General Session

Nilanjan (Neel) Adhya is the Chief Digital Officer of BlackRock. In his role, Neel actively collaborates with marketing, design, product and sales teams at BlackRock to reimagine all aspects of digital experiences, create new digital innovations, build great experiences and accelerate transformation across the digital ecosystem.

Neel has over 25 years of experience working at the intersection of technology, platforms, and people to help global organizations leverage new business models and drive growth.

Sherri Shepherd is a Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show host, comedian, actress, and best-selling author who brings her inimitable, authentic and comedic perspective to daytime with her own #1 new nationally syndicated talk show, SHERRI. Hailed as "TV's New Feel Good Queen," Shepherd’s warm, relatable and engaging personality shines through as she offers her comedic take on the day’s entertainment news, pop culture, and trending topics with her daytime audience. As America's favorite girl next door, her comedy-driven show features celebrity interviews, informative experts, moments of inspiration and amazing everyday people to create an hour of entertainment escapism.  

With an illustrious career spanning three decades, Shepherd’s longevity serves as a testament to her immense talent and undeniable appeal. Shepherd's ability to connect with audiences of diverse backgrounds and her commitment to authentic storytelling have undoubtedly contributed to her success. Her recent triumphs include winning two 2023 NAACP Image Awards, where she took home awards for Outstanding Talk Series for SHERRI; and Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast for her podcast Two Funny Mamas with fellow comedic actress Kym Whitley. Shepherd and Whitley also won in 2022 for Outstanding Lifestyle and Self-Help podcast.  

In addition to her NAACP Image Awards victories, Shepherd also garnered recognition for her exceptional work in the daytime television realm. Her talk show, SHERRI,  garnered four 2023 Daytime Emmy Awards nominations for Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host, Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup, Outstanding Costume Design / Styling and Outstanding Promotional Announcement. Her recent nominations confirm her commitment to excellence and her ability to consistently deliver standout performances that resonate with viewers. 

Whether on stage or screen, Sherri Shepherd’s magnetic personality and hilarious sense of humor never fails to delight audiences. Shepherd’s multifaceted career includes roles in several acclaimed television and film projects. She can currently be seen in the HBO MAX series Sex Lives of College Girls; and had a guest starring role on the new season of Amazon’s HARLEM. She co-starred in the Netflix hit comedy series Mr. Iglesias; and as a recurring guest star on ABC’s Call Your Mother. Shepherd’s other television credits include 30 Rock, Trial and Error, Rosewood, Man With a Plan, How I Met Your Mother, Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends and The Jamie Foxx Show. Her film credits include her first theatrical lead role in Brian Banks, Netflix’s A Week Away, Lifetime’s "Imperfect High, Precious, Think Like A Man, Top 5, Ride Along 2, Walk. Ride. Rodeo, Jean of The Joneses, Woodlawn, One For The Money, Abducted: The Carlina White Story, Guess Who, Beauty Shop, and more.  She was the first African-American woman to host a game show as host of four seasons of “The Newlywed Game. She made history portraying the first African-American version of the Evil Stepmother in the Broadway production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. 

 As a standup comic, Shepherd is always ready to bring the laughs and excitement to the stage. She toured with legendary musicians KEM and Babyface, hosting “The Full Circle Tour.” Shepherd also opened for fellow comedian and friend Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias at his history-making comedy show at Dodgers Stadium, selling out more than 45,000 seats, making it the third biggest comedy show ever and the biggest ever in Los Angeles. In 2019, Shepherd co-headlined the all-female led comedy tour, “Ladies Night Out Comedy Tour,” with Loni Love, Kym Whitley and Adele Givens. 

Through her own production company, Faith Walker, Shepherd launched, and executive produced the NAACP Image Award-winning podcast Two Funny Mamas that she co-hosts with fellow actress Kym Whitley. A New York Times best-selling author, Shepherd released two books, “Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don't Have It),” and “Permission Slips: Every Woman's Guide to Giving Herself a Break." 

