Elizabeth is the North American Head of Strategic Benefits. She is a dynamic senior-level lead in benefits and wellbeing with 20 years of experience in benefits program design, development, and strategic implementation. She has amassed extensive knowledge of relevant regulations and legislation related to employee benefits. Elizabeth is focused on meeting organizational goals and staying ahead of the curve by thinking objectively and globally. She maintains clear communication with her team and is adept at troubleshooting while effectively managing relationships at all levels of the organization.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz at Work, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Currently she is a contributing columnist for Harvard Business Review. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.
Rebecca frequently appears on national television and radio and as a moderator at conferences.
Originally from Maine, she's a graduate of Wesleyan University. She lives in Boston’s South End with her family.

With over 20+ years of experience in global benefits, global mobility, immigration, wellness, HRIS, and compensation, I am currently transforming benefits and programs at TransUnion, where I have been for the last 5-1/2 years. My focus is on supporting our associates and their families when it matters most.

I hold a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University and have worked at esteemed organizations such as Fortune Brands, Suntory Global Spirits, Medline, and Sara Lee. These experiences have shaped my approach to creating impactful benefits programs.

As a mom of three young adults, I cherish traveling, cooking, entertaining, and making meaningful connections. These passions enrich my professional life, allowing me to bring a unique perspective and genuine care to my work. I am passionate about my role because I genuinely enjoy the people I get to work with, serve, and the impact my team and I make every day.

One quote that inspires me is: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." – Mahatma Gandhi. This philosophy drives my commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of those I work with and serve.

Joanne is the Director of Benefits at Davies Group.

Karl Ahlrichs helps organizations solve their talent shortage, using both AI tools and “next step” management tactics. He is a national speaker, author, and facilitator of challenging meetings, presenting on people issues with a focus on advanced HR tools, ethics and critical thinking. He is often quoted in the local and national media and is doing the final edits on his book “Best
Practices are Obsolete.” Karl has presented at every SHRM Annual Conference since 1999. He has held senior level positions in several Professional Services firms including Marsh & McLennan and Right Management Consultants, where his clients
included Apple, Frito-Lay, Boeing, and IBM. He was named the SHRM Human Resource Professional of the Year for the State of Indiana. He serves on the Boards of several organizations, including the Maryland CPA Society. He is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) with the National Speaker’s Association. Trained in journalism, Karl has written at every point in his career. He was a contributing author for the Journal of Accountancy for many years, writing a quarterly 10,000-word chapter on Human Resources issues. He is currently writing a monthly leadership column for Business Management Daily. Karl has lived in Scotland and Spain and is passionate about studying the healthcare systems in other countries. He loves intentionally improving himself by writing haiku, mastering photography, and improving his Spanish. He wishes he had stuck with his guitar lessons in high school and wants to learn ballroom dancing. He still owns the first car he ever drove, a 1927 Model T Ford.

Marina is the VP, Rewards & Performance at Schneider Electric.

Tim Tolino is a dynamic and strategic leader with expertise in employee benefits, global mobility, wellness, and M&A integration. As the Global Director of Benefits, Mobility, and Wellness at Hunter Douglas, Inc., he is responsible for supporting the health and well- being of over 21,000 employees across 48 countries, ensuring that people-centered programs align with organizational goals on a global scale.

With a career spanning roles at Gallagher, NFP, and Aon, Tim has spearheaded complex mergers and acquisitions, led human capital due diligence efforts, and developed benefit strategies that drive retention and engagement.

Tim is passionate about learning and development, culture transformation, and finding inspiration in every interaction. His collaborative approach and global perspective continue to shape high-impact solutions that prioritize both people and performance.

Erin Donahue, CFP®, CPA/PFS, is the Director of Advice Strategy at Northstar, a financial wellness benefit for employees. Erin has worked in the financial services industry for more than 15 years, having started her career as an accountant. Prior to joining Northstar, Erin worked at Prudential Financial and Ziff Capital Partners. Erin is passionate about making financial planning accessible to everyone. Erin is a mother of two young children and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, Certified Public Accountant, and a Personal Financial Specialist. 

Katie Wallace is a senior leader on the Client Success team at Maven, joining the company in 2018 and working closely with Maven’s largest employers to ensure a seamless implementation and successful adoption of Maven by their workforces. Prior to joining Maven, Katie spent 15+ years working in media and publishing, partnering with Fortune 500 companies on multi-channel marketing campaigns. Katie lives on the North Fork of Long Island and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Boston University. She is a mother of two young daughters.

LaToya Lyn has a deep passion for people, especially people in the workplace. Holding a dual masters in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, her professional experience spans from executive coaching to driving organizational changes and culture transformations for technology companies, globally. She's also worked in cognitive neuroscience, contributing to the world of human behavior and animal research. LaToya is also a 6x National DisruptHR presenter, ThinkHuman recurring contributor and a recent Harvard University continuing education in leadership alumni. Plus a recent nominee of the Workies 2019 HR Director of the Year awards and Top 100 Ethnic Minority/People of Color in Business Awards 2020, published by Yahoo! Finance. 

LaToya has also worked across many industries, including digital media, fashion, consulting and now technology. Leaders will walk away from her session with a clear plan of action, a stronger sense of optimism and more excited about leaning into their challenges and creating high impact results.

Krystle Lee is the Total Rewards Lead at Apache Industrial, where she drives the strategy, design, and implementation of compensation, benefits, and wellness programs that align with business goals and elevate the employee experience. With more than 15 years of progressive HR experience, Krystle brings deep expertise in benefits administration, payroll, workforce mobility, and employee engagement. She has developed and executed Total Rewards initiatives that fuel retention, boost performance, and support long-term organizational success.

In her role, Krystle partners with leadership to craft forward-looking, inclusive Total Rewards programs tailored to the needs of a dynamic workforce. Her capabilities in vendor negotiation, benefits plan optimization, and workforce analytics enable Apache to offer cost-effective, employee-centric solutions that remain competitive in today’s evolving market.

Krystle is also a recognized thought leader and public speaker, regularly presenting at industry conferences, leadership forums, and internal training sessions. She shares timely insights on the future of benefits and compensation, Total Rewards best practices, and strategies to foster employee engagement and well-being. Her data-driven approach empowers HR professionals and business leaders to build resilient, adaptable rewards strategies that anticipate emerging workforce needs.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with a minor in Economics and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Human Resources and Leadership at Louisiana State University (Go Tigers!). Through her work, Krystle continues to champion innovative solutions that support both business growth and the holistic, longitudinal, well-being of employees.

Alicia Archer is a Master Trainer at STRETCHIT. With over a decade of teaching experience, Alicia Archer thoughtfully guides users through comprehensive stretching, mobility, and flexibility sequences, in order to unlock their movement potential. Alicia is Group Fitness Certified by AFAA (The Athletics and Fitness Association of America) and a Certified FRC® (Functional Range Conditioning) Mobility Specialist by Functional Anatomy Seminars. Her qualifications also include a BFA in Dance from Fordham University/The Ailey School.

Jennifer is the Vice President, Benefits & Wellness at Fiserv