Archives: Speaker

Gregory Offner is an author, TedX speaker, and workforce strategist who is considered one of the leading voices shaping the future of work.

However, prior to all that he spent most of his life entertaining and engaging audiences around the world as a professional musician and dueling piano performer.

During his keynote, he’s going to share his unique perspective on how to get the best performance out of ourselves and create a culture of collaboration and engagement.

Described as “one of the most inspirational people on the planet” by Leadercast, his work helps organizations to attract, engage and retain exceptional employees.

Session Description:

The Encore Experience

Reconnecting to Purpose, Performing with Passion, and Delivering More, Together!

When was the last time you went to a concert so good, you found yourself cheering “one more song” at the end? THAT is an Encore experience. Why doesn’t this exist in the workplace?

Imagine a workplace where:

• Your people take personal responsibility for their performance each day
• Work feels fun again
• Positive results are accelerating
• Your culture is so good, everyone wants to work there

Your people are the center of the action. Creating an encore experience with your teams builds a culture that has them excited about coming back every day.

Gregory Offner sets a new standard for how content is brought to the keynote stage, delivering a lively, one-of-a-kind and extremely fun performance; blending the interactive format of a dueling piano stage with high-impact takeaways to help people reimagine their amazing potential and impact in the workplace.

The Encore Experience gets the attendees to own the spotlight in the session, just as you’d want them to in the workplace. Gregory takes song requests from the audience and weaves their musical ideas into his messaging—backed by scientific data–to help amplify the changes you’re looking to create.

The magic of this experience is that everyone realizes how different an hour of work can feel when you embrace this mindset.

Are YOU ready for an encore?

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 an Advisory Board Member of GenHERation and as a Board Member of Serve, Inc.

Michael has a passion for education and for taking on a challenge. Both of these traits likely were sparked by his mother, a former high school teacher who, after being fired from teaching due to her being pregnant with Michael, challenged a mandatory maternity leave policy all the way up to the United States Supreme Court where she won a victory for all working women, in a case captioned Cohen v. School Board of Chesterfield County Virginia. Michael is a proud husband to Jamie and father to Maddie and Mia, a travel softball coach for the Philadelphia Phillies Urban Youth Academy and a fanatical Philadelphia and University of Michigan sports fan.

Kaela Blanks (she/they) is an HR-centered JEDI knight, ERG evangelist, and organizational changemaker who takes a pragmatic and sustainable approach to cultivating inclusive workplace cultures. With experience rooted in strategic HR and talent management, they have led justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) practices by developing ERG strategy, optimizing DE&I councils, and aligning inclusion-focused objectives to core organizational goals. Their passion for “meeting people where they are” leverages an approachable coaching style to foster growth and development of ERG leaders, allied business leaders, and inclusive HR practitioners. Kaela holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University, is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), and has completed coaching and DE&I certification programs. An active community leader, they serve as Board Vice President of the Independence Business Alliance (IBA), Greater Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, and was most recently recognized in 2024 with the LGBTQ+ Leadership Award by the National Diversity Council.

Organizations eager to outpace the competition turn to Sam, a high-output dynamo who insists on people strategy excellence. With unparalleled energy and determination, she maximizes the efforts of all teams and functions, routinely analyzing data and past trends to influence future operational efficiencies. Sam is passionate about coaching and mentoring professionals at all stages of their careers to unlock their complete potential and confidence. Her background in the management consultant industry and specialty in talent strategy enables her solutionist mindset, seeing no problem as unresolvable. She loves to learn to expand the limits of her knowledge and encourages her clients to be willing to do the same. Samantha holds a B.A. from St. Vincent College.

With over 15 years of Human Resources leadership, Corey Crapella has built a career on one simple truth: people are the heart of every business. As the Founder of CORE Coaching & Consulting, he partners with leaders, professionals, and organizations to unlock their full potential—whether that’s building stronger teams, elevating leadership, or guiding individuals through their career journey’s.

Corey’s path started in sales, but his passion for developing people led him to HR, where he rose through the ranks to oversee 4,500+ employees across 45 locations. From boardrooms to frontlines, Corey has seen what makes organizations thrive—and what holds them back. His expertise spans employee relations, leadership development, organizational strategy, and culture transformation.

