General Session

At the age of 36, the Navy selected Abrashoff to become Commander of USS Benfold - at the time, the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific Fleet. The immediate challenges that faced him were staggering: Exceptionally low morale with unacceptably high turnover. Few thought that this ship could improve. The solution was to establish a system of management techniques that he calls “The Leadership Roadmap” – a practice that empowers every individual to share the responsibility of achieving excellence. "It's your ship," he was known to say. His former sailors to this day still remind him of it. Regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, Benfold won the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.

Prior to commanding USS Benfold, Abrashoff served as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the Honorable Dr. William J. Perry. He also helped draft the air defense plan for naval forces in the Persian Gulf in 1990, coinciding with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait; and served as the Executive Officer of the Cruiser Shiloh, where he deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of United Nations sanctions against Iraq.

Cisco Chief Inclusion & Collaboration Officer Shari Slate is responsible for building a strategy that enhances Cisco’s vision to be a world class, benchmark company for inclusion and collaboration, driving exponential value across Cisco, its partners and customers. She is promoting thought leadership across Cisco’s people strategy enabling employee engagement and inclusion outcomes to fuel innovation and market leadership. She is also directing the integration of new models of inclusion and collaboration designed to guide future workplace practices to realize the $19 billion opportunity of the Internet of Everything over the next decade.

In her previous role, Slate served as Chief Inclusion and Collaboration Strategist for Cisco’s Sales Organization. She was responsible for making inclusion relevant in the revenue generating arm of the business and incubating new strategies for fostering full spectrum participation to unleash the power and potential of people.

Slate joined Cisco in 2010. Prior to that, she was Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Global Community Affairs at Sun Microsystems. Slate has been widely recognized for her visionary leadership and her transformational views on the true value of inclusion. The YWCA recently named her a 2014 “Tribute to Women in Industry” honoree. In 2013, she was named one of Diversity Woman Magazine’s “Stars Who Mean Business”. Previously, she was honored by the California Diversity Council as one of the “Most Influential Women in California” and a “Woman Worth Watching” by Diversity Journal Magazine. She received the National Coalition of 100 Black Women 2010 Corporate Leader Award and The Network Journal's "40 Under Forty" Achievement Award. Slate serves on numerous charitable and community organizational initiatives and advisory boards.

Slate holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political, legal, and economic analysis from Mills College.

Chaz Bono is an LGBTQ rights advocate, author, speaker, and the only child of famed entertainers Sonny and Cher. Chaz’s decision to come out prompted his public work in support of LGBTQ rights and social justice. Chaz has contributed as a writer-at-large to The Advocate and became spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, promoting National Coming Out Day. Chaz also served as Entertainment Media Director for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). An acclaimed author, Chaz has written three books including Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man, Family Outing: A Guide to the Coming Out Process for Gays, Lesbians, and Their Families, and The End of Innocence: A Memoir.

Shiza Shahid is an entrepreneur and social activist of Pakistani origin. She is the CEO and co-founder of the Malala Fund, the organization representing the young Pakistani activist who was shot by the Taliban for her campaign for girls’ education. A graduate of Stanford University, Shiza was previously a business analyst at McKinsey & Company in the Middle East. She is now leading Malala Fund in its work to empower girls through education. Shiza was recently named one of TIME magazine’s “30 Under 30 World Changers” and to Forbes “30 Under 30″ list of social entrepreneurs.

An entrepreneur in every sense of the word, Daymond John has come a long way from taking out a $100,000 mortgage on his mother’s house and moving his operation into the basement. John is CEO and Founder of FUBU, a much-celebrated global lifestyle brand, and a pioneer in the fashion industry with over $6 billion in product sales. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, and he has received over 35 awards including the Brandweek Marketer of the Year, Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, Ernst & Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award and, most recently, was named #4 on LinkedIn’s Top 20 Voices, a list of the top influencers in the U.S. worth following to get inspired and stay informed!

His marketing strategies and ability to build successful brands has made him a highly influential consultant and motivational speaker today. His marketing firm The Shark Group offers advice on how to effectively communicate to consumers through innovative means and connects brands with the world’s top celebrities for everything from endorsements to product extensions. John is also an author of four best-selling books including his New York Times best-selling books, The Power of Broke (2016) and Rise and Grind (2018). In March 2020, John will release his sixth book, Powershift, that walks through his tried and true process of how to transform any situation, close any deal and achieve any outcome through his own experience and vast network of industry leaders.

