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TIME ZONE:  EASTERN

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2026

DAY 1

DR. KIRK ADAMS
Professional Speaker and Founder, Innovative Impact, LLC

Dr. Kirk Adams is a Professional Speaker and the founder of Innovative Impact LLC., focusing on groundbreaking, high-impact projects that accelerate the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce and supercharges a company’s bottom line.

Dr.  Adams earned his PhD in leadership and change. He is known as a master connector of key decision-makers in government, corporate America, the nonprofit sector, and disability advocates guiding them to create collaborative solutions that have a real impact in increasing the employment of people with disabilities.

ANDRÉS E. GONZÁLEZ, M.ED., CCDP/AP
Vice President, Chief Belonging and Community Engagement Officer
Froedtert ThedaCare Health, Inc. in Wisconsin

Andrés González, M.Ed., CCDP/AP, has successfully created and implemented robust belonging, community engagement, health impact, language services and supplier development programs for a number of the country’s most respected health care organizations. His teams have positively affected their organization by penetrating diverse markets and making a substantial impact on the communities they serve, ensuring patients receive culturally and linguistically competent care that can lead to better health outcomes. Gonzalez’s teams proactively address community health needs through innovative programs and partnerships that improve population health/health impact and reduce disparities.

González joined Froedtert ThedaCare Health in 2015, where he currently serves as the vice president, chief belonging and community engagement officer for the health system, which includes 19 hospitals, over 3,400 physicians and clinicians, and more than 360 outpatient locations.

• In his role, he leads belonging and community engagement strategic initiatives including Business Resource Groups (BRGs), the Community Engagement team, Belonging Action Team (BAT), workforce representation and cultural competence education, emerging markets initiative, health impact, language services, supplier development, leadership development, and diverse talent acquisition, development and retention efforts.
• As leader of Community Engagement, González develops core principles to address community needs and minimize health disparities. His teams expand community collaborative governance, partnering with physician leaders to address population health, and improving access to care for those living in poverty. He facilitates community relationship development with stakeholders to grow the health system’s reputation, business, and impact on health.

González served from 2012 to 2015 as the chief diversity & inclusion officer for Baystate Health in Springfield, Massachusetts. He led organizational culture and engagement, and broad strategic initiatives including Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs), the cross-functional employee engagement council, leadership development initiatives, diverse perspectives and cultural competence education, supplier sourcing and New England’s premier diversity conference.

From 2007 to 2012, González was the director of diversity & community outreach and interim supplier diversity director at Cleveland Clinic Health System. He designed and implemented initiatives across the health system such as Employee Resource Groups, cross-functional employee engagement councils, language enrichment, supplier diversity programs and community outreach.

González began his career as an alcohol and drug prevention specialist and promoted to executive director of the community-based Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP) in Cleveland. He also served as executive director of El Barrio, a workforce development agency in Cleveland.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education (M.Ed.) with a concentration on community agency counseling, both from Cleveland State University. He also completed the certification program at Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations Department and earned a Cornell Certified Diversity Practitioner/Advanced Practitioner (CCDP/AP) certification. González is a member of the faculty at Elevate, an education and career-development partnership with University of California-San Diego Rady School of Management.

González is a proud graduate of Cleveland Public Schools, a German Marshall Fund Fellow, and a graduate of: Esperanza (Cleveland); Cleveland Bridge Builder’s Flagship Program; Leadership Cleveland; and Next Generation Executive Leadership Program (The Partnership Inc., Boston).

González serves on the national boards of American Hospital Association Institute for Diversity and Health Equity’s Equity of Care Committee; CDO PowerCircle Advisory Member; Corporate Productivity (i4cp) CDO Roundtable; Getting to We, Inc.; and P&L Group Advisory Member.

He is a member of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE). He also serves on the following local boards: Employ Milwaukee; Milwaukee Repertory Theater; National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives Wisconsin Chapter; Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers; and YMCA Metro Milwaukee.

CHRIS HASS
Executive Director, User Experience Center, Bentley University

Chris Hass is the Executive Director of the Bentley University User Experience Center, a User Experience and human-centered design consultancy and longtime Springboard partner. Chris specializes in UX research, accessibility, and healthcare innovation with a focus on FDA-related medical device evaluations. He provides FDA regulatory and product guidance and validation services, helping to ensure processes, software and medical devices are safe, usable, and properly documented. Chris is the past president of both UXPA International and its Boston chapter. He is an adjunct faculty member of Bentley University. He co-authored the Springer textbook: Consumer Informatics and Digital Health: Solutions for Health and Health Care.

