The biggest names, brightest stars, and boldest thinkers.

Why you can’t miss Reshma Saujani

Reshma Saujani is a leading activist and the founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms. She has spent more than a decade building movements to fight for women and girls’ economic empowerment, working to close the gender gap in the tech sector, and most recently advocating for policies to support moms impacted by the pandemic. Her new book, “Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work (and Why It’s Different Than You Think)” presents a bold plan to address the burnout and inequity harming America’s working women today. Reshma is also the author of the international bestseller “Brave, Not Perfect,” and her influential TED talk, “Teach girls bravery, not perfection,” has more than five million views globally. Reshma began her career as an attorney and Democratic organizer. In 2010, she surged onto the political scene as the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress. Reshma lives in New York City with her husband, Nihal, their sons, Shaan and Sai, and their bulldog, Stanley.

Why you can’t miss Cy Wakeman

Cy Wakeman is a drama researcher, global thought leader and New York Times bestselling author who is recognized for cultivating a reality-based approach to leadership.

Wakeman has helped companies like Google, Facebook, Viacom, Uber, NBC Universal, NASA, Pfizer, Johns Hopkins, Merrill Lynch, and countless others learn to navigate our rapidly changing world using good mental processes to harness energy wasted in workplace drama and reinvest that effort into achieving profound business results.

Cy Wakeman holds a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Association, placing her within the top 3% of speakers. She’s a regular contributor on Forbes.com, Success.com, The Huffington Post, and Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global. She’s been featured on the “TODAY Show,” the “AskGaryVee Show” with Gary Vaynerchuk, Cheddar TV, The New York Times, Business Insider, The Daily Muse, SHRM.com and many more. In 2021 and 2022, she topped the Global Gurus list of Top 30 Leadership Professionals across the globe.

Wakeman has published four books, hosts her own “No Ego” podcast, and publishes video content on YouTube to address leaders’ biggest challenges in the workplace.

Why you can’t miss Dr. Danielle King

Dr. Danielle D. King is an assistant professor of industrial and organizational psychology at Rice University and the principal investigator of the WorKing Resilience Laboratory.

Her research focuses on the topics of employee resilience, resources, racial identity, and voice. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and has been published in both peer-reviewed scientific journals, such as the Journal of Applied Psychology and the Academy of Management Journal, and in media outlets, including Harvard Business Review and Forbes.

Dr. King is a 2022 recipient of the American Psychological Association Achievement Award for Early Career Psychologists. She received her B.A. in psychology from Spelman College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in organizational psychology from Michigan State University.

Why you can’t miss Derek Irvine

As Senior Vice President, Client Strategy and Consulting at Workhuman, Derek helps clients – including some of world’s most admired companies – leverage proven recognition strategies and best practices to elevate employee engagement, increase retention, and improve bottom-line results. While he currently leads the company’s strategy and consulting services division, Derek led the company’s global marketing and rewards functions from 2000 to 2010, growing Workhuman from a startup to the unicorn organization it is today.

Derek is one of the world’s foremost experts on employee recognition and continuous performance management, helping business leaders set a higher vision and ambition for their company culture. As a renowned speaker and co-author of three books, “Making Work Human,” “Winning with a Culture of Recognition,” and “The Power of Thanks,” he teaches HR leaders how to use recognition to proactively manage company culture. His viewpoints and writings are also regularly featured across major HR publications, including HR Zone, Workspan, HR Magazine, HR Executive, and Workforce Management.

Why you can’t miss Drew Goldstein

Since joining McKinsey in 2014, Drew has helped companies across industries attract and retain exceptional talent, foster an inclusive culture, and shape organizational design to support performance.

Drew is the founder and leader of MicKinsey’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) solutions group, a team of experts focused on bringing analytic tools to support McKinsey’s equity work. These end-to-end solutions help executives measure what matters, stay grounded in the employee experience, and support system-level change.

Building on this work, Drew designed diversity-focused content for McKinsey’s Change Leaders Forum and LGBTQ+ executive transitions master class in the United States; he serves as faculty for both programs.

When working with clients, Drew focuses on creating and sustaining high-performing workplaces by understanding how organizations can better enable talent to thrive and address the imperative to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Interested in sharing perspectives and insights, Drew publishes frequently on talent and inclusion topics. He recently contributed to McKinsey’s “Race in the workplace” report, deriving insights from assessment tools and working with participating organizations.

