WEC Summit

WEC Summit: How to Lead a Healthy, Productive and Inclusive Workforce During Uncertain Times

Now more than ever, the day-to-day schedule of work impacts employees in ways that businesses could never have imagined. More and more employees are reporting increased levels of anxiety from burnout, and feel disconnected from leadership and their co-workers because of the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 3rd Annual Workforce Executive Council Summit will bring together WEC members to discuss key themes, including the loneliness epidemic, the mental health of employees, and what it will take to create inclusive, supportive environments where both employees and the business can thrive.

Chief human resources officers, diversity and inclusion leaders, and top talent and benefits executives have been in charge of leading the hard conversations and meeting the mark when handling these complex situations — approaching them not as obstacles, but opportunities. As more executives across the C-suite look to this pivotal role for guidance on next steps, it’s become increasingly clear that the organizations with the strongest foundations have taken the time to put the right agents of change in place.

The right tools and resources are needed for this and the WEC is the unparalleled resource for senior HR executives, providing them with the information and network necessary to succeed in today’s business environment. The WEC is a community of members from a wide range of industries with access to exclusive private events, intimate peer-to-peer networking, professional development, and news and information products tailored uniquely for them.

The WEC Summit is an exclusive event for members; learn more about the WEC and apply for membership at www.cnbccouncils.com/wec.

Read more from our WEC special report on cnbc.com.

Speakers

Maeve DuVally

Maeve DuVally is a specialist in communications and diversity & inclusion and a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.  She has spent most of her career as a journalist and corporate spokesperson, predominantly at Goldman Sachs, where she still has a consulting relationship.

Maeve has had a senior role in Goldman Sachs’ LGBTQ+ affinity network; mentors transgender people at and outside of Goldman Sachs; and is a frequent public speaker on transgender workplace issues. Prior to her 18-year career at Goldman, Maeve worked in media relations at Merrill Lynch. 

Before that, she was a financial journalist and editor at Bridge News for nearly 15 years with stints in Tokyo and Washington before moving to New York. She spent ten productive and enjoyable years in Japan in the 1980s and is fluent in the language. 

In addition to the GLAAD board, Maeve serves on the boards for the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship, a journalism non-profit; Connecticut-based LGBTQ+ healthcare provider Anchor Health Initiative; and Trans New York. 

She earned a B.A. in English from Providence College in 1983 and was a Knight-Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism School in 1993/94.

Rocco Giannetti

Rocco Giannetti, FAIA, LEED® AP, is a Principal and Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s New York office. His career at Gensler has spanned more than 27 years focusing on high-profile New York City projects including workplaces for The New York Times, Bank of America, WarnerMedia, Société Générale, and Citigroup. An expert in Financial Service Firms, he is leading Gensler’s work on interiors for JPMorgan Chase’s new headquarters in New York and Morgan Stanley’s “Re Imagine” headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. Additionally, Rocco is overseeing the completion of EY’s headquarters at Hudson Yards. He has been named to Crain’s New York Business’ Notable LGBTQ Leaders and Executives List in 2021, and recognized by the St. Francis Food Pantries and BSA’s Exploring for his work in advancing the mission of these service-driven organizations. An active member of the New York Chapter of the AIA, Rocco is a former Chair of the Interiors Committee, currently serves on its Board of Directors, and was elevated to its College of Fellows in 2018. He is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Building Energy Exchange Advisory Council. Rocco holds his Bachelor of Architecture from Pratt Institute, and his Master of Architecture from Princeton University.

Keli Goff

Keli Goff is a multi-platform storyteller best known for chronicling the intersections of race, politics, and gender in America. As a journalist and essayist, her work has appeared in the publications Time, The Guardian, Vogue, and Essence, among others. In 2019 she was nominated for two News and Documentary Emmy Awards for her work as a producer on Reversing Roe, which chronicled the history of reproductive law and the Supreme Court. She is a regular contributor to various NPR affiliates, including KCRW’s “Left, Right & Center,” where she is also a regular guest host. On television, Keli most recently served as a writer and producer on the crime drama Mayor of Kingstown and on the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That. She won a 2016 NAACP Image Award for Dramatic Writing for her work on the critically acclaimed series Being Mary Jane. Born and raised in Texas, she is a graduate of N.Y.U. and holds a Master’s degree from Columbia University.

