Speaker Bios

Al is the Founder of Livelihood.io and The Future of Work Project, an ongoing endeavor highlighting leading practices and innovative ideas into how individuals, teams, groups, organizations, and educational institutions can more effectively prepare, collaborate, and transform in the Age of Ai and Perpetual Disruption. On these topics Al hosts leaders, academics, practitioners, and others on the People Data for Good Podcast, the My Future of Work Podcast, and Al Adamsen Podcast. Al is a global industry analyst, keynote speaker, educator, advisor, and promoter of the ethical and responsible use of people data, analytics, and Ai in the workplace.

Alex Haitoglou founded Ovida, the world's first AI platform aimed at enhancing the fundamental communication skills for leadership and coaching. Ovida supports leaders and coaches in their growth by providing AI-generated objective data, video reviews for self-reflection, and expert human mentoring.

With a background in Business Economics and German, Haitoglou worked with Procter & Gamble in global business leadership roles while also leading the Grow Coaching program, training hundreds of leaders in coaching skills. He later assumed executive positions at Walgreens Boots Alliance working across geographies in healthcare. Moving into entrepreneurship, Haitoglou built a health-tech business that was acquired by a major European retailer, and in 2020 launched Ovida with his partner Bryan Watson.

Alicia Hullinger, Ph.D., is the Executive Director/VP of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Thought Leadership Institute, where she leads its evolution into the futurist hub for ICF and the coaching profession. She oversees futures research and foresight initiatives that explore the future of coaching in a rapidly changing world, translating cutting-edge insights into actionable strategies for coaches, organizations, and society.

As a Cultural Sociologist and visionary strategist, Alicia explores how emerging trends—technological advancements, economic shifts, and societal transformations—shape the coaching landscape. She is passionate about creating futures-driven frameworks that position coaching as a catalyst for human and planetary well-being.

Prior to ICF, Alicia was a social entrepreneur and consultant advising organizations on cooperative business models, sustainability, and social change. She holds a doctorate in sociology from the University of Kentucky and a Certification in Coach Training from Coach Academy International. Alicia’s work is rooted in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and she is dedicated to expanding access to coaching as a global force for positive transformation.

Dr. Alison Eyring is the Founder and CEO of Produgie, a B2B SaaS building leadership capacity for better business growth. She is an award-winning author [Pacing for Growth (2017)], adjunct Professor at the NUS Business School, and serves on the Advisory Board to Shop Up in Bangladesh. In 2000, Alison founded Organisation Solutions in Singapore and led the business to become a global consultancy building growth leader, team, and organisation capabilities across 5 continents. In 2021 she spun off Produgie (www.produgie.com) to empower inclusive growth by offering premium growth leadership services as affordable, scalable pay-as-you-go products. With Produgie individuals and teams grow-in-the-flow of everyday work as their business scales growth capabilities. Alison earned her MA and PhD in Industrial/Organisational Psychology. Her domain expertise lies in large-scale organisation design and transformation.

Andrew Pek is the President and Founder of Amiko XR, a pioneering extended reality coaching and learning platform that delivers AI-powered, immersive experiences for enterprise leaders and professionals. A recognized thought leader in leadership, creativity, and innovation, he is a bestselling author and has held senior roles as a partner at Korn Ferry, Mercer, and Accenture.

In addition to his corporate experience, he is a sought-after speaker, guest lecturer, and educator, teaching at institutions such as NYU, Cornell, Illinois Tech, Villanova, and Wharton. He also hosts Consulting Unplugged, a popular podcast featuring bestselling authors, top executives, and entrepreneurs.

Passionate about the intersection of technology, coaching, and leadership, he continues to shape the future of learning and professional development. He resides in the New York metro area with his wife and family.

NYU School of Professional Studies Dean Angie Kamath has had a distinguished career in higher education and government. Exemplified by her deep expertise in partnering with industries on skills-based education and workforce development, Kamath is a champion for fostering equal opportunities through higher education and workforce programs that provide immediately applicable skills in hospitality, real estate, publishing, global affairs, sports management, AI technology, and functional business leadership, among other growing and emerging fields.

Grounded in research, Kamath is an expert on workforce development and skills-based training, providing foresight into the future of work. Passionate about developing programs with industry leaders, she has created partnerships with national and local organizations to innovate academic initiatives and advance access to education. Under her leadership, NYU SPS has been ranked as a top higher education institution with its career-connected, industry-focused degrees and courses. Kamath was also instrumental in having NYU SPS endorsed as a talent development partner by OneTen, a coalition of leading chief executives and their companies, committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and upskilling, hiring, and advancing one million Black Americans into family-sustaining jobs over the next 10 years.

Committed to talent upskilling and reskilling, Kamath has broadened her influence beyond NYU SPS, making a significant impact on New York City’s labor market and economy. As a member of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development, she was appointed to the The Future of Workers Task Force (FWTF) in 2022, dedicated to  addressing the future of work and bettering the job market in New York City. Additionally, Kamath sits on the “New” New York Panel. Launched by Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams in 2022, the panel focuses on the future of jobs centers, neighborhoods, the way people work, key industries, infrastructure, talent development and more. Serving as its blue-ribbon panelist, she represents a cross-section of those who call New York home, and who have demonstrated their ability to develop the innovative policies and initiatives required to jumpstart the City’s economy and to drive growth across business sectors in the five boroughs and beyond.

While in her role as dean at the nation’s largest urban public university, City University of New York (CUNY), Kamath oversaw grant-funded opportunities that sought to improve the skills, career prospects, and outcomes of targeted industries such as IT, finance, healthcare, and municipal government.

Before her role at CUNY, Kamath served as an executive vice president and executive director at Per Scholas, a national IT job training nonprofit in the South Bronx. There, she oversaw the New York training operation that trained and placed over 500 individuals each year in middle-skills jobs in the IT field.

Prior to Per Scholas, Kamath worked as deputy commissioner at the NYC Department of Small Business Services for seven years, overseeing adult workforce programs that served more than 100,000 New Yorkers each year during the Bloomberg administration.

