Joze Piranian’s journey began in Lebanon, where he spent more than 25 years reluctant to speak because of his stutter. Over time, Joze not only overcame his fear of public speaking but also became the subject of a movie, Words Left Unspoken, which premiered in New York City and Los Angeles.

Joze has shared his story through five TEDx talks and performed stand-up comedy across three continents, connecting with audiences in four languages. He has worked with organizations such as Google, Meta, BlackRock, and Netflix, using humor and personal experience to explore themes of inclusion and resilience.

Joze earned a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Psychology from McGill University and a Master’s in International Business from Queen’s University. His forthcoming book, Stop Holding Back, is set to launch with HarperCollins in January 2026.

Everyone experiences hesitation at work. That moment before speaking up in a meeting, sharing an idea with leadership, or presenting to a client can feel uncomfortable. In this interactive lab, lifelong stutterer turned global keynote speaker and comedian Joze Piranian helps participants move from fear to action through practical tools and guided reflection that build confidence, authenticity, and resilience.

Drawing on his signature ideas of the inner stutter (the hesitation that holds us back) and micro moments of bravery (small, repeatable acts of courage), Joze guides participants through self-discovery and real-time practice to transform fear into momentum.

Participants will:


- Practice small “micro moments of bravery” to communicate with confidence and clarity

- Reflect on self-limiting beliefs and habits that influence performance

- Create a personalized Fear to Action Map inspired by Joze’s reflection framework to apply immediately at work

Internal Stutter Speaker

An Interactive Workshop to Overcome Fear and Build Everyday Courage

Fear to Action Lab

Tony Lee is a designer, dad, and unintentional advocate for accessibility in creative work. He is currently a senior designer at Google, where he decided on a whim to share a humble deck about his life as a CODA (“child of deaf adults”) in the hopes of sharing a perspective his team didn’t necessarily have. A few years later, Tony found himself both working on and being the subject of a major Google campaign that launched at the 2021 Academy Awards, telling the story of how he and his family stayed connected with the help of Google’s accessible technology. The universe truly works in mysterious ways.

Prior to Google, Tony was an art director at MoMA and designer at Pentagram and SYPartners, and taught part-time at Parsons. In 2016, he was named one of Print Magazine’s New Visual Artists: 15 Under 30. He currently lives in Seattle with his wife Stephanie, their two-year-old Owen, and an endless appreciation for good bubble tea.

At the 2021 Oscars (and again during the 2022 NBA playoffs), Google premiered a commercial telling the story of how my family and I have stayed connected during a pandemic. It was pretty surreal. And part of what inspired that moment was a humble deck I decided to put together and share with my coworkers about my life as a CODA, or "child of deaf adults." 

This Elective will share the unintentional insights about accessibility through the lens of my life that led to a global Google campaign — sharing baseline knowledge about the deaf community, talking about the small and actionable things any creative can do to make their work more accessible, and what it was like behind-the-scenes to work on a major brand campaign ... about yourself.

Designer + Accessibility Advocate

Why accessibility in creative work matters

Child of Deaf Adults: A story

Thomas Smith is the first person in documented medical history to be paralyzed three times and recover. After his third accident, he co-founded The Thomas E.  Smith Foundation and began his journey on creating the change that he wanted to see. Over the last 14 years, Thomas has been a disruptor in industries that have been very reluctant to change. In 2013, he founded the Look-Up Line, ice hockey's first warning track and partnered with former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to launch his invention. To date, the Look-Up Line has been installed in hundreds of rinks in both the United States and in Canada. In 2014, he created The Thomas E. Smith Foundation Reality Ride Challenge, a 2,100+ cycling event from Boston, MA to Miami Florida. Leaving Boston on March 25, 2015 and arriving in Miami on May 1, 2015, he became the first person with paralysis to cycle the eastern seaboard without the use of a wheelchair. As a result, he raised $100,000 for medical research supporting individuals with paralysis. In 2017, Thomas decided to challenge himself with doing something Doctors said would be impossible after he was paralyzed, completing the Boston Marathon without the use of a wheelchair. On April 16, 2018, Thomas became the first person to be paralyzed multiple times to complete the Boston Marathon without the use of a wheelchair. Since then, he's completed five Bostons and is set to complete his 6th on April 15, 2024. In 2021, he created Marathon Motivations, an Emmy nominated TV show that airs annually on NESN, (New England Sports Network) to inspire people to achieve their most ambitious personal and professional goals. In total, his foundation has donated $1,450,000+ to individuals with paralysis. However, his biggest endeavor is yet to come as he sets out to reform the Massachusetts healthcare system for individuals with disabilities. In June 2024, The Thomas E. Smith Foundation is investing $600,000 to start the program and is partnering with Massachusetts General Hospitals and Harvard University to conduct its research. 

After suffering three separate paralyzing injuries in less than 18 months, Thomas was in uncharted waters as no person has ever sustained paralysis three times. He had to decide either to fight or flight through his challenges and after several misgivings, he committed to fight to gain his life back. In doing so, he has turned his hardships into opportunities and has inspired millions of people around the world. In this course, he shares his story of overcoming adversity when the odds are incalculable. The intent of this course is to provide the tools needed for one to overcome life’s most difficult challenges and help individuals take their adversities and turn them into opportunities. Thomas structures this session with breakout group discussions, storytelling, and Q+A segments with the goal of having each participant realize that no challenge is too big to overcome.

Accessibility Advocate

Navigating life’s most difficult challenges.

Overcoming Adversity

Graham Hulbert is a Enginerd, Naturalist, Maker, and a Poet. He has made a career for himself leading large scale strategic transformations within a corporate environment. More recently his curious mind, passion for continuous improvement and experience in the field of change management have been aimed towards making the corporate environment more neuroinclusive. 

Graham was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 7, and whisked off to boarding school at age 9. What young Graham didn't know what that he was more than dyslexic. He was wonderful, autistic and had ADHD! The privilege of his education, combined with often feeling alone, misunderstood and broken (as young Graham learned to interpret his undiagnosed autism), has turned Graham into a compassionate/passionate advocate for Neuroinclusion. 

Whilst growing up, Graham often turned to nature for a sense of belonging. His love of the natural world is still strong today and you will often see it pop up in the imagery and analogies he uses in his training. 

In Portland Oregon, where Graham calls home, he fulfills his drive for multiple 'special interests' by serving on the board for a local community science non-profit, and by volunteering for the forest service as a predator tracker, plus a trail steward with the Pacific Crest Trail Association, leading teams into the cascade mountains to restore and maintain the Pacific Crest Trail and its many access routes. When he isn't in the mountains he can be found engaged with a client in his consulting work, or there is also his workshop where he spends time restoring classic cars, fabricating furniture, and/or crafting leather goods for his small Etsy shop.. oh boy where does it end?

Have you ever found yourself frustratingly typing “per my last email” in an office or family communication? Visual information processing isn’t everybody’s forte, a quick call could make a world of difference, or how about sending a video or voice message? We have the technology!!

In this class on Neurodiversity, Graham Hulbert will guide learners to reframe their definition of intelligence. Learners will develop a deeper understanding of neurodiversity, and dive into the development of our unique and wonderful brains through facts and personal stories. Learners will discover the strengths and challenges of being neurodivergent in the workplace, and how a neurodivergent brain works differently. Graham will propose a way to understand how a ‘difference in wiring’ can result in the vast diversity of thinking and feeling on the spectrum of neurodiversity.

This class will enable people not only to be better coworkers, managers, and leaders, but also better friends, parents, and community members. Learners will leave this Elective with the skills and understanding that will enable them to empathetically connect with, and bring out the best in, their inevitably neurodiverse teams and communities.

Enginerd, Naturalist, Maker + Poet

Introducing neurodiversity and the unique beauty of the human mind.

Introduction to Neurodiversity

Abi Adamson, Founder of The Culture Partnership and creator of the SERN™ Framework, is recognised as one of the UK's Top Workplace Culture Experts (Favikon, #6) and a Thought Leader on LinkedIn by The New York Times. In 2025, Abi delivered her first TEDx talk, "Who Owns Culture?", and is the author of "Culture Blooming: Nurturing Workplaces Where People Grow" (Berrett-Koehler, 2026).

Having partnered with hundreds of organizations globally, including Spotify, Sony Music, and Match Group, Abi equips leaders with practical tools to navigate the challenging conversations that drive real cultural change.

Leaders love working with Abi for her rare combination of candor and warmth. She delivers uncomfortable truths with humour and humanity, making even the toughest conversations feel possible. Her lived experience as a Black woman navigating corporate spaces gives her insights that no textbook can teach, and her easy-going approach means people actually look forward to doing the hard work of culture change. The result? Workplaces that shift from cultures where people survive to cultures where people genuinely thrive.

