Author, The 5-Week Leadership Challenge; Co-Author, Disrupt Everything; Global Leadership Practice Leader, FranklinCovey
Dr. Patrick Leddin is the Global Leadership Practice Leader at FranklinCovey and the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The 5-Week Leadership Challenge: 35 Action Steps to Become the Leader You Were Meant to Be. A 19-year veteran of the firm, he has served as Director of Strategic Partnerships and Senior Delivery Consultant. He was an associate professor and Associate Director of the Practice of Business Studies at Vanderbilt University, where he taught Corporate Strategy, Negotiation, and Crisis Leadership. He led The Disruption Project at the university, where he studied how people ranging from household names to unsung heroes succeed in the face of disruption, interviewing over 350 positive disruptors from around the world. As the co-author with James Patterson, the world’s bestselling author, on his first leadership and management book, Disrupt Everything: Every Leader, Team Member, and Family Needs to Disrupt. Grow. Change. Triumph., Leddin uses his research from the project as real world, relatable stories and case studies to move its readers to disrupt. He is also the host of the popular, weekly FranklinCovey podcast, C-Suite Conversations with Dr. Patrick Leddin.
2:40 – 3:30 pm
Closing Keynote – Disrupt Anything
World’s Best-selling Author; Co-Author, Disrupt Everything
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the world’s bestselling author. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, Michael Crichton, and now adds Dr. Patrick Leddin, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and FranklinCovey Global Leadership Practice Leader, as his latest co-author on his first leadership and management book, Disrupt Everything: Every Leader, Team Member, and Family Needs to Disrupt. Grow. Change. Triumph. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
2:40 – 3:30 pm
Closing Keynote – Disrupt Anything
Board Member, AutoNation
Claire Bennett is a tenured global (NYSE, FTSE, HK) leader with an extensive customer experience, general management and consumer services background in top-tier B2B/B2C multi-national organizations. Her expertise is in driving transformation and leading teams through dynamic industry, customer, and technological change.
Ms Bennett is currently a strategic adviser for corporate, PE, and family offices in the areas of acquisition analysis, VCP delivery, and resource allocation. Previously she served as the Global Chief Customer Officer for Intercontinental Hotels Group (FTSE:IHG.L) where she was a member of the Executive Committee from 2017 through early 2024. Prior to joining IHG, Ms. Bennett held P&L roles at American Express and Dell Technologies, Inc. after beginning her career in finance/product management in CPG.
Throughout her career, Claire and her teams have earned numerous awards for customer experience, loyalty innovation, technology leadership and marketing- including Forbes CEO Next, JD Power Customer Satisfaction, ANA Marketer of the Year, and America’s Most Admired and Most Trusted Brand.
Ms Bennett currently serves on the boards of Samsonite, Inc. (OTCMKTS:SMSEY) and AutoNation (NYSE:AN) and is a member of the audit committee in both organizations. In addition, she is a board member of Culligan International- a privately held (BDT/MSD) worldwide leader in safe water delivery. Claire is actively involved in corporate governance continuing education, including Stanford Directors College, NYSE CE, PWC AI Oversight, Extraordinary Women on Boards, and Corporate Board Member Advisory Council.
Claire has an undergraduate degree in accounting, and an MBA from Northwestern Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
3:15 – 4:00 pm
When Risk Moves Faster Than Strategy: How Board Oversight Must Evolve
Vice Chairman, The Cohen Group
Ambassador Grossman served as the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the State Department’s third ranking official, until his retirement in 2005, after 29 years in the US Foreign Service. As Under Secretary, he helped marshal diplomatic support for the international response to the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. He also managed US policies in the Balkans and Colombia and promoted a key expansion of the NATO alliance. As Assistant Secretary for European Affairs, he helped direct NATO’s military campaign in Kosovo and an earlier round of NATO expansion. In Turkey, Ambassador Grossman encouraged vibrant US-Turkish political, military, and economic relations.
Ambassador Grossman was a Vice Chair of The Cohen Group from July 2005 to February 2011.
In February 2011, President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton called Ambassador Grossman back to service as the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ambassador Grossman promoted the international effort to support Afghanistan by shaping major international meetings in Istanbul, Bonn, Chicago and Tokyo. He provided US backing for an Afghan peace process designed to end thirty years of conflict and played an important part in managing US relations with Pakistan. Ambassador Grossman returned to The Cohen Group in February 2013.
Ambassador Grossman is the Chairman of the Board of the Senior Living Foundation of the Foreign Service. He also serves as a Trustee of the University of California Santa Barbara Foundation and is a member of the Board of the C&O Canal Trust.
Raised in Los Angeles, California, Ambassador Grossman has a BA in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an M.Sc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
2:10 – 2:40 pm
Looking Outside: The 2026 Geopolitical Playbook for Boards
Board Member, Lloyd’s of London, Hays and Trustpilot
Joe Hurd is a Silicon Valley-based technology executive and public company board director. Having begun his career practicing securities law in London at Linklaters, he went on to join AOL/Time Warner, where he built business development teams in Japan and Australia, before moving to Silicon Valley to lead international expansion at two venture-backed companies. Mr. Hurd later served at the United States Department of Commerce under the administration of President Barack Obama, implementing the National Export Initiative and serving on the White House Business Council.
Mr. Hurd is currently CEO and managing partner of The Katama Group LLC (Los Altos, California), an operating partner of SOSV Investments LLC (Princeton, New Jersey) and a non-executive director of Trustpilot Group plc (Audit, Remuneration and Nominations committees) and Hays plc (Audit, Nominations, Remuneration committees). He is a Trustee of the Computer History Museum, a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum Class XXXIX, and a member of the Trilateral Commission, the Private Directors Association and the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Mr. Hurd is currently the Culture Champion for the Council of Lloyd’s.
2:45 – 3:30 pm
The AI-Augmented Board: Applying AI to Governance
Chief Technology Officer, Atos
Florin Rotar is the Group CTO for Atos, a global technology powerhouse which is supporting public and private organizations throughout their entire digital transformation journey, from strategy and architecture to operations and optimization. He has been awarded 2025 & 2024 “Best AI Consulting Service Provider” by AI Breakthrough Awards and “2024 Chief AI Officer of the Year” by HMG Global Leadership Institute. Recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the ‘Top 10 CTOs To Watch In 2023’. Florin is a published coauthor of the books “We the People: Human Purpose in a Digital Age: A Guide to Digital Ethics for Individuals, Organizations and Robots of All Kinds” and “The Handbook for Chief AI Officers: Leading the AI Revolution in Business”
He is a frequent keynote speaker at AI global conferences, the UN, and featured in BBC, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Chief Executive Magazine.
Florin holds CERT Certification in Cybersecurity Oversight (Carnegie Mellon/NACD) and the Director Qualified credential (ACCD). Actively bridges the gap between academia and industry innovation as a Founding Board Member of the University of Washington Information School and as advisor to AI startups such as Bullfrog AI, Pay-I.
