Leadership & Personal Growth

Jeff Bulanda currently leads the Foundations, College, and Coaching strategy for Amazon Career Choice, Amazon’s education benefit for its frontline workforce. Prior to this role, he was the global leader of AWS re/Start, a cloud computer workforce development program, and was a Senior Specialist within Amazon’s Global Talent Management organization. Before joining Amazon, Jeff was school social worker and then a social work professor; his tenure in academia included one year as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Sierra Leone.

I have been with KFC YUM! Brands for over 20 years. I spent my first 6 and a half years with YUM! Finance. In 2010 I changed course and followed my passion and joined the KFC Foundation. At that time, we were a staff of two with one program. Over the past 14 years I have been blessed to play a significant role in growing the KFC Foundation from a staff of two to a staff of seven and from one program to eight…eight program opportunities for KFC restaurant employees. The work we do as a Foundation is like no other and the impact, we make on KFC restaurant employees and their communities is tremendous. I look forward to being a part of the continuing growth of the Foundation, improving and adding to our programs and celebrating more team members... as they become their best selves!!

Leah Marone, LCSW, is a seasoned psychotherapist and corporate mental wellness consultant based in Charlotte, NC, boasting over 20 years of extensive experience. Having conducted over 20,000 therapy sessions and contributing articles to reputable publications such as Psychology Today, The Atlantic, and Newsweek, Leah is recognized for her expertise in mental health.

Leah's personal journey as a former anxiety-ridden Division 1 basketball player fuels her passion for working with high-achieving individuals, often described as type A go-getters. She specializes in addressing internal pressures, imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and performance anxiety.

In her dual role as a mental wellness consultant and board member, Leah collaborates with both companies and nonprofits. Her areas of focus encompass anxiety and stress management, burnout prevention, boundary setting, mindfulness practices, effective communication, and emotional intelligence. Leah's holistic approach includes a thorough assessment of the company culture to tailor her services, meeting organizations where they are and addressing their specific needs.

Leah's innovative 5-step initiative not only underscores the significance of mental wellness organization-wide but also identifies areas for growth and connection. The initiative aims to prevent high turnover, address burnout, and enhance overall productivity.

As a co-facilitator for the "Mindful Momentum" female empowerment coaching group tailored for high-powered female professionals, Leah collaborates with a distinguished coach and professor from UCLA. Her expertise in boundary setting and resilience has made her a sought-after speaker for leadership groups. Leah addresses individuals navigating perpetual burnout, often fueled by relentless inner critics and the challenges of people-pleasing. Her insights provide a transformative guide for cultivating resilience and establishing healthy boundaries in demanding professional environments.

Beyond her professional commitments, Leah finds joy in traveling, hiking, exercising, and pursuing her upcoming book slated for publication early next year. Additionally, she actively contributes as a coach for her daughter's club soccer team, showcasing her dedication to both personal and community well-being.

Jonathan A. Siegel is a principal in the Orange County, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He has spent more than 27 years at Jackson Lewis representing employers in workplace law matters.  In 2009, Jonathan was recognized as one of the Top 100 Labor Attorneys in America. In 2020 and 2021, Jonathan was recognized in Best Lawyers in America.

Jonathan provides advice and counsel to employers regarding various issues including wage and hour, reduction in force, discipline, leave management, labor, harassment and discrimination issues. 

Jonathan has represented management in NLRB elections, unfair labor practice proceedings, collective bargaining and arbitrations.

Jonathan A. Siegel is a principal in the Orange County, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He has spent more than 27 years at Jackson Lewis representing employers in workplace law matters.  In 2009, Jonathan was recognized as one of the Top 100 Labor Attorneys in America. In 2020 and 2021, Jonathan was recognized in Best Lawyers in America.

Jonathan provides advice and counsel to employers regarding various issues including wage and hour, reduction in force, discipline, leave management, labor, harassment and discrimination issues. 

Jonathan has represented management in NLRB elections, unfair labor practice proceedings, collective bargaining and arbitrations.

