Carol Stevens brings over 20 years of experience in management, strategic consulting, curriculum development and training delivery to her clients, and she prides herself on helping companies deliver better results through their greatest asset…their PEOPLE! She is a thoroughly orange-blooded graduate of the business school at The University of Texas at Austin, where she currently serves on the Chancellor’s Council. Her company was recently recognized as #4 of the 50 Fastest Growing Woman Owned Businesses in Houston. Carol is a Guest Columnist for the Training & Development Industry in the Houston Business Journal, a member of the National Speaker’s Association, and has served as a Board Member for several non-profit organizations, including the Houston Chapter of ASTD.

Peter Stark is a consultant, speaker and author whose career takes him around the world as he helps leaders build organizations where employees love to come to work and customers love to do business. Over the past twenty years, his consulting firm, The Peter Barron Stark Companies, has attracted clients such as the NFL, Aetna, Federal Reserve Bank, Sony, Vans, Sempra Energy, Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse, MetLife, Qualcomm, WD-40, Farmer’s Insurance and over 200 other leading organizations. Along with a speaking repertoire which includes an impressive line up of programs in the areas of Employee Engagement, Leadership, Leading Change, Customer Service and Negotiation Skills, his firm is also a leader in Employee Opinion Surveys and Executive Coaching. He has been published worldwide in over 300 articles through publications such as CNN, Inc.com, Investor’s Business Daily, Newsweek, Selling Power, The Miami Herald and The New York Times and has authored 9 books, including his most recent, The Competent Leader.

Linda Southard has over 20 years of experience in the leave management industry. She founded and was the past President of Work & Well, a national medical leave management company that manages and administers all medical leaves. After selling Work & Well to a private investor group in 2009, Linda formed Southard Consulting while continuing to consult to her former company. Ms. Southard has been an expert speaker at numerous national conferences on medical leave management, workers’ compensation, return-to-work programs, tracking outcomes, and developing and utilizing benchmarks.

Todd Solomon is a partner in and Chicago local practice group leader of the employee benefits practice group of McDermott Will & Emery LLP in its Chicago office.  Todd focuses his practice primarily on designing, amending, and administering pension plans, 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans, 403(b) plans, and nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements.  He also counsels corporations and tax-exempt entities regarding fiduciary and plan investment issues under ERISA, employee benefits issues involved in corporate transactions, executive compensation and Code Section 409A compliance and correction matters, and the implementation of benefit programs for domestic partners.  

As a business strategist, Greg Smith helps executives and business owners accelerate individual and organizational performance and navigate through increasing rates of change. He helps design strategies and processes to grow organizations and implement business initiatives creating clearer direction, increased profitability, stronger executive teams, improved communication and happier and more productive employees. He has written and published over 350 articles and nine books including his latest, Fired Up! Leading Your Organization to Achieve Exceptional Results. The Human Resource Executive magazine selected him as one of the nations’s Top 10 “Rising Stars” in Human Resource Management. Greg has received many awards and honors, but the one he treasures most is his Eagle Scout award.

Jonathan A. Siegel is a principal in the Orange County, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He has spent more than 27 years at Jackson Lewis representing employers in workplace law matters.  In 2009, Jonathan was recognized as one of the Top 100 Labor Attorneys in America. In 2020 and 2021, Jonathan was recognized in Best Lawyers in America.

Jonathan provides advice and counsel to employers regarding various issues including wage and hour, reduction in force, discipline, leave management, labor, harassment and discrimination issues. 

Jonathan has represented management in NLRB elections, unfair labor practice proceedings, collective bargaining and arbitrations.

Trent Shuford has more than 20 years of experience in rehabilitation technology and treatment. Throughout his career, he has continually challenged established methodologies and pioneered new ways to improve health care in the workplace.

Trent has written many articles regarding his innovative and proven concepts which have been published in the Workers Compensation Journal as well as many other health and safety magazines and journals. He is honored to have been invited to speak at numerous local and nation conferences including the American Society of Safety Engineers Safety 2010 & Safety 2011, the National Safety Council Congress and Expo 2011, and the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) Annual Conference 2010.

Jen Shirkani is the CEO of Penumbra Group and has spent over 20-years as a learning and development specialist, trainer and speaker. Her topics are presented from a leadership perspective filled with practical strategies and immediately useable tips. She lives in New England where she oversees a national talent management firm. She has been a past speaker at national SHRM conferences and at SHRM affiliates in Colorado, Washington, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Maine, and the North East. Jen holds a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership and focuses on leadership development, communication skills and on making common sense more common.