 BRAXTON HARTMAN, MA, Psychology, GDip., Neuroscience
Graduate Student, Neurodiversity Advocate, Peer Facilitator and Co-Developer

Braxton Hartman (MA, Psychology, GDip., Neuroscience) is an autistic graduate student, neurodiversity advocate, and Acceptance and Commitment Training for Autistic Adults peer facilitator and co-developer. His neuroscience research examines how brain networks differ in autistic people. Braxton has served as an adviser to two consecutive Ontario Ministers of Education on both the Minister’s Advisory Council on Special Education (MACSE) and the Minister’s Student Advisory Council (MSAC). Together with his father, Dr. Lorne Hartman, he has published research on neurodiversity and has been featured on CTV News to discuss autism in the workplace. He has also been a keynote speaker and panelist at a range of professional conferences, workshops, and symposiums, sharing his lived experience and strategies for navigating a neurotypical world.

LORNE HARTMAN, PhD
Behavioral Scientist

Lorne Hartman is a behavioral scientist (PhD, Clinical Psychology, McGill University). He has spent his career at the intersection of behavioral science and applied systems change, first as a clinician, then as a consultant, and later as a researcher and educator at York University’s Schulich School of Business and the University of Toronto’s Translational Research Program. His research examines how cognitive diversity, including autism, shapes reasoning, ethics, and adaptation in complex environments. By combining field-based data with experimental designs, he aims to build causal models
linking neurocognitive mechanisms with organizational and social outcomes. This work is guided by a scientist–practitioner orientation: using empirical rigor to inform real-world practice and practice-based insights to drive new research questions.

PAM MCELVANE
CEO, Publisher, Thought Leader, and Master Certified Executive Coach

Pam McElvane is a nationally recognized CEO, publisher, thought leader, and master certified executive coach whose work sits at the intersection of inclusive leadership, workforce strategy, and brand performance. As CEO and Group Publisher of P&L Group, the parent company of Promena, Pam has built influential platforms that translate research into action through publishing, benchmarking, leadership development, and recognition initiatives. For more than two decades, she has advised C-suite leaders, boards, and major organizations across industries, helping them align people strategy with business outcomes, strengthen culture, and drive measurable results.

A trusted facilitator, coach, and board governance expert, Pam is known for simplifying complexity, building alignment, and accelerating execution while keeping people at the center. Her impact spans executive coaching, leadership training, media, research, and public thought leadership, including hosting The Inclusive Voice radio show and podcast. Through her work with Promena and related platforms, Pam continues to equip leaders with practical tools to lead with clarity, credibility, and purpose while advancing innovation, opportunity, and sustainable organizational growth.

Pamela holds an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and an Advanced Executive Leadership certification from Dartmouth. She is also the author of 160 published works, and the SkiNy on Diversity Recruitment & the SkiNy on Inclusion, that reflect her commitment to inclusive leadership, strategic growth, and practical impact.”

LAUREN PFAFF-CAVES
Sr. Compliance Consultant, Corporate Compliance, Froedtert ThedaCare Health

Lauren Pfaff-Caves is a Senior Compliance Consultant with over 25 years of experience in the health care industry, serving a large, integrated health system that includes hospitals and outpatient clinics across the state of Wisconsin. In this role, she leads efforts to ensure compliance with civil rights regulations, with a particular focus on accessibility, equity, and patient-centered practices.

With a professional background in social work, Lauren brings a unique, people-centered perspective to compliance, emphasizing empathy, communication, and practical problem-solving. She is a certified ADA Coordinator and has extensive experience navigating complex regulatory environments while fostering organizational cultures of accountability and inclusion.

Throughout her career, Lauren has specialized in investigating complaints, engaging patients and families, and guiding health care teams through sensitive and often high-stakes situations. Her approach integrates regulatory expertise with a commitment to respectful, transparent engagement.

Vu H. Pham, Ph.D.
CEO, Spectrum Knowledge & Chair, Elevate

As the CEO of Spectrum Knowledge & Chair of Elevate, Vu H. Pham, Ph.D., collaborates with hundreds of organizations, from Fortune 500-level companies to major federal government and international non-profit agencies across dozens of industries. Elevate is a multi-university partnership with the University of California Office of the President—MESA. He has authored numerous books and articles as well as delivered many keynotes and leadership programs internationally. Dr. Pham has led multiple leadership programs, including those in Executive Education, at UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine. Dr. Pham’s work has been featured on national and international multimedia, such as CNN, MSNBC, the Associated Press, Forbes, Voice of America, Los Angeles Times, KSCI International Television, Strategic Innovators, Asian Week, and Radio Free Asia. He has helped generate several million dollars for non-profit groups and donates countless hours to them.

