Caroline Dowd-Higgins
CEO and International Speaker
CEO and International Speaker
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Caroline Dowd-Higgins is passionate about empowering individuals and organizations successfully adapt to today’s complex, ambiguous, and high-velocity work environments. Her speaking, coaching, and consulting, helps organizations to
become more collaborative, creative, entrepreneurial, and agile.

As a former professional opera singer and executive leader, Caroline knows how to navigate the challenges and opportunities in the competitive international marketplace. Certified by the International Coaching Federation, Caroline has also
trained in Design Thinking, Positive Intelligence, and Creating Inclusive Cultures. She is a global expert in leading company culture and specializes in helping leaders design a future path to optimize strengths, magnify influence, and pursue work that is meaningful and rewarding.

Caroline is ardent about unlocking the art-of-the-possible and her engaging and inspiring style helps people and organizations navigate change, overcome challenges, and elevate strengths so they can thrive. With tested tools and resources,
Caroline creates sustainable work cultures that boost productivity, retention, and growth while honoring worker wellbeing at organizations such as Lilly, Salesforce, BAIRD, Deloitte, Sanofi, Rolls Royce, and Goodwill International.

A sought-after public speaker presenting to global audiences, her TEDxWomen talk about reframing failure and defining success on your own terms has been celebratedas a must-watch resource. Caroline hosts the 3-time award winning podcast, Your Working Life with listeners in 34 countries. She has been recognized as a Top Leadership Development Voice for LinkedIn and her video series about career & life empowerment is on YouTube. Her first book, “This Is Not The Career I Ordered” is followed by her new best-selling book, “Your Career Advantage: Overcome Challenges to Achieve a Rewarding Work Life”, helping careerists enjoy their careers and love their lives.

SESSIONS:
Sam Kabert
Author of Bestselling Book & Founder
SoulSeekrz.Com
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Sam Kabert is a successful serial entrepreneur turned spiritual seeker and keynote speaker. He is known for his ability to put together teams to execute the vision. He is the Author of the #1 Bestselling book SOUL/Life Balance, Founder of SwagWorx & Clone Yourself University, and hosts the Soul Seekr Podcast. Despite all of Sam’s ventures and business success and being recognized as one of Silicon Valley’s “40 Under 40” at just age 31 years old and “Rising Star” in the promotional products industry, he soon recognized that something was missing. Sam realized that despite his success, he was unhappy. This understanding catapulted him on his most recent exploration of his life’s purpose. 

He is on a mission to bridge the gap between the way we conduct ourselves in business, mindful practices, how we communicate with everyone, especially oneself, all through prioritizing psychological safety and mental health first.

 

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 - 3:30pm to 4:00pm
Sam Kabert
Author of Bestselling Book & Founder
SoulSeekrz.Com
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Sam Kabert is a successful serial entrepreneur turned spiritual seeker and keynote speaker. He is known for his ability to put together teams to execute the vision. He is the Author of the #1 Bestselling book SOUL/Life Balance, Founder of SwagWorx & Clone Yourself University, and hosts the Soul Seekr Podcast. Despite all of Sam’s ventures and business success and being recognized as one of Silicon Valley’s “40 Under 40” at just age 31 years old and “Rising Star” in the promotional products industry, he soon recognized that something was missing. Sam realized that despite his success, he was unhappy. This understanding catapulted him on his most recent exploration of his life’s purpose. 

He is on a mission to bridge the gap between the way we conduct ourselves in business, mindful practices, how we communicate with everyone, especially oneself, all through prioritizing psychological safety and mental health first.

 

SESSIONS:
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 - 10:15am to 10:45am
Brandon Roberts
VP of People Analytics and AI
ServiceNow
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Brandon Roberts is the group VP of People Analytics and AI at ServiceNow. Roberts has 20 years of experience in people analytics, AI/ML and workforce planning. He has spent his career building and leading teams in these spaces at ServiceNow, Pinterest and Qualcomm. He's passionate about using data and AI to drive better decisions and outcomes at work. Additionally, he is a published author on a variety of HR topics, including advanced analytics, employee experience, cross-cultural psychology at work and equity/inclusion in the workplace.

SESSIONS:
Jack Gottlieb
Personal Pronouns
He/Him/His
CEO
Total Solutions Group
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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.

 

SESSIONS:
James Atkinson
Vice President, Thought Leadership
SHRM
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James Atkinson is the VP, Thought Leadership at SHRM, where he leads research teams uncovering key insights on the challenges and trends affecting HR and the workplace. James joined SHRM with more than 15 years of research, data, and product experience, having spent a decade in various leadership roles within the HR industry. Prior to SHRM, James was the Vice President of Data Products at Payscale, where he was responsible for the overall strategy, development, and delivery of data products for compensation professionals. He also spent 9 years at Gartner, finishing his tenure there as the Managing Vice President of Data Products for the HR research and advisory practice. Across his career, his teams have created award-winning research and data products for HR executives and their teams on topics including learning and development, total rewards, recruiting, talent management, HR strategy, HR technology, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. This work has been featured in top business journals and media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.

James holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Ohio State University.

SESSIONS:
Mike Hess
Founder and Executive Director
Blind Institute of Technology
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After 20 years as a tech veteran managing 7-figure projects for Fortune 500 companies, one thing troubled Mike Hess, he was always the token blind guy. Knowing that the invaluable skills he developed because of his blindness were the keys to his success, he couldn’t understand why unemployment amongst the blind and visually impaired (BVI) community was so high. In his pursuit to reshape the prevailing stigmas and misconceptions surrounding blind and visually impaired professionals within corporate America, Mike undertook a transformative journey. This endeavor resulted in the establishment of Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), dedicated to challenging stereotypes and fostering inclusivity for disabled professionals. Through advocacy, education, and innovative initiatives, BIT strives to create a more equitable and supportive landscape, ultimately redefining the narrative around the capabilities and potential of disabled professionals in the workforce. Using the same skills that made him a success in IT, Mike has built partnerships and placed disabled professionals in Fortune 500 companies nationwide.
 
To address the need for marketable tech skills among people with disabilities, Mike also established the BIT Academy. Through a partnership with Salesforce, the Academy offers specialized courses in Salesforce Administration and Digital Accessibility Analysis, empowering individuals with disabilities to compete effectively in the workforce. As the only approved training provider for people with disabilities by Salesforce, the BIT Academy is committed to leveling the playing field, equipping individuals with high-level certifications for success. Additionally, BIT is the exclusive owner of two nationally Registered Apprenticeship programs for the blind and visually impaired, both endorsed by the U.S. Department of Labor.

SESSIONS:
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 - 4:15pm to 5:15pm
Mike Hess
Founder and Executive Director
Blind Institute of Technology
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After 20 years as a tech veteran managing 7-figure projects for Fortune 500 companies, one thing troubled Mike Hess, he was always the token blind guy. Knowing that the invaluable skills he developed because of his blindness were the keys to his success, he couldn’t understand why unemployment amongst the blind and visually impaired (BVI) community was so high. In his pursuit to reshape the prevailing stigmas and misconceptions surrounding blind and visually impaired professionals within corporate America, Mike undertook a transformative journey. This endeavor resulted in the establishment of Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), dedicated to challenging stereotypes and fostering inclusivity for disabled professionals. Through advocacy, education, and innovative initiatives, BIT strives to create a more equitable and supportive landscape, ultimately redefining the narrative around the capabilities and potential of disabled professionals in the workforce. Using the same skills that made him a success in IT, Mike has built partnerships and placed disabled professionals in Fortune 500 companies nationwide.
 
To address the need for marketable tech skills among people with disabilities, Mike also established the BIT Academy. Through a partnership with Salesforce, the Academy offers specialized courses in Salesforce Administration and Digital Accessibility Analysis, empowering individuals with disabilities to compete effectively in the workforce. As the only approved training provider for people with disabilities by Salesforce, the BIT Academy is committed to leveling the playing field, equipping individuals with high-level certifications for success. Additionally, BIT is the exclusive owner of two nationally Registered Apprenticeship programs for the blind and visually impaired, both endorsed by the U.S. Department of Labor.

SESSIONS:
Katie Duarte
Founder & Feedback Specialist
Action Potential Solutions
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Katie Duarte is the Founder of Action Potential Solutions, a company dedicated to helping organizations improve their effectiveness and success by optimizing feedback. With a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and a research background in feedback dynamics, she brings insights to help organizations make impactful improvements to feedback. Taking a systems approach to her work, Katie also holds two professional designations: one in training and development, and one in organization development, acknowledging that truly effective feedback requires a cooperative effort between the environment (policies and procedures), the feedback giver, and the feedback receiver. 

SESSIONS:
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 - 4:15pm to 5:15pm
Katie Duarte
Founder & Feedback Specialist
Action Potential Solutions
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Katie Duarte is the Founder of Action Potential Solutions, a company dedicated to helping organizations improve their effectiveness and success by optimizing feedback. With a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and a research background in feedback dynamics, she brings insights to help organizations make impactful improvements to feedback. Taking a systems approach to her work, Katie also holds two professional designations: one in training and development, and one in organization development, acknowledging that truly effective feedback requires a cooperative effort between the environment (policies and procedures), the feedback giver, and the feedback receiver. 

SESSIONS: