Archives: Speaker

Peter Adebi serves Nemours Children’s Health as Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer. As a member of the Executive Cabinet, Adebi leads the Human Resources and Patient Experience functions. His visionary leadership helps to shape key decisions at Nemours. Adebi is particularly passionate about cultivating high-performance cultures. In his first year, he received the Ed Ball Award from the Alfred. I. duPont Hospital for Children, one of Nemours’ hospitals, for his leadership role in achieving desired culture change. Since then, various departments in the HR function have been recognized by external entities such as the National Business Group on Health, the Chief Learning Officer’s LearningElite program, the Association for Talent Development, The Rosen Group’s Human Resources Department of the Year Award, Forbes and a host of other organizations for their outstanding contributions toward establishing a high-performing culture, improving employee well-being and engagement, implementing high-impact development programs, and cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture. Adebi holds a Master’s degree in HR, is certified by the HR Certification Institute as Senior Professional in Human Resources, is a fellow of The Cornerstone Program, an HR executive development program, and a graduate of the Yale Global Executive Leadership Program. Adebi is a certified leadership and physician coach. Published by the Society for Human Resource Management, Adebi’s whitepaper, Pruning Thorns from Roses: HR’s Role in Managing Disruptive Key Employees (2008), contributed to national discourse on the effectiveness of coaching in leadership development. Adebi served on the Education and Workforce Committee of the Delaware Center for Health Innovation. He currently serves as a director on the Board of Trustees of Center for Supportive Schools, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping schools become places where students want to be.

Kyle has been called “the patron saint of outrageous ideas.” Whether he’s having a Viking funeral for the regrets of 21,000 people, hosting the world’s first fake marathon, or gaining a million TikTok followers in just 25 hours, Kyle is always on the lookout for outrageous ideas that produce wildly outsized outcomes.  Over the last decade, his projects have been featured in outlets like Fast Company, WIRED, The Washington Post, Yahoo!, BuzzFeed, UpWorthy, Goalcast, and more.  His videos have been viewed over 250 million times, and he has spoken to hundreds of thousands of audience members across the United States.  More than anything, Kyle hopes that his story can inspire others to chase their own outrageous ideas and become the people they were meant to be.

Kyle is also the author of “How to Host a Viking Funeral: The Case for Burning Your Regrets, Chasing your Crazy Ideas, and Becoming the Person You’re Meant to Be” and the children’s book, “Pizza with Everything on it.”

Keynote:

BECOMING AN IDEA FACTORY: HOW TO TURN YOURSELF (AND YOUR ORGANIZATION) INTO AN INNOVATION MACHINE.

If there’s one belief that is holding you back from getting the most out of your team, it’s this one: some people are creative, and some people aren’t.

That belief is based on outdated ideas about what creativity means, where it comes from, and who gets to harness it.

The truth is, creativity is a skill like any other: it can be learned.

In the same way that we teach employees how to track expenses, process invoices, and jiggle the lock just right to get into the supply closet, we can teach them how to be more creative, how to have better ideas, and how to build a culture where innovation is a natural by-product.

Objectives:

In this talk, Kyle will:

• Inspire audience members to harness their own capacity for creativity and innovation.
• Give practical tips for how to get more (and better!) ideas out of yourself and your team)
• Share the 5 things that every idea needs
• Help you avoid common idea-killers in your organization

 

Marcus Allen became the first African American CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence (BBBSI), in its celebrated 100-year history. It is the largest one-to-one mentoring program in Pennsylvania and the third largest in the country. Marcus’s work has garnered prestigious awards including the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Most Admired CEO.”

In 2022, BBBSI partnered with Lincoln Financial Field and the Philadelphia Eagles to recruit 100 “Bigs” over the 2022 football season. Marcus Allen said, “Kids just need someone they can talk to, kids need someone who will walk shoulder-to-shoulder with them, and partner with them as they’re navigating through the challenges and complexities growing up,” The Philadelphia Eagles reported.

As a thought leader and panel expert, he has appeared on CNN, Oprah Winfrey and various local and national news shows. Marcus Allen has been invited as the keynote speaker to fortune 500 companies such as Bank of America, Deloitte and others.

Keynote Session Description

Stop Trying, Just Do It!

This keynote will be centered around understanding how the human mind works in challenging situations and how through practice, courage and failing forward, anyone can reach their goals. Attendees will leave with real life examples and tips on overcoming personal and professional challenges.

Marcus will use his professional and personal challenges and triumphs to walk the attendees through how they can achieve more in life and career. He will specifically reference his recent summiting of Mt. Kilamanjaro to demonstrate these points. His remarks on your personal 5E’s that drive life and business success: Experience, Education, Environment, EQ, & Execution will give the audience a foundational understanding that will equip them with the knowledge to be confident in their respective journeys and positively impact their productivity to improve the bottom line of their companies.

Learning Objectives:

• Self Actualization – revealing purpose in your leadership
• Inspiring employees through authenticity and vision –
• Active listening as an advantage to engaging diverse groups – DEI
• Cheat code to corporate mentorship – name dropping vs name saying
• Using human insight to improve your performance
• 1 simple email that can change your leadership forever

This is a keynote which is relatable, academic, and full of practical learnings that audience members can utilize regardless of their position/title…C-suite, entrepreneur, or team member.

The Keynote Session is Sponsored by:

As founder and CEO of Right Chord Leadership, Dr. Michael Brenner collaborates with leaders and teams at all levels to strengthen the essential skills needed for peak performance. He achieves this by drawing on more than two decades of experience as an international leadership consultant, executive coach, keynote speaker, and educator, and more than 35 years as a professional musician. Michael’s unconventional workshops, executive coaching sessions, and consulting services – grounded in the belief that “When people work in harmony, great things happen!”™ – have helped clients increase employee engagement, reduce turnover, improve customer service, and create more inclusive work environments.

Michael is the creator of the CHORDS Model™ which consists of six key “notes” all successful leaders and teams play: C (Communication), H (Harmony), O (Ownership), R (Respect), D (Direction) and S (Support).  He has partnered with leading organizations in a variety of industries, including law firm Ballard Spahr, Morgan Properties, Burlington Stores, QVC, SAP, Penn Medicine, Drexel College of Medicine, the City of Philadelphia, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Boeing, The Goddard School, Godiva, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. He has worked for several not-for-profit organizations as well, including JEVS and Habitat for Humanity.

Michael was 2014 president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and Chairman of the chapter’s 2015 Regional Learning and Development Conference. He has been a featured speaker at many industry events and conferences around the world, including Southeast Asia, Canada and Australia.

Michael holds a doctorate in Adult Learning and Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University and a master’s degree in Adult and Organizational Development from Temple University. He has taught courses in organizational behavior, systems dynamics, negotiations, and interpersonal relations (among others) at Immaculata University, Temple University, and La Salle University.  Currently, he is on the faculty of Penn State University and American University.

Additionally, Michael recently completed a certificate program on the neuroscience of leadership from MIT and is currently writing a book aimed at developing emerging leaders.

Erin Bushnell is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Cozen O’Connor, a full service international law firm. Erin oversees all aspects of human resources for the firm, including staff recruitment, employee relations, talent development, employee engagement, compensation, benefits and an award-winning wellness program. She focuses on the initiation and management of Human Resources programs and policies that further the strategy of the firm. In 2022, Erin was named the Delaware Valley HR Person of the Year for large companies.

Prior to joining the firm, Erin was the Director of HR and Associate Vice President for a professional services firm. She is an HRCI certified Senior Professional in Human Resources and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional.

Erin is an active volunteer in her community. She previously served as the 2015-2016 President of the Junior League of Philadelphia. She currently sits on the Support Center for Child Advocates HR committee, is a coach with Philly Reading Coaches, and fosters kittens with PAWS.

