Katheryn Brekken, Ph.D.

Institute for Corporate Productivity

Sr. Research Analyst

Dr. Katheryn Brekken is passionate about advancing people practices that matter. At i4cp she leads global research studies to examine talent and workforce development strategies and practices that impact market performance and human capital outcomes. With more than 15 years of experience in public policy and leadership research, she specializes in survey development, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, policy and program design and evaluation, and communications.

Katheryn also supports leaders of People Analytics and Performance Management, providing research and insights on Next Practices. Previously, she was an assistant research professor at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Public Policy & Leadership, where she managed complex research projects for diverse stakeholders, taught undergraduate and graduate courses, and produced policy content.

SESSION: Case Study: The HR leader and Business Leader Partnership

Carolyn Kalafut

Principal People Scientist, Viva People Science Team, Microsoft

Carolyn Kalafut works directly with product teams to imbed the science of happiness and success at work into the products they develop. She has a passion for utilizing best practice and creativity to build meaningful solutions to complex problems – while always keeping the employee as the hero.

Prior to her role on the Viva People Science Team, she was a Consultant at Glint (part of LinkedIn/Microsoft), where she advised clients on the design and implementation of solutions that drive people success. Before joining Glint, Carolyn worked as the Manager of Talent and Engagement at a global Fortune 500, with a focus on leading the reimagining of their global engagement practice and has consulted externally in the realm of leadership selection, assessment, and development for a variety of industries.

Tom Nolan

Principal People Scientist, Viva People Science Team, Microsoft

Tom Nolan works with Product, Design, and Engineering teams to ensure Microsoft's Viva product suite is enabling customers to deliver exceptional employee experiences, thriving workplaces, and strong business results.

Previously, Tom worked in Gallup’s Workplace Practice for 15 years, where he consulted with clients in the areas of employee selection, development and engagement, led internal business units, and served as an editorial advisor on several Gallup-published books.

Craig Ramsay

Principal People Scientist, Microsoft

Craig Ramsay is a Principal People Scientist at Microsoft where he studies the motivational factors that help people be happier and more successful at work. As a lead researcher he oversees the design of the employee experience measurement architecture that supports Viva product development with a mission to bring engagement feedback, productivity support, and action-taking directly into the flow of work.

Prior to Microsoft, he was a founding member of the Glint People Science team acquired by LinkedIn. Before that he was V.P. of the San Francisco Bay offices of Sirota (now Mercer). Craig serves on the Board of Directors of HR Strategy Forum, and was past Chair of the Information Technology Survey Group (ITSG), a global survey research consortium. Craig has an M.S. Organization Development from University of San Francisco, and a B.S. Industrial Engineering from SJSU.

SESSION: Panel Case Study: HR-specific AI Applications

Allen Partridge, PH.D.

Director of Evangelism for Learning Solutions, Adobe

Dr. Allen Partridge is a visionary leader in the field of digital learning, currently serving as the Director of Digital Learning Evangelism at Adobe. With a PhD in Education, Allen has spent over a decade developing innovative solutions for learners and educators in the digital age. At Adobe, Allen is responsible for promoting the integration of creative technology in education, and works with educators and institutions worldwide to help them embrace digital transformation.

Allen is a champion of digital literacy and creativity. Recent research interests include skill definition and management, empowering people through software automation and the use of artificial intelligence to augment and simplify experiences. In addition, Allen is an accomplished painter and digital media artist, who has recently begun to explore the use of Artificial intelligence for illustration and dynamic image generation.

SESSION: Risks and Ethical Considerations for AI Implementation

Naomi BradleY

Managing Director, Deloitte

Naomi Bradley leads Deloitte Consulting’s Rewards and Well-being practice and is also a leader within Deloitte’s Workforce Risk offering. She brings over 25 years of experience advising clients on the design, implementation and delivery of HR programs aimed at enhancing the attraction and retention of critical talent segments while managing costs and monitoring compliance and risks. She applies data-driven analysis to help her clients appropriately plan for current and future workforce needs while establishing programs to improve day to day performance and monitor and control operational, financial and reputational risks. More recently,

Naomi has been collaborating with clients and industry leaders around potential impacts and risks of AI adoption in HR – specifically as it relates to the evolving regulatory landscape, privacy and data security risks, DEI and transparency impacts, and workforce preparation. Naomi has a degree in Mathematics from UPenn and is a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries and an Enrolled Actuary under ERISA.

Roy Wang, PH.D.

Chief Legal Officer, Eightfold

Dr. Roy Wang is a seasoned business lawyer and an AI expert. He is serving as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Eightfold AI. He also serves on the AI Ethics Council for Eightfold, together with U.S. and EU experts on AI and HR matters. Eightfold is a global SaaS company that uses AI to transform HR. Previously, Roy served as Associate General Counsel at Marvell Technology Group Ltd.

Before that role Roy was a partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He has spent his entire legal career advising technology companies on wide-ranging legal issues, from navigating complex commercial transactions and litigation issues to expanding enterprise value through mergers and acquisitions. He received his J.D. from U.C. Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in machine learning from UIUC.

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