Kamath holds a BS in Business Management from Cornell University and an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Dr. Anna Tavis is Clinical Professor and Chair of the Human Capital Management Department at NYU’s School of Professional Studies. As Department Chair, she leads three MS degree programs in the Human Capital Management Portfolio: Human Capital Management; Human Capital Analytics and Technology and Executive Coaching and Organizational Consulting. Additionally, Dr. Tavis manages five HCM certificate programs. She is the co-author of Humans at Work: The Art and Practice of Creating the Hybrid Workplace (Kogan Page, 2022). Her newest co-authored book, The Digital Coaching Revolution (Kogan Page, 2024) was released in the spring of 2024.

Prior to joining the NYU faculty, Dr. Tavis navigated a diverse global career in business, consulting and academia. In business, Dr. Tavis was the Head of Motorola’s EMEA OD function based in London, Nokia’s Global Head of Talent Management based in Helsinki, United Technologies Corporation’s Chief Learning Officer, and she was the Global Head of Talent and Organizational Development with AIG Investments. In academia, Dr. Tavis was on the faculty at Columbia University, Williams College, and Fairfield University.

Two of Dr. Tavis’ Harvard Business Review articles in collaboration with Dr. Peter Cappelli : “HR Goes Agile” (2018) and “The Performance Management Revolution” (2016) were published in HBR’s “Must Reads” (2016 and 2018), and “Definitive Management Ideas of the Year” (2016 and 2018) and in “Agile: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review” (2020).

Dr. Tavis is a frequent presenter at international conferences on the topics of Future of Work; People Analytics and Technology; Employee Experience; and Intelligent Automation in the Workplace. She is a Senior Fellow with the Conference Board and is the Academic in Residence with Executive Networks. She is the former Executive Editor of People+Strategy Journal, a publication of SHRM’s Executive Network and she is currently an Associate Editor of Workforce Solutions Review, a publication of the International Association for Human Resource Information Management.

Christal Wang, ACC, is the Co-founder and CEO of Shimmer, the #1 coaching platform designed for adults with ADHD. Chris started Shimmer after she was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and is now on a mission to create a more neuro-inclusive world for all neurodivergent individuals. Chris is a recognized Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur with a strong belief in using business as a force for good, proving the thesis that profit and social impact not only coexist but amplify each other. Chris is deeply invested in advocating for and supporting various communities she’s a part of, including LGBTQ+, AAPI, women/non-binary, and the neurodivergent.Before founding Shimmer, Christal worked as a Consultant at Bain with a focus on Private Equity & Social Impact, led International Launch Operations at Drop, and was a Social Impact Consultant at Value for Good. Chris's educational background includes an HBA from Ivey Business School and she is currently on leave from pursuing an MBA at the University of California, Haas School of Business, as well as an MPH at the University of California, School of Public Health.

Clarisse Pamies, based in Paris, FR, is currently a Chief Executive Officer at Omind Neurotechnologies. Clarisse Pamies brings experience from previous roles at Omind Neurotechnologies and The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. Clarisse Pamies holds a 2008 - 2009 MPA in Public Management @ Columbia | SIPA.

Danny Shea is the Chief Brand Officer at Thrive Global, where he oversees brand, content and communications and works with our partners to extend and amplify Thrive’s impact around the world. Prior to joining Thrive, Danny spent over ten years at The Huffington Post, where he helped build the company from a startup into the world’s leading online publication. As Editorial Director, he oversaw the site’s expansion into video and led high-impact editorial initiatives, including HuffPost Rise, the solutions journalism video series, HuffPost’s presence at the World Economic Forum in Davos and its WorldPost conference in London. In his time at HuffPost, he executed several high-profile launches including HuffPost Live, where he oversaw eight hours of daily live news programming, HuffPost France, the site’s first foreign-language edition, and the site’s presence on new platforms. He began his career there as Media Editor, covering the media industry. He has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Businessweek and on NBC’s “Today” show and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” He graduated with honors from Princeton University, where he studied at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

One of the founders of the coaching profession, David Goldsmith worked closely with Thomas Leonard, served as the first president of Coach U, and later went on to lead CoachInc.com. He trained the first Japanese coaches, wrote the Dear Coach column for the Sunday London Times and co-founded the Foundation of Coaching, which later became the Institute of Coaching at Harvard.

Dr. Diego Salinas is a neuroscientist, physician, and health coach. He is passionate about helping coaches grow their impact in the health and wellness space.

As the co-founder of Vibly, he equips coaches with the tools and support to build thriving practices and create lasting change.

Blending medical expertise with coaching experience, Dr. Salinas specializes in behavior change, mental well-being, and the role of coaching in healthcare. On the podcast CoachConnect, he explores the strategies and successes of top coaches, sharing actionable insights. A strong advocate for coaching in healthcare, he speaks at industry events and works to make quality coaching more accessible.

Dr. Terrence E. Maltbia is a faculty member for the Department of Organization and Leadership, Teachers College, Columbia University, where he is teaching courses in collective intelligences in organizations (i.e., emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and cultural intelligence), qualitative data analysis, strategic learning and leadership. He is also the Director of The Columbia Coaching Certification Program, a strategic partnership between the Corporation Learning Solutions Group at Teachers College and Executive Education The Columbia Business School.

Erinn Chang specializes in integrative consulting and coaching, with a holistic perspective infused with 20 years of extensive experience in the holistic health and wellbeing space. Erinn has conducted over 35,000 client sessions, created and facilitated hundreds of  programs and workshops, supporting thousands of individuals in transformative experiences. She is known for a highly energetic presence, facilitating sessions which are insightful, informative and inspiring. Erinn's work focuses on high-performance, high-profile, high-intensity, high-impact individuals and organizations with integrative coaching and consulting. She is the founder/owner of multiple businesses including BE Holistic Consulting, equestriOM, Body Mind Energy Wellness and Sanctuary Holistic Health & Yoga Center.

After 30 years of service, Sergeant Major Fenton Reese retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2011 with expertise in operations management, team leadership, needs assessment, and global logistics. Wanting to explore new career paths, he then earned an MBA from NYU Stern, as well as an MS in Executive Coaching and Organizational Consulting (ECOC) from NYU SPS.

So when Reese noticed an alarming “gap” in the ability of fellow veterans to transition into civilian work roles, he was about as well prepared to find a solution as anyone could be.

