Speakers

Tracey Arnish is an enterprise executive and HR transformation leader who currently serves as the Vice President and Head of People Products for People Operations (POps) at Google. In this role, she leads the POps Products organization—the product management and strategy engine responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the infrastructure that defines Google’s employee experience in the AI era. Under her leadership, the team applies consumer-grade product rigor to internal HR processes, seamlessly blending technology with human-centric design to delight users.

A passionate advocate for unlocking human potential, Tracey is known for helping organizations align their employees’ highest skills and motivations to drive sustained high performance. She finds deep purpose in illuminating the future potential of talent and enabling accelerated professional growth. As a recognized thought leader, she frequently shares insights on the “HR-to-Product” shift, the evolution of AI from a tool into a true teammate, and how to redesign human resources for a future-fit workforce.

Prior to her current role, she served as the Chief Human Resources Officer for Google Cloud, guiding the people strategy for one of the company’s fastest-growing divisions. Before joining Google, Tracey served as the Chief Talent Officer at SAP. Over her 20+ year global career, Tracey has specialized in driving enterprise talent strategy across various industries.

Beyond her corporate leadership, Tracey is deeply committed to community impact and governance. Her board experience includes serving as the Board Chair for Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon and as an advisory member to the Beedie School of Business.

Tami is a transformational human capital leader who architects high-impact strategies that accelerate business success. Throughout her career, she has held top global HR roles at industry giants including Mars Inc. and Danone and served as CHRO and CPO at private equity-backed companies like 24-Hour Fitness and National Veterinary Associates, overseeing workforces ranging from 1,000 to 45,000 employees.

As a strategic change agent, Tami excels at creating winning cultures, building high-performance teams, and driving talent development that directly aligns with business objectives. She has successfully led large-scale organizational transformations while developing strategies that support rapid growth and value creation.

In October 2024, Tami joined LA28 as Chief People Officer, leading the comprehensive people strategy for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. In this role, she’s building and preparing a dynamic workforce of employees and volunteers as the city of LA welcomes the world to the largest global sporting event.

Betty Larson joined the company in April 2024 as the executive vice president and chief human resources officer. She is responsible for global human resources and diversity, equity and inclusion for the company.

She has extensive domain expertise with more than two decades in the healthcare industry. She most recently served as chief people officer of GE HealthCare, a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics and digital solutions innovator. She provided strategy and leadership for GE HealthCare’s human resources and corporate marketing and communications teams.

Betty also served as executive vice president and chief human resources officer of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) from 2018 to 2022, a global medical technology company, where work responsibilities also included strategy and leadership for communications and social investing. Betty joined BD through the acquisition of C.R. Bard Inc., a medtech company focused on vascular, urology and surgical specialty products. She served as C.R. Bard’s chief human resources officer responsible for human resources and communications from 2014 until the acquisition in 2017.

Betty spent the first 16 years of her career at Baxter International, a global medtech company. She was in human resources leadership roles of increasing responsibility in their pharmaceuticals, renal therapies, vaccines, bio pharmaceuticals and hospital products businesses.

She is on the board of directors for Baxter Credit Union. She has served on the board of Fortrea, contributing as a member of the nominating, corporate governance and compliance committee. Betty also served on the board for the Overlook Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds to support the New Jersey-based Overlook Medical Center in its mission to provide high-quality care to patients. She earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Illinois, and a master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University.​

Katharyne Gabriel leads HR for Coca‑Cola’s North America Operating Unit, overseeing people strategies that support 6,200 employees across plants, warehouses, and offices—driving over $17 billion in revenue. With a reputation as a transformative HR leader, she has guided global organization design and talent strategy initiatives across corporate functions in more than 200 countries.

Prior to her current role at Coca‑Cola, Katharyne held senior HR leadership positions at several industry giants:

• Led global transformation efforts in operating model optimization.
• Advanced people strategies across vast networks during her time with IHG Hotels & Resorts and YUM! Brands, where she supported thousands of employees.
• Began her impactful HR journey at The Home Depot, contributing to M&A integration, employee relations, supply chain, and operations, and ultimately serving as Chief of Staff to the CHRO.

Katharyne is a respected voice in HR, frequently invited to speak on leadership and talent development—including guest lectures at Texas A&M’s Master of Engineering Leadership Series.

Eric Dozier (he/him/his) is executive vice president and chief people officer of Eli Lilly and Company.

Since joining Lilly in 1998, Eric has had a diverse career of assignments across the organization and the globe. Prior to his current role, Eric served as vice president, ethics and compliance and most recently as chief commercial officer for Loxo@Lilly. He has held assignments within Lilly’s Diabetes, Neuroscience and Oncology business units and was chief marketing officer and a neuroscience business leader in Japan. He also served as general manager for Lilly Puerto Rico.

Eric earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Indiana University.

Eric also serves on several civic boards within greater Indianapolis, as well as the IndianapolisAirport Authority Board.

From Saskatoon, Canada, Morris studied law and after graduating and working with several international law firms, she started her own firm. Kimberly specialised in various areas of the law, across Commercial, IP, Media, Investigation and Compliance.

She then moved to London before finally settling in Zurich, where she joined FIFA Transfer Matching System in 2012. Initially working as Head of Integrity & Compliance before moving into the General Manager role, she oversaw the governance and regulation of the international football transfer market, and recommended reforms of the transfer system.

Soon after, Morris was responsible for the integration of the company – a Swiss subsidiary – into the parent organisation FIFA, before moving in-house at the global governing body as Head of Global Player Transfers & Compliance.

Morris has been Chief People, Technology & Operations Officer at FIFA since 2019 – leading a global, multi-faceted and multinational team that is tasked with providing operational services and support across the FIFA business and supporting its people worldwide.

Anna Lundström is Spotify’s Chief Human Resources Officer. She oversees all aspects of our human resources, including the people strategy supporting employees who drive Spotify’s business and technology operations across more than 180 markets. Ms. Lundström joined Spotify in 2016 and has since served in multiple roles, including most recently leading human resources for our Americas Region and the Business organization. Prior to joining Spotify, she held senior human resources leadership positions at Nasdaq and Teracom. Ms. Lundström serves on the board of directors of Cappy. She holds a Master of Social Science in Human Resource Management from Lund University, majoring in Business Law.

Neena Potenza is the Global Strategic Initiatives Manager, People and Culture, at Ingka Group. In her role, Neena is responsible for the roll out and development of the Ingka Group people strategy that defines the global approach the company takes for its over 174,000 coworkers in 32 countries. In addition, she drives the culture and values work between Ingka and its franchisor, Inter IKEA. Neena has over 25 years of experience from various human resources roles within IKEA, starting in the UK in 1993. Potenza’s passion is people, and she truly believes IKEA co-workers to be the greatest asset of the company. She brings togetherness at the core of her leadership and fundamentally believes that all co-workers come to work to do the best they can. As a leader, Potenza is inclusive, open and passionate to move people and the business forward.

Theresita Richard (she/her)  is a visionary and purpose-driven leader fiercely committed to expansive liberation, humanity, and possibility. She is on a mission to transform the world of work, cultivating environments where humans can flourish in their fullness. She is the Chief People & Culture Officer and Global Head of Justice & Belonging for Patagonia and brings over 20 years of experience in diversity, equity & inclusion, organizational effectiveness, experience design, operations leadership, and human resources. Previously Theresita led Capital One’s Global Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, where she drove the work to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across the company. She currently serves on the board of Out & Equal, a global convener, thought leader, and catalyst actively working to embed equity and achieve workplaces of equality and belonging.

Theresita’s career has spanned the consumer goods, retail, and fintech industries and she has positively impacted the full range of organizations from building anew to broad-scale transformation. She is known for propelling organizations forward with a deep focus on talent, culture, and innovation. Theresita is adept at delivering holistic people strategies that ensure businesses are equipped and enabled to achieve their mission while unlocking thriving customer and employee experiences. She sees problems as opportunities and her goal is to always approach with curiosity, creating sustainable solutions for the future and challenging the status quo to solve needs in new and meaningful ways.

Theresita started her career in operations after earning her B.S. in Industrial Engineering & Operations Research from Cornell University. It was there that she discovered her passion for creating experiences around people and went on to pursue her M.A. in Human Resource Development from George Washington University. Over the years, she has worked with various Fortune 500 companies including Procter & Gamble, Target, Home Depot and Starbucks.

On a personal note, she loves great quotes, all things creative, impromptu dance breaks and real live books (there’s nothing like the smell of a new book). Her family is one of the best parts of her and they inspire her to be better every day. She is fueled by coffee and rich conversations (even better when those things come together) and is a lover of movement, color, texture, and depth…cue her deep passion for the arts and finding inspiration all around her.

One of her favorite quotes that she strives to live by is “As you think about your own path to daring leadership, remember Joseph Campbell’s wisdom: ‘The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.’ Own the fear, find the cave, and write a new ending for yourself, for the people you’re meant to serve and support, and for your culture. Choose courage over comfort. Choose whole hearts over armor. And choose the great adventure of being brave and afraid. At the exact same time.” – Brené Brown, Dare to Lead.

Tracey Franklin is Moderna’s Chief People and Digital Technology Officer, responsible for connecting people and technology to spark new ways of operating.

Since joining Moderna in 2019 as Chief Human Resources Officer, Tracey has been instrumental in shaping the company’s people strategy and culture, notably leading the company to scale from 800 to nearly 6,000 employees globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, Moderna has been consistently recognized as a top employer by Science.

