General Session

Mike Aitken has worked at SHRM since 2003 and currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs. Prior to joining SHRM, he served for 14 years as associate director for Governmental and External Relations at the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR). Previously, Aitken worked on state public policy issues at Bonner & Associates, a public affairs firm in Washington, DC. Currently, he is based in Alexandria, VA.

Henry G. (Hank) Jackson is the president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world's largest HR professional Society. He previously served as the Society’s interim president and CEO, and as chief global finance and business affairs officer.

Under Jackson’s leadership, the Society has grown to a record 290,000 members and hosted its largest-ever Annual Conference and Exposition. To better serve a diverse and more complex HR profession, the Society expanded its global reach and impact, formed partnerships with the Council for Global Immigration and SHRM’s Executive Network, HR People and Strategy, and opened its first state office in California, home to the largest concentration of HR professionals in the U.S.

During Jackson’s tenure, the Society developed and launched its competency-based certification—the accredited SHRM-Senior Certified Professional and SHRM-Certified Professional—to further advance the HR profession. Within two years, the number of SHRM-certified professionals grew to more than 100,000 worldwide.      

At the helm of SHRM during the economic downturn, Jackson spearheaded the Society’s initiatives on pressing HR and employment issues such as workforce readiness, veterans’ employment, and long-term unemployment. The Society has also strengthened its position as a highly sought-after voice on workplace public policy, as HR and workplace issues have increasingly been part of national discussions and public policy debates.

Jackson believes that the HR profession is at an exciting and pivotal moment, calling it the “Decade of Human Capital.” Businesses are beginning to better understand and embrace human resource management as the most critical contributor to the strategic direction of their organizations, and the HR profession is being propelled into a key business leadership position.

A long-tenured SHRM employee, Jackson has ensured as CEO that the organization remains an employer of choice and invests in a world-class workplace and work environment. In 2013, Washingtonian magazine recognized SHRM as a Great Place to Work in the Washington, D.C. area. 

Jackson came to SHRM from Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he was senior vice president/chief financial officer and treasurer of the university. In this role, he oversaw the financial well-being of the university’s 11 schools and colleges, hospital, public television station, and commercial radio station. He served in several previous positions at Howard University, including comptroller, deputy comptroller, and systems accountant, before becoming senior vice president.

Prior to joining Howard University, Jackson worked in public accounting with Hurdman Main and KMPG as senior auditor and a computer audit specialist. For several years, he was a consultant for the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers.

Jackson earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Stonehill College in Massachusetts. He is a certified public accountant.

Laila Ali is a world-class athlete, fitness & nutrition expert, TV host, cooking enthusiast, founder of the Laila Ali Lifestyle Brand and mother of two. The daughter of late beloved global icon and humanitarian, Muhammad Ali, she is a four-time undefeated boxing world champion, whose stellar record includes 24 wins (21 of which were "knockouts") and zero losses. Laila is heralded as the most successful female in the history of women’s boxing.

Beginning January of 2017, millions of viewers will watch Laila showcase how much of a savvy business “knockout” she is in the boardroom as she competes on the all-new “Celebrity Apprentice.” Laila is also a regular panelist and contributor for the CBS Sports Network’s new all-female sports commentary program, “We Need To Talk,” the first of it’s kind in the history of sports broadcasting and is featured as an expert on Season 8 of Dr. Oz’s hit series premiering in the Fall of 2016.

A cooking enthusiast, Laila previously appeared twice on Food Network’s celebrity edition of “Chopped” and emerged victorious as the champion. Continuing her passion in the cooking space, Laila was the host of “Late Nite Chef Fight,” an exciting food truck cooking competition show that has aired for multiple seasons on the FYI Network. She has also appeared in various cooking segments on Rachael Ray and The Chew Laila is most excited about her forthcoming cookbook slated to be released in the Fall of 2017.

For multiple seasons she hosted "Everyday Health" airing in national syndication for multiple seasons on ABC, in addition to being the previous co-host of "American Gladiators” and former host of "All-In With Laila Ali" which aired in weekend syndication on CBS.

In 2012 when women's boxing was included in the Olympics for the first time in history, Laila was the first woman in history to provide expert commentary for NBC Sports. For two consecutive years since it’s conception in 2015, she was selected as host of the first-ever televised ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards.

Laila is a past President of the Women's Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization that is supported by some of the biggest athletes in the world. Through WSF Laila promotes equality for women in the world of professional sports, and she pushes programs that encourage young women to be confident, healthy and strong through sports. She's was also a major voice for the 40th anniversary of Title IX which has protects women's rights to be included and treated equally in collegiate sports.

