Barbara Anne Trautlein
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
Principal
Change Catalysts, LLC
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Barbara Trautlein is author of Change Intelligence and originator of the CQ® System for Developing Change Intelligence®. For over 30 years, Barbara has coached executives, trained leaders at all levels, certified change agents, and facilitated mission-critical change initiatives. She is gifted at sharing strategies and tactics that are accessible, actionable, and immediately applicable. Barbara has a unique ability to connect with her audiences in industries across the globe. Clients served include Abbott, BP, Cisco, Deloitte, Northwestern University, and the United Nations.  Barbara holds a doctorate in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan. 

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Dr. David S. Cohen
Founder and Contrarian Consultant
DS Cohen & Associates
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Dr. David S Cohen, Ed. D. has a vision: organizations that thrive by living their values in good times and especially VUCA times. David's first career was in elementary and high school education, where he built a reputation for building school communities based on purpose and social responsibility. Thirty-three years ago, David transitioned to corporate consulting. As a consultant, David earned a reputation as a contrarian consultant because he does not always follow what is popular in his chosen field. David works with leaders helping them understand what is and what is not necessary to build an active and positive organization. He helps leaders' step into life's challenges, inspiring them to create a sustained approach through a values-based focus, resulting in better business results. David has had the privilege of partnering with firms across five continents and all business sectors. Additionally, he has worked with governments, from the local to the federal levels, and not-for-profits.

He has taught at Queens University School of Labour Relations and the executive education program at the Schulich School of Business, York University. Currently, he teaches organizational development at Durham College. David earned his doctorate from Boston University in Humanistic and Behavioural Studies. During that time, he also completed independent studies at the Harvard School of Education, where he was a teaching assistant.

David is a keynote speaker, educator, disruptor, facilitator, team builder, and executive coach. He has authored two books and numerous articles in professional journals.

  • The Talent Edge: A Behavioral Approach to Hiring, Developing, and Keeping Top Performers (John Wiley and Sons, August 2001)
  • Inside the Box: Leading With Corporate Values to Drive Sustained Business Success (Jossey-Bass September 2006)

When David is not travelling, he is hanging out with his five grandchildren, when possible, attending Toronto Raptor's games, or relaxing with family and friends.

David is honored to be recognized by the GlobalGurus30 as one of the top 30 GlobalGurus in Organizational Culture.

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Glen E. Kraemer, Esq.
Partner
Hirschfeld Kraemer, LLP
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Glen  E. Kraemer, a founding and managing partner of the employment law boutique firm Hirschfeld Kraemer LLP, is nationally recognized for his “best practices” training programs relating to workplace harassment, bullying, violence prevention, and investigations.  From 2005 – 2021 Glen has been voted a California employment “Super Lawyer,” and in 2020 and 2021 ranked by Chambers USA as a top Labor & Employment Law attorney.  Named by Lawdragon as one of 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers, he has also received the “Elite Boutique Trailblazer” award from the National Law Journal, and garnered “Top Speaker” recognition for each of his SHRM Annual Conference presentations from 2009 - 2019.

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Michael S. Cohen, J.D.
Partner
Duane Morris, LLP
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Michael S. Cohen is a partner in Duane Morris’ Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group.  Michael concentrates his practice in the areas of employment law training and counseling. He has trained and counseled employers throughout the country on subjects including harassment prevention; diversity, equity and inclusion; combatting implicit bias; performance management; discipline and discharge; hiring and recruiting practices; performance evaluations; FMLA, ADA and FLSA compliance; leave of absence policies; LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace; substance abuse testing; workplace violence; records retention; conducting background checks; and more. Michael also has conducted investigations into claims of harassment and discrimination and has drafted employee handbooks, employment agreements, non-compete agreements and post-termination agreements. Michael regularly conducts in excess of 200 trainings each year.  He has represented clients throughout the country in EEO and other administrative proceedings.

Michael has been cited as a national authority on employment issues by The New York Times, The Associated Press, USA Today, MSNBC.com, HR Magazine, SHRM On-Line, Employment Law 360, Inside Counsel Magazine, as well as many other publications. Michael serves as an Advisory Board Member of GenHERation and as a Board Member of Serve, Inc. Michael is a 1997 magna cum laude graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law and a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

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Valerie M. Grubb
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
Principal
Val Grubb & Associates, Ltd.
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Valerie helps companies improve their bottom line by elevating employees from tactical thinkers to strategic leaders.

She served in senior leadership roles at RollsRoyce Aircraft before helping to found InterActiveCorp, parent company to Expedia, Home Shopping Network and TicketMaster. She then went to work for Oprah Winfrey, helping to found the Oxygen channel which was later sold to NBC Universal.

Valerie obtained her mechanical engineering degree from Kettering University and her MBA from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Val’s book, Clash of the Generations: Managing the New Workplace Reality, helps leaders manage multiple generations in the office.