 Beyond her accolades, Shepherd's impact extends beyond the screen. She has become a prominent voice in championing inclusivity and representation, using her platform to advocate for underrepresented communities, children with special needs and women in the workplace. Her dedication to using her influence for positive change is truly commendable and showcases her commitment to making a lasting impact in both the entertainment industry and society as a whole. 

With an undeniable presence and a talent that knows no bounds, Sherri Shepherd continues to redefine what it means to be a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. As she continues to push boundaries, inspire others, and captivate audiences worldwide, Sherri Shepherd remains a force to be reckoned with, leaving an indelible mark on the industry for years to come. 

Jessica Jensen is Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Indeed. She is responsible for brand, communication, product and acquisition marketing globally.  Before joining Indeed, Jessica was CMO at OpenTable. Prior to OpenTable, she led B2B marketing for Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and other Meta platforms. She has held leadership roles at Apple and Yahoo! and started her professional career at the Boston Consulting Group. Jessica holds an MBA from INSEAD, a Masters in International Relations from University of California San Diego and a B.A. from Amherst College.

Svenja Gudell is Chief Economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Business Economics. Prior to joining Indeed, Svenja was Chief Economist at Zillow Group. Previously, Svenja worked on economic, financial and strategic consulting for Analysis Group, and was an assistant economist in the research group of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Svenja has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Rochester, a master’s degree in economics from New York University, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Rochester, and a Ph.D. in finance from the University of Rochester.

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, is President and Chief Executive Officer of SHRM. With nearly 325,000 members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 235 million workers and families globally.

As a global leader on the future of employment, culture, and leadership, Mr. Taylor is a sought-after voice on all matters affecting work, workers, and the workplace. Recently named one of the “Most Influential People Shaping Public Policy” in our nation’s Capital by Washingtonian Magazine, Mr. Taylor is frequently asked to testify before Congress on critical workforce issues and authors the weekly USA Today column, "Ask HR."

Mr. Taylor's career spans over 20 years as a lawyer, human resources executive, and CEO in both the not-for-profit and for-profit space. He has held senior and chief executive roles at IAC/Interactive Corp, Viacom's Paramount Pictures, Blockbuster Entertainment Group, the McGuireWoods law firm, and Compass Group USA. Most recently, Mr. Taylor was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

He is the author of the national bestseller, RESET: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval, which delivers a candid and forward-thinking vision for leaders to reimagine their company cultures in a time of global upheaval and presents data-driven strategies to make the necessary foundational reset of all things work. Immediately upon its release in September 2021, RESET was in the top three of the Wall Street Journal’s list of best-selling hardcover business books. All author proceeds benefit the SHRM Foundation, which is committed to empowering HR as a social force for change.

Mr. Taylor sits on several corporate boards, including as Lead Independent Director of XPO Logistics (NYSE: XPO) and as an Independent Director of Guild Education and Flores & Associates. In addition, he dedicates himself to non-profit organizations, serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami and as a Trustee of the United Way Worldwide. Mr. Taylor was appointed chairman of the President’s Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and as a member of the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board during the Trump Administration.

The Women Business Collaborative (WBC) named Mr. Taylor as one of its 2023 Trailblazers in Gender Equity and Diversity for his work to achieve equal positions, pay, and power for all women in business. In 2020, he received the Distinguished Executive of the Year Award from the Academy of Management, and he was named 2021 ALA Professional Society CEO of the Year by CEO Update.

He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources and is licensed to practice law in Florida, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.

Jason Sudeikis is an award-winning actor, comedian, producer, and writer who stars as the buoyant optimist Ted Lasso in the widely popular Apple TV+ series he co-created. Good to the core, its first season was honored with the prestigious Peabody Award “for offering the perfect counter to the enduring prevalence of toxic masculinity, both on-screen and off, in a moment when the nation truly needs inspiring models of kindness.” The first season garnered 7 Primetime Emmy Awards after being nominated for a historic 20. Following the second season, it once again garnered 20 nominations at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, winning four total, including Outstanding Comedy Series, acting awards for Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein, and a directing award for MJ Delaney.

In 2021, Sudeikis was the recipient of two Emmy Awards, “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series” and “Outstanding Comedy Series" for Ted Lasso. In 2022, he won both of those awards for the second year in a row. He was also awarded a Golden Globe for best actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series, and a Critics Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. The Writers Guild of America awarded Sudeikis and the show “Best Comedy Series” and “Best New Series.”

Best known for his amazing work on Saturday Night Live, Jason made an even bigger name for himself in tentpole comedy films. In 2011, he starred in the hit comedy Horrible Bosses. Quickly thereafter he found himself again alongside Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Foxx in the smash sequel Horrible Bosses 2. His hilarious performance as a small-time pot dealer David Clark in We’re the Millers in 2013 helped the film make over $270 million at the box office.

Jason’s recent work includes dramatic turns in Nacho Vigolando’s sci-fi thriller Colossal opposite Anne Hathaway, Alexander Payne’s Downsizing alongside Matt Damon, and Kodachrome opposite Ed Harris. Jason also stars in the dramatic thriller Driven where he plays conman-turned-FBI-informant Jim Hoffman as he and his handler take down the mysterious, wealthy, and drug-embroiled millionaire John DeLorean (played by Lee Pace). He also starred alongside Jessica Biel in the indie drama The Book of Love, played legendary Jesse Owens coach and mentor, Larry Snyder in Race, and won viewers over as Jake in Leslye Headland’s Sleeping with Other People. He can also be seen opposite Rebecca Hall in Tumbledown. Other recent films include the 2016 heist comedy Masterminds alongside Zach Galifianakis and Kristen Wiig and playing Principal Brown in the film Booksmart.

Born in Fairfax, Virginia Jason grew up in Overland Park, Kansas. Though he received a basketball scholarship to a local junior college after high school, he found his true passion in show business 40 miles away where he spent every weekend taking classes at the then ComedySportz Theater in Kansas City. Jason later made his way to the Chicago as part of renowned touring improv companies before moving to Nevada to become a founding member of The Second City Las Vegas. In 2003, Jason sent a tape of his work to the producers of Saturday Night Live, earning him a coveted spot on the show’s writing team. Two years later, Jason was in front of the camera as a cast favorite, skyrocketing his career as a beloved comedian and actor. Sudeikis completed his eighth and final season on the legendary show in 2013, cementing his place as a fan favorite with his Presidential impersonations and charming characters.

Jason’s other small screen work includes a multi-episode arc on the comedy Last Man on Earth alongside his fellow SNL alum, Will Forte. He served as Executive Producer with Lorne Michaels on the workplace buddy comedy Detroiters, voiced the lead in the animated comedy, Son of Zorn, and garnered rave reviews as Tina Fey’s love interest in 30 Rock. He was also seen in Eastbound & Down, Seth MacFarlane’s The Cleveland Show, and guest starred in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as the forgotten fourth member of Paddy’s gang, Schmitty. Jason voiced the lead role of Red in the Angry Birds animated film series for Sony and lent his voice to the animated Marvel series Hit-Monkey on Hulu in November of 2021.

Taking his talents to the stage in late 2016, Jason led Dead Poets Society at the acclaimed Classic Stage Company Off-Broadway, where he played Robin Williams’ iconic role of Professor John Keating in the film of the same name.

Jason is actively involved with The Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City as well as other charities. He currently resides in New York City.

Reshma Saujani is a leading activist and founder and CEO of Moms First.  She is also the founder and former CEO of Girls Who Code. She has spent more than a decade building movements to fight for women and girls’ economic empowerment, working to close the gender gap in the tech sector, and most recently advocating for policies to support moms impacted by the pandemic. Reshma’s newest book Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work (and Why It's Different Than You Think) presents a bold plan to address the burnout and inequity harming America’s working women today.  She is also the author of the international bestseller Brave, Not Perfect, and her influential TED talk, “Teach girls, bravery not perfection,” has more than five million views globally. 

