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Welcome
Marla Kaplowitz - President & CEO, 4A's
Barb Rozman-Stokes - Chief Talent Officer, Campbell Ewald & Chair 4A’s Chief Talent & People Officer Council
11:00 AM ET
Opening Keynote:
Discovering Your Impostor Syndrome
Typically, there are particular events and experiences that can trigger our Impostor Syndrome like transitions or a new role. It’s important to identify your particular triggers so that you can prepare yourself to use learned tools to manage your Impostor Syndrome when it’s heightened during these times.
11:05 AM ET
Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin - PHD,Dynamic Transitions Psychological Consulting
Embracing Possibility: Returning to the Workplace and the Future of Work
The world has shifted significantly over the past two years asCOVID-19 exacerbated change. Workforce transformation is difficult at any time and the pace accelerated during the pandemic. And yet, armed with the right skills, this uncertainty also offered leaders opportunities to look beyond the ‘return to work’ and to purposely shape a workforce ‘fit for the future’. This panel will discuss the return to the workplace and how we all need to adapt to a new future of work.
11:50 AM ET
Eileen Benwitt - Chief Talent Officer, Horizon Media
Kate Higgins - Chief Growth Officer, Erich & Kallman
Renu Hooda - Global Chief Talent Officer, Acxiom, Kinesso & Matterkind
Moderated By: Claire Telling - Chief People Officer, Havas N.A
Break
12:35 PM ET
The Great Resignation: Challenges Attracting & Retaining Talent Today
How do we respond to the “Great Resignation” ? We need to do better at attracting and retaining talent to turn this period into the “Great Retention.” These leaders will discuss how challenging the traditional employment value proposition is critical through the lens of treating employees as people before workers understanding work is just one aspect of life and not a separate area entirely, and that employees find value in their work based on human elements, not just job benefits.
12:50 PM ET
Katie Farber - U.S. Talent Acquisition Lead, dentsu
Sue Hagstrom - SVP, Human Resources & Talent, collemcvoy
Jennifer Lukoff-Sobel - VP Talent Acquisition, Publicis Media Groupe
Doug Parton - VP, Talent and HR, Partners + Napier
Moderated By: Edward Frankel - EVP, Global Talent Acquisition, Omnicom Health Group
Flexibility: Driving the Future of Female Leadership
No one can deny that gender representation in leadership is critical to business success, but the pandemic has led to more women leaving the workforce than we have seen in the past 40 years. This conversation with Rocki Howard will provide guidance to how to look at careers in phases (not a linear approach) for female professionals with other responsibilities and the need to move away from the traditional, vertical career paths to more dynamic horizontal paths with flexible environments that will attract and retain the best talent.
1:35 PM ET
Rocki Howard - Chief People & Equity Officer, The Mom Project
Marla Kaplowitz - President & CEO, 4A's
Employing a Remote Workforce: Helping Agencies Navigate the Complex Interplay of Federal and State Labor and Employment Laws
The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably had a dramatic impact on the standard approach to workforce expectations, leading to the widespread adoption of remote workforces in advertising agencies and other industry sectors across the U.S. economy. This phenomena, in combination with the staffing effects of the “Great Resignation,” has led many agencies to consider hiring remote employees from across state lines in the hopes of accessing a wider talent pool. When agencies hire an out-of-state employee, they typically need to comply with that state’s labor and employment laws, the often-competing laws for the state in which the agency conducts its business, and the overarching federal legal scheme. Because of this, operating in multiple states can quickly become complicated. Agencies must be ready for what a geographically disparate workforce means for its employment law compliance, including wage and hour issues, sick and family leave entitlements, employee electronic surveillance laws, workers’ compensation requirements, general hiring and application rules, employee communication requirements, and more. This session will explore trends across the states in these various legal areas, the common multistate considerations, and what cross-state workforces may look like in the future.
2:05 PM ET
Allison Gotfried - Counsel, Venable LLP
Lead By: Amanda Anderson - Director Government Relations, 4A’s
Break
2:40 PM ET
Do Performance Reviews Still Count?
Performance reviews have evolved over the past decade and the arguments around their success has been debated. The workplace is vastly different today to what it was even two years ago and the way we measure performance is evolving. It is clear we are moving from an input approach to an output results approach, looking less at what goes into the work we do and more at what is produced. This panel will discuss, do performance reviews still count? Do they take up expensive time and really who benefits from that investment? For many their purpose is unclear, for many they are used to justify pay increases or promotions, creating a paper trail in the event it's needed. Today, many are seen as unfair, tied to rigid systems built with inherent bias, designed to favor the few. The panel will discuss the pros and cons of the performance review process and how we need to change if at all?