8:35 – 9:10 am
When AI Starts Making Decisions: Board Oversight in the Era of Autonomous Operations
Chairman and CEO, Atos Group
Philippe Salle was appointed chairman of the board of directors of Atos Group in October 2024 and became chief executive officer on February 1, 2025. He began his career with Total in Indonesia in 1988, before joining Accenture in 1990, where he was promoted to senior consultant. He joined McKinsey in 1995 and became a senior manager three years later. He joined Vedior in 1999 (now Randstad, listed on Euronext Amsterdam) and became chairman and CEO of Vedior France in 2002. He became a member of the executive board in 2003 and was appointed head of Southern Europe in 2006. In 2007, he joined the Geoservices Group (sold to Schlumberger in 2010), a technology company in the oil sector under LBO, first as Deputy CEO and then as chairman and CEO. In June 2011, he became chairman and CEO of Altran, an engineering consulting firm listed on the Euronext Paris. In April 2015, he was appointed chairman and CEO of the Elior Group, a global player in catering and services. From December 2017 to January 2025, he led Emeria, an LBO-backed company specializing in real estate services and technologies, where he remains a board member. Philippe Salle has also served as chairman of the board of directors of Viridien (formerly CGG) from 2018 to January 2025. He has since remained vice-chairman and has also been a member of the board of directors of Banque Transatlantique since 2010. A graduate of the Ecole des Mines de Paris, he holds an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Northwestern University, Chicago). He is a Chevalier de l’ordre national du Mérite, Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur and Commandeur de l’ordre du Mérite de la République italienne.
8:35 – 9:10 am
When AI Starts Making Decisions: Board Oversight in the Era of Autonomous Operations
Board Member, ZoomInfo; Former Chief Privacy Officer and VP, Google
Keith served as Google’s Chief Privacy Officer and Vice President for over 13 years where he led the company’s worldwide privacy and consumer protection legal functions, with teams across the United States, Europe and Asia. In his role, Keith focused on legal leadership, international strategy, AI governance, data privacy/protection, information management, compliance, and risk management. He represented Google globally, engaging with policymakers on privacy and data protection issues. These engagements included members of the U.S. Congress and staff, the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. State Attorneys General, and data protection authorities in Canada, Central America, Europe, and Asia.
Before joining Google, Keith served as the senior-most privacy executive at two Fortune 500 companies, as senior consultant for a global consulting practice, and as general counsel for a privately held advertising technology company.
Keith serves on the board of directors of Zoom Information, Inc. He also serves on the board of directors of DECODE, a nonprofit technology, innovation and entrepreneurship community jointly hosted with U.C. Berkeley and Stanford student organizations, alumni networks and entrepreneurship centers. He previously served on the board of directors of the International Association of Privacy Professionals and is a member of the Future of Privacy Forum Advisory Board and the Center for Information Policy Leadership’s Advisory Council.
Keith received his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and received his J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law, where he was a member of both the Trial Court and Alternative Dispute Resolution boards.
Keith has been a featured speaker discussing online privacy and related subjects on NBC Nightly News, CNN, NPR Talk of the Nation, and other major media outlets. He has been a guest speaker at Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, the U.C. Berkeley Haas School of Business, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is frequently featured at industry events focusing on technology, privacy and data protection.
Keith received the NACD Directorship Certification by the National Association of Corporate Directors, is a member of the Maryland Bar, and holds the Certified Information Privacy Professional and AI Governance Professional certifications from the IAPP.
9:25 – 10:15 am
Navigating AI Oversight: The Board’s Role in Governing the Future
Board Member, Annaly Capital Management, Otis Worldwide Corporation and Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings
Kathy Hopinkah Hannan is an experienced corporate board member, C-Suite executive, international
corporate advisor, and strategist with 30+ years of experience leading significant operations and high priority
initiatives. Kathy is also an Audit Committee financial expert (as defined under the Securities and Exchange
Commission Rules regarding the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), is certified in Cybersecurity Oversight
and is NACD Director Certified. Her extensive governance experience is evident through her public and
private company board roles as well as her past nonprofit and NGO roles including her service as the Chairman of the Board for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) and Chairman of the Board and National President of the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA)
2:10 – 3:00 pm
Intentional Evolution: The Board’s Role in Challenging Assumptions and Anticipating Change
Board Member, Credit Suisse Funds, Chief Data Scientist, Numerati® Partners LLC
Samantha Kappagoda is an Independent Director of the Credit Suisse Funds, Chief Data Scientist of Numerati® Partners, Visiting Scholar at NYU Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, and a Member of the Business Board of the Governing Council at the University of Toronto.
Samantha contributes insights in the boardroom by leveraging her extensive operating experience harnessing data and analytics to drive ROI and mitigate risk throughout her career as a data scientist, economist, entrepreneur, investment and capital markets professional. She is a seasoned leader with over twenty-five years of global experience across digital transformation, data analytics, financial management, risk governance, and strategy. Samantha has founded data analytics and emerging technology firms, as well as a journal on risk, established a research lab at NYU, and led analytics at the World Bank and global macro hedge fund Caxton Associates with $15 billion of assets under management, and she has successfully navigated emerging opportunities, mitigated unanticipated risks, and addressed complex issues in highly regulated multidisciplinary settings. She was recently featured in Directors to Watch (by Directors & Boards magazine), and is a frequent speaker on Artificial Intelligence and risk governance.
9:25 – 10:15 am
Navigating AI Oversight: The Board’s Role in Governing the Future
Board Member, Eversource Energy
As an accomplished financial leader, board director, and experienced CFO, Loretta Keane has a proven track record of shaping strategy, driving transformational growth in technology and data-driven platform businesses, and enhancing governance. She combines her experience in public company board service with her years of C-Suite leadership of financial sponsor-backed growth-phase enterprises. Known for partnering with management and boards to align financial strategy to support the overall business strategy to deliver sustainable value for shareholders and stakeholders. Loretta brings extensive financial expertise and a disciplined governance perspective as a public company board director.
At Eversource Energy (NYSE: ES), Loretta chairs the Audit Committee and serves on the Finance (Cyber / Risk) and Executive Committees. In these roles, she provides strategic guidance to New England’s largest energy delivery company, providing board oversight of financial reporting, risk management, and capital allocation. She has supported major strategic decisions, including the company’s exit from the offshore wind business to focus on core regulated utilities, the approval of the pending sale of the water division, and equity offerings that improved cash flow and strengthened the balance sheet. Loretta’s board service reflects her ability to balance rigorous oversight with constructive partnership, ensuring governance priorities align with long-term enterprise value.
Most recently, Loretta, the Chief Financial Officer of Arcadia, played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a market-leading, AI-powered SaaS platform serving the healthcare and life sciences industries. She raised $200M in debt and equity to strengthen the balance sheet, guided multiple strategic transactions, and implemented disciplined forecasting and systems that expanded revenue from $15M with heavy losses to $135M with a mid-teens EBITDA. Her leadership was instrumental in the divestiture of a low-margin services business, the acquisition and integration of an AI-powered business, and ultimately in the successful $600M sale of Arcadia to Nordic Capital in 2025. By aligning governance, capital, and growth objectives with the CEO and board, she positioned the company for sustainable scale, profitability, and long-term enterprise value.
At Clarity Software Solutions, a growth equity-backed PaaS provider serving health plans and payers, Loretta scaled the business from $35M to $70M in revenue in two years with highly attractive EBITDA margins. As CFO, she built the finance team and infrastructure, implemented systems and KPIs to guide decision-making, and embedded financial analysis into board and management reporting. She also strengthened governance and risk management by standardizing contracts, protecting IP, and ensuring HIPAA and HITRUST compliance.
