2025 Agenda

Empowering equitable workplaces for sustainable growth and innovation.

8.15: Registration & Breakfast

  • Holly Menino is a two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and the co-anchor of KOMO Morning News in Seattle, where she wakes up the city from 4:30-7 a.m. every weekday.

    Renowned for her dynamic on-air presence, Holly has earned recognition for her breaking news coverage and investigative reporting, with honors from the Northwest Regional Emmy Awards and the Society of Professional Journalists.

    Born on Hawaii’s Big Island and raised in rural southeastern Washington, Holly’s professional broadcasting journey began with her graduation from Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow School of Communication - Go Cougs! For Holly, delivering the news in her home state is more than a career, it’s a lifelong dream fulfilled.

    During her 20 years as a broadcaster, Holly’s career has taken her from Roseburg and Eugene to Salt Lake City and back to the Pacific Northwest, where she has become a trusted voice in every community she’s served.

    Holly has covered everything from presidential debates and school shootings to lighter stories like the ACM Awards in Las Vegas and international stories in China. Holly currently leads the KOMO Food Drive franchise, in partnership with Food Lifeline, working to raise awareness about food insecurity in western Washington. In Salt Lake City, she created and launched multiple station initiatives, including a STEM-focused franchise and the station’s first “Live Desk.” She even co-created the “Baby Your Baby” podcast, helping new parents navigate the challenges of raising young children.

9.00: The Wake-Up Call: Women Aren’t Just Little Men

  • Just the Facts, Ma’am: The business case for prioritizing women’s health is compelling yet often clouded by misconceptions and societal taboos. In this session, a leading urologist and voice in women’s health, Dr. Kelly Casperson, will layout the evidence by breaking down the key stages in a woman’s life and then explaining the changes that occur over time that are unique to women. She will explore how these stages can both enhance productivity and present unique challenges, and how companies can arm themselves to best support their female workforce. Q&A time will be provided.

  • Dr. Casperson is a board-certified practicing urologist interested in the power of the mind and science to change our views of sexuality. After many years in practice she had a life changing patient that made her curious to learn everything she could about female sexual wellness.

    After she learned all she could, she created a podcast called You Are Not Broken which consistently ranks in the top 10 in the Apple “sexuality” category in multiple countries. It has been nominated for an AASECT award for three years running.

    From that she has created online courses teaching women the fundamentals of their anatomy and physiology, discussing their limiting beliefs, and normalizing their normal female sexual function, to empower them to live their best love lives. She has a premier private podcast/group coaching experience with livestreaming of her interviews and group coaching to help people create desire and agency in their intimate lives.  She also recently authored a book.  

    Through pursuit of certification through the Life Coach School and the North American Menopause Society, she now combines her medical knowledge with mind-work to help women with surgical precision.

    An engaging and humorous storyteller, she is a nationally known speaker and is known for being approachable (like your big sister who is a doctor), making people comfortable with these often uncomfortable topics, and changing lives in the bedroom and out with her practical useful tips.

9.45: Data as a Catalyst for Change

  • Data can be a game-changer for equity in the workplace. In an ever-evolving environment of equity and inclusion, it is vital for organizations to harness data to understand the unique challenges women face and to implement effective strategies that foster a truly inclusive workplace. This fireside chat will focus on actionable strategies for using data to make informed decisions that empower women. You’ll learn from real-life examples of how organizations can utilize data to enhance health and well-being initiatives, ultimately attracting and retaining key female talent.

  • As a member of Mercer’s Employee Research Group, Michelle seeks to understand employee needs and preferences, engagement, and the impact of leadership & management practices on the workforce…with the goal of informing positive change within organizations. In her 13+ years at Mercer, Michelle has partnered with a wide array of clients across various sectors, including: consulting & professional services, academia & research, technology, finance, healthcare, insurance, energy, manufacturing, government, and others.

  • Elizabeth Zech is a Principal in Mercer’s Center for Health Innovation. Mercer delivers advice and technology-driven solutions that help organizations meet the health, wealth and career needs of a changing workforce.  Elizabeth has held several health consulting roles during her tenure with Mercer, in her current role with the Center for Health Innovation she helps craft strategies, thought leadership and new product development to help shape the future of employer sponsored healthcare.

10.15: Moving from Policy to Effective Implementation

  • A policy is a piece of paper until it takes on meaning and significance in organizations and, most importantly, in employees’ lived experiences.  How can HR leaders roll out policies that are contentious in the eyes of some and life-changing in the eyes of others? 

    This session will feature inspiring stories and valuable lessons from pioneering organizations that have courageously navigated the challenges of introducing impactful policies. Learn how they turned bold intentions into tangible outcomes, transforming workplaces and creating meaningful change for their employees.