In 2024, Tracey’s responsibilities expanded to include Digital Technology, emphasizing the vital integration of people, culture, and digital innovation, and recognizing the profound ways in which AI and digital platforms will reshape ways of working and delivering on Moderna’s Mission.

She joined Moderna following 15 years at Merck & Co., Inc., where she led Merck’s global talent strategy as Vice President, HR Chief Talent and Strategy Officer, and served on Merck’s HR Leadership Team. Tracey’s previous leadership roles included responsibility for HR for all divisions in the European region, head of HR for the UK and Ireland subsidiaries of Merck, and HR Operations leader responsible for HR program implementation across Merck’s global footprint. She was based in Switzerland, the UK and the U.S.

Tracey holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and Sciences from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Matthias Beck currently serves as Senior Vice President, Human Resources (HR) for the U.S. Human Pharma organization at Boehringer Ingelheim overseeing the strategic and operational aspects of the HR functions, including the development and management of HR strategies, policies and programs that align with the company’s business priorities as well as employee acquisition, development and retention. With long-standing tenure at Boehringer at over 14 years, Matthias assumed his current role in the U.S. in January 2025 as Boehringer continues its evolution towards becoming a commercial powerhouse in the industry.

Prior to his current role, Matthias was the Head of HR Human Pharma globally. He led HR activities to transform the business unit into a patient-centric organization and spearheaded Boehringer’s “Leading by Intent” initiative. His ability to navigate complex change while keeping people at the center of strategy has been instrumental in evolving Boehringer’s patient-focused purpose.

Matthias has also led strategic HR initiatives across Boehringer’s Research & Development, Human Pharma Supply, Global Quality, and Operations divisions to foster the cultural transformation and innovation with a focus on empowerment across the organization.

His career at Boehringer has also included leading global integration efforts during the Merial merger into Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and heading Leadership and People Development in Germany.

Matthias offers a unique perspective to corporate leadership, honed by his experience as Head of Organizational Consulting at the German Army’s International Training Center for Special

Operating Forces. This role has profoundly influenced his innovative approach to team building, leadership development, and organizational resilience.

A graduate of Bundeswehr University Munich with a diploma in economic education, focusing on adult education and organizational development, Matthias combines academic knowledge with practical leadership experience. His approach to HR is rooted in the belief that organizational success comes through empowered teams with the focus on our people and intentional leadership—principles that align with Boehringer’s commitment to transforming lives for generations.

West Ludwig serves as Chief Human Resources Officer for Raleigh, N.C.-headquartered First Citizens Bank. A human resources (HR) veteran with experience in financial services and technology, he is responsible for developing the company’s long-range people strategy and implementing HR programs and policies bankwide. He oversees all aspects of First Citizens’ HR  function including talent acquisition, talent development, learning, compensation, benefits, payroll, employee relations, inclusion, HR governance, business partner support, and the employee shared services center.

First Citizens has over 18,000 employees at more than 550 offices in 22 statees, including 1,800 associates in its Raleigh corporate headquarters location and an international presence with over 1,300 employees in its Bangalore, India Global Capability Center.

Prior to First Citizens, Ludwig served as head of HR at technology company Machine Zone in Palo Alto, California. His accomplishments there included enabling more than 50 percent workforce growth along with Las Vegas and Los Angeles site expansions, designing and delivering an emerging leader development program, instituting employee engagement strategies, and codifying the company’s core values.

Before that, Ludwig served as HR Chief Operating Officer for Fidelity Investments in Boston, Massachussetts, and Raleigh, North Carolina. During his time at Fidelity, he helped build and execute a strategic workforce plan for the company’s 45,000 global associates. Prior to his tenure at Fidelity, Ludwig was a member of the HR executive committee for Dell Technologies Inc. based out of Austin, Texas, where he served in a variety of HR leadership roles. As an expatriate based out of Singapore, Ludwig also spent three years leading HR for the Dell Technologies Inc. South Asia region.

Ludwig began his career as an HR consultant with Aon Hewitt, a human capital and management consulting services firm, and then moved to Willis Towers Watson, a global risk management, insurance brokerage and advisory company.  During his nearly decade long tenure in consulting, Ludwig advised many Fortune 500^TM companies and their Boards on HR and rewards strategies

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida, where he continues to be an active fundraising member of the alumni association and guest lecturer at the Warrington College of Business. Ludwig also serves on the Board of the nonprofit Triangle United Arts Council and actively supports the American Heart Association. He is based at the First Citizens Center headquarters building on Six Forks Road in Midtown Raleigh.

First Citizens Bank helps personal, business, commercial and wealth clients build financial strength that lasts. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., First Citizens has built a unique legacy of strength, stability and long-term thinking that has spanned generations. First Citizens offers an array of general banking services including a network of more than 500 branches and offices nationwide; commercial banking expertise delivering best-in-class lending, leasing and other financial services coast to coast; innovation banking serving businesses at every stage; and a nationwide direct bank. Parent company First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA) is a top 20 U.S. financial institution with more than $220 billion in assets and a member of the Fortune 500™.

Pat Wadors grew up as the youngest of 8 siblings. Diagnosed with dyslexia while in college but has leaned on her neurodiversity as a strength. She is a mother to 3 millennials, grandmother x2, and wife of 30 years. Introvert by nature, Pat is an advocate for results over talk and works feverishly to embrace the quieter voices. A driver for writing this book is her personal purpose, “I need to leave the world better than I found it, to be kind, to give more than I get, to make a difference.”

Known for transformational and strategic HR leadership, Pat believes that organizations thrive when they have a blend of people with differing backgrounds and ways of thinking, and who feel they belong as a contributor to the company’s success. As a LinkedIn Learning instructor, Pat is known for her course on “Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging” which was recognized in 2021 as a top 10 Global course on LinkedIn.

Pat recently joined Intuitive as their chief human resource officer in October 2024. She has held various HR leadership and chief human resource officer positions in the technology sector, including roles at UKG, Procore Technologies, ServiceNow, LinkedIn; Plantronics, Inc.; and Yahoo! She has served on the boards of several prominent technology companies, such as Accolade, Inc., UKG, Second Harvest Food Bank, and El Camino Hospital. Currently, she holds a board position at Moloco.

A multiple-time recipient of the National Diversity Council’s Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology award, Pat is renowned for her transformative and strategic HR leadership. She is a sought-after speaker on diversity and inclusion topics. Pat earned a BS in business management and human resource management from Ramapo College of New Jersey.

Miriam O’Sullivan is the senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Boston Scientific, a position she has held since January 2025. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the company’s human resources activities globally, including Human Resources Operations and Services, Total Rewards, Talent Management, Diversity and Inclusion and Community Engagement. Miriam also serves as co-chair of Boston Scientific’s Global Council for Inclusion.

Prior to her current role, Miriam was group vice president of Human Resources, Cardiology, leading their Cardiology businesses, which include Interventional Cardiology Therapies, Cardiac Rhythm Management and Diagnostics, WATCHMAN, and Electrophysiology.

Miriam joined Boston Scientific in 2012 as director of Human Resources for their manufacturing site in Cork, Ireland. In 2014, she moved to Massachusetts to support their Global Supply Chain organization and was promoted to vice president of Human Resources, Global Operations in 2017. In 2019, Miriam took the role of vice president of Human Resources, Interventional Cardiology. Miriam started her career as an employer representative for Irish businesses with an Irish-based company, IBEC, after which she moved to UCB Pharma, a Belgian Pharmaceutical company as director, Human Resources, supporting their Irish & UK business.

Miriam holds a Bachelor of Business Studies with French from the University of Limerick, Ireland, and a Diploma in Employment Law from the National College of Ireland.

Jaime Pilko is Vice President of Human Resources – Products Refining for Shell a multinational oil, gas, and chemical company. She is recognized as an outstanding leader with more than 20 years of broad global experience in orchestrating human capital strategies for the benefit of multiple lines of business with thousands of employees worldwide.  Jaime has lived and worked in Canada, the Netherlands, and the USA.

In her most recent roles at Shell, Jaime has directed Human Resources for one of the company’s largest business units (Refining & Chemicals) spanning three continents and representing more than 14,000 union and non-union employees. Over the past three years, she has been instrumental in transforming Shell’s Refining and Chemicals business and culture to one that is competitive, sustainable and high performing, leveraging systematic thinking across the operating model.

Starting with the company right out of university, Jaime has had some significant accomplishments:

• Designed and implemented the “One Performance Program,” to deliver a simpler, more competitive, and highly-capable organization, achieving $140 million in total human asset cost efficiencies.
• Worked with a human resources team of more than 20 business partners to architect and execute a multi-year strategic roadmap, delivering improvements in leadership, competitiveness, talent pipeline health, and joint venture excellence.
• Orchestrated and executed the Learning Events Management Offshoring and Outsourcing Project, capturing $10 million in annual benefits and achieving deliverables $1.4 million under budget. She led the negotiation of a $25 million outsourcing contract.

Jaime offers business and cultural savvy, combined with a highly intuitive sense of people to deliver transformational change and impact.  She is the consummate professional who authentically and uniquely combines strategic vision with flawless execution of key business transformation initiatives.

Outside of work, Jaime lives in Houston, Texas with her husband.  They have two sons in college (freshman and junior), two Siberian cats and one horse (Jaime’s new passion outside of work).