During her tenure as CFO of Decision Resources Group (DRG), Loretta transformed DRG from a $10M top line and low margin bottom line, entrepreneur-led business into a $120M global data and analytics platform with 35% EBITDA margins. She co-led all major buy-side and sell-side transactions, including successful liquidity events that generated significant returns for each successive investor group, among them a $225M sale to Providence Equity. Beyond these exits, she executed more than 10 accretive acquisitions, expanded operations from 40 to 500+ employees across the US, Europe, and Asia, and drove infrastructure investments that strengthened profitability, reduced costs, and positioned the company as a market leader in healthcare and life sciences informatics.
The foundational elements of Loretta’s career were formed at PWC, where she served as a senior manager in the Boston and London offices.
Loretta earned a Master of Science from Bentley University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Suffolk University. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Massachusetts and actively participates in the National Association of Corporate Directors and the CFO Leadership Council.
2:10 – 3:00 pm
The Intentional Board: Challenging Assumptions to Stay Ahead of What’s Next
Board Member, Armstrong World Industries and Amentum Holdings
Barb Loughran is a member of the board of directors of Amentum, a F250 global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions, primarily for the US government and its allies. She serves as the Nominating and Governance Chair and on the Audit Committee. Barb is also a board member of Armstrong World Industries, an engineering design and building products company, where she serves as Audit Committee Chair and a member of the Finance Committee and the Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee. Previously she served on the board of directors of Jacobs Solutions, a F250 global engineering consulting firm, serving as Audit Committee Chair and a member of the Enterprise Risk and ESG Committee. Barb was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) until 2018, serving global public company clients across a wide range of industries, including consumer products, industrial products, manufacturing, automotive, services, oil & gas, pharmaceutical and medical device. She also led the NY Metro Industrial Products Business Unit and NY Metro Retail & Consumer Business Development. Additionally, she served as a partner in PwC’s national office working with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and clients as they accessed capital markets and responded to regulatory requirements. Barb has also lived and worked internationally, initially
focused on a F20 manufacturing client and subsequently on M&A transactions in Europe. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Franklin & Marshall College and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Barb brings 40
years of global experience working with Fortune 500 executives and boards as they navigate strategic, transformational and operational issues. Barb also does angel investing in women founded and led companies, across a variety of industries with a focus on health/medical device and clean energy industries
8:35 – 9:25 am
The Leadership Litmus Test: How Boards Measure and Improve Performance
Board Member, Allegion, Group 1 Automotive and Grail Inc.; Former CHRO, Merck & Co.
Steven (Steve) C. Mizell is a member of the Board of Directors at Allegion and chair of the Compensation Committee.
Steve also serves on the Board of Directors at Group 1 Automotive, Inc. and Grail Inc. Steve previously served on the Board of Directors for Oshkosh Corporation, where he was chair of the Human Resources Committee.
Steve formerly served as executive vice president, chief human resources officer (CHRO) at Merck & Co., Inc. (2018 to 2024) and was responsible for all aspects of human resources for over 68,000 employees worldwide. Steve joined Merck in 2018 from Monsanto, where he was responsible for creating an industry-leading workplace for more than 20,000 employees around the world. In this role, he oversaw the company’s approach to talent acquisition and development, employee wellness as well as diversity and inclusion.
Steve joined Monsanto as senior vice president, human resources, in 2004 and served as executive vice president, human resources, from 2007 to 2018. Previously, he served as senior vice president and chief corporate resources officer for AdvancePCS, a pharmaceutical company, and he also held key human resources management roles at companies across the energy, defense, beverage and technology sectors.
Over the course of his career at Monsanto, Steve’s leadership has helped the company earn recognition as a best place to work. Most recently, this has included being named among World’s Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work®; 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption; Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc; and as a Top Employer by Science Magazine.
A resident of St. Louis, Missouri, Steve is actively involved in a number of community causes. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Opera Theater St. Louis and is a supporter of the U.S. Kidney Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and Youth in Need. He has been recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal as one of St. Louis’s Most Influential Diverse Business Leaders.
Steve holds a B.S. from Georgia Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
1:55 – 2:40 pm
Rethinking CEO Succession for What’s Next
Board Member, MSCI and CSX
Bob was appointed Executive Director of the Council of Institutional Investors in July 2024. Prior to joining the CII, he was Managing Director at PJT Camberview advising public company boards and executives on a range of corporate governance matters. Prior to that, Bob was Chief Policy Officer at Glass Lewis where he was responsible for managing the research and proxy voting recommendations of over 20,000 research reports annually covering public companies in over 100 countries. Before joining Glass Lewis, he was Director of Investment Proxy Research at Fidelity Investments where he managed the annual voting of over 5,000 securities worth $1 trillion held in Fidelity mutual funds and client pension accounts.
Bob serves on the advisory boards of Columbia Law School’s Millstein Center for Global Markets and Corporate Ownership and the University of Delaware’s Weinberg Center on Corporate Governance.
Bob holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Providence College, a Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac University and a Graduate Certificate of Special Studies in Administration and Management from Harvard University Extension School.
10:40 – 11:30 am
How Agile is Your Board?
Board Member, Lucid Motors and The Woodlands Financial Group
Janet S. Wong is an experienced business executive, board director, and SEC financial expert with success in driving business results. With more than 30 years of business experience in professional services and almost 10 years serving in the corporate boardroom, she is a valued strategic advisor and governance leader. Janet has a longtime commitment to developing future leaders. With recognition as a thought leader, Janet is a frequent speaker and author on issues impacting companies and their
boardrooms.
Janet served as a senior partner with KPMG, a global professional services
organization, where she spent most of her career based in the San Francisco and
Silicon Valley offices providing her industry experience in consumer products, financial services, retail, manufacturing and technology. Janet has worked with Fortune 500 companies and emerging technology companies that grew to successful publicly listed companies. Her consulting experience includes challenges facing many
global innovative companies such as strategic and operational issues, risk and
regulatory matters including cybersecurity, digital transformation, internal controls over financial reporting, and mergers and acquisition transaction advice.
9:30 – 10:20 am
Leadership Legacies: Timeless Advice from the C-Suite to the Boardroom
EVP and Chief Legal, Risk and Regulatory Officer, Nasdaq
As Executive Vice President and Global Chief Legal, Risk and Regulatory Officer, John Zecca is responsible for providing legal counsel to senior management and for overseeing the quality of legal services across the global organization. John is also responsible for developing, reviewing and maintaining Nasdaq’s global risk program, as well as market regulation and the Office of Corporate Secretary. John’s career spans market regulation, corporate law, corporate governance and market structure.
He previously served as Nasdaq’s General Counsel North America and Chief Regulatory Officer, responsible for Nasdaq’s corporate law, intellectual property and regulatory teams that maintain fair, orderly markets and protect investors. Prior to joining Nasdaq in 2001, John served as legal counsel to a commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission and practiced corporate securities law at both Hogan Lovells and Kaye Scholer. Before that role, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable John H. Pratt of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
John received his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He is a member of the bar in the District of Columbia and California, and a licensed solicitor in England and Wales. He is based in Washington, D.C.
3:00-3:50 pm
Global Policies, Domestic Regulations: Inside the SEC’s Playbook for 2025
Managing Director, Forensics, BDO; Former Assistant Director, Division of Enforcement, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Holly is a Managing Director within the Forensic and Investigations group of BDO Advisory, a division of BDO USA. She is a Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years of experience that has achieved the accounting trifecta: Big Four auditor, Fortune 500 financial statement preparer and 10+ years as a financial regulator. Most recently, Holly served as Assistant Director in the Division of Enforcement at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission leading market intelligence operations.
