Amy Hirsh Robinson, M.B.A., is Chief People Officer for King’s Hawaiian, a global producer of irresistible Hawaiian food. Amy was brought on to King’s Hawaiian to re-envision the employee experience and transform the People function from traditional HR to a strategic driver of business growth. During her time at the company she has worked to radically redefine the purpose, structure and activities of HR with significant results. Prior to her role as CPO, Amy ran a successful human capital consulting firm, The Interchange Group, helping executives and HR professionals retool and adapt their strategies to rapidly changing workforce expectations and business landscapes.

 

Mike Reardon incorporates outstanding leadership skills, a passion for customer service and an entrepreneurial spirit into helping businesses enhance the way they do business. Mike began his Disney career in 1999 as a part-time merchandise host. Inspired by Disney’s approach to leadership and service, Mike sought and obtained a role as park retail guest services manager for the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. During that time, he implemented practice techniques such as engaging employees through action planning sessions, safety meetings and feedback sessions. Mike’s team received recognition as the guest service team of the year for 2002. He was also instrumental in the development and execution of a new and very successful employee recognition program for the Magic Kingdom. In 2006, Mike served in a temporary role as a Traditions assistant, welcoming new cast members to the Disney family on their first day of employment. This led to an opportunity to join the operations learning and development team where Mike taught the principles of the Disney service basics to cast members. He also facilitated leadership sessions focused on making recognition a priority at Disney University. Mike brought his comprehensive knowledge to Disney Institute in 2008. 

Prior to joining Disney, Mike earned extensive experience as a leader with a major energy company. Mike earned his Associate of Arts degree from Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, Mass. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, and a Master of Business Administration degree in human resource management from Saint Leo University, in Saint Leo, Fla. He is a member of Delta Nu, the Saint Leo division of the national scholastic honor society Delta Epsilon Sigma. Mike is a member of the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) and holds the ASTD Certification Institute's Certified Professional in Learning and Performance Certification (CPLP). He is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). He is driven by a passion for family, faith, leadership and conveying the principles of guest service. Mike is a history buff and researches family genealogy and looks for inspiration from historical leaders, plays guitar, and follows the pursuits of New England football and baseball teams.

Follow Michael on Twitter @DisneyInstitute.

As Senior Vice President, Bob Carr leads SHRM’s Membership, Marketing, and External Affairs business unit. He is responsible for the development and execution of a global communications strategy that builds SHRM’s portfolio of highly successful brands. Carr served as Chief Professional & Business Development Officer where he oversaw the society’s professional development program. As a member of the SHRM’s Executive Team, he played a key role in the organization as its Chief Human Resource and Strategic Planning Officer. Carr returned to the organization from the National Bar Association, where he served as Executive Director.

As Director of the Human Resources Group at AARP, he led all major organizational development activities, human resource and diversity management. Prior to joining AARP, he was Senior Director of Human Resources and Strategic Planning for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He also led the HR function for Howard University and Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Carr served in government as Deputy Counsel to the Ethics Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and as Deputy Counsel in the Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor

As Director of Audit & HR Services for Berkshire Associates Inc., Lynn A. Clements oversees Berkshire’s audit defense, pay equity and advanced people analytics practice. Throughout her career, Lynn has provided clients with strategic insight and practical compliance and risk management advice in hundreds of government investigations, including OFCCP compliance reviews and EEOC investigations. 

With over 20 years of experience, including serving in high level policy positions at both the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Lynn is a regular presenter of management and employee training at all levels of organizations and has testified before Congress regarding EEO and pay equity issues. Lynn is a frequent presenter at national events, including the 2021 NILG, where she spoke about focused reviews, promotional practices, and was featured on a panel. She has also spoken at several local ILG meetings in 2021, including Charlotte, Ohio, Philadelphia, Orange County, and more.   

Daniel H. Pink is the author of four provocative books about the changing world of work, including the long-running New York Times best seller, A Whole New Mind, and the #1 New York Times best seller, Drive. His books have been translated into 32 languages. His latest work, DRIVE: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, uses 50 years of behavioral science to overturn the conventional wisdom about human motivation. Pink shows that carrot and stick motivators have been oversold and that high performance depends much more on the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things and to do better by ourselves and the world. Drive is a New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times best seller—as well as a national best seller in Japan and the United Kingdom. In A WHOLE NEW MIND: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, Pink charts the rise of right-brain thinking in modern economies and explains the six abilities individuals and organizations must master in an outsourced, automated world. A WHOLE NEW MIND spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times main and extended best seller lists—and has been a Freshman Read selection at several U.S. colleges and universities. Oprah Winfrey also gave away 4,500 copies of the book to Stanford University's graduating class when she was Stanford's commencement speaker. Pink's articles on business and technology have appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Sunday Telegraph, Fast Company and Wired. He has provided analysis of business trends on CNN, CNBC, ABC, NPR, and other networks in the U.S. and abroad. He also advises both Fortune 100 companies and startups on recruiting, innovation and work practices. A free agent himself, he held his last real job in the White House, where he served from 1995 to 1997 as chief speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore. He also worked as an aide to U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich and in other positions in politics and government. He received a B.A. from Northwestern University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. Pink lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and their three children.

Blake Mycoskie is the Founder and Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS, and the person behind the idea of One for One®, a business model that helps a person in need with every product purchased.

A simple idea has grown into a global movement: TOMS Shoes has provided over 60 million pairs of shoes to children since 2006, TOMS Eyewear has restored sight to over 400,000 since 2011 and TOMS Roasting Company has helped provide over 335,000 weeks of safe water since launching in 2014. In 2015, TOMS Bag Collection was founded with the mission to help provide training for skilled birth attendants and distribute birth kits containing items that help a woman safely deliver her baby. As of 2016, TOMS has supported safe birth services for over 25,000 mothers.

TOMS humble beginnings happened unintentionally. While traveling in Argentina in 2006, Blake witnessed the hardships faced by children growing up without shoes. His solution to the problem was simple, yet revolutionary: to create a for-profit business that was sustainable and not reliant on donations. Blake’s vision soon turned into the simple business idea that provided the powerful foundation for TOMS. Over the course of its first five years, TOMS was successful enough in providing shoes for children in need. But Blake, having recognized other vital needs during his travels around the world, realized that One for One® could be applied to more than shoes. He developed the idea for TOMS Eyewear in which for every pair of eyewear purchased, TOMS would help give sight to a person in need. One for One®. In the fall of 2011, Blake released his first book, Start Something That Matters, offering his own amazing story of inspiration, and the power of incorporating giving in business. He references other companies and individuals who have been motivated and inspired to integrate philanthropy into their profession as well as their personal lives. The book became a New York Times best-seller. More importantly, it is Blake’s hope that Start Something That Matters inspires others to turn their passion and dreams into a reality.

From shoes to eyewear and now a book, Blake’s unique approach to business has awarded him with numerous accolades. In 2009, Blake and TOMS received the Secretary of State’s 2009 Award of Corporate Excellence (ACE). At the Clinton Global Initiative University plenary session, former President Clinton introduced Blake to the audience as “one of the most interesting entrepreneurs (I’ve) ever met.” People Magazine featured Blake in its “Heroes Among Us” section, and TOMS Shoes was featured in the Bill Gates Time Magazine article “How to Fix Capitalism.” In 2011, Blake was named on Fortune Magazine’s “40 Under 40” list, recognizing him as one of the top young businessmen in the world.