Stephen Malone is Head of Global Employment Law at Peloton, leading the company's US & UK employment law team from its NYC headquarters. His remit includes advice & counsel, litigation, labor strategy, employee compensation and benefits, and talent negotiations and contracts. Stephen is also a current member of the Thomson Reuters Practical Law Employment Law Advisory Board. He completed undergraduate studies at Northwestern University and law school at the University of Virginia. 

Mary Helen Beard graduated from the Vanderbilt School of Law where she was a founding member and editor of The Journal of Entertainment Law & Practice.  The cited decision of Johnson v. Metro Davidson County School System, 108 F. Supp. 2d 906 (M.D. 2000) is a result of her work in the Vanderbilt Legal Clinic. Ms. Beard began her legal career with the former Weintraub & Stock, P.C. (now Fisher Phillips) and later became an associate attorney at FordHarrison.  She held the positions of Senior Attorney/Employment Litigation with FedEx Express Corporation and Senior Counsel/Labor and Employment with FedEx Corporation, being a business partner and counsel to the most senior executives at the parent company as well as three corporate subsidiaries.  Ms. Beard was the  Senior HR Counsel for HCA Healthcare, where she advised the Chief Human Resources Officer and her senior executive team.  Mary then served as Senior Technology Counsel with HCA Healthcare, excited to merge her over two decades of labor and employment with knowledge of the ever-evolving Technology and Artificial Intelligence legal landscape.  Mary is currently the inaugural Vice-President of Employment and Litigation at Ardent Health where she he will partner with human resources teams and department leaders to provide legal guidance, advise on the development of system policies and procedures, and review and negotiate various legal transactions.

Whether as outside counsel and corporate counsel, Mary has placed a specific emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion within the corporate ranks. Mary recently earned recognition at the Nashville Business Journal’s Leaders in Diversity Awards in the Outstanding Community Voice category. This inaugural Leaders in Diversity class is made up of individuals and companies who are leading the charge to advance diversity and inclusion practices within the Nashville Business Community. Mary was also awarded Nashville Business Journal Best of the Bar Award, being recognized by her fellow lawyers in Nashville for her contributions to her clients and the legal profession.

Committed to making a positive impact in her community, Mary has shared her many talents and leadership expertise with countless professional, civic, and charitable organizations. Mary served as the Tennessee Bar Association Inaugural Chief Diversity Officer. She is also a former co-chair of its’ Labor and Employment Executive Council and the Racial and Ethnic Diversity Committee.  She is a Past President of the Napier-Looby Bar Association and the Ben F. Jones Bar Association, both of which are affiliate chapters of the National Bar Association. She is a Fellow of the Nashville Bar Association, Memphis Bar Association and Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. Ms. Beard is a former chair and co-chair of the Tennessee Judicial Nominating Commission.  Additionally, Mary serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Sexual Assault Center. She serves as a deacon and trustee for Watson Grove Baptist Church. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and The Parthenon (TN) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. She is an Athena Traditional Award Nominee.

She was awarded the Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 Award. She received the Presidential Award from the National Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.  She has received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

In her spare time, Mary immensely enjoys  domestic and international travel,  interior decorating, reading, exercising,  community service, and serving as an armchair coach and quarterback for the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs.

Carena Lemons, is an attorney with over 21 years of experience practicing law. Carena served on the Board of Directors for Durham Orange Women Attorneys (DOWA) and the Greater Raleigh Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She is a former member of the 14th Judicial District Bar Grievance Committee where she investigated bar grievances in her district. Carena currently serves on the Sports and Entertainment Law Council for the North Carolina Bar Association. She focuses her law practice, The Lemons Law Firm, PLLC, on employment law and entertainment law as a litigator and legal advisor. Carena enjoys serving as a volunteer for the North Carolina Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) which she teaches CLEs on mental health and assists lawyers that are dealing with mental health issues. She is also creator and host of a television talk show, an actress, a minister and sings on the praise team at her church. She is married and has two amazing daughters. 

Elizabeth B. Bradley has over fifteen years of experience representing employers and federal contractors in litigation and mediation matters before state and federal agencies and courts, as well as counseling and training private, public, and non-profit employers in all aspects of employment law.

