Lee E. Meadows, is a retired Professor of Management at Walsh College and a Consultant with over 30 years of experience working in, consulting for, writing about and presenting on Human Resource issues. He has a strong background in Human Resources and is on the forefront of identifying trends that will impact the profession. As a Human Resource professional, his practical experiences include having worked at Michigan State University, General Motors, the Kellogg Foundation, EDS/A.T. Kearney, Consulting Services, Con-Way Transportation Services. He is currently the President of the State of Michigan Chapter of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources Co-founder and co-leader of the Walsh College Annual Human Resources Summit He has presented sessions at Michigan HR Day, MISHRM, and the Detroit Administrative HR Day. He publishes monthly articles on his LinkedIn page and remains active in designing, developing, and delivering leadership and HR curriculums for both profit and non-profit organizations He is the author of the business leadership fable: Take the Lull by the Horns: Closing the Leadership Gap

Dick Finnegan is a world-renowned expert on Stay Interviews, Employee Engagement, and Cutting Turnover. He travels extensively speaking at executive meetings and conferences has authored five books on Stay Interviews and Employee Engagement and is CEO of C-Suite Analytics and Finnegan Institute. BusinessWeek magazine has said, “Finnegan offers fresh thinking for solving the turnover problem in any economy”. An in-demand speaker by business leaders, Dick transforms an audience's perspective on Employee Turnover and Engagement with concrete data, insight and humor, while providing an employee retention and engagement solution that cuts turnover by 20% or more in the first six months. His experience includes solving turnover and improving engagement in a vast number of industries including Siberian banks, African gold mines, multi-national corporations in China, healthcare institutes, meat processing groups, manufacturing plants, and even the CIA. He leverages that extensive knowledge as CEO of C-Suite Analytics and Finnegan Institute to transform organizations, and to author articles, blogs, and books including the top-selling SHRM-published book in history, The Power of Stay Interviews for Engagement and Retention. He holds bachelor's and graduate degrees from The Pennsylvania State University and lives in Orlando, Florida.

With over 35 years of experience in various roles in the health and well-being industry, Cindy has worked directly in health care for the past 22 years. In her current position as director of Blue Cross Well-Being, she is responsible for the delivery of member and employer-facing well-being programs and speaks nationally on well-being strategy and program development.  Prior to coming to Blue Cross, Cindy held positions within a health system, academia, and a consulting company specializing in worksite program development and evaluation. She earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology and biology from Spring Arbor University and holds a master’s degree in kinesiology with a double major in biology and exercise in sports science from Michigan State University. Most cherished accomplishments – her two sons who are third-generation MSU grads and her rushed climb of Mt Hood before the onset of an electrical storm.

Laura is an accomplished strategic human capital management professional. Her mission at the company is to deliver innovative solutions to recruit, engage, develop, and retain top talent. Since joining HealthEdge in 2013, Laura has championed the employee experience and was instrumental in building out their culture which provides connection, career fulfillment while also empowering all employees to continuously improve. HealthEdge’s culture powers everything they are able to accomplish and their employees are always top of mind. Prior to joining HealthEdge, Laura worked at Harvard University and Dartmouth College, where she served a diverse group of stakeholders with full employee life-cycle guidance and management of human resource functions. Laura is a Society for Human Resources Management – Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). She also holds a B.A. in Business Administration and Human Resources from Saint Anselm College and a Masters in Liberal Arts (ALM) from Harvard University Extension School.

Alli Arndt is a Wellness Manager on Assurance’s Risk Management Team. With a passion for improving the health of companies and their employees, Alli works closely with her clients to create large-scale corporate wellness programs. After first gaining a solid understanding of a company’s culture, Alli then helps to develop, implement and manage a strategic wellness program tailored to their needs. Prior to Assurance, Alli was a Physical Therapy Technician at Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers. While there, she worked with patients to develop specific and measurable rehabilitation programs. Alli received her Bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Physiology with an emphasis in Health Promotion from the University of Iowa. She received her Certified Worksite Wellness Specialist (CWWS) and Certified Worksite Wellness Program Manager (CWWPM) designations from the National Wellness Institute. She is a member of Assurance’s Wellness Committee and served as the 2017 Chair. Alli enjoys volunteering with the American Lung Association and American Heart Association.

Culture Cultivator! Effective at building and transforming HR teams and processes and shaping company cultures. Progressive leader and coach focused on developing others, using excellent problem-solving skills and decision making in very complex situations which creates a rich environment for people, limits risk, and improves business results.  Business Administration Degree from Alverno College and Masters in Human Resources Management from Keller Graduate School of Management.  A senior-level executive with 35+ years of Organizational Development, Human Resources Strategy, and Customer Experience for both publicly and privately held organizations (Nestle, Canon, Quaker, DGI Supply/DoAll, R.G.RAY Corporation, and Illinois public education administrator).  Known as a culture change agent and awarded Best Place to Work by the Best Place to Work Institute in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, 2020, and 2021.  Awarded Milwaukee’s Best and Brightest in 2017, 2018 and 2019, 2020 and 2021.  Advocate for health and wellness, learning as a lifelong process, problem-solving, creative talent acquisition, executive coaching, and mentoring.

