Ricardo is an international keynote speaker, consultant, author, filmmaker, and explorer. He immigrated to the United States from Mexico City after graduating from photography school with the singular focus of building a career that would allow him to explore the world. Later he earned a Film degree at the University of Texas at Austin, then he went on to create documentary work in Mexico and China, and make the famous pilgrimage Camino de Santiago in Spain. His most recent project, Pedal South, entailed leading a team on a two-year expedition cycling from Alaska to Argentina.

Melodie Craft is an employment and labor lawyer with a master’s degree in human resources and industrial relations and over 17 years of experience strategically counseling and successfully defending employers on all aspects of the employment and labor relationship. Melodie routinely defends employers in complex employment litigation in both state and federal courts and administrative agencies throughout the country. Her experience includes litigation in both the nationwide-based class and collective action as well as the individual single plaintiff contexts. She has successfully represented clients on appeal, presenting winning oral and written arguments before the appellate courts.

Melodie has built a reputation for providing employers with timely and pragmatic advice and strategic solutions. Melodie counsels companies regarding employment law issues on high stakes issues as well as daily advice. Her additional master's degree in human resources and industrial relations, her pursuit of a strategic decision and risk management certificate from Stanford University, and her extensive experience in employment and labor law provide her a special perspective on the issues faced by management, boards of directors, in-house attorneys, and human resources representatives, in addition to the ability to provide effective strategic advice and counseling. She frequently provides counsel on issues such as:

• Executive agreements
• Employee compensation
• Unfair competition, restrictive covenants, trade secrets
• Contractual and business practices issues, reductions-in-force
• Compliance, training, employment policy, procedure development, implementation, and audits
• Day-to-day labor and employment matters, such as hiring and firing, employee discipline and termination, worker leaves of absence, and discrimination and harassment allegations

Besides successfully litigating in state and federal courts across the country, Melodie has handled administrative matters before federal agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Department of Labor (DOL), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and state governmental agencies throughout the United States. She has handled administrative matters including but not limited to the following issues:

• Compensation
• Discrimination
• Harassment
• Wrongful discharge
• Retaliation
• Employee leave and disability
• Safety
• Sarbanes-Oxley
• Union issues (including representation elections, grievances, collective bargaining and unfair labor practice proceedings)

Melodie is a frequent speaker and trainer and has presented on many employment-related topics including litigation avoidance, class action defense and strategy, discrimination and harassment, wage and hour issues, compliance, trade secrets and restrictive covenants, and conducting lawful investigations to such groups as the Association of Corporate Counsel, Chambers of Commerce, and various Bar Associations and Human Resources groups. She has also contributed to numerous books and publications on employment law topics.

Elizabeth is an attorney, HR professional, and diversity practitioner.  Effective July 16, 2018, she joined the Campbell Soup Company’s D&I team and will work on the  development and execution of key components of a new D&I strategy. Previously, Elizabeth was Partner/Chief Diversity Officer for Andrews Kurth Kenyon in Houston. Before joining the law firm in 2007, Elizabeth was VP Employment Relations/Corporate Diversity Officer for ARAMARK in Philadelphia. Elizabeth is a frequent speaker, training facilitator and author on D&I and employment law. Elizabeth received her J.D. from University of Michigan and her B.A. from American University.

Dr. Edward E. Hubbard, President and CEO of Hubbard & Hubbard, Inc., an International Business Performance Consulting Corp. specializing in Business Improvement, Diversity Return on Investment (DROI®) Measurement/Analytics, and organizational development.  Author of more than 59 DEI ROI and Business-related books, Dr. Hubbard is an expert in Organizational Analysis, ROI Measurement, Strategic Planning, and more. Dr. Hubbard was an honoree at the Inaugural International Society of Diversity and Inclusion Professionals Living Legends of Diversity Award Ceremony in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico where he received the “Living Legends of Diversity Award” for creating the “Diversity ROI Analytics” and “Diversity Measurement Fields and their associated Disciplines” and is recognized globally as the creator of these unique sciences and fields of study. 

Dr. Hubbard received the “Excellence in Global Leadership Award” from the World HRD Congress (the highest individual professional award given), the 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award from The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences, the Sentry Award from the U.S. Pentagon, and many others.

Dr. Hubbard serves on the Harvard Business Review, Diversity Executive Magazine and Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Management (SDIM) magazine Editorial Advisory Boards and serves on the Board of Directors for The Ohio State University African American Alumni Society. He also holds a Practitioner Certification and Master Practitioner Certification in Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), a Neuroscience discipline. Dr. Hubbard earned Bachelors, Masters Degrees from The Ohio State University and earned a Ph.D. with Honors in Business Administration.

Natalie Egan (she / hers) is an openly transgender, award-winning B2B software entrepreneur and a recognized thought leader living her life at the intersection of technology and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. Natalie has over 20 years of experience driving digital change, developing high performing teams, building complex products, and selling enterprise solutions. Today, she is the CEO & Founder of Translator, Inc., where she and her team are on a mission to scale empathy and equality through technology. Prior to founding Translator in 2016––and prior to her transition––Natalie was CEO & Founder of PeopleLinx, a venture capital backed sales technology solution that was acquired in 2015. In addition to her entrepreneurial pursuits, Natalie has also worked in sales leadership positions at large public companies like LinkedIn, Autonomy, and Ecolab. Outside of work, Natalie is a parent, a marathon runner, an artist, and a consummate activist for transgender rights and representation. Based in Philadelphia, PA––Natalie received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, her MBA from The Villanova School of Business, and is currently writing her first book about her gender transition as a CEO in corporate America and the business lessons learned along the way.

Sara Taylor, President and Founder of deepSEE Consulting, has 35 years of extensive experience, nationally recognized as in the practice of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion serving local, national and global clients. While her areas of specialty are in both Diversity and Leadership Development, Sara has become a thought leader particularly in the field of Cultural Competence. Her bestselling book, Filter Shift: How Effective People SEE the World, is used by numerous individuals and organizations to increase success and create greater effectiveness. Sara holds a Master's degree in Diversity and Organizational Development and, prior to founding deepSEE, held positions such as Chief Diversity Officer and Leadership and Diversity Specialist.

Sara Taylor, President and Founder of deepSEE Consulting, has 35 years of extensive experience, nationally recognized as in the practice of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion serving local, national and global clients. While her areas of specialty are in both Diversity and Leadership Development, Sara has become a thought leader particularly in the field of Cultural Competence. Her bestselling book, Filter Shift: How Effective People SEE the World, is used by numerous individuals and organizations to increase success and create greater effectiveness. Sara holds a Master's degree in Diversity and Organizational Development and, prior to founding deepSEE, held positions such as Chief Diversity Officer and Leadership and Diversity Specialist.