Profiles In Leadership

Steve is a top talent strategist and leadership expert with 30+ years of experience. He famously led LinkedIn’s early hyper-growth phase as its first CHRO, building its world-class company culture from scratch, and scaling the organization from 400 to 4,000 employees in 3.5 years.       As one of the most provocative global thought leaders on the future of work, Steve is hired not only by F500 companies but by entire countries to help them navigate the talent landscape. His clientele spans all the way from Google, X, Slack, BBC, and Intel, to the City of Lisbon, which hired him to develop the startup incubator Unicorn Factory.      His award-winning book Workquake is considered a game changer for leaders and organizations on the future of work in a post-COVID world. He has also written for Forbes and Inc., will soon be writing for Business Insider, and frequently appears on Bloomberg and CNBC to talk about the evolving nature of work, talent management, the Big Resignation, and successful leadership.  He is r

 Twanda E. Young, a retired US Army Brigadier General and the author of the inspiring leadership books "Destiny Exposed: Leading Ladies" and "Dare to Lead Differently…16 Bites for Bold Leaders."Her  background includes more than three decades of expertise in top executive leadership positions within the military, as well as a strong proponent for enabling executive leaders to realize their full potential and alter their mentality.The founder and chief executive officer of LT3 Leadership Solutions, a company that specializes in the management of conflicts and the development of leaders.

KENNEDY I. HAWKINS, MBA, JD, LLM Has been a  CEO | COO | PRESIDENT| VICE PRESIDENT He orchestrated Transformational growth and was a turnaround healthcare leader with a proven track record of growing a “mom & pop” healthcare startup by increasing revenue 2,614% and shepherding its evolution into a complex, nationally recognized organization. The company was the Recipient of multiple “Oregon Top Workplace,” “Best of the Willamette Valley,” and Innovation awards. He drove the successful acquisition and integration with one of the largest publicly traded companies in the Physical Therapy industry USPH. A servant leader, public speaker, and recognized thought leader with multi-dimensional background at the intersection of business, law, and taxation.  He is currently the Director-Executive of the Development Center at Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management And is the owner of Kennedy Hawkins Consulting which provides Fractional Or Interim CEO/COO | Managing Director | Management Consulta

Laura Hassner, MBA, is a faculty member at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, and is the Executive Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at UC Berkeley and the co-founder and co-director of the Berkeley Changemaker program, a set of courses that shape tomorrow’s leaders through critical thinking, collaboration, and communication with guest faculty like Secretary Janet Yellen. Today, Laura is known for helping women align their startups with larger social missions to close the gender gap in raising capital. An expert in turnarounds, she is a former Big Five consultant and financial advisor. She has also taught in a highly-challenged urban school and spent a decade innovating new products and programs for a national nonprofit."

STACEY HANKE.The way we communicate has changed because the way we work has changed.Organizational success requires leaders to overcome the modern distractions that steal employee attention, compete with organizational priorities and challenge authentic connections. To effectively increase sales, drive productivity, and improve engagement, leaders must influence action.Stacey's interactive, humor-filled keynote offers audiences the skills to immediately transform how they connect and engage. Her transformative approach to communication provides clear steps to earn trust, gain credibilityand create accountability in every interaction – from hallway conversations to high-stakes presentations.Her wealth of experience, research and expertise makes Stacey the sought-after authority on influential communication strategies. Captivating insights guide sales professionals, executives and leaders to cut through the noise that leads to distractions. Practical techniques ensure every conversation inspires action, account

JameySchrier, DPT, is a best-selling author, speaker, and CEO of Practice Freedom U, a business coaching and training company designed for physical therapists. He is a former private practice owner, and his book, The Practice Freedom Method, has helped scores of physical therapists treat less, earn more, and enjoy the life they deserve. After selling his practice, he began teaching other owners and their teams his proven business methodology to create successful private practices. He has assisted hundreds of owners in achieving financial prosperity and freedom and is on a mission to help hundreds, if not thousands, more.

Wendy Gonzalez is the CEO of Sama, the mission-driven provider of accurate artificial intelligence data for 25% of Fortune 50 companies. As CEO, Wendy closed the largest round of financing for a woman-led AI infrastructure company and led the company to recognition on the Forbes AI 50 list and the Inc. 5000 list for two years. A study by MIT found that Sama, a Certified B Corp, has hired over 55,0000 people in Africa and paid wages 4x higher than competitors. Today, Wendy and her team of data experts continue to transform the artificial intelligence industry through high-quality training data and the removal of dangerous biases from ML algorithms.

