NY Tech Alliance Forum: What's Keeping You Up at Night? Immigration, Hiring, Mobility, and the Future of Talent
Between immigration uncertainty, talent shortages, hiring pressure, and the fast pace of change in today’s workplace, there is no shortage of issues keeping leaders up at night. This conversation brings together perspectives from immigration, HR, and business-ownership perspective to talk openly about what employers, founders, and other professionals are facing right now.
We will touch on challenges that are especially familiar in the tech and startup world, like moving quickly, competing for global talent, and planning amid uncertainty, but the themes will resonate across industries. Most importantly, this will be a solutions-focused discussion about what is working, and how we can better support businesses and employees. Expect a candid and practical conversation about building teams and creating opportunity for all involved.
Agenda
5:30pm: Doors Open
6:00pm: Welcome + Presentation & Discussion
7:00pm: Networking (Beverages and lite fare will be served)
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Presenters
Christopher Gregorio, Counsel, Fragomen
Christopher is an immigration attorney based in New York who advises companies and highly skilled professionals on complex U.S. immigration matters. He joined the firm’s New York office after serving as a law clerk at Fragomen in 2011, beginning a career focused on helping organizations and individuals navigate the evolving landscape of federal immigration and nationality law.
Christopher works with clients across a wide range of industries, including financial services, consumer and industrial products, energy, pharmaceuticals, and financial software. This breadth of experience has given him deep expertise in employment-based immigration, short-term work visas, intracompany transfers, and permanent residence strategies for business professionals and technical talent.
He is particularly experienced in supporting researchers, designers, scientists, and other specialists seeking “extraordinary ability” and “outstanding researcher” classifications, helping translate professional achievement and internal prominence into successful immigration outcomes.
Kimberly Grant, Counsel, Fragomen
Kimberly is a seasoned immigration lawyer known for providing high-touch service and creative solutions to difficult immigration matters. She holds a wealth of experience and a proven track record in immigration law, dedicated to demystifying immigration processes to help organizations across various industries secure visas and green cards for their top talent. Kimberly also represents individuals, often finding solutions to immigration hurdles. She frequently lectures on developments in U.S. immigration law and global mobility trends, and she leverages her knowledge to craft training and compliance programs for employers.
A trusted advisor to HR and global mobility departments, she assists corporate clients in navigating the constantly evolving immigration landscape, proactively anticipating developments, including limited appointment availability at certain embassies, and planning accordingly with clients to overcome potential challenges. Over nearly two decades, Kimberly’s success rate has consistently remained high.
Kimberly has a deep focus on the life sciences industry, assisting scientists, physicians and researchers with relocating for work in the United States. She has worked with Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and biotech companies, renowned hospitals and medical device manufacturers. She has significant experience with J-1 and O-1 visas, cap-exempt H-1B visas for academic medical centers, waivers of the two-year home residency requirement and various green card options, such as Outstanding Researcher petitions, Schedule A, National Interest Waivers and PERM applications. Kimberly has also successfully secured a number of emergency visa interviews and travel waivers.
Natasha Persad, Founder & CEO, The HR Xperts
Natasha Persad is an executive Human Resources leader and organizational strategist with more than two decades of experience shaping high-performing cultures across Fortune 500 companies, global enterprises, and fast-growth organizations. She is recognized for her ability to design and operationalize people systems that strengthen organizational capability, accelerate performance, and enable teams to thrive through periods of significant change. Her career spans leadership roles in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, where she has guided companies through transformation, M&A integration, workforce modernization, and large-scale operational redesign.
Natasha’s expertise includes building end-to-end talent systems, leading enterprise workforce planning, and architecting performance, leadership development, and culture programs that align people with purpose. She has a proven record of designing recruiting engines that deliver exceptional talent with speed and precision, including filling more than 130 mission-critical roles in 60 days. Her leadership is grounded in systems thinking, operational rigor, and a deep commitment to creating clarity in complex environments. She has also led cross-border HR operations, including labor relations and compliance in Brazil, where she partnered with unions and government agencies to modernize policies and strengthen employee engagement.
Holly Diamond, Founder & CEO, Work Onward
Holly Diamond is a serial entrepreneur and social impact founder passionate about building businesses that drive equity in the workforce. She is the founder of DHD Consulting, a leading recruiting firm specializing in global companies, and WorkOnward, an AI-powered hiring platform designed to make job opportunities more accessible for immigrant and underrepresented communities.
With a background in social work and over a decade in recruiting, Holly has deep expertise in employment-based immigration, supporting candidates and employers through the full spectrum of visa pathways — including OPT, H-1B, E-2, and O-1 visas. She understands firsthand the complexity that immigrants and international talent face when navigating the U.S. hiring landscape, and has built her businesses around removing those barriers.
Holly is known for her innovative, people-first approach to solving hiring challenges and supporting economic mobility. Her work has been backed by Techstars, Village Capital, and the Robin Hood Foundation. She also owns Mista Oh, a Korean restaurant in Flatiron, NYC, which she opened during the pandemic to support her family.
About NY Tech Alliance
NY Tech Alliance is a vibrant, inclusive community connecting innovators, founders, technologists, and changemakers across New York City’s tech ecosystem. Rooted in a shared belief that collaboration fuels innovation, we’ve grown into one of the region’s most dynamic hubs for connection, learning, and impactful relationships.
Through meetups, curated events, mentorship opportunities, and programming tailored for impact, we create spaces where ideas can flourish and voices from all backgrounds can be heard. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling a venture, our network is designed to help you grow, connect, and lead.
We serve a broad and diverse community, from students and founders to investors, corporate partners, and civic tech leaders, united by a shared passion for innovation and community. Together, we’re building equitable pathways for careers, collaboration, and meaningful contributions to the future of tech in New York City and beyond.