What sets Corey apart? His direct, engaging, and results-driven approach. He challenges leaders to stop hiding behind titles and instead show up as their authentic selves. His coaching philosophy is rooted in real talk, real strategies, and real results—helping people not just find a job, but build a career they truly want.

Corey holds a Bachelor’s in Business Management from Kutztown University and a Master’s in Human Resources/Leadership Development from Villanova University. He is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP, SPHR).

Whether coaching, consulting, or speaking, Corey’s mission is clear: to help people lead, grow, and succeed—while keeping humanity at the core!

Experienced Human Resources leader with a history of impact across industries, geographies and cultures. Strong skills in Executive Assessment and Development, Human Capital Management, Change Management, Executive Communication and broad based HR Partnership.

As a business executive with a doctorate in psychology, Erica brings a deep understanding of people, organizations, and how they change and grow. With 20+ years of commercial and Federal Government contracting experience, Erica has designed and implemented people processes and programs that have developed leaders, optimized performance, and ensured businesses had the talent needed for today and tomorrow. She founded her company, a certified Woman Owned Small Business, in 2022 to build stronger leaders and healthier organizations for the future. Through her signature Change Leader coaching program, she has coached and learned from ~100 change leaders resulting in culture change, the implementation of new operating models, systems implementations, and performance turnarounds. Born and raised in a family business, the importance of community, relationships, hard work and resilience were instilled early and guided her development. Her professional experience includes multi-industry consulting with Right Management, and internal Talent Management, Organization Development and HR Business Partner roles in organizations like Exelon and Day & Zimmermann. These experiences sharpened her skills in framing opportunities and co-creating solutions for lasting change and results. While her professional roles have informed her practice, other key roles continue to shape her. She is also a mother of four in a blended family, a Board Advisor, and volunteer. She divides her time between Kennett Square, PA and Northern VA.

Dr. Kayla LeLeux-LaBarge is a clinical-organizational psychologist and senior consultant with Equilibria Leadership Consulting, where she partners with leaders and organizations to strengthen communication, leadership effectiveness, and workplace culture. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology (Psy.D.) from Georgia Southern University and brings a rare interdisciplinary lens that bridges clinical insight with organizational and business strategy.

Dr. LaBarge specializes in human dynamics, communication patterns, and behavior change. Her research background includes peer-reviewed publications in resilience, positive psychology, clinical outcomes, and stress-related challenges, expertise she translates into practical, evidence-based tools for today’s complex workplaces.

As an executive coach and organizational consultant, Kayla has successfully worked with individuals and teams across industries and at all professional levels. Her work supports leaders in increasing self-awareness, flexing communication styles, navigating difficult conversations, and delivering feedback that builds trust, clarity, and performance.

Known for her engaging and relatable speaking style, Dr. LaBarge is a dynamic facilitator who creates psychologically safe, interactive learning environments. She has delivered seminars on leadership communication, professional authenticity, employee-centered cultures, managing workplace stress, and bringing humanity into data-driven organizations. She is consistently praised for her ability to quickly read a room, identify core challenges, and adapt her approach to meet the real-time needs of leaders and teams.

To learn more about how Kayla is helping leaders make a powerful, positive impact, visit her Linkedin or email her at klabarge@equilibrialeadership.com.

Stephanie Manzelli, Chief People Officer at Employ Inc., is a dynamic HR executive who partners with leadership teams to develop strategic priorities that guide employees and influence business outcomes. Before joining Employ, Stephanie held several leadership roles across various industries, including retail, insurance, technology, and software. She most recently served as Vice President of People and Culture at SmartBear.

Stephanie has expertise in employee engagement, HR Strategy, learning and development, talent acquisition, employee relations, and total rewards, as well as a track record of coaching in areas of transformational leadership, team building, and managing change with proven success in marrying the needs of business and employees on a global scale.

Kimberley is a human resource executive offering broad-based organizational development guidance to the C-Suite. She works as a strategic partner to lead organizations through fundamental transformations. Kimberley is a results driven individual who believes in a transparent and collaborative work environment.