At the SEC, Holly played a critical role in the creation and maturation of a foundational SEC Enforcement group that evaluates 100K+ tips and Suspicious Activity Reports per year. She led teams of accountants and attorneys that performed expert analysis of accounting, disclosure, and auditor conduct whistleblower tips which resulted in the opening of investigations and examinations. Holly has served on the SEC’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Task Force, partnered closely with the Financial Reporting and Audit (FRAud) Group, collaborated with numerous financial regulators and self-regulatory organizations such as the PCAOB and FINRA, and worked in tandem with the agency’s Bank Secrecy Act Group.
During her tenure at the SEC, Holly received several awards including the SEC Enforcement Directors Award (twice) and recognition from the FBI for strengthening collaboration between the two agencies. Her forensic accounting, financial reporting and whistleblower experience has evolved alongside major U.S. regulatory efforts, including Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank and the JOBS Act. Senior leaders across the public and private sectors trust Holly to deliver in high-impact, highly scrutinized situations. She brings deep expertise in U.S. GAAP, internal controls and complex accounting areas, along with extensive experience in whistleblower investigations, retaliation claims and litigation risk mitigation as organizations navigate evolving regulations, including ESG reporting.
1:00 – 1:30 pm
Inside the SEC’s New Enforcement Playbook: Signals Boards Can’t Afford To Miss
Global Chairman of Corporate, Linklaters LLP
George Casey is Global Chairman of Corporate of Linklaters LLP, a global law firm with over 3,100 lawyers across 31 offices in 21 countries. Prior to joining Linklaters, George was Global Managing Partner of Shearman & Sterling LLP and has served as Global Head of the Mergers & Acquisitions Group and Global Head of Corporate, while continuing his full-time practice.
He has extensive experience in U.S. domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, ranging from public company acquisitions to complex carve-out sales, strategic investments and joint venture transactions, representing major US and non-US multinational corporate clients and sovereign wealth funds in their most complex transactions. In addition, he regularly advises Boards of Directors and management on corporate governance and shareholder relations issues. He combines a very diverse transactional experience with a deep understanding of clients’ businesses across the chemicals, healthcare, mining and metals, media, cable, technology and telecommunications industries.
The American Lawyer named George a “Dealmaker of the Year” and “Transatlantic Corporate Dealmaker.” He has been recognized as a leading M&A practitioner by Chambers, Legal 500 and IFLR. George has been inducted by Legal 500 into the Corporate/M&A “Hall of Fame,” one of only 21 M&A lawyers across the United States who were awarded this recognition, and is included in the 2023 Legal 500 US M&A Powerlist. He was named by clients as one of nine M&A “Super All-Stars” in a survey of US M&A lawyers by BTI Consulting.
In addition to his work with clients, George is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he teaches a course on mergers and acquisitions. He is also a regular lecturer on U.S. M&A at L’école De Droit De La Sorbonne – Université Paris I.
George is a member of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Audit Committee of the American University and American College of Greece and a member of the Board of Directors of the Center for European Policy Analysis, a Washington DC think tank.
2:00 – 2:45 pm
When Smart Boards Hesitate: The Hard Conversations That Define Board Leadership
Principal, PwC’s Governance Insights Center
Paul DeNicola is a principal in PwC’s Governance Insights Center, which strives to strengthen the connection between directors, executive teams and investors by helping them navigate the evolving governance landscape.
With more than 15 years of corporate governance experience, Paul has a broad range of knowledge in numerous emerging governance issues. Paul is also an Associate Professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business where he teaches courses in corporate governance and professional responsibility. Paul serves on the board of the Society for Corporate Governance as well as the board of the National Association of Corporate Directors New Jersey Chapter, and on the Markets Advisory Council of the Council of Institutional Investors.
Paul has authored and contributed to many PwC governance publications, including the renowned Annual Corporate Directors Survey. He has twice been named to Directorship Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in US corporate governance.
Paul earned his BA and MA degrees in interdisciplinary studies from The Gallatin School of New York University and completed a PhD in philosophy and communications at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee Switzerland. He lives in New York with his wife and three children.
2:00 – 2:45 pm
When Smart Boards Hesitate: The Hard Conversations That Define Board Leadership
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Kekst CNC
Jeremy has over 25 years of experience in advising clients on a variety of special situations, and is a trusted partner to boards, senior management, and communications teams for global companies, advising them on their communications challenges as they grow and transform their businesses, or protect their reputations.
Jeremy provides strategic guidance and communications counsel to boards of directors and management teams of U.S. and international public companies and private institutions across industries. For more than two decades, he has advised clients on their most pressing and high-profile communications initiatives, including strategic challenges and opportunities. His client engagements span a wide range of special situations, as well as ongoing strategic positioning and investor relations activities. Jeremy has significant experience advising clients on shareholder activism; M&A; crisis communications; bankruptcy & restructurings; litigation and regulatory support; and alternative investments, among other matters.
In addition to his experience at Kekst CNC, Jeremy spent a year as partner at Finsbury Group. Jeremy holds a B.A. in International History and Politics, with Honors, from the University of Leeds, an M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. in History from Yale University.
2:00 – 2:45 pm
When Smart Boards Hesitate: The Hard Conversations That Define Board Leadership
Director, PwC’s Governance Insights Center
Catie Hall is a director in PwC’s Governance Insights Center, which strives to strengthen the connection between directors, executive teams and investors by helping them navigate the evolving governance landscape.
With nearly 20 years of experience at PwC, Catie brings significant experience in risk management, governance risks and controls.
Catie focuses on governance research, authors PwC governance publications and speaks to a variety of audiences on governance trends, including risk oversight and cybersecurity oversight.
Catie is a Certified Public Accountant (licensed in New York), a Certified Internal Auditor and is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
2:00 – 2:45 pm
When Smart Boards Hesitate: The Hard Conversations That Define Board Leadership
Partner, DLA Piper LLP
Oksana Koltko Rosaluk is a restructuring partner with more than thirteen years of experience in the distressed space. Oksana’s practice consists of all aspects of company-side in-court and out-of-court restructurings, including complex reorganizations, going concern liquidations, asset sales, state liquidations and structured wind-downs, both within the US and offshore. A significant focus of Oksana’s practice is cross-border restructurings (including chapter 15 representations of foreign debtors), for which she is well known in the industry.
Oksana represents companies across all sectors, although she has significant experience in real estate investment trust (REIT), regulatory, retail, healthcare, tech/intellectual property (IP) and professional services segment as well as with distressed microfinance and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) receiverships.
Oksana’s success is fueled by her passion of working closely with companies and their constituency, being fully immersed in the financial and operational restructuring process alongside management and boards of directors, working together with financial advisors, investment bankers and strategic communications firms, untangling legal issues that straddle many disciplines (and often jurisdictions) and, ultimately, crafting the most optimal strategic solutions that best position businesses to maximize their enterprise value and for long-term success.
Oksana also leverages her deep knowledge of the distressed markets to bring strategic opportunities to various players in the field (through distressed acquisitions and investments, to name a few).
