2026: A Year of New Beginnings

The Background Screening Collective | S2 Ep 3: Screening Insights with Scott Paler

How often do you get to pick a lawyer's brain for free? Scott Paler, attorney at DeWitt LLP, made it easy. He's spent years at the intersection of background screening law and real-world compliance. We sat down with Scott to talk through what's actually keeping compliance teams up at night in 2026 — indemnification clauses that quietly shift liability, record matching done wrong, a state regulatory patchwork that never quite lines up, and an AI wave moving faster than the legal frameworks meant to contain it.Join our LinkedIn community and share this episode with someone navigating compliance this year.

The Background Screening Collective | S2 Ep 1: Rebecca Harris takes on New York

What happens when you show up to work one day and access to the records you've been pulling for 15 years is just gone? That's exactly what happened to Rebecca Harris, CEO of Diligent Data. Nobody would tell her why. Every other company in the industry told her to let it go. She didn't. Rebecca spent months reading New York judicial code, working with her attorney, and finding the legal argument the courts had no way to fight back against. The result was a memo sent to every court in the state restoring access across the board. We are sitting down with her two years later to hear the whole story.Join our LinkedIn community and share this episode with someone who would like to hear it.

2026: A Year of New Beginnings

In this episode of The Background Screening Collective, Jaime, Izzy, Robin, and Rebecca kick off Season 2 with a look back at 2025 and a look ahead at what's to come. The group reflects on AI's growing role in the industry, the hesitance toward innovation that still holds some companies back, and shares a few personal stories from the past year. They also dig into their hopes and predictions for 2026, including the conferences on their radar, the importance of genuine networking, and why human trafficking awareness deserves more attention in the screening world. New year, new format, new faces.

Episode 8 – Preparing for the PBSA Annual Conference with Andrew Cashman

In this episode of The Background Screening Collective, Meghan, Izzy, and Robin sit down with Andrew Cashman, VP of SPI Researchers, to talk all things PBSA prep. The group shares insights on how to make the most of the conference, from the power of hello to turning surface-level networking into meaningful partnerships. They also cover how to stand out, be memorable, and keep your energy up through the events (and yes, why you shouldn’t drink too much). Want to get involved? PBSA is looking for volunteers: https://www.thepbsa.org/get-involved-with-pbsa/volunteer-program/ [https://www.thepbsa.org/get-involved-with-pbsa/volunteer-program/]

Episode 7 – Screening Since 9/11: A Conversation with Bruce Berg

In this episode of The Background Screening Collective, we welcome Bruce Berg, a veteran entrepreneur and key figure in shaping modern background screening who began his career before the turn of the millennium. Bruce reflects on how the events of 9/11 reshaped the industry and shares his perspective on the forces driving change today. The conversation ranges from whether consumer reporting agencies need to become true one stop shops to the likelihood of consolidation and dominance by a few major players, and explores the broader innovations, market pressures, and evolving expectations that will define the next era of background screening.