Key TakeawaysTammy transitioned from a successful corporate career to entrepreneurship after experiencing career dissatisfactionShe advocates for treating your career like a business and becoming the "CEO of you"Mindset shifts around failure, optimism, and finding joy are crucial for career fulfillmentOrganizations need to focus on employee aspirations, not just engagement, to unlock potentialTopicsTammy's Career JourneyGrew up in small-town New Jersey with modest beginningsStarted in temporary services industry at 18, without college degreeRose through corporate ranks to C-suite roles on Wall StreetExperienced "mid-career funk" despite outward successLeft corporate world at 40 to start her own businessCareer Transformation InsightsImportance of "power base" - network of influential contactsValue of taking on "third rail projects" - high-risk, high-reward initiativesFocusing on making "stars into superstars" rather than trying to fix underperformersGiving immediate, actionable feedback to develop team members

Chris Hoekstra, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT Chris received his PhD in biomedical informatics from Oregon Health & Science University, School of Medicine, his Masters of Science and Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees from Pacific University and undergraduate degree in biology from Willamette University.  He is board certified in orthopedics and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapy.  Additionally, he completed a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical informatics through the National Library of Medicine.   He has worked as a physical therapist, clinic director, Health IT consultant, and more recently Chief Clinical Transformation Officer for Therapeutic Associates Inc.  In that role he has overseen the company’s strategy related to the use of organizational data in business and clinical decision making, clinical and business information systems selection and optimization, quality improvement efforts, and value-based care initiatives. With Hychara Health, Chris oversees product development

My exploration of power began with Plato's philosophies in school and deepened through my university studies in political science and law, and a PhD in international relations.As a young girl, I was attracted to all things martial and loved playing with guns together with the boys in my neighbourhood. In my teens, this changed as I not only started to prefer going out to dance with the boys, but also started less martial activities like Yoga and meditation, and became involved in the peace movement. Like many in my generation, I was concerned by the Cold War and in search of better ways to secure peace than through weapons and “mutual assured destruction” - MAD. So when choosing my path for university, I decided to study political science, and in particular security studies. I wanted to understand how power operated in the world of politics, and how to make security policy more secure. I had the privilege of studying arms control negotiations while doing an internship at the United Nations in Geneva, and wrot

Dr Bernie Mullin is a groundbreaking sport and entertainment industry executive who's turned around franchises, set all-time revenue and attendance records, and generated $1.5+ billion in revenues for brands from the NFL to the US Open Tennis with his agency, Aspire Marketing Group. He was CEO of NBA and NHL teams and CMO of the NBA. He's also a globally acclaimed speaker, podcaster, author, and humanitarian who has served on multiple boards, including the United Way; YMCA; and Make a Wish Foundation. His The Aspire Difference Foundation (TADF) focuses on supporting single parents with preschool children. All net proceeds from his consulting, podcasts and books go to support TADF. His new book is Reimagining America’s Dream: Making It Attainable for All Learn more at: www. berniejmullin.com

I'm a trauma therapist specialising in supporting entrepreneurs to increase profit and decrease anxiety. From being stripped of every strand of hair on my body to losing my ex to suicide 3 weeks after breaking up, I was forced to use trauma-healing to sustainably build my business. While there are a lot of 'trauma-informed' and 'body-based practitioner' coaches in the industry, none of them do it by merging body-based tools, the nervous system AND business strategy. I can help your audience combine the nervous system with business strategy to increase profit and decrease anxiety - even when traditional methods haven’t worked. 

Kathleen K Mairella PT DPT MA FAPTAEducation:Degree: Doctor of Physical TherapyInstitution: MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA Major; Physical TherapyDate: May 2006Degree: Master of ArtsInstitution Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY Major: Movement Science and EducationDate: May 1992Degree: Bachelor of ScienceInstitution: Boston University, Boston MA Major: Physical TherapyDate awarded: May 1978Employment and Positions Held:Professor Emerita, Rutgers University, 2022-presentDirector of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor, Rutgers University, School of Health Professions, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Newark NJ, 2016-2022Assistant Professor, Rutgers University, School of Health Professions, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Newark NJ, 2014-2016Assistant Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor, Rutgers University (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey prior to July 1,2013), School of Health Related Professions, Doctor of Physical Therapy P

Key TakeawaysCareer reinvention is increasingly necessary due to longer lifespans, changing job markets, and ageismSuccess in later-career transitions requires self-knowledge, persistence, and leveraging one's "superpower" skills/experienceNetworking and thought leadership are crucial for accessing the "hidden job market" where 80% of hiring occursOlder professionals have advantages like neuroplasticity, "just thinking" problem-solving, and empathy from life experienceTopicsJohn Tarnoff's Background30+ year career as entertainment industry executive and film producerTransitioned to career coaching in 2012 after a TEDx talk on transformationNow focuses on helping mid-career professionals (45-55+) navigate career changesChallenges for Older WorkersAgeism and bias in hiring practices, especially for those 60+Difficulty recovering from job loss/layoffs as companies reorganizeNeed to work longer due to increased longevity and reduced retirement savingsErosion of traditional career paths - average job tenure now on

