the future.
Quick Take: Navigating New Labor Laws
ROXANA MACIAS, TIM BERNASEK
Follow along with the provided booklet as legal experts discuss new and updated state laws, litigation, and federal regulations.
HANDOUTS: Oregon Labor Law Updates Booklet
H2 Organizer
GIDEON COOPER
Discover this latest innovative platform, now exclusively available to WAFLA visa members. It is designed to streamline and humanize the relationship with temporary workers.
HANDOUTS: H2Organizer
The 411 - Farmworker Unionization
TIM BERNASEK
This topic covers the exclusion of farm workers from federal labor laws, like the NLRA, and how some states, such as California, have adopted card check laws to support unionization. Learn about recent state efforts, what could be next for the PNW, the card check process, and the legal landscape.
Fostering a Positive Workplace Culture Panel
ENRIQUE GASTELUM, DIANA CEJA, JEN COLEMAN, JEANE DELANEY, LUIS GUITRON
Fostering a workplace where employees feel empowered to voice concerns is vital to avoiding workplace disruptions, violence, and legal disputes. In this panel, growers share their experiences in building environments that encourage open communication and where employees feel valued and confident in addressing their concerns.
HANDOUTS: Field to Future | Worker Innovation Competition | WAFLA Worker Training
Trivia Challenge: Real Questions, Real Knowledge—Are You Ready?
ENRIQUE GASTELUM (Host), RYAN KUNKEL, ROXANA MACIAS, RYAN OGBURN
Get ready to test your knowledge of the latest H2/HR regulations with common questions. Are you prepared?
Members can submit unlimited questions through HRAnswers and H2Answers through the Member Hub.
Breakouts
1:15P (Three choices)
TRACK 1
Getting Ready for a DOL Investigation: Essential Preparation Tips
RUBEN LUGO
In 2025, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division is ramping up audits for H-2A program users significantly. Join a newly retired DOL Regional Enforcement Coordinator as he shares insider insights to help you stay compliant and avoid the most common violations. This session will cover essential compliance strategies, key controls for your operation, and how to ensure your records and labor practices meet the latest regulatory standards.
HANDOUTS: Compliance Checklist | SWA Field Checklist | Field Check and Field Visit Procedures
TRACK 2
(Almost) Everyone Loves Leon: Review of Latest H-2A Lawsuits and Rules
The Department of Labor’s new H-2A regulations, including the 2024 rule "Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment," have sparked legal challenges nationwide. This session will review employer responsibilities, the status of litigation, and other significant H-2A cases. Stay informed with this critical update on H-2A regulations and legal developments.
HANDOUTS:
TRACK 3
Safeguarding Workers: Preventing and Addressing Unsavory Situations
Discover essential outreach resources to tackle issues that could jeopardize your workforce's welfare and visa status, such as exploitation, coercion, online dating scams, prostitution, drug dealers, car fraud (odometer tampering), and traffic stop requirements of minimum English communication skills needed when interacting with law enforcement. Empower your foreign workforce with the knowledge to be prepared to navigate these challenges and not become a victim of unsavory scammers.
HANDOUTS:
2:15P (Three choices)
TRACK 1
Accurate Farmworker Pay: Navigating PNW Payroll Complexities
ENRIQUE GASELUM, TIM BERNASEK
Ensuring farm workers are paid correctly is essential for agricultural businesses, especially in the Pacific Northwest, where payroll regulations are notoriously complex. Many farmers rely on third-party payroll services, but common errors in data entry and pay calculations can lead to legal risks. This breakout will cover essential payroll requirements and common mistakes in field tallies, timekeeping, pay calculations, and pay stubs to help you stay compliant.
HANDOUTS:
TRACK 2
Conducting Fair Investigations: Best Practices and Principles
RYAN KUNKEL
Investigations don’t have to be overwhelming—they can be as straightforward as documenting a few phone calls. Learn best practices tailored to various scenarios and gain practical strategies for conducting fair, objective internal investigations. Discover how to ensure integrity and fairness throughout the process to maintain the credibility of your investigations while integrating investigations into a progressive discipline framework.
HANDOUTS:
TRACK 3
H2 Program Essentials: Core Fundamentals Explained
RYAN OGBURN, LULU LOPEZ
This breakout guides you through the essentials of utilizing the H2 program, from securing H2-compliant housing and drafting your contract to navigating the application process across six government agencies. You’ll also learn about recruitment, travel arrangements, onboarding, and mid-season and post-season considerations.