 

Brandyn Campbell helps businesses build and articulate their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through her DEI consulting firm, Brandyn Campbell Communications. She draws from over 15 years of experience working with clients worldwide to provide actionable solutions that center equity and inclusion throughout their communications and cultures. Her B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in International Relations highlights a lifelong interest in learning about the interplay of different systems, practices, and cultures in human stories and relationships. As a speaker and strategist, Brandyn works with clients worldwide to provide solutions to infuse DEI throughout their systems and cultures. Organizations that have benefited from Brandyn’s expertise include organizations such as the NFL and Fortune 500 companies like Dell.

Michael S. Cohen is a partner in Duane Morris’ Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group.  Michael concentrates his practice in the areas of employment law training and counseling. He has trained and counseled employers throughout the country on subjects including harassment prevention; diversity, equity and inclusion; combatting implicit bias; performance management; discipline and discharge; hiring and recruiting practices; performance evaluations; FMLA, ADA and FLSA compliance; leave of absence policies; LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace; substance abuse testing; workplace violence; records retention; conducting background checks; and more. Michael also has conducted investigations into claims of harassment and discrimination and has drafted employee handbooks, employment agreements, non-compete agreements and post-termination agreements. Michael regularly conducts in excess of 200 trainings each year.  He has represented clients throughout the country in EEO and other administrative proceedings.

Michael has been cited as a national authority on employment issues by The New York Times, The Associated Press, USA Today, MSNBC.com, HR Magazine, SHRM On-Line, Employment Law 360, Inside Counsel Magazine, as well as many other publications.  Michael serves as a n Advisory Board Memer of GenHERation and as a Board Member of Serve, Inc.  Michael is a 1997 magna cum laude graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law and a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Charity Hughes recently joined Sellers Dorsey as the Sr. Vice President of Human Resources and most recently served as the Chief Talent Officer for Mastery Charter Schools, a nonprofit network of 24 public schools serving 14,500 students in Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ.  Charity is a certified coach (ACC), DEI practitioner, and HR consultant, who works with organizations and leaders in their quest to improve their leadership capability. Her personal leadership path of self-discovery to be more effective has been the driving force behind how she helps organizations understand and embrace emotional intelligence and authentic leadership. She has worked with leaders and executives at all levels, across many industries, and across geographic locations in their pursuit to find a path for success and personal fulfilment.

Dr. Hughes has partnered with organizations to design and implement diversity strategies for large-scale sustainable transformation. As a woman of color (WOC), Dr. Hughes is acutely aware of the need for diverse leadership and inclusion in the private sector and in public service. On her journey to drive social justice and increase diversity, equity and inclusion, she is the co-lead for the Harvard Institute of Coaching (IOC) Race, Equity and Inclusion Council. She has received numerous awards and accolades including being recognized as one of the 2015 Most Powerful & Influential Woman by the Pennsylvania Diversity Council and being nominated for the Delaware Valley HR Person of the Year in 2012 and 2020. She is a force that continues to advance the HR profession and shed light on the impact of professional development.

Raymond Lee is the Founder and President of Careerminds, a global outplacement company based in Wilmington, Delaware. He has over 20 years of human resource, outplacement, and career consulting experience. Raymond pioneered the concept of virtual outplacement after experiencing years of traditional outplacement in a variety of HR roles. He has his bachelor’s in psychology and holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech University. He sits on the Careerminds Board of Director’s and is active in SHRM, HRPS and ATD. Raymond’s been featured on SiriusXM Business Radio, CareerTalk, and the Wall Street Journal and he’s recently published a book titled, Clocking Out: A Stress Free Guide to Career Transitions.

As CEO of Employee Cycle, Bruce Marable is dedicated to helping small and medium-sized companies use HR data, to make smarter and faster workforce decisions. Employee Cycle keeps HR leaders from reporting in time consuming spreadsheets, by integrating with the most popular HR systems, to automatically pull together your HR data into one centralized and real-time HR analytics dashboard.

When Bruce is not helping HR leaders become more data-savvy, or interviewing HR professionals on the Employee Cycle HR podcast, he is making music playlists on Spotify, taking self-care by boxing, or hunting for the best bread pudding around town.