Profile

Robert Matthews is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in the energy sector, currently serving as Vice President and Chief of Staff to the CEO at Exelon. In this role, he acts as a strategic advisor, overseeing the operations of the CEO’s office and ensuring alignment across executive initiatives and corporate objectives.

Professional History

Throughout his tenure at Exelon, Robert has held several key leadership positions, including Vice President of External Affairs & Engagement, Vice President of Talent & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, and Vice President of Workforce Development & Exelon Utilities Chief of Staff. In these roles, he has been instrumental in designing and implementing enterprise-wide strategies that enhance organizational effectiveness, promote diversity and inclusion, and foster community engagement.

Civic Involvement

Robert’s commitment to workforce development and community service is evident in his extensive board involvement. He

serves as Board Chair for Afro Charities, Baltimore Bon Secours Foundation, and The Leadership. Additionally, he serves

as a board member for Bon Secours Community Works, and the National Aquarium.

His contributions to the industry and community have been recognized with several accolades, including the 2024 Whitney M Young Jr. Service Award for outstanding service, being named one of Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Executives in Diversity & Inclusion in 2023, and receiving the CEWD’s 2020 Workforce Champion Award for pioneering BGE’s youth workforce development program.

Education

Robert holds master’s degrees in Counseling and Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He is also a Board Certified Coach (BCC), a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), and a National Certified Counselor (NCC).

Isabelle Leclerc has over 25 years of experience in strategic leadership in the fields of human resources, governance, communication, and ESG. She is EVP, Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer at RCL – Reitmans Canada Limited since August 2024. RCL’s Vision is to empower Canadians to live confidently with the Mission to create collections of uncompromising style and quality for all. With close to 400 stores from coast to coast to coast, we offer an unparalleled customer experience and on-trend designs imagined right here at home. Isabelle is also the Chair of the human resources and governance committee at the Old Brewery Mission. Her executive experience spans various sectors and business models, including senior HR roles in the telecom, manufacturing and the agriculture industries, where she led transformation and collaboration initiatives aiming at improving organizational culture, performance, profitability, and sustainability. Isabelle is a Certified Corporate Director, holds an an MBA, the titles of CHRP as well as the ISB-II certification specialized in ESG.

Fernando Casadevall is Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for World Kinect Corporation (WFS), a Fortune 100 company delivering energy solutions to Aviation, Marine, Commercial, Industrial, and Land customers around the world.

Casadevall has served in the CHRO role since January 2019 and is responsible for all human resources (HR) responsibilities including compensation, benefits, recruitment, talent, HR services, and corporate security.

Prior to WFS, he served as CHRO for Qatar Airways (QA), one of the largest airlines in the world with operations in 75+ countries and more than 50,000 employees. He was responsible for HR for QA’s aviation divisions including commercial, cargo, private aviation, HIA airport, duty free retail, catering, and aviation services.

Before QA, Casadevall was the retail group HR director for Al-Futtaim. Based in Dubai, Al-Futtaim operates in more than 40 countries with a global workforce of 40,000+ employees.

Prior to Al-Futtaim he had various roles at Citibank, initially building the HR function across the retail banking and payments groups, then moving into various senior HR roles including regional HR head for Citigroup’s consumer and alternative investment businesses across EMEA. Before joining Citi, he held HR positions with the investment banking firm Spear, Leeds & Kellogg, and with Sony Entertainment.

An active member of the community, he has also previously served on the board of the Baltimore Children’s Museum and the Academy of Finance & Technology.

Fernando holds a Master of Arts in Human Resources Development from Fordham University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona.

Laura Salvatore is the Executive Vice President of Human Capital at Centurion Asset Management, where she has spent over thirteen years leading the company’s people strategy. Known for her ability to align HR with business objectives, Laura has been a driving force behind Centurion’s cultural transformation and its growth into one of Canada’s most successful real estate investment trusts.

Recognized for her innovative approach to talent strategy and leadership development, Laura is a two-time recipient of HRD’s Global 100 distinction and was named one of the Top 10 CHROs in North America by DiversityCan Magazine.

Laura’s thought leadership on organizational culture and workforce analytics has been featured in numerous publications, making her a sought-after speaker and panelist at industry conferences and roundtables. She regularly serves as a guest lecturer at Georgian College and recently contributed her expertise to the textbook HR Analytics in Canada. As a member of RealPAC’s People and Culture Committee, Laura plays an active role in shaping the HR landscape within Canada’s real estate sector.

Laura holds an Executive Master’s in Human Resources Management from Cornell University and is both a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL). Her leadership philosophy is simple: culture isn’t just a differentiator — it’s the currency that attracts and retains top talent.

Jeanie Gurley serves as Senior Director Human Resources for Raleigh, N.C.-headquartered First Citizens Bank. A seasoned human resources (HR) professional with experience in financial services, technology and the travel industry, as a lead HR Business Partner she is responsible for developing the long-range and near-term people strategy and implementing HR programs and policies for SVB Commercial (innovation banking), a Division of First Citizens. She is based in California’s Bay Area where she runs a team of HR Business Partners, has a key role in the integration of SVB into First Citizens, and oversees all aspects of the HR client service team for the innovation banking including talent acquisition, talent development, learning, compensation, employee relations and inclusion.  The SVB division has 700 employees in 22 states, with largest presence in California, New York, Boston, Massachusetts and Phoenix, Arizona.

First Citizens has over 18,000 employees at more than 550 offices in 22 states, including 1,800 associates in its Raleigh corporate headquarters location and an international presence with over 1,300 employees in its Bangalore, India Global Capability Center.

Prior to First Citizens, Gurley served as Managing Director, HR Business Partner for SVB, supporting 2500 employees and two Executives (COO, CMO) overseeing US and India business units.  Her accomplishments there included creating and executing a strategic workforce plan to grow the Office of the COO from 1000 to 2200 employees in three years, building a new COO leadership team, and completing talent aspects of Marketing Transformation efforts for a team of 250.

Before that, Gurley was Senior HR Manager for Expedia, Inc., where she was a member of the Global Recruiting Leadership Team, provided HR support for Hotwire and Classic Vacations , and was part of multiple acquisitions (Orbitz, Travelocity, Homeaway).  She led an HR Business Partner team with direct reports in Hawaii and Orlando, Florida.

Gurley began her HR career at Service Performance, where she was Benefits Manager, HRIS Manager and had responsibility for Corporate Payroll, Leaves of Absence and Workers Compensation.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Child Development from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.   She completed the Leadership and Strategic Impact program at Tuck Executive Education, Dartmouth, in Hanover, New Hampshire in Spring 2021.  She is based in the SVB office building in Santa Clara, California.

First Citizens Bank helps personal, business, commercial and wealth clients build financial strength that lasts. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., First Citizens has built a unique legacy of strength, stability and long-term thinking that has spanned generations. First Citizens offers an array of general banking services including a network of more than 500 branches and offices nationwide; commercial banking expertise delivering best-in-class lending, leasing and other financial services coast to coast; innovation banking serving businesses at every stage; and a nationwide direct bank. Parent company First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA) is a top 20 U.S. financial institution with more than $220 billion in assets and a member of the Fortune 500™.

Andrea is Vestcor’s Director of Human Resources. She joined Vestcor in November 1997 as Corporate Accountant and in 2006 transitioned to Human Resources.

Prior to joining Vestcor she worked at Ross Ventures Ltd for ten years as Chief Accountant in the Restaurant and Real Estate Division.

Andrea holds designations in Certified Talent Management Practitioner (CTMP); International Personnel Management Association – Advanced Certificate Professional (IPMA – ACP); and Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR). She is a member of the Human Resources Association New Brunswick and holds a certificate in coaching for Myers Briggs.

Andrea lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada where she enjoys gardening, baking and hosting events for family and friends.

Kristen Dota has over 15 years of experience in the field of human resources and has served in a wide variety of key roles supporting law firms with offices across the globe. She is the director, firm human resources at Morgan Lewis and is based in Philadelphia. Her experience spans various human resources (HR) functions and she currently leads several core HR operational departments, such as compensation, firm HR, staff HRBP teams, talent acquisition, and talent development. Kristen has her M.S. in Human Resources Development from Villanova University, and is certified in PHR and SHRM-CP.

Sam Scher is the director of firm human resources (HR) at Morgan Lewis, based in Philadelphia. With more than 10 years of HR experience, Sam plays a key role in supporting the firm’s lawyer lifecycle and advising on HR strategies that align with the firm’s business and talent objectives. Sam’s responsibilities span several core HR functions, including evaluation management, HR process design and improvement, and leadership of HR business partner teams supporting the firm’s practice groups. She works closely with firm leadership to drive consistency, operational excellence, and firmwide HR solutions.

Rosemarie Estrada is the Senior Vice President of HR Strategy, Services & Systems at Kyndryl, one of the largest startups in corporate history. Kyndryl is the world’s leading IT infrastructure services provider. With the industry’s most experienced talent and 4,600 customers, Kyndryl is uniquely positioned to help organizations build strong, secure, resilient, and adaptive digital capabilities.

With an aggressive focus on being an employer and partner of choice, Rosemarie leads global HR transformation and the related technology initiatives that power up service for moments that matter to Kyndryls.

Rosemarie is a global leader with a passion for digital transformation to achieve meaningful and sustainable change that cultivates a culture of high performance, engagement and shared success. In multiple, complex technology and professional services environments, she has successfully led large transformation efforts leveraging enterprise technology to achieve a seamless end-to-end employee experience that supports accelerated business growth.

