Mike Fitzsimmons
Founder & CEO
Crosschq
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Mike is the current CEO of Crosschq, a Slack, Tiger Global, GGV, Bessemer, Rocketship.vc and SAP.io backed startup that helps companies screen, source and hire the best talent through its digital and automated reference checks/assessments. Prior to Crosschq, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Advanced TV Advertising & Commerce Company, Connekt, Inc. which was acquired by JMJ Financial in 2018. Mike was also the former Founder & CEO of Interactive Commerce Company, Delivery Agent which was acquired by Hillair Capital in 2016. 

Mike is experienced in all aspects of corporate and business development as well as general corporate functions including finance, sales & marketing, technology and product management. Named a Forbes Next 1000 in 2021, Mike is an industry thought leader who has been featured on CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, NY Times, WSJ, Forbes among others. 

 

SESSIONS:
Becka Klauber Richter
Co-Founder & President
Helpr
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President and Co-Founder of Helpr, Becka Klauber Richter, has been operating childcare brands for 15 years. Helpr was grown from a boutique domestic placement and babysitting agency into a global network of care professionals and family enterprise technology servicing the top media, retail, finance, and technology companies. As a former foster parent, new mom and power user of her own platform, Becka is driven by her mission of achieving universal parent inclusion and community in the workplace.

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Russell Podgorski
Executive Director
Executive Recruiting
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Russell Podgorski is the head of executive recruiting at Providence, which operates across seven states on the west coast and is comprised of 120,000 employees, 51 acute care hospitals, 1,100 physician clinics, 22 long-term care facilities, 19 hospice and home health programs, 693 supportive housing units, and one major health plan. Russell specializes in building and improving high-performing executive recruiting teams and functions that exceed national benchmarks. He brings over a decade of experience recruiting executives and physicians for multi-billion dollar integrated health care delivery systems. He holds a B.A. degree from Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri and a Master of Health Administration degree from St. Joseph’s College in Standish, Maine.

SESSIONS:
Bianca Lager
President
Social Intelligence
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Bianca is the President of Social Intelligence where she drives the vision to support organizations in protecting workplace culture and preventing harassment. Bianca obtained an MBA from Pepperdine University with a concentration in Dispute Resolution and is a LinkedIn Learning Instructor.

SESSIONS:
Moderator: 
Kevin Bachman
Founder
The CRA Doctor
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Kevin Bachman is The CRA Doctor and host of the podcast, Background Check Radio. With 20 years experience, Kevin is an employment screening thought leader and industry executive providing financial, strategic and operational solutions to owners and senior management to increase compliance, client satisfaction and profit. He also advises private equity and outside investment groups on opportunities within this space. He is frequently invited to write, speak and present by consumer reporting agencies (CRAs), The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), employers, and screening vendors. Kevin serves on PBSA’s Background Screening Accreditation Committee and the Industry Practices Committee.

SESSIONS:
Whitney Martin
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
President
ProActive Consulting
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As a measurement strategist, Whitney’s passion and expertise lies in the field of surveys and assessments. A self-professed “data nerd,” Whitney has a Master’s degree in the area of Human Resources Measurement and Evaluation and has conducted extensive research on the predictive validity of various hiring assessment strategies.

Whitney has been a highly rated speaker at several National HR Conferences and has authored articles on assessments for several books and publications, including Harvard Business Review. She is a member of the Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and has two decades of experience working in the assessment industry.

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, August 24, 2021 - 10:15am to 11:15am
Joni N. Dolce
Assistant Professor
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
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Joni N. Dolce, MS, CRC is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions at Rutgers University. Joni has several years of experience working in supported employment services for individuals with mental health conditions. She has authored and co-authored numerous articles and workbooks on employment. Joni was a co-principal investigator on a study exploring Human Resource professionals’ views on hiring individuals with mental health conditions and is currently the principal investigator of a study looking at hiring managers’ perspectives on job candidates with mental health conditions. She speaks and provides workshops and trainings nationally on a variety of employment related topics.