Reshma began her career as an attorney and Democratic organizer. In 2010, she surged onto the political scene as the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress. During the race, Reshma visited local schools and saw the gender gap in computing classes firsthand, which led her to start Girls Who Code. She also served as New York City’s Deputy Public Advocate, where she created innovative partnerships to support DREAMers and promote campaign finance reform, among other initiatives. 

In her nine-year tenure as the CEO of Girls Who Code, Reshma grew the organization to one of the largest and most prestigious non-profits in the country. Today, Girls Who Code has taught 300,000 girls through direct in-person computer science education programming, and reached 500 million people worldwide through its New York Times-bestselling book series and award-winning campaigns. In 2019, Girls Who Code was awarded Most Innovative Non-Profit by Fast Company.

In response to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on America’s moms, Reshma launched the Marshall Plan for Moms to advocate for policies that value women’s labor in and out of the home. Reshma has successfully worked with House and Senate leaders to introduce “Marshall Plan for Moms” legislation at the federal level and is continuing to act as an outside agitator to change culture through creative awareness campaigns. In 2023, Marshall Plan for Moms became Moms First, a reflection of the progress made in the last two years and a rallying cry to expand the movement we’re building together.

Reshma is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and Yale Law School. Her innovative approach to movement building has earned her broad recognition on lists including: Fortune World’s Greatest Leaders; Fortune 40 Under 40; WSJ Magazine Innovator of the Year; Forbes Most Powerful Women Changing the World; and Fast Company 100 Most Creative People, among others. She is the winner of the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. 

Reshma serves on the Board of Overseers for Harvard University and on the Board of Overseers for the International Rescue Committee, which provides aid to refugees and those impacted by humanitarian crises. In addition, she serves on the Board of Trustees of the Economic Club of New York, and as an ex-officio Trustee of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Reshma lives in New York City with her husband, Nihal, their sons, Shaan and Sai, and their bulldog, Stanley. 

As executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Kathleen Hogan empowers 220,000+ global employees to achieve Microsoft’s mission. In her role, she focuses on making Microsoft an exceptional place for employees to work, and ensures that the company is creating a culture that attracts and inspires the world’s most passionate talent.

Hogan previously served as corporate vice president of Microsoft Services, a team dedicated to helping businesses and consumers maximize the value of their investment in Microsoft technologies. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2003, she was a partner at McKinsey & Co. and a development manager at Oracle Corp.

In 2021, Hogan was named “HR Executive of the Year” by Human Resource Executive magazine for her leadership and people strategy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She sits on the board of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) as well as the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) Executive Council. As a breast cancer survivor and former board member of the Puget Sound affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, she lends her personal and business perspective to that board of directors. Hogan is also involved in the Seattle community and is a board member of the Alaska Air Group.

Hogan earned her bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and economics, magna cum laude, from Harvard University. In addition, she holds an M.B.A. from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Bethany is an American entrepreneur and CEO of Humane. 

Prior to co-founding Humane with her husband Imran Chaudhri in 2019, Bethany previously led the teams behind some of Apple's most transformational products. As a Director of Software Engineering, she was responsible for all software project management for iOS and macOS and also played a key leadership role in the execution of critical projects such as the launch of the original iPad.

Prior to her time at Apple, Bethany studied physics, worked in astrophysics research, and was a data management and software development consultant. Bethany is passionate about building and leading high-performing teams to solve complex problems.

Humane

Humane is an experience company creating the technologies and platforms for the intelligence age. Founded by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno in 2019, Humane’s mission is to deliver the next era of personal mobile computing, which will be one driven by AI.

In November 2023, Humane launched Ai Pin - the first wearable device and software platform built to harness the full power of AI. Ai Pin marks a new beginning for personal consumer technology, offering users the ability to take AI with them everywhere in an entirely new, conversational and screenless form factor. It was available to order in the US from November 16th, starting at $699 for the complete system, and will begin shipping in March 2024.