 

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Jacob Goldstein
Personal Pronouns
He/Him/His
Founder
The Leadership Laboratory
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Jacob Goldstein is the founder of The Leadership Laboratory, and leverages his experiences in education, the performing arts, and corporate learning & development to his work.  As a performer, Jacob has sung as a backup vocalist for musical artists such as Josh Groban, Idina Menzel, and Patti LuPone, as a recording artist for Netflix series Sense8, and at venues including The United Center, The Chicago Theater, and Chicago Symphony Center.  In the education space, Jacob has served as an educator for high school, undergraduate and graduate students throughout the Midwest, and has been a Guest Lecturer at Northwestern University since 2016.  As a Learning & Leadership Development Consultant, Jacob has worked as a one-on-one coach and group workshop facilitator to organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies in diverse industries, including technology, healthcare, non-profit, and fashion/apparel.  Jacob holds a Bachelor's degree from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master's of Science in Communication from Northwestern University.

 

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Jane Cooper
president & CEO
Patient Care
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Jane Cooper is founder, President and CEO of Patient Care, the nation’s leading advocacy company, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has over 25 years’ experience in the health care industry, and has started and led five health care companies since the early 1980s. Ms. Cooper has a Bachelor's of Liberal Arts from Augustana College in Illinois and a Master's of Art from Western Illinois University, with a major in speech and communication. She serves on the board of Crescent City Bank & Trust, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network (WISHIN).
SESSIONS:
Thursday, September 9, 2021 - 8:30am to 1:30pm
Brian Niccol
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Chipotle Mexican Grill
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Brian Niccol is Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer for Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG). He assumed the role of Chairman in March 2020, and under his leadership as Chief Executive Officer, a role he’s held since March 2018, Chipotle has seen accelerated comparable sales growth. Driving the brand’s purpose to Cultivate a Better World, Mr. Niccol has focused on increasing visibility, expanding access, fostering innovation, and encouraging engagement with employees and consumers.

A leader in the food industry, Chipotle has received global recognition and honors during Mr. Niccol’s tenure including Fortune magazine’s Most Admired Companies (2021, 2020), Forbes magazine Best Employers for Diversity (2019-2021), Newsweek magazine’s America’s Most Responsible Companies (2020), one of Comparably’s Best Companies for Culture, Diversity and for Women (2019, 2020) Best Companies for Perks & Benefits, Happiness and Best Professional Development (2020).

Mr. Niccol has been placed on notable lists including Fortune’s ‘Businessperson of the Year’ (2019), Bloomberg’s ‘People who Defined 2019’ (The Bloomberg 50), Comparably’s ‘Best CEO’s (2019), Best CEOs for Women and Diversity (2020) Orange County Business Journal’s ‘Business People of the Year’ (2020), as well as named ‘Leader of the Year’ by Restaurant Business magazine (2020), Nation’s Restaurant News’ The Power List (2021) and a ‘Distinguished Alumni’ by University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business (2020).

Prior to his current role, Mr. Niccol served as Chief Executive Officer of Taco Bell, a division of Yum! Brands. During his tenure at Taco Bell, Mr. Niccol was Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer and President. Mr. Niccol also held several executive positions at Pizza Hut, another division of Yum! Brands, including General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer. Before joining Yum! Brands, Mr. Niccol spent 10 years at Procter & Gamble, serving in various brand management positions.

Mr. Niccol currently serves on the board of Harley-Davidson in addition to the board of directors of The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, Chipotle’s nonprofit organization. Mr. Niccol holds an undergraduate degree from Miami University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

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Bert Jacobs
Co-Founder
Life is Good
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Bert is the co-founder of the $100 million lifestyle brand Life is Good. When he and his brother John started the company in 1994, they had $78 in their pockets, lived out of their van, and sold t-shirts on the streets of Boston. Was this their way of avoiding the “real world”? You betcha. Did it turn into something much bigger? Absolutely.

It has been 25 years since they sold their first t-shirt, but Bert and John champion the same mission: to spread the power of optimism. On their journey, they’ve been inspired by a vibrant community of resilient optimists—people from all walks of life who identify deeply with the brand and who constantly demonstrate the depth and meaning behind the three simple words “Life is Good.”

But here’s the thing: While Bert and John believe life is good, they also know life isn’t perfect, which is why Life is Good donates 10% of its annual net profits to the Life is Good Kids Foundation. Through its signature Playmaker Program, the Life is Good Kids Foundation helps over 1 million kids overcome the impact of poverty, violence, and illness each year. In making their company a fully integrated for-profit/ non-profit model, the brothers hope to use their business as a vehicle to do good in the world.

As the co-host of the Life is Good Ping Podcast, Bert interviews some of the world’s most influential thought leaders about using optimism as a practical way to overcome adversity and lead a fulfilling life—all over a game of ping pong. Naturally. Guests include Ringo Starr, Katie Couric, Scott Avett, and more.

Because of his unique perspective that ties rational optimism to business, Bert has been asked to share his transformative message at a wide range of corporate and thought leadership conferences including Inc 5000, Morgan Stanley, SAP Sapphire, Discover, and more. He and John have been featured in Forbes, NPR’s How I Built This, CNNMoney, CNBC’s Business Nation, ABC News’ Nightline, NBC’s The Today Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, and Men’s Health Magazine, among others.

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