This session explores hearing disability as an often invisible workplace reality affecting 1 in 6 people globally. It dispels common misconceptions about deafness and hearing loss while providing practical strategies for genuine inclusion. Participants will learn about different hearing disabilities, assistive technologies, and how workplace systems create unnecessary barriers. Through lived experience and interactive scenarios, the session reveals how accessible practices like captions and visual cues improve communication and productivity for everyone. You'll leave equipped with concrete tools to transform your workplace from one where some struggle to hear into one where everyone can truly be heard.

Global Diversity + Inclusion Leader

The hidden reality of hearing disability at work & how to stop losing talent

Deafness and Hearing Loss Burnout

Dan Cnossen was raised on a fifth-generation family farm in Topeka, Kansas. After successfully completing SEAL qualification training in 2003, he deployed numerous times in support of global special operations. As a SEAL platoon commander, he was severely injured in 2009 in Afghanistan, resulting in the amputation of both legs above the knees. Turning to sport for recovery, Cnossen began training full-time for the U.S. Paralympic ski team in 2011 as a cross-country skier and biathlete. He has since competed for Team USA in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Games and is the first male athlete to win a gold medal for the United States in biathlon, a sport that combines cross-country skiing with precision shooting. Cnossen holds a bachelor of science degree in English from the U.S. Naval Academy, a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a master’s in theological studies from the Harvard Divinity School.

In this course, Lieutenant Commander (retired) Navy SEAL Dan Cnossen shares his story of how he acquired a physical disability while in military service. He will discuss some of the challenges that he initially faced and continues to face in navigating often inaccessible or difficult physical environments. In addition, we will discuss how to create a welcoming, inclusive workplace environment for all; how to build a culture that welcomes diversity; tips on how you can interact with persons who have disabilities; how persons with disabilities can bring innovation to your workforce; and how to improve your physical and digital accessibility. 

Gold Medal Paralympian & Former  SEAL Platoon Commander

How to Improve Accessibility and Workplace Culture for Persons with Disabilities

Improving Workplace Accessibility

Chang Liu is an Inclusive Design and DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Leader with a distinguished 15+ year career dedicated to fostering equity & inclusion across a wide range of industries. Chang has played pivotal roles at tech giants such as Google and Meta, steering transformative strategies that have reshaped organizational cultures and product offerings. In addition to per private sector work, she also currently teaches Inclusive Design & Product Equity at the University of Washington.

Chang is passionate about weaving DEI into the ethos of how technology is built. Her course offerings on Electives center topics such as responsible innovation, accessibility, DEI, and culture. She believes by democratizing design and building with the most vulnerable, we can bring value to all. 

We interact with disability every day – whether we realize it or not. And yet most of us have never been taught to see the barriers hiding in plain sight: in the spaces we design, the tools we choose, the systems we build, and the cultures we create.  

This session reframes disability not as a health condition or design edge case, but as a core part of the human diversity that shapes how people move through the world. Using a four-pillar framework for access – physical & environmental, digital & informational, social & interpersonal, and systemic & structural – we will explore where barriers are created, who is responsible for removing them, and what that actually looks like in practice. 

Expect honest conversation, real examples, and moments of reflection – along with concrete actions you can take immediately, regardless of your role. 

AAPI and DEI

A human centered look at disability and how we can create access for all 

Make Accessibility Everyday 

Mark Sones is a passionate advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace, combining his 15 years of experience in the technology industry with a deep understanding of neurodivergent perspectives. As a Product Manager and Product Leader, Mark honed his skills in navigating complex systems, leading diverse teams, and delivering solutions that balance user needs with business goals.

His journey of personal reflection since mid-2023 has led him to align his professional expertise with his passion for neurodiversity education. Mark's commitment to integrity, curiosity, and personal growth drives his mission to create more inclusive work environments.

With his analytical mind and empathetic approach, Mark excels at translating complex concepts into actionable insights for organizations. His background in product management equips him with the business acumen to demonstrate the tangible benefits of neurodiversity in the workplace.

Mark's teaching style is characterized by his ability to blend real-world examples with theoretical frameworks, making his training sessions both engaging and practical. His love for storytelling, honed through his appreciation of science fiction and fantasy, allows him to create memorable learning experiences.

As an instructor, Mark is dedicated to helping employers understand, value, and leverage neurodiversity, ultimately fostering more innovative and inclusive corporate cultures.

Join us for a dynamic 60-minute class designed to empower autistic professionals and their allies with practical strategies for thriving in today’s workplace. Drawing from lived experience and the latest research, this session offers an honest, systems-level look at the challenges and opportunities faced by autistic employees—from navigating social expectations to building resilience against burnout.

What You’ll Learn:
* A brief overview of autism in society and at work, including personal stories that highlight both strengths and challenges.
* A “survival guide” for reducing burnout, setting boundaries, and advocating for your needs—whether that means requesting written instructions, using sensory aids, or negotiating flexible work arrangements.
* The art of personal advocacy: how to communicate what you need, navigate disclosure, and align your goals with those of your manager or organization.
* Building group advocacy and allyship: working with Employee Resource Groups, recruiting allies, and driving organizational change for broader neuroinclusion.
* Actionable tips for fostering healthy workplace relationships and leveraging your unique strengths.

The session concludes with an open Q&A, inviting participants to share experiences and ask questions in a supportive environment. Whether you’re an autistic professional, a manager, or an ally, you’ll leave with tools to create a more inclusive, productive, and human-centered workplace.


Neurodiversity Advocate

Going from surviving to thriving: succeeding at work as an autistic individual

Autistic at Work

Bradley Schurman is an expert on demographic change and how it disrupts social, cultural, political, and economic norms across the United States and around the world. His deep understanding of population shifts, coupled with his grasp of emerging trends, makes him an authoritative voice in the future of us.

He's the author of THE SUPER AGE: DECODING OUR DEMOGRAPHIC DESTINY and the founder and CEO of the strategic foresight and inclusive design firm, The Super Age, where he helps organizations navigate disruptive demographic change and the new demographic reality. He's written for Newsweek and been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USAToday. He's appeared on NBC's TODAY Show, CBS News Primetime with John Dickerson, and regularly appears as a guest on podcasts, radio, and television shows worldwide.

Schurman spent his first two decades working for LeadingAge, a community of nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-driven organizations serving older adults, where he worked on assisted living and continuing care public policy, and AARP, America's leading organization for people aged fifty and older, where he led thought leadership in Asia and Europe and developed relationships with entities like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Economic Forum.

He holds undergraduate and master's degrees from The American University in Washington, D.C.

Over 61 million Americans and 1 billion people worldwide have some form of disability. This hinders their ability to participate as workers and consumers in the economy. Schurman shares his organization's approach to creating inclusive spaces that consider the wide range of disabilities, from neurodiversity to acquired disabilities, that come with a long life. His approach can extend working lives and improve the customer experience in the built environment.

Authoritative voice on the future of humans 

Building a Better Tomorrow Today

Inclusive Design + Future of Place

Matthew Cicanese’s journey began with a remarkable battle against meningitis as a baby, which resulted in Deaf-blindness and neurodivergence. Rather than being limited by these circumstances, Matthew transformed these challenges into a springboard for advocacy and education, dedicating his life to fostering inclusive environments for all.

In his engaging workshops and keynotes, Matthew dives into subjects like leveraging neurodiversity for organizational strength, cultivating resilience, and championing empathetic leadership. His approach is hands-on, focusing on activating communities and encouraging inclusive practices across various sectors, including corporate, government, and educational institutions.

Matthew's work as an artist and advocate has gained recognition from prestigious platforms such as National Geographic, Canon USA, and Duke University. His credentials extend beyond his lived experience, as he has become a beacon of inspiration and actionable insights for creating a world that values every individual's unique perspective.

Some of his topics include:
• Neurodiverse Thinking for Competitive Advantage
• Resilience Through Adversity and Connection
• Championing Diversity, Empathy, and Allyship
• Finding Purpose Through Service
• Inclusive Leadership in a Tech-Driven World
• Advancing Accessibility in the Digital Age


Learn more at Cicanese.org/

Unlock the power of assistive technology and AI to reclaim your time, reduce overwhelm, and create more inclusive workflows. In this interactive 60-minute session, you’ll learn how to diagnose your biggest productivity leaks, choose the right tools for the job, and apply proven frameworks to turn ideas into results.

Through personal stories, live demos, and hands-on reflection, you’ll explore:
1. How to identify and fix your “execution gap” using assistive tech as a bridge, not a crutch.
2. Practical ways to integrate AI tools like Copilot, Gemini, and Google AI Mode for planning, brainstorming, and research—without falling into tool overload.
3. Inclusive design habits and accessibility quick wins that benefit everyone, from captions to color contrast.

You’ll leave with actionable strategies, a repeatable framework for better AI prompts (CALM), and a 14-day plan to put what you’ve learned into practice. Whether you’re neurodivergent, managing a hybrid team, or simply looking to work smarter, this session will help you personalize your tech stack and thrive in the digital age.

Wildlife Photographer + Neurodiversity Advocate

Boost Productivity, Build Inclusion: Practical Tools and Strategies to Work Smarter

AI and Assistive Technology

Disability Pride Month

I’m a social entrepreneur and education operator who has spent my career building teams, leading complex organizations, and driving results in high-stakes environments.

