Archives: Speaker

Bethany Adams has more than 15 years of experience in HR and education. She began her career working in learning & development and human resources in the restaurant and retail industries. She has experience in both small, privately-owned businesses and large, Fortune 500 organizations. Bethany holds a BA in Psychology, MA in Organizational Management, the SHRM-SCP certification, and is a Certified Genos International Emotional Intelligence Practitioner. She currently teaches at Villanova University in the Graduate Programs in HR Development. Bethany has spoken at a variety of conferences throughout the country and leads corporate training on topics including emotional intelligence, DEI, and strategic HR. Bethany hosts an HR podcast called HR Tea.

Naomi Barrett is currently the Director of Global Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at EisnerAmper, a global Accounting and Advisory firm. With 15 years of combined HR and DEI experience, she works closely with organization leaders and employees at all levels to design and execute DEI strategies. She has extensive experience leading employee experience efforts inclusive of DEI, recruitment, employee engagement, policy development, and more.

Naomi holds a B.S. in Applied Psychology from Albright College and a M.P.A. in HR Management from West Chester University. Her passion lies in being able to cultivate employee-focused, inclusive cultures where employees thrive. She also enjoys mentoring young professionals and connecting with like-minded professionals across industries.

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.

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 Member 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.

As an award winning Certified Professional Career Coach, Certified Virtual Presenter, TEDx Speaker, and Leadership Development Consultant at Crawford Leadership Strategies, Joyel helps others expertly navigate every step of their career. Crawford Leadership Strategies is an award-winning consultancy that provides Leadership consulting, Keynotes, and Hybrid Solutions to provide your organization with the tools, knowledge, and skills to RISE and thrive in the global workplace.

Before her consulting career, Joyel supported professionals within all functional groups for 18 years at Verizon Wireless. She worked in Employee Relations, EEO/AA, Staffing, Professional Mentoring, and Learning & Development Training throughout her career. She was a Manager of Management and Employee Development in charge of the Leadership Development programs for over 30K employees.

Joyel hosts a podcast called “Career View Mirror®” and is the author of the Amazon Bestselling book “Show Your Ask: Using Your Voice to Advocate for Yourself and Your Career” which was ranked #1 in New Releases.

Crawford has facilitated leadership development courses and has been a keynote speaker for businesses and organizations such as the U.S. Senate, NASA JPL, The New York Times, ESPN, Intuit, NYC Mayor’s Office, Morgan Stanley, Hewlett Packard, Aramark, various chapters of SHRM, NJACP, SHFM, and many other notable industries, organizations, and higher education institutions.

Professional Journey
Kendra Davis-Roberts has shaped her career with a commitment to excellence, cultivating an impressive array of HR skills with industry giants such as HP, Inc., Wawa, Inc. and Comcast. Her expertise spans across People Analytics, HRIS, Recruiting, HR operations, and Program Management, always with a keen focus on enriching the employee experience—a testament to her belief in its pivotal role within HR practices.

Analytics Expertise
With six years dedicated to People Analytics and Insights and over a decade in Human Resources, Kendra has become a vanguard in the field, delivering strategic insights that fuel organizational transformation and innovation. Renowned for her proficiency in establishing People Analytics Centers of Excellence, she adeptly integrates cutting-edge software and conducts advanced analyses on pivotal HR metrics, driving forward initiatives in resignation, retention, talent management and talent acquisition.

Philadelphia Roots
A proud Philadelphian (Go Phillies! Go Eagles!), Kendra’s academic and personal life is deeply rooted in the City of Brotherly Love. Her educational journey, culminating in both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, was proudly completed at The Pennsylvania State University—a foundation that has supported her professional ethos and success.

Ash Hanson, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at AmeriHealth Caritas. A results-driven talent leader committed to creating organizational value by attracting, developing and retaining diverse talent. Areas of expertise include leadership development, performance management, succession planning, executive coaching, and organizational development. Proven track record of designing solutions aligned with business strategy.

For over 25 years, Kelly Jones has held several progressive and strategic human resource and operations assignments. He is currently the senior vice president and chief human resources officer for The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

Prior to joining The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Kelly worked at Alleghany Corporation as the strategic advisor for people and inclusion, and previously he held key leadership roles with Aramark, Lockheed Martin and Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals. Throughout his career, Kelly has been recognized as a collaborative leader with a demonstrated track record of developing teams, coaching leaders and connecting human resource strategies to tangible business outcomes. He has led and sponsored corporate diversity councils, employee resource groups, community service projects and has been instrumental in raising funds and awareness in support of Autism research.

Kelly earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Temple University and his master’s degree from Rutgers University. Kelly resides in Montgomery County, PA, with his wife and their three children.

Scott J Prendergast is a full-time Keynote Speaker and Mental Health Advocate based in Philadelphia, PA and owner of Scotty P Inspiration LLC. A graduate of Temple University, Scott speaks about the importance of acknowledging mental health in society, and encourages techniques to overcome the everyday mental obstacles that hold us back in life. Scott travels across the country speaking to audiences ranging from college professors, to corporate board rooms, while sharing his own story of hope and resilience in learning to overcome depression. Scott uses a practical approach of mindful strategies combined with a compassionate touch to help others validate their own feelings, and work towards moving past them. Scotty P Inspiration is a registered LLC in the state of Pennsylvania, and has partaken in speaking events across 38 different states totaling over 150,000 people in five years. Scott has been featured on Fox 29 Good Day Philadelphia on multiple occasions, and has also appeared as a keynote speaker for the Philadelphia Phillies “Strike Out The Stigma Event.” Scott is also set to release his first published book titled; From Rock Bottom to rock solid: Learning to Navigate Life Through The Lens of Hope, this upcoming January 2024.

Sulaiman W. Rahman is the CEO of DiverseForce, a company specializing in inclusive human capital solutions with a broad client base spanning local, national, and international levels. In 2007, he founded UPPN, now known as BBEx Network, a well-regarded professional network. Ten years later, in 2017, he launched DiverseForce. Under his leadership, the company has developed innovative solutions such as DiverseForce on Boards, a board governance training and matching program created in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, and DiverseForce Executive Search. These initiatives have successfully placed over 300 diverse board members and executives in the social impact sector since 2017. In 2021, Rahman opened the P4 Hub, a versatile 11,000-square-foot facility in Philadelphia’s Germantown-Wayne Junction, designed for training, collaboration, and hosting special events, catering to his extensive network across public, private, and philanthropic sectors. Rahman is also actively involved in volunteer work, serving as Chairman of the board of Mastery Schools and the boards of numerous other regional and national organizations. His numerous awards and honors acknowledge his significant business achievements and community involvement, establishing him as one of Philadelphia’s most influential leaders. Rahman is recognized for his expertise across multiple sectors, highlighting his impact as a distinguished leader.