Concurrent Session

Lester S. Rosen is an attorney at law  and CEO of Employment Screening Resources (ESR), a national background screening company.  He is a consultant, writer, expert witness  and frequent presenter nationwide on pre-employment screening. He is the author of “The Safe Hiring Manual,” (3d Edition 2017/826 pages), the first comprehensive book on background screening.  He served as the chairperson of the steering committee that founded the Professional Background Screeners Association (PBSA),  served as its first co-chair and received the PBSA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. 

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.

As a former Silicon Valley corporate attorney and a current entrepreneur, CEO, and manager, Ann knows people from many dynamics. Working alongside some of the best and brightest lawyers, entrepreneurs, VCs, and business owners, Ann incorporated companies, negotiated mergers, managed venture-backed financings, and held the hands of many anxious CEOs... and loved it. She then started her own law firm representing over 75 entrepreneurs, grew it until her CEOs became friends, and then sold her firm to a larger firm that continues to represent entrepreneurs and start-ups nationwide.

In 2003 Ann used her moxie to launch LifeMoxie Mentoring & Leadership, a leadership consulting firm, and MentorLead, a cloud-based software application to build better bosses, stronger communities, and more effective organizations. Her programs, books, and speeches tackle ongoing workforce challenges such as: culture and engagement, leadership development, succession planning, integrating millennials, and on-boarding. Her programs are loved by clients such as Kaiser Permanente, Duke Energy, Macy's, and Cabela's.

As a speaker and author, Ann prepares people to execute powerfully in ever-changing environments. From keynotes to leadership programs to executive retreats, Ann turns the kaleidoscope to help audiences see the potential and the power of their role. She is on the faculty of the Institute for Management Studies (IMS) and the author of four books: Ambition on a Mission (2007), Moxie for Managers (2011), Why Mentoring Matters (2013), and Moxie for Mentoring (2016). They have become popular books for companies who are committed to creating and keeping strong leaders and strong cultures in this fiercely competitive marketplace.

In 2012 Ann founded the Mentoring Council (www.mentoringcouncil.com) where hundreds of program administrators, leaders, and HR professionals go to connect, share resources, benchmark progress, and exchange best practices.

When not on a stage or transforming corporate America, you can find Ann on her bicycle. In the summer 2011, Ann cycled 4,200 miles from San Francisco to New Jersey in The Moxie Ride, to film the documentary, Work Matters, identifying what people love about their jobs and how bosses influence their success. She continued her research from a bike in 2012 cycling 2,600 miles from Key West, Florida, to Bar Harbor, Maine, in 2014 cycling 1,600 miles from Seattle to San Diego, and in 2016 cycling 783 miles from Crater Lake to Yosemite.

Ann earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association, was awarded Outstanding Business Woman of the Year by the American Business Women's Association, and was honored with the Vanguard Award from The McGraw-Hill Companies for her contributions to their employees.

She earned a B.S. in Accountancy from University of Illinois, a J.D. from Chicago-Kent Law School, a CPA from Illinois, and licenses to practice law in Illinois and California.

Kris Dunn is a Partner and CHRO at Kinetix, a national RPO firm for growth companies headquartered in Atlanta. He's also the founder of two industry-leading blogs – Fistful of Talent and The HR Capitalist – and has written over 70 feature columns at Workforce Management magazine. Prior to his investment at Kinetix, Kris served in HR leadership roles at DAXKO, Charter and Cingular. 

Specialties: Belief that the HR function rocks mixed with Business chops. Crossover Dribble. Encyclopedia-like knowledge of the Grunge Era.

Kris is the author of The 9 Faces of HR: A Disruptor’s Guide to Mastering Innovation and Driving Real Change.

Amy Hirsh Robinson, M.B.A., is Chief People Officer for King’s Hawaiian, a global producer of irresistible Hawaiian food. Amy was brought on to King’s Hawaiian to re-envision the employee experience and transform the People function from traditional HR to a strategic driver of business growth. During her time at the company she has worked to radically redefine the purpose, structure and activities of HR with significant results. Prior to her role as CPO, Amy ran a successful human capital consulting firm, The Interchange Group, helping executives and HR professionals retool and adapt their strategies to rapidly changing workforce expectations and business landscapes.

Andy Schroeder is a Leadership Development Professional who specializes in applying the principles of improv in the business world. He has been teaching and performing improvisational theater since 1996.

In addition to his work on the stage, he teaches and designs adult education programs for the Unexpected Productions Improv School. Around the globe, Andy has taught and performed improv in various locations including the Czech Republic, India, Japan, Luxembourg, Thailand, and USA. 

Andy holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington’s Applied and Computational Mathematical Sciences program, and a Masters in Business Administration from Seattle University.