Leadership (Behavioral)

Wade Larson
Personal Pronouns
He/Him/His
President/Senior Consultant
Optimal Talent Dynamics
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Dr. Wade Larson is a workforce consultant and human resources executive with 30-years of experience in strategy, leadership enablement, and talent management. His    expertise in HR and leadership helps organizations improve structures, culture, management, and leadership to achieve their goals. As an international speaker, published author, and professor, he strives to help others achieve the best versions of themselves. Wade has worked with hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders to shift mindsets, innovate programs, and lead change that helps them do more, achieve more, and live their best lives.

 

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 - 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Wade Larson
Personal Pronouns
He/Him/His
President/Senior Consultant
Optimal Talent Dynamics
Connect Online with this Speaker

Dr. Wade Larson is a workforce consultant and human resources executive with 30-years of experience in strategy, leadership enablement, and talent management. His    expertise in HR and leadership helps organizations improve structures, culture, management, and leadership to achieve their goals. As an international speaker, published author, and professor, he strives to help others achieve the best versions of themselves. Wade has worked with hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders to shift mindsets, innovate programs, and lead change that helps them do more, achieve more, and live their best lives.

 

SESSIONS:
Monday, June 24, 2024 - 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Lana Williams
Program Manager
SHRM Foundation
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Lana Williams is a Program Manager with the SHRM Foundation where she manages The Foundation’s initiatives to support students and emerging professionals, as well as their efforts to expand and diversify the HR sector. She brings a wide range of expertise in social impact and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) from her experience within the nonprofit, advocacy, and corporate sectors.

Prior to this role, she was serving as the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Project Manager for NetApp where she managed the employee business resource groups and evolution of diversity and inclusion programming, as well as increasing employee engagement and belonging initiatives. She also held roles at the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sodexo, and the Human Rights Campaign where she was responsible for the oversight and coordination of the daily activities for the annual Corporate Equality Index and Buying for Workplace Equality Guide.

Lana graduated from The New School in New York City with a MS in Nonprofit Management and a BA from Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

 

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 - 2:30pm to 2:50pm
Teira Gunlock
CEO
First Stop Health
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Teira (TEER-UH) joined First Stop Health in 2015 with an aim to make healthcare the way it should be: accessible, affordable and delightful.

 

As an experienced healthcare professional, she spent her early career in healthcare market research and consulted with leading health systems across the country to help them better use patient and physician experience data to improve care. She is well-versed in the fact that “good” is never good enough and commits herself daily to improving First Stop Health’s service, so the company may, in turn, improve the state of healthcare.

 

She has worn several hats at First Stop Health and has touched nearly every part of the business first-hand: from product development to client care and sales to physician network management. Now, as Chief Executive Officer, she guides the organization’s efforts on growth and patient impact.

 

First Stop Health’s values are Caring, Unrelenting, Trusted and Transparent, and Teira takes every opportunity to weave those values into her lead-by-example leadership style. Her colleagues describe her as a learner and a teacher. She dedicates herself to building trust with those inside and outside of the organization, and focuses on coaching individuals and teams to the next level.

 

Teira grew up on a cattle farm in Southwest Missouri, where her interest in increasing access to care was born. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a master's degree in health administration.

 

In her spare time, Teira practices yoga, makes groan-worthy puns, and loves spending time in nature and with family.

SESSIONS:
Keren Maldonado, SHRM-SCP
Director, Total Rewards
SHRM
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Keren Maldonado joined SHRM two years ago after an exciting career focused on international markets including Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.  Keren has lived stateside in Miami, and as a two-time expatriate, she has lived abroad in Antwerp, Belgium, and London. Throughout her career, she has led different regional teams in building compensation and benefits programs on a regional and global scale. She has also adapted frameworks for local regulations and culture and driven change to improve employee work experience. Now, Keren is leading the evolution of the SHRM employee rewards experience by remodeling SHRM’s programs for the diversified talent that strengthens the organization.

SESSIONS:
Nejat Abdurahman
Founder
N-BAC
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Nejat Abdurahman is the founder and lead at N-BAC, a business advisory and consulting firm that helps organizations transform the way they lead to transform their business and create a sustainable impact. Nejat is a certified Leadership and Emotional Intelligence coach, a keynote speaker, and a trainer. She facilitates Leadership Development programs at N-BAC Academy to equip managers and leaders with the needed skills to transform the way they lead.Nejat earned her MBA from Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst and holds a BA degree in Economics from Addis Ababa University. 

SESSIONS:
Dethra U. Giles
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
CEO
ExecuPrep
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Discover the extraordinary journey of Dethra U. Giles, the visionary force behind ExecuPrep, pioneering leadership development and organizational transformation. Rooted in education, performance optimization, and HR, Dethra empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to surpass their expectations. With degrees in English, Spanish, Business and Conflict Management, she blends communication and cultural understanding seamlessly. As a respected faculty member and TEDx speaker, her influence resonates globally, shaping inclusive cultures in corporate giants like LVMH and the EPA. Dethra's compassion fuels her advocacy for social justice, while her writings and media presence inspire resilience and growth. With her, the future promises boundless opportunity and transformation.

