People & Talent Management

Karie Willyerd is the Chief Customer Strategy Officer for GP Strategies and is a fractional CLO in residence for Skillable and Uplimit. A six-time Chief Learning/Talent Officer, she was most recently the SVP and CLO for Visa. She is the only CLO to have taken two companies to number one in the world as recognized by ATD.

Karie is the coauthor of the award-winning The 2020 Workplace and Stretch, an Amazon Editor’s Pick. ATD honored Dr. Willyerd with the 2017 Distinguished Contribution to Talent Development Award. She is on the advisory board for Ezra Coaching and the CSU business school.

Rob Shriver serves as the Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). His portfolio includes recruiting and hiring, pay and leave, labor relations, performance management, the Senior Executive Service, work-life, telework, and supporting governmentwide diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Rob previously served at OPM during President Obama’s Administration. From 2009-2012, Rob was OPM’s Deputy General Counsel for Policy, leading development and implementation of a number of government-wide initiatives, including expanding equality for LGBTQ+ Federal employees, improving Federal sector labor relations, and reforming the hiring process. From 2012-2014, Rob served as OPM’s Assistant Director for National Healthcare Operations, where he led the creation of a new program under the ACA called the Multi-State Plan program.

In the years between his OPM stints, Rob continued to work on the ACA, first in state government, serving from 2014-2018 as the Director of Marketplace Innovation, Policy, and Operations at the District of Columbia Health Benefit Exchange Authority. He then worked for a private sector IT company—IdeaCrew, Inc.—as the Vice President for Business Development, working with states to improve their health benefit exchange IT platforms.

Rob began his career as an Assistant Counsel for the National Treasury Employees Union, litigating cases on behalf of federal employees at all levels of the Federal judiciary from 1996-2009.

Rob earned his B.A. in International Studies from Virginia Tech and his J.D. from George Washington University Law School. He lives in Alexandria, VA, with his wife JoAnn and three children Robby, Mitch, and Justine.

An absolute powerhouse, Lakeisha Robichaux is a speaker, business transformation strategist, leadership expert, and CEO and Founder of Chief of Minds, LLC, a human resources firm. With over 22 years of experience in human resources and leadership positions at several Fortune 100 and 500 companies, she focuses her livelihood on leading authority in complex operations, she is revolutionizing the way organizations succeed by optimizing operations, developing executive leaders and building high-performing teams. With a strategic skillset that is unmatched, Lakeisha is a problem-solver, a success seeker, and the organizational leader that every company needs by their side-and at their table.

An absolute powerhouse, Lakeisha Robichaux is a speaker, business transformation strategist, leadership expert, and CEO and Founder of Chief of Minds, LLC, a human resources firm. With over 22 years of experience in human resources and leadership positions at several Fortune 100 and 500 companies, she focuses her livelihood on leading authority in complex operations, she is revolutionizing the way organizations succeed by optimizing operations, developing executive leaders and building high-performing teams. With a strategic skillset that is unmatched, Lakeisha is a problem-solver, a success seeker, and the organizational leader that every company needs by their side-and at their table.

Dr. David S Cohen, Ed. D. has a vision: organizations that thrive by living their values in good times and especially VUCA times. David's first career was in elementary and high school education, where he built a reputation for building school communities based on purpose and social responsibility. Thirty-three years ago, David transitioned to corporate consulting. As a consultant, David earned a reputation as a contrarian consultant because he does not always follow what is popular in his chosen field. David works with leaders helping them understand what is and what is not necessary to build an active and positive organization. He helps leaders' step into life's challenges, inspiring them to create a sustained approach through a values-based focus, resulting in better business results. David has had the privilege of partnering with firms across five continents and all business sectors. Additionally, he has worked with governments, from the local to the federal levels, and not-for-profits.

He has taught at Queens University School of Labour Relations and the executive education program at the Schulich School of Business, York University. Currently, he teaches organizational development at Durham College. David earned his doctorate from Boston University in Humanistic and Behavioural Studies. During that time, he also completed independent studies at the Harvard School of Education, where he was a teaching assistant.

David is a keynote speaker, educator, disruptor, facilitator, team builder, and executive coach. He has authored two books and numerous articles in professional journals.

• The Talent Edge: A Behavioral Approach to Hiring, Developing, and Keeping Top Performers (John Wiley and Sons, August 2001)
• Inside the Box: Leading With Corporate Values to Drive Sustained Business Success (Jossey-Bass September 2006)

When David is not travelling, he is hanging out with his five grandchildren, when possible, attending Toronto Raptor's games, or relaxing with family and friends.

David is honored to be recognized by the GlobalGurus30 as one of the top 30 GlobalGurus in Organizational Culture.

Global Speaker Sonia Aranza has presented on the international stage from Spain to Singapore.  She brings 27+ years of experience in Diversity, Inclusion & Global Leadership. Her clients include Boeing, CIA, McDonald’s and more. The U.S. Department of Labor describes her work as “Outstanding” and was selected to execute programs for landmark cases. SHRM featured her as a Diversity & Inclusion Expert in HR Magazine and she is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Leadership. She serves on the Faculty of Howard University’s Executive Diversity Program; named “100 Most Influential Filipina Americans in the United States” and honored “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World.”

Kevin Sheridan is an internationally-recognized keynote speaker, a New York Times best-selling author, and one of the most sought-after voices in the world on the topic of employee engagement.  His creation, PEER®, is an industry-changing innovation in Employee Engagement.  Kevin is also the best-selling author of Building a Magnetic Culture and The Virtual Manager whose books have appeared on six Best Seller lists, including:  the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.  In 1988, Kevin received a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School, concentrating on Managerial Decision-making and Strategy, Human Resources Management, and Organizational Behavior.

Kevin Sheridan is an internationally-recognized keynote speaker, a New York Times best-selling author, and one of the most sought-after voices in the world on the topic of employee engagement.  His creation, PEER®, is an industry-changing innovation in Employee Engagement.  Kevin is also the best-selling author of Building a Magnetic Culture and The Virtual Manager whose books have appeared on six Best Seller lists, including:  the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.  In 1988, Kevin received a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School, concentrating on Managerial Decision-making and Strategy, Human Resources Management, and Organizational Behavior.

Kerri Nelson, Ph.D., is the Director of Mission Research at SHRM. She is responsible for leading, developing, and designing strategic, public-facing research that provides organizations, business leaders, and policymakers with evidence-based insights at the intersection of people and work. She also partners with public and private organizations to produce research related to work, worker, and workplace. Kerri has led research on a variety of topics including pay equity, skills-based hiring, untapped talent pools, workplace culture, and the global workforce. Her work has been featured in top news outlets, on podcasts and webinars, and on the Hill.