Rosemarie graduated with honors from George Washington University with a Masters in Education and Human Development and has a BS Business Administration from the University of Maryland.

Debbie Herrera (she/her/hers) is the Director of Human Resources at Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), where she leads initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), innovation, employee engagement, wellness, and strategic planning. With over 25 years of HR experience—including 15 in strategic leadership—Debbie has worked across the mortgage, finance, and healthcare sectors.

She serves on the boards of Warren Village and Hope Communities. She previously served on Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, and was an advisor to Adelante Colorado with the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado. In 2024, she was named one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Debbie holds degrees in psychology and human resources management and is a graduate of the Leadership Denver program. She is the proud mother of two teenage daughters.

Brian J. Coon, MBA, is a strategic HR executive with nearly three decades of experience leading enterprise talent transformation across hospitality, healthcare, veterinary, and global consumer organizations. He has held senior leadership roles within Mars, Inc., including Vice President of People & Organization for VCA Animal Hospitals, where he helped shape talent strategy for more than 40,000 associates across 1,000+ locations.

Currently serving as Head of Human Resources for Shanty Creek Resorts in Michigan, Brian is leading the full people integration through new ownership while transforming HR from an administrative function into a strategic driver of workforce capability, engagement, and operational excellence. His work spans enterprise talent strategy, leadership development, workforce planning, and culture activation in high-volume, frontline environments.

Brian has been invited to speak on “The Hidden Goldmine: Leading HR Transformation in Underserved Organizations,” where he will explore how HR leaders can unlock measurable business value by modernizing people systems in organizations that have historically lacked strategic investment.

He lives in Traverse City, Michigan with his husband, David. Outside of work, Brian is an avid skier, half-marathon runner, and active member of Grace Episcopal Church.

Tara Blythe is the Chief People Officer at Infotech, a software company engineering connections across the infrastructure construction industry. She leads organizational development, people operations, innovation, and communications—bringing sharp strategic focus to where people and technology intersect to drive business results.

With more than 20 years of leadership experience in organizational strategy and change transformation, Tara is a champion for future-ready workplaces. She advocates for integrating advanced technologies—like generative AI—into leadership and talent practices to build adaptability, efficiency, and long-term impact.

An accomplished facilitator, curriculum designer, and consultant, Tara has a proven record of delivering transformative outcomes and developing inclusive, high-performing teams. As an adjunct faculty member in Executive Education at the University of Florida and former faculty at the University of Georgia, she pairs academic rigor with real-world application

Her work spans leadership development, culture evolution, executive coaching, and talent strategy, making her a trusted partner for organizations navigating growth and digital transformation. Tara is also a sought-after speaker and podcast guest, sharing insights on the future of work, leadership, and organizational agility.

As CPO, Tara believes the connection between people and purpose is the most powerful force behind organizational success. She is passionate about building culture and environments where people can thrive—and considers it a privilege to lead the teams that make Infotech an extraordinary place to work and grow. To learn more about Infotech, visit infotechinc.com.

With more than 20 years of experience leading complex human resources operations in both the AEC industry and at a Fortune 500 company, Jacqueline Opal serves as STV’s chief people officer. In this role, Ms. Opal drives the organization’s vision of creating a winning employee experience to attract, retain and develop our talent.

Ms. Opal’s expertise spans all facets of strategic human resources (HR) including compensation, benefits, talent acquisition and talent management.She has an extensive background in supporting merger and acquisitions including HR due diligence and post-acquisition integration efforts.

She holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Service Administration and an MBA from the University of Central Florida. She also has a Green Belt Six Sigma Certification.

Donovan Mattole joined Langan Engineering and Environmental Services as their global Chief Human Resources Officer in December 2023, where he oversees all aspects of human resources around the globe. Langan is a global leader in providing an integrated mix of engineering and environmental consulting services in support of land development projects and across their fifty offices has overseen projects in over a hundred countries.

Donovan has over two decades of senior leadership experience in human resources, communications and sustainability, with an expertise in employee engagement, leadership and development, talent management and organizational development and change. He is a sought after speaker, panelist and moderator at leadership conferences and has appeared on half a dozen podcasts, including HR Leaders Podcast, Built by People Podcast and the Society of Human Resources Career Compass Podcast.

Prior to joining Langan, Donovan spent eight years as Vice President and Head of Human Resources for Americas for Brenntag, with responsibilities for human resources, corporate communication, and
sustainability. From 2010 to 2016, Donovan worked for Mars, Inc, most recently as the global head of
human resources for their direct-to-consumer retail and e-commerce businesses, with employees in
China, France, the UK and the USA.

Donovan holds a bachelor’s degrees in human resources from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon and in religion from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and attended graduate school at Jerusalem University College in Jerusalem, Israel. He is also a graduate of an executive leadership program at London Business School in London, England. He is a certified Senior Professional in HR (SPHR®) and SHRM Certified Senior Professional (SHRM-SCP®) and holds additional assessment tool certifications from KornFerry, Predictive Index, and Caliper.

Donovan is on the Board for the Institute for Inclusive Leadership at the University of Houston, serves as an Advisory Board Member of The Argyle Group in New York City and is an active member of the Chief People Officer 100 (CPO100) and Gartner’s NYC CHRO Governing Board.

Donovan lives with his wife, Emily, in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley and has three children, a shepadoodle named Cash (after the American singer, Johnny Cash) and a Maine Coon named Cato. While not working he can be found hiking, traveling, running, writing and spending time with family.

Jonathan Weisbrod is Head of People at GOAT Group. Jonathan previously served as VP, People at Lyft and Head of eCommerce Employee Relations at Walmart. An attorney before moving into HR, Jonathan began his legal career at Apple Inc. Jonathan holds a BFA from NYU, JD from Seton Hall School of Law, and is in progress on an MBA at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.

Shannon Ruotolo is a highly accomplished HR leader with a 20- year career built on a passion for developing people and driving organizational impact. Her journey started by chance when, while working in retail, an HR leader invited her to join their team. This unexpected opportunity became the springboard for a career defined by progressive roles and diverse experiences.

Throughout her career, Shannon has served as a business partner, advocate, and coach to world-class talent within Fortune 100 companies. She has a proven track record of influencing change and building high-performing teams in a variety of work environments, including retail, manufacturing, e-commerce, and healthcare technology. Shannon’s influence spans multiple organizational levels, from frontline employees to C-Suite executives.

Currently serving as the Vice President of People Business Partners & Talent at ModMed, Shannon is dedicated to creating connected and efficient workplaces. Her philosophy is simple: it all starts with people. By appreciating individual differences, leveraging unique strengths, and designing effective work processes, she helps teams not only succeed but thrive.

Outside of work, you can find Shannon on the soccer field or basketball court with her two boys, Hudson (8) and Noah (6), or soaking up time with her whole family, including husband, Greg, and golden retriever, Bowser. She loves to stay active and will sneak in a HIIT workout whenever she can.

Liz Marzolf is Chief People Officer at Port Blakely, leading the company’s people strategy and overseeing employee experience, culture, organizational development and communications. She works closely with the board on executive compensation, succession planning, and governance, and brings more than two decades of leadership experience in talent strategy and organizational transformation.

Previously, Liz spent over a decade in senior roles at Starbucks, began her career in Accenture’s change management practice, and led educational reform efforts in public high schools. Liz serves on the board of Seattle Girls’ School (where she is a past chair) and on the advisory council of The Mountaineers, and holds a BA in Neuroscience from Mount Holyoke College, an MEd, and a PhD in educational leadership and organizational change from the University of Washington.

Shawn Abner-Purnell is a seasoned human resources and diversity executive with over 20 years of experience partnering with CEOs and executive leadership teams to align people strategy with business performance. Recognized as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, Shawn Abner-Purnell has excelled in senior enterprise roles, including Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer, where she led organization-wide talent, culture, and leadership initiatives in complex, highly regulated environments.

Throughout her career, Shawn Abner-Purnell has guided organizations through periods of growth, transformation, and uncertainty, strengthening leadership capability, stabilizing culture, and mitigating workforce risk. Her expertise spans talent and succession planning, organizational effectiveness, leadership development, culture transformation, workforce strategy, HR operations and diversity, equity, and inclusion—always grounded in measurable outcomes and business impact.

As the former Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for South Jersey Industries (SJI), Shawn Abner-Purnell built human capital strategies to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, ensuring employees felt comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. Joining SJI in 2016, she advanced through various leadership roles within Human Resources, including Director of Organizational Development and Diversity/Inclusion, and later Vice President, Diversity/Inclusion and Engagement. In these capacities, she oversaw the full scope of SJI’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, career development programs, employee engagement initiatives, and talent management practices. She has also led the Benefits, Compensation, DEIB, Internal Communications, HR Operations, and Payroll departments, collaborating with leaders to address talent and inclusion gaps across the company.

Following a voluntary early retirement this past summer from her most recent executive role, Shawn Abner-Purnell is currently engaged in pursuing the right next leadership opportunity.

An alumna of Morgan State University, Shawn Abner-Purnell earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and holds a Master of Science in Organizational Development and Training from Saint. Joseph’s University. She sits on the board of the American Red Cross of Southern New Jersey and serves as an Advisory Council Member for the Stockton University Ed.D in Organizational Leadership Program. Shawn Abner-Purnell remains deeply committed to leadership excellence, inclusive cultures, and the belief that strong people strategy is fundamental to sustainable organizational success.