James J. McDonald, Jr. is a partner in the Irvine, California and Tampa, Florida offices of Fisher & Phillips LLP, where he is a litigator, trial lawyer and strategic advisor to employers regarding labor and employment law matters.  He is author of the SHRM-published book, California Employment Law: An Employer’s Guide, and he is a frequent speaker on employment law issues.  He is a cum laude law graduate of Georgetown University and a member of the California and Florida Bars, and he holds the SHRM-SCP certification.

Valerie helps companies improve their bottom line by elevating employees from tactical thinkers to strategic leaders.

She served in senior leadership roles at RollsRoyce Aircraft before helping to found InterActiveCorp, parent company to Expedia, Home Shopping Network and TicketMaster. She then went to work for Oprah Winfrey, helping to found the Oxygen channel which was later sold to NBC Universal.

Valerie obtained her mechanical engineering degree from Kettering University and her MBA from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Val’s book, Clash of the Generations: Managing the New Workplace Reality, helps leaders manage multiple generations in the office.

Stephen Paskoff is president and CEO of ELI®, which helps organizations activate and align their values with core organizational behaviors to build respectful, welcoming and inclusive cultures, maximize results and reduce legal and operational risks.

Paskoff has been named the highest-ranking speaker at SHRM’s national conference. The EEOC recognized ELI’s impact and quoted Paskoff in its Harassment Study. He is a nationally recognized speaker, commentator and author on workplace issues.

Before founding ELI® in 1986, Paskoff was an EEOC trial attorney and partner in a management law firm. He authored Teaching Big Shots to Behave and Civility Rules!

Jennifer McClure is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and high-performance coach who works with leaders to leverage their influence, increase their impact, and accelerate results.

Frequently recognized as a global influencer and expert on the future of work, strategic leadership and innovative people strategies, Jennifer has decades of in-the-trenches leadership and executive experience working in and with startups, privately held companies, and Fortune 500 organizations in a variety of industries.

As a top-rated keynote speaker, Jennifer has shared her insights with thousands of leaders at conferences and corporate events around the world. Clients include Procter & Gamble, General Electric, IBM, SAP, Bloomberg, Charles Schwab, Stryker, LinkedIn, Notre Dame University, Society for Human Resource Management, Association for Legal Administrators, and Association for Talent Development.

In her informative and entertaining keynote programs and workshops, she shares a blend of research, best practices, case studies and storytelling which leaves audience members inspired and motivated to take action when they return to work.

Jennifer is also the Chief Excitement Officer of DisruptHR, a global community designed to move the collective thinking forward when it comes to talent in the workplace, and she hosts a weekly podcast – Impact Makers with Jennifer McClure – sharing conversations with practitioners, entrepreneurs, authors and speakers who are changing the world while building careers that they love, and lives that matter.

Steve Mellor is an ICF PCC-certified Executive Coach and has coached high performers for 2 decades such as elite athletes, business owners, executives, and emerging leaders. As the owner of Career Competitor Coaching, Steve oversees coaching and workshop facilitation that ensures clients invest in their optimal selves when pursuing optimal performance. As a speaker, it is Steve’s mission to educate, equip, and empower audiences to make lasting investments into their personal growth, performance mindset, and culture development. An author, a podcast host, a devoted husband, and a committed embarrassing dad to his two children, Steve is the coach who realizes his potential by helping you realize yours

Jack Gottlieb is a results-driven senior executive with 20 years of experience in transforming and revitalizing organizations. As the CEO of Total Solutions Group, a strategic consulting and results-based training firm, he has a proven track record of aligning culture, strategy, and capability to achieve critical short-term and long-term goals. TSG has generated $3.25 billion in ROI for clients in growth, profitability, innovation, and efficiency, including leading fifteen M&As and ten turnarounds from inception to implementation. 

With extensive experience in the C-Suite and as an HR leader Jack has a deep expertise of how to drive organizational health and performance through an embedded employee experience. Jack has had global roles such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, & Chief Culture Officer in banking and currently is the Vice President of Global Capability & Transformation in a market leading test lab in the gaming industry. 
Jack has been one of the top rated speakers and thought leaders for SHRM both at annual and state council conferences. Jack also hosts the successful "L&D Transformation Podcast: How To Lead The Future Of Our Organizations Through Talent Development” which is in its third season with over 100 episodes.