Vivek Murthy

Dr. Vivek H. Murthy was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2021 to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States. As the Nation's Doctor, the Surgeon General's mission is to help lay the foundation for a healthier country, relying on the best scientific information available to provide clear, consistent, and equitable guidance and resources for the public. And as the Vice Admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr. Murthy commands a uniformed service of over 6,000 dedicated public health officers, serving the most underserved and vulnerable populations domestically and abroad.

While serving as 21st Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy is focused on drawing attention to and working across government to address a number of critical public health issues, including the growing proliferation of health misinformation, the ongoing youth mental health crisis, well-being and burnout in the health worker community, and social isolation and loneliness. Additionally, he serves as a key advisor to President Biden's COVID-19 pandemic response operation.

During his previous tenure as 19th Surgeon General, under President Obama, Dr. Murthy created initiatives to tackle our country's most pressing public health challenges. The first Surgeon General of Indian descent and the youngest active duty flag officer in federal uniformed service, he helped lead the national response to a range of health challenges, including the Ebola and Zika viruses, the opioid crisis, and the growing threat of stress and loneliness to Americans' physical and mental wellbeing. Dr. Murthy also continued the office's legacy on preventing tobacco-related disease, releasing a historic Surgeon General's report on e-cigarettes and youth. And in 2016, he issued the first Surgeons General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health, in which he challenged the nation to expand access to prevention and treatment, and to recognize addiction as a chronic illness, not a character flaw.

Prior to his second confirmation, Dr. Murthy co-chaired President-elect Joe Biden's COVID-19 Advisory Board from November 2020 to January 2021. Before entering government service, Dr. Murthy co-founded VISIONS, a global HIV/AIDS education organization; the Swasthya Project, a rural health partnership that trained women in South India to become community health workers and educators; TrialNetworks, a technology company dedicated to improving collaboration and efficiency in clinical trials; and Doctors for America, a nonprofit mobilizing physicians and medical students to improve access to affordable care. His scientific research has focused on vaccine development and the participation of women and minorities in clinical trials. And as an internal medicine doctor at Brigham and Women's Hospital and at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Murthy cared for thousands of patients and trained undergraduates, medical students, and medical residents.

Raised in Miami, Dr. Murthy received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard, his MD from the Yale School of Medicine, and his Masters in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management. A renowned physician, research scientist, entrepreneur, mango aficionado, and author of the bestselling book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, Dr. Murthy is today among the most trusted voices in America on matters of public health. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Dr. Alice Chen, and their two children.

Alison Omens

Alison Omens is the Chief Strategy Officer at JUST Capital. She is responsible for setting and implementing strategy to achieve mission impact for the organization. Her work includes overseeing programs, revenue, partnerships, development, and strategic engagement with companies, investors, foundations, and nonprofits. She has orchestrated program collaborations with BlackRock, the Aspen Institute, Harvard Business School, and others.

Alison was most recently Advisor for Private Sector Engagement to U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, where she managed the inclusive capitalism strategy for the Secretary and with the White House. She was also responsible for engagement on the Department’s future-of-work efforts and its ESG investing guidance. Previously, she was Vice President at Outreach Strategies, an environmental strategic communications firm, and the Director of Media Outreach for the AFL-CIO.

Alison is on the Board of Directors of JobsFirstNYC, which expands opportunities for out-of-work and out-of-school youth and on the Advisory Councils of NextGen Chamber, a business organization for millennial business owners, and LitWorld, which promotes youth literacy through storytelling. She is also the co-founder of Smash Squad, a network for women focused on doing well by doing good. Alison received her masters of public administration from Harvard Kennedy School and B.A. from Scripps College.