Why you can’t miss Eric M. Bailey

Eric Bailey is the president and CEO of Bailey Strategic Innovation Group, one of the fastest-growing organization development/strategy consulting firms in the western United States. His impact helps leaders improve the lives of those who follow them, and the customers/citizens whom they are charged with supporting.

Eric is the creator of the Principles of Human Understanding™, a leadership and communication methodology based in brain science and psychology. He’s been featured in The Huffington Post, Forbes, and the “Like a Real Boss” podcast. Eric also hosts a YouTube series of 2-minute leadership video lessons called The Walking Meeting.

Eric has worked with myriad clients, including Google, Luke Air Force Base, the City of Phoenix, Arizona Women Leading Government, and more.

Eric has a master’s degree in leadership and organizational development from Saint Louis University and a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. When not working or researching, Eric enjoys road cycling with his wife Jamie and their three children in Phoenix, Ariz.

Why you can’t miss Dr. Isha Vicaria

Dr. Isha Vicaria is a behavioral science researcher from Miami, Florida and received her Ph.D. in psychology from Northeastern University. As a people data analyst at Workhuman, she brings together a passion for cutting-edge analytics and understanding of the science behind positive and productive workplace behaviors. In partnership with Workhuman’s customers, Isha and Workhuman iQ deliver insights on the impact of social recognition both within and beyond the workplace.

Why you can’t miss Janice Beauchamp

Janice M. Beauchamp is responsible for global strategy and operations for Pfizer Colleague – Wellness, Communications, Global Workplace, and Change Management groups, which supports 80,000 colleagues worldwide.

In her prior role, Janice was VP, HR business development and operations, leading the HR strategy for acquisitions, divestures, and alliances. Overall, she has over 25 years with Pfizer human resources, leading people strategy and operations for the biopharmaceuticals, medical, corporate groups, and animal health divisions.

Prior to joining Pfizer, Janice worked in human resources and organizational development as human resources business partner and director for recruitment with Ciba-Geigy / Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Janice started her human resources career at Schering-Plough in benefits, employee relations, and learning development. Janice holds an M.S. in human resources and organizational development from the New School for Social Research and a B.S. in human resources management from Upsala College.

Why you can’t miss Jason Lauritsen

Jason Lauritsen is transforming management as a keynote speaker, trainer, and author. He liberates managers from outdated and inhumane practices so they can cultivate human potential at work and improve people’s lives.

Jason’s insights have been described as a “secret weapon” by leaders who strive to create a more engaging and human work experience for their people.

He’s known for his authentic and vulnerable storytelling that challenges you to see things differently. It’s nearly impossible to come away from an interaction with Jason without having your perspective on management changed.

His experience ranges from startup CEO to Fortune 1000 executive. He also spent several years leading the Best Places to Work program for an HR technology company, where he gained deep insight into some of the best workplaces in the world.

Jason is the author of two books, “Unlocking High Performance: How to Use Performance Management to Engage and Empower Employees to Reach Their Full Potential” and “Social Gravity: Harnessing the Natural Laws of Relationships.” You can learn more about his management training at www.Cultivayo.com.

Why you can’t miss Kham Ward

Kham Ward is the Founder and CEO of BLK Men in Tech (BMiT), a nonprofit organization committed to providing access, resources, and community for Black men within the tech industry and philanthropic initiatives to support the next generation of tech leaders.

He is also a diversity and inclusion strategist with more than 15 years of experience. His diversity strategies have provided companies across the world with the tools needed to drive innovation, revenue, and human capital growth.

Kham is dedicated to creating a more inclusive and diverse world for everyone. His philosophy is that, while diversity can be achieved with little commitment, a truly inclusive environment requires the utmost tolerance, vulnerability, and trust.

He has been featured in Forbes as a STEM Influencer helping to bridge the gap for minorities, as well as one of the For(bes) The Culture 50 Champions in 2021.

Kham received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and a Master of Education from the University of Maryland. He holds a diversity and inclusion certificate from Yale University and is a certified CQ and unconscious bias trainer.

Why you can’t miss Dr. Meisha-ann Martin

Dr. Meisha-ann Martin is the senior director of people analytics and research at Workhuman, the company revolutionizing the way employees celebrate, connect with, and appreciate each other in the workplace.