“The gap was in the preparation phase of transition” says Reese, who is now the deputy security manager for the New York Metro Campus at Bloomberg LP. “So I envisioned a program that would enable veterans to change their mindset and behavior to overcome the challenges they would inevitably face, and to prepare themselves to compete in society.”

With that goal in place, Reese took the work being done through Veterans in Pursuit of Prosperity, a non-profit he founded, and partnered with NYU SPS and the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services to create the Veterans Coaching Project (VCP). The program, which included 11 veteran client participants and 11 coaches during its launch in Summer 2021, offers coaching and consulting guidance from NYU SPS students and alumni who help veterans develop and hone their career focus and skills.

Gena Smith is the Chief Human Resource Officer for LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton North America. A highly experienced human resources executive, Gena ensures that LVMH is best in class at selecting, developing, and retaining senior executive and creative talent. During her tenure with LVMH she has helped to further develop talent at all levels of the organization, including through attracting accomplished senior-level executives, instituting learning and development programs to prepare executives to meet business needs, and promoting mobility for high performing executives across the LVMH brands.

Prior to joining LVMH in September 2011, Gena was Global Managing Director at Karen Harvey Consulting, where she led the luxury & retail executive recruitment practice worldwide. She previously spent 10 years as an executive search consultant at Russell Reynolds Associates and Ray & Berndtson, working with many leading retail, luxury and consumer brands. Her earlier experience included several years in International Education.

Gena found her passion for people-centered work early on in her career, while interacting with many cultures and traveling internationally. She quickly became invested in learning how to leverage the role of human resources to create a unique and competitive talent experience. Throughout the years, Gena has identified critical opportunities to bridge her love of fashion, luxury and retail with her commitment to building a talent pipeline that supports and elevates exceptional work.

At LVMH, Gena’s commitment to talent is evident: from initiating the first ever Diversity & Inclusion program for LVMH across North America in 2012, to leading executive and creative recruiting for LVMH globally. In her twelve years within the Group, she has led many initiatives across all domains of Human Resources, including learning & development, Corporate Social Responsibility and all aspects of talent management, to support the LVMH talents in driving the business forward while realizing their career aspirations. Gena is passionate about LVMH’s core principle that People Make the Difference – she always acknowledges she is fortunate to witness the impact of this every day in her role.

Gena’s work over the past decade has aimed to create a diverse and empowered network of talent from creative to more corporate roles within LVMH. LVMH and its Maisons encourage their talents to foster a mindset of excellence and innovation, letting their passion and entrepreneurial spirit thrive toward the exceptional. For those with an interest in the luxury industry, Gena recommends to both find and seize experiences and opportunities presented, and constantly seek out ways to elevate yourself and those around you. She believes those experiences will culminate in a dynamic career defined by innovation, creativity and leadership.

Gena is a member of the Advisory Board for Tiffany & Co., and a Board of Director for Gabriela Hearst. She is also on the Board of Governors for Parsons School of Design and a proud new Board of Governors member of the Fashion Scholarship Fund. Gena holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business. She also studied French, Greek and Mandarin.

She currently resides in New York City with her husband Carlton Smith and two children, Madeline and Gage.

Jake Calhoun is the CEO of Wiser, a leadership coaching platform built in partnership with the Hudson Institute of Coaching. Wiser combines world-class coaches and cutting-edge technology to help organizations scale coaching in all its forms, bringing it to every part of an organization. Before Wiser, Calhoun spent a decade as CFO and COO of One Acre Fund, an award-winning social enterprise. During his tenure, he managed the organization through 50x growth, supporting 8,000 staff in providing life-changing services to 1.5 million smallholder farmers across Africa. Calhoun also founded Yum Deliveries, which grew into the leading restaurant delivery app in Kenya.

John L. Bennett, Ph.D., M.P.A, began as president of Fielding Graduate University on an interim basis on February 1, 2025. He is a scholar-practitioner and change leader. As a Fielding alum and former member of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bennett brings a deep passion and commitment to the university. As a trustee from 2019 to 2024, he chaired the academic affairs committee, alumni and development committee, and the Reimagination and Reinvention Task Force. He served on the strategy and business development committee. Most recently, he co-chaired the university’s presidential search committee.

During the last 20 years, Dr. Bennett was a business and behavioral science professor and Wayland H. Cato, Jr. Chair of Leadership at the McColl School of Business, Queens University of Charlotte. Dr. Bennett also served as communication department chair, graduate programs director, chair and co-chair of various strategic task forces, and curriculum designer and was the founding director of the first master’s degree in executive coaching in North America.

After 18 years with the American Red Cross, he worked in roles as diverse as human services program management, fundraising, and disaster relief services. His last eight years were as CEO of regional biomedical services divisions, where he led a merger and turnaround. In 1997, he founded Lawton Associates, a consulting and executive coaching firm focused on helping individuals, teams, and organizations prepare for, excel through, and improve from change. For 27 years, he has worked with clients in for-profit, not-for-profit, and government organizations. He was a senior practice leader for a global talent management firm and was the CEO of the Foundation of Coaching, a project of the Harnisch Family Foundation.

Dr. Bennett completed his undergraduate education at Mars Hill University, then earned a Master’s in Public Affairs degree from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. He earned a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in human and organizational systems from Fielding Graduate University. He is a member of several academic and professional associations, including the Academy of Management and the American Psychological Association. Dr. Bennett is the author or co-author of numerous articles and five books, including his most recent, The Manager’s Guide to Coaching for Change. Together with Fielding alum Yabome Gilpin-Jackson, PhD (HOS ’12), he co-edited three special issues of Organization Development Review: Bridging to Equity-Centered Futures in Organization Development (2024), Beyond DEIB: Bridging to an Equity-Centered Future (2023), and Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) in Organization Development (2021).

In 2010, Dr. Bennett was named a Charter Fellow in The Lewin Center and a Founding Fellow of the Institute of Coaching affiliated with McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. In 2023, he was named a Noble Fellow at Queens University of Charlotte. He is a past president of North Carolina Industrial and Organizational Psychology (NCIOP) and the Graduate School Alliance for Educating Coaches (GSAEC). He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science.

John Horton is the Practice Manager for the Independent Consultants Network at Hogan Assessments. He provides consulting on assessment solutions, conducts training and education programs for coaches, and supports the delivery of Hogan’s high-quality solutions. He also conducts certification workshops and facilitates client delivery services. John contributes his thought leadership through journal articles and presentations.

