Concurrent Session

With nearly two decades of professional and lived experience in the reentry field, Dr. Genevieve Rimer leads the Center for Employment Opportunities’ Inclusive Hiring team.  As a keynote speaker and reentry workforce expert, she has trained over 30,000 workforce professionals and human resource experts. Dr. Rimer's customized curriculum, featured on platforms like LinkedIn Learning, reflects her commitment to advancing inclusive and fair employment practices. Holding a doctorate in social work from the University of Southern California, she integrates academic rigor with personal experience to drive positive change and empower professionals in the workforce ecosystem.

In 2011, Vincent Bragg was sentenced to 121 months for running a multi-million dollar drug empire. During his time inside he realized that there was a rich source of untapped creativity behind bars and set about recruiting a network of diverse creative talent that now makes up ConCreates. Vincent believes that one mistake shouldn’t define a life and is on a mission to reverse the stigma associated with a criminal past.

Jeff Fromm is a 5X Author, Forbes Contributor and Senior Advisor at TFL.  Jeff has written at Forbes for ten years & conducted dozens of consumer research studies on consumer trends, sustainability and innovation including the first study of Millennials as Consumers with The Boston Consulting Group in 2010/2011.  Jeff is an active investor in multiple brands including TFL (a live event ticketing SaaS brand specializing in employee and consumer loyalty) and Nature Focused Development (working on carbon management in collaboration with indigenous communities).  Jeff holds a marketing degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Steve will be the first to tell you that recruiting is marketing. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance at Brigham Young University and started his career in recruiting in Feb 2005. In 2008, he took a risk during a recession to help start a new company with Ryan Kohler, called ApplicantPro, a full suite HR platform for small to mid-sized businesses. With 11,000 clients and close to 300 employees, ApplicantPro has made the Inc 5000 list 11 years in a row, Top Places to work in Utah 3 years in a row. ApplicantPro was also named an Indeed Platinum Partner in 2023, one of five companies in the country to receive this designation. Steve is SHRM-CP and PHR certified, and currently volunteers on the Utah SHRM State Council as the immediate past State Executive Director. His book, The Hiring Tree: Laws of Applicant Attraction, was released in early 2023, and has helped thousands of organizations across the country rethink the way they approach hiring. If you need help understanding the principles and role of SEO, marketing, and AI when it comes to attracting job seekers, Steve provides a solid framework for hiring.

Kathleen Pearson serves as the Global Chief Talent Officer at McDermott Will & Emery, an elite global law firm with over 3,000 partners and employees. With a career spanning more than two decades in human capital management, Kathleen has dedicated herself to fostering strong, resilient, and diverse teams adept at navigating change and uncertainty. Her strategic leadership encompasses all aspects of people-related functions, including talent acquisition, management, employee relations, training and development, as well as compensation and benefits. Kathleen's passion lies in delivering human-based solutions to human-created challenges, empowering individuals and teams for future success. Her expertise in building teams that adapt, innovate, and thrive has established her as a venerated leader in the legal industry.

Cliff Jurkiewicz, Head of Strategy & Evangelist at Phenom, has shaped the company's growth from startup to a global talent intelligence platform powerhouse. His 30-year career intersects both design and technology, including leading a top digital advertising agency and founding a successful software firm. Known for his insightful contributions to global tech and AI discourse, Cliff excels in making complex ideas accessible and actionable. An experienced pilot by passion, he co-founded Kyle’s Wish Foundation to honor his late son, supporting mental health and addiction recovery through aviation experiences. Cliff enjoys life with his family outside Philadelphia.

Jason Gibson is an academically trained futurist with over five-years of foresight experience within the federal government space.  He has designed academic futures research projects for non-profit and government clients and is currently developing foresight projects within the federal human resource management community.  Jason has a passion for building foresight capabilities within organizations and is currently working to expand framework foresight skills within the federal government space based on the Association of Professional Futurists Foresight Competency Model.  He is a member of the Association of Professional Futurists, the Army Strategists Association, and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Michael Bach is a nationally and internationally recognized thought leader and subject matter expert in the fields of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA). He has worked globally in the IDEA field, including as the Deputy Chief Diversity Officer for KPMG International. He is the founder of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), CCDI Consulting and Pride at Work Canada.

He is the author of the best-selling and award-winning books Birds of All Feathers: Doing Diversity and Inclusion Right and Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion at Work.

Michael Bach is a nationally and internationally recognized thought leader and subject matter expert in the fields of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA). He has worked globally in the IDEA field, including as the Deputy Chief Diversity Officer for KPMG International. He is the founder of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), CCDI Consulting and Pride at Work Canada.

