We expect folks are further along in this process than they were in April and accordingly we’ve brought in some panel experts to “prime” the conversation.

Everyone is thinking about it. Some of you are in the midst of planning and some are doing it now. We are very fortunate to have three fabulous panelists who will bring their breadth of expertise to this critical conversation.

Our Speakers

David gray

David has over 30 years of experience representing Silicon Valley companies from SF to San Jose locate and transform real estate into the optimal workplace, focusing on aligning to the corporate mission statement and Stakeholder’s Objectives and Key Results (OKR’s).  His work has developed into a business metric which has a pending US Patent. This Workplace Alignment approach is built on a deep experience working alongside all workplace professionals and when combined with an understanding of remote working has allowed David’s clients to confidently attain board approval to execute leases during the current pandemic. His expertise includes working closely with HR to measure how Workplace influences their Success Ratio. 

A graduate of UC Berkeley in Economics and Sociology, David has a career of high achievement, including the Colliers International Everest Award, placing him in the top 5% globally, and negotiating over $1B in 450 lease and sales transactions totaling over 12,000,000 square feet.  The corporate real estate trade association CoreNet recognized David for accomplishing his MCR.w designation in a record six (6) months.

David has 7 years as a board member of IFMA-Silicon Valley, is a frequent speaker (his favorite speaking engagement was in Barcelona in 2018), and is also an expert witness for Commercial Real Estate litigation. 

Jeanine d. Debacker

Employment lawyer, Trainer, Workplace Investigator

McPharlin, Sprinkles & Thomas LLP

Jeanine is a litigator who uses her courtroom experience to help employers prevent lawsuits through well-crafted policies, staff training and informal dispute resolution.  Jeanine counsels businesses on human resources, employment and employee benefit issues.  Her practice focuses on representing employers in all areas of employment and benefits law, including wage and hour claims, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other employment-related claims.  She represents both public and private employers in administrative proceedings, class actions, civil litigation, mediation and arbitrations, and federal and state appeals.

Jeanine is committed to providing her employer clients with ready access and quick response.  She assists with all aspects of the employment lifecycle, from hiring to compensation to management to separation, including creating and implementing workplace policies and procedures (including technology privacy) and counseling on employee performance management, including corrective actions and terminations. 

Jeanine regularly provides training for managers and staff on harassment prevention, fostering respectful workplaces, and managing within the law, among other topics.

In addition, Jeanine is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators and is regularly retained to conduct workplace investigations for claims regarding harassment, discrimination, retaliations and workplace conditions.  She has conducted investigations at nonprofit agencies, foundations, private employers and public entities.

Julie Currie

VP Human Resources, Western Digital

Julie Currie is a proven business leader with more than two decades of experience driving strategic people initiatives globally. As Vice President, Human Resources at Western Digital she is focused on building organizational capabilities, operational excellence and highly engaged teams. She is adept at creating business, talent and culture practices that drive remarkable employee experiences in an increasingly digital age.

Julie is a trusted advisor to executive leadership teams, providing strategic counsel on cultural transformation, talent & organizational strategies, mergers and acquisitions, total rewards and talent development programs to accelerate growth and transformation. Julie is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, and champions programs to help companies achieve their goals with clarity and purpose.

Julie has earned a reputation as a catalyst for change, collaborator and coach.

Prior to joining Western Digital, Julie was Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Inphi, a publicly-held company where she was responsible for the People & Culture function. Prior to Inphi she was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources of Sony Interactive Entertainment of America where she led the company’s “Best Place to Play” culture, developed organizational capabilities and integrated two Sony entities.

Julie previously held senior leadership roles for both Fortune 500 and fast-paced, high-growth technology companies, including CHC, Aon Consulting, Advanced Micro Devices, ATI Technologies, PeopleSoft and AT&T/NCR.

Julie earned a Bachelor’s Degree in management and economics from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and has completed MBA program studies at Northwestern University. 

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