Villanova University Graduate Programs in Human Resource Development
LEVEL UP HR CONFERENCE
March 31 - April 1, 2021 | Virtual & Hybrid Experience
Conference Schedule
The conference will be held virtually on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at the following times.
8:00-9:30am Opening Keynote
12:00-1:00pm Lunch Networking Groups
2:00-3:00pm Breakout Sessions
6-7:00pm Closing Keynote
Join HR Professionals, Emerging Leaders, and Students for an epic, 2-day experience that will challenge you to LEVEL UP your HR Passion, your HR Network, and your HR Career. This conference is hosted by the Villanova University Graduate Programs in Human Resource Development and the Villanova SHRM Student Chapter.
This event will be a hybrid experience. The first two days of the conference will be fully virtual, with the final closing keynote presentation in-person at The Inn at Villanova with an in-person networking reception. (The final closing keynote will be live-streamed for our fully virtual attendees.)
Registration for this conference is limited to 500 attendees. Priority registration will open late Fall 2021 for HR emerging leaders and students, as well as Villanova HRD students & alumni. Full conference registration will open for all HR professionals on January 15, 2022. Registration is required for access to the conference platform. SHRM membership is not required to register, but SHRM members will receive a discount.
Registration
Virtual Conference:
Registration for the virtual conference is limited to 500 attendees.
Priority registration will open late Fall 2021 for HR emerging leaders (0-8 years of HR experience), any HR students, as well as all Villanova HRD students & alumni.
Full conference registration will open for all HR professionals on January 15, 2022. Registration is required for access to the conference platform. SHRM membership is not required to register, but SHRM members will receive a discount.
All sessions will be approved for SHRM recertification credits.
8 SHRM recertification credits are available for the entire conference. All sessions will be recorded and available for at least 60 days after the conference concludes.
$15 HR Emerging Leaders + Students SHRM members
$25 HR Emerging Leaders + Students non-SHRM members
$40 HR Professionals with 8+ years experience
Free ALL Villanova HRD Students & Conference Volunteers
(Registration for the Virtual Conference does not include the in-person closing keynote & reception. However, the closing keynote presentation will be live-streamed to all virtual conference attendees. To attend the in-person event, separate registration is required.)
Closing Reception & Keynote (in-person):
Registration for the in-person closing reception and keynote is limited to 200 attendees. Registration is required.
$10 All Villanova HRD current students, HR Emerging Leaders, or any HR students.
$20 Any HR Professionals or HRD Friends.
Keynote Speakers
STEVE BROWNE
(He/Him)
March 31, 2021 | Opening Keynote, 8am-9:30am
Steve Browne is the Vice President of Human Resources for LaRosa's, Inc. - a regional Pizzeria restaurant chain in Southwest Ohio with over 1,100 Team Members. Steve has been an HR professional for 30 years and has worked in the Hospitality, Manufacturing, Consumer Products, and Professional Services industries in various HR roles. Steve is a member of the SHRM Board of Directors and author of two must-read HR books, HR on Purpose!! and HR Rising!! Steve is a proud OU Bobcat, lover of all Rock music, and self-confessed HR radical!
Check out Steve's blog and connect with him on Twitter.
SARAH NOLL WILSON
(She/Her)
March 31, 2021 | Closing Keynote, 5:30pm-7pm
When teams need to change, Sarah Noll Wilson gives them the tools to steer their own ship.
Sarah Noll Wilson is on a mission to help leaders build and rebuild teams. Her goal is to empower leaders to understand and honor the beautiful complexity of the humans they serve. Through her work as an Executive Coach, an in-demand Keynote Speaker, Researcher, soon to be Author, Sarah helps leaders close the gap between what they intend to do and the actual impact they make. Sarah creates a safe, honest environment, preparing people to deal with real-world conflict, have more meaningful conversations, and create purposeful relationships. Working with CEO's, HR leaders, and organizations that care deeply about their employees and understand the connection between employee development, employee satisfaction and organizational success, Sarah specializes in transforming relationships from good to great.
With 15+ years in leadership development, Sarah earned a Master's Degree from Drake University in Leadership Development and a BA from the University of Northern Iowa in Theatre Performance and Theatre Education - no wonder clients love the energy she brings to their teams! She is certified in Co-Active Coaching, Conversational Intelligence, and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities. When she isn't helping people build and rebuild relationships, she enjoys playing games with her husband Nick and cuddling with their two fur babies, Seymour and Sally.
Check out Sarah's website & connect with her on Twitter.
