Michael L. Trusty is Fannie Mae’s Vice President and Head of Talent and Learning reporting directly to Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer. Mike oversees all corporate talent  and learning programs, formulates strategies for talent acquisition, training, learning and development, and disseminating information through technology. He also leads the company’s education processes, institutes effective training strategies, and ensures the company is utilizing technology effectively to achieve its goals.

Prior to joining Fannie Mae in 2019, Mike served as the Head of DXC University at DXC Technology where he oversaw all learning and development activities for a $22 billion IT services business and managed teams that spanned five continents. He brings over twenty years of experience in the human resources, talent management, and learning fields. His past experiences also include time at Bank of America, Rolls-Royce, and other prestigious organizations.

Mike is active in numerous professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association, Personnel Testing Council of Metropolitan Washington, Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychologists, and the Human Resources Leadership Forum, where he served on the Board of Directors from 2009-2011. He also served on the Board of Directors for the CSC Charitable Foundation/DXC Charitable Foundation from 2015-2018. Michael has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and a B.S. in Psychology from Kansas State University.

Lydia Dishman is Fast Company’s senior editor for growth and engagement. She has also written for CBS Moneywatch, Fortune, The Guardian, Popular Science, and the New York Times, among others.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz at Work, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

Deon brings over two decades of expertise in the hospitality industry, with a focus on learning and development and organizational effectiveness. His experience encompasses roles in diverse teams, both on ships and in corporate settings. Deon is a Certified Professional Consultant and is a member of the Chartered Management Institute in the UK. With a master’s degree in organizational and business psychology, he also holds specializations in Human Resources from Coventry University, UK and Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations, NY. 

At Carnival, Deon has held different roles within Human Resources including those in HR Services, Shipboard HR, Talent Management and Learning & Development. In his current role as Sr. Director, he leads a dynamic team of shipboard and shoreside HR professionals to create and deliver outstanding learning solutions aimed at organizational culture.

Driven by a passion for learning, Deon is dedicated to enhancing effectiveness through culture, technology, and affirmative change.

Dr. Tom Whelan is the Director of Corporate Research at Training Industry, Inc. Prior to joining Training Industry, Inc., he worked as an organizational consultant, designing and evaluating selection practices and training programs. Tom has also published research in leading journals and presented at international conferences. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from North Carolina State University.

Jenny Cotie Kangas, Director of Talent-Centered Transformation at Eightfold AI, specializes in HR technology and fostering the future of work. With a robust history in corporate HR where she has helped companies navigate and embrace transformation. Renowned for her expertise in unlearning and human-centered design, she advocates for adaptive and innovative organizational change. In 2020, a significant head injury reshaped her cognitive process, removing her design bias and enriching her problem-solving skills. This unique perspective enhances her ability to dissect complex challenges and engineer practical solutions. Known affectionately as “JCK,” her clarity in communication and extensive HR network underline her influential presence in the industry.

Dr. Dossier Harps is a seasoned leadership coach with a wealth of experience working with leaders from top companies across various industries, in technology, healthcare, hospitality, education, and entertainment. With a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University, Dossier specializes in DiSC, 360-feedback strategy, leading multi-generational teams, and inclusive leadership. Originally from Nashville, TN, Dossier now calls Atlanta, GA, her home, where she teaches Organizational Leadership at a local university and continues to empower leaders to transform their workspaces into thriving communities.

Lauren Adams is an accomplished Sr Director in L&D, bringing over 10 years of expertise in Leadership Development to the table. Her career has been defined by her ability to design and implement innovative learning solutions that make a lasting impact on organizations at every level.

As the Head of Leadership Development Products for JLL, Lauren empowers leaders across the organization by providing valuable resources that address their unique needs. Partnering with Centers of Excellence, she spearheads transformative leadership programs built upon JLL's core values and capabilities, fostering a culture of excellence. From tailored programs for specific leadership levels to a range of interactive delivery methods, Lauren ensures that every individual's learning journey is engaging, meaningful, and promotes long-term retention.

Passionate about elevating high-value talent and supporting managers at all levels, Lauren has developed cutting-edge leadership programs that prioritize experiential learning and exposure. These programs enable skill development and utilizing assessments, mentorship, workshops and sponsorship. With her keen strategic vision, Lauren has become an integral part of JLL's leadership development initiatives.

Having joined JLL in 2015 as a member of the Procter & Gamble account team in Work Dynamics, Lauren swiftly rose through the ranks, excelling in various roles such as Regional Communications Lead and Global Learning and Development Lead. In 2022, she was appointed as the Head of Americas Work Dynamics Learning and Development, assuming responsibility for supporting all L&D requests in the Americas. In this pivotal role, Lauren served as the strategic advisor for new program requests, spearheaded the design and implementation of training content for Managing Directors, and played a key role in launching the Work Dynamics Skills Academy.

Before her impressive tenure at JLL, Lauren honed her skills as the Training Manager at Organized Living, where she successfully led a strategic initiative team, evaluating customer training and spearheading the development of impactful new programs.

Beyond her professional achievements, Lauren is an intrepid traveler and ardent food enthusiast. Her quest to experience diverse cultures and culinary delights fuels her creative spirit, which she passionately expresses through her artwork as a painter.

With Lauren's exceptional talent for leadership development, coupled with her zest for exploration and creativity, she continues to make a dynamic impact both professionally and personally.

Jake Fishbein is a New York City-based Executive Coach & Facilitator who helps corporate executives become better leaders by improving their communication, navigating conflict with confidence, and supercharging their growth through reflection. In addition to his work in the corporate sphere, Jake runs men’s coaching groups to help men build better relationships at work and at home. Jake is an ICF-PCC accredited coach and is currently part of the 2024-2025 cohort of Forefront—a premiere mentorship program for the next generation of leaders in coaching, leadership, and talent development powered by Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches. In addition to his work as a coach, Jake is preparing to publish his first novel—a story about a fictional men’s group he’s been working on since 2016. 

Sherri Brooks, PhD is the Chief Learning Officer at Baptist Memorial Health Care where she is responsible for Organizational Learning and Development for over 22,000 team members. She has been in corporate and executive leadership roles for over 20 years and is a former tenured, associate professor at Arkansas State University. She is most passionate about helping others to develop in order to own and achieve personally meaningful success. Dr. Brooks is also the founder of Blueprint4Change, LLC a professional development and coaching business committed to empowering individuals to reach their full potential through an intentional process of change. Her leadership motto: Think like a hero asking, whom can I help today? Work like an artist asking, what else can we try? Refuse to be ordinary, pursue excellence and kill it. Celebrate, but take no credit.

Kimber Hanrahan is a Global Learning Executive with over 20 years of experience. She collaborates closely with senior leaders to align the talent management strategy with business outcomes. She is a trusted advisor, assessing opportunities, diagnosing needs, and quickly creating long-lasting solutions that foster trust and build high-performance teams. Currently, Kimber is the Head of L&D for GoDaddy and directs all facets of a 60-person global team spanning five countries. This team supports 10,000 employees across 24 countries and 14 outsourced providers. Kimber's leadership and strategic vision have been pivotal in enhancing the workforce's capabilities and driving the organization toward achieving its goals.

Carrie Berg is the VP of Learning and Development at Teladoc Health.

Fasika Melaku is the Senior Vice President of HR and Chief Learning Officer at Denny's.

Tim began is career in pharmaceuticals as a sales representative.  After 25 years across sales, marketing, and sales operations, Tim joined AbbVie’s Human Resources in 2014 building out AbbVie’s Talent Development capability and leadership development solutions.  In 2017, he established the Organizational Excellence capability and team.  In 2019, he became the leader for Talent Management.  In January of 2024, Tim returned to a focus on talent development in his current role where his team is responsible for developing AbbVie’s leadership pipeline from interns to senior executives while building the skills and careers of all employees.

Anita Hossain Choudhry is the Co-founder and CEO of The Grand, a group coaching platform and community that helps leaders gain clarity, confidence and connection in both work and life. Anita is also an executive coach, previously with Reboot.io, supporting clients on their journeys to become the most effective and intentional leaders they can be. Prior to that, she was Head of Knowledge at First Round Capital, where she designed and launched hundreds of learning initiatives providing entrepreneurs and tech operators resources to stay motivated, accelerate their businesses, and build community. Before joining First Round, Anita was an Assistant Vice President at Deutsche Bank and managed multi-million dollar investment portfolios for Latin American clients. She also worked for MTV and Nickelodeon to create integrated marketing strategies and amplify their social impact initiatives. Anita graduated from Georgetown University and is an MBA graduate from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she launched Wharton Storytellers, a community to connect and inspire through stories. The Grand is a culmination of her previous work experiences and inspired by her belief that everyone deserves group coaching and a supportive community.

Steve has spent the last ten years of his career building technology that helps people to learn, grow, and connect. Before starting Campfire, he spent 5 years at Instructure building a talent management platform focused on career development and human performance. He worked with product, marketing, sales, and strategy teams to grow the business from the ground up to $27 million in annual revenue. While with Instructure, he worked with teams at Disney, Tesla, Lululemon, Johnson and Johnson, and other global brands to strengthen their talent management practices.

Now, Steve is focused primarily on finding ways for people to learn and grow through connected learning experiences called Campfires. The business has strong investment and is responsible for training hundreds of managers in the key skills needed to effectively lead teams. Steve’s experience in technology, content, facilitation, and talent management provide a rich mix of skills for solving these challenges.

Campfire was founded in 2020 at the very beginning of the pandemic and has benefitted from the changes and shifts that allow for us to consider new ways of connecting and working with each other. Steve has three co-founders - Todd, Taylor, and Marinne - who are all passionate about the mission of providing universal access to connected learning experiences.

Dr. Bobbi Wegner is a psychologist, speaker, advisor, consultant, and Harvard lecturer focused on helping teams feel and function their best. She is the founder and CEO of Groops, the first group connection platform that helps colleagues in organizations everywhere build stronger relationships and grow together through programs grounded in group psychology. Dr. Wegner teaches Motivation, Groups and Culture, and Applied Coaching in the organizational psychology program at Harvard University. Dr. Wegner lives at the intersection of psychology, business, and technology.