  • Bio coming soon

  • Sarah Hardy is the Co-Founder and Chief People & Experience Officer of Bobbie, the only mom-founded and led pediatric nutrition company in the U.S. and the third-largest fully integrated infant formula manufacturer in the country after just three years on the market.

    Pushing boundaries on how Bobbie shows up to support parents from the inside out, Sarah focuses on Future of Work initiatives and was recognized as TIME100's Next Influential Leaders, as well as invited to testify before Congress on the impact of accessible childcare on the workplace. Bobbie's culture has been widely recognized for its mission-based approach to work and culture of innovation, gracing Best Workplace lists in Fortune, Forbes, Inc. and FastCo.

    Sarah has over 20 years experience in both the Employee and Customer Experience arenas, most notably at Airbnb where she was their first mom to return from parental leave and wrote their first parental leave policy. This would become one of the most formative experiences of her career, laying the groundwork for her role at Bobbie.

    Sarah lives in Seattle, WA with her husband, Jeff, and two children, Bea and Clinton.

  • Charissa Wagner was appointed Senior Vice President of People Operations, Acquisition and Development for Taylor Morrison, Inc. in 2019. Since joining the organization in 2008 as Director of Human Resources, she has played a pivotal role in establishing and expanding the People Services department.

    As a strategic leader, Charissa is committed to enhancing the employee experience while cultivating a corporate culture that recognizes performance, embraces diversity, and promotes continuous professional growth. Her contributions to the field were acknowledged in 2020 when she was recognized among Ragan's Top Women in HR and designated as "Culture Czar" for her influential work on the company's employee value proposition—a framework that continues to guide organizational decisions and initiatives.

    Charissa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Arizona.

11am: Networking break

11.30: How Shifting Demographics Are Impacting the Workforce

  • Decades of declining births and a red-hot economy have created the tightest labor market in half a century. To win the future, businesses need to shift from a recruitment model to a retention one and realize the potential of mid- to late-career workers.  The U.S. is not the first nation to face this challenge, nor will it be the last. Learn from countries and businesses ahead of the curve.

  • Bradley Schurman stands at the forefront of navigating the complexities of demographic change as the visionary Founder and CEO of Human Change, an entity born from his earlier initiative, The Super Age. With a keen eye on the horizon, Bradley specializes in equipping leaders with the insights and tools necessary to tackle the multifaceted challenges that demographic shifts entail. His expertise is not confined to the realm of demographic consultancy; Bradley also shines as the co-founder of #NewRules, an innovative platform that blends a thought-provoking newsletter with an upcoming podcast. This venture is dedicated to exploring resilience and innovation amidst our era's stark divisions, providing listeners and readers with strategies to thrive in tumultuous times.

12.00: A Case Study in Action

  • Employers play a critical role in supporting women’s health care needs and addressing gaps in health care.  Hear why and how a leading health solutions company chose to embrace whole-scale business transformation that prioritizes the health of women throughout their health care journeys.  From thoughtful benefit design to implementation, hear what’s worked, and how to adapt and shift momentum based on employee sentiment and health outcomes.

  • With more than 20 years in the field both as a practicing OB-GYN and health policy expert, Dr. Armstrong’s mission is to help solve for women’s health needs through clinical, policy and societal lenses. Dr. Armstrong is vice president and chief medical officer of women’s health and genomics at CVS Health. She is also associate professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTH). 

    At CVS Health, Dr. Armstrong leads the women’s health and genomics strategy, program/product development, and cost management initiatives across the company. In this role, she works with lines of business and external collaborators to drive innovation, transformation, and improve outcomes in women’s health and genomics on a national scale. 

    As a practicing physician at UTH, Dr. Armstrong provides direct patient care and supports medical student and resident education. She has practiced in a variety of health care delivery systems, including academic, public health and private practice settings. 

    Dr. Armstrong is a graduate of Cornell University (A.B.) and has additional training in epidemiology from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health (M.P.H.) She received her MD degree from Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School and completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Brown University. She is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. She also completed a primary health care policy fellowship through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

  • Kim Hart is the Co-Founder and President of MiDOViA, bringing decades of corporate HR leadership with expertise in executive coaching, leadership development, and culture transformation. A seasoned strategist and facilitator, she has designed and led high-impact programs that drive organizational readiness, employee engagement, and leadership excellence on a global scale.  Kim holds an Associate Coaching Credential from the International Coach Federation (ICF) and is a certified Integrative Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. With expertise in nutrition, coaching, and meditation, she seamlessly integrates wellness principles with corporate strategy, fostering resilient, high-performing teams and driving transformative change in organizations.

12.30: Lunch