Dave Price

Dave Price is the Weather Anchor for NBC 4 New York’s 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. newscasts, and is frequently seen on TODAY, WEEKEND TODAY, MSNBC, NBC NIGHTLY NEWS and NBC NEWS NOW. Prior to joining NBC 4 New York, he co-anchored “Good Day New York” at WNYW, ushering viewers through the Sandy Hook tragedy, Empire State Building shootings and hurricane Sandy and its aftermath.

For eight years, Price was the Weather Anchor for CBS's “The Early Show,” and covered major weather events for the “CBS Evening News.” In addition to forecasting and reporting on-site from natural disasters for both programs, he traveled throughout the country and around the globe bringing amazing stories to millions of viewers.

Dave has covered an incredible array of subject matter for someone whose primary assignment was weather - even more remarkable when you consider that he didn't even enter the broadcasting industry until he was almost 30 years old. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations (1987) from Cornell University and a master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University (1993), he spent almost a decade as a human resources executive with Pepsi-Cola, Texaco and Taco Bell. His job was to advise those companies on how to "run better." That was until the fall of 1995 when he finally started listening to his own advice. He aggressively shed 80 pounds and turned his life in a new direction.

He quit his job and pursued his passion. His transition took him from the office chair to the anchor chair.

Dave began his TV career in Erie, PA, as the morning weatherman at WSEE-TV. A year later he was named morning weather anchor at WBBM-TV, the CBS station in Chicago. Dave joined Fox's “Good Day Philadelphia” as its Co-host before moving to New York to do weather on “Good Day New York” at FOX Television's flagship station WNYW-TV. In 2003, he moved to WCBS and CBS News. He's won six Emmy awards and a Gracie award for his work on-air.

He’s had a first-person view of some of the most momentous events of our time. He was in New York City, on-air, as the tragic events of September 11 unfolded, and was one of the few reporters who spent the night enduring Hurricane Katrina with the people inside the Superdome in New Orleans.

In 2010, Dave was in Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake which ravaged that country, and was dispatched to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as those along the Southeastern shoreline came to grips with the environmental disaster. From the mountains in Afghanistan to the Gaza Strip to forward operating bases in Iraq -- Dave Price has been on the ground, not just in a newsroom.

On the lighter side, Dave has been the eyes and ears at the center of the action during Presidential inaugurations, sports championships and Thanksgiving Day parades. He has flown with the Blue Angels over the Florida coastline, canoed down the Amazon in Ecuador, ridden Harley-Davidsons in the Australian Outback. He has done pretty
much everything and been everywhere -- in every state, and close to one-hundred countries.

In 2010, Dave took on projects behind the camera; he wrote and produced "Reporting for Service with Bryan Anderson" for PBS’s WTTW in Chicago. The documentary profiled the return of a triple-amputee Iraq war vet and his efforts to engage others in service to the community. He was recognized with an Emmy for producing.

Price volunteers with the Fairfield County Inner-City Foundation, an organization that fosters educational opportunity for at-risk youth in Connecticut. He also serves on the board of Let’s Win PC -- a non-profit whose mission it is to assist patients with Pancreatic Cancer and their caregivers, and to promote research and therapies to bring an end to that disease. He also serves on the board of Shatterproof, an organization founded to turn the tide of addiction in America through policy, research, awareness and public/private partnership. Additionally, Dave has moderated United Nations General Assembly panels on entrepreneurship in developing nations and on international migration issues.

One of Dave’s most cherished volunteer efforts is his long standing involvement entertaining U.S. troops serving overseas. For over fifteen years Price has traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Korea, Japan, Honduras, Cuba, Djibouti and far flung military installations around the globe, to do stand-up comedy for the thousands of troops during the holiday season. Dave works closely with the Bob and Dolores Hope Foundation and serves on the Board of Stars For Stripes and is intimately involved in the planning and execution of these tours in addition to performing.

