People First: Elevating Talent for the Future

08:00 AM - 08:45 AM ET

Registration and Networking Breakfast

08:45 AM - 09:00 AM ET

Opening Remarks

09:00 AM - 09:20 AM ET

Networking and Cross-Pollination

09:20 AM - 09:50 AM ET

How EQ + AI = The People-Led, Tech-Powered Workforce of the Future

We welcome Lorraine "Lo" Stomski, the first Chief Talent Officer of Walmart, to discuss the workforce strategies of the world’s largest private employer, and why, in the age of AI, emotional intelligence and empathy are as important as ever. We will discuss upskilling and mobility for employees at every level; how Walmart is selecting for and developing both tech-fluency and people-centricity; and what leadership requires in these times of extremely rapid change. We will come away with talent insights looking to 2027 for enterprises of every size.

09:55 AM - 10:20 AM ET

The Talent Strategy that Drives Breakthroughs

When you’re in relentless pursuit of breakthroughs that change lives, unleashing the power of your talent to grow and to innovate is mission critical. We welcome Sherry Cassano, Chief Talent Officer of Pfizer, to share how Pfizer is using AI to redesign talent and leadership pipelines, and how a human-centered engagement strategy cultivates a culture of inclusion and performance that drives innovation and business value.

10:20 AM - 10:50 AM ET

Meet and Connect

10:50 AM - 11:20 AM ET

What AI Can Do for (or Against?) Opportunity and Access

AI and other technological advances have enormous potential for enhancing opportunity and access, through initiatives including customized and democratized coaching; more sophisticated internal talent marketplaces and identification of skills; detection of pay discrepancies or unconscious bias in recruitment; advice on inclusive communications; and much more. But these advancements also pose risks, including replicating and amplifying bias in training data or prompts. We will discuss how organizations are leveraging tech to advance opportunity while safeguarding against algorithmic bias.

11:25 AM - 11:50 AM ET

How AI is Rewiring Leadership and Reshaping the Workforce

Gain insights from The Conference Board’s research on how AI is reinventing what is required of leaders now, and shifting the importance of key skills and the nature of roles in the workforce.

11:50 AM - 12:20 PM ET

An Outdated Employee Experience Won’t Attract a Future-Ready Workforce

The push for greater productivity, agility, and AI fluency increases the need to attract, engage, develop and retain future-ready talent. Yet to do so may call for rethinking the employee experience, as employees seek purpose, wellbeing, and technology that reduces friction and enhances their impact. We will explore how leaders can leverage data, AI and new tools to drive innovation in the employee experience and support a workforce ready to tackle what’s next.

12:20 PM - 12:30 PM ET

Interactive Exercise: Pick Your Champion for 2030

Attendees at each table will co-create and share a one-sentence prediction on the workforce skills they will be championing in 2030, and how they will attract and develop talent with those skills.

12:30 PM - 01:30 PM ET

Networking Lunch

01:35 PM - 02:05 PM ET

Leadership Development in the Age of AI

The challenge: The seismic transformations taking place require a new understanding and re-prioritizing of leadership skills. The good news: We have an opportunity to leverage some of those changes, particularly in technology, to enhance the development of the leaders we need now. We will explore what is required of leaders to meet the moment, and innovations in developing those leadership skills.

01:35 PM - 02:05 PM ET

Engagement and Retention in Times of Transition

Mergers, acquisitions, spinoffs, large reorganizations: these moments of make-or-break transformation are often also times when employees consider updating their resumes and heading for the exits. Yet organizations that approach these transitions with transparency, authenticity, development opportunities, and human-centered support can maintain engagement and retain the talent needed for the new structure to thrive. We will explore examples of what has worked and what hasn’t.

01:35 PM - 02:05 PM ET

The ROI of ERGs

Employee Resource Groups continue to enhance the employee experience; help attract, retain, and develop talent; advance corporate social responsibility efforts; advise on the customer journey; and in many other ways drive their businesses forward. Learn how organizations are innovating in aligning ERG programs with business priorities, and the metrics used to demonstrate results.

02:15 PM - 02:45 PM ET

Reinvigorating an Employer Brand

Have the talent characteristics your organization needs evolved? Has your employer brand evolved to match them? We will explore a reinvention of an employer brand, from assessing talent needs to redesigning EVP, candidate journeys, employee experience, and the marketing and communications telling the employer story internally and externally.

02:15 PM - 02:45 PM ET

Do You Understand Your Multigenerational Workforce – and Do They Understand Each Other?

Workplaces today may include six generations, from The Silent Generation to Gen Alpha, each bringing different experiences, expectations, stressors and goals, whether it relates to the most effective modes of communication, the value of workplace flexibility, or openness around wellbeing. The sandwich generation employee dealing with both child and elder care; the older employee wondering if they can afford to retire; the entry-level hire hoping to continue their education – each seeks different supports in order to bring their best selves to work. We will explore not only how organizations can understand and respond to different generational expectations, but also how the enterprise can help employees benefit from the diverse perspectives of significantly older or younger coworkers.

02:15 PM - 02:45 PM ET

Piloting Inclusive Initiatives through Political Headwinds

Inclusion remains a bedrock of an attractive employee experience and an efficient talent pipeline. Yet new legal restrictions as well as greater political polarization, particularly in the United States, can make shepherding an inclusion initiative a more complex task. We will discuss the challenges posed by the current environment, and offer expert advice on how to navigate safely through the turbulence.

02:55 PM - 03:25 PM ET

How Are Our Performance Metrics Performing?

Productivity was the top human capital priority of the CEOs surveyed in The Conference Board 2026 C-Suite Outlook. Organizations and leaders across sectors and across the globe are feeling the pressure to improve workforce performance. But how many of us are measuring performance with tools and metrics that themselves are underperforming? We will discuss innovations in performance measurement and what they can mean for productivity, development, and engagement.

02:55 PM - 03:25 PM ET

Making the In-Person Experience Worth the Commute

Most organizations have settled into some form of hybrid work schedules with their remote-capable workforce. Yet it is not rare for employees to spend their in-office days doing the same work in the same ways they perform it in their homes. How can organizations maximize the value of time spent in person at the workplace, both for the employee and for the business?

02:55 PM - 03:25 PM ET

Psychological Safety – The “Soft” Factor that Drives Results

Especially in times of internal and external disruption, whether employees experience psychological safety in their teams and workplaces can be a crucial performance lever. We will discuss the demonstrable impact of psychological safety on team performance, how to track and improve psychological safety among employees, and how to develop leaders who will foster it.

03:25 PM - 03:45 PM ET

Meet and Connect

03:45 PM - 04:15 PM ET

How a Skills-Based Talent Strategy is Unlocking Career Mobility and Organizational Agility

We welcome Loren Hudson, SVP and Chief Talent Officer at Comcast Cable, to share how the organization’s talent strategy works with a culture of integrity, innovation, and inclusion to support Comcast’s business goals. We will discuss how a new skills-based talent strategy is revealing nonlinear career opportunities and enhancing enterprise agility, and explore the tools, processes and mindsets that unlock the advantages of a skills-based approach for employees and for the organization.

04:20 PM - 04:50 PM ET

Fostering Cultures of Agility, Resilience and Belonging

We conclude our first day with a conversation with leaders who are fostering cultures of agility, resilience and belonging in their organizations, and learn why culture is key to attaining the goals we have discussed over the course of the day.

04:50 PM - 05:00 PM ET

Closing Remarks

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM ET

Networking Reception