The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR

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334

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Aug 2026

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Listen to interviews with CHROs, Chief People Officers, and other work experts on how they're pioneering the way that we work. They share what's working, what's not, and how they've gotten to where they're at in their careers.

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September 11, 202653 min

329 - Why Match is tripling down on Gen Z talent: D.V. Williams (Chief People Officer, Match Group)

D.V. Williams, Chief People Officer from Match Group joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why Match is betting on Gen Z talent, how skills are replacing titles as the new currency of work, and how Match is thinking about flexible mentorship and early-career programs. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl 🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (10:45) Why Match Is Betting on Gen Z Talent (12:00) Why Product and People Strategy Need to Align (15:20) How Gen Z Thinks About Work Differently (17:00) How Tinder Improved Engagement and Shifted the Internal Culture (18:20) Becoming Product-Led and Consumer-Focused (19:00) Flattening the Org and Getting Doers Closer to Decisions (23:45) Why Tenure and Title Are Outdated Proxies for Value (24:20) Skills as the New Currency of Work (24:45) Rebuilding Mentorship Around Skill Acquisition (25:20) Flexible Mentorship and the “Tinder for Skill Acquisition” Idea (30:15) How Match Is Approaching AI Internally (31:00) Equipping Employees With AI Without Framing It as Headcount Reduction (31:20) Match’s AI Day and Employee-Led Experimentation (34:00) How Dating Apps Are Evolving With AI and IRL Experiences (35:00) Using AI to Help People Show Up More Authentically on Dating Apps (40:15) Match’s Cross-Functional Rotational Program (41:30) Match’s Internship Program: 20,000 Applicants for 26 Roles (43:35) How the 2026 Rotational Program Is Different From Traditional Programs (45:35) Why Curiosity Beyond the Job Description Matters (48:05) Focusing Development on Skill Acquisition, Not the Next Title ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

September 8, 202655 min

328 - Christy Lake (CAO, Twilio) on designing for a future nobody can see

Christy Lake, Chief Administrative Officer at Twilio, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how AI is changing work, why skills, governance, and human judgment matter more than ever, and how Twilio is thinking about remote-first work, employee experience, and curiosity in the AI era. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about SixFifty 🔗 Explore the 2026 Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (11:20) The Hardest Thing on Christy’s Plate as CAO (12:00) Why AI Is the Biggest Transformation Christy Has Seen (13:00) Upskilling, Security, Data and Governance in the AI Era (14:30) Why AI Does Not Have a Clear Playbook Yet (15:25) Why This AI Cycle Comes With So Much Fear (17:30) Building a Skills Infrastructure for the Future of Work (18:15) Tasks, Roles and Where Human Judgment Still Matters (19:15) Twilio’s Three-Horizon View of AI Change (25:00) The Task Construct of Work and AI-Able Work (26:00) Why Existing Companies Still Need Org Design and Change Management (29:00) The Future of Employee Experience and the One Prompt Box (31:15) Why UX Will Matter More in the Future of Work (32:00) Why Companies Should Not Move Too Fast Without Human-in-the-Loop Design (33:40) Why People Still Need to Be Seen, Recognized and Thanked (36:00) Why Twilio Stayed Remote First (38:10) Hiring From Anywhere and Becoming a Net Talent Winner (40:45) Remote-First Companies and AI-First Readiness (42:00) AI Burnout, Remote Work and the Pressure to Do More (44:10) Why AI Upskilling Is Becoming Nights-and-Weekends Work (48:05) Why Constant Change Leaves People Without a Sense of Mastery ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

September 4, 202644 min

327 - Putting AI agents on the org chart: Becks Port (Chief People Officer, Okta)