Jonathan Kirschner is an executive coach and the Founder and CEO of AIIR Consulting, a coaching and leadership development company that fuses its proprietary leadership framework, proven approach to behavior change, and real-world business expertise to increase the performance of leaders and their organizations. Kirschner founded AIIR Consulting in 2009 when he saw an opportunity to leverage technology to make executive coaching more accessible and impactful. Since then, AIIR has helped clients across the Fortune 500 and around the world build better leaders, better teams, better organizations, and a better future.

Kirschner is also founder and CEO of AIIR Consulting's sister company, AIIR Analytics, a people insights company that empowers organizations with a deep understanding of their leaders. Through its suite of tools, AIIR Analytics helps companies create a leadership pipeline that drives organizational success. Kirschner  resides in the Philadelphia area with his wife and four kids. When not working, Jonathan derives energy from his vegetable garden, reading existential philosophy, mastering the art of BBQ, and playing late night ice hockey for his local team.

Kasia Smith has a wealth of work experience, beginning in 2008 as a Clinical Research Assistant at the Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center - Yale University and Research Assistant at the University of Connecticut Health Center. In 2010, they joined S.H. Smith & Company Inc. as a Professional Liability Broker, which was later acquired. In 2015, Kasia became a Professional Liability Lead Underwriter at RT Specialty. In 2017, they Co-founded H Baby Co, developing and managing an environmentally friendly e-commerce brand featuring organic cotton children's apparel handcrafted in the U.S. In 2020, they founded and served as an Executive Wellness Coach at Copilot Wellness. In 2021, Kasia joined The Upside as a Consulting Member and Pillar (YC S21) as Head of Health Coaching - Founding Team, providing companies with the workforce and technology to launch or scale a coaching program in-house.

Kasia Smith has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Minor in Spanish from Emory University. Prior to that, they attended Miss Porter's School, where they studied Chemistry, Biology, and Spanish. Currently, Kasia is enrolled at Harvard Extension School, pursuing studies in Organizational Behavior. Kasia also has a Graduate degree in Health and Wellness Coach Training from Emory University. In addition, Kasia has obtained four certifications: Certified Health & Wellness Coach from Emory University (2019), Registered Professional Liability Underwriter from PLUS, Inc. dba Professional Lines Underwriting Specialists, Inc. (2012), Property & Casualty Insurance Producer from Connecticut Insurance Department (2011), and NBC-HWC National Board Certified from NBME (2020).

As a member of Korn Ferry’s Leadership & Professional Development practice leadership team, Mr. Gagan leads the firm’s Enterprise Coaching solutions globally.

Mr. Gagan has extensive experience in implementing scalable development solutions at all levels of an organization across a variety of topics including leadership, career mobility, DEI, sales, and transformation. He has expertise in designing and implementing complex, global projects which create positive outcomes for individuals and value for the organization.

Mr.Gagan has worked in consulting and professional services throughout his career as a management consultant, business operator, and board member. 

Prior to joining Korn Kerry in 2022, he was the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director for boutique consulting firms. Prior to that, Mr.Gagan was on the global executive team of LHH, where he helped build LHH into the global leader in Workforce Transformation, including a significant Talent Development & Executive Coaching business. His roles at LHH included EVP, Global Sales & Marketing, and EVP, Strategy & practice Development.

He has also worked in other leading consulting and executive search firms. Mr.Gagan began his career with Andersen Consulting (Accenture) and was an Associate Partner in the Financial Services practice specializing in Change Management.

Mr. Gagan serves on the Board of Insala and is a former Advisory Board Member for an HR/Tech SaaS company.

Mr. Gagan holds a B.S. in Finance from Santa Clara University. 

Kristen Buglione plays a key role in leading strategic initiatives to enhance college student health, well-being and academic success. Prior to joining TimelyCare, she was the Director of Health Education at Johnson & Wales University and has presented at regional/national college health conferences. Passionate about helping individuals and communities enhance health and well-being through sustainable and equitable initiatives, Buglione is also a Certified Health Education Specialist.

Kyle serves Hogan Assessments’ European distributors and their clients as regional director. He supports organizations by providing business
development strategies to integrate personality insights into talent selection and talent development programs and initiatives. Prior to joining Hogan, Kyle served as senior territory manager for Smith & Nephew, a leading global pharmaceutical corporation. During his 20+ year career as a business development leader, Kyle has worked with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies, major league sports franchises,
Hollywood movie and television studios, tech start-ups, manufacturing organizations, and foodservice companies. His work has spanned a
number of business development and organizational development roles, with a specialty in optimizing performance of plateaued business units.

Dr. Laura Rees-Davies is an experienced Coaching Psychologist, Researcher, and Consultant with over 20 years of experience in higher education, coaching, and psychological research. Holding a PhD in Applied Psychology, she has developed expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, intervention development and evaluation. As a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Dr. Laura Rees-Davies has led research projects exploring the impact of coaching in education, teacher retention and recruitment, and the well-being of professionals. She has worked extensively with schools, universities, policymakers, and external organisations about evidence-based coaching interventions, particularly in primary and secondary education.

Although her current research experiences are focused on coaching, her wider research experience is multidisciplinary, exploring topics such play and associated emotions in children, Play and ICT, medical students’ explanations of dilemma situations, teacher recruitment and retention, evidence-based practice in cognitive behavioural therapy, patient experiences of treatment for anorexia nervosa, development of an intervention to increase nurse self-efficacy in screening patients who might be anorexic, and unsustainable tourist behaviours in Wales, mentoring in higher education, and boundaries between coaching and clinical practice.

Dr. Laura Rees-Davies is a Chartered Coaching Psychologist (British Psychological Society) and an experienced executive, leadership, and educational coach. Her consultancy work spans one-to-one coaching, group coaching, and supervision for professionals across education, healthcare, and corporate sectors. She has also served as a BPS Registered Applied Psychology Practice Supervisor, mentoring early-career coaching psychologists and supporting research students in their academic and professional development.

In addition to her research and coaching practice, Dr. Laura Rees-Davies has been deeply involved in shaping the coaching psychology profession, previously serving as Chair of the Division of Coaching Psychology at the British Psychological Society (2018-2022). She has also contributed to peer mentoring initiatives, curriculum development, and academic program leadership in psychology and coaching.