HANDOUTS:
3:15P (Three choices)
TRACK 1
Temporary Farmworker Housing Compliance Trends and Proposed Rule Update
LUIS GUITRON, SHERRI MARKS
Temporary farmworker housing is essential to utilizing the H-2A program. Oregon OSHA recently underwent a several-year agricultural labor housing rule rewrite process that we will update you on. Also, the Department of Labor recently issued new H-2A regulations that mandate guests be allowed in farmworker housing. This session will provide the latest news on these rules, how to prepare for implementing them, and standard compliance issues observed by OR-OSHA and WAFLA field staff.
HANDOUTS:
TRACK 2
Repeat
(Almost) Everyone Loves Leon: Review of Latest H-2A Lawsuits and Rules
LEON SEQUEIRA
The Department of Labor’s new H-2A regulations, including the 2024 rule “Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment,” have sparked legal challenges nationwide. This session will review employer responsibilities, the status of litigation, and other significant H-2A cases. Stay informed with this critical update on H-2A regulations and legal developments.
HANDOUTS:
TRACK 3
Navigating Workers’ Compensation for H-2A Foreign Guest Workers
KEVIN BARRETT
A representative from SAIF, a not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance provider in Oregon, will offer insights and best practices for handling claims filed by foreign guest workers under the H-2A program.
HANDOUTS:
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Speaker Biographies
(Alphabetized by last name)
Kevin Barrett
Adam Belzberg is a partner with the Seattle office of Stoel Rives LLP. He represents and advises employers across the United States, from small businesses to international corporations. Adam has particular experience representing agricultural employers throughout Washington and Oregon in all labor and employment law aspects.
Tim Bernasek is a partner at Oregon law firm Dunn Carney LLP. He focuses on agriculture and natural resources law and administrative, real estate, employment, and business law. He leads Dunn Carney’s Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Team, sponsors the firm’s popular annual Ag Summit, and frequently speaks on agricultural business, real estate, and employment issues.
Jacob Boston serves as a visa account manager at WAFLA. He was born in Oceanside, California, and grew up in Lacey, Washington. As a first-generation high school and college graduate, he understands what an opportunity can provide. This has led him to pursue a career where he can give back to his community in the best way possible.
Sheldon Brown
Sherri Burris
Gerald "Jerry" Caird is a registered environmental health specialist who has worked in public health for over 30 years. He currently supervises the lodging program at the Washington Department of Health and has worked with multiple local health departments in Washington and the State of Nevada. He has been involved in various environmental health programs, including food inspections, septic systems, schools, hotels, and public pools.
Diana Ceja is the Company Manager at Robinson Nursery, Inc.
Bertha Clayton has been the Director of the Office of Agricultural and Seasonal Workforce Services (ASWS) at Washington State Employment Security Department since January 2022. A licensed attorney, Bertha is a member of the Washington and Idaho State Bar Associations. Before her current role, she was in immigration practice for five years at a small Walla Walla, WA firm. In 2021, the Walla Walla Union Bulletin named Bertha one of its inaugural “Top 39 under 39.”
Jen Coleman
Gideon Cooper
Christopher (Chris) Cushing has served as the USAID Mission Director to El Salvador/ECAM since August 2022, overseeing programs in Central America and Mexico. Before this, he was the USAID Mission Director in Haiti from 2020 to 2022 and previously in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean and Ecuador. He also held leadership roles in USAID's Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) offices, managing budgets and overseeing diverse programs. Mr. Cushing began his international career with the Peace Corps and holds a master’s in Economic and Social Development.
Jeane DeLaney recently retired from a 30-year academic career focused on Latin America. She grew up on a family farm, and her experiences in Mexico and Central America made her keenly aware of the region’s poverty and the importance of migration to the U.S. as one of the few paths people have to a better life. DeLaney has volunteered to help on several wafla projects related to equitable employment.
Diana Fernandez
Enrique Gastelum is the chief executive officer at WAFLA and a champion of promoting the sustainability of labor-intensive agriculture across the Pacific Northwest. His background in a farmworker family, his time as a government labor law regulator and educator, and his work as the CFO of Washington Farm Bureau have given him a unique perspective that balances seasonal employers' labor needs with workers' rights and dignities. He holds a Bachelor of Science in zoology and an MBA in public administration.
Luis Guitron is WAFLA's field services director and the housing manager for Riverview Meadows, WAFLA's 160-bed housing project near Okanogan, Wash. His experience in agriculture began in 2012 when he learned to prune, drive tractors, and spray pesticides for Stemilt Ag Services. He spent two years in the carpenters' union and has experience managing H-2A crews for WAFLA.