In May 2023, Imran publicly gave a preview of Ai Pin for the first time on the TED stage in Vancouver, during his TED Talk: The disappearing computer - and a world where you can take AI everywhere. The full form factor of the device was then shown at Paris Fashion Week in September 2023, worn for the first time publicly by Naomi Campbell during Coperni’s show.

In March 2023, Humane announced it raised a $100 million Series C round, led by Kindred Ventures, and secured a roster of significant new partners including Microsoft, OpenAI, Qualcomm, LG and Volvo. 

Humane believes that Ai presents a huge opportunity for us to redefine our relationship with technology and that it will enable personal mobile computing to become faster, more powerful and easier to use.

Cassie Kozyrkov is CEO at Data Scientific, an elite agency that helps world leaders and chief executives optimize their biggest decisions. She is known for founding the field of Decision Intelligence at Google where she served as Google’s first Chief Decision Scientist, advising leadership on decision process, AI strategy, and building data-driven organizations.

In almost 10 years at Google, Cassie personally trained over 20,000 Googlers in data-driven decision-making and AI and has helped over 500 projects implement decision intelligence best practices. Before that, she served in Google's Office of the CTO as Chief Data Scientist. The rest of her 20 years of experience was split between consulting, data science, lecturing, and academia.

She hails from South Africa, where she began her undergraduate studies in statistics at age 15 at Nelson Mandela University before moving to the United States to complete a degree in economics at the University of Chicago. She then earned graduate degrees in mathematical statistics, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience from Duke University and NCSU.

Cassie is also a top keynote speaker and a beloved personality in the data leadership community, followed by over half a million tech professionals. If you've had a good chuckle while learning about AI, statistics, or decision-making, chances are you've encountered her writing, which has reached millions of readers. She has been honored as a LinkedIn Top Voice for 3 years and as a #1 Artificial Intelligence writer on Medium for 5 years.

These days, she calls Miami home. When she’s not working, you’re most likely to find Cassie at the theater, in an art museum, exploring the world, or curled up with a good novel. 

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, is President and Chief Executive Officer of SHRM. With nearly 325,000 members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 235 million workers and families globally.

As a global leader on the future of employment, culture, and leadership, Mr. Taylor is a sought-after voice on all matters affecting work, workers, and the workplace. Recently named one of the “Most Influential People Shaping Public Policy” in our nation’s Capital by Washingtonian Magazine, Mr. Taylor is frequently asked to testify before Congress on critical workforce issues and authors the weekly USA Today column, "Ask HR."

Mr. Taylor's career spans over 20 years as a lawyer, human resources executive, and CEO in both the not-for-profit and for-profit space. He has held senior and chief executive roles at IAC/Interactive Corp, Viacom's Paramount Pictures, Blockbuster Entertainment Group, the McGuireWoods law firm, and Compass Group USA. Most recently, Mr. Taylor was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

He is the author of the national bestseller, RESET: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval, which delivers a candid and forward-thinking vision for leaders to reimagine their company cultures in a time of global upheaval and presents data-driven strategies to make the necessary foundational reset of all things work. Immediately upon its release in September 2021, RESET was in the top three of the Wall Street Journal’s list of best-selling hardcover business books. All author proceeds benefit the SHRM Foundation, which is committed to empowering HR as a social force for change.

Mr. Taylor sits on several corporate boards, including as Lead Independent Director of XPO Logistics (NYSE: XPO) and as an Independent Director of Guild Education and Flores & Associates. In addition, he dedicates himself to non-profit organizations, serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami and as a Trustee of the United Way Worldwide. Mr. Taylor was appointed chairman of the President’s Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and as a member of the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board during the Trump Administration.

The Women Business Collaborative (WBC) named Mr. Taylor as one of its 2023 Trailblazers in Gender Equity and Diversity for his work to achieve equal positions, pay, and power for all women in business. In 2020, he received the Distinguished Executive of the Year Award from the Academy of Management, and he was named 2021 ALA Professional Society CEO of the Year by CEO Update.

He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources and is licensed to practice law in Florida, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.