LEVEL UP HR 2026 Registration is Open!

This Year's Theme is... (drum roll, please)

Artificial Intelligence + HR: Leading the Future of Work

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how organizations operate, how work gets done, and what it means to lead and manage people. This conference explores how HR professionals can navigate this transformation with insight and intention, examining the intersection of AI, human capability, ethics, creativity, leadership, and organizational design. Through perspectives from technologists, scientists, and HR leaders, participants will explore how to responsibly integrate AI while amplifying the uniquely human skills that will shape the future of work.

Registration is now open! Register here!

2026 SCHEDULE

DAY 1: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 (Fully Virtual)

• 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.

• 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)

• 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.

• 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: Justin Fineberg 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.

DAY 3: Friday, April (In-Person at The Inn at Villanova; Livestream available for our virtual audience)

• 8:30 am - 9:30 am (EST): Networking Breakfast

• 9:30 am - 10:45 am (EST): Human Skills in the Modern workplace with Grace McCarrick 

  • Speaker: Grace McCarrick, Founder and Workforce Strategist

  • Summary Description: As technology advances, the most valuable capabilities in organizations are increasingly human. In this session, Grace McCarrick explores why the human skills of leadership, communication, and adaptability are critical differentiators in AI enabled workplaces.

• 10:45 am - 11:00 am (EST): Networking Break

• 11:00 am - 12:00 pm (EST): Leading HR in the Age of AI, a HR Executive Panel with HRD Faculty ​

  • Panelists: Fiona Jamison, Kelly Jones, Helynn Nelson, moderated by Dr. Heather Cluley

  • Summary Description: As AI transforms organizations, HR must rethink its role in shaping work, talent strategy, and leadership. In this panel discussion, HRD faculty experts explore how the profession itself is evolving and what today’s HR leaders must do to prepare organizations and employees for the future.

• 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (EST): Closing Networking Lunch

Read more about our speakers and register on the Level Up HR 2026 Event Page!

We can't wait to see everyone at the conference. Share this event with your HR colleagues and friends. All are welcome!

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