Lara Johnson is a strategic and solution-oriented Benefits & Employee Experience Leader with deep expertise in designing, managing, and communicating global benefits programs that enhance employee wellbeing and organizational performance.

Kim Quillen is a business editor at the Chicago Tribune. Earlier in her career, Kim held editing positions at The Arizona Republic and at The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune, where she was involved in that newspaper's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Kim is past president of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, a national business journalism organization.

Mikaela Cohen is a Chicago-based reporter for HR Brew covering workplace strategy and trends. She previously covered workplace and business topics for CNBC.com, CNBC Make It, and AARP.org. She earned her master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia.

Rahul Rajvanshi is a strategic Total Rewards executive and transformation leader. He brings over two decades of experience driving enterprise-wide benefits strategy, operational excellence, and scalable solutions for Fortune 500 organizations.

He is known for aligning total rewards programs with business goals to enhance employee experience, improve retention, and deliver measurable outcomes. His expertise includes managing large health administration portfolios, leading complex M&A integrations, and designing benefits strategies that support organizational growth and compliance.

Rahul has a strong track record of improving client satisfaction through governance models and process optimization, while fostering high-performing, cross-functional teams. With a collaborative leadership style and a focus on continuous improvement, he enables organizations to navigate change and elevate both employee and client experience through smarter, more effective rewards strategies.

Jon Simon is the Vice President and Head of Sales at CareBenefits by Care.com, where he helps organizations reimagine how they support the health and wellness of their employees. With more than two decades of experience in employee benefits, Jon brings a rare depth of expertise and a genuine passion for connecting people with the care they need. When he's not championing better benefits, he's at home in Northern Virginia with his wife and three children.

Pat Garland’s HR career spans 40 years, in roles that ranged from individual contributor to VP for a very large global division of a $16 billion corporation. Her expertise includes compensation and benefits design, organization development, labor relations and executive coaching. She is the author of “33 Ways Not to Screw Up HR” and is an adjunct instructor at the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University of Chicago.

Amy Waickman is the global head of benefits at Arup, the global design, architecture and design firm, where she is responsible for setting and delivering Arup’s global benefits strategy across over 30 countries, including design and governance, minimum standards, vendor and broker management, benefit financing, benefits technology, compliance, and employee engagement. Prior to joining Arup, Amy spent eight years at Accenture as Global Total Rewards Manager, leading global benefit solutions covering over 700,000 employees across 60+ countries, with responsibility for large‑scale global insurance programs, benefits administration technology, and multinational pooling strategies. Earlier in her career, she held international benefit consulting roles at Willis Towers Watson and Mercer, advising multinational clients on global health, retirement, risk, mobility, and M&A. Amy holds the Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) credential and is a Strategic HR Advisor through the Josh Bersin Academy, bringing deep expertise in global benefits within complex, matrixed professional services environments.

Athar Siddiqee is Vice President of Global Total Rewards at Micron Technology. He has extensive experience in this field, having served in rewards leadership positions at Cisco, Synopsys, SanDisk, and Xilinx, among others. A life-long Bay Area resident, he has taught professional courses at WorldatWork, UC Santa Cruz Extension and San Jose State University for many years. He earned an MBA from Santa Clara University and a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics/Economics from UCLA.

Rebecca Liebman is the CEO and co-founder of LearnLux, the leading provider of workplace financial wellbeing that blends digital planning with one-on-one guidance from CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals.

Founded in 2015, Rebecca has grown LearnLux from a startup to an established company serving clients across a variety of industries, Fortune 500 businesses, and global enterprises.

Rebecca is on a mission to make financial wellbeing accessible in the workplace and create a better world through the power of technology.

Rebecca has recently been honored with Forbes “30 Under 30,” Boston Business Journal “40 Under 40,” and Fast Company’s “World Changing Ideas” awards.

Josh Lemon is a seasoned Total Rewards professional with over 20 years of experience, specializing in compensation, benefits, and performance management. As the Senior Director of Global Total Rewards at Resideo, he leads a team supporting employees in 32 countries, driving strategic initiatives that enhance employee engagement and organizational effectiveness.

An early adopter of AI technology in HR, Josh leverages innovative tools to transform the Total Rewards landscape. He has led workshops, presented at industry events, and shared practical insights on using AI to streamline processes and improve communication. His commitment to continuous learning and embracing new technologies is reflected in his efforts to foster transparent workplace cultures and reshape leadership strategies.

Josh holds an MBA and a BA in Economics from the University of Minnesota. He is dedicated to empowering individuals through meaningful rewards and benefits programs, striving to create workplaces where employees can thrive and grow. Josh is also the co-founder of FlashBenefits, a company that specializes in communication and employee engagement with benefits programs.

Crystal Chen is a global Total Rewards and HR leader with experience overseeing compensation, benefits, global mobility, HRIS and payroll functions across complex, multinational organizations. She currently leads the design and strategy of global Total Rewards programs at Westinghouse with employees across North America, EMEA, and APAC.
With extensive experience across private equity-backed and global enterprise environments, Crystal brings a business-focused perspective to designing rewards programs that support organizational performance, employee experience, governance, and long-term sustainability.
Crystal holds a master's degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (UIUC). 
Westinghouse Electric Company is a global leader in nuclear energy and advanced technologies, providing safe, clean, and reliable energy solutions around the world. With a legacy of innovation spanning more than a century, Westinghouse supports the entire nuclear lifecycle—from plant design and construction to fuel, maintenance, and decommissioning—while advancing sustainable energy solutions that help meet growing global demand.

Steve Davis is currently working as the National Sales Manager, Business Partnerships at Netspend, a Global Payments Company at Global Payments Inc. He is based in Bentonville, AR, and brings with him over 25 years of experience in corporate and commercial payments. Steve has previously held roles at FIS and American Express. 

Steve is passionate about business innovation and is always eager to learn. He has a certificate in leadership excellence from Harvard Business School Executive Education and a BBA in General Business from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. With his extensive skill set that includes market research, sales, marketing strategy, and building strategic partnerships, Steve provides valuable insights to the industry.

Steven Parker is a seasoned global executive with a proven track record of driving growth and success through technology, particularly in the areas of work, health, and wellbeing. As a respected thought leader in the field of digital health and wellbeing, Steven is a sought-after writer and speaker, frequently sharing his insights and expertise with audiences around the world. His passion for leveraging technology to create healthier and happier workplaces is evident in his work, as he helps organizations harness the power of technology to improve the wellbeing of their employees and drive business success.