Dr. Pham has been a two-time Fellow at the University of California Office of the President and a Fellow at UC Irvine and Cornell University, where he completed his Bachelor’s and PhD, respectively. His specialties include leadership, organizational development, culture, and strategic effectiveness. Among his publications in these areas, Dr. Pham’s books and articles span a wide range of topics, including leadership, strategy, influence, and innovation.

 His honors include being selected as head of a Smithsonian Museum exhibit, a Role Model for KSCI International Media’s “Our Role Models” series, a Mellon Fellow, Chancellor’s Scholar, and a Senior Advisory Board Member for the Asian American Government Executive Network (AAGEN) and the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP). 

As a war refugee who fled his home of birth and was embraced by the United States of America, he proudly serves the American public. He has received government recognition from public organizations such as the California Assembly and the United States Marine Corps. His love of service complements his love of family, which includes his wife and several feathered, furred, and finned family members. 

EMRE UMUCU
Associate Dean for Research, College of Health Sciences and Professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso
Program Analyst and Researcher with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Emre Umucu serves as Associate Dean for Research at the College of Health Sciences and Professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, and as a Program Analyst and Researcher with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. A scholar at the intersection of data science, rehabilitation psychology, disability, public health, and technology innovation, Dr. Umucu is internationally recognized for his contributions to advancing health, trauma, aging, community participation, and rehabilitation outcomes, Veteran well-being, and employment outcomes through rigorous, data-driven research. Building on a robust record of federally funded and award-winning research, Dr. Umucu’s work integrates artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital health technologies with rehabilitation and health sciences, positive psychology, and self-determination, and trauma-informed frameworks. His interdisciplinary approach seeks to improve rehabilitation and employment outcomes, promote positive aging, enhance psychological resilience, and optimize recovery following trauma, disability, or chronic illness. Dr. Umucu’s research is distinguished by its translational impact, bridging clinical science, behavioral health, and data analytics to inform real-world care models for service members, Veterans, and civilians navigating complex health challenges. He serves as a member of the Advisory Committee for the Trauma Research and Combat Casualty Care Collaborative (TRC4), a joint initiative between the University of Texas System and the U.S. Department of Defense. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), Dr. Umucu has been honored as an APA Distinguished Researcher and recognized by both the U.S. Senator and House of Representatives for his contributions to advancing Veteran and community health. His research has received support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and several foundations and state agencies. Dr. Umucu’s leadership reflects a deep commitment to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentorship. Through his scholarship and service, he continues to shape the future of health science by developing equitable, technology-enabled, and human-centered approaches to rehabilitation and well-being across the lifespan.

NADINE O. VOGEL, MBA, CSP, Global Speaking Fellow
CEO of Springboard Consulting

Nadine O. Vogel is the CEO of Springboard Consulting. Springboard works with corporations around the world to mainstream people with disabilities in the global workforce, workplace, and marketplace. Prior to founding Springboard, Nadine held a variety of executive positions in Corporate America.

Vogel is the author of “DIVE IN, Springboard into the Profitability, Productivity and Potential of the Special Needs Workforce,” a highly acclaimed must-read business book. She is a regular contributor to many professional, industry and consumer publications.  She has been the subject of published cases for both the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School where she also serves as a guest lecturer. She also joined forces with the Universita Europea di Roma in Italy, where she developed and regularly delivers executive curriculum on Disability Inclusion Management.

Nadine is recognized as a powerful informational, motivational and inspirational speaker, delivering keynote presentations around the world. She is also a regular contributor to regional, national and international business publications. Over the years, her media expertise has taken her to serve as Host of three ground-breaking television programs:  Inclusion at Work on Bloomberg TV and The Nosh and Talk & Tea with G & Me on RVN TV which also aired on Roku and Apple TV. She also served as the Founder and Co-Host of Disabled Lives Matter, a global podcast.

Recognized for her civic and professional activities and global thought leadership, Vogel has received numerous awards and accolades from around the globe. She received an MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, CA and a BS in Industrial Psychology from the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC.  She is the mother of two adult daughters, one with disabilities and resides in South Carolina and South Florida with her husband.

MILES YANG
Associate Professor and Research Director, Macquarie Business School, Australia.

Dr. Miles Yang is an Associate Professor and Research Director at Macquarie Business School, Australia. A pioneering expert at the intersection of Agentic AI and organizational equity, his research examines how intelligent systems can be orchestrated to mitigate bias and enhance inclusion in HR decisions. His latest insights on the transformative power of AI were recently featured in Forbes, cementing his reputation as a leading voice in the “orchestration epoch.” Dr. Yang serves on the editorial board of Human Resource Management and holds leadership roles for several other premier international journals. His research is published in elite outlets such as Organization Science, bridging rigorous academic theory with real-world social impact to empower bold, inclusive leadership in the age of AI.