Price is a native New Yorker, is a certified scuba diver, licensed pilot and avid photographer. He and his wife Jacqueline live in New York City with their son Eli, daughter Caroline and their adopted dogs, Wally & Peppa.

Vidhi Sanders

Vidhi Sanders is a senior marketing manager, responsible for participant
outcomes, at Capital Group, home of American Funds. She has 16 years of
industry experience and has been with Capital Group for three years. Prior to
joining Capital, Vidhi led Affluent Investor Marketing for Merrill Lynch Wealth
Management. Before that, she led Strategic Marketing for Global Commercial
Banking at Bank of America. She holds a master's degree in information science
from Drexel University and a bachelor's degree in information science from
Florida State University. Vidhi is based in Los Angeles.

Delano Saporu

Delano Saporu is the CEO of New Street Advisors Group, a financial planning and portfolio management firm, where he manages retirement investing for over 400 households across the country.

Based in NYC, Delano has been leading the effort to provide literacy and access to younger and more diverse investors. Prior to that, Delano earned his Masters in Business from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. After earning his Masters in 2018, Delano worked as an Investment Banking associate at Credit Suisse in New York.

Delano’s aim is to provide access and the tools for generational wealth in the public and private markets.

Judy Smith

Judy A. Smith is a crisis strategist and communications advisor who The Washington Post describes as “America’s best-known corporate fixer.”

For more than 25 years, Ms. Smith has counseled presidents and world leaders through global crises, advised Fortune 50 CEOs through complex challenges, and helped manage the reputations of some of the world’s highest-profile individuals. In 1993, she founded Smith & Company, a strategic advisory firm considered to be one of the top crisis firms in the world, that has offices in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York and London.
Ms. Smith has brought her unique combination of communication skills, media savvy, legal and political acumen to clients facing a wide array of issues and challenges throughout the United States and abroad. She honed her skills through her experiences with some of the most historic and sensational events of our time, including the Iran Contra investigation, the prosecution of former Washington D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, the 1991 Gulf War, the Los Angeles riots, the President Clinton scandal involving Monica Lewinsky, the congressional inquiry of Enron, the General Petraeus CIA scandal, the Sony Corporation hacking crisis, as well as the United Nations Foundation and World Health Organization response to the SARS epidemic. Additionally, she is currently serving as a trusted advisor at the forefront of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Perhaps best known in media circles for her expertise as a crisis management advisor, Ms. Smith is on speed dial for a host of high-profile celebrity and entertainment clients over the course of her career including, but not limited to, Angelina Jolie, Monica Lewinsky, Senator Craig from Idaho, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., actor Wesley Snipes and the family of Chandra Levy. That work involves everything from managing unwanted press attention to rehabilitating reputations.
In addition to her work as a communications advisor during high profile moments, Ms. Smith is a long-time counselor to some of the world’s largest and most influential companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Panera, Lowes, Sony, Kaiser, United Healthcare, and Walmart. She provides her clients with strategic advice on a variety of corporate communications issues such as mergers and acquisitions, product recalls, intellectual property litigation, corporate positioning, diversity and other corporate, investor and public relations matters.
A former federal prosecutor, Ms. Smith worked in the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia as well as the Office of the Independent Counsel, where she handled high-profile investigations. Ms. Smith cut her teeth in communications and crisis in the halls of the West Wing. She served as Deputy Press Secretary to President George H.W. Bush, during which time she worked on a host of domestic and international issues. Ms. Smith holds a Bachelor’s in Science in public relations from Boston University and a JD from the American University Washington College of Law, where she was the first Black woman to serve on the Executive Board of the Law Review.