Finally, he’s celebrating his 11th season on ABC’s hit business show Shark Tank by acclaimed producer Mark Burnett. It has now gone on to win four Emmys and millions of weekly viewers tune into the show as John demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights.

Brian J. Glade, SPHR, GPHR is the Managing Director of Global Strategy and the Americas at the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC). In this role, he is responsible for membership in North, Central, and South America, as well as serving as Secretary to the AESC Board of Directors.

Prior to joining AESC in May 2011, Brian led global member programs for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. The Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Brian was responsible for educating the Society’s constituents on global human resource management issues; providing guidance in the globalization of SHRM members, products, and services; and representing the Society and the profession abroad. Brian established the SHRM offices in Beijing, PRC, and Mumbai, India. 

Prior to joining SHRM in 1997, Brian worked at Texaco, Inc., corporate headquarters in New York for five years in a variety of positions. As International Human Resources Advisor he was responsible for developing a global approach to Texaco’s human resource policies. As Coordinator for Total Quality Management (TQM) in an operating division, Brian had oversight for developing and delivering TQM and reengineering activities. He also served as a Project Developer responsible for introducing a Texaco-licensed clean energy technology in European markets. 

Previously, Brian worked at the United States Council for International Business, a policy association in New York City representing 300 U.S. companies before international organizations. As Vice President for International Labor Affairs, he served as U.S. Employer Delegate to the International Labor Organization (ILO) where he negotiated labor standards with trade unions and governments. Brian testified before the US Congress on international labor standards. He was also active in shaping social affairs policy before the European Commission in Brussels and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Brian acquired certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) from the HR Certification Institute. 

Brian earned his M.A. in International Affairs from the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of the Johns Hopkins University. As part of that program, he studied in Bologna, Italy for one year. His B.A. in Government is from the University of Notre Dame. Brian’s language training includes French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Latin. 

Brian is a frequent speaker at HR management conferences around the world.

Amy Goldfinger joined Heidrick & Struggles in 2006 and is a Partner in the Global Human Resources Advisory Practice.  Amy focuses on senior level searches across industry including Chief Human Resources Officers, Heads of Talent Management, Heads of Organizational Development, Chief Learning Officers, Heads of Rewards, Heads of Recruiting and their direct reports.

Amy also executes mandates for senior infrastructure positions, financial officers, private equity investment professionals, and investment bankers and their direct reports.  She manages the North American HR efforts for the Global Financial Services Practice.

In addition to her search portfolio, Amy advises clients in the areas of HR transformation, talent management program strategy and execution, and onboarding.

Prior to joining the Firm, Amy was a Product Director at Dun & Bradstreet, managing a portfolio of risk management products and services.  Earlier, Amy spent six years at Booz Allen Hamilton, where she specialized in the design and implementation of leadership development programs and competency-based human capital systems, including selection and recruitment, and post-merger integrations for both public and private organizations. 

Amy earned her MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA in Psychology with a minor in Business from the University of Rochester.  She is a Certified Professional in Human Resources Management and has a certificate in executive coaching.

Patrick Lencioni is founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to providing organizations with ideas, products, and services that improve teamwork, clarity, and employee engagement.

Lencioni’s passion for organizations and teams is reflected in his writing, speaking, and executive consulting. He is the author of eleven best-selling books with nearly five million copies sold. His capstone book, The Advantage, is the pre-eminent source on organizational health and became an immediate best-seller. After twelve years in print, his classic book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, remains a weekly fixture on national best-seller lists. He is also author to The Ideal Team Player, a much-anticipated follow-up to his team book.

The wide-spread appeal of Lencioni’s leadership models have yielded a diverse base of speaking and consulting clients, including a mix of Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, the military, non-profits, schools, and churches. 

Lencioni addresses thousands of leaders each year at world-class organizations and national conferences. Consistently the top rated keynote speaker at major events, Lencioni shares his insights and inspires his audiences through his accessibility, humor and story-telling.

Named in Fortune magazine as one of the ‘ten new gurus you should know,’ Lencioni and his work have been featured in USA TODAY, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Harvard Business Review, to name a few.

Prior to founding his firm, he worked as a corporate executive for Sybase, Oracle and Bain & Company. Pat lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and four sons.