2:10 – 2:40 pm
Looking Outside: The 2026 Geopolitical Playbook for Boards
Partner & co-chair of Shareholder Activism and Corporate Defense practice, Sidley
KAI H. E. LIEKEFETT is a partner in New York and co-chairs Sidley’s Shareholder Activism and Corporate Defense practice. He has 20 years of experience in corporate law in New York, London, Germany, Hong Kong and Tokyo. He spends 100% of his time on activism campaigns, proxy fights and hostile takeovers. In the last five years, Kai has been involved in over 80 proxy contests, more than any other defense attorney in the world, and 25% of all U.S. proxy fights that went all the way. Under Kai’s leadership, Sidley rose to the top of the activism defense league tables, including the No. 1 ranking by Bloomberg, FactSet, Thomson Reuters (Refinitiv), and Activist Insight for 2020, 2021 and the 2022 H1.
Kai has been named “2019 Dealmaker of the Year” by The American Lawyer for Sidley’s groundbreaking Wynn Resorts proxy contest. He has been recognized by Chambers USA every year from 2017 to 2022 as one of the leading lawyers for “Takeover Defense,” lauding him as “terrific lawyer” who is “equally adept in front of a board as well as opposite an activist,” and “great at getting things done and obtaining great results.” In 2020, Kai was elected as a fellow of The American College of Governance Counsel, the honorary association of lawyers widely-recognized for their achievements in the field of governance.
Kai sits on the board of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and is a member of the Law360 Mergers & Acquisitions Editorial Board. He speaks regularly about shareholder activism on panels and at universities around the world, including Harvard University and the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. Kai is frequently interviewed and quoted as a thought leader by the national and international media, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, Financial Times, USA Today, Forbes, Law360, and The Deal.
Kai holds a Ph.D., magna cum laude, from Freiburg Law University; an Executive MBA, summa cum laude, from Münster Business School; and an LL.M., James Kent Scholar, from Columbia Law School. He was in the top 0.1% nationwide in his First Legal State Exam (J.D. equivalent) and in the top 1.5% nationwide in his Second Legal State Exam in Germany.
1:30 – 2:00 pm
Inside the Pay Decision: What Boards See, What Investors See
Partner, Meridian Compensation Partners
Christina Medland advises boards and senior executives on executive and director compensation, governance, and incentive program design. She previously served as Co-Managing Partner of Meridian and continues to lead the firm’s Northeast practice as a member of Meridian’s Executive Committee.
Christina has practiced in the area of executive and director compensation for more than 30 years. Her work focuses on executive and director compensation, incentive design, compensation risk assessment, governance and disclosure, and performance measurement.
She has extensive experience advising on compensation matters for large public companies as well as private organizations, including closely held, private equity–backed, and pre-IPO companies. She also frequently advises clients in the context of corporate transactions.
Christina’s clients include U.S. and Canadian companies across a range of industries, including communications, energy, financial services, manufacturing, mining, real estate, retail, technology, and transportation.
Christina is a frequent writer and speaker on compensation issues and has written extensively on executive compensation, compensation governance and disclosure, compensation process, incentive arrangements, and emerging trends in compensation.
Prior to joining Meridian, Christina was a partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP and Torys LLP for a combined 25 years, where she practiced in the areas of executive compensation, mergers and acquisitions, taxation, and employment law.
1:30 – 2:00 pm
Inside the Pay Decision: What Boards See, What Investors See
Head of Board Advisory, Americas & Asia-Pacific, Nasdaq
Phil is the Head of Board Advisory in the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions at Nasdaq. In his role, Phil advises boards and executive management teams at public, private, and non-profit organizations. Phil leverages his experience to help organizations address board composition and effectiveness, strategic alignment with management, and other corporate governance and compliance matters.
Phil was president, board member, and founding investor/advisor of the Center for Board Excellence (CBE), which was acquired by Nasdaq in 2019. Prior to that, Phil held several senior leadership positions at public and private companies, including Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary roles.
Phil obtained his J.D. from the University of Virginia and his B.A. from the University of Washington. Phil is a member of the Washington State Bar.
9:10 – 9:50 am
AI + Cyber: The New Architecture of Enterprise Risk
Leader, EY America’s Center for Board Matters
In her role as regional leader for CBM, Cigdem brings insights on emerging issues and governance trends to boards and CEOs. She draws from a range of research and ongoing discussions to synthesize and share critical matters and leading practices for board oversight in areas including ESG, cyber risk, enterprise resilience, human capital and enterprise risk management. Her focus is helping directors get past the ‘what’ and focus on the ‘so what.’ Cigdem also provides support for new directors with onboarding and is a sought-after thought partner for c-suite executives who are enhancing their communication with the board.
Cigdem has been a trusted advisor to directors, boards and c-suite executives for twenty years. Her combination of governance, strategy and finance expertise, along with her experience of delivering insights in boardroom settings, enable her to drive productive, actionable discussions for key decision makers.
Prior to joining EY, Cigdem managed and delivered an education program serving F500 audit chairs across multiple cities in the US while at Tapestry Networks. She was responsible for identifying key issues, structuring and facilitating sessions, and managing delivery teams. She also worked with global audit chairs and CFOs on an initiative focused on defining the challenges inherent in the evolving role of today’s CFO.
Cigdem’s past experiences include overseeing syndicated research and content delivery for global programs serving hundreds of finance and strategy executives during her decade of tenure at CEB (now Gartner). Subject areas covered included: ERM, dynamic strategic planning, finance structure and IT, and management reporting. She continued her work with c-suite oversight of transformational projects while at SAP Value Engineering.
Cigdem has also experienced the challenges of the start-up world, serving as CFO for a risk-management software company where she shaped the business plan, led strategic planning, and delivered investor presentations.
Cigdem is based in Atlanta, GA. She can be found on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/coktem/ where she regularly posts articles on emerging issues in governance and gives a glimpse into her conversations with boards.
3:15 – 4:00 pm
When Risk Moves Faster Than Strategy: How Board Oversight Must Evolve
Executive Vice President, Board and C-Suite Advisory Services, APTMetrics
Dr. Matt Paese is a globally recognized leadership coach, consultant, author, keynote speaker, and pioneer of top approaches for helping leaders succeed. He is the lead author of Leaders Ready Now: Accelerating Growth in a Faster World (2016) and co-author of its award-winning predecessor, Grow Your Own Leaders (2002), which have shaped over two decades of impact in growing leaders into skilled, self-aware, compassionate enterprise executives.
Matt has advised thousands of CEOs, senior teams, and executives in more than 20 countries. As a researcher, product designer, and practitioner, he brings practical clarity to the science and practice of leadership effectiveness. He is sought after for his expertise in C-suite succession and development, board and senior team effectiveness, and executive onboarding and coaching. He has authored scores of articles and white papers on these topics, and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, Chief Executive, Board Leadership Journal, The Conference Board, Human Resources Executive, and more.
As an entrepreneur, Matt was one of several originators who launched an innovative executive leadership services business in 1995, which flourished to provide coaching, development, and consulting to hundreds of thousands of executives in more than 3,000 organizations worldwide. He led the development and implementation of industry-leading solutions in executive succession and assessment, coaching, C-suite team effectiveness, and board leadership. Matt began his career at Anheuser-Busch, where he managed executive assessment and development programs throughout the corporation.
Matt holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a B.A. in Psychology from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin. He is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and an active contributor to the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology (SIOP).