With a passion for bridging the gap between research and practice, Dr. Laura Rees-Davies continues to lead collaborative projects that enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of coaching interventions in diverse professional settings.

Lucien Alziari is executive vice president and former chief human resources officer of Prudential Financial, a Fortune 50 financial services company located in Newark, New Jersey.

A U.K. citizen, Alziari has over 30 years of experience in major international companies. From 2012 to the beginning of 2017, he was executive vice president and chief human resources officer of A.P. Moller-Maersk, a global shipping and energy conglomerate located in Copenhagen, Denmark, with operations in over 130 countries and around 90,000 employees worldwide. From 2004 to 2012, he was the chief human resources officer and head of corporate responsibility for Avon Products Inc., based in New York City. Prior to this, he held increasingly responsible roles with Mars Confectionery in the U.K. and PepsiCo Inc. in New York, Vienna and Dubai. Alziari was a non-executive director of C&J Clarks International, a U.K.-based global footwear company with around $2 billion in revenues, from 2016 to February 2021. He is also a fellow and director of the National Academy of Human Resources, a founding member of HR50 and was chair of the board of advisors of the Center for Executive Succession at the University of South Carolina from 2018-2021.

Magdalena Nowicka Mook - CEO of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) brings a wealth of experience in consulting, coaching, association management, and fundraising. Through her leadership, the organization has become the leading voice for the global coaching community with more than 63,000 members and almost 60,000 ICF-credential holders worldwide.

Ms. Mook received her M.S. in Economics and International Trade from the Warsaw School of Economics, Poland. In 2019, Magda was recognized as #1 Coach: Global Influence and a finalist in the Thinkers50 Distinguished Award in Coaching and Mentoring. In 2023, 2024 and in 2025 she was recognized as #10 of Top30 Global Gurus in Organizational Culture. Thinkers50 also recognized Magda in 2024 as one of Coaches50 Top Coach in the world. She is a trained professional coach and systems facilitator. 

Magda is a frequent keynote speaker, a contributor to Forbes Magazine, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Entrepreneur Organization and other major publications. She is a host of a monthly LinkedIn Live, where she speaks to organizational leaders and major influencers.

Magda is a long-time member of ASAE, formerly chairing the International Council and Key Global Associations Committee (KGAC), where she remains an active member and contributor. She has been featured multiple times in Associations Now magazine and has been a speaker at ASAE Annual Meeting for the past 8 years. She participated in Global CAE Taskforce and formally represented ASAE at the first African SAE Congress in Kenya. She was a keynote speaker at Dubai Associations Meeting and was a part of the Study Tour to Singapore with ASAE.

Magda also serves on the Board of Directors of World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA), an organization representing 550,000 HR professionals around the globe.

Manuela Veloso is Head of AI Research at JPMorganChase and Herbert A. Simon University Professor Emerita in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. Veloso pursues research interests in core AI as AI robot and digital agents with perception, cognition, and action. She further aims at a seamless human-AI symbiotic interaction. Veloso is a member of the National Academy of Engineering for “her contributions to artificial intelligence and its applications to robotics and to the financial domain.” She is a past president of AAAI, and a co-founder of RoboCup. Veloso is a fellow of AAAI, IEEE, ACM, and AAAS. She has a BSc. and MSc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from IST, an MA in Computer Science from BU, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from CMU. 

Veloso has doctorate honorary degrees from the Catholic University of Portugal, University of Bordeaux, ISCTE, and University of Orebro.

Martin Ihrig is an associate dean and clinical professor at New York University and a senior fellow at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the co-founder and president of I-Space Institute, an applied research and consulting venture that helps organizations create innovation growth opportunities. Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Ihrig was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the Associated Faculty of both the Wharton School and the Graduate School of Education. He received his Master of Business Studies from University College Dublin and his Doctorate in Business Administration from Technische Universität Berlin. 

Dr. Ihrig runs the Division of Programs in Business at NYU’s School of Professional Studies. He is also a faculty member at the Aresty Institute of Executive Education at the Wharton School, where he teaches strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovation. As a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE), Dr. Ihrig has taught in the Penn Chief Learning Officer Program and the Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. At Penn GSE, he also served as the founding academic director of the nation’s first Executive Master in Education Entrepreneurship program. 

Dr. Ihrig consults on the strategic and entrepreneurial management of knowledge (SEM-K) and is the co-founder and former research director of the SEM-K initiative at Wharton's Snider Entrepreneurial Research Center. In developing strategy tools for corporate and public sector decision makers, he has worked with organizations such as BAE Systems (USA), The Boeing Company (USA), Vale (Brazil), Merck (USA), and the Philadelphia Orchestra (USA). His research projects have been funded by the Economic & Social Research Council (UK), the ATLAS Collaboration at CERN (Switzerland), Tekes (Finland), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (USA), and the Neubauer Family Foundation (USA).

A passionate and engaging psychologist and coach with a 20-year track record of helping people thrive at work.

Mary-Clare (“MC”) has spent nearly 20 years coaching individuals and advising businesses on how to create environments where people can thrive. With a career spanning several continents, she has led businesses through rapid growth in both the UK and the US. Her passion is finding innovative ways to apply insights from psychology to the challenges people face at work. She believes that with the right tools and mindset anyone can succeed in their career and in their lives.

A recognized expert in her field, Mary-Clare’s research has been published in leading journals such as Frontiers in Psychology, Mental Illness at Work, and People & Strategy, alongside industry publications such as The Harvard Business Review, People Management, and The Financial Times.

Alongside her role at Talking Talent, Mary-Clare is a Board advisor to several organizations in the Mental Health and employee wellbeing space. She has lectured at University College London and Columbia Business School in NYC and is passionate about mentoring the next generation. MC lives in Ireland and outside of work she loves running, live music, travel and looking after her three horses and two dogs.

Matt Breitfelder is partner and global head of human capital at Apollo Global Management, a high-growth, alternative asset management and retirement services firm. He serves as a member of the firm’s management committee. Breitfelder is responsible for Apollo’s talent management, leadership development, diversity and inclusion, learning, performance management, citizenship, compensation and benefits, and recruiting.