Breakout Speakers
PRAMUKH JEYATHILAK
(He/Him)
March 31, 2021 | Breakout Session, 3:30pm-4:30pm
Pramukh Jeyathilak is a global HR Leader with broad based generalist experience in Fortune 500 companies, that includes Accenture, Microsoft and Amazon, with strong focus on business partnership, innovation, service delivery and people leadership. He has deep expertise in driving critical HR initiatives that support and further business goals and has demonstrated success in large scale organization design & development, change management and leadership excellence initiatives. He has extensive global experience in Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia and North America, having lived and worked in Bombay (India), Prague (Czech Republic), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Singapore, Seattle and Boston (USA).
Pramukh is currently the Head of HR for Fidelity Investments’ Personal Investing (PI) Business Unit, out of Boston, MA (USA). In this role, he is an integral member of the PI Senior Leadership Team and is responsible for driving HR strategies and initiatives to support the organization’s mission and objectives across 19,000+ associates. He is also a member of the HR Leadership Team at Fidelity.
Prior to this, Pramukh worked at Amazon Web Services (AWS) from 2014-2019 as the Global Leadership and Organizational Development Leader in Seattle, WA (USA). In this role he was responsible for engaging with business leaders to define development needs and for the end-to-end design, implementation of strategic leadership programs and talent development initiatives. Pramukh also worked in Amazon from 2012-2014 as the strategic HR Partner for C-suite leaders in WW Legal, Public Policy and Human Resources, encompassing 5000+ employees across North America, Europe and Asia and led a HR team responsible for end to end delivery of HR services and programs globally.
Pramukh held multiple HR Leadership roles at Microsoft in various global locations from 2003-2012. Prior to that he was a HR Leader at Accenture from 1995-2003. Pramukh holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from the University of Madras, India and is a regular speaker in HR forums and conferences, and also an active mentor and coach. Connect with Pramukh on LinkedIn.
FIONA JAMISON
(She/Her)
March 31, 2021 | Breakout Session, 3:30pm-4:30pm
Dr. Fiona Jamison is CEO of Spring International, a women-owned research, analytics and consulting firm based in Philadelphia. As a speaker and thought leader in employee engagement and people analytics, she leads a team of researchers, analysts and consultants who provide guidance to organizations throughout the US and internationally on building better workplaces, enhancing the employee experience and improving business performance. Fiona works with medium to large organizations in the manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and healthcare industries.
Connect with Fiona on LinkedIn.
SHRM LEADER PANEL
"Build your network with SHRM"
March 31, 2021 | Breakout Session, 3:30pm-4:30pm
Join Susan Post, SHRM Field Services Director, for a conversation with three SHRM leaders from PA, DE, and NJ. This group will help you build your network through the SHRM community and share ideas on how to get involved in your state.
Panelist bios and pictures coming soon.
KATRINA KIBBEN
(They/Them)
April 1, 2021 | Opening Keynote, 8am-9:30am
Katrina Kibben believes your first impression on candidates starts at the job post. Many small businesses and companies struggle to find their recruiting voice and craft less-than-appealing job postings. As CEO of Three Ears Media and a featured expert in recruiting and HR, Katrina takes a unique, strategic approach to help companies rewrite candidate experience content, overhaul job descriptions, and attract more qualified applicants.
Check out Katrina's website and connect with them on Twitter.
DEI EXPERT PANEL
April 1, 2021 | Closing Keynote, 5:30pm-7pm
Our final closing keynote presentation will be a panel of diversity, equity, and inclusion experts from Villanova University moderated by an expert moderator and with a surprise panelist announced the day of the conference! You'll have to attend to find out who, and trust us, you don't want to miss it!
Christopher Lopez
(He/Him)
Christopher Lopez is the Manager of Emerging Professional Engagement at SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management. In his role, Mr. Lopez serves as a key leader for developing the next generation of HR leaders through SHRM programming and plays a critical, strategic role in building relationships within SHRM and with affiliates to drive SHRM goals and objectives with these key stakeholders. Prior to his current role, Chris worked in a variety of leadership and D&I positions in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn.
Jameel Rush
(He/Him)
Jameel Rush is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leader with over 15 years of global talent management and human resources experience. He currently serves at the VP of DEI for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Jameel has been recognized numerous times for his work in the Philadelphia and HR community including being named to the Top Professionals under 40 list by the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2016. Jameel serves as an adjunct professor at both Villanova University and Temple University. Connect with Jameel on Twitter.