I’m the co-founder of Backrs, a tech-enabled platform that helps students build skills, networks, and momentum toward strong postsecondary and early-career outcomes. As a founder, I’ve led product development, sales, partnerships, hiring, and team management, while scaling a B2B2C model across schools, universities, and nonprofit partners nationwide. My day-to-day work is less about ideas and more about execution: setting priorities, building systems, managing people, and making tradeoffs when resources are tight.

Before founding Backrs, I spent over a decade leading in K-12 education, including serving as a founding principal, turnaround high school principal, and Head of Schools. In those roles, I managed multi-million-dollar budgets, coached and evaluated senior leaders, built leadership pipelines, and led teams through rapid change. I’ve been responsible for improving performance, retention, culture, and outcomes at both the school and system level — often while navigating competing stakeholder demands and significant constraints.

I approach management as a craft that can be taught, practiced, and refined. My facilitation and trainings focus on practical leadership skills: decision-making under pressure, building aligned teams, coaching for performance, setting clear expectations, and designing systems that scale without burning people out. I draw heavily on real operating experience — what worked, what failed, and why.

Outside of work, I’m an ultramarathon runner, competing in 12-hour, 24-hour, and 100-mile races. Endurance sports have deeply shaped how I think about leadership: pacing, resilience, feedback loops, recovery, and the long game. I believe the same principles that apply to elite endurance performance apply to building strong teams and sustainable organizations.

Most professionals know relationships matter. Very few have a system for building them.

As a result, networking becomes reactive, awkward, or transactional. People reach out only when they need something, forget who they’ve met, and miss opportunities that could have made their work easier or their careers stronger.

In this interactive Elective, Andy Bobowski teaches a practical, human approach to building social capital at work and beyond. This session is not about cold outreach or collecting contacts. It’s about developing a repeatable system for relationships that help you do better work today while quietly creating long-term optionality.

Participants will learn how to leverage existing relationships, make new connections both virtually and in person, and maintain a lightweight networking rolodex so relationships compound instead of fading. The session introduces the Text, Call, Meet framework, techniques for remembering what matters about people, and a simple weekly rhythm that makes relationship-building sustainable.

This class is designed for high-performing individual contributors and early managers who want more influence, stronger relationships, and a system they can actually maintain.

Social Entrepreneur, Founder, Educator, and Ultra-Athlete

A practical system for relationships that improve performance and long-term leverage

Build Social Capital

Dr. Linda Lin is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Emmanuel College whose work focuses on the science of mental health, well-being, and social connection. She is known for translating rigorous psychological research into clear, practical insights for diverse audiences. For more than 25 years, she has conducted research and published dozens of peer-reviewed scientific journal articles and book chapters on health and well-being. She has delivered over 100 presentations to academic, healthcare, nonprofit, and corporate groups, addressing topics such as the science of happiness and well-being, combating loneliness, stress management, and strengthening relationships in families, schools, and workplaces. In addition to teaching courses in mental health, counseling, and the psychology of happiness, Dr. Lin has worked as a psychotherapist in major medical centers in Boston. She earned her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and completed her postdoctoral training at Boston University School of Medicine.

Workplace connection has fundamentally changed. As remote and hybrid work reduce organic interaction, many employees find themselves feeling more disconnected at work and at home, often without fully understanding why. In this engaging, research-informed presentation, Dr. Linda Lin draws on psychological science to explain the hidden forces driving modern disconnection, including predictable thinking patterns that discourage people from reaching out and building relationships.

Rather than treating connection as something that happens naturally, this session reframes it as something that can be built through intentional, everyday actions. Participants will learn how to shift from “default isolation” to deliberate connection by adopting small, sustainable habits and more accurate ways of thinking about social interaction.

The presentation focuses on practical, immediately applicable strategies to strengthen relationships, increase engagement, and foster a greater sense of belonging in at work and at home. Attendees leave with clear, science-based tools to create meaningful connection at work, while also strengthening relationships in their broader lives.

Participants leave with clear, science-based tools to build stronger relationships, enhance well-being, and foster a greater sense of belonging, both professionally and personally. This session is ideal for organizations seeking to support more connected, engaged, and thriving individuals across all areas of life.


Psychologist and Professor

Evidence-Based Strategies for Fostering Social Bonds at Work and at Home

The Science of Connection

I believe that everyone has leadership potential. Leadership isn’t just a skill that’s reserved for those in the c-suite. We all have the power to lead in our own unique ways across both social and professional settings. Sometimes we just need a little push in the right direction to get there. That’s why I wrote an entire book about it called Leader By Mistake: Becoming a Leader One Mistake at a Time, which shows how you too can find your inner leader by learning from your mistakes and homing in on the skills you already possess to lead confidently.

I live and breathe this leadership-for-all concept and my expertise is grounded in years of experience across a variety of organizations.

In addition to my work with Scarlet, I currently serve as the vice president of startup programming at AARP Innovation Labs, where I lead a team committed to finding the most promising startups world-wide and identifying how they can move their innovations forward through collaboration.
I also serve as a corporate board member at Plastipak Packaging on the Functional Leadership Development Committee.

While my professional experiences have been instrumental to my success and impact over the years, my hometown and education have been too. Born, raised, and educated in Detroit, I am a Warrior through and through. I proudly hold two degrees from Wayne State University—a Bachelor of Arts in public relations and Master of Education in instructional technology with specializations in interactive technologies and performance improvement.

I’m also a graduate of the Protocol School of Washington, where I focused on international etiquette & protocol, and hold a Six Sigma Green Belt certification in process improvement, which I use to help clients develop systems and processes that will allow them to reach their strategic planning and development goals. Outside of my professional and educational endeavors, I enjoy mentoring both young and seasoned leaders and serve as vice president for 12 Days DC Metro. I also love traveling, watching James Bond movies, and hitting the slopes during the winter for some snowboarding.

In today’s digital workplaces, it’s easy for genuine connection and trust to take a back seat. Connection Architecture, led by Jacqueline, explores practical ways to help hybrid teams feel recognized, included, and connected across distances. Drawing on the Prospect-Refuge Theory, participants will examine how physical and emotional spaces impact how teams relate to each other—both in the office and online.

This class goes beyond concepts, inviting you to test simple practices and rituals that make it easier for team members to be seen and acknowledged. As part of the course, you’ll design a custom 30-day micro-shift plan, giving you the chance to pilot one or more new practices in your own workplace. Jacqueline brings her focus on everyday leadership to the approach, encouraging each participant to experiment with belonging and support, no matter your title or role. Connection Architecture offers a hands-on, realistic path to building more meaningful teamwork for today’s changing work environments.

Author. Leader. Warrior. 

Creating Sustainable Connections That Support Modern Work

Connection Architecture

Sophia Koehler-Berkley (she/her) is a former educator & slam poetry coach turned Master Facilitator & Educational Consultant. She curates the conditions for Zoom-Rooms to be 'a whole vibe,' while remaining psychologically safe, to create inclusive & authentic engagement for all team members and their diverse backgrounds.

As a consultant, Sophia is passionate about positively impacting workplace communities and their internal cultures to become more inclusive & supportive for all. She brings her warmth, vibrant energy, and skill of creating high-levels of engagement to every room where she facilitates.

Sophia is a proud New York City transplant who is also Midwest Certified “Indiana-Nice.” She meditates (every-damn-day), drinks her whiskey neat (always), and is humbled by how her stubbornness is no match for that of her toddler son (most days).

Go beyond surface-level team building in this interactive, deeply engaging Elective.  Choose a team building experience that will create authentic connections between your team members and offer a warm, inviting environment where they can deepen co-working relationships, on their terms. 

Have your teams undergone a lot of recent changes? Perhaps you have been impacted by layoffs, or you are onboarding several new team members; and everyone needs a reset, recharge moment. Maybe your teams work in hybrid or remote environments and you are struggling to find meaningful team building opportunities.

In this Elective your teams will: be provided a psychologically safe space to share things big or small, have meaningful conversations that allow them to meet one another at the human level, experience team-building activities that are SELF-directed, and lean into the experience so deeply, they forget they are in a zoom-room, whether or not, they choose to turn their camera on.

Educational Consultant, and Social-Emotional Skills Expert

Inclusive and Authentic Team Building

Courageous Connections

Kyle Shaffer is a dynamic educator who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to leadership development. He is passionate about supporting leaders to create an empowering and inclusive culture so that all stakeholders are engaged and working toward their mission and vision. By focusing on the intersection of adaptive and emotional leadership skills with technical ones, leaders will develop tangible strategies to enhance the effectiveness and inclusiveness of their teams. 

