In-person Pass

Dawn Kelley is a certified HR Professional with 25+ years of experience, she is highly skilled in human resources management, employee relations, leadership development, coaching/ supervision, and agency operations.  Dawn has a reputation for being a strong, empathetic leader.  She has volunteered for the Society for Human Resources Management including creating test questions for the SHRM-CP exam, serving as a judge in the college games and spent several years serving on the Executive Board for Central Valley Human Resources Management Association, the local SHRM affiliate chapter.  She is the Human Resources Manager for City of Modesto.  

In 2021, Dawn spoke at SHRM 2021 in Las Vegas bringing forward a thoughtful intro to transgender in the workplace, “Coming of Gender”. Reviews of this session included, “Dawn was an engaging speaker! Very passionate about the subject. Dawn was funny too! Loved that she was transparent enough to share her story with the group! Great presentation!”

Most recently she provided sidebar insights on transgenderism in Chapter 11 Diversity and Inclusion for the SHRM Complete Study Guide authored by Sandra M. Reed and was a speaker on PCTY Talks podcast- https://pctytalks.podbean.com/e/championing-gender-equity-with-dawn-kelley/ with Shari Simpson.

In September 2018, Dawn was a featured TEDx speaker in the Central Valley presenting on Parental Resiliency. She was a guest on two (2) episodes the Therapists Uncut Podcast in 2020 and most recently took part in the My HR Journey Podcast (2021) with Steve Watson.

With a determination to meet people where they are, to help people be heard and to celebrate their accomplishments, she uses her power of persuasion to teach leaders that every voice matters.  Seeing that light bulb go off, that realization in their eyes…means the world.

“We are the voice of those unable to speak, the confidant to lighten the load and the professional to hold people accountable when their bias and judgement get in the way of respect in our workplaces.”

Christopher Patrick is a Principal in the Denver, Colorado, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and is a member of the Firm’s Affirmative Action Compliance and OFCCP Defense Practice Group, Pay Equity Resource Group, and Corporate Diversity Counseling Group.

Christopher counsels on EEO compliance, affirmative action, pay equity, and diversity.  He also oversees the preparation of affirmative action plans, directs privileged pay analyses under state and federal laws, and defends employers in OFCCP audits. 

After spending more than a decade in talent management for the legal industry, Rachael founded Fringe Professional Development in 2017 with a singular goal: to help people communicate with each other more effectively at work. Today, Fringe is a full-service training and coaching company that’s dedicated to applying the science of how our brains work to its customized and progressive programming — all to help ambitious, high-achieving professionals excel in their careers. Rachael holds a certification in brain-based coaching from the NeuroLeadership Institute, as well as certificates in mediating disputes from the Harvard Law School of Executive Studies and women in leadership from Cornell University. Rachael is an active member of the Forbes Coaches Council and has had the opportunity to lead workshops for thousands of professionals and conference attendees around the globe.

Robin Lawton is a highly engaging, internationally top-ranked speaker.  Rob has been guiding leaders from industry, government, healthcare and education around the world since 1985. He coined the term “customer-centered culture” in his first book, Creating a Customer-Centered Culture: Leadership in Quality, Innovation & Speed (1993).  Rob’s work to infuse strategic systems thinking, rapid transformation, and the voice of the customer into his clients’ world has resulted in many earning industry awards and customer recognition for excellence. His fourth book, Mastering Excellence: A Leader’s Guide to Aligning Strategy, Culture, Customer Experience & Measures of Success, (2017), provides an in-depth road map for transformation leaders. Find Rob at www.C3Excellence.com.

Brad is the Founder and CEO of JB Training Solutions. An accomplished public speaker and executive coach, Brad has been featured on CNN, CNBC, and Dr. Phil, and has been quoted in: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, and USA Today. Brad is also the author of three business books including the critically acclaimed Manager 3.0: A Millennial’s Guide to Rewriting the Rules of Management, which you can read in Mandarin (assuming you can read Mandarin).

Prior to creating JB, Brad spent 15 years at advertising agency Leo Burnett in Chicago. Today, Brad presents for major organizations including Eli Lilly, Securitas, Top Tier Capital Partners, and Saint Laurent. When he’s not enjoying a robust buffet, you can find Brad playing racquetball or drafting the perfect fantasy football roster. Brad is left-handed.

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.

Beautiful, simply does not describe the incomparable force known to the world as Patti LaBelle. As time continues to evolve, the soulful songbird’s name has become synonymous with grace, style, elegance and class.  Belting out classic rhythm and blues renditions, pop standards and spiritual sonnets have created the unique platform of versatility that she is known and revered for.

It’s a small wonder that Patti has time for anything else in between recording and touring, but she makes time and the world is oh so happy that she does!  She has written six books, Don’t Block the Blessings, LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About, Patti’s Pearls, Patti LaBelle’s Lite Cuisine, Recipes for the Good Life and her most recent, Desserts LaBelle. Several years ago, she introduced Patti’s Good Life, a successful food line that includes a variety of pies, cobblers and cakes, and is available at Walmart stores. Also, she has starred in a highly rated cooking show, Patti LaBelle's Place, on the Cooking Channel. In 2017, Patti released her first jazz album, Bel Hommage, and a holiday album, Patti LaBelle and Friends - Home for the Holidays, on her own record label, GPE Records. And most recently, Patti expanded the Patti’s Good Life line to include frozen comfort foods such as macaroni & cheese, greens, beef brisket and cornbread. 

World renowned for her dynamic career as an entertainer and entrepreneurial success, Patti’s work as a humanitarian is just as legendary. She remains an advocate for adoption, diabetes, cancer, HIV / AIDS and many other causes and non-profit initiatives.  While she has reached the heights of success throughout her 50-plus year career, Patti has also endured and survived personal strife. Within a ten-year period, she lost her mother, three sisters and best friend to diabetes and cancer. In 1994, she was diagnosed with diabetes and shortly thereafter became a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association. 

The same motivation that had Patricia Louise Holte blossom from a choir member to lead vocalist for Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles and later Labelle, to a solo artist is the same energy that keeps her fire burning at seventy-six years young. “Each year I grow, and that’s a blessing from God.  I do what I can do.  I do what I feel God has given me the energy to do, so I just go out there and I do it…It’s not about making money because I don’t need money, but I need to sing.  With a voice or without, I’ve got to get on that stage.”  And the world is thankful that Patti’s voice sounds so good to our ears.