SESSIONS:
Roxana B. Hewertson
CEO
Highland Consulting Group, Inc
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Roxi Bahar Hewertson is a leadership expert, Presence-Based® and ICF Certified ACC executive coach and organizational development expert with more than three decades of practical experience in the worlds of higher education, business, and non-profits. She is the CEO of Highland Consulting Group, Inc. and author of two highly-acclaimed books, “Hire Right, Fire Right: A Leader’s Guide To Finding And Keeping Your Best People” (Rowman & Littlefield) and “Lead Like it Matters…Because it Does” (McGraw-Hill). With a successful career focused on developing high performing leaders, Roxi is a foremost authority on helping executives and managers create thriving teams and work cultures that achieve stellar results. Her no nonsense, practical, tell-it-like-it-is insights have graced the TEDx stage and been featured by premier media outlets. She holds an MPS from Cornell University where she was Adjunct Faculty and a Senior Administrator. Connect with Roxi online at www.AskRoxi.com and www.HighlandConsultingGroupinc.com.

SESSIONS:
Monday, August 23, 2021 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Thomas Ryan Davis
Founder
Take Flight Leadership
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Skipper T. Ryan Davis is a 20+ year Retired Naval Officer with 4,000 hours of flight time encompassing multiple deployments in support of combat operations around the globe.  His most recent assignment was as the Commanding Officer for Patrol Squadron 47, a P-8 squadron responsible for executing the nation’s maritime strategy.  During that tour of duty, Commander Davis led his team of 300 Sailors through organizational culture change resulting in the highest morale on record across all VP squadrons, being awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Association Leadership Award, and earning the Battle “E” award for efficiency.  CDR Davis has proven himself a passionate leader who cares about people. 

Ryan is the Founder of Take Flight Leadership, an organization helping individuals and organizations achieve their goals.  He is the author of Take Flight: Cultivating Culture Through Trust, Teamwork, Purpose, & Ownership.  Ryan certified as a SHRM Senior Certified Professional, a Resilience-Building Leader Program Trainer, and as a BCSP Associate Safety Professional to better help him serve the teams he works with.

SESSIONS:
Eric Ellis
President and CEO
Integrity Development Corporation
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Eric Ellis is President and CEO of Integrity Development Corp. Since 1991, his firm has served businesses, law enforcement agencies, and organizations by building cultures where Diversity, Inclusion and Respect flourish, driving business results.

One of our nation’s leading strategists on Diversity & Inclusion, Eric and his firm have won numerous awards, including the State of Ohio's Minority Business of the Year, and the NAACP President’s Award. Eric is a member of the SHRM Inclusion & Diversity Expert Panel.

Eric is author of the book, Diversity Conversations, 3rd edition, and co-hosts a weekly broadcast of the same name at www.1320thevoice.com or facebook live, every Saturday, 9:30 am EST @elliseric.

SESSIONS:
Monday, August 23, 2021 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Tim Sackett, SHRM-SCP
Personal Pronouns
He/Him/His
CEO
HRUTech.com
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Tim Sackett, SCP, is the CEO of HRUTech.com, a leading technical recruiting firm. Tim has over 20 years of combined executive HR and talent acquisition experience working for Fortune 500 companies. Tim is a highly sought-after international speaker on leadership, HR &TA Tech, talent acquisition, and HR execution. Tim is currently a Senior Faculty member with the Josh Bersin Academy. He is also an Angel investor and advisor and sits on multiple HR Technology corporate boards.

Tim is the author of the newly released book The Talent Fix, Vol. 2. He also writes daily on his blog, the Tim Sackett Project. Tim is married to a hall-of-fame wife, has three sons, and his dog Tucker. In 2023, he was named a Top Global HR & Recruitment Influencer by HR Executive. He has more Twitter (X) followers than his 3 Gen Z sons and is sponsored on stage by diet Mt. Dew.

SESSIONS:
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.

SESSIONS:
Bethany Adams, MA, SHRM-SCP
Personal Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
Associate Director
Villanova University
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Bethany Adams has more than 15 years of experience in HR and education.  She began her career working in learning & development and human resources in the restaurant and retail industries. She has experience in both small, privately-owned businesses and large, Fortune 500 organizations. Bethany holds a BA in Psychology, MA in Organizational Management, the SHRM-SCP certification, and is a Certified Genos International Emotional Intelligence Practitioner. She currently teaches at Villanova University in the Graduate Programs in HR Development.  Bethany has spoken at a variety of conferences throughout the country and leads corporate training on topics including emotional intelligence, DEI, and strategic HR.  Bethany hosts an HR podcast called HR Tea.

SESSIONS:
Monday, August 23, 2021 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Troy Hall
Chief Strategy Officer
South Carolina Federal Credit Union
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SESSIONS:
Monday, August 23, 2021 - 11:30am to 12:30pm