Before joining Apollo, Breitfelder was managing director and chief talent officer for BlackRock, where he also served as a member of the operating committee. Previously, he held talent and strategy roles at MasterCard, PwC, and the Corporate Executive Board. Matt began his career at the US Department of Commerce, where he focused on international trade and economic policy.

Breitfelder serves as chair of the Advisory Group on AI, Analytics, and the Future of Work at Georgetown University and on the Board of Advisors of Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. He serves on the advisory board of the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, and on the Board of Directors of the Lumina Foundation, which is committed to advancing post-secondary education for all Americans. He has been recognized as a top chief human resources officer by n2Growth and Stanford Business School and has co-authored a number of Harvard Business School case studies and articles on human resources, leadership, and talent innovation.

Maureen is dedicated to teaching and mentoring coaches, helping them reflect, experiment, and grow in their craft. Maureen is currently the Head of Coaching at Bravely, a coaching and learning platform that partners with global organizations such as Autodesk, The New York Times, Pinterest, and Zillow. She leads the growth of a global network of coaches, overseeing coach acquisition, development, and community. Passionate about empowering individuals at all career stages—from entry-level to C-suite—Maureen taps into individual, group, and team coaching to help people unlock their potential.

As adjunct instructor for the Master’s (MS) in Executive Coaching and Organizational Consulting (ECOC), Maureen designs and delivers learning experiences that challenge students to expand their self-awareness, hone their coaching skills, and navigate career transitions with confidence. Her commitment to creating inclusive, high-quality coaching and learning environments drives her to continually innovate and elevate the coaching profession.

Michael Fraccaro is a Mastercard Fellow, responsible for advocating for advancements in human capital; deepening industry partnerships to drive our collective commitments to culture and people; and strengthening Mastercard’s position as an employer of choice. Previously, Michael served as the chief people officer at Mastercard for nine years, a period of transformational growth that saw the company more than double its workforce. Michael will formally retire from Mastercard at the end of 2025.

During Michael’s tenure as chief people officer, he was responsible for all human resources functions globally. His dynamic team oversaw cultural transformation, including the launch of The Mastercard Way values, the integration of more than a dozen acquisitions, and the global launch of an AI-driven growth and development platform. He built a leadership system to ensure breadth and depth of talent for short and long-term succession planning and was integral to the Mastercard CEO transition in 2021. He oversaw a comprehensive location strategy with the launch of Tech Hubs in high-growth markets such as India, Ireland and Canada. His leadership has helped forge numerous recognitions for the brand, including “most valued to work for.” In this role, he was a member of the company’s executive leadership team and management committee, and an active participant with the Mastercard Board of Directors.

Prior to Mastercard, Michael spent 10+ years at HSBC in various senior HR leadership roles in Australia and regional headquarters in Hong Kong. He also held senior HR positions in the financial service industry in the Middle East and Australia.

 Michael holds a Master of Applied Science, Communication Management from the University of Technology, Sydney, and a Bachelor of Education from the Australian Catholic University. He also has accreditation in change management from the Australian Graduate School of Management and attended leadership programs at Duke Fuqua and INSEAD.

 Michael serves as Chair of the Board of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City and is on the Board of the HR Policy Association.

Michael Hudson is the CEO of the Hudson Institute of Coaching, a leader in coach training and corporate coaching. Passionate about creating a purpose-driven world, he sees coaching as a catalyst for impactful leadership. Previously, he spent a decade in social entrepreneurship, including leadership at One Acre Fund, helping scale Africa’s largest direct-service NGO. He holds degrees from Colby College and INSEAD and is a Hudson Certified Coach. Michael lives in Santa Barbara, CA, with his wife, Hydie, and their young daughter and son. A dedicated trail runner, he finds inspiration in the mountains.

Michael Patchen is a Co-Founder and CEO of Colleva, which has pioneered a Talent Copilot that transforms how companies hire, develop, and retain their people. A former Partner at AQR Capital, Michael began his career at Goldman Sachs and spent over a decade in high-performance, high-growth environments. Along the way, he saw how hard it is for even the best organizations to deliver consistent, personalized support across the employee journey. That gap inspired the creation of Colleva: an AI-powered platform that uses life-like, face-to-face conversations to conduct behavioral interviews, surface workforce insights, and drive skill development at scale. From identifying top talent to enabling smarter coaching and leadership decisions, Colleva gives HR teams one seamless, engaging solution across the entire talent lifecycle. Michael holds a degree from the University of Pennsylvania and lives with his wife, three children, and two extremely spoiled French bulldogs.

Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh is a distinguished physician-coach, associate professor, researcher, educator, medical humanist, and keynote speaker, recognized for his commitment to evidence-informed, minimally disruptive, and whole-person care. Since joining Mayo Clinic in 2012—first in Rochester, Minnesota, and later in Florida—he has served as Consulting Staff and Faculty, leading transformative research focused on improving the lives of all individuals, especially in those living with chronic and complex conditions. His work emphasizes integrative, lifestyle, and well-being-centered approaches to care.

Originally from Tripoli, Libya, Dr. Abu Dabrh earned his medical degree and specialized in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics before advancing his training in the United States. He completed research fellowships at New York University, earned a master’s degree from Tufts University School of Medicine, and became a board-certified coach. Beyond Mayo Clinic, Dr. Abu Dabrh serves on national and international academic and healthcare boards and contributes to the development of practice guidelines. He currently serves as the Board Chair for the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching.

Nancy Parsons is one of today’s foremost experts in combining the science of assessments with the art of developing people. As CEO & President of CDR Companies, LLC, she sheds new light on personality strengths, inherent risks and motivation and change performance, careers and lives. Esteemed author of the Amazon best-seller, Women Are Creating the Glass Ceiling and Have the Power to End It, Nancy is the 2019 MEECO International Thought Leader of Distinction in Executive Coaching and continues to break barriers in her field. 

In 1998, Nancy co-authored the breakthrough CDR 3-D Assessment Suite®. Combining this scientifically-validated assessment suite with cutting-edge technology, Nancy and her team launched CDR-U Coach in July of 2020.