Doug Hartfield
Robert Hock
Ryan Kunkel is an Associate trial lawyer at Stoel Rives LLP Oregon office who litigates employment-related disputes in federal and state court and private arbitration and counsels employers to mitigate risk and prevent disputes from reaching litigation. Ryan specializes in pursuing and defending unfair competition cases, such as employee non-competition, non-solicitation, and trade secret obligations, especially in the financial and manufacturing industries.
Claire Lichtenfels
Lulu Lopez was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, and moved to the U.S. in 1989. Growing up in the Wenatchee Valley, she witnessed firsthand the challenges farmworkers and farmers must overcome. This led her to pursue a career where she could help farm workers and farmers. Lulu's dedication to assisting others is reflected in her work as a Senior Account Executive with WAFLA. In her spare time, Lulu enjoys spending time with her children.
Ruben Lugo
Roxana Macias is the chief people and community officer at WAFLA. Macias is a first-generation daughter of Mexican farmworkers and a University of Washington graduate. She has worked on all angles of the guest worker programs, including wage determinations, filing H-2A and H-2B contracts, human resources, foreign recruitment, and program compliance. Her role at WAFLA involves developing and implementing programs to help growers and workers navigate the complexities of state and federal laws and regulations and work in cohesion toward a shared goal.
Fr. Jesus Mariscal
Sherri Marks works for the Oregon OSHA Consultative Services Section, where she provides consultations to help employers comply with state and federal occupational safety and health laws.
Yocelin Martinez
Julia Medrano serves as an account executive at WAFLA. She was born in Juarez, Mexico, and later moved to Colorado, where she spent most of her childhood. During her upbringing, Julia spent the summers with her parents, working in the fields planting onions, picking tomatoes, and weeding asparagus. After high school, Medrano enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving two combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and providing humanitarian relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina. She earned a bachelor's degree in healthcare management from the University of Maryland.
Samantha Mendoza
Renson Miranda is a field services manager for WAFLA. He specializes in H-2A worker onboarding, supervisor and manager training, housing inspections, and conflict resolution in the orchards. Miranda is a Prosser High School graduate with various skills in the agriculture sector. He was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, and came to the United States at three years old with his pregnant mother.
Trooper Daniel Mosqueda
Ryan Ogburn is the WAFLA visa services director. He graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts and cum laude honors. While at PLU, Ryan spent over six months studying in Cuba and Spain and speaks fluent Spanish.
Anita Panko is a senior account executive at WAFLA. She has dedicated her career to helping farmers get apples into kids’ lunch boxes. She attended Idaho State University, receiving an Associate of Arts degree in paralegal studies and her Bachelor of Arts in pre-law. She earned a Master of Arts in paralegal studies from George Washington University. Panko served the ag community while working for the Montpelier (Idaho) Police Department as their coordinator of victims' services.
Colette Roberts Risden is the Permanent Secretary – Overseas Employment Programs (Jamaica)
Leon R. Sequeira is an attorney with more than two decades of experience advising employers and industry associations on employment and immigration matters involving foreign workers. He represents clients across the United States, from small family farms to some of the nation’s largest employers of H-2A and H-2B guest workers. In addition to defending employers in government investigations and litigation, he also represents employers on public policy, regulatory, and legislative issues in Washington, D.C.
Sean Worley is a Shareholder litigator at the Stokes Lawrence Yakima office and represents private and municipal employers in labor and employment matters. Sean represents employers before state and federal agencies on cases involving wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, retaliation, wage and hour issues (including class action defense), whistleblower conduct, breach of contract, non-competition, FMLA, ADA/WLAD, as well as matters involving unions and collective bargaining. He is a former Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, where he worked in the Corporate Counsel Division, District Court Unit, and Special Assault Unit.
Carlos Sandoval-Larios
Sarah Wixson is a Shareholder at Stokes Lawrence in Yakima and brings over two decades of litigation experience working with closely held private companies in the agricultural industry on complex employment litigation matters. Clients rely on her pragmatic legal counsel and extensive knowledge of the issues impacting the agricultural industry to help minimize the risk of litigation. From assisting in resolving labor strikes to defending against Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claims, Sarah is committed to creating collaborative solutions that achieve her client’s desired outcome. Her practice encompasses a range of litigation matters – wage and hour claims, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, policy and practice audits, training, and investigations, to name a few.
Bob Wonderle
Yocelin Martinez