Kyle leads workshops, leadership development cohorts, and individual coaching clients with numerous organizations and companies across the country. Previously, he served as the Vice President of Schools for KIPP St. Louis Public Schools, where he coached and managed the principals of six schools and 3,000 students, as well as provided leadership training for aspiring leaders across the district.  Prior to that, Kyle worked alongside community members in Redwood City, California to found a PreK-8th grade school for over 700 families in the North Fair Oaks community, which was one of the highest performing schools for low income students in the Bay Area. Kyle received his Masters of Education in Leadership through National Louis University.  Outside of work, Kyle spends his time with his wife, two daughters, and one-year old son, is an avid reader, loves music, and enjoys anything active and sports related.

The data is staggering. Over the past five years, feelings of loneliness and disconnection in the workplace have skyrocketed. At the same time, remote and hybrid work have unlocked incredible gains in productivity, flexibility, and work-life balance. So what’s missing?

The truth is, it’s not about how often we connect—it’s about how well we connect. A sense of belonging and trust doesn’t happen by accident, even in person—and it requires even more intention when we’re remote.

In this Elective, we’ll explore research-based frameworks and practical strategies for building authentic connection across distance. Together, we’ll unpack what makes connection meaningful, what gets in the way in virtual settings, and how to design team structures that foster real collaboration, trust, and community—no matter where people are logging in from.

This Elective is designed for anyone who leads, manages, or collaborates in a remote or hybrid environment. Expect a lively, interactive session blending research, stories, and reflection. You’ll leave with actionable tools to strengthen your team’s sense of connection and belonging starting tomorrow.

Educator, Leader, and Connector 

How to Build a Culture of Connection in a Virtual World

Connected Remotely

Trish is a dedicated workplace inclusion, culture advisor and strategist and Executive Director of The Boston Club. She leverages her expertise in inclusive leadership, culture, employee engagement, allyship, and even her unique background as an energy healing practitioner. This diverse skill set enables her to offer a holistic approach, focusing on real-world solutions and human connection. With experience spanning international corporations, startups, non-profits, and academic spheres, Trish collaborates with employees at all levels. She guides senior leaders through the complexities of inclusion, culture, and employee engagement, leveraging her extensive research on related workplace topics. Her work is grounded in compassion, intellectual curiosity, and actionable insights. Previously, Trish served as Executive Director at the Center for Women and Business at Bentley University. Her earlier positions include vice president at Ogilvy & Mather Public Relations and senior vice president at Fleishman-Hillard Public Relations. She is an active member of multiple professional organizations centered on workplace gender equity and women's leadership, including The Boston Club and The Women's Edge.

Locally and globally, employees are reporting increased levels of workplace stress and burnout and decreased levels of psychological safety. And some experts suggest that burnout often stems from the loneliness caused by remote and hybrid work.

When work teams are facing collective overwork and stress, it’s easy to assume there are no solutions… and avoid making time to manage mental health and wellbeing. Yet, this is when it’s most needed. The very act of coming together to explore strategies will actually help!

Please join me for a 60–90-minute workshop that’s insightful, uplifting, and rejuvenating. You will leave with 1) a research-based understanding of the challenges you and others are facing related to overwork, stress, psychological safety, and isolation 2) the immense benefits of human connection in the workplace and 3) accessible mindfulness practices you can leverage after the workshop (even if you think “mindfulness is not for me”).

I look forward to working with you to beat burnout, create connections, de-stress, and reenergize!

DE&I Change Agent + Energy Healer

Creating Connections and Leveraging Mindfulness to Prevent Team Burnout

Connection, Mindfulness and Burnout

Kat McDowell is a multidisciplinary artist, singer-songwriter, and certified Kintsugi practitioner who brings the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship to life through the delicate arts of Origami and Kintsugi. 

Born in Japan and raised with a deep appreciation for its cultural traditions, Kat weaves creativity, storytelling, and mindfulness into everything she does—whether she's folding paper, mending broken ceramics with gold, or performing on stage. 

Her classes offer a warm, welcoming space where art becomes a journey of healing, self-expression, and transformation.

Invite your team to join Kat McDowell in a refreshing hands-on Origami workshop designed to inspire collaboration and creativity, away from the constant glow of digital screens. During this interactive hour, participants will learn the delicate craft of Origami, folding 3-5 unique figures under Kat's expert guidance. Utilizing an overhead camera setup, Kat ensures a clear and personalized experience, adapting to the group's pace.

No special materials are needed; even standard copy paper can transform into beautiful Origami creations. This workshop can also be customized to fit into 30 or 45-minute sessions, accommodating various schedules.

Instructor Bio:
Kat McDowell combines her talents as an award-winning singer-songwriter with a passion for Origami, a craft she embraced more than ever after her tours were canceled in 2020. The art of paper folding has opened new avenues for Kat, allowing her to share this passion with others seeking a unique and meditative group activity.



Singer Songwriter + Origami Expert

The Art of Paper Folding with Kat

Origami

Dani Klein Modisett is the Founder/CEO of the award-winning company bringing comic
relief to those facing Alzheimer’s, Laughter On Call. LOC was launched to help her
mother who became depressed facing the disease. In the ensuing 6 years the company
has grown to help all people feeling isolated. To date it has trained thousands of
caregivers and worked with over 600 companies around the world including META,
Amazon, Capital One, Bristol Myers and FEMA. LOC has been featured in The
Washington Post, The London Times, The NY Times and AARP Magazine. Dani is also
a comedian/actor and author of the books, “Afterbirth: stories you won’t read in a
parenting magazine (St. Martin’s Press) “Take My Spouse, Please.” (Penguin Random
House) a part-memoir, part how-to for creating shared laughter to keep your marriage
happy and healthy. Dani taught Stand-Up at UCLA for 10 years and has coached
keynote speakers, business leaders, and Congressional candidates to use more humor
in their communication. She has been a keynote speaker at Women’s Business
Enterprise National Council, Dartmouth Entrepreneur Forum, CALA, ICAA and UCLA.
She has run workshops at Stanford, MIT, Columbia, Duke’s Fuqua and Harvard
Business School where Laughter On Call is currently a case study. Her writing has
appeared in AARP, NY Times, LA Times, Parents Magazine and many websites. Her
many podcast appearances include Stanford’s “When I’m 64,” and “The Tony Robbins
Podcast.” Before becoming an entrepreneur, Dani was an actor who appeared on
Broadway and many TV shows including “Law & Order,” “The Lottery,” and “Las
Vegas,” for NBC. She was listed in Forbes 50>50 in 2023.

The legendary comedian Victor Borge said it best when he declared, “laughing with someone is the shortest distance between two people.” Studies prove that when you laugh with a person it creates trust, making it easier to feel comfortable working together toward a common goal and to take risks. Leaders who are able to demonstrate a sense of humor are perceived as authentic, relatable and courageous. What I have learned from my 25+ years performing and teaching comedy tools is that what shared laughter does best is say to a person, or team, "I'm human and I see you. I get you. It’s going to be okay.” When we can laugh about a circumstance or even an error, we know it is not hopeless. Now more than ever business cultures need to feel inclusive and safe giving employees an irrefutable sense of belonging against tough odds to thrive. In this 60 minute workshop, Modisett shares her expertise in the form of 6 specific tools to help you create this kind of communication with your teams, your clients and frankly all your relationships.

Comedian, Author, and Founder

Tools for creating shared laughter for a thriving work culture

L.E.V.I.T.Y. 

As the Global Head of Learning Experiences at Google, Kelsey Kates believes deeply in changing the world through more impactful and delightful learning experiences that transform how we show up. 

Her journey: Kelsey is a marketer turned analyst and now in the corporate learning and development space with a ton of passion for re-imagining great learning and education.  As a lifelong learner, she's currently pursuing an Executive Certificate from MIT in Neuroscience and not afraid of looking silly or failing (just ask about her dancing skills). 
 
Street Cred: In her day job, Kelsey looks after the activation and delivery of 15+ facilitated programs for more than 20,000 Googlers. She's been awarded multiple Brandon Hall Awards for the design of marquee Google programs - Facilitation Academy, Deliver Like a Boss, and her team's delivery of Google Way of Coaching and Google Sales School. In 2018 she won the Rising Star Award for Analytical Academy, a new multi-course program at Google to train and develop the finest analytical thinkers.

Kelsey has her B.S from the University of Denver and her Masters from Northwestern. 

As a human: Kelsey is passionate about doing her part (and more) for the planet, having deep relationships (over good wine is even better), being one of those crazy people that goes cold water swimming (even in winter), rescuing seals, and volunteering with her therapy dog (Dillon). She is on a mission to live a fun, kind and intentional life in Ireland with her husband and son. 

When was the last time you sent an email or ran a meeting that made people smile or laugh? Like many, perhaps you're feeling on auto-pilot at work, feeling robotic - just getting through the day. 

When as adults did we accept that work can't be fun, playful or, dare we say, enjoyable? 
Even at the most serious of companies it doesn't have to be this way and we'd argue it shouldn't be.  

What you will learn and what to expect: In this interactive 60 min Elective, you'll learn about the neuroscience of playfulness, how and why it's actually good for business, and how it can improve effectiveness and engagement. Yep, it's possible!