3:00 PM ET
Richetta Teal - Executive Director - People, Mindshare
Austin Smith PhD - Global Head of Talent & Organizational Development, Wunderman Thompson
Rebecca Turcotte Kish - Director of HR, PropelHR
Moderated By: Brian Vaught - EVP Diversity, Equity & Belonging, Publicis Media
Presented by
PropelHR
Cracking the Talent Crisis: Six Secrets of Attracting and Retaining Employees
Cracking the Talent Crisis: Six Secrets of Attracting and Retaining Employees
Join an all-star team who reveals the mysteries of creating an attractive, meaningful and diverse workplace. During the pandemic and into the talent crisis, Publicis advisor Rishad Tobaccowala, and WorkReduce CEO Brian Dolan have built practices which are shown to work. Attendees will receive an open source copy of the presentation to rebrand and cascade within their organizations.
3:45 PM ET
Brian Dolan - CEO, WorkReduce Inc
Rishad Tobaccowala - Author, Rishad Tobaccowala, LLC
Presented by
WorkReduce
Make Way for a More Human-Centric Employee Value Proposition
The Employee Value Proposition (EVP) of the post pandemic workforce must orient toward employees as people, not workers. Employee engagement has remained relatively flat since 2016 (Gartner) and is no longer the measure for EVP. The new EVP must deliver a more human experience. This panel will discuss how companies must evolve EVP to deliver a more human centered approach around the whole person and designed to provide an exceptional life experience focused on the feelings and features that match employee needs. The new human approach needs to comprise deeper connections, racial flexibility, personal growth, holistic-well being and a shared purpose.
4:05 PM ET
Jennifer Frieman - Chief Talent Officer, Momentum Worldwide
Amanda Schmidt - Global Chief People Officer, Dept Agency
Jason Rosario - Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, BBDO Worldwide
Moderated By: Neisha Springer - Executive Director, A Rose Grows

AGENDA
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23
11:00 AM - 5:15 PM ET
Opening Keynote
Employee Mental Health And Wellbeing - Ignore It At Your Peril
Rob Stephenson - Founder & CEO, FormScore & the InsideOut LeaderBoard
In this session, global mental health campaigner and Founder of FormScore, Rob Stephenson, will share why it is time for employers to make the mental health and wellbeing of employees a strategic priority. Rob will get us thinking differently about our own wellbeing whilst sharing details of his personal story of living and working with bipolar disorder. He will give some insights into why creating cultures that prioritize the wellbeing of employees is one of the great performance opportunities of our time as well as being both the right thing to do and an essential weapon in the war for talent. Finally, Rob will touch on how we can check in on employees in remote and hybrid work models and how to mitigate against burnout.
11:05 AM ET
Intersectionality between Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Mental Health
Aaron Harvey - Co-Founder, Made of Millions & Ready Set Rocket
Dr. Brittany Linton, Ph.D. - Psychologist & Director of Behavioral Health Services, Oakland Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Clinic
Lead By: Sean McGlade - SVP, 4A’s Learning Institute
Racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual minorities often suffer from poor mental health outcomes due to multiple factors including inaccessibility of high-quality mental health care services, cultural stigma surrounding mental health care, discrimination, and overall lack of awareness about mental health. Guests will discuss the differences in cultures having a range of implications for mental health practices includingthe ways that people view health and illness to treatment seeking patterns and issues of racism and discrimination on mental health within the workplace.
11:35 AM ET
HR's Role in Advancing Equity in Times of Unrest
Mascha Strunk - HR Director, MediaHub
Reonna Johnson - Co-Founder & Leader of IN FOR 13, Three's A Crowd
Jessica Torres-Sotto - SVP, Head of People, Civic Entertainment Group, LLC
Moderated By: Barb Rozman-Stokes - Chief Talent Officer, Campbell Ewald
During the 2020 Inaugural 4A’s Equity & Inclusion Congress, a group of HR and Talent leaders came together to form the “Talent Equity Alliance” joining forces to do the work of continuously learning to better themselves, their agencies and the culture of the industry so all talent can thrive equitably. The panel will discuss how as white HR leaders and allies it is our responsibility to drive conversations around how our organizations are willing and open to engage in difficult conversations about respect, rights, equity and systemic change. The way organizations need to move beyond public commitments to diversity and equity to action, and how our role of HR and talent leaders as trusted advisors and consultants has shifted to holding leaders accountable for allyship and outcomes.
12:05 PM ET
Break
12:50 PM ET
Vision Meets Bravery: Now Is The Moment For Bold Talent Transformation
Kat Gordon - CEO, The 3% Movement, Creative Entrepreneur in Residence, Eleven
Courtney Buechert - President, Eleven Inc
What got you here won’t get you there. The Great Resignation means two things: some of your people will leave, and new people will come. How do you keep your people happy, protect your hard-won diversity gains, and become a magnet for new talent looking for their next jump?