Teresa Boyer
(She/Her)
Teresa Boyer is the Founding Director of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership and an Associate Professor in Education and Counseling at Villanova University. She is a researcher and advocate for women's leadership, equity, and social justice. Her work focuses on how gender impacts our experiences in education and the workplace, particularly for women studying and working in nontraditional fields or roles. Teresa is a sought-after speaker and facilitator on topics related to leadership development, work-life balance, and change agency. Connect with Teresa on Twitter.
Danielle Gadson
She/Her
Danielle N. Gadson is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration. Dr. Gadson’s research is focused on federal efforts to reduce health disparities in the United States and how social and cultural factors influence the government’s ability to meaningfully address health disparities for medically-vulnerable populations. She is also an expert Intergroup Dialogue facilitator, specifically focusing on the integration of IGD techniques in graduate and professional school curriculum and Advanced Race interactions. Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn.
Plus a surprise bonus panelist!
TAYO ROCKSON
(He/Him)
April 1, 2021 | Breakout Session, 3:30pm-4:30pm
Tayo Rockson is a writer, speaker, consultant, podcaster, professor, co-founder and brand strategist at UYD Management - a strategic consulting firm that empowers organizations to incorporate sustainable diversity and inclusion practices.
As the son of a diplomat, Tayo grew up understanding the nuances of multicultural diversity while living on four continents. He leveraged his experiences to establish himself as an authority in communicating effectively across cultures and personal branding. He graced various stages to share his knowledge including TEDx, the prestigious Chautauqua Institution, and the United Nations.
Tayo is the host of As Told by Nomads, a podcast ranked in the top 5 tier of the Top 25 Business Podcasts for Entrepreneurs on Entrepreneur.com. He’s the author of Use Your Difference To Make A Difference, and in 2020, he launched the national anti-racism campaign called #LetsTalkBias. Remote Weekly named him one of the most influential remote experts in 2021.
Check out Tayo's website & connect with him on Twitter.
JEFF ORR
(He/Him)
April 1, 2021 | Breakout Session, 3:30pm-4:30pm
Leadership coach, transformational speaker, business owner, rock star, published author – these are some of the words describing Jeff’s leadership career for over 30 years. He has led organizations and teams consisting of executives, creative teams, entertainment production teams, engineers, financial advisors, and others.
Jeff holds two masters degrees in Business and Leadership (MBA, MSL) from Grand Canyon University. He speaks to thousands in the private sector and on University campuses about leadership, building a thriving corporate culture, and developing the next generation of leaders. A founding partner of Noble Wonder, a leadership development company, Jeff coaches leaders from Fortune 500 companies such as, Google, Chase, Verizon, and Edward Jones.
His most recent TEDx keynote, Millennial Leadership: The Key to Your Organization’s Success, has challenged thousands of leaders to rethink how to develop Millennial leaders in their organizations. He is author of Succeed In The New Normal: Winning Strategies in an Unfamiliar World, and will be releasing his latest book, Inside the Mind of a Millennial Leader.
Discover Jeff’s website and connect with him on LinkedIn.
Kibibi Springs
(She/Her)
April 1, 2021 | Breakout Session, 3:30pm-4:30pm
Kibibi Springs is a Workplace Wellbeing Knowledge Lead at Herman Miller Group where she shares workplace wellbeing research and knowledge and tends to the ergonomic and wellness needs of organizations by focusing on their most important asset: People.
Kibibi is an I-O Psychologist and Ph.D. Candidate specializing in rest and recovery research as it pertains to well-being and technostress. She has an extensive background in corporate communications, management consulting, relationship science and positive psychology as a consultant and coach. She is CEAS I accredited and, holds a certification in consumer psychology. Kibibi is a native Californian, who currently lives in Atlanta, GA where she has been with the Herman Miller team for five years.
Connect with Kibbi on LinkedIn.
This conference is being sponsored by the Graduate Programs in Human Resource Development at Villanova University. Villanova offers a variety of programs in HR that can be tailored to your specific career interests and earned in a flexible format to fit your needs.
Here are our current graduate programs in HRD:
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Master of Science in Human Resource Development
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HR Business Partner Graduate Certificate
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Inclusion & Diversity Strategy Graduate Certificate
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HR Leadership Graduate Certificate
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Organization Development Graduate Certificate
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People Analytics & Research Graduate Certificate
Students can earn a graduate certificate in conjunction with the Master's degree with no additional tuition or courses. Certificates can also be earned independently. All programs are available both on campus or fully online.
To learn more about the Graduate Programs in HRD, visit gradhrd.villanova.edu.
