Katharyne serves as Chief of HR for the North America Operating Unit of The Coca Cola Company.  Katharyne and team support people strategies for 6,200 Coca-Cola employees across plants, warehouse and office locations, as well as, collaborating with our Bottling partners.  Joining the organization in 2021, Katharyne had previously been part of leading global transformation organization design, operating model optimization and talent strategies for 2,700 corporate function colleagues around the world.

Katharyne started her career at The Home Depot growing across a number of teams in the organization including Mergers and Acquisitions, Employee Relations, Supply Chain, Operations, Home Services and as Chief of Staff to the CHRO.  Katharyne then joined YUM! Brands as Director HR United Kingdom and Ireland.  She supported the KFC brand comprising of over 800 restaurants and 25,000 team members.  After returning from London, Katharyne supported the Global Marketing and Americas hotel organizations at IHG Hotels and Resorts comprising of 500 global colleagues and 2,000 corporate colleagues, 4,000 franchise hotels and 250 company managed hotels across Canada, United States and Mexico/Latin America.

Depending on the football/basketball season, Katharyne is a proud Gator.  She holds a BA and MBA from the University of Florida.

Katharyne, her husband Matt, 10-year-old and 8-year-old can be found any given weekend adventuring with a particular love for National Parks, new global discoveries and of course time in the sunshine in her home state of Florida.

Liz Pittinger is the Vice Prsident of Global Customer Success for Stork Club Family Building Benefits.  She has been working with HR leaders for the past 7 years specifically on how to include digital healthcare solutions to their benefits portfolios and over 9 years experience managing accounts both domestically and internationally.  She has experience working closely with HR teams with jumbo, enterprise, and mid-market employers across industries and geographic locations to help understand trends HR leaders face when choosing, implementing, communicating, and achieving value from their benefit solutions. She was an international project manager for the federal government, has Fortune 100 experience, holds two master’s degrees (Political/Economic Development; Exercise Physiology/Health Promotion), and enjoys working with start-up companies to create customer-centric account management teams.  Liz currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her family. 

Crystal Hanlon is senior vice president and culture officer at The Home Depot. Crystal is responsible for driving the company’s culture development and strategy and oversees The Home Depot Foundation, The Homer Fund, events and internal communications teams.

Crystal began her career at the company in 1985 as a cashier in Texas while attending the University of Houston. During the last 30-plus years, she has held numerous positions and built a reputation for leading with The Home Depot’s culture and values at the forefront. Crystal served as customer services manager, assistant store manager, store manager, district manager, senior director of operations, merchandising vice president of décor, regional vice president of the Midwest and regional vice president of the Gulf Region. Most recently, Crystal served as president of the Northern Division, a position she held for eight years.

Crystal studied business management at the University of Houston.

Kitty Chaney Reed is the Chief Leadership, Culture and Inclusion Officer for the IBM Corp. Most recently, she was the Chief Operations Officer for the IBM Marketing organization, leading the Business Alignment team which served as the backbone across Marketing to guide the organization, generating a linkage between business objectives, marketing plans, and a coordinated management system to help focus on measurements and milestones between Marketing and the IBM Business. Previously, Kitty led the Enterprise Operations responsible for Sales and Business Operations activities for all IBM Business Units, driving the transformation of Operations across the Enterprise by modernizing tools and processes. She also serves as IBM’s Senior State Executive for the State of Georgia (US), where she represents IBM in government and policy forums such as the Atlanta Metro Chamber where she sits on the Board. She was the IBM executive sponsor in support of the passage of Anti-Hate Crime Legislation that was made law in Georgia on June 8, 2020.

She joined IBM in 2017, as the Vice President of Quote to Cash for the Americas, supporting IBM’s largest geography with ~40B in annual revenue. As leader of Q2C, she led the transformation of tools/processes and operating model, best in class internal Net Promoter Scores and best in class employee engagement while creating a culture based on Agile principles. In her short time at IBM, she has established herself as a forward thinker who challenges herself and others to redefine what BEST looks like. In support of this quest, Kitty worked with her team to create an internal brand and recognition program called BEST which was externally awarded in the industry. She and her team have exceeded business expectations while also maintaining employee engagement and inclusion scores that are Best in Class.

