Plenary Session

Tina Beaty changes the way people think, feel and believe. Using an integrated communications strategy, based on research and audience insights, she deploys omni-channel campaigns to change behaviors in pursuit of better workplaces for a better world. 

Alexander Alonso, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, is SHRM's  Chief Data & Analytics Officer leading intelligence, insights, and innovation function. As leader of SHRM’s Research & Insights business units, his total career portfolio has been based upon practical thought leadership designed to make better workplaces and to grow revenue across industry.

Tina Beaty changes the way people think, feel and believe. Using an integrated communications strategy, based on research and audience insights, she deploys omni-channel campaigns to change behaviors in pursuit of better workplaces for a better world. 

Reid AI is an experimental digital twin of Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, Inflection AI, and Manas AI. Reid AI was created to explore the potential of AI avatars in enhancing human thought and expression. Reid Hoffman (the human) embarked on this project to see how interacting with a digital version of himself could inspire new ways of thinking and connecting ideas. The avatar, developed with technology from Hey Gen for visuals and ElevenLabs for voice cloning, uses a custom chatbot to formulate responses. This chatbot draws from Hoffman's extensive body of work, including his books, speeches, articles, and podcasts from the last 20 years, allowing Reid AI to integrate and reference Hoffman's past ideas.

While there are potentially harmful uses of deep fakes or digital twins, Reid AI is a carefully monitored, responsible digital twin. Its purpose is to act as a reflective tool, offering insights into one's thoughts and personality in a positive way. Reid AI also demonstrates how digital twins can extend human capabilities, such as speaking languages we cannot. Hoffman believes that thoughtfully developed AI avatars can make content more dynamic and accessible, despite potential discomfort.  Reid AI is fluent in over 7,000 languages, proficient in over 600 programming languages, and enjoys long strolls through databases.

Alexander Alonso, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, is SHRM's  Chief Data & Analytics Officer leading intelligence, insights, and innovation function. As leader of SHRM’s Research & Insights business units, his total career portfolio has been based upon practical thought leadership designed to make better workplaces and to grow revenue across industry.

Emily M. Dickens, J.D., serves as SHRM Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs & Corporate Secretary. She is the executive responsible for coordinating staff to implement the CEO's vision, serving as corporate secretary for the SHRM Board and subsidiary boards, as well as managing external partnerships and providing oversight for the Government Affairs division.

Dickens is an attorney with significant and progressive experience in government, higher education and the non-profit sector. She has served as a member of the leadership team at the University of North Carolina system, the Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and Universities and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.  Her prior roles include general counsel, chief relationship officer, senior vice president, vice president for public policy and assistant vice president for federal relations.  Dickens has also worked at Duke University and Fayetteville State University in administrative and external affairs roles. 

Emily is actively engaged in board service. She formerly served on the  Fayetteville/Cumberland (NC)  Chamber  of  Commerce  (Secretary  of  the  Board),  the Cumberland County Workforce Development Board, the  North  Carolina  Partnership  for  Defense  Innovation Board, and the Educational Advancement Foundation. She is currently a member of the Advisory Council of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), the Advisory Board of the College of Arts and Sciences at North Carolina Central University, and chairs the International HBCU Task Force for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

She is a graduate of North Carolina Central University and North Carolina Central University School of Law. 

Danielle Abril covers technology and its impact on workers across industries for The Washington Post. Before joining The Post, she covered Big Tech companies at Fortune including Google and Facebook. She previously was a reporter and editor for more than 10 years in Dallas.

Tina Beaty changes the way people think, feel and believe. Using an integrated communications strategy, based on research and audience insights, she deploys omni-channel campaigns to change behaviors in pursuit of better workplaces for a better world. 

Paul J. Gennaro is senior vice president and chief communications officer for New York Life, where he leads the Corporate Communications team for the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States and one of the largest life insurers in the world.  New York Life, a Fortune 100 company with $63 billion in annual revenue, provides insurance and investment solutions to individuals and businesses – and operates one of the world’s largest global asset managers through New York Life Investments, with $808 billion in assets under management.

Prior to joining New York Life in Sept. 2023, Paul spent nine years as senior vice president, and chief brand and communications officer, for Voya Financial, a leading health, wealth and investment company with $790 billion in total assets under management and administration.  Previously, he was senior vice president and chief communications officer for AECOM, a $20-billion global infrastructure firm with nearly 100,000 employees serving clients in more than 150 countries, since 2006.  Paul’s corporate career also includes leadership roles for Johns Manville, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, where he led all global corporate and marketing communications; Ingersoll-Rand; Dell; and American Express.  He began his career as a journalist and public affairs officer for the U.S. Navy.

Twenty-two of Paul’s 31-year corporate career has been in the top communications role. He has overseen multiple global rebrands as well as communications in support of more than 50 M&A-related transactions, an award-winning initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, multiple seamless CEO transitions and new business launches, and numerous business integrations.

Paul has been honored with PRWeek magazine’s PR Professional of the Year award; the John W. Hill Award, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New York chapter’s most prestigious honor; and the International Business Award for Communications Executive of the Year.

He is a member of four prominent organizations for the most-senior global brand, corporate communications and public relations executives: the Institute for Public Relations (trustee), the Arthur W. Page Society, The Seminar, and The Wisemen.  Paul was also a member of the Wall Street Journal Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network. 

Externally, Paul serves as treasurer on the board of directors for Disability:IN, a national nonprofit that advances disability inclusion in the workplace, supply chain and marketplace.

Mariah currently serves as the Vice President of People Transformation and Operations at Zendesk, overseeing HR Portfolio and Planning, People Analytics, Talent Acquisition, and Shared Services. She is passionate about creating manager, employee, and internal experiences and capabilities that scale, and thrives on connecting the dots between strategy to execution.