Ms. Smith frequently appears in print and on television to offer commentary on crisis management. She has been featured in numerous national publications including: the Washington Post, National Journal, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company. Ms. Smith is an experienced and sought-after commentator as a crisis management expert. She frequently appears on major television networks such as CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, NBC, ABC, and CBS. Ms. Smith also speaks at events throughout the year before conference audiences, corporate boards, academic institutions, and other professional groups. She is the author of the book Good Self, Bad Self, which was published in 2012 by an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and which The New York Journal of Books described as containing “a wealth of insight.”
As a result of her wide ranging and ground-breaking career, Ms. Smith inspired the hit TV series entitled, Scandal, which revolved around the life and work of a professional fixer. Ms. Smith served as Co- Executive Producer of the project and provided insight and technical expertise on crisis management issues. Ms. Smith’s advice and counsel has been valuable to corporate boardrooms and she currently serves on the boards for Save the Children, Carbon Health, Global Citizen, Ariel Investments and the Washington National Cathedral. Ms. Smith has received numerous communications and leadership awards and is active in community service.

Dave Stephenson

Dave Stephenson oversees Airbnb’s global finance and employee experience functions. As CFO, Dave is responsible for Airbnb’s financial management, planning and reporting, accounting, tax, treasury, investor relations, corporate and business development, and procurement teams. His responsibilities for Airbnb’s employee experience function include recruiting, talent and leadership development, compensation and benefits, as well as operationalizing Airbnb’s design for employees to Live and Work Anywhere.

Prior to joining Airbnb, Dave spent 17 years at Amazon, where he was Vice President and CFO of their Worldwide Consumer Organization. Dave also served as CFO of Amazon’s International Consumer business and led finance across many areas of the company, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), North America Retail, and Merchant Services.

Dave holds an MBA from the University of Iowa and a BS in Industrial and Management Engineering from Montana State University. He is an Airbnb host in Washington State.

Michael Steele

When elected Lt. Governor of Maryland in 2003, Michael Steele made history as the first African
American elected to statewide office; and again with his subsequent chairmanship of the
Republican National Committee in 2009.

The RNC broke fundraising records and won the biggest pickup of House seats since 1938. His
commitment to grassroots organization and party building produced 12 governorships and the
the greatest share of state legislative seats since 1928.

As Lt. Governor, his priorities included reforming the state's Minority Business Enterprise
the program, improving the quality of the public education system, expanding economic
development and fostering cooperation between government and faith-based organizations.

Steele is a political analyst for MSNBC and the host of the Michael Steele Podcast.

Author of Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda and co-author of
The Recovering Politician’s Twelve Step Program to Survive Crisis.

Born at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Steele was raised in
Washington, DC. Upon graduating Johns Hopkins University, he entered the Order of St.
Augustine where studied for the priesthood. He is a graduate of Georgetown Law Center, an
Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership and a University of Chicago Institute of
Politics Fellow.

Dominic Chu

Dominic Chu is a senior markets correspondent for CNBC, located at the network’s Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. He appears during CNBC’s Business Day programming and contributes to CNBC.com.

Previously, Chu was a New York-based markets correspondent for Bloomberg Television, where he covered the stock, bond, currency and commodities markets. During that time, he interviewed some of the world’s top money managers and business executives, and he also was part of the team that covered Hurricane Sandy and the Boston Marathon bombings. In addition, Chu handled sports business reporting for the network.

Chu brings extensive knowledge of the financial markets, having worked in sales and trading for UBS Investment Bank, mutual fund management for Hennessy Advisors and investment management for Seascape Capital.

He has spoken at numerous industry conferences and was a regular contributor to radio and television outlets across the country.

Chu holds a Bachelor of Science degree in hotel administration from Cornell University.

Bertha Coombs

Bertha Coombs is a reporter for CNBC, covering financial markets, business news stories and health care throughout the business day. She is based at the Nasdaq Marketsite in Times Square.