In addition, Ms. Bradley has extensive knowledge and experience in counseling federal contractors in matters relating to OFCCP. She has represented U.S. corporations in successfully defending against OFCCP’s review of the contractor’s utilization rates and compensation practices. Ms. Bradley also has experience in advising employers on wage and hour compliance under federal and state laws; litigating discrimination and retaliation claims advanced under Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and comparable state and local statutes; conducting internal investigations involving discrimination complaints; performing wage and hour compliance reviews; and drafting and negotiating employment agreements including non-compete and non-solicitation provisions.

Ms. Bradley has a broad-based practice counseling and representing employers on compliance with federal and state workplace laws and regulations and designing and implementing sound employment practices and policies. Ms. Bradley has broad experience in conducting effective investigations of workplace claims and grievances, including misconduct, discrimination, retaliation, harassment and other claims employers typically face. She has been called upon by clients to conduct corporate internal investigations on sensitive employment matters, including allegations of serious misconduct and sexual harassment charges involving executive personnel. In addition to conducting workplace investigations, Ms. Bradley provides guidance and legal advice to clients handling their investigations in-house. Ms. Bradley has drafted investigation policies and procedures, and sexual harassment and other EEO policies for employers and has counseled employers about their responsibilities under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and other EEO laws.

Prior to joining FortneyScott, Ms. Bradley represented and counseled employers in labor and employment law matters in private practice. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ronald L. Buckwalter on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Ms. Bradley is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, as well as in various federal courts.

Meet Dr. Drew Fockler, the charismatic captain of the classroom and champion of change! As a University Professor specializing in HR and Leadership studies, Drew doesn't just teach; he ignites a revolution! With a magnetic personality and a knack for making complex concepts come alive, Drew empowers students to become tomorrow's trailblazers. But beyond the textbooks, Drew is a Change Champion extraordinaire, leading the charge for innovation and progress. Whether spearheading diversity initiatives or challenging traditional paradigms, Drew is at the forefront of reshaping the future of work. With passion as their compass and knowledge as their weapon, Dr. Drew Fockler is paving the way to a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow!

Vitale Buford Hardin, CEO of Vitale & Company, is a leading expert on perfectionism's impact on corporate culture and individual performance. She works with a wide range of organizations, helping leaders overcome perfectionism and cultivate authenticity, resilience, and effective communication. A pioneer of thought leadership, Vitale has led studies revealing that 85% of workplaces foster perfectionism, affecting 86% of leaders. Overcoming her own struggles with perfectionism and addiction, she became a published author, nationally recognized speaker, and iPEC-certified executive coach. With 15 years of corporate experience, she offers custom trainings, strategic advisory, and performance coaching to help her clients thrive. 

Sarah Bettman is the founder of Bettman Consulting Group. She blends organizational culture, leadership, and change principles to support meaningful change for her clients. Sarah’s style is deeply rooted in her values of integrity and authenticity. She brings forward her experiences with passion and humor that ignites engagement and creates traction where there none before. 

Ama Agyapong, also known as 'That Inclusion Lady,' is the CEO of Inclusion Enterprises. She is a Speaker, Master Facilitator, certified EEOC investigator, and talented senior-level consultant with 15 years of progressive leadership experience in human resources, strategic planning, program development, employee engagement, and culture change management experience. With an MBA in Global Management, she has implemented functional diversity and inclusion strategies in partnership with key stakeholders focused on improving the employee experience, leadership development, and profit margins. Ama works with global and domestic Fortune 500 companies, mid-size companies, non-profits, and universities. 

Ama is a DEI subject matter expert passionate about cultural competence, feedback, implicit bias, and workplace equity. She always says, “Either you change the workplace culture, or you become the culture you want to change; it's your choice.”

Doug Stuke, SHRM-SCP, SPHR is the founder of Transform Performance Partners, a boutique consulting firm dedicated to transforming human potential into performance through coaching, training, and HR strategy solutions. His mission is to develop the next generation of HR and business leaders, believing the world needs them now more than ever.

Doug's passion lies in integrating people and business strategies to drive mutual success. He draws from his extensive "scar tissue database" of experiences, accumulated over decades of challenging HR and Business leadership roles across five industries. Additionally, Doug inspires new learners by teaching accredited HR and business curricula at several universities as well seminars for Skillsoft and SHRM.