3:15 – 4:00 pm
When Risk Moves Faster Than Strategy: How Board Oversight Must Evolve
Leader, U.S. Center for Corporate Governance, BDO
Amy has spent over 16 years with BDO as part of the National Assurance practice office. She founded and directs BDO’s Center for Corporate Governance and Financial Reporting, designed for financial executives and those charged with governance of both public and private companies. She is responsible for the development and presentation of a significant volume of BDO’s continuing professional education (CPE)-worthy webinar, on-demand and podcast programs and thought leadership pieces on a variety of matters related to corporate governance, including cybersecurity, fraud, succession planning, and audit quality. Amy further develops certain of our firm’s board of director forums as well as participates in external events for corporate directors.
She also participates in the development and implementation of BDO’s national strategies and initiatives that support industry, business, technical, and client service goals. She is responsible for publication and issuance of BDO’s annual voluntary Audit Quality Reports and tools and templates supporting communications with our client Audit Committees.
Amy currently serves as BDO’s Policy Lead to and participates on the Center for Audit Quality’s (CAQ) Advisory Committee and has assisted in CAQ initiatives, including audit committee communications and audit quality indicators. She has participated in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)’s EDMAX forum for accounting firm learning specialists to share knowledge/practices on learning methods.
She fully supports BDO initiatives aimed at flexibility, development, and career progression, and serves on the BDO’s Women’s Inclusion initiative and the Virtual Parenting Network as well as BDO’s focus on the audit of the future.
1:00 – 1:30 pm
Inside the SEC’s New Enforcement Playbook: Signals Boards Can’t Afford To Miss
Chief Technology Officer, Atos
Florin Rotar is the Group CTO for Atos, a global technology powerhouse which is supporting public and private organizations throughout their entire digital transformation journey, from strategy and architecture to operations and optimization. He has been awarded 2025 & 2024 “Best AI Consulting Service Provider” by AI Breakthrough Awards and “2024 Chief AI Officer of the Year” by HMG Global Leadership Institute. Recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the ‘Top 10 CTOs To Watch In 2023’. Florin is a published coauthor of the books “We the People: Human Purpose in a Digital Age: A Guide to Digital Ethics for Individuals, Organizations and Robots of All Kinds” and “The Handbook for Chief AI Officers: Leading the AI Revolution in Business”
He is a frequent keynote speaker at AI global conferences, the UN, and featured in BBC, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Chief Executive Magazine.
Florin holds CERT Certification in Cybersecurity Oversight (Carnegie Mellon/NACD) and the Director Qualified credential (ACCD). Actively bridges the gap between academia and industry innovation as a Founding Board Member of the University of Washington Information School and as advisor to AI startups such as Bullfrog AI, Pay-I.
8:35 – 9:10 am
When AI Starts Making Decisions: Board Oversight in the Era of Autonomous Operations
Chairman and CEO, Atos Group
Philippe Salle was appointed chairman of the board of directors of Atos Group in October 2024 and became chief executive officer on February 1, 2025. He began his career with Total in Indonesia in 1988, before joining Accenture in 1990, where he was promoted to senior consultant. He joined McKinsey in 1995 and became a senior manager three years later. He joined Vedior in 1999 (now Randstad, listed on Euronext Amsterdam) and became chairman and CEO of Vedior France in 2002. He became a member of the executive board in 2003 and was appointed head of Southern Europe in 2006. In 2007, he joined the Geoservices Group (sold to Schlumberger in 2010), a technology company in the oil sector under LBO, first as Deputy CEO and then as chairman and CEO. In June 2011, he became chairman and CEO of Altran, an engineering consulting firm listed on the Euronext Paris. In April 2015, he was appointed chairman and CEO of the Elior Group, a global player in catering and services. From December 2017 to January 2025, he led Emeria, an LBO-backed company specializing in real estate services and technologies, where he remains a board member. Philippe Salle has also served as chairman of the board of directors of Viridien (formerly CGG) from 2018 to January 2025. He has since remained vice-chairman and has also been a member of the board of directors of Banque Transatlantique since 2010. A graduate of the Ecole des Mines de Paris, he holds an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Northwestern University, Chicago). He is a Chevalier de l’ordre national du Mérite, Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur and Commandeur de l’ordre du Mérite de la République italienne.
8:35 – 9:10 am
When AI Starts Making Decisions: Board Oversight in the Era of Autonomous Operations
Executive Director, Diligent Institute
Dottie Schindlinger is Vice President and Governance Technology Evangelist for Diligent Corporation, the leading provider of secure corporate board communication and collaboration software used by over 19,000 organizations globally. In her role, Dottie provides thought leadership on governance, cybersecurity, and technology topics through presentations to boards and executives dozens of times each year at events around the globe. Her work has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and in multiple governance and technology publications including Corporate Board Member Magazine,Trustee Magazine, Corporate Secretary Magazine, Execranks, CSO Online, and Dark Reading.
Dottie brings over twenty years’ experience in governance-related roles, including serving as a director, officer, committee chair, senior executive, governance consultant and trainer for private, public, and nonprofit boards. She was a founding team member of the tech start-up BoardEffect – a board management software provider focused on healthcare and nonprofit boards, acquired by Diligent in late 2016. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
2:45 – 3:30 pm
The AI-Augmented Board: Applying AI to Governance
Leader, EY America’s Center for Board Matters
In her role as regional leader for CBM, Cigdem brings insights on emerging issues and governance trends to boards and CEOs. She draws from a range of research and ongoing discussions to synthesize and share critical matters and leading practices for board oversight in areas including ESG, cyber risk, enterprise resilience, human capital and enterprise risk management. Her focus is helping directors get past the ‘what’ and focus on the ‘so what.’ Cigdem also provides support for new directors with onboarding and is a sought-after thought partner for c-suite executives who are enhancing their communication with the board.
3:15 – 4:00 pm
When Risk Moves Faster Than Strategy: How Board Oversight Must Evolve
Chief Marketing Officer, Forbes Books
Beth LaGuardia oversees corporate brand, PR, and marketing strategy and operations for Forbes Books. For clients, LaGuardia also oversees the authority media services business, to include brand strategy, public relations, content creation, and digital engagement. Key accomplishments include transforming the growth engine for scale; evolving brand strategy and operations to build a successful partner-centric powerhouse; and leading the rise of a nascent media services arm into a significant driver of growth. Prior to joining Forbes Books, LaGuardia held C-suite and marketing leadership roles over a 25-year career, spanning multiple public companies in the higher education and technology sectors, as well as agencies serving B2B and B2C clients. She earned an A.B. in economics from Duke University and an MBA in marketing from the University of Maryland.
7:00 – 8:30 am
Breakfast
CEO and Founder, Global Data Innovation; Author, Trust: Responsible AI, Innovation, Privacy and Data Leadership
Dominique Shelton is the CEO of Global Data Innovation, a legal advisory firm guiding CEOs and Boards to exponential data-driven growth while minimizing risks. With 30 + years in Big Law, she has trained 50,000+ professionals in AI, privacy, and cyber governance. Her insights have benefited companies with a combined market cap of over $3 trillion.
Dominique’s fourth book, Trust: Responsible AI, Innovation, Privacy & Data Leadership won the 2024 getAbstract Business Impact Award. Dominique’s TEDx talk was the fifth highest viewed in 2024, with over 1.6 M+ views. She is the creator of the patent-pending TRUST AI governance framework.
An ADWEEK AI Trailblazer Power 100, a Forbes ‘50 Over 50 Innovator.” a Diligent Modern Governance 100, and an LA Times “Legal Visionary,” Dominique has received 38 awards over her 34 year career. She is the founder of the Digital Trust Summit. She is certified in AI and board governance. Her appearances include Bloomberg TV and CBS News.