Becks Port, Chief People Officer at Okta, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why AI agents should be treated like digital coworkers, how Okta is thinking about agents on the org chart, and what the future of HR, career development, security, and team design could look like as humans work alongside machines. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl 🔗 Learn more about SixFifty MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (07:45) AI Agents as Coworkers and Digital Workers (08:20) Why Agents Need Managers, Accountability and Clear Handoffs (09:00) Which AI Agents Belong on the Org Chart (11:10) Deconstructing and Reconstructing Roles Around AI (13:15) How AI Is Creating New Roles at Okta (15:45) Why Okta Is Adding an Agentic Coach to the Org Chart (18:20) Decision-Making With Human and Agentic Coworkers (19:10) Why Task-Level Granularity Matters for AI Delegation (20:45) Okta’s Head of AI Transformation Role (21:15) Building Agentic Coaches and Onboarding Agents (22:00) Upskilling Employees to Become AI Proficient (23:15) The Future Structure of the People Team (25:00) Coaches, Advisors, Workforce Architects and Embedded Tech Talent (27:10) Why AI Proficiency Is the Safest Career Bet (29:10) Why Graduate Programs and Rotational Programs May Make a Comeback (32:35) Why Getting an Agent on the Org Chart Is a 12-Month Process (34:35) Securing AI Agents, Access and Kill Switches (37:30) Digital Colleagues That Never Sleep (40:05) Why Future Teams May Be Organized Around Processes Instead of Functions ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

September 2, 202659 min

326 - Never let an LLM do the math on comp. Do this instead.

Clare Bonham (Chief Product Officer) and Sébastien Baehni (CTO) from beqom joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how managers can make better pay and performance decisions, why AI should support but not replace human judgment, and what intentional AI looks like in compensation. ---- Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode326 Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl 🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl 🔗 Explore the 2026 Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (10:45) Why Managers Need Context for Pay and Performance Decisions (11:35) Pay History, Pay Range, Budget and Talent Data (14:40) The Evolving Role of Managers in Compensation Decisions (16:05) The Difference Between Owning the Decision and Just Delivering the Message (17:45) How Managers Should Talk About Pay Constraints With Employees (23:05) Hiding Complexity While Letting Managers Drill Down (25:05) Why People Do Not Want AI Fully Deciding Their Compensation (26:15) Why AI Should Help but Humans Should Stay in Control (29:25) The Three Principles of Intentional AI: Explainable, Collaborative and Controllable (31:45) Why Compensation and Performance Decisions Must Stay Human-Centered (34:10) Auditing the Data, Rules and Models Behind a Pay Decision (36:10) The Three Types of AI in Compensation and Performance (38:45) Why LLMs Should Not Make Compensation Calculations (39:30) Why Compensation Needs Correctness, Not Plausibility (40:35) Moving Comp Teams Away From Spreadsheet-Heavy Work (41:20) Refocusing Comp Professionals on Strategy, Fairness and Incentives (48:05) The Rise of the High-Impact Individual Contributor (50:05) Why Automating Easy Tasks Could Increase Burnout ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

August 28, 20261 hr 1 min

325 - The M&A Field Guide for CPOs: Heather Dunn (Chief People Officer, Brex)

Heather Dunn, Chief People Officer at Brex, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about Brex’s rapid acquisition by Capital One and how Heather led through diligence, communication, and integration. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Explore the 2026 Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report 🔗 Learn more about SixFifty MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (20:45) Joining Brex During a Company Pivot (21:20) Brex’s 2024 Year of Transformation (23:20) The January 1 Call: Capital One Acquisition Diligence Begins (25:05) Three Weeks to Diligence, Communications and Announcement (26:30) Late Nights, Diligence Requests and the Pressure to Be Accurate (28:00) Supporting Executives Through the Emotional Weight of the Deal (29:00) Communicating on Behalf of the CEO and Building Trust Across Leadership (32:45) Telling the Company About the Capital One Acquisition (33:35) The Two-Part Communication Plan for Employees (35:30) The Emotional Load People Leaders Carry During Acquisitions (36:35) Diligence, Communication, Retention and Advocating for Yourself (39:50) “Don’t Crush the Butterfly” and Protecting What Makes Brex Special (43:15) How CPOs Should Advocate for Themselves During M&A (45:40) Fairness, Expectations and Protecting the Value of the CPO Role (49:15) Relaunching Brex’s EVP and External Story (50:35) The Story Behind “Be The Founder of Your Career” (53:10) The Foundry and Investing in Future Founders Inside Brex (57:48) Heather’s Superpower Nickname: Chief Truth-Teller Officer ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

August 25, 202658 min

324 - The GRIT Performance Framework: Patsy Mangan (Chief People Officer, Scribd)