You'll have the opportunity to explore and tap into your authentic playfulness and walk away with tips on how to infuse playfulness into your daily interactions. 

Global Head of Learning Experiences at Google

Why being playful matters and how to tap into your authentic playfulness at work 

The power of being playful at work 

Nitya has built, delivered and coached sales and sales leadership development programs at companies including Google, PIMCO, BlackRock, PayPal, StreamNative, Kidder Mathews, DenMat, and Transamerica.

He published an Amazon best-selling book on virtual selling “WINNING VIRTUALLY: 10 Tiny Habits for BIG Virtual Selling Success” and is one of a select group of external trainers who are part of the Google Mastery Faculty program. 

Nitya’s work with clients has also been influenced by his global perspectives, having lived and worked in several parts of the world including Singapore, India, Hong Kong, Tanzania, and Belgium.

Nitya received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, where he is an active Director on the UCLA Anderson Alumni Board. He lives in Long Beach, California with his wife Laura and daughters, Amara and Maya.

Humans are biologically, cognitively, physically and spiritually wired to belong. There are many detrimental effects of not feeling a sense of belonging. In the workplace, this leads to lower motivation, lower productivity, and higher attrition as people leave to seek that connection elsewhere.

This Electives class is an interactive workshop that provides practical and actionable frameworks to create strong relationships, particularly as we find ourselves working remotely from other teammates - who to connect with, how to connect with different people, and how to create a cadence so that it happens more automatically.

This class can be customized for 1) managers looking to create stronger connections with their team OR 2) early career employees looking to gain an effective internal and external networking framework.

The ideas shared in this class enable you to be that person that others want to work with, and work for. 

Author of Best-Selling Book: Winning Virtually

Building Better Relationships Remotely

Being Interesting AND Interested

Social Wellness Month

My name is Calista, and I am a functional nutritional therapy practitioner.  What a mouth full?!  That's just a fancy way of saying I am a functional nutritionist who works with clients to get to the root cause of their symptoms.  I love to give corporate chats on simple, accessible, low maintenance tips on all things nutrition and wellness, because every single human needs the knowledge and tools to invest in their health.  We have one life partner, our bodies, and it is our responsibility to nourish and support them.  I'd love to guide you to learn how to show up for your body and overall health in real, sustainable ways, that have lasting effects on how you feel and function each day.  The healthier, more energized, more vibrant your employees are, the more productive they are each day.  So let's get them nourished so your company can flourish even more!  Healthy employees make for a more successful company!

Imagine your body as a building, held up by 6 pillars.  Those 6 pillars are the foundation of your health.  If there is a crack in one pillar, or one pillar is falling apart, the entire foundational support is compromised.  Our bodies are the same as this building: if one tenant of health is compromised or not supported, how we feel, our energy, our mood, how we show up in the world each day, is also compromised.  The 6 pillars or tenets of our health are: bio-individual nutrition, intentional movement, restorative rest + sleep, community + connection, environment (indoors and nature), and mindset.  In this course, I introduce all 6, their role and importance in our wellness, and simple tips to support each tenet.

Health + Wellness Practitioner

6 Tenets of Health + How to Support Them

The 6 Pillars of Health

Curtis Smith stands out for co-founding a highly-regarded public middle school in Brooklyn, where he pioneered a mindfulness curriculum that has since become a cornerstone of the school's ethos. This program's effectiveness catapulted him onto the global stage, where he now partners with educational institutions to augment their cultures and practices.

Curtis extends his expertise in mindfulness as a consultant, where his strategies and workshops breathe life into initiatives like the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, helping to shape compassionate and mindful educational environments. His forward-thinking approach has made significant strides in integrating mindfulness across various school districts.

At the heart of Curtis's career is a commitment to social entrepreneurship, evidenced by his founding of Moment of Mindfulness LLC. Here, he has woven together evidence-based tools, utilizing music, movement, and meditation, to enhance mental health education. In addition to his real-world experience, Curtis holds a solid foundation in educational leadership, underpinning his innovative contributions to the field.

The modern business environment demands attention to team well-being as it directly correlates to organizational success. Curtis Smith brings his extensive educational leadership experience to "Embrace Well-Being for your Team," a class tailored to enhance team dynamics and well-being. With over a decade in the New York City public school system, Curtis has not only taught but also co-founded a successful middle school, where he integrated mindfulness into the core of its mission.

This class offers a hands-on approach to well-being in the workplace, guiding participants through activities that promote focus, resilience, and effective communication. Participants will delve into the Foundations of Well-Being, identifying stressors, and practicing mindfulness to cultivate a balanced work-life ecosystem. The aim is not only knowledge acquisition but also the implementation of sustainable self-care practices within teams.

Designed to fit into busy schedules, the class promotes an exchange of experiences in a community-driven setting. Participants emerge with the tools to foster a culture of well-being, positioning their teams for enhanced productivity and a more fulfilling work environment. Join Curtis in taking proactive steps towards nurturing a resilient and centered team.

Mindfulness Expert + Entrepreneur, Educator, and Wellbeing Advocate

Nurturing Harmony and Focus: Empowering Your Team's Potential

Embrace Well-Being for your Team

Myrna Lainé-Hyppolite has had close to 30 years of experience in the world of finance ranging from corporate finance, private equity, to investment banking. She is an ivy-league graduate with BA and MBA degrees from Dartmouth College.  Ms. Lainé-Hyppolite has leveraged her finance knowledge over the years and is now the CEO of Empower Financial Wellness, a financial coaching company established with a mission to educate, encourage and empower individuals to reach their financial goals. As a financial coach, Ms. Lainé-Hyppolite helps individuals generate more money without working more, learn the basics of confident investing and how to build their own customized wealth management blueprint.

Do you think of managing your finances as a form of self-care? Are you used to taking care of everyone, except yourself? Financial wellness is a form of self-care. Why is it important? Finances have the ability to cause stress and anxiety and affect one’s well-being. Getting one’s finances in order is an important part of wellness.  

In this Electives class, you will learn the five steps to financial wellness that will help remove the overwhelm that many feel when thinking about managing their money.  This class will also provide you with five simple steps that will teach you to make your money work FOR you and establish a plan to build wealth. Attendees will leave with knowledge of how to implement these 5 steps to enrich their financial well-being and build wealth.

CEO + Founder of Empower Financial Wellness

Managing your money is a form of self-care!  

5 Steps to Financial Wellness

Jim 'Pouli' Pouliopoulos is an educator, author, and professional storyteller. Pouli is an expert on the intersection of happiness, wellbeing, and career satisfaction. He is three-time TEDx Talker and co-author of the book, How to Be A Wellbeing: Unofficial Rules to Live Every Day. He is the Director of the Professional Sales program at Bentley University and is a certified trainer for "The Art of Brilliance," a firm which specializes in training and development to increase workplace wellbeing and personal positivity.

Pouli's philosophy on living a good life boils down to three simple personal rules: 1) Happiness precedes success. 2) Life is about the stories you can tell. 3) Regrets are the echoes of the stories you cannot tell.

Pouli's mission is to make a million people happier at work and at home.

Can you be happier if nothing in the world around you changes? Yes, and this Elective will teach you how.

Humans are pre-programmed to focus on negative events and external circumstances. By building new habits, you can re-wire your internal programming and find greater joy and gratitude in everyday moments. This session will explore these topics and deliver simple daily actions to help elevate your happiness while simultaneously lifting the wellbeing of your co-workers, family, and friends.

During this fast-paced, interactive and entertaining Elective, you will learn how to be your best self by harnessing the “secrets” of positive psychology. Be prepared to learn, laugh, and engage in life-changing exercises and discussion.

Participants will learn the following:

1. How to shift mindset to be more positive even in difficult times
2. How to identify and deal with subconscious drivers of negative thinking
3. How to harness regrets for personal growth
4. How to use daily habits to increase personal resilience and wellbeing in and out of work

Educator, Author & Professional Storyteller

Positivity, resilience, and flourishing for uncertain times

How To Be A Well Being

Funke Afolabi-Brown, MD, is a triple board-certified pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine physician. She is passionate about helping people discover sleep as their superpower.

Dr. Brown is a speaker, coach, educator, writer, and the founder of RestfulSleepMD, where she helps busy professional women and their children prioritize sleep to achieve their optimal health and thrive and live to their fullest potential.

As a physician in practice for over a decade, and a mom of two who struggled with sleep issues, she fully understands the impact of sleep deprivation on our mental, physical and emotional health. As a result, she has dedicated her career to helping professional women be their best selves. She does this through speaking, coaching, courses, and programs focused on educating and empowering busy professional women to make sleep a priority as a critical pillar of their health.

She is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and The American Thoracic Society. She is also on the medical advisory board of Baby Center and the expert advisory board of Project Sleep. Dr Brown obtained her sleep medicine training at the University of Pennsylvania.