She sits on the board of directors of Harris & Associates – a 100% employee-owned consulting and engineering firm based in Concord, California, delivering planning, civil design, construction management, environmental compliance, and municipal finance services to public and institutional clients across the West Coast, with a focus on education, transportation, water, and municipal infrastructure.
11:30 – 12:20 pm
When AI Breaks: A Boardroom Simulation in Risk, Trust and Response
Partner, Sidley Austin
REUBEN ZARAMIAN counsels public company boards and management teams through high stakes investor engagement and activism defense matters. Over the past decade, he has represented clients in hundreds of mandates, including many of the most notable late-stage proxy fights and settlements.
Reuben advises on all aspects of shareholder activism, drawing on his extensive experience with governance strategy and corporate preparedness, special situations, risk management, fiduciary duties and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. He also advises on Section 13 and 16 issues.
Reuben was recommended by the Legal 500 United States as a key lawyer for Shareholder Activism: Advice to Boards (2025) and recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America® for Corporate Governance and Compliance Law (2026).
Earlier in his career, Reuben represented many of the leading hedge funds at a New York law firm with a prominent shareholder activism practice—he now leverages that experience for company-side clients. He speaks and publishes frequently on matters related to shareholder activism and corporate governance.
10:35 – 11:25 am
Preparing for a Proxy Fight
Shareholder and Board Member, Littler
Charlotte Main is a legal innovator and legacy member of the Littler team that developed the firm’s award-winning Littler CaseSmart (LCS) and Littler onDemand (LoD) platforms. Providing employers with client-dedicated teams, streamlined processes, and unparalleled dashboard reporting, LCS and LoD enhance Littler’s partnership with clients, delivering cost-conscious and data-driving employment litigation and advice and counsel services.
In her current role, Charlotte routinely consults with clients to identify how Littler can best meet their needs, whether through traditional service models, the firm’s innovations, or a custom combination of Littler’s resources. Charlotte also speaks on issues related to legal innovation, data reporting and analytics, legal process management, and pricing of legal services. Among others, she has been published in the International Legal Technology Association’s Peer to Peer Magazine.
Charlotte has provided counsel across a wide-range of employment matters and successfully represented her clients in single-plaintiff employment litigation and jury trials in federal and state courts across the country. Today, she oversees teams of Littler attorneys who defend and resolve thousands of administrative agency charges in every U.S. jurisdiction.
Committed to her community and environmental sustainability, Charlotte is a member of the firm’s Environmental Working Group. She is an avid “birder” who supports local nonprofit organizations that rehabilitate injured and orphaned native wildlife.
Charlotte joined Littler in August 2001. She was executive editor of the Loyola Consumer Law Review and flexed her former All-American college debate team skills as a member of the National Moot Court Team and the American Bar Association Moot Court Team.
10:40 – 11:30 am
Preparing for a Proxy Fight
Senior Director of Global Risk & Compliance, Google Cloud
Jeanette Manfra is the Senior Director for Global Risk and Compliance for Google
Cloud. Jeanette is focused on helping customers, particularly those in regulated
industries, build and maintain the highest levels of security and trust into their
technical infrastructure and services.
Prior to joining Google, Jeanette was the Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and the Cyber and Infrastructure Agency within the US Federal Government. In that role she was responsible for driving security modernization across Federal civilian agencies as well as enabling the security of critical infrastructure across the US. Jeanette spent more than a decade serving in various roles at the Department of Homeland Security and the White House focused on establishing the nation’s first civilian cyber defense
agency.
Jeanette is a proud veteran of the US Army and alumna of the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University.
7:30 – 8:15 am
Cyber Buzz: Separating Signal from Noise
EVP – Board and C-Suite Services, APTMetrics
Dr. Matt Paese is a globally recognized author, CEO coach, C-suite consultant, keynote speaker, and pioneer of many of today’s leading approaches for helping leaders succeed at the top. He is the lead author of Leaders Ready Now: Accelerating Growth in a Faster World (2016) and co-author of its award-winning predecessor, Grow Your Own Leaders (2002), which have shaped over two decades of impact in growing leaders into skilled, self-aware, compassionate enterprise executives. Matt is now Senior Vice President of Executive Services for DDI.
Matt has advised thousands of CEOs, senior teams, boards and C-suite executives in more than 20 countries across the world. He is sought-after for his expertise in CEO succession and onboarding, senior team effectiveness, board effectiveness, and executive succession and development. He has authored scores of articles and white papers, and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, Chief Executive, The Conference Board, and Human Resources Executive to name a few. His team’s research has generated countless insights and discoveries in C-suite leadership, executive team and individual effectiveness, and enterprise succession planning.
As an entrepreneur, Matt was one of several originators who launched DDI’s Executive Services business in 1995. DDI has since provided coaching, development, and consulting to hundreds of thousands of executives in more than 3,000 organizations worldwide. He has led the development and implementation of industry-leading solutions in the areas of executive assessment, coaching, team effectiveness, and board leadership. Matt is the principal architect of many DDI proprietary services, including Business Driver Analysis, Executive Focus CoachingTM, and the newly released Pressure Point CoachingTM, which is rapidly altering the global landscape of high-speed, just-in-time coaching for executives.
1:55 – 2:40 pm
Rethinking CEO Succession for What’s Next
Shareholder & Co-Chair, Workplace Policy Institute, Littler
James A. Paretti, Jr. is an experienced management-side employment and labor relations attorney with in-depth political and policy knowledge of labor, pension, healthcare and employment law, regulations and legislation. Jim is well versed in all aspects of legislative and political processes with demonstrated knowledge in the substance of federal labor and employment policy. He has over two decades of experience working with federal legislators and policymakers, including former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Chairmen of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and senior level administration officials.
Prior to joining Littler, Jim was chief of staff and senior counsel to the acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He provided legal and political counsel with respect to all aspects of agency business, administered and managed the Office of the Chair where he was responsible for over 2,200 employees and a 375 million dollar annual budget, and served as primary liaison to regulated stakeholders and Capitol Hill.
His extensive experience includes developing policy and providing legal counsel on the Committee on Education and Labor in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as coordinating external communications and media relations for a senior member of Congress. Jim represented corporate and nonprofit clients in employment litigation in federal and state court, before administrative agencies and in private arbitration while with two Boston firms.
During law school, he held positions as editor as well as note and comment editor for the New York University Law Review.
9:25 – 10:15 am
Navigating AI Oversight: The Board’s Role in Governing the Future
Managing Director and Global Co-Head of Shareholder Engagement and M&A Capital Markets, J.P. Morgan
Alfredo leads J.P. Morgan’s North America team focused on Shareholder Engagement and M&A Capital Markets (“SEAMAC”). Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Alfredo was a Managing Director and Head of the Greenhill’s Shareholder Advisory Group and a senior member of Morgan Stanley’s Shareholder Activism and Corporate Defense Team in New York. During his tenure, Morgan Stanley became the leading shareholder advisory team on Wall Street.
Earlier in his career, Alfredo worked in Lazard’s Financial Institutions M&A and Activism Defense Groups in New York and as an M&A lawyer at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York, focusing both on private equity and strategic transactions. Alfredo regularly speaks at conferences and leading industry events on the topic of shareholder engagement, activism, ESG and corporate defense.