Brynn Freeman is a strategic and innovative global HR leader with experience spanning roles such as Global HR Director at Alkegen, Global HRBP at Flowserve, HR Manager at ComEd and Innovation Consultant at gravitytank. She began her career in consulting, consumer research and leadership assessment and development before pivoting into internal HR back in 2015. She has led transformative initiatives across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas, supporting executive leaders through complex reorganizations, shaping global talent strategies and designing and delivering early career development programs such as Flowserve’s IGNITE. She is perhaps best known for putting a strategic focus on talent during critical times of growth and change and helping leaders to attract, develop, engage and retain high-performing, collaborative leadership teams. She holds a Doctor of Psychology in Business Psychology, a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre & Dance and is a SHRM-Senior Certified Professional.

Sarah Martinez serves as Senior Vice President of People & Culture at Funko, Inc., having joined the company in January 2021.

With over two decades of experience in Human Resources, Ms. Martinez brings deep expertise across Talent Management, Compensation & Benefits, Employee Relations, Organizational Development, and Program Management. Since joining Funko, she has led a transformation of the People & Culture organization—introducing a formal compensation structure, expanded parental leave benefits, new learning and development programs, and a range of employee engagement initiatives. Her responsibilities have recently expanded to include oversight of the company’s Facilities and Security teams.

Prior to Funko, Ms. Martinez spent 20 years at Starbucks Coffee Company, where she helped lead several breakthrough people initiatives, including the Starbucks College Achievement Plan and the global expansion of Siren Retail.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial & Organizational Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, from Central Washington University.

Beverly Lucas Propst is a seasoned Board Member, Human Resources Executive, and Attorney with more than 20 years of experience specializing in talent management, employment, and labor issues. As Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Graybar Electric Company, Inc., she leads organizational change, fostering a dynamic and positive workplace culture recognized by honors such as Top Workplaces USA and 100 Most Loved Employers. Beverly serves on Graybar’s Board of Directors and sits on the advisory boards for two other corporations. Beyond these roles, Beverly is committed to her community through non-profit service with entities such as Midwest Health Initiative and the Humane Society of Missouri. She has been recognized as one of St. Louis’ Most Influential Business Women and “50 Women to Watch for Boards.

Marie Wardenski is the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at TAKKION, where she leads the enterprise-wide people strategy for one of the renewable energy sector’s most dynamic service providers. With more than 15 years of progressive HR leadership experience, Marie oversees all aspects of Human Resources, including talent acquisition, organizational development, leadership and succession planning, total rewards, learning and development, employee relations, and HR technology. As a member of the executive leadership team, she is a strategic partner in driving business growth, shaping culture, and positioning TAKKION as an employer of choice in a competitive industry.

Marie holds both an MBA and a B.S. in Business Management from Kutztown University. She is SHRM-SCP certified, an Insights Discovery Client Practitioner, and Korn Ferry 360 Certified in Leadership Assessment—credentials that highlight her expertise in elevating leadership effectiveness and fostering high-performing, engaged teams.

Throughout her career, Marie has designed and executed HR strategies that directly support business objectives, led organizations through complex transformations, and introduced innovative programs to strengthen employee engagement, retention, and performance. She is recognized for her ability to build leadership capability, enhance organizational agility, and create inclusive, people-focused workplaces that drive results.

Beyond her professional achievements, Marie is deeply committed to service and volunteerism, reflecting her belief in making a meaningful difference in both business and community.

Karthik Varatharaj is the Global VP and HR Business Partner for Product, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Beyond Yoga at Levi Strauss and Co. Prior to this, Karthik was the Chief Talent Officer at Levi Strauss &Co for over 2 years. In this role, Karthik was responsible for leading the company’s end-to-end talent agenda, including talent acquisition, learning and development, leadership, performance and succession management, and employee listening. Karthik has over 20 years of experience in People, Culture and Org Transformation at global brands such as Nike, Walmart, Deloitte, and Korn/Ferry. He is known as a thought leader and strong collaborator with the ability to establish relationships at all levels and geographies throughout organizations and cross-functionally.

Karthik has lived and worked all around the world including the UK, Middle East and India. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Madras University. He resides in Portland, Oregon with his husband, David, their 5 yr. old daughter Aliyya, and 1.5 yr. old son Ezra.

Lisa Bradley is a human resource leader with over 25 years of experience. Industries supported include financial services, retail, energy, advertising, academia, IT, performing arts, and Education. In her current role as Henry Ford College’s Executive Director of Human Resources, Lisa and her team provide full-service HR to the college’s faculty, staff, and student workers. Prior to joining Henry Ford College in 2023, Lisa led human resources at Mars Advertising Agency and Detroit Symphony Orchestra and facilitated leadership development programs at Center for Creative Leadership, where she was a member of the esteemed faculty.

Throughout her career, Lisa has provided consulting support to clients and led national teams responsible for employee training, leadership development, performance improvement and executive coaching. Her experience has prepared her to partner with senior level clients looking to thrive amid the chaos of organizational change; and support mid-level managers seeking techniques to manage stress, improve their work- life balance or prepare for the next level of leadership.

Lisa is also a lifelong learner. She holds a PhD and a Master of Arts in Human Development from Fielding Graduate University, a Master of Science in Education from Capella University, and graduate certificates in evidence-based coaching, human resource management and DEIA. Lisa is currently extending her doctoral research on African American women’s midlife adult development as a research fellow at Fielding’s Institute of Social Innovation.

Allan Akinradewo is a strategic and results-driven Vice President of Talent Acquisition with a proven track record of transforming hiring processes, enhancing employer brand, and driving workforce planning in the healthcare industry. With a deep understanding of talent market trends and a passion for building high-performing teams, Allan has successfully led large-scale talent acquisition initiatives that improve candidate experience, streamline hiring operations, and ensure the organization attracts top-tier professionals. A champion of data-driven decision-making, Allan leverages cutting-edge technology, employer branding strategies, and workforce analytics to optimize talent pipelines. Through innovative sourcing techniques and strategic partnerships, Allan has positioned his organization as an employer of choice, reducing time-to-fill, increasing retention, and strengthening overall workforce engagement. With a commitment to continuous improvement, Allan collaborates closely with executive leadership to align talent acquisition strategies with business goals, ensuring long-term growth and organizational success in an evolving healthcare landscape.

Srikanth Chandrashekhar (Sri) started his career in India in a Sequoia Capital funded start-up which gave him a fantastic foundation on business management. He was then recruited by Honeywell and spent a decade working across the Human Resources function in Operations, HR Transformation and post M&A integration spanning across regions. Post that, he’s taken on regional HR roles at Dell EMC, Bombardier Transportation, Pall Corporation.

After acquiring close to 2 decades of work experience, Sri gave up corporate life to build his own start-up in Singapore with his co-founder and founded Scribe Zero (AI for Contracts). At Scribe Zero, Sri led the Commercial side of the business including go-to-market, digital marketing and solution selling. After 4 years with Scribe Zero, Sri returned corporate life with Enerpac Tool Group.

At Enerpac Tool Group, Sri leads the Human Resources function for Asia Pacific and globally leads the HR Technology function and is focused on bringing AI to the HR function. He is based in Singapore.

When not focused on work, Sri is helping his 9-year-old daughter to start her own business creating a fashion brand or catching up on the stock market.

Sri is passionate and always trying to learn about business, product design, cooking and being a better parent.

Nichole Riley is a dynamic Human Resources executive currently serving at Zelis as the VP, Senior P&C Business Partner. She drives strategic talent initiatives in support of the company’s aspirational growth objectives and bold transformation in the healthcare technology space. Nichole brings a fresh, non-traditional career path to HR leadership — one marked by innovation, agility, and a commitment to building high-performing teams.

Nichole started her career, way back when, as a Citigroup HR Management Associate (now Citi) who was ready to conquer the world and has climbed her way to CPO/CHRO with expertise in Financial Services, Ag Tech & Sustainability, and now, Healthcare Tech. She holds a Master’s in Human Resources & Industrial Relations from University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.

Nichole’s passion and energy are unmatched. Hold on tight!

Ken Moses has been leading Cascade’s HR function since 2017.  A forward-thinking and performance-driven global strategi an hands-on Human Resources Executive. Proven trusted advisor, team builder, and results oriented leader. Driven to align the function to the business and achieve results and exceed expectations to ensure Cascade’s long-term and sustained success. Prior to Cascade, Ken was the CHRO for Penhall Co and prior to that, he spent 10 years as Sr Dir, Global HR for Quest Software which was acquired by Dell, for which he led the People integration efforts. Ken earned a Master’s of Science in Organizational Psychology from Cal State University at Long Beach.

Nana Adwoa Boone, CDE®, IDI (she, her, hers) is an accomplished and passionate Cultural Competence and Organizational Change Leader who has assisted with the structure, growth, and transformation of businesses for over 20 years. As the Principal Program Lead for the Global Impact – DE&I team at Chick-fil-A, Nana is responsible for strategy and programmatic solutions for People Leaders and all Staff, with a focus on embedding inclusion and belonging as a part of the organization’s culture of care. She serves as a strategic thought leader, coach, and experienced diversity and inclusion practitioner. She connects business leaders’ visions to realistic outcomes, with a focus on the heart of every organization: its people.

Nana’s journey in the world of inclusion, cultural intelligence, and transformational change management has spanned workforces across multiple countries and several industry-leading organizations – including airline, retail, healthcare, IT, finance, and food & beverage organizations. She is a Ghanaian-American who was born and raised in Virginia and has lived in Atlanta for 26
years with her husband and their three, now adult, children. Fun fact? Nana’s love language is TRAVEL, and she leans into different cultures as easily as she breathes – which has paved the path and explains the passion for the work she does today.

Angela is the Chief Human Resources Officer for The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the preeminent source for nonprofit professionals committed to the advancement of the common good. She previously served as the Senior Vice President, Talent & CHRO for Harvard Business Publishing, home of the Harvard Business Review.

Angela brings 30 years of both generalist and specialist Human Resources experience, having worked across consumer product goods, professional services, and high-tech as well as nonprofits. In addition to having served on the Alumni Board of Directors for Cornell University, she is a member of CNBC’s Workforce Executive Council, a body of CHROs dedicated to advancing the practice of HR; is a Strategic Board Advisor for several early-stage startups supporting the future of work; and serves as an advocate for the AAPI community for several nonprofits. Frequently found on the HR speaking circuit, her thought leadership has been featured in the Harvard Business Review and Fast Company.

Stephen Dwight, Ph.D. is the Chief Talent Officer at Takeda, a global pharmaceutical company. Steve has more than 25 years of experience in Talent Management. Prior to joining Takeda Steve held senior roles at Vertex, Novo Nordisk, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sunovian (formerly Sepracor) where he created award winning talent management teams. He also has consulting experience, working at Aon Management Consulting and the Hay Group early in his career. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is an author of 16 peer-reviewed publications. His presentation and publication topics included: building integrated talent management, executive coaching, leadership development, succession, talent intelligence, employee engagement, fostering a coaching culture, and performance management.

Nikita D. Rhodes is a dynamic HR Leader with more than 20 years of progressive experience leading HR efforts in large organizations. She is a trusted advisor that has a proven ability to develop innovative HR solutions while creating authentic connections with business leaders to influence and drive organizational success. Nikita has experience with standing up a HR shared services center moving tactical processes into a shared services environment and transforming the focus of HR into a more strategic function. Nikita is adept at balancing the needs of employees with the strategic objectives of the organization.

Jeffery is a high-impact, results-focused executive with over two decades of global HR Business Partner expertise across the Technology, Health Care, and Public Utility industries. He excels at leading strategic human resources and employee relations practices.

Believing in the power of influence, Jeffery drives successful business outcomes by his commitment to people and organizations. His professional journey is marked by a robust combination of business acumen and results-driven HRBP experiences, all delivered with a practical, no-nonsense approach.

Jeffery’s investment in people has significantly contributed to the development and growth of numerous HR professionals into leadership roles. His goal is to continue cultivating talent, aspiring to be recognized as a Master Class people developer and role model for others.

Jeffery holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana. Originally from Chicago, Jeffery currently resides in Austin, Texas with his family.

Over her 25+ years in Human Resources, Laura has built and led teams across a variety of industries including healthcare IT, aerospace, transportation, financial services, and SaaS technology. Companies she has worked for include General Electric, Tesla, and GoDaddy. She has led the development and implementation of programs focused on leadership, performance management, organization design, culture, and engagement. She has successfully partnered and guided leaders from the C-suite on down, through cycles of growth and downturn.

Known for tapping into her empathy, Laura quickly builds trusting relationships with people at all levels in an organization. Often called “not your typical HR person”, she receives the most satisfaction when she is able to work with leaders and teams, bringing together her strategic thinking and her human-first approach, to guide them on a journey to realize their full potential. Laura loves engaging with and motivating leaders, employees, and organizations to move forward and achieve their goals. Currently, she is the CHRO for Woolpert (www.woolpert.com), a global leader in the architecture, engineering, and geospatial industry. She is also the Co-Founder of Wisdom HR Group (www.wisdomhrgroup.com) and serves as an Executive Consultant for their clients.

Laura has a master’s in Labor & Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management from Michigan State University as well as a bachelor’s in Sociology and History from Purdue University. A nomad for most of her life, she now resides in Austin, TX with her husband and 2 children.

I’m a hybrid of engineering logic and HR strategy. My career has been shaped by blending technical problem-solving with human-centered leadership to design solutions that actually work in the field. From my time at Robert Bosch Corporation to my current role as Director of HR for a 500-person civil construction company in Charleston, SC, I focus on turning complexity into clarity—building systems, teams, and cultures that perform.

Colleen Denston is an HCM Strategic Consultant for Public Sector at UKG, advising C-Suite and business leaders on strategic planning and cloud technology adoption aligned with business needs. She has more than 25 years of leadership experience in management, finance, and human resources. Colleen graduated Summa Cum Laude from Walden University with a major in Human Resources and a minor in Information Processing and is currently pursuing her MBA. She has served as a Vice President of Operations and CHRO, leading initiatives in cost reduction, mergers, product development, and HR systems. A longtime SHRM leader and volunteer, she also teaches SHRM Certification Prep courses.

Bindu Garapaty is a passionate advocate for the human spirit, dedicating her career to helping people discover the intersection of happiness, human behavior and leadership. With a doctorate in clinical psychology and an entrepreneurial spirit, she brings the richness of those experiences into her role Chief People Officer at BetterHelp.

With over 25 years in leadership development, diversity and inclusion, education and women’s health, her career has spanned the healthcare, academic, biotech, tech, food tech and mental health industries, giving her a unique ability to connect patterns across disciplines and offer meaningful insights into culture and leadership.

Dr. Garapaty finds joy in building meaningful connections, giving back to her community and creating new experiences. She credits much of her inspiration to her two children, both student-athletes – one in Division I college athletics and one in high school.

Al Hill was named Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Affairs for Centers for Independence in September 2024.

In this role, Hill is responsible for the overall planning, implementation and oversight of CFI’s workforce and supplier diversity strategies. He is the principal champion of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging principles and initiatives, fostering a culture of inclusivity and equity among senior leadership, managers and employees. He also oversees community engagement by developing and implementing outreach strategies, managing community relations programs and promoting health equity and cultural competency within the community.

Hill has more than 50 years of human resource and DEI experience. He has worked in a wide array of industries, including military, retail, manufacturing, finance, government and non-profit organizations, holding both leadership and professional staff positions. Previously, Hill served as CFI’s Senior Director of Diversity and Cultural Competence and as a Human Resource Specialist.

Before joining CFI, Hill served as Director of Development, Independent Diversity Consultant, Manager of Diversity Recruitment, HR Generalist/Affirmative Action Officer and Equal Opportunity Advisor in Charge. He began his human resources career in Affirmative Action and Diversity in the Wisconsin Army National Guard where he served for 25 years, serving for 10 years as the Chief of the Equal Opportunity section for the 32D Separate Infantry Brigade.

Hill earned his associate of applied science degree in retail marketing in 1972 from Milwaukee Area Technical College and is a graduate of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.

Hill serves as chapter president of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources-Milwaukee Chapter (NAAAHR-MKE) and is a member of the Social Responsibility Advisory Committee for the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee.

Hill has been recognized by the Office of the Governor State of Wisconsin, the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County. He was named Educator of The Year from the Milwaukee Chapter of the American Foundreymen’s Society and honored with the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative Exceptional Grandfather award. He was also awarded the Milwaukee Times Black Excellence Award, the 2023 Biz Times/Media Notable BIPOC Executive and is listed in “Who’s Who in Black

Milwaukee.” He is also a published author in HR Focus Magazine with an article entitled: “Ten Strategies for Managers in a Multicultural Workforce.”

STEVE PEMBERTON is a visionary senior human resources (HR) executive, human capital strategist, best-selling author, and ardent human rights champion. A passionate communicator and powerful presenter, Steve is also a sought-after motivational speaker who is widely appreciated for his ability to connect with a broad spectrum of audiences. His relentless mission to encourage others continues to provide a trusted compass for living, learning, and leading.

A distinct professional calling

From Monster.com to Walgreens, Steve has consistently served in HR leadership positions that have furthered his gift for seeking the greater good and creating engaged communities. He is the Founder and CEO The Lighthouse Academy, a leadership, coaching and HR consultancy. Prior to that he served as the Chief Human Resources Officer of Workhuman®, a technology company that delivers performance management and employee engagement solutions to corporations worldwide. Wherever he has been Steve has inspired organizations and companies to embrace more humanity and cultivate a higher purpose in the workplace. He is exceptionally skilled at creating inspiring, innovative work environments while recognizing and developing talent. His ‘human lighthouse’ approach has successfully created award-winning organizational cultures that create maximum performance.
Steve’s philosophy on human capital has been shaped by positions that delivered talent solutions to HR executives. As a result, he has observed how domestic and international organizations manage talent, particularly as the relationship between employer and employee has transformed in a world where a global pandemic changed how work is done. A highly sought-after voice on workplace trends, he presents at the most recognizable HR conferences in the world, is interviewed often by the business media on human capital matters, and consults with organizations across the world on their talent strategies.

A deeply personal journey

Beyond his professional achievements in the world of human resources, Steve is also widely known as the author of two critically acclaimed and best-selling books. His first effort, A Chance in the World, shares his extraordinary story of how he defied seemingly impossible odds as an orphan navigating the perils of the foster care system – all while trying to solve the mystery of his own identity. In 2018, the book was adapted into an independent film of the same name. A partnership with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt led to creating an integrated social-emotional learning curriculum based on the book, taught today in high schools throughout the United States.

Steve’s second book, The Lighthouse Effect: How Ordinary People Can Have an Extraordinary Impact in the World, offers practical encouragement for becoming a “human lighthouse” – turning personal pain into purposeful mission to help others, as he has done in his own life. This framework for living, learning, and leading continues to inspire across a multiplicity of sectors, from corporate America and the non-profit world to higher education. The power of his life story, and its many engaging insights, has led to numerous high-profile media appearances, including the Today show, CBS Evening News, Tamron Hall, and People magazine.

Steve’s personal and professional accomplishments have been recognized through numerous honors. A former candidate for the United States Senate, he received the prestigious Horizon Award from the U.S. Congress, presented to private sector individuals who have expanded opportunities for all Americans through their own contributions and who have set exceptional examples for young people through their successes in life. Steve is also a recipient of the Lifetime Achiever Award by the New England Opportunity Association. Winston-Salem State University, Providence College, and Boston College are among the institutions who awarded him an honorary doctorate.

With a steadfast commitment to people and community well-being, Steve gives abundantly of his time, talent, and convictions. His robust history of service includes membership on the boards of University & College Accountability Network, Loyola Academy, Boston College, The Wily Network, the Academy for Urban School Leadership, Boys Hope Girls Hope, and Disability:IN, the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. At every turn, Steve continues with his own “Lighthouse Effect” by fulfilling his mission for all to have “A Chance in the World.”

With over a decade of hands-on leadership across hospitality, corporate training, and operations, Stephanie Ketron is a driving force behind talent development and organizational alignment at Westgate Resorts. In her current role as Vice President of Learning & Development, she leads the design and execution of enterprise-wide learning strategies, aligning L&D with People & Culture to deliver scalable impact across a multi-resort hospitality and timeshare portfolio.

With a background spanning Disney, Applebee’s, Aeropostale, and the U.S. Army Reserve, Stephanie brings a rare blend of operational expertise, instructional design mastery, and people-centered leadership. She is the architect behind Westgate’s 12-Competency Framework and a champion for leveraging technology and AI to modernize the team member experience.

Dynamic, direct, and refreshingly practical, Stephanie delivers insights rooted in real-world execution.

For over 25 years, Marybeth Gray has been dedicated to helping employers nationwide lower healthcare costs and enhance quality. Throughout her career, she has effectively reduced insurance costs and employer liability, thanks to her extensive knowledge of the insurance marketplace. Currently, she holds the position of Senior Vice President of Health and Welfare Benefits at Trion, a Marsh McLennan Agency, where she oversees comprehensive account management for her clients. With expertise in analyzing healthcare utilization data and cost trends, particularly in pharmacy for large, self-insured clients, Marybeth is a prominent thought leader at Marsh McLennan Agency, speaking at more than ten national conferences each year.

One of the key advantages she offers her clients is a unique insight into future cost drivers. She assists employers in grasping the potential financial impacts of pharmacogenomics, newly introduced specialty medications, and gene therapies. Her objective is to enhance the health of the population while reducing healthcare costs for both members and employers.

Before joining Marsh McLennan Agency, Marybeth served as a Vice President at AON Consulting and as a National Account Manager at Aetna, Inc. In these roles, she managed accounts from both financial and operational perspectives for clients with over 10,000 employees across various locations. She identified plan design opportunities for clients and tracked the ongoing financial impacts of these plans. During her tenure at Aetna, she was a member of the Aetna Presidents Roundtable Committee, facilitating communication between clients and the president’s office to propose changes aimed at enhancing Aetna’s operational procedures.

Marybeth was recognized by Women We Admire as one of the 2025 Top Women Leaders in Pennsylvania, as well as the Top 50 Women Leaders of Philadelphia. She was also honored as a top five finalist for the 2024 Advisor of the Year by BenefitsPRO. Her innovative and thought-provoking ideas have been featured in Morning Brew, and she has authored several articles for publications such as Manage HR Magazine and The Chief Navigators Magazine, Women of Distinction. In 2019, she received the Lifetime Achievement award from Marquis Who’s Who, which profiles influential leaders
shaping American society and impacting their respective industries.

Heather is a futuristic and innovative leader, who is recognized for her passion to “lead with people” resulting in organizational results to provide best service levels to customers. Heather has served as a strategic leader working side by side with Presidents & CEO’s in the Financial Services and BPO industries for over 20+ years serving Human Capital Management.

Heather is currently serving at the United States Senate Federal Credit Union leading People & Culture, Training/Learning & Development, DEI, Talent Recruitment & Retention, and Total Rewards. During her tenure, the Credit Union won USA Jobs & Washington Post’s Best Workplaces Awards in 2024 & 2025, special recognition awards for Inclusion/Belonging, Monster’s Remote Work Award, and 8+ Culture Badges with Energage. Heather was featured in a podcast with Chris Hoyt, CareerXroads for Transforming Cultures and was in an IHeart Radio Podcast with Jen Richer related to rising in challenges during COVID-19.

In her former roles, Heather travelled nationally and internationally with several HR teams around the globe serving over 7,000+ employees in the Contact Center world. Heather has her MBA in HR Management with 4.0 GPA from Capella University and was awarded Summa Cum Laude and Presidential Award . In 2025, Heather earned the CUES Certified Chief Executive (CCE) with three certificates from Wharton’s School of Business, Darden’s School of Business and Cornell University.

Heather is powerhouse in the Executive arena to support leadership in the areas of: Culture, engagement, inclusion/belonging, talent recruitment, negotiations, employee relations, retention, teambuilding, Executive leadership training, and human capital strategy. She is a humble and servant leader that cares about employees and giving back to the local communities served. Heather is a humble and servant leader and serves as a mentor for young professional leaders and has served as a educational training supporting high school, college, and alumni students in their professional development.

Mirian Candido Farias is Vice President, Human Resources – Digital Transformation at Mars Pet Nutrition, where she shapes the people and talent strategy that turns digital plans into sustained business results. Partnering with the Global Chief Digital & Information Officer, she helps define and operationalize Mars Pet Nutrition’s digital strategy, architecting a future‑fit operating model and embedding leadership behaviors, skills and governance that make transformation stick across functions and markets.

Her cross‑functional background—spanning strategic HR business partnering, capability building and earlier roles in digital—gives her a practical, systems‑level lens on aligning structure, roles, skills and culture to accelerate adoption and value realization. Mirian is looking forward to bringing forward her pragmatic playbook for moving digital transformation from rollout to results to the spring edition of NAHRES, giving attendees her insights and expertise in building talent pipelines, establishing clear ways or working, and change mechanisms that sustain digital maturity over time.

Mayra Ortiz is the VP of Human Resources & Marketing at Innovel Global Logistics, where she leads people strategy, culture, and brand alignment across a growing, multi-state logistics organization. With a background spanning HR, compliance, recruiting, and employer branding, Mayra specializes in building scalable people-first systems that support fast-moving, operational environments.

She is passionate about modern HR leadership, employee experience, and helping organizations grow without losing their human touch. Mayra is known for blending structure with empathy, and strategy with authenticity.

Dave Hofmann’s research focuses on organizational climate, leadership, and organizational change, organizational design and decision-making.

He teaches courses in organizational behavior, leadership and the complexities of middle management.

Dr. Hofmann served as associate dean for the full-time MBA Program, area chair of organizational behavior and senior associate dean of academic affairs.

A specific focus of his research is the impact of leadership and organizational culture on safety and errors in organizations that operate in high-risk environments. He has edited two scholarly books on these topics, including “Errors in Organizations” with Michael Frese.

In recognition of his work’s applied implications, he received the American Psychological Association’s Decade of Behavior Research Award in 2006.

He received a Fulbright Senior Scholar Award to study errors and safety issues in organizations at the University of Giessen in Germany, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant to investigate error management and organizational learning on nursing units.

He has served on two National Research Council/National Academy of Engineering committees. The first investigated the causes of the BP Deepwater Horizon accident, and the second focused on how to improve safety culture in the offshore industry.

Dr. Hofmann has presented his research or conducted executive development sessions in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UAE and the U.K.

He earned his PhD in industrial and organizational psychology from Pennsylvania State University, his master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Central Florida, and his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Furman University.

Nicole Manzo serves as Senior Vice President, People & Communications for KONE Americas, where she leads the strategy, performance, and operations of the People function across the region. She focuses on aligning talent, engagement, and organizational performance to drive business growth while strengthening KONE’s people-first culture. As a leader of people-powered innovation, Nicole is helping shape the cities of tomorrow—advancing urban life through technology, smart systems, and a culture that attracts and empowers top talent.

With more than 20 years of leadership experience across all HR disciplines, Nicole brings deep expertise in leadership coaching, talent strategy, employee engagement, inclusion and diversity, organizational change, total rewards, and learning and development. She has led global teams and enterprise-wide initiatives that align people strategy with business transformation, ensuring organizations are equipped to grow, adapt, and lead in competitive markets.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management from DePaul University.

James has dedicated his career to unlocking human potential with technology. He was previously Vice President of Strategy at Workday, where he worked with many of the world’s largest companies on their talent and learning strategies. James has worked with the White House on skills technologies for American workers, and has written extensively on the topic. Today, James is the co-founder of Tenor, the AI platform for people leader development.

Mindi Cox works to connect people with purpose to deliver human-centered business results. She believes an organization’s potential is intimately tied to its sense of humanity. After more than 25 years in Sales, Marketing, and as a Human Resource Executive for O.C. Tanner, her core goal remains the same: to help cultivate workplace cultures where individuals feel connected to the greater purpose and impact of their work, inspiring people to seek personal and professional progress.