Meisha-ann has a personal passion for diversity, equity and inclusion and loves using data and analytics to identify and remedy inclusion gaps in the employee experience. She is considered a people analytics/employee experience expert as she has led these efforts in companies like Flex, JetBlue and Raymond James Financial and is the former head of talent experience at ServiceMaster.

Meisha-ann has a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology based on her research on diversity attitudes in the workplace and has fifteen years of experience working in people analytics and employee engagement across a variety of different industries.

Meisha-ann regularly speaks at conferences, on webinars and on podcasts; her thought leadership has been featured in Forbes, HR Dive, and Benefits Pro.

Why you can’t miss Michaela Leo

Michaela Leo leads compensation and benefits at Ipsen North America. She is responsible for the design and implementation of market-leading, differentiated compensation, benefits, and mobility programs and policies for the United States and Canada. She is a strong believer in the power of appreciation and gratitude.

Prior to Ipsen, Michaela spent 15 years as the director of compensation with Merck & Co. Inc. where she was a strategic compensation partner to major business divisions, led compensation and benefits for Merck’s EEMEA operations, and managed Merck’s global recognition program. She has more than 20 years of global compensation management experience in pharmaceutical and services industries.

Why you can’t miss Simon Alexander Ong

Simon Alexander Ong is a personal development entrepreneur, coach, and public speaker. His clients are from all walks of life, but they share one trait: They all believe that the greatest investment you can make is in yourself. His work has seen him invited onto Sky News and BBC to be interviewed, while Barclays featured him in a nationwide campaign asking him questions on how families could embrace better lifestyle habits.

His insights have seen him featured in HuffPost, Forbes, Virgin, and the Guardian. He also regularly speaks at organizations – including Salesforce, Microsoft, EY and Unilever – and keynotes public events and conferences. His debut book “Energize” was published by Penguin in April 2022 and received endorsements from the likes of New York Times bestselling authors Simon Sinek, Marie Forleo, and Dr. Marshall Goldsmith.

Why you can’t miss Siobhan Murray

Siobhan Murray is one of the world’s leading burnout experts, author of the bestselling book “The Burnout Solution,” CEO of Twisting the Jar Coaching, course creator, and podcaster. Holding a degree in counselling and psychotherapy, HDip positive health (RCSI), Siobhan combines empathy and corporate knowledge with her natural practicality. After working primarily as a therapist, Siobhan now delivers corporate workshops and training for public and private sector companies globally, all with a focus on burnout prevention, management and recovery, and workplace wellbeing. She was a consultant expert in the 2018 Irish television documentary series “Stressed,” which examined the impact of burnout on the body and was the highest rated science series in Irish television history. She has written and interviewed for Canada Global News, The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, BBC Radio, RTE Radio, Thrive Global, and more.

Why you can’t miss Traci Pesch

Traci Pesch is a highly experienced making-work-human evangelist, consultant, and strategist who has worked with Global 2000 companies for more than 20 years, supporting their quest for building cultures of recognition, appreciation, and inclusion. During her tenure at Workhuman, Traci has held a variety of roles, including director of client services and global product manager, in which she pioneered the company’s product strategy and was responsible for successfully designing, implementing, launching, and training many of Workhuman’s largest customers.

A founding member of the strategy and consulting team, today Traci focuses her efforts on strategizing with our largest customers to create more human work cultures tied directly to talent and business outcomes, educating key audiences on program philosophy, recognition best practices, adoption, and usage. She has led program strategy development, program design initiatives, and complex change management efforts across the globe with organizations such as UnitedHealth Group, Abbott, GE, LinkedIn, Intuit, Eaton, BNY Mellon and many others. Traci holds a B.S. in marketing from Bowling Green State University and is a Certified Recognition Professional (CRP).

Why you can’t miss Wagner Denuzzo

Wagner is a Latino executive currently leading the Future of Work Talent CoE at Prudential. His team is responsible for organizational capabilities, work and organizational design, change management, workforce transformation delivery, and organization effectiveness for a future-ready enterprise. Prior to this role, Wagner was overseeing leadership talent transformation at IBM where he also served as the global VP, leadership and management development for the enterprise during IBM’s largest transformation in its history. Wagner has been a talent strategy leader, leadership/organizational development consultant, executive coach, and HR strategist for over 20 years. Wagner is a frequent speaker on the future of work and his ideas are driving a new way of thinking in HR. He was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Wagner holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and a Master’s in Clinical Social Work from New York University.