Chris Fusco started his career in compensation in 1980 at the firm then known at Towers Perrin. He continued helping clients across multiple industries at the consulting firms KPMG and Mercer. In addition to his career experience as a consultant, Chris has also worked in Corporate Compensation management at companies such as Grace and Draper. Chris started at Salary.com in 2002, and he has invented many compensation data products that help answer company’s needs to pay equitably--fairly and competitively. Chris attended the University of Connecticut and majored in Human Resources Management. He obtained his MBA from Northeastern University. He also holds CCP, GRP, and SPHR designations.

Felicia Taylor is the Chief Human Resources Officer of Trintech leading all aspects of human resources, including talent acquisition, talent development and learning, business partnerships, organizational development and effectiveness, compensation and benefits, diversity, inclusion and belonging, and operations and systems. Taylor joins the Trintech team with more than 20 years of experience holding global HR leadership roles spanning industries such as technology, multi-unit retail, and advertising. Her broad experience includes culture cultivation & design, change management, HR strategy, employee experience & engagement, M&A, total rewards, compensation strategies, and talent acquisition & retention. Prior to joining Trintech, Taylor was the Multifamily Division HR Vice President for RealPage (NASDAQ: RP). She also served as the Chief Vibe Officer and Head of Human Resources for VARI (formerly VARIDESK). Taylor has a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management. She holds her Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) certification as well as her Professional in Human Resources California (PHR-CA) certification and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Lesley is the owner of Strategic Recruiting Services, LLC. As a business owner for over 30 years, she brings a strategic focus, vision, and mature judgment when she partners with clients. Lesley was the founder and President of StaffPro America, a staffing firm. Her company received numerous awards, including Corp! Magazine's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. After StaffPro, Lesley decided to sell the company and turn her focus on the staffing needs of small to mid-sized companies. Lesley serves on the Advisory Board for MichBusiness and is a Trusted Adviser for Vistage, Michigan. She serves as a member of the Vision Clarification Team and the Nominating Committee for her church in Brighton, Michigan. Michigan. Lesley completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in 2016, and she will be leading the Executive Leadership Team for the Pink Fund in 2017.

Mark Conrad is the owner of Express Employment Professionals which helps local client companies that are frustrated with what’s costing their business money and how the talent within their organization impacts their company’s profitability.  Expertise includes employee recruitment and placement for temporary, contract, and direct hires, along with specialized HR support and leadership training. Express is a wholly franchised employment and workforce development company with over 850 locations in the United States, Canada, and South Africa with over $3.5B in revenues.  Mark owns two franchise locations that service the Houston Bay, Brazoria County, and Galveston County Areas. Prior to opening his business in 2004, Conrad held various sales, management, and executive positions for over 20 years with Aggreko PLC, a global leader in the supply of temporary power and temperature control equipment headquartered in Scotland. Raised in the Midwestern state of Iowa, Conrad attended the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Phoenix and is a member of various local economic organizations, chambers, and the Texas Bay Area SHRM chapter.  Conrad currently serves on the board of the 101 Brightest Companies in Houston, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, HCA Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, Chairman of BAHEP’s Small Business Committee.  Previous board positions were held for the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, Communities In Schools – Bay Area, and the Community and Economic Development Committee for the City of Friendswood.

Mary Pigatti is President of eMindful, a Wondr Health company and a leading provider of purpose-driven mindfulness solutions that improve health, happiness, and performance. eMindful delivers measurable results by helping individuals make every moment matter with greater focus, creativity, and purposeful decisions. Pigatti has more than 25 years of experience in leading organizational growth, innovation, and investments for digital health and performance solution companies. She recently led eMindful through a successful acquisition by Wondr Health. Prior to joining eMindful, she served as Chief Executive Officer of Retrofit, Inc., a leading provider of personalized, weight-management, and disease-prevention programs, and in 2018, led the company through a successful acquisition by Livongo Health, Inc. Throughout her career, Pigatti’s top priority has been employee and client happiness. She empowers her teams to build innovation into everything they do to delight clients. During her time at eMindful and Retrofit, her people-first mindset led the companies to win several workplace awards, including being named a Best and Brightest in Wellness, a Great Place to Work^®, an Elite Award Winner for Work-Life Balance, and a TINYaward winner for Happiest Employees and Excellence in Employee Recognition. Employee Benefit Adviser also named Pigatti a Digital Benefits Technology Innovator, and the Illinois Technology Association recognized her as a CityLIGHTS Prominent Woman in Tech Finalist.

Mike Novakoski is a CEO and entrepreneur with over 30 years growing successful businesses in the construction, staffing, and leadership industries. In addition to an undergraduate degree in Construction Management, Mike holds an MBA, completed 240 hours of intense study to receive an “Innovation Management Certification” and most recently completed a 3-year Owner/President Management program through Harvard Business School. As President & CEO of EV Construction, Mike has led the company through 14 consecutive years as a recipient of West Michigan’s “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” award – with 11 of those years as an Elite Award Recipient. Mike thoroughly enjoys sharing the unique approach to the company’s success and helping other companies to achieve their full potential.