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 - 11:00am to 11:20am
Dethra U. Giles
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
CEO
ExecuPrep
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Discover the extraordinary journey of Dethra U. Giles, the visionary force behind ExecuPrep, pioneering leadership development and organizational transformation. Rooted in education, performance optimization, and HR, Dethra empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to surpass their expectations. With degrees in English, Spanish, Business and Conflict Management, she blends communication and cultural understanding seamlessly. As a respected faculty member and TEDx speaker, her influence resonates globally, shaping inclusive cultures in corporate giants like LVMH and the EPA. Dethra's compassion fuels her advocacy for social justice, while her writings and media presence inspire resilience and growth. With her, the future promises boundless opportunity and transformation.

SESSIONS:
Monday, June 24, 2024 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Carol Henriques
Principal and Client Partner
TiER1 Performance
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WHAT CAROL BRINGS TO THE TABLE
Carol has 25+ years of Organization, Leadership, and Team Effectiveness experience. She led organization transformation efforts inside telecommunication and pharmaceutical companies, and then took that experience to clients across industries when she transitioned to external consulting. Carol led consulting teams at Andersen, Deloitte, and Capital H Group before starting HighBar Consulting, a firm that is now part of TiER1 Performance. In all her work, she brings a unique blend of deep subject-matter expertise, curiosity, objectivity, systems thinking, and pragmatism. Carol cares deeply about her clients and supporting them on their journey to success. As a result, she has many long-standing client relationships.

WHAT SHE’S PASSIONATE ABOUT
Carol is passionate about helping clients find innovative solutions to organizational challenges. She has a knack for developing practical, systems-focused solutions that are rooted in an understanding of the unique characteristics of each client’s situation. Her approach helps clients simultaneously build organizational performance and people engagement.

FUN FACT
One of Carol’s ancestors was a pirate in the 1500s. He worked on behalf of his country, the Netherlands, raiding the ships of enemy countries. Ahoy, Matey!

SESSIONS:
Gina Max
Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer
Knauf North America
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Gina S. Max is a seasoned executive with over 27 years of experience in human resources and leadership roles. Her mission is to create a workplace where every employee thrives, contributes, and feels valued.  As the Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Knauf Insulation, Inc., she plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s talent strategy and fostering a positive work environment. Gina is passionate about empowering employees and driving organizational excellence. Her commitment to fostering a culture of growth and innovation has been instrumental in her success. 

Key Achievements: 

  • Successfully led cross-functional teams to update organizational structure, create new programs, and implement change at both USG and Knauf. 
  • Transformed Knauf’s approach to human resources and people management with innovative ideas on employee engagement, rewards and recognition, and talent development.  
  • Led the development of DEI and Inclusion Strategy Teams at both USG and Knauf. 
  • Created proactive and strategic Recruitment and Onboarding plans for numerous business initiatives including Knauf’s largest greenfield facility in North America. 

Prior to joining Knauf, Gina spent over 25 years at USG Corporation where she started in an entry-level human resources position and worked in a number of human resources and field leadership roles across the company. In 2021, Max was promoted from the Head of Talent at USG to her current role. 
She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Capella University.  Max also holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources certification and is trained in Lean Principles. Max resides in the western suburbs of Chicago with her three children. In her free time Max enjoys spending time with family, reading the latest business and strategy books, and travelling to the Jersey Shore.   

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 - 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Carol Henriques
Principal and Client Partner
TiER1 Performance
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WHAT CAROL BRINGS TO THE TABLE
Carol has 25+ years of Organization, Leadership, and Team Effectiveness experience. She led organization transformation efforts inside telecommunication and pharmaceutical companies, and then took that experience to clients across industries when she transitioned to external consulting. Carol led consulting teams at Andersen, Deloitte, and Capital H Group before starting HighBar Consulting, a firm that is now part of TiER1 Performance. In all her work, she brings a unique blend of deep subject-matter expertise, curiosity, objectivity, systems thinking, and pragmatism. Carol cares deeply about her clients and supporting them on their journey to success. As a result, she has many long-standing client relationships.

WHAT SHE’S PASSIONATE ABOUT
Carol is passionate about helping clients find innovative solutions to organizational challenges. She has a knack for developing practical, systems-focused solutions that are rooted in an understanding of the unique characteristics of each client’s situation. Her approach helps clients simultaneously build organizational performance and people engagement.

FUN FACT
One of Carol’s ancestors was a pirate in the 1500s. He worked on behalf of his country, the Netherlands, raiding the ships of enemy countries. Ahoy, Matey!

SESSIONS:
Gina Max
Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer
Knauf North America
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Gina S. Max is a seasoned executive with over 27 years of experience in human resources and leadership roles. Her mission is to create a workplace where every employee thrives, contributes, and feels valued.  As the Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Knauf Insulation, Inc., she plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s talent strategy and fostering a positive work environment. Gina is passionate about empowering employees and driving organizational excellence. Her commitment to fostering a culture of growth and innovation has been instrumental in her success. 

