Ken Wechsler is the VP, Global Total Rewards at Akamai Technologies. Ken is an experienced business leader and strategic advisor, providing trusted counsel to executive leadership and Boards of Directors, with extensive experience developing and implementing integrated total reward strategies to enable business performance and drive results.

Ken joined Akamai in April 2022 and prior to this role he was the Vice President of Total Rewards at DraftKings
where he successfully led the development of their Total Rewards function and strategy.
At Akamai, Ken leads the Global Total Rewards Center of Excellence. The Total Rewards COE is accountable for driving Total Rewards strategy, developing innovative program design and ensuring successful program implementation across the enterprise, providing alignment with corporate strategy and supporting business success.

Prior to rejoining the corporate world, Ken was Partner within Aon / Radford’s Rewards Solution Practices. In this capacity, Ken served as a Board advisor to Compensation Committees, senior management, human resources, finance and legal on a variety of issues involving executive and broad-based rewards. Ken joined Radford in 2011 and served in several positions of increasing responsibility until his departure in 2020. Ken received his bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College, majoring in both Economics and Mathematics.

He enjoys watching and playing sports (mostly baseball), attending concerts, mentoring young professionals and staying close to his family, including wife, young adult daughters and stepsons.

Shawna M. Oliver is AVP and head of global benefits & wellness for Manulife Financial Corp. Oliver prides herself in challenging the status quo and has spent 23 years in the health care and benefits industry doing just that. Over this time, she has worked with key stakeholders spanning the ecosystem–as an underwriter, a consultant, within health technology, in operations, and currently at Manulife overseeing global benefits & wellness. Her breadth of experience uniquely positions her to push for evolution with confidence. Dr. Oliver holds her DBA from Drexel, an MBA from the University of Oregon, a BA from the University of Hartford, and a BS from Purdue.

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, the company provides financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the U.S.

Britt Barney is the Manager of Client Success of Northstar, the financial wellness platform for employees. With 10 years of experience in fintech, Britt has had a hand in all areas of the space from working as a financial planner to managing financial planning and customer success teams. Inspired by mission driven startups with a focus on DEI and serving traditionally underserved communities, Britt has traveled the country giving seminars on financial wellness. Previously at LearnVest and Northwestern Mutual, Britt has always had a passion for building relationships and helping her clients drive engagement and utilization while providing education and guidance for employees to reach their personal goals.

Jeffrey Stohlberg is the Director of Benefits for Moderna. 

Sandi J. Stein is currently the global head of benefits at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (BBH). She is responsible for furthering the global benefits agenda at BBH, which includes the global benefits platform as well as the firm’s global mobility program, with a commitment to delivering programs that are market competitive, cost-effective, business-aligned and employee-relevant. She also leads an award-winning well-being program. In addition, Stein is the global chair of BBH’s Pride Network. Prior to her role at BBH, she held the office of vice president–global benefits, including global mobility, at NYSE Euronext and delivered competitive, best-in-class benefit programs for the organization and related subsidiary companies. Her core areas of responsibility included strategic program design, regulatory compliance, and program cost management and efficiency. Stein specializes in cross-border mergers and acquisition integration as well as corporate wellness initiatives. Stein joined Securities Industry Automation Corporation (SIAC) in 1991 as a 401(k) benefits specialist. In 2006, SIAC became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the New York Stock Exchange, where she assumed the lead human resources/benefits role. She is the vice chair of the Northeast Business Group on Health. Stein served as a member of Executives on Campus, a mentoring program offered to Baruch College graduate students, as well as a past treasurer for the Boys Towns of Italy, a nonprofit organization providing invaluable educational and vocational opportunities for migrant boys from war-torn countries. Stein earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Albany and completed coursework as a certified financial planner from New York University.

Yusuf Sherwani is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pelago, the world’s first technology-enabled digital clinic for substance use management. Together with his colleagues Maroof Ahmed and Sarim Siddiqui, Dr. Sherwani developed a vision for the technology-driven addiction treatment platform. Today the company has helped over 750,000 people quit their addictions and improve their lives.

A medical doctor by training and a technology enthusiast at heart, Yusuf is seen as an innovator
operating at the intersection of healthcare, technology and design. With a medical degree from
Imperial College London, Yusuf has co-authored 12 peer-reviewed studies on behavioral health
and substance addictions. He was featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, 2018 as well as Fast
Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business. Pelago is a Y-Combinator backed company (Winter 2018 batch) that has raised more than $90 million to date from leading healthcare and technology investors.

Navin Vettamvelil is a seasoned HR leader with diverse international experience spanning 18 years, including over a decade in Asia and 8 years in the US. As the Senior Director of Total Rewards at Softserve Inc., he adeptly manages a broad global portfolio spanning over 18 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, and APAC. In this role, Navin skillfully develops and implements progressive total rewards strategies, ensuring they align with the company's strategic goals and significantly contribute to Softserve's competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

In his prior tenure at Cognizant, which lasted over a decade, he played multiple roles - initially, he was responsible for overseeing compensation management for a vast workforce of over 180,000 employees across India and the Philippines. Subsequently, he transitioned to a role where he led the compensation agenda for several critical business units in North America. At Standard Chartered Bank, Navin played key roles in HR Talent Management, People Analytics, and HR Systems, contributing significantly to his multifaceted expertise in Human Resources. Navin's effectiveness in navigating complex, matrixed organizational structures, and his strategic engagements with C-suite leaders have been instrumental in shaping adaptable strategies across varied corporate landscapes.

An MBA holder and a certified Global Remuneration Professional (GRP), Navin's commitment to professional development is unwavering. Outside his professional life, he is passionate about outdoor adventures, family travel, and Boy Scouts activities with his son, exemplifying a well-rounded personal and professional life.

Brian joined Accolade in 2022 as head of total rewards to lead Accolade’s compensation, benefits, HRIS, payroll, and real estate functions and strategies. Prior to Accolade, Brian served as head of healthcare benefits at Fidelity Investments, leading strategic innovation, member engagement and satisfaction, cost management, and vendor/ecosystem partner decisions for Fidelity’s healthcare benefits in the US for approximately 45,000 employees. Prior to Fidelity, Brian was a benefits consultant at WTW and PwC. Brian is a proud Friar with a degree from Providence College in mathematics.

Kaleigh Oleynik, or “KO”, has dedicated her career to building inclusive professional communities. In her current role as the VP of Talent at Talkspace, she oversees clinical and corporate recruitment, as well as talent-focused forecasting, marketing, and reporting. Her professional journey started in the education sector, where she spent 6+ years as a translator, educator, and recruiter in NYC public charter schools. Since then, she has led talent teams in a variety of industries, from fintech and engineering to healthcare. KO is passionate about exploring the intersections of recruitment, mental health, and education for a brighter future, and looks forward to engaging with peers in this space. Her focus extends to enhancing talent retention by fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, recognizing the critical importance of mental well-being in sustaining a committed and engaged workforce.

Jonathan Murray is the Head of Empowerly for Business, a pioneering organization that provides college & career counseling to high school, college, and post-graduate students - blending AI technology with personalized one-on-one guidance. As a recognized leader in the post-pandemic integration of EdTech into Employee Benefits, Jonathan has authored impactful research on the effects of college & career planning on mental health, family wellbeing, and employee productivity.

In 2023, EdTech magazine honored him as a Trendsetter for innovations in distribution and Time Magazine named his product a ‘Best Invention of 2022’. He brings experience as a CMO, serial entrepreneur, and co-founder of multiple startups. Passionate views about community building, peer mentoring, and societal impacts of technology are a great way to spark a conversation.

Dr. Toprani is a Hinge Health physical therapists. She is a movement specialist and an experienced PT with 10 years of combined experience in the fitness and physical therapy industries.

Callum Borchers writes a weekly, reported column for the Wall Street Journal about people’s careers and work lives. Previously, he was a correspondent at public radio station WBUR, where he covered business and politics and often hosted NPR’s national midday show, “Here & Now.” Callum also has been a staff writer at the Washington Post and Boston Globe. He is an adjunct professor of journalism at Northeastern University, where he earned a master’s degree. He and his wife have four children and are foster parents. Before kids devoured his non-work time, Callum once qualified for the U.S. national pararowing team for athletes with physical disabilities.

Ryan Kellogg is the VP of Partnerships & Sales Effectiveness at Talkspace.

Jodi Lamae is a Benefits Principal at Boston Scientific, where she oversees core benefits like medical, dental, vision, life insurance, voluntary benefits and also introduced employer paid benefits like Maven, Pivot Tobacco Cessation, and a generous Paid Leave program. She has 17+ years of experience establishing U.S. quality Health and Welfare employee benefits. Prior to Boston Scientific, she has held HR and Benefits roles at Fidelity Investments, Wellington Management, and Cambridge Health Alliance. Jodi lives outside of Boston with her family.

Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Currently she is a contributing columnist for Harvard Business Review. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.
Rebecca frequently appears on national television and radio and as a moderator at conferences.
Originally from Maine, she's a graduate of Wesleyan University. She lives in Boston’s South End with her family.

Katie Johnston writes about work and income inequality for the Boston Globe. She also edits the Globe's annual Top Places to Work magazine. Katie has been at the Globe since 2002, where she has also worked as a copy editor, entertainment editor, music editor, and travel/workplace reporter. She previously worked at The Gazette in Colorado Springs and the Itemizer-Observer in Dallas, Ore., and has a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.