We live in a sleep-deprived generation and lack of sleep negatively affects our mental, physical and emotional health. While a lot of focus is on getting 7-9 hours of sleep for adults, making sure you have high-quality and restorative sleep also matters deeply for our overall health, productivity and well being. 

In this Elective, Dr. Brown will explain why sleep matters and how to make the most of it. She discusses the benefits of sleep as our superpower and what happens when we don't get enough. She also provides evidence-based strategies to prioritize sleep despite our hectic schedules. 

Sleep Expert + Advocate

Why (and how) sleep is our super power 

Sleep Well

Stephen L. Gresham, PhD, ABPP is a board certified licensed counseling psychologist, professor, yoga instructor, athlete, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consultant. With over 10-years of experience, Dr. Gresham supports clients in clarifying their vision of optimal health and developing smart strategies for addressing internal and external barriers in pursuit of their vision of joy. Stephen also provides education and consultation to professional organizations as well as colleges and universities on the relationship between systemic oppression, unconscious bias, workforce development, and organizational/professional/personal health.  Optimal health is everyone's birthright; it is Dr. Gresham's personal and professional mission to help as many organizations and people uncover their path. 


You are entitled to being well. Yet, we have specific ideas of what Mental Health and Wellness look like as well as how to attain it. Further, we're bombarded with experiences and messages (directly or vicariously) that not only impact our mental health and wellbeing, but also challenge our notion of its accessibility for everyone. This workshop supports participants with visioning mental health and wellness, understanding internal and external barriers, and redefining what feeling & walking one's way towards joy looks like. 

Psychologist, Professor, DEI Expert + Health Optimization Advocate

Your Journey Towards Joy

Mental Health and Wellness

Mrs. Christine Souffrant Ntim is an award-winning Haitian-American serial entrepreneur, personal branding strategist and tech ecosystem expert for emerging markets. She was selected and featured in Forbes 30 Under 30, AdAge 40 Under 40, TEDx, Entrepreneur Magazine, Essence, Black Enterprise, Ebony Magazine, Huffington Post, Inc Magazine, Haiti Changemakers List, and more. 

After a successful career in banking and non profit development, Christine started her tech career as the founder of Vendedy, a social enterprise connecting tourists to street markets via a central digital database digitizing a $10 trillion black market economy and alleviating billions of street vendors out of poverty. 

Today she is the founder and CEO of Global Startup Ecosystem (GSE), a tech recruitment company that is home to the world’s first digital talent career accelerator platform and the fastest growing network of tech summit programs in emerging markets. With a mission to prepare individuals and institutions for the digital age, GSE brings together celebrities, corporate leaders, government officials, and tech ecosystem influencers to build tech career hubs that can support the sustainable development goals by 2030. 

Christine speaks on digital entrepreneurship, personal branding, career planning, and future tech for emerging markets. For fun, she travels and binge watches top business shows with her husband and 4 kids.

n today’s high-pressure workplace, burnout isn’t just an individual issue — it’s a business risk. 

Stress and exhaustion drain productivity, increase turnover, and lower employee engagement. This keynote delivers practical, research-backed strategies to help employees move beyond burnout, manage stress effectively, and build resilience for sustainable success. 

Attendees will leave with actionable tools they can apply immediately to improve both their well-being and performance at work.


Tech Ecosystem Expert for Emerging Markets

Breakthrough Strategies for Wellness, Balance, and Stress Resilience at Work 

Beyond Burnout: Wellness Fundamentals

Darlene is an expert at the intersection of lifestyle, wellness, and wellbeing.  With a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and certifications in  personal trainer, wellness coach, nutrition coach, yoga instructor, sleep coach, and meditation teacher.  Her workshops have impacted thousands through corporate partners including Blackrock, Reddit, Spotify, Capital One, Oscar, Raymond James, and more.

Darlene has spoken at some of the world's biggest fitness and positive psychology conferences and contributed to some of the most impactful certifications in wellness.  Now she helps individuals and groups build lifestyles of sustained wellbeing.  In 2021 Darlene was named America's Favorite Trainer by BurnAlong.com and she hosts the Better Than Fine podcast on the NASM Podcasting Network.  

Despite an ever-growing range of gyms, wellness apps, and healthy foods, many people still find it difficult to balance fitness with daily life. New tools—like AI and wearable tech—can help make a real difference once you know how to use them.

This 60-minute workshop explores practical ways to use AI and technology to address common fitness and wellness challenges. Participants will learn how to use AI for finding more efficient workout routines, creating meal plans that fit personal needs, and freeing up time without sacrificing performance. The class will also cover wearable technology and what these tools can offer beyond just counting steps, including features that help monitor health and support healthy habits.

Attendees are invited to bring their current challenges and use hands-on exercises to apply AI tools in real time, helping them develop strategies tailored to their own goals. Whether you’re looking to reclaim lost time or create a plan that actually works for your schedule, this workshop offers an opportunity to approach wellness through a practical, tech-forward lens.

Lifestyle + Wellbeing Expert 

Technology to tackle your toughest wellness challenges

AI, meet Wellness

Sharon is the founder of Control Chaos and author of Super-Productive: 120 Strategies to Do More and Stress Less.

She helps clients improve their productivity, performance, and well-being through corporate training, executive, and group coaching. Her work focuses on empowering individuals to make small changes that have a big positive impact on their work performance and quality of life.

Sharon is an Assistant Instructor at the University of Pennsylvania and has guest lectured for many years at Columbia University’s Executive MBA program. She is a certified professional coach and holds the PCC (Professional Certified Coach) designation from the International Coach Federation. 

One of Sharon's top strengths is "love of learning." She is a Fearless Organization certified practitioner, a Trust at Work certified practitioner, and a Designing Your Life coach. She has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)  designation and a certificate from the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation in Leadership and Negotiation.

She received her bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in real estate finance from New York University, and a master’s degree in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Sharon raised her 4 kids in Northern NJ and now lives with her husband, Neil in South FL. She is an avid swimmer, loves reading fiction, and has recently discovered a love of snorkeling.

Unleash your potential and transform your relationship with stress in this empowering course. Explore the science-backed benefits of adopting a stress-is-enhancing mindset, empowering you to improve performance and alleviate anxiety. Discover the two types of stress mindsets and learn practical strategies to shift towards a more productive mindset, enabling you to tackle everyday challenges with resilience.

Delve into practical techniques for reducing and managing stress, including quick fixes and long-term approaches. In this 90-minute session, our aim is to help you change your stress responses, optimize performance, and enhance overall well-being. 

Join us for an insightful journey where you'll gain valuable tools to embrace stress as a catalyst for growth and achieve your full potential.

Lecturer at Columbia + University of Pennsylvania

Embracing the Upside of Stress

Mindfulness and Mindset

Caroline Tanis is recognized for her innovative approach to financial planning, particularly in helping high-earning families chart pathways to their ideal lifestyles. By fostering a collaborative environment, she tailors financial strategies that are as unique as her clients' goals, paving a clear path from their present financial state to their aspirations. Caroline's expertise spans estate planning, retirement strategies, trusts, and investment planning.
 
Her comprehensive services ensure that each facet of her clients' financial health is meticulously managed, offering peace of mind and a clear strategy for the future. This holistic approach sets her apart in the financial planning field.

Beyond her practice, Caroline hosts "The Wealth Cafe" on YouTube and LinkedIn, where she shares her insights and enhances financial literacy. She also conducts workshops for companies, continually pursuing her passion for empowering others with financial knowledge. 

Caroline holds both an MBA and the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® designation, underscoring her commitment to informed and thoughtful financial guidance. She is a 2x best-selling author and has been featured in USA Today, Yahoo Finance, Morningstar, NerdWallet, and more.

Financial Planning for the Different Stages of Life was our most attended workshop last year, and for good reason—it provides employees with practical, actionable guidance tailored to where they are in their financial journey.

In this interactive 60-minute session, we break down essential financial planning topics into three key life stages:

Early Career (Building Your Foundation) – Understanding your corporate benefits, budgeting effectively, starting to invest, and laying the groundwork for long-term financial success.
Mid-Career (Growing & Protecting Wealth) – Maximizing retirement contributions, evaluating investment strategies, managing debt, and ensuring proper insurance coverage.
Pre-Retirement & Beyond (Securing Your Future) – Estate planning, mapping out a path way towards retirement, understanding the two parts of retirement 
We’ll cover topics like investments, estate planning, corporate benefits, insurance, and more, providing employees with clear action steps they can take to improve their financial well-being at every stage.

This session is open to all employees, whether you’re just getting started or refining your long-term plan. 

Financial Planner for Everyone

Financial Planning strategies for Life Different Stages

Financial Planning for all stages

National Wellness Month

Cindy Pierce is a parenting expert, sexuality educator, comic storyteller and author of three books, including Sexploitation: Helping Kids Develop Healthy Sexuality in a Porn-Driven World. Combining comic storytelling and 18 years of research, Cindy informs, educates and motivates people to reconsider their social habits online and off. Cindy and her husband, Bruce Lingelbach have three adult children and run Pierce’s Inn in Etna, NH. 