One agency is doing something novel to meet this moment. Meet Eleven CEO Courtney Buechert, who recently cemented a decades-long commitment to diversity by taking a chance. He hired 3% Movement’s Founder, Kat Gordon to incubate a new job called Creative Entrepreneur in Residence. Part creative therapist, part remote work rabble rouser, the CEIR is the job of the future, already having ripple effects on Eleven’s culture and workforce. Hear as Courtney and Kat sit in conversation about this bold new role.
1:00 PM ET
The Importance of the Black Employee Journey
Khristy Nguyen - Sr HR Manager, the Community
Taylor Wesley - Management Supervisor, FCB NY
LaRonda Davis - SVP Creative Director, Publicis NA
Terea Shaffer - Cultural Curator Director, Saatchi & Saatchi
Moderated by: Tamiko Evans - SVP Marketing, Communications & Events, 4A’s
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are vital to businesses that want to be successful, robust and evolutionary. To achieve diversity and inclusion, organizations need to address the employee experience which in turn improves how we market to customers and business ROI. Employee experience is about empathy -, understanding that employees are people with hopes, dreams, families and feelings. This panel will discuss how programs like 4A’s Foundation’s VANGUARD help to raise the awareness of the Black employee journey and, how through amplifying and catalyzing the voices and actions of Black employees, leaders are better placed to improve the quality of the journey and advancing their organizations by providing growth opportunities, ongoing development, a sense of belonging, accomplishment and engagement for everyone.
1:35 PM ET
Meeting The Talent Challenges Outside The Big Cities
Stephanie Crockett - President and Chief Operating Officer, Mower
Temitayo Jegede - Director, Talent Solutions, 4A’s
Nikki Wilson - Chief People Officer, TRG (Dallas)
Moderated By: Tracey Pattani - CEO, BSSP (San Francisco)
We often focus too much on the talent challenges facing organizations in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles where competition and talent challenges are different to offices and agencies outside the three big cities. This panel looks at what challenges face many independent agencies and regional offices and how these organizations are increasingly needing to find innovative ways to position themselves as alternatives to the big cities. Leaders will also discuss how to cultivate local talent as well as find and keep talent from larger organizations through the power of purpose, accelerated advancement, a culture of innovation and work/life flexibility.
2:15 PM ET
Break
3:00 PM ET
The State of The 4A’s Foundation
Tangie Murray - SVP 4A’s Foundation
Tangie will provide the latest updates and plans from the 4A’s Foundation. Focusing on how programs are impacting our communities, plans for the future and how your agencies can get more involved to find, develop and grow multicultural talent.
3:15 PM ET
Retention: Beyond the Pay Discussion
Yvonne Yancy - Chief Administrative Officer and Head of Workplace, Understood
Nikki Lamba - Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, DDB Worldwide
Amy Mabry - Director of Business Development, 24 Seven
Moderated By: Tangie Murray - SVP 4A's Foundation
Presented by
24 Seven
Employee retention is the fastest growing competitive differentiator. An organization’s ability to hold on to its talent - especially amidst the current “Great Resignation” has profound ramifications for its ability to operate at a high level, without the disruptions that employee turnover brings. The panel will discuss how agencies need to rethink their retention strategies beyond pay. Retention starts with recruiting by identifying candidates who’ll stay the course, and share your outlook. This includes providing ongoing education and clear paths to advancement; remote work options; has a robust DEIB strategy with leaders who are allies and promoters; and who understand that workers are people first and foremost.
3:40 PM ET
Closing Keynote
Transform your Life and Your Leadership
Didier Sylvain - Life Alignment & Leadership Coach, Didier Sylvain Company
Given the radical shifts in today’s workplace– as well as the need for virtual collaboration and inclusive leadership, the capacity to adapt and evolve is paramount. This begins by internalizing a powerful method of Adaptive Leadership to drive change in ourselves, in our teams, and in our businesses followed by determining which parts of your history to carry forward, how to advance competing priorities across power differences, and what new competencies to grow into. Participants will leave with new clarity to address the question: "What does my future leadership and teaming need to be?"
4:20 PM ET
Closing Remarks
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Barb Rozman-Stokes - Chief Talent Officer, Campbell Ewald & 4A’s Chief Talent & People Officer Council
Simon Fenwick - EVP Talent, Equity & Learning Solutions, 4A's
5:05 PM ET



Information Session: 4A’s Your Partner Hub: Freelancer Portal Demonstration
Presented By: Mollie Rosen - EVP Strategy, Insight and Innovation, 4A’s
In this increasingly challenging talent market, more agencies are leveraging freelance talent to help deliver for their clients. Join us as we demonstrate the soon to launch 4A's YourPartnerHub.com - a new platform designed to help members quickly find freelance talent across a wide spectrum of skills and experience.