Sharon Steed is an international keynote speaker, author and founder of Communilogue, an empathy consultancy. She teaches teams and organizations the key empathy behaviors necessary to retain top talent and improve individual and team performance. A lifelong stutterer, Sharon uses her speech impediment to both teach what empathy is and to inspire audiences to engage in empathy actions daily. Sharon’s LinkedIn Learning course "Communicating With Empathy" has been translated to a dozen languages and has over 600,000 views. Her client list includes Microsoft, Google, Booking.com, LinkedIn, British Telecommunications, KraftHeinz and DraftKings.

Jessica Miller-Merrell is the Founder of Workology, a workplace resource for HR, recruiting professionals and business leaders, and host of the Workology Podcast. The site has been listed twice as a top 75 career resource by Forbes. Jessica is the president and CEO of Xceptional HR, a human capital strategy and consulting agency. Because of her industry expertise and knowledge, Jessica’s expertise is sought after and sourced by publications and media including: The Economist, Forbes, CIO Magazine, CBS, Entrepreneur Magazine, and SHRM’s HR Magazine. Her new book, Digitizing Talent: Creative Strategies for the Digital Recruiting Age was published in 2023 by SHRM.

As an Executive Coach within The Black In HR community, Willena is dedicated to driving positive change in the HR industry. Her passion for diversity and inclusion has positioned her as a key influencer, igniting crucial conversations and spearheading actions that promote equity within organizations.

With a track record of collaboration alongside influential leaders, including CEOs and senior executives from Fortune 500 companies, Willena's expertise is a testament to her ability to navigate complex corporate environments. Her dynamic approach to leadership growth, career advancement, and personal fulfillment has inspired countless individuals to unleash their potential and embrace growth.

In her pursuit of excellence, Willena is not only a coach but a catalyst for transformation. Her presence leaves an indelible mark, and her dedication to empowering individuals to become the best versions of themselves sets her apart as a true advocate for positive change and empowerment.

 

Frank King, Suicide Prevention speaker and Trainer was a writer for The Tonight Show for 20 years.

He’s fought a lifetime battle with Major Depressive Disorder and Chronic Suicidality, turning that long dark journey of the soul into 6 TEDx Talks and sharing his lifesaving insights on Mental Health Awareness with associations, corporations, and colleges.

Depression and suicide run in his family. He’s thought about killing himself more times than he can count.

A Motivational Public Speaker who uses his life lessons to start the conversation giving people permission to give voice to their feelings and experiences surrounding depression and suicide.

And doing it by coming out, as it were, and standing in his truth, and doing it with humor.

He believes that where there is humor there is hope, where there is laughter there is life, nobody dies laughing. The right person, at the right time, with the right information, can save a life.

Stephen Paskoff is president and CEO of ELI®, which helps organizations activate and align their values with core organizational behaviors to build respectful, welcoming and inclusive cultures, maximize results and reduce legal and operational risks.

Paskoff has been named the highest-ranking speaker at SHRM’s national conference. The EEOC recognized ELI’s impact and quoted Paskoff in its Harassment Study. He is a nationally recognized speaker, commentator and author on workplace issues.

Before founding ELI® in 1986, Paskoff was an EEOC trial attorney and partner in a management law firm. He authored Teaching Big Shots to Behave and Civility Rules!