Always eager to encourage others to live an active lifestyle, Laila Ali was the 2012 "Mombassador" for the Aquaphor New York City Triathlon, a competition she actually participated in and completed impressively in a little more than 3 hours. She's appeared as a guest-star on popular fitness show, "Biggest Loser"

Laila tickled America's funny bone with multiple hilarious roles as comedy king Kevin Hart’s boxing nemesis on the hit comedic series, "Real Husbands Of Hollywood." In 2014 she made her feature film-acting debut as the co-star of the action movie, “Falcon Rising,” opposite martial arts star, Michael Jai White.

Never one to turn down a good challenge, she captured the hearts of millions and made it to the final round of the fourth season of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" in 2007.

A recognizable and trusted figure whose name and likeness packs a powerful punch, Laila has been an endorser for major brands such Subway and Kohl's. Carefully building a successful branding and licensing empire, (a former owner and operator of a successful nail salon in southern California) Laila recently rolled out a signature line of hair styling tools with Hot Tools, a brand subsidiary of hair care powerhouse, Helen Of Troy. She is also a major supporter of charitable organizations such as Feeding America and Peace 4 Kids, in addition to being a member of the Entertainment Council for Alicia Keys’ ‘Keep A Child Alive’ non-profit. She is also quite proud of the work she has done on behalf of the American Dental Association to create oral health awareness for children.

Laila Ali is a sought after inspirational speaker and author of her life's story in a dynamic book for young women entitled "Reach!" Laila studied business management at Santa Monica College. She and her husband, former NFL star Curtis Conway, live in Los Angeles, with their two children, Curtis Jr., and daughter Sydney.

Henry G. (Hank) Jackson is the president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world's largest HR professional Society. He previously served as the Society’s interim president and CEO, and as chief global finance and business affairs officer.

Under Jackson’s leadership, the Society has grown to a record 290,000 members and hosted its largest-ever Annual Conference and Exposition. To better serve a diverse and more complex HR profession, the Society expanded its global reach and impact, formed partnerships with the Council for Global Immigration and SHRM’s Executive Network, HR People and Strategy, and opened its first state office in California, home to the largest concentration of HR professionals in the U.S.

During Jackson’s tenure, the Society developed and launched its competency-based certification—the accredited SHRM-Senior Certified Professional and SHRM-Certified Professional—to further advance the HR profession. Within two years, the number of SHRM-certified professionals grew to more than 100,000 worldwide.      

At the helm of SHRM during the economic downturn, Jackson spearheaded the Society’s initiatives on pressing HR and employment issues such as workforce readiness, veterans’ employment, and long-term unemployment. The Society has also strengthened its position as a highly sought-after voice on workplace public policy, as HR and workplace issues have increasingly been part of national discussions and public policy debates.

Jackson believes that the HR profession is at an exciting and pivotal moment, calling it the “Decade of Human Capital.” Businesses are beginning to better understand and embrace human resource management as the most critical contributor to the strategic direction of their organizations, and the HR profession is being propelled into a key business leadership position.

A long-tenured SHRM employee, Jackson has ensured as CEO that the organization remains an employer of choice and invests in a world-class workplace and work environment. In 2013, Washingtonian magazine recognized SHRM as a Great Place to Work in the Washington, D.C. area. 

Jackson came to SHRM from Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he was senior vice president/chief financial officer and treasurer of the university. In this role, he oversaw the financial well-being of the university’s 11 schools and colleges, hospital, public television station, and commercial radio station. He served in several previous positions at Howard University, including comptroller, deputy comptroller, and systems accountant, before becoming senior vice president.

Prior to joining Howard University, Jackson worked in public accounting with Hurdman Main and KMPG as senior auditor and a computer audit specialist. For several years, he was a consultant for the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers.

Jackson earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Stonehill College in Massachusetts. He is a certified public accountant.

"Disrupt or be disrupted" is Donna Morris's rallying cry. From abolishing Adobe's annual performance reviews to dramitically expanding its family leave policy, she has set the industry agenda while making Adobe a great place to work. In her new role as Executive Vice President of Customer and Employee Experience, she leads the product, customer service and technical support experience for all Adobe products, in addition to all aspects of human resources and the workplace. Her breadth of experience and unique point of view on workplace issues has been sought out by hundreds of media outlets including CNN, NPR, CNBC, Fast Company and Fortune.

Donna sits on the board of directors for the Society for Human Resource Management and the Adobe Foundation and was formerly a board member for California's Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. She is also a member of the Fordham University Parents Council and mentors C100, a non-profit that supports Canadian technology entrepreneurship.