This course will inspire parents to step into conversation with their kids about time spent on devices and provide guidance on how to set boundaries that benefit the whole family. 

It won’t be long before young kids have access to the internet or have a friend who tells them all about what they found online. Through ongoing conversations, parents and other anchoring adults can help kids navigate the onslaught of cultural messaging online and develop discernment about what they consume. 

Most kids are surprisingly relieved to have clear boundaries and guidance on how to manage the relentless pressure to engage online. As soon as kids can read, there is pressure to know certain things or be watching certain shows or videos. When kids gain more access to devices, the pressure quickly ramps up for them to participate in banter, gaming, group chats, sexting, comment threads, social drama and constant availability.

Parenting Expert, Sexuality Educator, Comic Storyteller and Author

How Parents Can Guide Children (of All Ages) to Become Conscious Consumers

Parenting in the Digital Age

Joani Geltman, MSW, is a prominent parenting expert who provides home-based parent coaching, speaks publicly on issues relating to child development and parenting, and designs and implements training workshops on parenting and education leadership development. She has four decades of experience helping young people, serving as a social worker, therapist, student advisor, adjunct professor, and youth program director at various schools and organizations.

The author of the best selling book, A Survival Guide To Parenting Teens: Talking To Your Kids About Sexting, Drinking, Drugs, and Other Things That Freak You Out, and I Get It: Three Magic Words For Parents Of Teens. Geltman has been featured in, or written for, USA Today and The Boston Globe. Her writings have appeared online at The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Mommy & Me, Boston.com, Working Family, Global Post Parenting, and on scores of blogs. She has also been featured as a parenting expert on Better TV, Good Day New York (Fox), Good Day Connecticut (Fox), and Fox-TV in Boston. and WBUR’s Radio Boston. Joani writes a weekly blog for parents of teens. joani geltman.blogspot.com
She has served as an adjunct professor for the past 25+ years at Curry College in Milton, MA. Geltman teaches in the department of psychology, covering child and adolescent development, family psychology, and dysfunctional family life.

Geltman has spoken to thousands of parents, educators, and students at hundreds of schools. The sought-after speaker delivers more than 40 seminars a year to schools, community groups, businesses, churches, and temples. She has developed seminars such as: Adolescent Psychology The Parent Version, Sexting and Texting What’s A Parent To Do?, Understanding Your Teen’s Drinking and Drug Use, Understanding Temperament, and many others.

A resident of Natick, MA, Geltman earned her Bachelor of Science in education from Lesley University and her Master of social work from Washington University.

Working parents often get the worst of their kids! Rushed mornings, late in the day tired and "hangry" kids and bedtime drama! Add to that a demanding job and the running of a household. That is quite load. Understanding the underlying emotional issues of your kids as it relates to the daily transitions of life will give you the objectivity and ability to strategize and plan and not just REACT, thus making family time less emotionally loaded. In this Elective you will walk away with new skills for morning routines and rituals, as well as a deeper understanding of your children's underlying needs that may be communicated through whining and avoidance behavior. 

Parenting Expert, Author + Professor

Making The Best Of The Time You have With Your Kids

Tips For Working Parents

Tameka brings a unique perspective to youth entrepreneurship. In 2013, she was appointed by President Obama to lead the Office of Entrepreneurial Development at the U.S. Small Business Administration. In that capacity, she was responsible for an appropriated budget of more than $160M to advance entrepreneurship programs across the nation. 

In 2017, Tameka launched the podcast, Raising Entrepreneurs a Parent's Guide to Raising Kids with an Entrepreneurial Mindset.  She produced more than 80 episodes which featured parents, youth, and thought leaders sharing ideas about fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in young people.  In 2018 she founded the Montgomery County Children's Business Fair which is a one day event designed to expose young people to entrepreneurship.

Tameka is the founder and CEO of Core Strategy Partners, a stakeholder experience firm focused on helping leaders collect valuable insights to make smarter decision and engage more effectively with key stakeholders, customers, clients, and employees.

A mother to three boys, Tameka understands the important role parents play in helping kids develop an entrepeneurial mindset.  With her three boys, she has observed what happens when kids are given experiences in entrepreneurship. They discover and explore their interests and talents, become problem solvers, and learn to tackle problems that matter most to them.

Tameka is passionate about equipping families and communities with tools and resources to foster an entrepreneurial mindset within young people. She believes that while not every kid will choose to be an entrepreneur, every kid needs to learn how to think like one.


How do we raise self-reliant kids who have initiative, are resilient, and can be problem solvers? Kids who have the skills and the courage to step outside of their comfort zone and take advantage of what life has to offer? All skills that will not only help them live out their potential and lead fulfilling lives, but these are also skills that are necessary for our rapidly changing world. To prepare our kids, we must raise them to think and act entrepreneurially; encourage them to approach the world with entrepreneurial mindset.

I've interviewed dozens of parents, young entrepreneurs, thought leaders and experts. In this course I will share strategies that I have learned from them and from my own experience raising three very different boys. These are all strategies that I believe all parents should be doing.

During the course, you'll not only hear about my personal experience as a parent, but also from one of my sons as he shares his experience and thoughts about being challenged to think and act entrepreneurially.

Host of the Raising Entrepreneurs Podcast

How to Foster Entrepreneurial Mindset

Raising Entrepreneurs

Phil Burgess and Felix Koch spent 10+ years working together at a global consulting firm as Chief People Officer and CEO. They worked with a diverse range of clients including Google and Jaguar Land Rover.

In an effort to build a more connected culture across their offices post-pandemic, they partnered with an award-winning social enterprise to deliver a peer-based listening program for their teams and were blown away by the results: doubling of well-being scores, reduced attrition and stronger relationships between participants. This impact inspired them to leave their corporate careers to partner with the social enterprise to start WITHIN.  They now work with leaders to drive results by building cultures of connection and high-performing teams.

A couple more things you should know: Phil and Felix are passionate about building more human organizations where people can really thrive. Their focus on people-centric leadership led to a variety of 'Best Place to Work' and 'Best Agency' awards. They were jointly recognized on Management Today's 'Agents of Change' Power List for men championing gender equity in business and Phil led the L&D team awarded 'Learning Team of the Year' at the global Learning Awards.

For the first time in history, five generations are now working together. This diversity can yield significant benefits: increased creativity
and innovation, improved competitiveness and productivity. Yet it also brings challenges for leaders and managers of multi-generational teams of people with very different attitudes towards life and work. The social, cultural and economic trends that have shaped their lives result in different communication preferences and levels of comfort around what they talk about at work, different attitudes towards company purpose and how long they want to work for the same company. These generational differences can also lead to stereotypes and unhelpful labels that get in the way of effective teamwork and impact our effectiveness as leaders.

Join this thought-provoking, interactive session for a lively discussion about leading multi-generational teams. We’ll look at data to
bust some myths, and share practical ideas you can apply immediately to boost leadership effectiveness. How do I support people who don’t
see the world the way I do? How do I encourage people to work together effectively? Do generational differences differ around the world?

This is NOT a ‘death by PowerPoint' session. It includes ample time to ask questions and discuss your own experiences with peers.

Founders of WITHIN + recognized on Management Today's 'Agents of Change' Power List

Practical ideas to boost leadership effectiveness leading multi-generational teams

Leading multi-generational teams

In the "Raising Financially Savvy Kids" workshop, participants will gain practical tools and insights to guide children toward financial literacy. Designed for parents, grandparents, and caregivers, this interactive session explores how to explain money concepts to kids, teach them about budgeting and money management, and engage them in age-appropriate activities to practice earning. Each section is tailored to different age groups, ensuring the material is relevant and understandable. 

Participants will also discuss the importance of prioritizing their own financial education, creating a supportive environment for financial learning at home. This workshop places emphasis on understanding money as a tool, helping children develop skills for financial well-being and independence in the future. Attendees will leave with strategies to foster a household where talking about money is open and encouraged, laying a strong foundation for the next generation. Whether you're just starting out on this journey or looking to enhance your existing knowledge, this course offers valuable insights for anyone committed to raising financially savvy children.

Building a Strong Financial Foundation for Your Children’s Future

Raising Financially-Savvy Kids

JR is a national speaker, trainer, and coach that inspires people to make positive changes in their life. He is also the founder of CoffeeWithJR, a company that specializes in providing culturally competent mental health and diversity/inclusion trainings. JR has over 10 years of experience in professional speaking. He has trained college students and professionals on mental health at over 50 universities and dozens of organizations across the country. JR is also an instructor for Mental Health First Aid. As a diversity/inclusion trainer, JR has facilitated numerous DEI workshops for Fortune 500 companies, as well as locally for companies in Denver, Colorado. He also teaches at the University of Colorado at Boulder and Denver on leadership, cultural competency, and mental health. In addition to being a professional speaker, JR has 10 years of experience managing and running nonprofit organizations and small businesses.