Mindi has been honored with various awards for her work, including Silicon Slopes’ Chief People Officer of the Year in 2023, Human Resource Executive of the Year by the Stevie® Awards for Great Employers, and Human Resource Executive of the Year by Utah Business Magazine. She was also among the 30 Women to Watch in Utah Business. She is a member of the Forbes Human Resource Council and is frequently sought after to contribute to podcasts, books, and articles focused on workplace culture and people leadership.

Mindi also serves as a board member for the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah and Upwardly Global, a national organization working to support immigrants and refugees with international credentials to restart their careers in the United States. She is the proud mom to three busy sons and is grateful for the perspective her crew gives her on work, life, wellbeing, and whole-life awareness as a business priority.

Rosa Santos is a global talent and organizational effectiveness leader with deep experience designing and leading large-scale workforce and business transformations. She has held senior roles across organizations including PepsiCo, BP, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, partnering with executives to align talent strategy with business growth, innovation, and workforce resilience.

Rosa is known for her human-centered approach to talent strategy, pioneering initiatives in frontline employee experience, leadership development, internal mobility, and workforce capability building at scale. Her work sits at the intersection of people, data, and technology, helping organizations navigate AI adoption and digital transformation without losing sight of human value.

She is the creator and host of Yet, Human, a podcast exploring what it means to lead, decide, and build organizations in an increasingly AI-enabled world. Rosa’s thought leadership focuses on the future of work, ethical leadership, and designing organizations that are Human-by-Design. She is the CEO and Founder of Muntu Group, an executive advisory firm supporting leaders and organizations through human-centered transformation.

Rosa divides her time between Michigan, the UK, and Spain, working with clients across industries and a wide range of business and leadership priorities. Outside of her work, she enjoys baking and spending time with her husband and their two standard poodles.

Shawn Smith Shawn Smith is an experienced leader in change management and operational excellence, with a career spanning more than 21 years at Milliken & Company in Spartanburg, SC. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from West Virginia University, a Six Sigma Green Belt from Milliken University, and multiple consulting and coaching certifications. For the past 15 years, Shawn has partnered with organizations around the world as part of the Performance Solutions by Milliken business, equipping executive and frontline leadership teams with the tools, behaviors, and systems needed to successfully navigate complex change. His work focuses on helping companies build resilient cultures, empower people through structured improvement, and sustain meaningful transformation.

Lauren Bidwell, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist, Future of Work Research Lab SAP SuccessFactors [email protected] Lauren Bidwell, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Scientist at SAP SuccessFactors. Her role involves studying the ways work is changing and driving innovative thinking around the implications of such changes for the effective design and use of HR Technology. Dr. Bidwell has engaged with hundreds of customer organizations around the world and is an active author and presenter on future of work trends and topics such as the impact of artificial intelligence on employee experience, strategies to help organizations achieve their skills goals, evolutions in performance management, equitable talent decision-making, and more. Lauren received her Ph.D. in Experimental and Decision-Making Psychology from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.

Heidi Walczak is Vice President of Marketing at Empyrean, a leading benefits administration and HR technology firm. With more than 25 years of experience, including eight years focused on benefits administration, Heidi works closely with HR leaders to improve employee engagement and adoption of benefits programs. She has helped shape modern benefits platforms that simplify complexity, support personalization at scale, and strengthen the connection between culture and employee experience. Her work centers on ensuring technology enhances, rather than replaces, the human side of benefits.

Heidi holds an MBA from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Miami University. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and two sons.

Dan Marsella is a workforce transformation strategist with more than 14 years of experience advising enterprise leaders on how to use education as a lever for business performance. As Vice President of Enterprise Partnerships at Workforce Edge, he partners with HR, operations, and talent executives to design education benefit strategies that unlock internal mobility, close skill gaps, and deliver measurable ROI.

Dan brings a cross-industry perspective – spanning healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and beyond – grounded in a consultative approach that aligns workforce investment with organizational goals. He helps employers shift tuition assistance from a passive perk to a high-impact talent engine, equipping workforces to adapt, advance, and lead through change.

A frequent collaborator with senior leaders navigating transformation, Dan is known for reframing how organizations view talent development: not as a cost, but as a strategic advantage.

Jake Irland is Senior Director of Leadership Development and Learning Technology at Best Buy, where he leads enterprise efforts to modernize how employees learn, grow, and build capability. His work focuses on driving strategy for the advancement of skills based approaches in learning and development that deliver measurable impact for employees and the business alike.

Before joining Best Buy, Jake spent more than 15 years at Salesforce, where he led global teams focused on strategic partnerships, marketing, sales strategy, enablement, and go to market initiatives.

Across his career, he has been recognized for translating complex strategy into practical execution and for building strong, people centered partnerships. Jake holds a degree in Marketing from Washington State University.

David is a Partner and Managing Director for Creative Planning Retirement Services and is a member of the Retirement Leadership Team. He focuses on designing and implementing retirement, investment, and estate planning strategies for corporations, executives and government entities; as well as contributing to key strategic initiatives.

Prior to joining Creative Planning, David served as President of Mesirow Retirement Advisory Services and Chairman of the Investment Committee. In this role, David oversaw the investment, operational and client management processes and provided overall strategic direction for the business with AUM in excess of $15 Billion.

Matthew is Senior Principal for Talent Strategy at Guild Education, where he partners with new and existing employer partners on their talent practices, HR platforms, and skilling strategies. He has 20 years of experience in leading and consulting on talent development and learning transformations in Fortune 100s.

He leverages his expertise in learning technology, learner experience, and talent mobility to help clients prepare their talent to execute on their business and human capital strategies. He also conducts research and thought leadership on topics such as the intersection of L&D and DEI, talent trends, and the future of work. He regularly shares his insights and best practices through webinars, podcasts, articles, and industry events.

Matthew is also a member of the Defense Business Board, where he provides independent and objective advice to senior defense leaders on proven and effective best business practices. He is a contributor to leading industry outlets such as CLO, TD, CTDO, and Training Magazine, and serves on the advisory board of Class, a learning technology company. He is passionate about advancing the field of human capital management and empowering employees and organizations to achieve their full potential.

Sean D. Baptiste serves as the inaugural Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer (CPO) for Nemours Children’s. He is a member of the Executive Cabinet, reporting to Nemours President and Chief Executive Officer R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP.

As CPO, Sean leads the enterprise people strategy with an intentional focus on building a highly engaged, resilient, associate-centric organization that delivers high quality patient outcomes. As a trusted executive partner, Sean is known for bringing systemness to complex organizations – aligning talent, culture, operating models, and leadership practices to drive consistency, scalability and performance across the enterprise.

Our bold vision of creating the healthiest generations of children requires an equally bold commitment to building the healthiest workforce in America. In such, Sean is the cultural champion and driving force for maintaining and cultivating a culture of thriving Nemours associates.

With a deep belief that people strategies enable business outcomes, Sean designs and executes integrated solutions across workforce strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership development, total wellbeing and talent systems. His holistic approach ensures that the associate experience is intentional, connected and embedded into how the organization operates.

Prior to joining Nemours, Sean served in various human resources leadership roles at RWJBarnabas Health, where he was an integral member of the HR executive team.

Sean received his Master of Healthcare Administration from The Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.; his Bachelor of Science in Business from Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) in Teaneck, New Jersey; and is a Lean Six Sigma Certified Yellow Belt. He is a member of the FDU Silberman College of Business Board of Advisors.

Max leads Doxis’ Solution Engineering team, working directly with businesses to implement AI-driven automation solutions that streamline document management, improve workflows and drive operational efficiency.

Melissa Heggie is a versatile, results-driven business leader with a comprehensive professional human resource background supplemented by direct experience within the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia; She is known for inspiring talent and building high performing teams. Melissa is focused on helping an organization deliver results while cultivating value-based relationships and managing organizational change in high-growth environments.

Melissa partners with clients to focus and align their individual and organizational goals. She facilitates introspection and planning processes vital to achieving significant results. She is a certified executive coach focused on empowering leaders to create purpose driven-solutions to accomplish what matters most.

Melissa has 20+ years of experience as a human resource executive most recently with The Coca-Cola Company. Her prior experience includes working with other consumer good companies such as PepsiCo, Quaker Oats, and Danaher.

Melissa lives in Smyrna, Georgia with her husband Kenneth and her son Kendall who is a Junior at Morehouse College. Melissa graduated from Jacksonville State University with a B.S. in Business.

Jamie Minier is a pioneer in the recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) industry with nearly 20 years of leadership experience driving operational excellence, client success, and talent innovation. As President of NXTThing RPO, Jamie leads the company’s strategic vision and delivery model, ensuring service excellence and measurable results remain at the core of every partnership. Under her leadership, NXTThing has achieved sustained year-over-year revenue growth while expanding its reach across industries and enterprise clients nationwide.

Prior to joining NXTThing RPO, Jamie served as Chief Operating Officer and later President of TheRightThing, and previously held the role of Vice President of Global Human Resources at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. Her deep operational and HR expertise enables her to bridge strategy and execution in today’s evolving talent landscape.

Jamie is passionate about mentorship and career mobility, actively coaching emerging HR professionals and leaders across the industry. Her leadership has helped NXTThing earn “Best Place to Work” recognition, and she has been honored with a Stevie® Female Executive Silver award and named a 2025 RPOA Influential Woman. Her journey from intern to president reflects the people-first, growth-driven leadership philosophy she champions throughout the HR community.