Ms. Chaney Reed has a wide range of expertise in technology and business that was gained from more than 25 years of hands-on experience in solution design and implementation, service delivery and operations, client services, shared services, business transformation, mergers and acquisitions, Human Resource operations, and Retail operations. Kitty has a strong passion for diversity, equity and inclusion. She is the executive sponsor for the Atlanta Global Women in IBM initiative and serves on IBM’s Black Executive Council. In 2015, she was awarded the Most Powerful and Influential Woman Award from the Georgia Diversity Council. Kitty is also an alumnus of the distinguished Leadership Atlanta Program (Class of 2016), one of the oldest sustained community leadership programs in the nation. In 2014, Kitty was also recognized for her support of girls and women in STEM and her professional achievements in the technology industry by being named Woman of the Year for Enterprise Businesses by the Atlanta based organization, Women in Technology. She also mentors and coaches girls and women who aspire to lead in the areas of business and technology and served on the Women in Technology Board of Directors as the Treasurer for three years. In 2021, Kitty received Silver at the Stevie Awards as ‘Female Executive of the Year’ and Gold at The Globe Business Awards in the ‘Women of the Year category’ in recognition of her outstanding contributing in the Business Services area. Kitty is a wife and mother of three young men. When she is not working, she enjoys cooking, reading, and spending quality time with her husband and their boys.

Leroy Chapman Jr. is the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Editor-in-Chief. Previously, he was managing editor where he was in charge of reporting teams that cover state, local and federal government; politics; education; public safety; local, state and federal courts; transportation; immigration and breaking news. He has worked at the AJC since 2011.

Sue Schmidlkofer is the Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at UPS. In this role, she oversees the company’s global strategy centered around its mission statement, ‘You Belong At UPS.’ Monitoring workforce diversity aspirational goals, supporting more than 200 Business Resource Groups, and developing top talent are her key areas of focus in 2023.

Throughout her 29-year UPS career, Sue has held a variety of roles primarily within Human Resources in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and currently at the company’s global headquarters in Atlanta. 

Sue serves on the board of the Georgia Diversity Council, the Atlanta Diversity Management Advocacy Group, and The Drake House (a non-profit that helps women and their children experiencing homelessness). 

Sue holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Spanish, and a master’s in Business Management and HR. She is also SPHR certified through the HR Certification Institute. Outside of spending time with her family, her interests include reading, writing, baking, and tennis.

DeRetta Rhodes, Ph.D., is in her fifth season with the Braves after arriving in January 2019. She joined the organization as Senior Vice President of Human Resources before getting promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief People Capital Officer, in January 2021. She was elevated to her current role, Executive Vice President, Chief Culture Officer, in January 2022.

Dr. Rhodes, who oversees communications, community affairs and people capital initiatives for the organizaton's Major League and The Battery Atlanta operations, has left a lasting impact in her short time with the Braves.

She has transformed the people capital department, expanded the culture of the organization with training programs and employee resource groups and created an internal diversity, equity and inclusion council. She also managed the organizational changes which became necessary due to the pandemic.

Prior to joining the Braves, Dr. Rhodes was the Executive Vice President/Chief Human Resources Officer of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Vice President of Human Resources at First Data, Vice President of Human Resources for Turner Broadcasting and held leadership positions at Ernst & Young, ADP, HomeGrocer.com and YUM Brand.

Dr. Rhodes received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, her Master’s in Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University and her Ph.D. in adult education from the University of Georgia. She is a certified facilitator for the Benchmark 360 assessment by the Center for Creative Leadership, DISC coach and facilitator, qualified facilitator for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), HOGAN Assessment and HOGAN 360.

A Kansas City native, Dr. Rhodes has also served in the Metro Atlanta community, in various board member roles and activities, most recently: Woodruff Arts Center, 21st Century Leaders, Goodwill of North Georgia, 21st Century Leaders, Woodruff Arts Center and TedX UGA Speaker (March 2018).

She was also recognized as 100 Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League, and also as National Diversity & Leadership Top 100 HR Professionals.

Dr. Rhodes lives in Atlanta, Ga. with her husband, Leon, and her three sons, Cole, Austin and Jordan.