Nancy provides executive coaching services for the C-Suite and leaders across all sectors, facilitates strategic executive team development sessions, and instructs custom “Authentic Leadership” and “Women in Leadership” workshops. Additionally, she instructs and leads CDR Executive Coaches’ Certification Workshops and teaches advanced coaches’ programs.

Nickle leads IBM’s people strategy, skills, employee experience and services, and global HR team supporting more than 275,000 IBMers across 170 countries.

In her more than 20 years at IBM, Nickle has led HR across organizations ranging from services to software to emerging markets – supporting the company’s business growth through leadership development, talent acquisition, performance management, and skill building.

As VP of Compensation and Benefits, she led the design and deployment of all compensation and benefits programs globally. She was also responsible for the HR activities associated with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, and drove the people side of the Red Hat acquisition.

Nickle holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University, and a Masters of Business Administration from Duke University.

Dr. Nicky Terblanche is a senior lecturer and research supervisor on the MBA, MPhil Coaching and PhD programmes at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), South Africa. His academic interests include both leadership coaching and information system. He also runs an executive and leadership coaching practice. He has an MPhil in Management Coaching, an MScEng in electronic engineering and a PhD in Business Management.

His research interests include transition coaching, transformative learning, Social Network Analysis, complexity theory and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in coaching and management. He has published in a number of international academic journals and regularly presents at international conferences.

Nicole Forward is RHR’s head of Coaching and Development. With over two decades of experience partnering with C-suite and senior executives and successfully aligning coaching and development solutions with business goals and talent strategy, she is a trusted partner in leadership transformation known for her practical applications and getting measurable results within the context of an organization’s unique environment. Recognized as a thought leader in the coaching and development industry, Nicole has deep experience that spans the technology, financial services, retail, manufacturing, nonprofit, professional services, and communications sectors.

Among the executive-level roles she’s held in Fortune 100 companies, Nicole established Netflix’s first executive coaching practice and revitalized the portfolio of executive leadership development offerings at T-Mobile and Citibank. She understands the pressures and challenges of being an internal executive firsthand, enabling her to approach clients with compassion and empathy. As a coach, she’s known for her deep listening skills and her keen ability to quickly identify themes and patterns, helping clients achieve transformative results. 

Nicole holds a master’s degree in human development from Colorado State University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Pepperdine University. She completed her training in evidence-based coaching at Fielding Graduate University, resulting in ACC-level ICF certification. She is also a certified Hogan, MBTi, DiSC, and StrengthsFinder facilitator. Outside work, you’ll find Nicole hiking in the mountains, singing in a local community choir,  or planning her next adventure with her family.

Dr. Udo is the Program Director of Fielding's Evidence Based Coaching program and Fielding's Masters of Organization Development and Leadership program. He is also the founder and CEO of Soul Engineering, LLC. Dr. Udo is committed to creating the right conditions for leaders to discover or rediscover their true selves and bring that to bear in their work, delivering value for themselves and their organizations. Okokon Udo is an international change management, leadership and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion consultant. He has served as assistant professor and chair, program in Integrative Health and Wellness at Northwestern Health Sciences University, assistant professor in the MA program in Organizational Leadership at St. Mary’s University, faculty member in the Executive Coaching program of the University of St. Thomas and the Co-Active Training Institute — delivering their ten-month transformational leadership program in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Okokon is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC), Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) from the Co-Active Training Institute, a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) from the International Coach Federation (ICF), a Certified Management Specialist (CMS), a trained Reflective Supervisor and a Certified Spiritual Director. Okokon holds a PhD in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Luther Seminary, MA in Process Oriented Psychology (focused on conflict facilitation and organizational change) from the Process Work Institute (PWI) and a BD (Bachelor of Divinity) from the Theological College of Northern Nigeria.

After a 15-year career leading technology services companies and a 15-year career providing executive coaching to senior leaders, Ms. Krulitz founded Optify. She has combined a wealth of experience as a practitioner, student and teacher of leadership coaching with her roots as a technologist to envision the Optify coaching platform. She is thrilled to tap into the business wisdom she gained growing and selling an IT solutions company twenty years ago to launch and scale Optify.

Pam serves on the faculty of the Georgetown University Leadership Coaching program from which she graduated in 2004. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the College of William and Mary. She is a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation.

Parker Mitchell is an award-winning entrepreneur who deeply understands how to build high performing teams and winning organizational cultures.

Over the past decade, Parker has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young, was selected as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, has received two Honorary Doctorates of Engineering, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross from the Government of Canada.

As a McKinsey consultant, and later as Deputy to the co-CEO of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, Parker systematized management and culture to build more effective organizations. Most notably, Parker founded and led Engineers Without Borders. During his 10 year tenure, EWB grew into an award-winning social-mission organization whose work was highlighted by the Harvard Business Review, NY Times, Financial Times and many others.

Through these experiences, Parker saw that those organizations that put teams and people at the center of their change programs, achieved the greatest success. Parker launched Valence to equip companies with tools that engage employees as active participants in transformation initiatives. Leaders at Dow Dupont, TD Bank, Roche, McKinsey, and dozens of Fortune 500s now harness Valence's platform to change teamwork culture at scale.

Rachel Cossar is a leader in the field of nonverbal communication and leadership presence facilitation. As a former nationally ranked athlete and professional ballet dancer, Rachel has a knack of translating unique skills into relatable business skills and competencies.

Virtual Sapiens comes as an evolution of Rachel’s combined work as founder of Choreography for Business, a nonverbal communication consulting firm as well as a faculty member with Mobius Executive Leadership and as a leadership presence facilitator with Ariel Group. Rachel has worked with leaders from GE, BCG, Pfizer, Accenture, McKinsey, HBS and more.

With the increased dependency of video events as a way to connect and drive impact across organizations, Rachel and her team at Virtual Sapiens are excited to open up a world of access when it comes to one of the most human, and most important skills in business – communication.

Rebecca Rutschmann is a pioneer in the convergence of coaching technology and artificial intelligence. She has founded the AI coaching companion startup evoach in 2019, being responsible for all product development and acting as co-CEO overseeing product development and marketing until January 2024. Now she works mostly as an AI Consultant delivering keynotes, AI literacy trainings and consulting on creating outstanding integrated AI coaching experiences. As a tech entrepreneur, communications specialist and certified business coach, her expertise shines in crafting outstanding user experiences, a testament to her deep understanding of both technology and human interaction.

