HR Tomorrow

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Shamayne Braman
Chief People Officer - Sonos, Inc.

Shamayne serves as the Chief People Officer at Sonos Inc. She leads the company’s recruitment, development, engagement, and retention strategies in addition to cultivating the Sonos culture across 15 offices globally. She also leads Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for the company, championing strategies and initiatives across people, product and policies that embrace diversity, foster inclusion, and fuel business outcomes.

Prior to Sonos, Shamayne served as Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Target, where she was responsible for driving organizational strategies that advanced Target’s DEI priorities and goals across stores, global supply chain and headquarters. Her past experience also includes global DEI roles at Thomson Reuters and Teach for America.

Shamayne holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Princeton University and a master’s degree in education policy and management from Harvard University.
 

Margeaux King
Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer - The Toro Company

Margeaux King is Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer for The Toro Company, a leading worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment. In addition to her responsibilities as the company’s chief human resources officer, Margeaux leads strategies for Public Relations, Communications, Facilities, The Toro Company Foundation and Community Giving, and serves on the Enterprise Leadership Team.

Margeaux joined The Toro Company in August 2022 from Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. She held roles of increasing responsibility during her 15-year tenure with Ecolab, serving most recently as senior vice president of human resources, global total rewards and talent.

Margeaux received a Bachelor of Science in Human resource development from the University of Minnesota, and a Master of Arts in management and an MBA in organizational change from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. She also completed the Modern CHRO Executive Program from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. In her community, Margeaux serves as an officer on the board of Think Small, an organization that provides services, resources and advocacy for early childhood education in Minnesota. She is also an active member of the Minnesota HR community, serving on the HR and Compensation Committee for Allina Health and as a Leadership Board Member for the Human Resources Executive Council.
 

PANEL SPEAKERS - The Evolution of HR in Professional Sports

Anne Doepner
Senior Director, DEI - MN Vikings
Anne Doepner just completed her 18 th season with the Minnesota Vikings and her fourth full year as the team’s Senior Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. In her role, Doepner leads the team’s DEI strategy and works to implement employee engagement, inclusion, and learning initiatives aimed at creating a sense of belonging in the workplace.

In her previous role as the Vikings’ Director of Football Administration, Doepner was responsible for matters of salary cap management and compliance with the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. She worked closely with the personnel department on contract proposals, negotiations and player budgets, and performed research and analysis to assist the club’s strategic efforts. She served as the primary contract negotiator for rookie contracts from 2017 to 2019.

A staunch advocate for women’s career and professional development, Doepner is the founder and chairwoman of the Twin Cities chapter of Women In Sports and Events (WISE), which was established in 2017. A native of Saint Paul, MN, Doepner holds a BA degree in French from the College of Saint Benedict. 

Cecilia Lettner
Director, Inclusion and People Development - MN Twins

Cecilia  joined the Minnesota Twins in 2021. As the Director for Inclusion and People Development for the Minnesota Twins, Cecilia plays a key role in the development of the Twins’ overarching human resources-based plans and strategies designed to help the organization navigate the nuances of the workplace and ensure employee growth and development.

Prior to the Twins, Cecilia held various human resources generalist and recruitment roles in William Mitchell College of Law and Xcel Energy. Lettner earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations and affairs from Winona State University and holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management and Services from Concordia University-St. Paul. She currently serves as  board Vice-President for Women in Sports and Events Twin Cities’ chapter. 

Imani McCormick
Associate, DEI & Culture - MN Vikings

Imani McCormick is a dynamic culture creator and thought leader recognized for her contributions to reshaping workplace equity practices, bridging resource gaps, and personal brand development. Currently, Imani works in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion with the Minnesota Vikings, driving initiatives in people development, cultural inclusivity, and community engagement. With an intersectional approach, Imani implements forward-thinking programs to provide professionals, athletes, and students with a level playing field for success.

Sianneh Mulbah
Chief People Officer - MN Timberwolves/Lynx

Sianneh Mulbah enters her 13th season with the Timberwolves and Lynx and her fifth as Chief People Officer. Mulbah is responsible for developing and executing the organization’s comprehensive human resources strategy and is integral to the Executive Team.

Mulbah leads the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Women in Sports Leadership Council, which focuses on women's professional growth and development in the workplace. Mulbah currently serves as a board member for the Twin Cities chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE), and Ceridian Cares Charity and Volunteers of America. Additionally, she is the Secretary of School District 196’s (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan), and  a member Native American Parent Advisory Committee. In 2019, Mulbah became the first Timberwolves and Lynx employee to receive the prestigious Sports Business Journal “Game Changers” award. In 2018, Mulbah was named to Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s prestigious “40 Under 40” list. Most recently, Mulbah was named a Twin Cities Business 2021 Notable BIPOC Executive for her leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mulbah received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bemidji State University and a double master’s degree in organizational management–HR and Business Administration from Concordia University-St. Paul. 

Chris Dardis (panel moderator)
President of Interim Solutions - Versique

As President of Interim Solutions, Chris leads the HR and Finance & Accounting Interim Solutions division at Versique. Chris partners with local Presidents, CEOs, CFOs, and HR leaders to solve critically important talent issues. Using their expertise in the subject matter,  Chris and his teams provide valuable insights to their clients.

Prior to Versique, Chris held Talent Acquisition leadership roles at Schwan’s Foods, Target and Robert Half International. While at Robert Half, Chris was successful in launching and leading the company’s first-ever Human Resources Contract Consulting division. Chris holds an undergraduate degree from St. John’s University and is an active member of various local groups  including MNREC, HR Executive Forum, FEI and the Saint John's Alumni Network. 
 