Her health care coverage at CNBC has ranged from covering the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the failed launch of the Obamacare health insurance exchanges, to how cancer researchers are using IBM's Watson to improve cancer care, and how doctors are using mobile technology to treat patients in their own homes. She also covered the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the impact of the financial crisis of 2008, and reported on the oil markets from the floor of the New York Mercantile exchange.

Before joining CNBC, Coombs was a reporter and anchor for the pioneering online business network, Yahoo Finance Vision, and served as a freelance reporter for the former CNNfn financial network. Prior, she served as a reporter for ABC News One, and a substitute anchor for "World News Now" and "World News This Morning."

She began her career in general news, with previous reporting and anchoring positions at WABC-TV in New York, WPLG-TV in Miami and WFSB-TV in Hartford, Connecticut.

Coombs is a graduate of Yale University and was awarded the Leo Beranek Reporter Training Fellowship at WCVB-TV in Boston. Born in Havana, Cuba, she speaks fluent Spanish.

Sharon Epperson

Sharon Epperson, named one of “12 to Watch in TV News,” can be seen regularly on CNBC television and other media platforms.

As CNBC’s senior personal finance correspondent, Epperson covers the many facets of how people manage, grow and protect their money. Her expertise includes saving and investing for retirement, paying for college, managing mortgage, student loan, credit card and other debt, and building a financial legacy through estate planning.

Preparing your finances for the unexpected is another critical (and personal) aspect of her reporting. In September 2016, Epperson sustained a ruptured brain aneurysm and she nearly lost her life. She has become a staunch advocate for health and wellness issues, raising awareness about brain aneurysms and funding for research. In September 2018, she and her family established “The Sharon Epperson Chair of Research” through the Brain Aneurysm Foundation to provide grants for research on early detection and innovative treatments.

Epperson is a lead contributor to “Invest in You: Ready. Set. Grow.,” a multi-platform financial wellness and education initiative at CNBC in partnership with the micro-investing app Acorns, and developed its companion 8-week learning course and weekly newsletter, “Invest in You: Money 101.” She also contributes to NBC’s TODAY and NBC Nightly News as well as Today.com and NBCNews.com.

Her book, The Big Payoff: 8 Steps Couples Can Take to Make the Most of Their Money-and Live Richly Ever After, was a finalist for the Books for a Better Life Awards, honoring works that have “changed the lives of millions.” She also was a contributing writer for The Experts’ Guide to Doing Things Faster. Her personal finance expertise has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, USA Weekend, Self, Essence, Ebony and TIME, where she had covered business, culture, social issues and health as a correspondent prior to joining CNBC.

Epperson has numerous industry and civic awards, including the Special Achievement Award from the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and the Savvy Inspiration Award from the non-profit, financial empowerment group Savvy Ladies. She won an Alliance for Women in Media’s Gracie Award for Outstanding Online Host for her “Financial Advisor Playbook” video series on CNBC.com. She has received the Vanguard Award for her distinguished career in business and personal finance reporting from the National Urban League Guild, and the All-Star Award from the Association of Women in Communications. She also has won awards from the New York Festivals, the New York Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists.

Epperson is committed to improving financial literacy, particularly in underserved communities. She was invited to the White House during President Obama’s administration to speak about financial literacy and to moderate a public meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability at the U.S. Treasury Department. She also speaks frequently at conferences and events for local and national organizations, colleges and universities about many facets of personal finance.

An adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, Epperson has also taught courses at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism. She enjoys teaching the importance of budgeting and building long-term savings as part of her professional development courses for graduate students.

Epperson received her bachelor’s in sociology and government from Harvard University, a master of international affairs degree from Columbia University, and an honorary doctorate from Carlow University in Pittsburgh. A Pittsburgh native, she has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame at Taylor Allderdice High School, her alma mater.

She currently lives with her husband and two children in Westchester County, N.Y.

Jen Geller

Jen Geller is senior editor in charge of CNBC Councils, overseeing content development for the Workforce Executive Council and Technology Executive Council. Prior to joining CNBC, she spent eight years as a freelance conference and event producer for Bloomberg News and Reuters and other media outlets, responsible for editorial planning, agenda setting, and securing C-suite executives, prominent investors, government officials, leading academics and influential entrepreneurs for marquee events, including The World Economic Forum in Davos, Bloomberg Invest, The Year Ahead Summits and Bloomberg Breakaway.

Earlier in her career, Jen spent more than 10 years in broadcast journalism as a producer at Bloomberg Television and Bloomberg Radio. There she held a variety of positions, including segment producer, line producer and assignment editor spanning many of the organization’s leading news programs. She covered world-defining events spanning the September 11 attacks, 2008 financial crisis, Democratic and Republican National Conventions and U.S. Presidential elections. In addition to her time in television, Jen has also served as a freelance writer and has had her work featured in Crain’s New York Business and TheStreet.com, among other online publications. She started her career at UPN 9 News in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Jen earned a bachelor of arts degree from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. She lives in Westchester County, New York, with her husband, two children and dog. She loves learning about the intersection of technology, demographics and workplace culture.

Seema Mody

Seema Mody is a global markets reporter for CNBC, focusing on the intersection of foreign policy and Wall Street. She hosts the “European Close,” a daily segment on CNBC’s “Squawk Alley. which synthesizes complex topics across Europe for U.S. investors. Mody also covers industrials and the travel industry, including hotels, cruises and online travel operators, for the network.

She joined the network in July 2011 as a reporter covering the tech and IPO market from the NASDAQ. Most recently, she was co-anchor of “Worldwide Exchange” based in London where she contributed to live reports across Europe as well as Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and TNW in Amsterdam.

Previously, Mody was an anchor and reporter at CNBC-TV18 in Mumbai, India where she covered the country’s economic boom. During her time at the station, she co-anchored “Power Breakfast” and “After the Bell” as well as co-produced and anchored special features on “Mumbai Fashion Week” and “Tech Toyz.” Mody also reported on private equity deals and M&A activity across India, exclusively interviewing global private equity heads including Warburg Pincus CEO Chip Kaye, and provided daily market updates for CNBC World’s “Capital Connection” and “Cash Flow.”

Mody graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Biological Sciences and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

AGENDA

11:45 AM

Doors Open

12:00 PM

Networking Lunch

Featuring Ripped from the Headlines Workshop

Jen Geller, CNBC Director Programming, Events & Councils

1:30 PM

Welcome

Sharon Epperson, CNBC Senior Personal Finance Correspondent

1:35 PM

How the Midterm Elections May Change the Workforce

With the election just a few short weeks away, we put the current divisive environment in historical context and examine what HR leaders need to know when it comes to policy changes that may impact the workforce, benefits, taxes and more ahead of November 8th.

Keli Goff, Reversing Roe Columnist & Producer
Michael Steele, Fmr. Republican National Committee Chairman
Moderator: Sharon Epperson, CNBC Senior Personal Finance Correspondent

1:55 PM

How to Have a Healthy Workforce Now

From the next wave of Covid, to the emerging threat of monkey pox, gun violence and the mental health crisis, the stakes have never been higher when it comes to the health of the workforce. US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy joins us to talk about how to keep your workforce mentally and physically healthy now.

Vivek Murthy, United States Surgeon General
Interviewer: Bertha Coombs, CNBC Reporter

2:15 PM

How to Optimize Employee Time and Company Space

For the next phase of work many leaders are trying to keep productivity up while limiting burnout (and attrition) and reimagining spaces for hybrid work so that being in the office conveys real benefits and doesn’t just leave commuters glued to screens for virtual meetings. We speak to two experts on innovative ways to energize your workforce through changes in time structure and design.

Rocco Giannetti, Gensler Managing Director & Principal
Joe O’Connor, 4 Day Week Global CEO
Moderator: Dom Chu, CNBC Senior Markets Correspondent

2:35 PM

How does ‘Work from Anywhere’ Actually Work?

If the entire world is your talent pool, would all your hiring challenges disappear? How much happier would your workers be if they could live and work wherever they want? . But what about the costs? The tax and benefit complications? How do you build a culture? Airbnb announced this bold experiment earlier this year allowing its employees to live and work anywhere without financial penalty. Find out how it’s going.

Dave Stephenson, Airbnb CFO
Interviewer: Seema Mody, CNBC Global Markets Reporter and Host, “Trading Nation”

3:05 PM

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Unpacking Inclusivity: What It Means to Making Retirement Planning Accessible to All

For many workers, the idea of a well-funded retirement may not feel like a realistic goal, particularly for those who lack substantial investment knowledge or access to financial guidance. And, as the cost-of-living skyrockets, capturing employees’ attention to focus on their retirement plans ends up competing with more urgent, near-term responsibilities or other financial priorities. This session will look at how HR leaders and their teams can create programs and strategies that bring all employees into the conversation around retirement planning and helps them achieve financial wellness both in the short and long term.

Diego Martinez, Abbott Divisional Vice President, Benefits & Wellness
Delano Saporu, New Street Advisors Founder and Financial Advisor, CNBC Contributor
Vidhi Sanders, Capital Group Head of Participant Outcomes
Moderator: Jen Geller, CNBC Director, Programming, Events & Councils

How to prioritize worker needs in a turbulent economy

The American worker has come into full focus over the past few years. Everything from competitive wages and flexible schedules to more robust benefits and an inclusive culture are designed to meet the needs of a changing and, in many ways, more demanding workforce. Most leaders remain committed to ESG initiatives and are placing a special emphasis on the social component and the key issues that align with worker values and needs. But as the economy slows, and ESG policies become increasingly ensnared in culture wars, it’s a fine line to walk.

We speak with JUST’s Chief Strategy Officer Alison Omens about the most effective ways for companies to navigate these uncertain times and how to best prioritize employees, even in a turbulent economy. We’ll also cover how companies can stay true to ESG goals even in the face of a tougher financial and cultural environment.

Alison Omens, JUST Capital Chief Strategy Officer
Interviewer: Susan Caminiti, CNBC Content Editor

3:45PM

MAINSTAGE RESUMES

Sharon Epperson, CNBC Senior Personal Finance Correspondent

3:55PM

How to Help Your Employees be Their Whole Selves at Work

Coming out as trans in the buttoned-up world of corporate communications at a financial institution was a process, but through her journey, Maeve DuVally learned how to become herself at work and shares how to create a culture where others feel comfortable being their authentic selves, no matter the industry.

Maeve DuVally, Goldman Sachs Consultant, LGBTQ+ Advocate
Interviewer: Dom Chu, CNBC Senior Markets Correspondent

4:05 PM

Ripped from the Headlines Member Solutions: How Did You Handle It?

Like that favorite crime drama, we take HR crises that were splashed across the news and add in a few twists before you render your verdict. In this fun and provocative interactive session moderated by WNBC meteorologist and former HR executive, Dave Price, we will find out what you and your fellow WEC members would do in these high-stakes situations.

Dave Price, NBC4 New York Weather Anchor

4:50 PM

So What Does the Real Olivia Pope Think?

Judy Smith, is a crisis management expert who has advised everyone from corporate leaders to government officials to celebrities. Along the way, she earned herself the title of “the Fixer” and caught the eye of Shonda Rhimes who based the character of Olivia Pope of Scandal on of her. Find out how she would have handled the challenges you worked on and how she turned a career of handling headaches into her own Hollywood ending.

Judy Smith, Smith & Company Founder & CEO
Interviewer: Sharon Epperson, CNBC Senior Personal Finance Correspondent

5:00 PM

Cocktail Reception

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The WEC Summit is an exclusive event for members of the CNBC Workforce Executive Council. Learn more about the WEC and apply for membership.

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