 

Ann Rhoades is a dynamic and visionary Human Resources Executive with over 25 years experience in a variety of service-based industries. She held the position of vice president of the People Department for Southwest Airlines and executive vice president of Team Services for Promus Hotel Corporation and most recently, the executive vice president of People for JetBlue Airways where she currently remains as a Board Member as well as President of People Ink, her Human Resources consulting company.

Rhoades has a respected reputation in the industry for her creative approach to creating cultures around fun and for blending cultures in merger situations. During her tenure with Doubletree Hotels, later Promus Hotel Corporation, she built a service culture focused on delivering outstanding service to Guests. During the time Rhoades headed the People Department at Southwest Airlines, she solidified Southwest’s reputation of retaining and hiring the best people in the airline business despite Southwest’s rapid growth during that time. Most recently, Rhoades took responsibility for the creation of JetBlue Airways Corporation’s People Team in New York.

In her role as head of Human Resources, Rhoades has been a key member of the executive team, and is extremely successful in her role as internal counsel to executives in every discipline in the organization.

Rhoades is a popular speaker on the subject of customer service and how to build a strong service culture. She has great passion for certain industries such as healthcare where she is making a great contribution to revitalizing the workforce and culture of our nation’s hospitals. She serves on patient safety and quality task forces with the Texas Medical Institute of Technology involved in setting metrics used in pay-for-performance programs across the country such as the Leapfrog Group. She is co-founder and CEO of CareLeaders Corporation a company dedicated to help US hospitals attain a new level of performance. Her community involvement includes the University of New Mexico-Robert O Anderson School of Business National Advisory Board and former Board of Director, Albuquerque Community Foundation. Rhoades currently serves on JetBlue Airways Corporation, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Accion New Mexico, HireVue, Inc., and executive council, Brigham & Women’s Hospital Harvard Medical School Boards and as chairwoman for Safer New Mexico Now. Rhoades has an MBA in Management from the University of New Mexico.

John Foley has spent nearly a decade sharing practical and inspirational messages on High Performance with audiences around the world. The former lead solo pilot for the famed Blue Angels flight-demonstration squadron is among the most soughtafter conference speakers, presenting keynote messages at more than 100 events a year. He also is the founder and CEO of CenterPoint Companies, which provides in-depth training on the How of High Performance. And he is the founder of the Glad To Be Here® Foundation, which administers a giving-forward program that partners with clients to make donations to worthy charities.

Bruce A. Morrison is Chairman of the Morrison Public Affairs Group (MPAG), which he founded in 2001 to conduct and supervise a broad practice involving strategic advice and representation for both domestic and international clients. His work involves advocacy both in Congress and the Executive branch, as well as building alliances within the private sector. His areas of expertise include housing and housing finance, economic development, financial services, and immigration policy. From 1995 to 2000, Mr. Morrison served as Chairman of the Federal Housing Finance Board, an independent agency regulating the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks. In this role, he was responsible for development of extensive affordable housing policies and spearheaded the development of a mortgage purchase program. He was intimately involved with issues of housing and housing finance at his agency and throughout the Executive branch. His work included the successful advocacy of the passage of the Federal Home Loan Bank Modernization Act of 1999, a bi-partisan effort which provided for new powers for the Banks, devolution of management, and a modern risk-based capital structure. Mr. Morrison provided the Banks with new business opportunities in housing finance and economic development through pilot programs and regulatory innovations. From 1983 to 1991, Mr. Morrison represented the Third District of Connecticut (New Haven) in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served on the Banking Committee, playing a leadership role in financial services oversight, housing and housing finance, and U.S. policy regarding the World Bank, the IMF, and the LDC debt crisis. He crafted legislative strategies for the creation of housing development in Connecticut. He also secured funding and assisted local governments in the State to execute economic and housing development projects. He also served on the Judiciary Committee. As chairman of its Immigration Subcommittee, he led the passage of the Immigration Act of 1990, a comprehensive reform, which included expanded admission of skilled workers. Mr. Morrison was the Democratic candidate for Governor of Connecticut in 1990. From 1991 to 1995, he was a partner in the law firm of Morrison & Swaine. In 1992 and 1996, he was Co-Chairman of Irish-Americans for Clinton-Gore, and served throughout the Clinton Administration as an advisor and intermediary in the Irish peace process. From 1992 to 1995, he was a member of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform. Mr. Morrison holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from MIT and a master’s degree in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois. He is a graduate of the Yale Law School.