Martin GonzalezMartin is the creator of Google’s Effective Founders Project, a global research program that uses people analytics to uncover what makes the best startup founders succeed and shares their success formula with the world.Martin is the creator of Google’s Effective Founders Project, a global research program that uses people analytics to uncover what makes the best startup founders succeed and shares their success formula with the world.He has run leadership courses for thousands of funded tech startup founders across more than seventy countries in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe. He is a frequent lecturer on entrepreneurship, organization design, and people analytics at Stanford, Wharton, and INSEAD.Martin is a principal of organization and talent development at Google. He works with Google’s senior leaders to shape team culture, develop their people, and expand their leadership, so they can build cool things that matter. In his ten years there, he’s worked with leaders across Google Resea

Alan Balavender, PT, MSPresidentPhysical Therapy & Sports Medicine Centers After earning his Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Therapy (PT) from Quinnipiac University, Alan launched his PT career in outpatient orthopedics. He oversaw a multispecialty facility that provided a range of PT services. He accepted a clinical position with Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Centers (PTSMC) of Waterbury. In 2000, he purchased the practice, which he has since expanded to over 30 locations throughout Connecticut. Alan then created PTSMC’s unique partner model to support clinic ownership by physical therapists while limiting the risk associated with having a successful business in the extremely competitive healthcare environment. Alan is devoted to private practice, with a vision to foster a company focused on improving the quality of people’s lives by providing unmatched experiences, clinical excellence, and lifelong relationships.

Margot Machol Bisnow spent 20 years in government, including as an FTC Commissioner and staff director of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. For the last 10 years, she has spoken to parent groups about raising creative, confident, resilient children who achieve their dreams. She served as an Advisor to EQ Generation, an after-school program in New York City that gives children the skills to succeed; on the Advisory Board of the MUSE School in Malibu, that prepares young people to live consciously through passion-based learning; and on the Board of Spark the Journey in Washington DC, that mentors low-income high school students to achieve college and career success. Her new book is Raising an Entrepreneur: How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dreams – 99 Stories from Families Who Did. Learn more at raisinganentrepreneur.com.

Dennis Stevens is a visionary leader and seasoned consultant with over three decades of experience at the intersection of technology innovation and organizational leadership. Beginning his career in the United States Marine Corps, Dennis honed an appreciation for what can be accomplished with well-formed teams, clarity of purpose, and effective leadership. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to found multiple companies, including Responsive Software Solutions, Synaptus, and Knowledge in Process, where he integrated software solutions with business strategies and spearheaded significant business transformation initiatives.    In 2011, Dennis co-founded LeadingAgile, where he solidified his reputation for innovative problem-solving and scalable business solutions. He led over 150 transformations, demonstrating his ability to drive sustainable and meaningful organizational changes. His pioneering work in Agile transformations and AI integration has positioned him as a thought leader in creating resilient and adap

Dr. Roy Rivera, Jr., is the founder and CEO of Elation Physical Therapy, an international best-selling author,and a respected advocate for inclusive healthcare. His book, Shantay You Stay: A Healthcare Provider’sGuide to LGBTQ+ Inclusive Practices, provides critical insights for practitioners, further establishing himas a leader in LGBTQ+ patient care.A native of the Texas Rio Grande Valley, Dr. Rivera began his academic journey at SouthwesternUniversity in Georgetown before moving to Houston in 2003 to complete a Master’s in Physical Therapyat the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He subsequently earned two doctorates—aDoctor of Physical Therapy from Rocky Mountain University in Utah and a PhD in Health Studies fromTexas Woman’s University in Denton—solidifying his expertise in healthcare.In 2014, after working for approximately 10 years in the Memorial Hermann Health Care System, Dr.Rivera founded Elation Physical Therapy, a Certified Minority and LGBT Business Enterprise® with threelocations

Tony Martignetti is a trusted advisor, leadership coach & facilitator, best-selling author, podcast host, and speaker. He brings together over 25 years of business and leadership experience and extreme curiosity to elevate leaders and equip them with the tools to navigate through change and unlock their true potential. He has been recognized by Thinkers360 as one of the Top 10 Leadership Coaches and by LeadersHum as one of the Biggest Voices in Leadership in 2023. Before becoming the founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Inspired Purpose Partners, Tony was a finance and strategy executive with experience working with some of the world's leading life sciences companies. Along his journey, he also managed small businesses and ran a financial consulting company.Tony hosts The Virtual Campfire podcast and is the author of "Climbing the Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life" and the co-author of "Secrets of Next-Level Entrepreneurs." He has been featured in many publications, including