Cheryl is MillerKnoll’s vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She leads strategy development and implementation, which align to targeted DEI commitments and priorities, in support of driving business results and maximizing the contributions of MillerKnoll’s associates. As part of MIllerKnoll’s corporate Better World strategy, Cheryl has leadership responsibility for Business Resource Group advancement, diversifying the field of design, fostering supplier diversity, elevating philanthropic engagement, and enabling inclusive learning and diverse talent success.
Kern has been recognized as a Top Diversity Executive in Corporate America by Black Enterprise, was a Champion of Diversity Award recipient, has been honored with the Diversity Salute Award, and was named one of the 10 Top Global Leaders in Diversity and Inclusion by Diversity Global Magazine. Recently, Cheryl was named as a 2021 Top DEI Influencer by the National Diversity Council as well as was selected as a 2021 Top 10 Women in Global Diversity and Inclusion. As a thought leader, she has artnered on designing in-country inclusion solutions with stakeholders in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Australia.
Cheryl joined MillerKnoll in 2021, having previously served in leadership roles with Lockheed Martin, Johnson Controls, and the Amway Corp.

Kimberly Rath is the Vice President, Human Resources at PulteGroup.

Ernie Suggs is the Race & Culture Reporter at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Kristen T. Cook is the VP of Engagement, Inclusion and Diversity at Equifax. Kristen’s imperative and passion is to create a sustainable culture of inclusion and belonging. She is inspired by the mantra of “radical inclusion” and is responsible for the ongoing evolution of employee engagement and connectivity at Equifax. 

Her career experience as a senior human resources practitioner spans over two decades and several industries/sectors including retail, manufacturing/distribution, healthcare and technology. Kristen’s education includes a Masters in Human Resources Management from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelors from Tennessee State University, a Historically Black College/University.

Kristen continually takes a proactive and diversity focused approach in giving back to her community leveraging her professional experiences. She currently serves as chairwoman of Forsyth County (GA) Diversity & Inclusion Community Initiative and board member of the Forsyth Chamber of Commerce (GA).

Monica Parodi is the Vice President of Talent Acquisition at The New York Times.

Anna Stevens is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Redfin. 

Sherlonda Martin is the Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Takeda. 

Carrie Teegardin is on the investigative team. She is a graduate of Duke University and has won numerous national journalism awards. She was a lead reporter on the AJC's award-winning Unprotected series, which prompted Georgia to reform its requirements for senior care homes in 2020. She was a lead reporter on the AJC's Doctors & Sex Abuse national investigation, which was a Pulitzer finalist. She was a lead reporter on the AJC's Borrower Beware series, which won a Gerald Loeb award in 2006. She has written extensively about health care, unfair business practices and the criminal justice system.

Kevin Martin is the chief research officer at the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp); the leading research firm focused on discovering the people practices that drive high-performance.

In addition to guiding i4cp’s research agenda and deliverables, Kevin also advises corporate and human resources leadership teams on best- and next-practices in a broad range of topics that range from talent risk management and corporate culture, to human capital strategy and organizational agility. He also serves as executive sponsor of i4cp's distinguished Chief HR Officer Board.

Prior to i4cp, Kevin worked for several years at research firm Aberdeen Group where he built one of the industry’s leading human capital management (HCM) research practices and then held a variety of roles of increasing responsibility which included SVP of Research Operations with general management oversight of the company's 17 research practices, and SVP of International Operations where he led the firm’s expansion efforts in to Europe.

A highly sought-after international keynote speaker on all aspects of human resources and talent management, Kevin has been recognized 

as a “Top 100 HR Influencer” by HR Examiner. His and his team’s research have been cited in leading business media, including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine, Bloomberg, the Financial Times, CFO Magazine, CIO Applications, and on CNBC.

He is also an occasional contributor for the Financial Times.

Kevin currently serves on the advisory councils for the University of Dayton's school of business administration and school of engineering. He also serves on the board of advisors for Bullseye Engagement. From 2005 to 2014, Kevin served on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts, which included a two-year term as board chairman (2009-2011). In 2006, Kevin was awarded the Commonwealth of Massachusetts's "Big Brother of the Year".

Kevin earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Boston University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton. He resides in the Massachusetts with his wife (Laura) and their three sons.