He is the author of the best-selling and award-winning books Birds of All Feathers: Doing Diversity and Inclusion Right and Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion at Work.

Melissa Daley is an accomplished Systems Engineer and Systems Analyst, wielding a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Information Systems from Hampton University and a Masters in Technology Entrepreneurship from the esteemed University of Maryland. Her professional journey spans illustrious roles as a consultant, collaborating with distinguished entities like Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, and notable institutions including the State of Georgia Department of Human Resources, NGP VAN, DMI, and ICF.

In 2007, Melissa Daley embarked on a visionary journey, giving rise to iT Gets Better—a trailblazing 501(c)(3) non-profit headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Her mission: to empower and uplift young minds by bridging the digital divide through transformative Information Technology (IT) workshops and insightful consulting services. Melissa's brainchild swiftly evolved into a beacon of computer literacy for underrepresented communities.

Within a mere three months, iT Gets Better blossomed, becoming a nurturing hub for over 50 students throughout the Atlanta Metro Area. This rapid growth was a testament to Melissa's unwavering commitment and the pressing need she addressed.

The tumultuous tides of the 2009 recession presented challenges, prompting the sale of iT Gets Better's website to a fellow non-profit organization in 2010. Undeterred, Melissa Daley's resilience and expertise persevered.

In 2014, Melissa Daley founded Orca Intelligence, a minority, woman-owned organization that is a true reflection of intentionality, cultural awareness, and empowerment. Under Melissa's visionary leadership, Orca Intelligence has grown beyond a mere business entity to become a hub of digital innovation. The company is renowned for its impactful contributions in various sectors, including education, health administration, labor, and real estate. Melissa brings over two decades of rich experience in Information Technology to Orca Intelligence. Her deep knowledge and innovative approach have been instrumental in establishing the company. Orca Intelligence, since its inception, has been at the forefront of revolutionizing how software requirements are captured, analyzed, and managed. This breakthrough reflects Melissa's commitment to innovation and her deep understanding of the industry's needs.

Building upon this legacy of innovation, Melissa's 2021 brainchild, Swiftly, emerged—a cutting-edge AI solution poised to revolutionize the efficiency of the Software Development process, reaffirming her position at the vanguard of technological progress.

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, Melissa Daley remains an inspirational figure, ceaselessly driving positive change through her groundbreaking ventures and unyielding dedication to propelling IT accessibility and efficiency forward.

Melissa Daley is an accomplished Systems Engineer and Systems Analyst, wielding a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Information Systems from Hampton University and a Masters in Technology Entrepreneurship from the esteemed University of Maryland. Her professional journey spans illustrious roles as a consultant, collaborating with distinguished entities like Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, and notable institutions including the State of Georgia Department of Human Resources, NGP VAN, DMI, and ICF.

In 2007, Melissa Daley embarked on a visionary journey, giving rise to iT Gets Better—a trailblazing 501(c)(3) non-profit headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Her mission: to empower and uplift young minds by bridging the digital divide through transformative Information Technology (IT) workshops and insightful consulting services. Melissa's brainchild swiftly evolved into a beacon of computer literacy for underrepresented communities.

Within a mere three months, iT Gets Better blossomed, becoming a nurturing hub for over 50 students throughout the Atlanta Metro Area. This rapid growth was a testament to Melissa's unwavering commitment and the pressing need she addressed.

The tumultuous tides of the 2009 recession presented challenges, prompting the sale of iT Gets Better's website to a fellow non-profit organization in 2010. Undeterred, Melissa Daley's resilience and expertise persevered.

In 2014, Melissa Daley founded Orca Intelligence, a minority, woman-owned organization that is a true reflection of intentionality, cultural awareness, and empowerment. Under Melissa's visionary leadership, Orca Intelligence has grown beyond a mere business entity to become a hub of digital innovation. The company is renowned for its impactful contributions in various sectors, including education, health administration, labor, and real estate. Melissa brings over two decades of rich experience in Information Technology to Orca Intelligence. Her deep knowledge and innovative approach have been instrumental in establishing the company. Orca Intelligence, since its inception, has been at the forefront of revolutionizing how software requirements are captured, analyzed, and managed. This breakthrough reflects Melissa's commitment to innovation and her deep understanding of the industry's needs.

Building upon this legacy of innovation, Melissa's 2021 brainchild, Swiftly, emerged—a cutting-edge AI solution poised to revolutionize the efficiency of the Software Development process, reaffirming her position at the vanguard of technological progress.

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, Melissa Daley remains an inspirational figure, ceaselessly driving positive change through her groundbreaking ventures and unyielding dedication to propelling IT accessibility and efficiency forward.