Rutschmann’s mission is bold and transformative: she aims to make coaching accessible through designing and developing innovative AI coaching and learning experiences. This groundbreaking work is designed to empower coaches and their clients, unlocking their utmost potential in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Her focus extends beyond theoretical frameworks to practical applications, particularly in coach enablement. She dedicates herself to making AI an accessible and integral tool for coaches, fostering a deeper understanding and practical navigation of AI in coaching.

Dr. Reece Akhtar is a co-founder and CEO at Deeper Signals. He is an organizational psychologist specializing in applied personality assessment and computational psychometrics. As a researcher at NYU and UCL, he has published scientific articles on personality and machine-learning, talent management, and leadership. Previously he led product innovation at RHR International and Hogan Assessments Systems.

Robert Garcia, vice president of ICF Coaching in Organizations is responsible for organizational membership growth and leading the operations that enable global organizations to build coaching capabilities and develop a strong coaching culture. He is committed to securing customer loyalty, implementing innovative strategies to enhance productivity and increase sales, and has established strong business relationships in over 50 countries. He has held senior level positions at Randstad, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Baptist Health, Florida International University (FIU), LHH, ADP, and United Healthcare. He is an adjunct professor in business and human resource management at FIU.

Robert obtained a Master of Business Administration at FIU and has a Bachelor of Science in Management from Nova Southeastern University. He has 5 HR Certifications including SHRM-SCP and GPHR, SPHR, SPHRi, PHRi from HRCI. He is an Executive Coach with the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credentials from ICF and also has the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credentials from ASAE. He is fluent in English and Spanish is a frequent keynote speaker at global conferences and has presented in 6 continents.

Sarah began her career in HR at companies like SiriusXM, Coach, and the Gilt Groupe. At Gilt, she pivoted into a sales executive role at Gilt City, the company's luxury experiences platform, where she led a 65-person team and was responsible for $60M in revenue. It was there that she identified the direct correlation between culture and the bottom line—when employees failed to have a pathway to address issues or work on their individual development colleagues and managers, performance suffered. Sarah’s experience in HR, team management, and tech—combined with an ongoing obsession with helping people, especially women and underrepresented minorities, gain the confidence they need to find meaning in their work—inspired her to co-found Bravely in 2017.

San Diego native Tim Harrison went to Rice University, where he studied Psychology, competed on the D1 basketball team, and served as the President of the Black Male Leadership Initiative. After graduating into a world in crisis with the pandemic and social unrest, he turned down a coveted job offer in consulting to pursue his life mission: “To inspire and equip people to realize their potential.” This led him to create the non-profit EPOG Academy with the mission to make personal development part of education.

As a leader and coach, Tim has received recognition including being appointed to the Advisory Counsel on education by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). With a diverse portfolio featuring executive coaching, business consulting, and social science research Tim's efforts drive progress at the intersection of psychology, education, and social impact.

Varun Puri is the co-founder of Yoodli Roleplays. Yoodli helps you ace your next sales pitch, interview, or manager conversation with private and judgement free feedback. It’s being used by organizations like Google, Sandler Sales, RingCentral, Toastmasters, among others to scale their go-to-market coaching. Yoodli has raised $8M+ in funding, and been featured across media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Inc, and others.

Before Yoodli, Varun ran special projects for Sergey Brin, one of Google’s founders. Varun is a TEDx speaker, part of Forbes 30 under 30, voted the Best Young Entrepreneur in the Pacific Northwest, and gave the commencement speech at Claremont McKenna College, his alma mater.

Vicki A. Walia is the Chief People Officer at Prudential Financial. In this role, she leads the company’s global talent strategy, shaping an innovative, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture. With a deep commitment to empowering people and driving organizational success, Walia is responsible for all aspects of human resources and employee engagement, including talent management, talent acquisition, learning and development, and culture and inclusion.

Prior to becoming Chief People Officer, Walia served as Prudential’s head of HR for the U.S. businesses and Global Asset Management, where she oversaw HR teams across Prudential’s Insurance and Retirement businesses and PGIM, Prudential’s global asset management arm. In her earlier role as Chief Talent and Capability Officer, she led efforts to integrate talent management with organizational capability to advance the company’s strategic goals.

Walia brings extensive expertise in human resources leadership, honed through diverse and impactful roles. Before joining Prudential, she was head of People at Moody’s Analytics, where she developed the company’s human capital strategy and led the global HRBP team supporting nearly 6,000 employees. At AllianceBernstein (AB), she held senior leadership roles and oversaw talent, diversity and inclusion functions. In her final role at AB, Walia served as head of Digital Strategy and Innovation, spearheading initiatives that leveraged trends in technology, regulation, and investment services to enhance and differentiate the firm’s offerings and leading the firm’s efforts to be invested in the fintech ecosystem through partnerships and capital.

She began her career at Development Dimensions International (DDI), collaborating with clients on assessment, selection and leadership/executive development projects.

A recognized thought leader, Walia has delivered numerous professional and scientific presentations at the annual meetings of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the Academy of Management. She has also served as an associate professor at NYU, teaching analytics. Walia holds a B.F.A. in music from York University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from Alliant International University.

Michael “Woody” Woodward, PhD, PCC is BetterUp’s Chief Coaching Officer. In this role, he leads BetterUp’s efforts to enhance coaching excellence and drive innovation across the human transformation platform. Woody is dedicated to continuing to set the global standard for coaching quality, ensuring transformative growth for individuals and organizations worldwide.

A visionary in the field of coaching for more than 15 years, Woody's career blends deep academic expertise with practical impact. Woody contributed to this specialized industry of coaching as a coach, educator, and author. During his time at New York University, Woody is credited with founding the first Master of Science degree program in Executive Coaching in the U.S. accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). This program focused on putting principles into practice by blending coaching and organizational consulting to harness coaching for workforce transformation. He recently co-authored The Digital Coaching Revolution, a groundbreaking book that explores the integration of technology and coaching to drive personal and organizational transformation. He holds a PhD in industrial and organizational psychology from Florida International University and has worked with global Fortune 500 organizations to enhance leadership capacity and performance. His thought leadership has been featured on platforms like The TODAY Show, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes, and his innovative work continues to shape the future of coaching.