Featured Experts & Coaches
Learn and connect with these experts and others during Industry Townhall sessions and in our online community.
Quick Links:
- Brandon L. Griffin, The Council for Corporate Transformation
- Alyssa Dver, ERG Leadership Alliance
- Katharine Halpin, The Halpin Companies
- Kenneth L. Johnson, East Coast Executives & blkbox.tech
- Denise Reed Lamoreaux, Chief Consultant, HR
- Julia C. Rock, Rock Career Development
- Ellysa Smith, CuraHuman
- Dr. Terrence Williams, Chief People Officer
Brandon L. Griffin
The Council for Corporate Transformation
Managing Director
Brandon L. Griffin is a trailblazer in the realm of digital marketing and inclusive leadership. As the co-founder of SMDG (Social Media Development Group), he spearheaded ground-breaking social media initiatives across various sectors. Setting a new standard for industry inclusivity, he helped lead SMDG to becoming Indiana’s first social media marketing firm certified as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE).
During his tenure at Gannett (USA TODAY), Brandon played a pivotal role in integrating digital marketing services into traditional publisher advertising solutions, driving transformative change within the organization. As the chair of Gannett’s Employee Resource Group, Next Gen Forward, he championed a multi-generational workplace culture, fostering growth and engagement among over 7,500 employees. Brandon’s commitment to diversity and inclusion also extended to his role as a founding committee lead on Gannett’s Inclusion Advisory Council, where he provided insights and guidance on internal and external equity efforts.
Brandon’s expertise in emerging technologies and strategic vision positions him as a key contributor to Gannett’s AI Council, where he actively helps shape the integration of AI across various business functions.
Widely regarded as the Gen Z Life Coach, Brandon also serves as a National Board of Director for FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), and the Global Council of Junior Achievement Worldwide – helping to shape the next generation of business leaders.
Alyssa Dver
ERG Leadership Alliance
Founder & Chair
Alyssa Dver is the founder & chair of the ERG Leadership Alliance, the largest global association of employee group champions. She also founded and leads the American Confidence Institute, which uses brain science to teach the skill of confidence. Recognized by the Stevie Awards as a Thought Leader, Alyssa coaches at the MIT and Wharton innovation centers and is a spokesperson for both L’Oréal’s IT Cosmetics and The American Distilling Institute. Check out her two TEDx talks, popular Real Confidence podcast and her 8 expert-endorsed books the latest being, “ERG Intelligence: What every leader needs to know about employee groups.”
Katharine Halpin
The Halpin Companies
Founder & CEO
The Halpin Companies was formed in 1995 to fill a void Katharine saw everyday in her CPA career. Business Leaders were focused more on the legal and financial aspects of growing their organizations than the people aspects. Leaders and managers often lose momentum because of the distraction and disruptions caused by ‘people issues’. Katharine fixes that.
She has facilitated processes to accelerate the growth of organizations by getting the right people, with the right strengths, in the right roles, focused on the right priorities. As a result, organic growth occurs when the team members feel safe to step up and speak up. Katharine is passionate about helping others create these work environments that impact whole industries and the economy because one company becomes the ‘employer of choice’ in their community.
Kenneth L. Johnson
East Coast Executives & blkbox.tech
Founder/CEO
Kenneth L. Johnson is a distinguished Diversity Recruiter and Executive Search professional with 20 years of experience delivering talent-acquisition solutions. In 2019 Kenneth was selected to facilitate weekly Career Workshops at The Google Learning Center New York City. He is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council and is recognized by Black Enterprise Magazine as a BE Modern Man.
At East Coast Executives, Kenneth drives business results for clients through creative sourcing strategies and global recruiting programs as Founder and President. Kenneth has designed recruiting and sourcing strategies for an esteemed roster of client companies including Tiffany and Co.., New York Life, Disney, Pepsi, UPS, Gordon Foods, Crocs, Fruit of the Loom, JOIN for Justice and The Wistar Institute to recruit diverse talent.
His dedication to innovative talent-acquisition strategies and quality candidates makes him a highly sought-after strategic diversity business partner and consultant. Kenneth currently serves as the Diversity Recruitment Specialist for The New York Urban League and is a Forbes Contributor. He has served on several panels and has been featured in Black Enterprise, INC., Solve Magazine, NY Daily News, Monster.com, Fast Company Magazine, Philly.com and The Philadelphia Business Journal.
Denise Reed Lamoreaux
Chief Consultant, HR
Denise is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Professional with 30+ years of experience in senior HR, DEIB, Learning and Development, and Marketing Communications roles at Atos, HP, Xerox, Zillow, and Microsoft. She has won over 50 international awards for her work and is a sought- after speaker at D&I and L&D conferences across the globe.
Denise established symbiotic relationships with Valuable 500; parity.org; The United Nations; L’Autre Cercle; Stonewall, AARP; The Hispanic Promise; Textio; and The International Olympic and Paralympic Committees. She is a certified Executive Coach with 100+ current and former clients and is qualified to deliver Intercultural Development Inventory team workshops and individual debriefs to employees at every level and background.
A graduate of State University of New York at Geneseo, Denise served as President of the Alumni Association and provides an annual scholarship to students pursuing a degree in Education.
Outside of work, you can find Denise with her 4 grandchildren, at her camp, crocheting, reading, or visiting area museums. She is an active volunteer for the Western NY Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Golisano Children’s Hospital, and SUNY Geneseo.
Julia C. Rock
Rock Career Development
Founder & CEO
Julia C. Rock is an employment expert and career coach who is passionate about transforming workplace dynamics to create collective success between organizations and their employees.
As a former senior finance leader in the oil and gas sector, Julia has personally overcome workplace burnout, disengagement, and inequality to coach and empower 1000+ employees to build meaningful careers. She has been featured in several major publications and platforms,
including: Fortune, Business Insider, and xoNecole.
Julia is a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator whose past speaking credits include TEDx, National Urban League, Women Impact Tech, amongst many others.
Julia is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP). She is also a published Author, co-authoring two books focused on helping athletes achieve career greatness after sports: The Six-Figure Athlete, and Athlete to Entrepreneur Vol II.
Ellysa Smith
CuraHuman
Chief Human
Ellysa Smith serves as Chief Human at CuraHuman, a platform dedicated to fostering transformational workplace cultures by empowering leaders to reach their full potential. Through her role as a Choiceness Coach, Ellysa prioritizes the cultivation of workforce engagement and personal development, aiming to activate choiceness and care for every individual’s holistic well-being.
With a background spanning diverse sectors including nonprofits, hospitality, technology, and education, Ellysa brings a decade of Human Resources expertise to her leadership. Her commitment extends beyond professional realms, demonstrated by her active engagement in community initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as advocacy for underserved populations. As a coach, she emphasizes authenticity and respect, reflecting her core values and dedication to supporting others on their journey towards personal and professional growth.
Dr. Terrence Williams
Chief People Officer
Dr. Terrence Williams has led high performing teams for over 20 years for organizations like the Community Foodbank of New Jersey, ACLU, OTG Management, Johnson & Wales University, and The New York Times Company in senior leadership roles in human resources, development and operations. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Hospitality Management from Johnson & Wales University, a Master’s in Human Resources from Troy University, and A Doctorate in Leadership Psychology from William James College.
Most Recently he has overseen the development of a revolutionary national leadership development and succession-planning program for high potential food bank leaders aimed at creating CEOs ready to thrive in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) contexts.
