SHRM Connect Live: Insights from SHRM’s Leaders
Building Stronger Leaders: Culture, Capability, and Organizational Effectiveness

Mike Aitken is EVP of Membership & Communities at SHRM, following 15 years of leading SHRM’s successful advocacy programs as Vice President of Government Affairs. Mike is a leading authority on the issues important to the human resource profession and drives SHRM’s membership vision, ensuring excellent member experiences, and implementing the organization’s newly developed business strategy. He applies his proven model of engagement to shape the future of work, workers, and workplaces. He is an expert relationship-builder across diverse constituencies and stakeholders, always seeking out the “win-win” in every situation. As a member of SHRM’s executive team, Mike also plays a key role in setting the strategic direction of the organization, offering important counsel on SHRM’s educational programs and professional development opportunities. Prior to joining SHRM in 2003, he spent 14 years with the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), which represents more than 23,000 HR professionals at over 1,900 higher education institutions. In 2015 and 2016, Mike served as an employer representative on the U.S. delegation to the International Labour Conference.

Tracey Walker is a nationally recognized executive strategist and transformational CEO with more than two decades of impact across business, government, and professional services. As the Chief Executive Officer of SHRM Linkage, she brings a bold, evidence-based vision for elevating leadership excellence worldwide—grounded in data, strategic foresight, high-performance cultures and an unwavering commitment to developing leaders who inspire trust and deliver measurable, enterprise-level results.

A three-time CXO, Tracey built her career in global organizations where she became known for uniting multicultural strategy, stakeholder engagement, and disciplined business methodology to accelerate sustainable growth. Her counsel has guided Fortune 500 companies, federal agencies, and mission-driven enterprises in unlocking performance, elevating the people experience, modernizing culture, and expanding markets through strategic inclusion and human-centered AI.

Her leadership impact has earned national distinction. Tracey has been named one of the AICPA’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Accounting, received the AGA President’s Award, and was honored as ALPFA’s 2025 Executive of the Year—recognition that reflects her influence across industry and the broader business community. Throughout her career, she has led multi-million-dollar portfolios, built high-performing revenue organizations, and guided complex transformation initiatives across HUD, Treasury, USDA, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae.