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.

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.

Matt Waesche is the Chief Learning Officer for BAE Systems, Inc., a U.S.-based defense company that generated 2023 sales of nearly $13.6 billion and employs nearly 41,000 people around the world, with major operations in the United States, United Kingdom, and Sweden.

In this role, he is responsible for leading and formulating the company’s corporate learning and development solutions and technologies as a strategic business process.

Matt has been an HR professional and leader for over 20 years, ending a 22-year career in the Navy as an HR Officer, and the last 16+ years with BAE Systems.

His career started in the skilled trades as a Navy Aviation Machinist, later earning his commission to the officer ranks upon completing his Bachelor of Arts at San Diego State University. As a Naval Aviator, he operationally served as a Helicopter Aircraft Commander and Functional Check Pilot, highlighted by the squadron leadership positions of Maintenance Officer, Communications Officer, and Quality Assurance Officer. Upon completion of his Master of Science in Leadership and Human Resource Development in 2001 at the Naval Postgraduate School, he served as a Professional Learning and Leadership Development Master Instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 2004, Matt laterally transferred to become an HR Officer, serving as a Workforce Strength Analyst/Planner at the Pentagon and an Officer in Charge of the Personnel Support Detachment at NAS Jacksonville. He retired from active service in 2008.

Matt started with BAE Systems Ship Repair in 2008, and in 2012 he moved to HR Shared Services as a Leadership Development Manager, HR Capabilities Manager, and Talent Manager working in the Talent Solutions Center of Expertise. In 2016, he returned to Ship Repair, where he rose to the Director of HR supporting five shipyards (Norfolk, Jacksonville, Mobile, San Diego, and Pearl Harbor). In 2020, he transferred to be the Director of HR in the Intelligence and Security sector, supporting both the Air and Space Force Solutions (ASFS) business area and the Corporate Infrastructure Senior Leadership Team. In 2022, he returned to the Talent Solutions Center of Expertise as the Chief Learning Officer.

Matt has served in leadership positions in the manufacturing and services communities, having held positions representing BAE Systems on workforce development committees and various industry boards.

When not working, Matt can be found enjoying the outdoor lifestyle with his wife Casey and family, residing in Falls Church, Virginia.

Laura M. Labovich, CEO of The Career Strategy Group, a boutique outplacement firm based in Washington D.C., collaborates with more than 120 companies, nonprofits, and associations across the nation helping them nurture their workforce through the inclusion of personalized outplacement services, career management services, and resilience and workplace training solutions.

In addition, The Career Strategy Group has helped thousands of job seekers around the globe manage their careers and land meaningful jobs they love.

Before founding The Career Strategy Group, Laura recruited nationwide for Walt Disney World, and developed the first college internship program at America Online. She is currently an adjunct professor at the Smith School of Business at University of Maryland where she teaches Career Search Strategies in Business.

Laura’s advice has been featured broadly in national outlets including The Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, Sirius XM Radio, Chicago Tribune, NBC 6 (Miami), along with dozens of others.

Laura is the co-author of 100 Conversations for Career Success: Learn to Network, Cold-Call, and Tweet Your Way to Your Dream Job, a 2013 top career book selection by FORBES.com.

Laura is so proud to be the President of Women Business Owners of Montgomery County.

Kristen Parisi is an HR Reporter Morning Brew.

Bridgett leads employee communications and engagement at ibex. She has more than 20 years of Employee Engagement, Training and Development, and Organizational Communications experience in the BPO and telecommunications industries. Bridgett has successfully built inclusive and supportive business cultures centered around the continuous improvement of the employee experience.

Her passion for employee engagement, training, and development began as a college undergrad, where Bridgett studied communications, business, and marketing before pursuing advanced credentials in education and adult learning. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication/Business and a Master of Arts in Teaching. Bridgett is a licensed professional educator and holds certifications in Change Management and Project Management. She resides in Virginia with her husband and two teenage boys, who are her pride and joy!

Bridgett enjoys gardening and spending time with her family at the lake and beach. She is also active in helping drive awareness and support for children’s cancer research.

Margarita Ramos is a highly respected employment attorney and HR executive with
over two decades of experience specializing in architecting Employee Relations
frameworks for leading SaaS technology companies, including Microsoft, VMware, and
Splunk. She advises C-suite leaders and HR Business Partners on best practices in
workplace investigations, performance management, diversity, equity, inclusion, and
belonging (DEIB), and conflict resolution.
With an impressive track record of building Employee Relations teams, Margarita
emphasizes prompt and thorough workplace investigations. Recognizing the emotional
and tense nature of these situations, she prioritizes hiring experienced investigators
who lead with empathy, integrity, and transparency.
As a natural storyteller, Margarita leverages metrics and reporting to communicate
effectively with stakeholders, fostering trust in the workplace and enhancing manager
enablement and operational excellence.
Outside of her professional commitments, Margarita mentors first-generation college
students and has contributed her expertise to non-profits such as Girls Who Code and
Year Up. During her time at Microsoft, she provided pro bono support for Kids in Need
of Defense (KIND). In her leisure time, she enjoys ballroom dancing and cooking.

With 25 years of experience in Diversity & Inclusion and Human Resources, Jodi Davidson possesses a vast knowledge and understanding of the critical function inclusion and diversity play in today’s increasingly competitive business environment. Jodi consults with business and human resources leaders and managers to provide insights, resources and actions that foster a more diverse and inclusive culture. She partners with stakeholders to co-create globally relevant talent, pipeline and engagement strategies including work/life flexibility, cultural agility and leadership development frameworks.  Jodi’s personal mission is to help people realize their potential and thrive. She is a known thought leader in mentoring and flexibility practices, holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development and is a certified leadership coach.

Lena is the Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Viasat.

Boma Anyaogu is the Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Compass at Amazon) at Compass Group

Sunita is the Head of Total Rewards (Interim) at Under Armour

Daniela is the Senior Vice President, Head of People & Organization at Siemens USA. 

Victor is the VP, Global Learning Design and Development of the Marriott International.

Brie Harvey is a talent management leader and digital strategist who writes and speaks about trends within Human Capital Management and the future of work.

Having served in a variety of leadership roles for HR Technology companies over the last decade, she brings expert level knowledge of Total Rewards, L&D, talent acquisition, and how to cultivate workplace cultures that transform employee engagement and the Employee Value Proposition.

Passionate about the intersection between behavioral science, managerial effectiveness and technology, Brie has partnered with some of the world’s largest, most complex organizations to build high performance cultures centered around authentic appreciation, trust and inclusion.

In her role as an Employee Engagement Evangelist, Brie works with the research arm of Achievers, the Workforce Institute, to share data-based insights about how to enhance employee engagement and recognition strategies for a pandemic-era workplace.

Adrienne is the Founder & CEO of Keep Company.