2026 SCHEDULE

This event has two registration options - virtual & hybrid. The first two days of the conference will be fully virtual. The third day of the conference will be fully in-person with a live stream option for our virtual attendees.​

DAY 1: Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Fully Virtual​​

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• 9:00 am - 10:00 am (EST): HR Meets AI: Designing the Next Era of Work with Christopher Fernandez 

  • Speaker: Chris Fernandez, Founder and Principal of Agentic Connect and Former Chief HR AI Officer at Microsoft

  • Session Description: As AI evolves from a "tool" to an "agent," HR leaders must step into a new, powerful role: the Architect of the Human Plan of Record for AI. Drawing on experience over the past 30 years and his tenure as Microsoft’s CVP and Chief AI Officer for HR, Christopher Fernandez reveals how to move beyond simple AI implementation toward hyper-scaling human thought. In this provocative keynote, he demonstrates why the ultimate ROI of AI is not efficiency, but the amplification of human judgment. You will learn how to frame a Human-Centered AI strategy that treats technology as an agentic extension of an individual’s unique domain knowledge. This is the blueprint for HR to secure long-term organizational viability with AI while protecting the livelihood and professional value of every person in the workforce.

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• 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (EST): Creativity in the Age of AI with Katina Bajaj

  • Speakers: Katina Bajaj, Creative Health Expert and Chief Science Officer of Daydreamers, in conversation with Dr. Heather Cluley, HRD Associate Professor​

  • Session Description: As AI automates more cognitive tasks, the ability to think creatively becomes even more valuable. In this fireside chat, Katina Bajaj and Heather Cluley explore why creativity remains a uniquely human advantage and how organizations can cultivate imaginative thinking in an AI driven workplace.

DAY 2: Thursday, April 23, 2026

Fully Virtual​​

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• 9:00 am - 10:00 am (EST): Responsible AI at Work: Ethics, Governance, and HR's Role with Casey Fiesler

  • Speakers: Dr. Casey Fiesler, Associate Professor of Information Science at The University of Colorado Boulder in conversation with Bethany Adams, HRD Assistant Professor

  • Session Description: ​​As organizations adopt AI in hiring, performance management, and workplace decision making, ethical considerations become critical. In this fireside chat, Casey Fiesler and Bethany Adams discuss the emerging challenges around bias, accountability, and transparency and why HR must play a central role in shaping ethical AI governance.

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• 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (EST): The Rise of Agentic AI at Work with Justin Fineberg 

  • Speaker: Justin Fineberg, CEO at Cassidy​

  • Session Description: In this keynote, Justin examines how organizations are beginning to experiment with AI inside everyday work. In this keynote session, he explores emerging use cases, how teams are integrating AI into workflows, and what these early applications reveal about the future of productivity, decision-making, and human collaboration at work.