BREAKOUT SESSION SPEAKERS

Avner Ben-Ner
Professor - Work and Organizations Department, Carlson School of Management

Session Title: The Impact of New and Emerging Technologies in the Workplace

Generative AI, automation, robots, additive manufacturing, and other technologies are rapidly changing the tasks of workers in many occupations and at all levels of the organization.

As new tasks emerge, some tasks disappear, new skills are needed, and some old skills are outdated. As a result, compensation, incentives, supervision, and decision-making are also changing. In this session, we will dive into the most significant technological changes that are unfolding and likely to strengthen overtime and their implication on employees and organizations. 

Elena Imaretska
HR Director, DEI - Commercial Business - Ecolab

Session Title: Innovating your DEI Approach

In this session we will utilize a case study from Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, to examine how you can evolve your DEI approach to meet the needs of your organization inclusively. Embracing human-centered design practices such as empathy, co-creation and iterative development can help you make meaningful shifts in the experience of inclusion across your organization. We will dive into examples of understanding the needs of all your employees (especially those working remotely in customer-facing environments and production roles), empowering associates to actively tailor programming to their environments, and continuously learning and iterating to maximize the impact of your programs.

Dr. Kalan Norris
Post-Doctoral Associate - Work and Organizations Department, Carlson School of Management

Session Title: The Unknown Knowns: Delving into Diversity Management and Inclusion

In today's competitive job market, organizational leaders face growing pressure to both recruit and retain a diverse talent pipeline, while ensuring the maintenance of an inclusive environment. Despite the common understanding among most employees and leaders that diversity and inclusion (DEI) are interconnected, the specific distinctions between these concepts and their implications often elude individuals in the workforce.

In this workshop, Dr. Norris will explore the differences between diversity management and inclusion, shedding light on what we know (and do not know). Moreover, participants will gain valuable best practices and recommendations, empowering them to address DEI-related issues with heightened awareness and understanding.

Leo Cardoso
HR Enablement Director - Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Session Title: Practical AI: A Conversation on Turning Buzzwords Into Action (No Coding Required)

It took only 5 days for ChatGPT to reach 1 million users, since then AI has become a trending term across offices, kitchen tables and pretty much any place where two people come together! With that level of popularity, there has been a high degree of hope, but also fear of what this technology could do. Part of that stems from a lack of common understanding of what "AI" really means. As HR leaders, we have an opportunity to stand up at this inflection point and help our organizations embrace the future, while staying grounded in the present.

In order to do that, in this session, we will try to break things down, so we can come out of it with a common (non-technical) definition of AI, some of its potential opportunities and risks within HR, as well as simple, yet concrete steps you could take towards building that muscle within your organization.

Miguel Rocha
Manager for DEI - Mortenson

Session Title: Beyond Tactical: Improving and Cultivating External Collaborations for Underrepresented Talent
Effectively accessing diverse talent pools and retaining underrepresented talent is crucial not only for meeting talent acquisition and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals, but also for achieving overall business success. Numerous studies have consistently demonstrated that diversity not only enhances team cohesion, but also contributes significantly to overall profitability. In today's competitive labor market, the task of identifying and attracting and retaining candidates rests not only on the shoulders of HR, but also on business leadership.

Discover in this informative session how Mortenson HR team builds a strategic framework with National Partnerships to attract and retain underrepresented talent across our footprint, utilizing three key focus areas: Recruitment, Branding and Development.

Molly Weiss
Chief Human Resources Officer - Adolfson & Peterson Construction

Session Title: Practical Mental Health Solutions at Work

Employee mental health challenges are difficult for employers, especially frontline managers, to successfully navigate. Despite this, employers are in a unique position to support employees in their mental health journey as well as enable managers to intervene in challenging mental health situations.  In this session, you will learn about the balance between support and over-caring, tools to equip managers to navigate employees in crisis, as well as proactive solutions to help employees BEFORE they get to crisis points.  

Session Title: Practical Mental Health Solutions at Work

Employee mental health challenges are difficult for employers, especially frontline managers, to successfully navigate. Despite this, employers are in a unique position to support employees in their mental health journey as well as enable managers to intervene in challenging mental health situations.  In this session, you will learn about the balance between support and over-caring, tools to equip managers to navigate employees in crisis, as well as proactive solutions to help employees BEFORE they get to crisis points.  

Ryan Malkes
Principal, Gen. A.I Services, - Mercer

Session Title: Gen AI for HR: Opportunities and Amplifiers

Join us for an engaging interactive session led by Ryan, a Gen AI expert, as he guides HR leaders through practical HR use cases leveraging the power of Generative AI. In this workshop, we'll dive into the latest tools and technologies that are revolutionizing HR practices. You'll gain valuable insights on how to effectively utilize these tools to streamline processes, amplify the work of your HR team  is doing, and improve workforce experience. Get ready to explore real-world applications and walk away with actionable strategies to incorporate Gen AI into your HR toolkit. 

Sarah Moe
Chief Executive Officer - Sleep Health Specialists

Session Title: Invest in Rest
Stress, anxiety, and burnout... our employees are tired of being tired- workplace fatigue is not only impacting individuals' well-being, but it's costing companies big bucks. Our Sleep is vital to our ability to "show up"; our mood, productivity, motivation, judgment, perception, and overall health can be positively or negatively impacted by how well we Sleep. Join us for this fun, interesting and educational session to learn about all things Sleep, so you and your teams can navigate 2024 as healthy, happy and productive as possible.