September Virtual: Benefits & Well-Being

Wednesday, September 09, 2026

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September Virtual: Benefits & Well-Being

TOPIC

Benefits That Deliver More: Maximizing Engagement and Value for a Changing Workforce

Today’s employees are juggling caregiving, financial stress, and the daily challenge of staying mentally and physically well. How can employers tailor benefits to meet the distinct needs of multiple generations in the workforce while maximizing engagement and ROI? What are the most effective and forward-thinking benefits, from financial wellness and mental health resources to reproductive care and family support? How can companies evaluate the impact of their offerings on retention, engagement, and workplace culture?

From Day One is a Recertification Provider for SHRM and HRCI. This session is eligible for 3 credits from both organizations. The Activity IDs will be sent to attendees after the conclusion of the session.

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Schedule - ALL TIMES SHOWN BELOW ARE U.S. Eastern Time

12:00 PM - 12:15 PM

Expo/Networking

Expo

12:15 PM - 12:25 PM

Opening Remarks

Main Stage

12:25 PM - 12:50 PM

Fireside Chat

Main Stage

Speaker:

Kim Duck, VP, Global Benefits, News Corp

Moderator:

Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Business Reporter, the Seattle Times 

12:50 PM - 01:15 PM

Thought Leadership Spotlight by Cariloop

Main Stage

01:15 PM - 02:00 PM

Holistic and Inclusive Well-Being Strategies for a Multigenerational Workforce (Panel)

Main Stage

With employees ranging from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, today's workforce brings a wide variety of needs, goals, and expectations. Creating effective benefits means offering flexibility and choice to support workers at every stage of life. How are leaders using data, surveys, and employee feedback to shape programs that resonate across age groups? What new tools are helping employers manage costs while delivering meaningful support? And which benefits are having the greatest impact on well-being, engagement, and retention across a multigenerational workforce?

Speakers:

Tim Leier, Director, HR International Benefits, Ecolab

Jacki Schwartz, Global People Solutions Business Partner, Concentrix

Julie Lawrence, VP, HR Business Partner, ISS Facility Services  

Mamie Wheaton, Director, Financial Planning, LearnLux

02:00 PM - 02:25 PM

The Benefits Gap: Why Wellness Dollars Aren't Reaching Employees (Thought Leadership Spotlight)

Main Stage

Most organizations already spend real money on employee benefits, from wellness credits sitting inside a health plan to tax-advantaged gifting options they've never fully tapped, yet a large share of that value goes unused, unnoticed, or forgotten before employees ever feel it. In this session, Tray Ross unpacks why that gap exists and shares a practical way forward: connecting existing benefit dollars, whether through wellness fund partnerships or de minimis gifting, directly to recognition moments employees actually experience day to day, turning underused line items into something that shows up in retention, engagement, and culture. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for auditing their own benefit spend and closing the gap between what they're offering and what employees actually feel.

Speaker:

Tray Ross, VP of Growth, Corporate Traditions

02:25 PM - 03:15 PM

The Missing Benefits Strategy: Empathy at Work (Workshop)

Breakouts

Your organization has invested in mental health resources, caregiving support, financial wellness tools, and more. But if your people leaders aren't creating the conditions for team members to actually use them, that investment stalls. In this interactive workshop, we'll explore how empathy at work isn't a soft skill. It's the multiplier on every benefit you offer. People leaders will leave with a practical understanding of how their daily behavior shapes whether team members feel seen, supported, and safe enough to show up fully and use the resources you've put in place for them. Because the most impactful benefit you can offer a changing workforce is a leader who actually gets it.

Speaker:

Kelli Wingo, Facilitator & Coach, ThinkHuman

02:25 PM - 03:15 PM

Workshop by Scholarship America

Breakouts

03:15 PM - 04:00 PM

Personalizing Benefits While Keeping Costs in Check (Panel)

Main Stage

Employers are rethinking benefits as workers demand options that reflect their real lives, whether it’s fertility care, caregiving support, or coverage for treatments like GLP-1s. At the same time, rising costs are forcing companies to weigh innovation against financial sustainability. How can employers design benefits that meet diverse employee needs without driving costs out of control? How can data and employee feedback guide smarter, more personalized benefits strategies?

Speakers:

Michael Rosales, Director, Total Rewards, Six Flags

Jennifer Jackson, Senior Director, Benefits Strategy and Administration, Corewell Health

Marcela Villamar, Director, Global Total Rewards & HRIS, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies

Mike Waddell, Director of People Operations & Total Rewards, Maven Clinic

04:00 PM - 04:20 PM

Fireside Chat

Main Stage

Speaker:

Keturah Hallmosley, Deputy Chief HR Officer, Seattle Children's Hospital

Moderator:

Corinne Lestch, Journalist and Founder, the Off-Site Writing Workshop

04:20 PM - 04:25 PM

Closing Remarks

Main Stage