Arti Finn is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of APDS, an ed-tech public benefit corporation and B Corporation grounded at the intersection of the justice-impacted and education technology. Arti is the foremost authority on the use of technology to enhance educational outcomes and applies her expertise to support the nation's 6 million plus justice-impacted individuals to obtain living wage employment. 

She has served as Chief Business Development Officer, and Chief Revenue Officer of APDS. She sits on the Board of the company she co-founded in 2013, which currently operates in 18 states and hundreds of facilities. And as a Board member of the Correctional Association of New York, she supports the only independent organization in New York with authority under state law to monitor prisons

Arti Finn and APDS are committed to shifting the correctional system in the United States from one of warehousing to one of true rehabilitation. 

Dr. Cynthia Pearce LeMay is a senior-level researcher and author of a recently published book on intergenerational conflict in the workplace. Her current research is focused on conflict resolution, intergenerational conflict, and the Millennial generation. During her career, Cynthia held senior level positions with Fortune 500 companies where she negotiated billion-dollar agreements, participated in union negotiations, and led a Human Resources Department. She has lifetime certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and is a certified Mediator. Cynthia holds a Ph.D. from Kennesaw State University where she teaches in the business school while continuing her consulting and training business.

Lou Pugliese is an innovator, thought leader, and successful social entrepreneur with a life-long passion in designing and executing high impact education programs that connect and energize learning
communities. As a successful change lever, Lou has deep experience in developing technology based community networks that leverage data, research and insight that support and advance impact.

Karen A. Young is a sought-after speaker and consultant best known for her programs on leadership, communication, and how to have a drama-free workplace. In her latest book, Sought After, Karen offers a fail-safe formula for career success along with entertaining anecdotes about career-ending moves that led to forward trajectory. Her first book, Honest and Real reimagines HR fundamentals while offering candid advice on reducing daily HR drama.

Karen is recognized professionally through SHRM and HRCI as a Senior Certified Professional and a Senior Professional in HR, respectively. She has been recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business, and AGS ranked HR Resolutions as a Best HR Consulting Company in 2021. Central Penn Business Journal honored HR Resolutions in 2020 as a Game Changer—one of Central PA’s most dynamic and impactful businesses and leaders.

Karen regularly contributes HR insights and strategy nationwide to Forbes, USAToday, SHRM, and ZipRecruiter. Karen holds a BS in Business Administration and Psychology and a MA in Industrial Relations. She resides in Harrisburg, PA, with her husband Barry and their retired racing greyhounds.

Gerry Brandon, PhD, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is a Teaching Professor and the Director of the Graduate Program in HR Development at Villanova University. He received a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Penn State, and a BA in Psychology from Franklin & Marshall College. He is a Fellow with the Center for Evidence-Based Management and holds the SHRM specialty certificate in People Analytics. Previously, he served for over 17 years as a senior HR manager while working for the Pennsylvania State Education Association. He taught at Gettysburg College in Organization and Management Studies for two years prior to joining Villanova in 2015.

Dr. Amy Beacom is credited as the trailblazer who built the vertical broadly referred to as parental leave support. Amy conceived of and began developing the field of parental leave coaching and consulting in 2006. In 2014 she founded the Center for Parental Leave Leadership, the first full service consultancy in the US to focus exclusively on parental leave strategy, research, and training. Drawing on over 25 years in executive leadership development and coaching, Amy consults with organizations of all sizes to drive talent development, attraction, and retention while improving the employee experience.