As an immigrant who has struggled with the immigration system, JR is passionate about advocating for immigration reform and supporting immigrants in the United States. JR’s mental health journey as an immigrant is featured in a short documentary called “Coffee Talking Out of Mental Coffins,” and in the Harvard Kennedy School’s Asian American Policy Review.

In 2023, JR published his first research paper in “International Student Identities and Mental Well-Being,” a book that strives to provide valuable insights on international students’ mental well-being based on research, promising practices, and practitioners’ experiences.

Today’s teams span early‑career professionals to late‑career talents, with each generation moving at different tempos and having distinct expectations and communication habits. When tone, pace, or values get misread, small moments snowball into miscommunication, conflict, or slow decisions. What looks like a concise “👍” emoji in an email could land as a curt reply from a colleague who expects context. Or, rapid Slack pings from a newer teammate may be perceived as pushy, and the delayed replies from a senior teammate can read as dismissive. Additionally, as teams diversify in tenure, work styles, and backgrounds, standardizing how feedback and decisions move becomes essential for speed and quality. 

This workshop reframes these flashpoints and challenges as opportunities to continue to build a solid team. Participants will learn how feedback travels, how decisions are captured, and how capacity is signaled without getting personal or political. Also, attendees will have a better understanding of how stress and mental health, such as past traumas, influence communication, both in verbal and non-verbal forms. The goal is to support mixed-tenure teams to work and collaborate in a kinder and more empathetic way with less friction.


Immigration Advocate + Mental Health Published Researcher

Thriving Together

Bridging Generations

Monica D. Livingston is a dynamic Performance Coach
with Limitless Minds, a global mindset company
founded by DJ Edison, the late Trevor Moawad, Harry
Wilson, and Super Bowl Champion Russell Wilson. A
leadership expert and Culture Coach, Monica partners
with organizations navigating change, disruption, and
high-pressure environments to strengthen mindset,
elevate communication, reset culture, and develop
leaders and sales teams who balance empathy with
execution to drive results for Electives.io
Beyond her core roles, Monica partners with respected
organizations including the Positive Coaching Alliance,
The Center for Teacher Effectiveness, Shapiro
Negotiation Institute, Google Sales Academy, and the
Maryland Business Roundtable for Education. Her
impact extends nationwide as a sought-after
motivational speaker and esteemed Professor at
American University in Washington, D.C.
A captivating storyteller on stage and on air, Monica
reaches global audiences through her internationally
broadcast podcast, where she brings humor, insight,
and authenticity as both host and guest—leaving every
audience entertained, informed, and inspired. 


Who is Family? What makes a Family? Join Monica as she shares her stories, struggles, and lessons learned from both creating family and becoming and being a parent to three very different kids (now mostly adults) in the context of an inter-racial, lesbian relationship. You will hear about her sensitive and creative cisgender, hetero son, her fabulously queer and brilliant trans child, and her loving, capable, and stubborn cisgender, bi daughter.

Society continually changes, and the concept of family changes with it. Monica will take you on a brief journey through the evolution and expansion of Family.
Based on the idea that all humans are hardwired for social connection--it is a biological need and our strongest desire--Monica will challenge you to think about your own family connections and invite a robust discussion around ways we can all expand and strengthen our family ties. As always, Monica's focus is on healthy relationships; in this case offering ways to enhance our capacities to respond to the ever-changing dynamics of human relationships.

Educator, Business Owner, Speaker & Athlete

What makes a Family!

The Modern Family

Sophie Riegel is a best-selling author, speaker, ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), and mental health advocate who collaborates with top organizations like Netflix and Target to improve intergenerational relationships and mental well-being. By 21, she had published three books and delivered a TED Talk. Now, as the Gen Z columnist for Psychology Today, she inspires audiences worldwide through her coaching, workshops, and keynotes, all while running a successful six-figure thrift reselling business.

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, understanding and effectively leading the newest generation, Gen Z, is critical for organizational success. This comprehensive course, "Leading Gen Z," equips leaders and managers with the knowledge, strategies, and skills to harness the potential of Gen Z employees and create harmonious, high-performing, multi-generational teams.

In this session, we will discuss the following topics:

Who is Gen Z?
Mindset shifts around intergenerational collaboration. 
What Gen Z wants from work. 
What Gen Z wants from you.
Creating a climate of trust at work. 
Aligning Gen Z and company values. 
Motivating Gen Z. 
How to take care of yourself while you manage Gen Z. 
And more!


Author + Youth Mental Health Advocate

Bridging the Generation Gap at Work

Leading Gen Z

Stephanie Castellanos is a national facilitator, justice & equity strategist, and the founder of Uproot Talent – an award-winning social impact boutique talent advising and executive search firm that specializes in hiring and keeping leadership who mirror and reflect the people they serve. 

Her commitment to co-creating equity in the workplace stems from her experiences as the daughter of immigrants and a single mom, the granddaughter to a Bracero, navigating higher-education as the first-person in her family to graduate from high school, two decades of grassroots organizing, and growing up as a kid from Inglewood, CA.

Her experiences include leading the talent, DEI&J, and recruitment strategy for multiple start-up organizations – including founding a multi-sector grassroots coalition dedicated to recruiting and retaining teachers of color and matching over 600 leaders (90% identify as people of the global majority) to nonprofits, foundations, public school districts, and child welfare agencies across the country. As the creator of WOKESHOP®, she’s also facilitated over 1,000 un/relearning experiences alongside over 23,000 participants since 2015.

Stephanie’s expertise goes beyond the “professional” realm. 

She’s organized thousands of community members to become the first U.S. city to defeat Walmart’s expansion while in high school, spent countless hours preparing her neighbors & family for interviews growing up, and co-founded a standing mentorship program (CAMBIO Academy) for girls of color while a Sociology and Urban Planning & Regional Studies student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

It’s this lived experience that Stephanie centers and uplifts in all she does. 

For the first time ever, we now have five generations in the workforce. Nearly two-thirds of U.S.-based employees said that Covid-19 caused them to reflect on their purpose in life. And Millennials were 3x more likely than others to say they were reevaluating the type of work they do because of the pandemic. 

Building common ground and shared purpose is a core component of building bridges between generations. This one-hour collaborative learning experience is meant to dig into exactly that – shared purpose, common misconceptions, and strategies & best practices for building bridges between and among generations.

Questions for exploration: 
1. What are the cues, trends, patterns, and the “language” of my generation? 
2. In what ways am I experiencing other generations in my company? What indicators am I seeing/observing that tell me this? 
3. What are some key strategies and best practices that I can implement to build bridges across generations on my team? 


Talent + Leadership Expert; Decolonizing Educator. 

With 5 generations in the workplace, how are we building intentional connections?

Building Connections x Generations

National Back to School Month

Lisa Safran helps leaders stay calm, clear, and compelling in the moments that matter most. A learning and development leader, executive coach, and author, she designs and facilitates practical programs that translate big ideas into behaviors people can actually use at work. She has led facilitator teams and delivered leadership, communication, and change programs for organizations across tech, healthcare, and professional services.

As founder of Safran Consulting, Lisa blends business strategy with creative methodology, using improvisational tools to keep sessions highly engaging and hands-on. Her work centers on psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and real-world application so participants leave with tools they can try in their next meeting, not just their next role. She is the author of Executive Presence, Improv Style and has spent more than 15 years designing and scaling leadership programs that drive measurable results.

Outside the classroom, Lisa has performed with Bay Area improv ensembles including Synergy Theater and Improv For Good, toured the U.S. and Canada as a stand-up comic, and written and performed her solo show Mama’s Approval. A musician and longtime performer, she brings warmth, humor, and a grounded presence to every session. Lisa holds a Master’s in Teaching and a deep belief that learning should feel both safe and a little bit brave.

Work is shifting quickly across industries. Teams are navigating AI integration, reorganizations, new leadership, shifting priorities, hybrid work challenges, and constant change. In moments like these, people need practical skills to stay clear-headed, collaborative, and effective when direction isn’t fully defined.

This interactive workshop helps participants build real-time adaptability: the ability to respond to change, communicate clearly under pressure, and keep momentum moving when information is incomplete.

Using applied improvisation techniques (no performance required), participants practice how to adapt during real workplace moments such as:

Leadership changes or reorganizations

AI or technology integration

Role shifts or evolving job expectations

Reductions in force or resource constraints

Cross-functional misalignment

Hybrid and remote collaboration challenges

Rapid decision-making with incomplete information

Fast-changing priorities

Participants learn how to:

Stay calm and focused during change

Communicate before all answers are known

Collaborate across teams during uncertainty

Adapt quickly when plans shift

Build trust and psychological safety during transitions

Strengthen resilience and learning agility

This session is relevant for individual contributors, managers, and leaders who want to navigate change more effectively and build adaptability as a core workplace skill.

Topics: adaptability, change management, AI integration, resilience, communication, collaboration, psychological safety, learning agility, navigating uncertainty

Trust & Alignment Reset

Accountability w/o Micromanagement

Elicit Honest Productive Feedback

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