Kelly Yamanouchi is the  Business Reporter at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Anthony Garcia is the CEO & co-founder of Purepost, a Veteran owned and
operated technology company, whose mission is to level the playing filed for all
job seekers through skills based hiring.
Prior to Anthony’s career as an entrepreneur, he served in the U.S. Army for eight
years as an officer and Medical Evacuation helicopter pilot. During this period
Anthony deployed to Iraq twice, from May 03 to April 04, and then Dec 04 to Nov
05. In his final tour he managed 21 Blackhawk helicopters, led over 90 pilots, flight
engineers, and medics, while directing over 4,000 flying missions.
As a captain and pilot-in-command for the 54th Medical Company (Air Ambulance),
his unit successfully evacuated and provided critical lifesaving care for over 6,500
patients, comprised of Coalition Forces, Iraqi civilians, and insurgent enemy
forces. They were awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. Some of
Anthony’s awards consist of 2 Bronze Star Medals for leadership in combat, the
Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Air Medal, and the Sikorsky Aircraft 1000-
hour flying award.
After his military service, Anthony obtained an MBA from Cornell University. While
at Cornell, he worked as a Business Development Intern for Sikorsky Aerospace
Services, a Lockheed Martin company. During his tenure, he was successful in
focusing Sikorsky in the direction of a strategic alliance that would recognize over
$70M in reduced costs.
This experience told Anthony that the traditional career following business school,
was not joining a Fortune500 company, but utilizing his passion from the military
to focus on creating value for Veterans and their families.
Anthony enjoys playing electric guitar, being in nature, and spending time with his
twin boys Javi and Kini.

Steven J. Lester, M.D., is a consultant in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Dr. Lester serves as associate medical director of the Mayo Clinic enterprise Department of Business Development as well as Contract and Payer Relations and serves as the medical director for the Complex Care Program. He is the founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Mayo Clinic and Arizona State University MedTech Accelerator program. He joined the staff of Mayo Clinic in 1999 and holds the academic rank of professor of medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Dr. Lester earned his B.S. at the University of Western Ontario and his M.D. at the University of Toronto School of Medicine, and he completed his residency in internal medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital and The Toronto Hospital. He continued his training at the University of British Columbia, completing a cardiology fellowship, serving as chief cardiology fellow and went on to complete a 2-year cardiovascular imaging fellowship at the University of California San Francisco.

Dr. Lester is interested in the development of new care delivery models.  He is the director of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He also evolved the Echocardiography practice during his term as the laboratory director, initiating the use of image-enhancing agents, myocardial imaging, and 3D quantification of the left ventricular and the tricuspid valve.

His research focuses on the echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac function using novel imaging techniques, and he is conducting a clinical study to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of Mavacamten in adults with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Along with colleagues, he is the holder of three patents. He is frequently invited to give presentations on his work to both national and international audiences, and he has authored numerous journal articles, abstracts and other written publications. In addition, he founded and serves as the medical director for the Mayo Clinic  and Arizona State University MedTech Accelerator program.

In recognition of his work, Dr. Lester has received many awards and honors, including the 2019 Richard Popp Excellence in Teaching Award, conferred by the American Society of Echocardiography.

In addition to his clinical and research activities, Dr. Lester is active in education. He organized and initiated the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Echocardiography Program at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, as well as the Postdoctoral Fellowship in Echocardiography. He provides mentorship to multiple fellows, master’s students and other learners. He has also served on many committees of the Executive Operations Team at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, currently serving on the Research Operations Management Team. He also served on the Connected Care Subcommittee.

Dr. Lester is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. His additional professional memberships include the American Society of Echocardiography where he has served on the Board of Directors and on a number of committees and task forces, holding several leadership roles. He is a member of the prestigious Prix Galien awards committee and to serves as a member of the Publications Steering Committee for the Bristol Myers Squibb study drug Mavacamten.

Mark Fordyce serves as the Regional Director of Workvivo in the US Southeast based in Atlanta, GA. An expert in employee communications and collaboration technology, Mark applies his background of IT and consulting to help companies solve challenges around engaging, connecting, and informing employees.

Jon Lowe is the Chief People Officer at DailyPay.

Abby Schneiderman is an entrepreneur, innovator and visionary leader with a passion for finding ways to use technology to make people’s lives better. Together with Adam Seifer, she is currently the co-founder and co-CEO of Everplans (Everplans.com), a life and legacy planning company dedicated to transforming the way people think ahead and get their families organized. Everplans is offered by hundreds of financial services companies, insurance providers, and employers across the country. As an industry expert in the areas of digital estate planning, technology and consumerism, Abby has been featured in numerous publications including the NYT, WSJ, Bloomberg, CNBC, and the Huffington Post. Abby was named to Fast Company’s list of the most creative people in business in 2016 (https://www.fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2016). Abby lives with her husband and two little girls in Washington, D.C.. Abby is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.