Patsy Mangan joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about Scribd Flex, why flexibility only works when it is paired with clarity and accountability, and why Scribd needed the GRIT Performance framework. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about SixFifty 🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl 🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (10:00) The Pandemic, Distributed Hiring and the One-Way Door (12:40) Creating Scribd Flex Instead of Choosing a Generic Remote or Hybrid Label (19:05) Learning That Flexibility Alone Does Not Create Connection (20:00) Designing Hub Days Around Concentration of Attendance (22:50) Why Scribd Flex Needed the GRIT Performance System (23:35) Visibility Does Not Equal Performance (24:10) Why Clarity Drives Accountability in Flexible Work (26:35) The Four GRIT Dimensions: Goal-Oriented, Results-Driven, Innovative and Team-Focused (28:10) Giving Employees Ratings Across Each GRIT Dimension (29:00) How Scribd Flex Gives Freedom and GRIT Gives Clarity (34:15) Why Scribd Made Performance More Complex, Not Less (36:05) Calibration, Manager Bias and Making GRIT Fair (38:40) The Next Big Evolution: Becoming AI-Native (40:05) Moving From AI Adoption to Workflow Redesign (41:00) Rethinking Hiring, Career Journeys, Promotions and Performance Standards (42:15) Hiring for Specialty, Not Just Capacity (45:05) Connecting HR Tools to Where Employees Already Work (45:50) Why HR May Need Software Engineers Inside the Function (50:20) Why Human Judgment Becomes More Important as Output Gets Easier (52:38) Career Advice: Learn the Rules, Then Rewrite Them ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

August 21, 20261 hr 2 min

323 - How ServiceNow's AI heat map answers "what does my job look like in 3 years": Brandon Roberts (SVP Talent Strategy & Workforce Transformation, ServiceNow)

Brandon Roberts, leader of Talent Strategy and Workforce Transformation at ServiceNow, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how ServiceNow is redesigning HR for the AI era, why every role needs to be mapped for AI impact, and more. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl 🔗Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl 🔗. Explore the 2026 Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (09:30) Creating ServiceNow’s Talent Strategy and Workforce Transformation Organization (14:45) How AI Supercharges ServiceNow’s Workflow Platform (21:50) Now Assist and the Productivity Shift in HR Operations (22:55) Why ServiceNow Reinvested AI Productivity Gains Instead of Just Cutting Costs (25:15) How AI Is Changing Software Engineering Roles (29:25) Building an AI Heat Map for Every Role in the Company (35:05) AI Control Tower, Usage Signals and Where to Invest Transformation Resources (36:45) Employee Works and the Agent Orchestration Layer for HR (38:30) Data Agent, Engagement Agent and Real-Time People Insights (41:00) The Reskilling Challenge for HRBPs Using AI-Powered Insights (43:25) People Strategists, People Technologists and People Scientists (47:30) Why Brandon and Jacque Built the ServiceNow AI Transformation Playbook (51:15) Why Companies Are Too Focused on Technology and Not Enough on Skills (52:05) Helping People Step Away From Their Work Identity as Roles Change ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

August 18, 202642 min

The 3 archetypes of the future people team & Jessica Zwaan's first 4 Months in New Role

Jessica Zwaan joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about her first four months at Leapsome, why HR needs to operate more like a product team, and how AI agents, forward-deployed engineers, and flexible HR systems could reshape the future of people operations. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about SixFifty MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (11:40) Jessie’s 12-Week Sprint and the “How We HR” Document (13:10) Why The Purpose of Work Changed What Jessie Wanted Next (14:10) Why People Ops Will Change the Most Through AI (15:30) The Three Future Archetypes of People Teams (17:35) Starting With Retros, Problem Statements and Roadmaps (18:15) Launching Transparent Compensation and Leveling (19:10) Building a Dynamic Promotion and Merit Increase Coach (19:30) Why Leapsome Added a Forward-Deployed Engineer to the People Team (20:15) What to Look for in a Forward-Deployed Engineer for HR (22:30) What Surprised Jessie After Joining Leapsome (23:20) Why Founder Fit Matters So Much for People Leaders (31:20) Speed, Urgency and Knowing When to Pull Back (32:25) Why Traditional 30, 60, 90 Day Plans Are Dead (35:10) Bringing Practitioner Credibility Into Product Strategy (37:35) Building HR Agents People Can Trust (39:20) AI-Powered Calibration Pre-Reads and Better Manager Conversations (40:35) The Idea of a Plastic HRIS (41:10) What HR Should and Should Not Vibe Code (42:00) Why HR Deserves Commercial-Grade Tools and Better ROI ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