Lisa Gelobter is the CEO and Founder of tEQuitable. tEQuitable makes it easy for companies to improve psychological safety and employee engagement; it provides an independent, confidential platform for employees to resolve interpersonal conflict and for companies to uncover camouflaged issues before they escalate.

Lisa has worked on products that have been used by billions of people and pioneered several Internet technologies, including Shockwave, Hulu, and the ascent of online video.

Previously, she worked at the Obama White House, as the Chief Digital Service Officer for the Department of Education. Prior to that, Lisa served as the Chief Digital Officer for BET Networks.

Lisa has been named one of Inc. Magazine's 100 Women Building America's Most Innovative and Ambitious Businesses, Fast Company’s Most Creative People, and is spotlighted in Eric Ries’ book The Startup Way. 

 Lisa is one of the first 40 Black women ever to have raised over $1mm in VC funding. She is also proud to be a Black woman with a Computer Science degree. Go STEM!

Nick Schacht is a highly experienced executive with more than three decades of experience in professional services, education,  and corporate learning and development.  He has a history of driving product innovation, growth and profitability and he has led organizations operating worldwide. 

Nick is Chief Commercial Officer for SHRM, the world’s largest HR professional society. Before joining SHRM, Nick was the founder and CEO of KnowCyber, a learning and development company focused on improving the cybersecurity-related skills of people in all types of organizations worldwide. Prior to KnowCyber, Nick was President and Chief Operating Officer for PetroSkills, a provider of training and development services to the worldwide petroleum industry.  Prior to that, he was CEO and President of Learning Tree International, a publicly traded provider of IT and management learning and development.  Nick was also the President of Global Learning Systems, a start-up focused on e-Learning and digital content.  He served in a variety of capacities at ESI International, culminating in his role as President when ESI was sold to the Institute for International Research (IIR) and then as Group President for the Americas for IIR.  He has been a Research Fellow at the Logistics Management Institute, and began his career as a U.S. Navy Supply Officer, on the headquarters staff of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. 

Nick graduated with honors from the U.S. Naval Academy, and holds Master’s degrees in Administration from the University of Maryland University College, and Information Systems Technology from The George Washington University.

Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson is a Professor at Stanford and the Director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab at the Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI). He is also a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and holds appointments at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Stanford Department of Economics. Prof. Brynjolfsson is one of most widely-cited researchers studying the digital economy and co-author of five books including The Second Machine Age.

Ahryun Moon is the CEO and Co-founder of GoodTime, where she’s pioneering the future of hiring through human-centric AI and intelligent automation. Under her leadership, GoodTime has transformed how enterprise companies engage with top talent — optimizing efficiency without losing the personal connection. Over the past year, she’s championed responsible AI that empowers teams to build meaningful, scalable, and efficient hiring experiences. With a background in process simplification and a passion for solving complex problems, Ahryun continues to push the boundaries of what technology can do for the modern workforce.

Nichol Bradford is a futurist, investor, and technology executive
dedicated to amplifying human potential through the thoughtful
integration of AI. As SHRM's AI + HI Executive-in-Residence, she
shapes global strategies impacting 362 million workers through
340,000 HR professionals across 180 countries. She is the Co-Founder
of Niremia Collective, a venture fund investing in the future of human
potential.

With over two decades of experience in technology and human
development, Bradford specializes in strengthening mental, emotional,
and social health (MESH) to drive innovation. She reaches over
100,000 people annually through thought leadership and speaking
engagements, including TEDx talks. Her unique approach combines
psychology, neuroscience, and organizational change to guide
companies through human-centered AI adoption.

Bradford's impressive track record includes operating World of Warcraft
in China, co-founding TransformativeTech.org, and building the largest
global network for human potential technology spanning 450+ cities.
Through her $22.5M venture fund, she targets the $8.5 trillion human
potential market. Her mission is clear: creating a future where AI
enhances human capabilities while strengthening social cohesion and
well-being.

Ben Eubanks is a bestselling author, speaker, and researcher living in Huntsville, AL. He spends his days as the Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, developing groundbreaking research on workforce trends and examining the talent technologies and People practices that set great organizations apart from the rest. 

His latest book Talent Scarcity explores why companies are having difficulties finding quality talent and how they can solve it. His first book, Artificial Intelligence for HR, is the world’s most-cited resource for leveraging technology to create a more human experience at work. His new book The Payroll Promise (March 2025) examines how HR and payroll teams can create workplace trust and do more meaningful work at the same time. He also hosts HR Summer School, a virtual event focusing on improving human resources, one HR pro at a time. When he's not speaking or writing, he spends time with his five kids and runs in a variety of outlandish races for fun.

Nichol Bradford is a futurist, investor, and technology executive
dedicated to amplifying human potential through the thoughtful
integration of AI. As SHRM's AI + HI Executive-in-Residence, she
shapes global strategies impacting 362 million workers through
340,000 HR professionals across 180 countries. She is the Co-Founder
of Niremia Collective, a venture fund investing in the future of human
potential.

With over two decades of experience in technology and human
development, Bradford specializes in strengthening mental, emotional,
and social health (MESH) to drive innovation. She reaches over
100,000 people annually through thought leadership and speaking
engagements, including TEDx talks. Her unique approach combines
psychology, neuroscience, and organizational change to guide
companies through human-centered AI adoption.

Bradford's impressive track record includes operating World of Warcraft
in China, co-founding TransformativeTech.org, and building the largest
global network for human potential technology spanning 450+ cities.
Through her $22.5M venture fund, she targets the $8.5 trillion human
potential market. Her mission is clear: creating a future where AI
enhances human capabilities while strengthening social cohesion and
well-being.