Leadership & Personal Growth

Dr. Dieter Veldsman is a renowned figure in the field of organizational psychology and HR, with a distinguished 15-year career in Strategic HR, Organizational Design, and Development. Throughout his professional journey, he has held key positions, including Group Chief Human Resource Officer, People Effectiveness Executive, and Principal Consultant, allowing him to make impactful contributions to organizations across regions like EMEA, APAC, and LATAM.

Dr. Veldsman's expertise in the HR sector has earned him prestigious recognition, including the 'Chief HR Officer of the Year' by the CHRO SA Society in 2021 and the 'Practitioner of the Year Award' by the Society for Industrial Psychology South Africa in 2018.

As a sought-after speaker at global conferences, he delves into crucial topics such as HR, The Future of Work, and Organizational Development. Additionally, he hosts "The HR Dialogues," a compelling videocast where he engages with leading HR professionals worldwide, sharing valuable insights and experiences. Over the last 12 years, he has spoken at over 100 conferences and published over 80 articles on HR and the future of work. 

Currently serving as the Chief HR Scientist at the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR), Dr. Veldsman is dedicated to spearheading thought leadership, subject matter expertise, and research initiatives to empower and educate 100,000 HR professionals by 2025.
 

Tyler Cahill is a Senior People Scientist at Culture Amp, supporting customers in the Eastern region of North America. 

Prior to joining Culture Amp, Tyler worked in Talent Optimization and Strategy both internally and externally for Fortune 100 clients, designing programs that targeted employee engagement and retention. In previous roles, Tyler has developed listening strategies, competency models, selection methodologies, recognition programs, learning journeys, leadership development, 360 feedback, and performance management processes. 

He received his BS in Psychology from Iowa State University and his Master’s in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Roosevelt University. Tyler currently serves on the SIOP Visibility committee, working with a team of fellow I/O Psychologists to deploy and publish SIOP’s annual Top Ten Work Trends. 

Tyler’s interests and speaking topics include engagement, recognition, unconscious bias, leadership development, and employee selection.

Dr. Wade Larson is a workforce consultant and human resources executive with 30-years of experience in strategy, leadership enablement, and talent management. His    expertise in HR and leadership helps organizations improve structures, culture, management, and leadership to achieve their goals. As an international speaker, published author, and professor, he strives to help others achieve the best versions of themselves. Wade has worked with hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders to shift mindsets, innovate programs, and lead change that helps them do more, achieve more, and live their best lives.

Ryan Leak is a best-selling author, researcher, and transformational speaker who gets an opportunity to impact 100,000 people every single month through his inspiring keynotes. He trains over 50,000 leaders each year, from Fortune 100 companies to professional sports teams. He’s widely known for his viral documentary, The Surprise Wedding, where he and his wife got engaged and married on the same day. Their story also led to an opportunity for Ryan to meet Kobe Bryant and try out for the Phoenix Suns, highlighted in another documentary called Chasing Failure. Ryan leverages hilarious stories to inspire audiences to see their challenges as opportunities to level up in their life and careers. 

Nejat Abdurahman is the founder and lead at N-BAC, a business advisory and consulting firm that helps organizations transform the way they lead to transform their business and create a sustainable impact. Nejat is a certified Leadership and Emotional Intelligence coach, a keynote speaker, and a trainer. She facilitates Leadership Development programs at N-BAC Academy to equip managers and leaders with the needed skills to transform the way they lead.Nejat earned her MBA from Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst and holds a BA degree in Economics from Addis Ababa University. 

Discover the extraordinary journey of Dethra U. Giles, the visionary force behind ExecuPrep, pioneering leadership development and organizational transformation. Rooted in education, performance optimization, and HR, Dethra empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to surpass their expectations. With degrees in English, Spanish, Business and Conflict Management, she blends communication and cultural understanding seamlessly. As a respected faculty member and TEDx speaker, her influence resonates globally, shaping inclusive cultures in corporate giants like LVMH and the EPA. Dethra's compassion fuels her advocacy for social justice, while her writings and media presence inspire resilience and growth. With her, the future promises boundless opportunity and transformation.

Discover the extraordinary journey of Dethra U. Giles, the visionary force behind ExecuPrep, pioneering leadership development and organizational transformation. Rooted in education, performance optimization, and HR, Dethra empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to surpass their expectations. With degrees in English, Spanish, Business and Conflict Management, she blends communication and cultural understanding seamlessly. As a respected faculty member and TEDx speaker, her influence resonates globally, shaping inclusive cultures in corporate giants like LVMH and the EPA. Dethra's compassion fuels her advocacy for social justice, while her writings and media presence inspire resilience and growth. With her, the future promises boundless opportunity and transformation.

As founder of WorkJoy, Tina builds on 20 years of operations, technology consulting, and HR leadership experience to provide facilitation and coaching solutions to organizations ready to unleash the potential of their people. She co-creates talent programs that drive business outcomes and deliver human results, partnering with leaders from prominent organizations including Fabletics, FOX Sports, National Wildlife Federation, SAP, Savage X Fenty, and Spotify. Tina graduated from the University of Virginia (BA), University of Michigan (MBA), and Coactive Training Institute coaching program, and is adjunct faculty at Loyola Marymount University. She lives in Los Angeles with her writer husband and two pet parrots.

As founder of WorkJoy, Tina builds on 20 years of operations, technology consulting, and HR leadership experience to provide facilitation and coaching solutions to organizations ready to unleash the potential of their people. She co-creates talent programs that drive business outcomes and deliver human results, partnering with leaders from prominent organizations including Fabletics, FOX Sports, National Wildlife Federation, SAP, Savage X Fenty, and Spotify. Tina graduated from the University of Virginia (BA), University of Michigan (MBA), and Coactive Training Institute coaching program, and is adjunct faculty at Loyola Marymount University. She lives in Los Angeles with her writer husband and two pet parrots.

Sara Taylor, President and Founder of deepSEE Consulting, has 35 years of extensive experience, nationally recognized as in the practice of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion serving local, national and global clients. While her areas of specialty are in both Diversity and Leadership Development, Sara has become a thought leader particularly in the field of Cultural Competence. Her bestselling book, Filter Shift: How Effective People SEE the World, is used by numerous individuals and organizations to increase success and create greater effectiveness. Sara holds a Master's degree in Diversity and Organizational Development and, prior to founding deepSEE, held positions such as Chief Diversity Officer and Leadership and Diversity Specialist.