August 14, 202658 min

321 - Molly Graham (WorkLife Podcast) on Why Everyone Just Became a Manager

Molly Graham, Host of WorkLife Podcast & Co-Founder of Glue Club and The Guild, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about career emergence, why fear is slowing down AI adoption at work, and why the future of HR will depend on leaders who can create clarity, curiosity, accountability, and better management habits for both people and AI agents. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl 🔗 Explore the 2026 Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report 🔗 Learn more about SixFifty MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (05:25) Molly’s Origin Story: Google, Facebook, Quip and Career Emergence (09:30) What Molly Does Today: Helping People Feel Less Alone and More Confident at Work (11:30) Turning Down the Big COO Job That Would Have Made Her Miserable (19:00) Why Fear Is Dominating the Future of Work Conversation (23:49) The Macro Narrative That AI Is Coming for Everyone’s Job (24:32) Why AI-Branded Layoffs Are Damaging the Trust Conversation (25:24) Why the Future Belongs to People Who Approach AI With Curiosity (27:15) Building a Clear Leadership Narrative Around AI (31:28) Creating a Culture of Sharing and Experimentation (32:04) What Facebook Got Right About Blameless Failure (34:36) Why Culture Is Built Through What Leaders Do, Not What They Say (35:20) Why the “Super IC” Conversation Misses the Real Point (36:20) Why Everyone Just Became a Manager (37:05) Managing Agents Requires the Same Skills as Managing Humans (40:06) Why Token Consumption Can Become the New Productivity Theater (41:05) Why No Company Has AI Fully Figured Out (43:39) Lazy Interns: Why AI Slop Is Turning Smart People Into Bad Employees (48:00) Why AI Work Still Requires Human Accountability (49:05) Molly’s Rule: If You Send It, You Own It (50:49) False Productivity and Why the End Result Matters Most (52:04) Career Advice: Learn the Business ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

August 10, 202658 min

320 - How Moxie's COO built an AI strategy for a people business: Kate Connor, COO, Moxie

Kate Connor, Chief Operating Officer at Moxie Communications Group, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how Moxie is adopting AI safely, why leaders should automate low-judgment work first, and how to embed AI into the culture without replacing human creativity, judgment, and relationships. ---- Sponsor Links: 🔗 Learn more about SixFifty 🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl 🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl MPL Links: 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build . ---- (19:14) Why AI Strategy Is Different in a People-Powered Agency (20:06) Automating Admin and Low-Judgment Work First (20:51) Using AI to Create More Time for Client Relationships and Storytelling (21:24) Bringing the Team Into the AI Roadmap Through Workshops (24:06) Why Moxie’s AI Approach Starts With Safety (24:35) Building an AI Use Policy With Cybersecurity and CTO Advisors (25:41) Why AI Belongs on the Strategic Roadmap (26:08) Being Transparent With the Team About AI Intentions (26:31) Positioning AI as an Extension of the Team (28:00) Running Team Workshops to Identify What Should Be Automated (29:05) Building Proprietary Tools for Problems Off-the-Shelf Platforms Cannot Solve (30:38) Messaging AI as an Expander, Not a Replacement (32:31) GEO Optimization and the Future of PR (34:07) Monthly AI Hackathons and Learning From the Team (34:43) Why AI Cannot Stay With the Leadership Team (35:22) When to Build Custom AI Tools Instead of Buying Off-the-Shelf (39:08) Culture as the Feeling and Energy People Associate With a Company (39:43) Building People Programs Around Real Business Needs (44:19) Why Moxie Has Strong Retention (48:43) Listening to the Team to Build Better Retention Programs (51:03) Career Advice: Understand What AI Means for Your Job ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.