Alfredo graduated from Harvard Law School (LLM), the College of Europe in Bruges – Belgium (LLM) and from the University of Milan – Italy (JD)
10:35 – 11:25 am
Preparing for a Proxy Fight
National Managing Partner – Governance, Emerging Issues and External Communications, BDO
Amy has spent over 16 years with BDO as part of the National Assurance practice office. She founded and directs BDO’s Center for Corporate Governance and Financial Reporting, designed for financial executives and those charged with governance of both public and private companies. She is responsible for the development and presentation of a significant volume of BDO’s continuing professional education (CPE)-worthy webinar, on-demand and podcast programs and thought leadership pieces on a variety of matters related to corporate governance, including cybersecurity, fraud, succession planning, and audit quality. Amy further develops certain of our firm’s board of director forums as well as participates in external events for corporate directors.
She also participates in the development and implementation of BDO’s national strategies and initiatives that support industry, business, technical, and client service goals. She is responsible for publication and issuance of BDO’s annual voluntary Audit Quality Reports and tools and templates supporting communications with our client Audit Committees.
Amy currently serves as BDO’s Policy Lead to and participates on the Center for Audit Quality’s (CAQ) Advisory Committee and has assisted in CAQ initiatives, including audit committee communications and audit quality indicators. She has participated in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)’s EDMAX forum for accounting firm learning specialists to share knowledge/practices on learning methods.
She fully supports BDO initiatives aimed at flexibility, development, and career progression, and serves on the BDO’s Women’s Inclusion initiative and the Virtual Parenting Network as well as BDO’s focus on the audit of the future.
1:10 – 1:55 pm
Closing the Gap: Board Assumptions versus Investors’ Expectations
Director, PwC Governance Insights Center
Carin is a Director with PwC’s Governance Insights Center, with a focus on corporate governance and enterprise risk management. Throughout her career she has provided advisory and implementation services that enable private and public companies to efficiently and effectively meet their governance, risk management, and compliance responsibilities. She also assists organizations with integrating governance and risk considerations into their strategy setting, business planning and performance management processes. Her background includes corporate governance strategy and structure; corporate governance training; managing board relations; director succession and recruitment; board planning and operations; enterprise risk management; compliance program development; and corporate policy & procedure development.
8:35 – 9:25 pm
The Leadership Litmus Test: Measuring and Improving Board Leadership Effectiveness
Partner, Meridian Compensation Partners
Bob Romanchek, Partner, has more than 30 years of experience in consulting on executive compensation matters and has advised Compensation Committees and executive management at a significant number of large, small, and mid-cap companies, both public and
private.
Bob leads numerous client engagements and provides expert consulting advice on issues relating to executive compensation including, but not limited to, equity and cash-based long-term incentive design and grant structure, short-term incentive program design, employment
contract design including change-in-control and severance provisions, supplemental retirement and deferred compensation program design and funding, responding to proxy advisory firms, and proxy and CD&A disclosure. Bob also consults on committee meeting process, overall executive compensation
philosophy development, outside director pay, and capital structure change transactions including private equity
buyouts, initial public offerings, divestiture and spinoffs, and bankruptcy confirmation and emergence.
He is a frequent presenter at board and compensation committee meetings, and has lectured extensively and has
been interviewed on executive compensation matters for such organizations as the National Association of Corporate Directors, Corporate Board Member, Boardroom Resources, Equilar, and various industry groups. Bob
also has authored numerous articles and has been published in business periodicals such as the NACD Directorship magazine, CEO magazine, the Corporate Board Member Board Governance Series, WorldatWork Journal, the International HR Journal, the Journal of Compensation and Benefits, CFO magazine, the Agenda,
Insights, and Board Room Reports.
Bob is an attorney and a Certified Public Accountant, and is a Certified Executive Compensation Professional. He
is a graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, and also holds an M.B.A., cum laude, from the DePaul
University College of Commerce. His undergraduate degree is in accounting and economics.
2:25 – 3:25 pm
The Board’s Ultimate Cautionary Tale: Lessons From Enron’s Former Finance Chief
Partner, DLA Piper
Adam Witty is the Founder and CEO of Advantage Media and Forbes Books, a global leader in publishing and Authority-building content media services for top business leaders and entrepreneurs. Today the select community comprises more than 2,000 authors across 44 U.S. states and 14 countries.
A sought-after speaker, teacher, and advisor on marketing and business growth, Adam has shared the stage with Steve Forbes, Gene Simmons of KISS, and other industry icons. His expertise in “Authority Media” is showcased through his best-selling books, including The Authority Advantage and Authority Marketing. His latest book, The Authority Advantage: Building Thought Leadership Focused on Impact Not Ego, became a #1 Amazon bestseller in
five categories and received acclaim from major reviewers like Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Indie.
Adam’s insights have been featured in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, and USA Today. Adam, wife Erin, and sons Ellis and Warren are proud to call Charleston home.
11:30 am – 12:20 pm
Anticipating and Hedging Financial Risk
Executive Director, Diligent Institiute
In her role as Executive Director of the Diligent Institute, the think tank and global governance research arm of Diligent Corporation, Dottie provides thought leadership on governance, cybersecurity and technology topics through presentations to boards and executives dozens of times each year at events around the globe. She is co-author of the book, “Governance in the Digital Age: A Guide for the Modern Corporate Board Director,” and she co-hosts the fortnightly show, The Corporate Director Podcast. Dottie brings over 20 years’ experience in governance-related roles, including serving as a director, officer, committee chair, senior executive, governance consultant and trainer for private, public and nonprofit boards.
9:25 – 10:15 am
Navigating AI Oversight: The Board’s Role in Governing the Future
Corporate Governance Director, BDO
Lee Sentnor is a corporate governance expert and Professional Practice Director at BDO’s Center for Corporate Governance. With over 20 years of experience advising boards and audit committees, she helps leaders navigate oversight, risk, and strategic decision-making. Lee is also a frequent speaker and author on boardroom dynamics, leadership accountability, and emerging governance trends.
2:25 – 3:25 pm
The Board’s Ultimate Cautionary Tale: Lessons From Enron’s Former Finance Chief
Senior Managing Director, Strategic Communications – Americas Head of M&A, Activism & Governance, FTI Consulting
Pat Tucker brings a depth of experience on all aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A – across multiple sectors – including but not limited to interloping bidders, complex structures, antitrust litigation, foreign ownership review, SPACs, founder/family ownership and shareholder challenges. He has led transaction matters for companies including Advent International, Carlyle Group, Comcast, KKR, JAB, Intuit, Keurig Dr Pepper, Royalty Pharma, Sanofi, Symbotic, Tapestry, TPG and T-Mobile.
In addition to transactions work, Pat has also helped create communications strategies to help clients navigate the evolving field of shareholder engagement as it relates to economic activists, increasingly vocal institutional investors and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) funds. He has advised AECOM, Callaway Golf, F5, LogMeIn, Nuance and Office Depot in engaging with activists.
As a recognized leader in M&A and activism communications, Pat has been invited to speak at events including the Berkeley Center for Law and Business, National Investor Relations Institute National Conference and Transaction Advisers forum at the University of Chicago.
Pat is a member of the Society for Corporate Governance and the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) and was named to PR Week’s 40 Under 40 list in 2019. Prior to joining FTI Consulting, he led the M&A and Activism practice at Abernathy MacGregor.
10:15 am – 1:30 pm
Board Committee Peer Exchange (with Working Lunch)
