Jone McFadden Papinchock, Ph.D., is the Director of Litigation Services for DCI Consulting. The Litigation Services area provides consulting and testifying expert witness services for class action lawsuits alleging gender, age, disability, or race discrimination in employee selection. Jone is consulting on active matters regarding the use of artificial intelligence in tests and other human resources decision making processes. She is regularly called upon to describe for vendors and employers the current regulatory climate as it relates to their use of artificial intelligence in recruiting and selection and the steps necessary to ensure compliance with guidance from both the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Further, she advises clients regarding local and state laws and initiatives to assist them in preparing for the implementation and administration of such laws. Jone was recently asked to present to attorneys in Denver on the Colorado AI Act and the ways in which their clients can ensure compliance with the facets of that law which appear to be the most comprehensive to date. Her work requires in-depth knowledge and application of job analysis, test development and validation, and related human resources policies and procedures.

In her role, Jone applies 40 years of experience as an Industrial and Organizational Psychologist that she has gained from positions in city, state, and federal agencies as well as internal and external consulting in private sector organizations. While working for the federal government, Jone co-led the team of psychologists charged with developing the Office of Personnel Management’s first online selection batteries for the 12 highest volume occupations to be used across agencies.

Jone received her Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the University of South Florida. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the College of Charleston. Jone has written or co-written two book chapters on the influence of the Americans with Disabilities Act on selection as well as the role of Daubert in human factors litigation, and development of selection systems.

Nick Truxal is establishing Andersen Corporation’s first Organization & People Analytics team.  Prior to Andersen, he served as EEOC Commissioner Sonderling’s Chief Advisor on Human Resources and Technology Policy, where he specialized in artificial intelligence in the employment sphere. 

Prior to his work with the EEOC, he acted as an consultant on artificial intelligence in human resesources, working with HR Transformation, People Analytics, Talent, and Legal teams.  Nick Truxal has previously worked in the financial services, technology, and educational sectors. 

Nick Truxal received his B.S. from the North Dakota State University, an M.A. from National University, and an M.S. from New York University.

Michael E. Kenneally is co-leader of the firm’s appellate litigation practice. He helps clients tackle complex legal issues on appeal and throughout all stages of a case, drawing on deep experience across many federal and state courts. Clients often turn to Michael when they face high-stakes litigation or novel questions of constitutional, statutory, and administrative law. Before joining Morgan Lewis, Michael clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. at the Supreme Court of the United States and for then-Judge Neil M. Gorsuch at the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Michael regularly defends clients in class action litigation, especially in employment and securities disputes. He has particular experience with lawsuits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), frequently giving presentations on the US Supreme Court’s ERISA docket, and with litigation over the enforceability of arbitration agreements and arbitration awards under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). Michael also represents companies in litigation connected to administrative agency proceedings, including appeals from rulings by such agencies as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the US Department of Labor (DOL), and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). And he helps businesses develop creative strategies to challenge unlawful agency regulations and administrative procedures. A seasoned oral advocate, Michael is trusted by Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, and others to argue critical motions and appeals. Michael is equally dedicated to the craft of legal writing and regularly authors amicus curiae briefs on issues of concern to the business community as well as pro bono clients. Beyond his legal practice, Michael co-teaches a course on statutory interpretation at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law and has published articles on topics in copyright law. Intellectual property issues have been a fixture of Michael’s academic writing, including in his Ph.D. dissertation at Harvard University.

As co-chair of the Appeals and Issues Team, Jonathan helps clients design winning legal strategies in appeals and high-stakes litigation. Jonathan has argued nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and filed more than 150 briefs at the merits and certiorari stages before the Court. He has handled appeals and dispositive motions in other federal courts and state courts across the country. He has significant experience nationally in assisting clients in formulating appellate strategy, both in pending appeals and at the trial court level before judgment. And he has challenged and defended federal agency actions at every level of the federal judiciary.

Before joining McGuireWoods, Jonathan served in the Office of the Solicitor General in the U.S. Department of Justice. As an Assistant to the Solicitor General, Jonathan represented the federal government before the Supreme Court and helped oversee the government’s appellate litigation in lower courts throughout the country. He briefed and argued cases involving patent and copyright law, constitutional law, administrative law, ERISA, international arbitration, securities regulation, and other areas of federal law.

Jonathan graduated first in his class from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and has served as a lecturer at the school. After graduation, Jonathan served as a law clerk to John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States, and to Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He also previously served as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from North Carolina State University.

Jocelyn Samuels is Vice Chair of the Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), appointed by President Biden in 2021 and confirmed for a second term ending in 2026. Prior to joining the Commission, she served as the Executive Director of the Williams Institute, the leading research center on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. During the Obama administration, she served as the Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and as the Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice where she supervised enforcement of civil rights laws through litigation, rulemaking, policy development, and public education across a range of civil rights issues and was an architect of numerous government policies applying federal law to remedy discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. She previously served as a Vice President of the National Women’s Law Center, Labor Counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and a senior attorney at the EEOC in the Office of Legal Counsel. She received a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. from Middlebury College.

As the CEO and Founder of D. Howze Solutions, LLC, a D&I consultancy, Delphia drives innovative strategies to cultivate inclusive workplaces. Mrs. Howze currently serves as Chief Inclusion Officer for a large-scale national organization, spearheading initiatives to promote diversity and foster belonging. With over two decades of distinguished leadership, Delphia possesses extensive expertise in optimizing human capital and D&I frameworks across diverse sectors including retail, banking, energy, logistics, government, and higher education. Her visionary outlook and dynamic leadership continue to shape inclusive environments that empower individuals and propel organizational success.  She has recently emerged as a new author with her new book, "Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are."

Hon. Toby Moffett is a Partner at Mercury based in Washington, DC, joining the firm with an extensive career in government service as well as the private sector, including six years as the leading Democratic government affairs professional at the global law firm Mayer Brown, as well as serving as Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Environment, Energy and Natural Resources and as the top government affairs executive at The Monsanto Company.

Kara Richardson Whitely is the CEO of The Gorgeous Agency, as well as a plus-size adventurer and advisor. Her book, Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds, is being made into a movie produced by and starring ‘This Is Us’ actress, Chrissy Metz.

Kara has partnered with brands such as Peloton, Jolt Film, L.L. Bean, Keen and Discover Puerto Rico to showcase diversity and inclusion, and build positive brand sentiment in the plus-sized community. Her mission to encourage people of all sizes and abilities to get active outside made her a great fit for Come Alive Outside’s Board of Directors, and she has inspired teams and individuals to overcome obstacles and bet on their own success at companies such as J.M. Smucker, Pfizer, Google and Uber. Here is a link recapping her Body Appreciation Panel with Peloton. 

She has also been featured in countless media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, The Today Show, She Explores, and more. 

Before entering into leadership coaching, Daniel Olexa was a highly successful sales rep who understood that sales success, like business success, is based on collaborative communication and building relationships grounded in trust.

As a Master Certified Coach (MCC), LPI Trained Coach, and Certified DiSC Practitioner, his expertise in transforming leadership is centered on improving communication through building awareness, authenticity, and collaboration. 

Daniel has trained over 3,500 individuals around the world to embrace a coaching-approach to their conversations and relationships.

Daniel was featured in the 2018 bestseller Stop Selling and Start Leading by James Kouzes, Barry Posner, and Deb Calvert, and has co-authored three Amazon #1 Bestsellers, including My Two Minute Journal.