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Kelly Jones

Chief People Officer, Cisco

Kelly Jones is Chief People Officer at Cisco, where she steers the people strategies, functions, policies, and operations that empower 84,000+ employees to achieve extraordinary results and thrive. She leads the People Team, directing the design and implementation of data-driven, people-first solutions critical to Cisco’s business transformation, enterprise goals, and company vision, including its Conscious Culture and purpose to Power an Inclusive Future for All.A natural teacher and coach, Kelly grounds her leadership in empowerment. She champions and advances solutions that support people in reaching their greatest potential. During her 15+ years at Cisco, Kelly has built award-winning, high-performing global solutions and teams that have made a measurable impact on individual, organizational, and business performance.Kelly has influenced people practices and delivered results at every level of the enterprise, from intern and new graduate programs to executive and enterprise strategy. Focused on attracting, selecting, engaging, and retaining top global talent, Kelly has advanced solutions that increase efficiency, improve quality, strengthen performance, and foster connection.Kelly joined Cisco in Talent Acquisition roles spanning Engineering and Operations, University Relations, and Sales and Marketing. She then served as Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Mobility, followed by Senior Vice President & Global Head of Talent Solutions. Before joining Cisco, Kelly was Vice President of Sales Operations for Comsys and Principal Owner of her own executive placement and consulting firm.An advocate for social justice and accessibility, Kelly serves on the board of HeadCount, a non-partisan organization that uses the power of music to register voters and encourage participation in democracy. She also acts as an executive sponsor of Cisco's Connected Disability Action Network (CDAN) and extends her influence internationally as Cisco's executive country sponsor for Finland.Kelly attended North Carolina State University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in pre-law. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, Dave, and rescue dog, Henri.

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Sessions

Keynote

Wed, May 14, 9:10 am - 10:00 am MT

HR Leadership Now: Navigating Uncertainty with Clarity and Impact

STEP UP FOR LEADERS

The global landscape of 2025 demands bold, decisive, and human-centered HR leadership. With disruptions continuing to reshape how we work and lead, HR executives face mounting pressure to create adaptive strategies that deliver measurable results. Join Kerry Dryburgh, EVP of People & Culture at bp and Kelly Jones, EVP and Chief People Officer at Cisco for a candid and critical conversation about what it takes to lead through uncertainty.

This session will go beyond theory, offering hard-won insights and actionable approaches directly from leaders shaping the future of work at the world’s most influential organizations. How do they drive results while keeping people at the center of their strategies? How do they assess what’s working, pivot when needed, and address emerging challenges with clarity? This is not just a discussion – it’s your opportunity to gain practical, field-tested leadership strategies to meet the moment. Walk away with ideas to implement now, no matter the scale of your organization or the challenges you face.

Key takeaways include:

Learning how to lead with clarity in times of uncertainty
Hearing tested approaches for creating agile, people-first HR strategies
Gaining insights to help your organization overcome the most pressing challenges today

Join this session to discover how Workhuman customers are mastering recognition and driving meaningful impact.

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Kelly Jones

Holly Ransom

Not your average HR conference

World-class speakers boldly tackling today’s most urgent topics. Personalized content thoughtfully-curated to your role and goals. Next-level networking experiences that connect leaders from all over the world.

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