Key Achievements: 

  • Successfully led cross-functional teams to update organizational structure, create new programs, and implement change at both USG and Knauf. 
  • Transformed Knauf’s approach to human resources and people management with innovative ideas on employee engagement, rewards and recognition, and talent development.  
  • Led the development of DEI and Inclusion Strategy Teams at both USG and Knauf. 
  • Created proactive and strategic Recruitment and Onboarding plans for numerous business initiatives including Knauf’s largest greenfield facility in North America. 

Prior to joining Knauf, Gina spent over 25 years at USG Corporation where she started in an entry-level human resources position and worked in a number of human resources and field leadership roles across the company. In 2021, Max was promoted from the Head of Talent at USG to her current role. 
She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Capella University.  Max also holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources certification and is trained in Lean Principles. Max resides in the western suburbs of Chicago with her three children. In her free time Max enjoys spending time with family, reading the latest business and strategy books, and travelling to the Jersey Shore.   

SESSIONS:
Monday, June 24, 2024 - 11:00am to 12:00pm
Jennifer Carlson
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Apprenti
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Jennifer Carlson serves as Executive Director of the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) Workforce Institute. The Institute is the workforce development arm of the WTIA focused on addressing the tech industry’s workforce and diversity needs through building a nationally registered technology apprenticeship program called Apprenti. Additionally, she serves on the Tech Councils of North America (TECNA) workforce board and as an Adjunct Professor in Graduate Studies at Seattle University. Previously, she successfully ran a $260MM P&L in 12 states, developed web based policy management systems and ran national branding initiatives for AIG Agency Auto, a billion-dollar insurance division of AIG, and managed U.S. sports and event marketing for Progressive Insurance. While Jennifer began as pre-law in college, she completed her BA in technical journalism with a concentration in public relations, a minor in sociology, and has an MBA from Ohio University.

SESSIONS:
Jeffrey Moss
Founder and CEO
Parker Dewey LLC
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Jeffrey Moss is the Founder and CEO of Parker Dewey LLC, an organization facilitating Micro-Internships to improve early career hiring outcomes. Prior to founding Parker Dewey, Jeffrey spent most of his career as a venture investor in the education, HR, and technology sectors. In addition, Jeffrey was Chief of Enterprise Growth at Educational Testing Service (ETS) where he focused on the use of assessment to drive equity in employment and education. Jeffrey has served on the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Alumni Board, the Purdue University College of Liberal Arts Dean's Advisory Council, and the President’s Advisory Council of Governors State University. 

SESSIONS:
Desiree Johnson
Head of Strategic Talent Pipelines
DRW
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Desiree Johnson serves as the Head of Strategic Talent Pipelines at DRW.  After successfully pioneering the Leadership Rotation Network (LRN) program, she enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to also oversee the Apprenticeship and Code Platoon pipelines. Desiree is honored to work alongside other DRW leaders committed to championing a purposeful culture of inclusion, firmly believing in the abundant yet often untapped potential of underrepresented populations and is energized by the work to be done in this space.

Prior to DRW, Desiree earned her Master’s Degree in Human Resources from Ohio State and spent a decade in the oil industry as an HR practitioner and global leader.  As a first-generation student herself, she actively volunteers with organizations dedicated to supporting first-generation initiatives and currently serves on the Emerging Leaders Council for Bottom Line. Desiree also enjoys travel and her fun fact is that she has visited 70+ countries thus far!

SESSIONS:
Brawnski Armstrong
Engineering Head
DRW
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Brawnski Armstrong has more than 25 years of experience as a software engineer and technology leader, designing and implementing systems for financial institutions. Over the past 15 years, he has worked at DRW, a trading firm in Chicago, where he has delivered solutions to enhance the capabilities of middle office and risk management teams across various areas like rates, commodities, equities, foreign exchange, and cryptocurrencies.

Three years ago, he played a crucial role in launching DRW's technology apprenticeship program by leading a cross-functional team dedicated to integrating underrepresented and opportunity-driven talent into the trading industry. Brawnski holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Michigan, where he was as an Evans Scholar. He also holds an MSc in Finance from the Illinois Institute of Technology. 

SESSIONS:
Phill Haig
Personal Pronouns
He/Him
Global Director, Early Career Programs
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Phill Haig leads Early Career Programs at Visa. This includes Apprenticeships, Internship and Rotation Programs and more. Phill initially joined Visa in 2019 leading their European Early Careers team from London, before moving to into his current global role based in San Francisco in 2022. He has been responsible for launching Visa’s flagship Apprenticeship program in the US and as well as establishing global frameworks for Visa’s legacy internship and rotation programs. Prior to working at Visa, Phill has long career in the Early Career space working for large corporates such as Cisco and Johnson and Johnson.

SESSIONS: