Wanda is the VP Head Of Learning And Development at Brookfield.

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.

Marvie Wright is a passionate executive dedicated to empowering learning innovation and serves as the VP of Learning and Development at Qualfon. She has been with Qualfon over 10 years overseeing the training team, learning specialist team, admin team, SME program, and instructional design team which includes AI activities for the organization.  Just in a short five years, she has built an awarding winning department of Mission minded leaders ready to accomplish excellence. 

Marvie holds a bachelor’s in business, a Master's in Adult Education and Training, and a Doctorate in Ministry. She is a 2021 “Shining Star” recipient, Six Sigma Green Belt, a John Maxwell certified coach/Trainer, and an active member of the executive organization, “Chief”. In 2018 she won “Analyst of the Year” from CallMiner for her work at Qualfon programming in speech analytics, and in 2025 her department brought home the Top 10 L&D departments in the world from OnCon.  Her passion and energy make her a powerful presence at any table where learning is on the menu.

A genuine believer in honesty, passion, and inclusivity, Lauren Goodman is a 20-year hospitality veteran who has grown her career predominantly within Human Resources, with a couple years of hotel Operations experience as a General Manager. She has worked in various US markets including San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C., Aspen, Dallas, and Maui, and on a number of different brands including Soho House, Westin, Autograph Collection, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, and independent properties. Lauren prides herself on being a continuous learner, focuses on long-term strategy, and is an advocate for employees while focusing on business strategy. Lauren feels that there can be a solution to fostering a positive work environment while maintaining profitability.

Lauren has been at Soho House as the Regional Head of People, West Coast and LATAM, for about 4 years. She has excelled at creating process and structure within the P&D department, ensuring consistency within the function, while partnering with the Operations and Membership teams. Lauren understands there is a balance between legal and ethical compliance while ensuring the creative nature of Soho House can still be celebrated. She appreciates the balance of allowing freedom within the framework, meaning to set perimeters but allow the teams to make decisions that are best for the employees, the brand, and, in turn, the member experience.

Brittany Dougan is the Senior Director of Learning & Organizational Development at Maximus, bringing more than 15 years of experience in enterprise learning strategy, leadership development, and organizational transformation. She has a proven track record of designing and implementing development strategies, leading learning management system modernization, guiding leadership and organizational development initiatives, and elevating workforce capability across large, complex organizations. Her work is grounded in creating high-impact learning experiences that support both individual growth and business performance.

Brittany is a certified facilitator in a range of leadership and communication programs and holds a bachelor's degree in Business Management with advanced studies in International Business and Spanish. Since joining Maximus in 2019, she has played an integral role in shaping global learning operations and enhancing the company’s leadership development ecosystem.

In her current role, Brittany leads Maximus’ enterprise AI upskilling strategy and is at the forefront of modernizing the L&D function through AI-enabled tools, automation, and advanced instructional design support. She is driving the integration of AI into content development workflows, operational processes, and learning delivery, enabling more personalized, scalable, and efficient learning experiences. Her work centers on building human-centered, future-ready learning environments that help employees adapt confidently to evolving roles, technologies, and organizational needs.

Dina Yorke serves as Vice President of Learning Excellence at Schneider Electric, guiding a global team responsible for enterprise learning strategy, digital learning platforms, and the design of impactful learning experiences. Her leadership has helped shape Schneider's Upskilling@Scale learning strategy, expanding access to high-quality learning for more than 100,000 employees worldwide. With a diverse background that includes senior roles in finance, global operations, and inclusion & care, Dina brings both analytical rigor with a deep commitment to culture and people development. She is passionate about enabling future-ready skills, advancing digital and accessible learning solutions, and helping organizations unlock the full potential of their workforce.

Carissa is a Co-Founder at Paradigm, a company that uses behavioral science research and data to help organizations develop healthy, high-performing cultures. For the past decade, Carissa has led Paradigm’s work with high-growth startups, leading media agencies, top law firms, and Fortune 500 companies. Before coming to Paradigm, Carissa co-founded PERTS, a research center created at Stanford University focused on the practical application of behavioral science themes like belonging and growth mindset. Carissa was named to Forbes 30 under 30 list for her innovative work on growth mindset at PERTS, where she now serves as chair of the board.
Carissa’s work has been featured in dozens of media outlets, including The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and The Wall Street Journal, and she has published her academic research in publications like Nature, Psychological Science, and Emotion. She has spoken at various conferences, including AtlanticLIVE, TechCrunch Disrupt, and SXSW. Carissa holds a doctorate in Psychology from Stanford University.

Priscila’s expertise is in getting great ideas to scale. She has spent her career building companies and helping others do the same. She is an entrepreneur, advisor, and former-VC investor who equips high performing teams to do amazing work. She has an MBA from Yale University with a research focus on negotiation, behavioral economics, and the psychology of career choices. She has won leadership prizes from Barclays, The Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, Yale School of Management, and the St. Gallen Symposium.

Marcus Cazier is the Head of L&D for the Americas for bioMérieux, a global leader of in vitro diagnostics. He has two decades of experience developing, implementing, and managing learning and development strategy for multiple organizations. Marcus is a leader who believes that helping employees upskill and reskill throughout their careers will benefit business outcomes. When not at work, he enjoys chasing his two teenagers around the mountains of Utah.

Heather Lambert is the Vice President, Learning & Organizational Development at Wellpath Care.

Mark has been with iQor for 14 years and currently serves as Vice President of Global Organizational Development. He joined the company in 2012 as Vice President of Operations for DirecTV before transitioning to lead global organizational development initiatives. Over the past decade, Mark and his team have earned 49 learning and development awards, including a 2024 Gold Brandon Hall Award for iQor’s iLead Mentoring Program and Leadership Competency Model. In 2025, the team received multiple honors from HR.com for Best Coaching and Best Leadership Development programs, and Mark was named HR.com’s Top HR Leader of the Year. Most recently, his team earned a 2026 Silver Stevie Award recognizing the global impact of the iLead mentoring program. He also serves on learning and coaching advisory boards for HR.com and the Brandon Hall Group.

With a 35-year career spanning operations, talent development, and human resources leadership, Mark holds dual master’s degrees in Human Resource Management and Development. He maintains professional certifications including SHRM-SCP, SPHR, and ACC as a Certified Executive and Organizational Development Coach. He resides in Charleston, South Carolina, with his son and niece and remains actively engaged in his community and church.