Morning KEYNOTE

David Whyte

David Whyte grew up with a strong, imaginative influence from his Irish mother among the hills and valleys of his father’s Yorkshire. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

The author of eleven books of poetry and four books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalaya. He brings this wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops.

His life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in three normally mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings that most poets inhabit, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry and the world of vocation, work and organizational leadership.

David Whyte is one of the few poets to take his perspectives on creativity into the field of organizational development, where he works with many European, American and international companies. He is the recipient of two honorary degrees from Neumann College in Pennsylvania and Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia.

In organizational settings, using poetry and thoughtful commentary, he illustrates how we can foster qualities of courage and engagement; qualities needed if we are to respond to today’s call for increased creativity and adaptability in the workplace. He brings a unique and important contribution to our understanding of the nature of individual and organizational change, particularly through his unique perspectives on Conversational Leadership.

Learn more about David at davidwhyte.com.

quotes about david whyte from jennifer anderson and chad mcgehee

LUNCHEON ADDRESS

UW–Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin

Jennifer L. Mnookin was named chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison in May 2022 and took office in August. She is the 30th leader in the university’s 175-year history.

In her first few months at UW–Madison, Chancellor Mnookin has focused on listening and learning about the greatest opportunities and challenges at our world-class research institution. She has been impressed with the scope and breadth of scholarly research on campus, the university’s dedication to educational excellence, and our deep commitment to using research and education to solve problems, strengthen communities, and help people live healthier, better lives throughout the state and well beyond — what we at UW–Madison call the Wisconsin Idea.

Before arriving in Madison, Chancellor Mnookin served as an academic leader and scholar at several top public research universities. Most recently, she served as dean of the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, where she spent 17 years on the faculty. Before that, she was a professor of law at the University of Virginia School of Law and a visiting professor of law at Harvard Law School. She is also a nationally recognized expert on issues relating to law and science, and one of the most-cited scholars in the nation in the field of evidence law. She served for six years on the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Science, Technology, and Law, and co-chaired a group of senior advisors for a President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology report. In 2020 she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She received her AB from Harvard University, her JD from Yale Law School, and a PhD in history and social study of science and technology from MIT. She and her husband, political scientist Joshua Foa Dienstag, have two adult children.

AFTERNOON PLENARY Session

Dr. Michelle R. Weise

CEO of Rise & Design and Author of the acclaimed book Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs that Don’t Even Exist Yet (Wiley, 2021), Dr. Michelle Weise is refocusing the conversation about the future of work to center on the future of workers.

Michelle leverages the framework of a learning ecosystem to reveal the five principles that enable working learners to thrive in an uncertain world of work. These principles around career navigation, wraparound supports, targeted education, integrated earn-and-learn opportunities, and fair and transparent hiring practices are the keys to unlocking business model innovation and a virtuous cycle of continuous returns to learning throughout a longer work life.

Michelle works with businesses, colleges and universities, and funders around the world to design ecosystems and an infrastructure to support lifelong learning for the workers of today and tomorrow.

Hear what Michelle has to say about the conference:

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Mark Jeffries

Mark Jeffries is joining us again as this year’s conference host and Master of Ceremonies!

Speaker, author and former Merrill Lynch stockbroker Mark Jeffries is a trusted adviser and communications consultant to some of the world's largest and most successful corporations, agencies and partnerships.

Dividing his time mostly between The United States, Canada and Europe, Mark is invited to deliver his highly effective keynotes on ‘Business Communication, Influence & Presentation’ to audiences across many industries. His speeches are relevant, entertaining, and filled with instantly useable takeaway ideas.

Mark has also mastered a fascinating niche – moderating major corporate events. He has rapidly become the go-to person for facilitating, moderating and ‘MC-ing’ multinational events for large and small organizations around the world. As well as running countless industry panels and chatting with more than 150 C-Suite execs, on stage, Mark has also interviewed many celebrities including Will Smith, Richard Branson, Bob Mueller, Serena Williams, Michael Phelps and Michael J. Fox.

Mark has published two books: What’s up with your Handshake? and The Art of Business Seduction and has just launched 2 highly innovative and very engaging e-learning courses dedicated to elevating users into Trusted Advisors, Persuasive Communicators and Key Influencers.

Discussing the power of ‘Business Influence’ and ‘Networking 2.0’, Mark regularly appears as an expert guest on NBC’s Today Show, Fox Business, and BBC News and writes for The Huffington Post.