2026 Silicon Valley Employee Benefits Conference
Transformative Leadership
September 15 & 16 | San Jose
Learn | Explore | Network
Explore two parallel tracks. Click on the links below to access the agenda details.
Conference Sessions
Day 1 - September 15
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Registration and Networking
2026 Employee Benefits Conference: Transformative Leadership
Welcome!
Speaker Details
Full Name
Lisa Yee
Job Title
President and CEO
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Lisa Yee is the President and CEO of SVEF, based in Northern California, leads and engages with employers and partners to drive change in global benefits. She enjoys spending time with her family and two rescue dogs, Daisy & Gryffin, volunteering with animal rescue organizations, traveling, and baking.
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Own Your Only™: Step Into Your Leadership. Amplify Your Impact.
Presented by Opening Keynote Speaker Angela Chee
You have more influence than you think. As benefits leaders help organizations navigate well-being, workforce transformation, and an increasingly complex future, the opportunity to lead has never been greater. Drawing from her Own Your Only™ and YOU, Amplified!® leadership and communication frameworks, Angela Chee inspires attendees to own their voice, leverage their unique strengths, and lead with greater impact. Through powerful stories, research based insights, and actionable takeaways, participants will leave energized and equipped to lead meaningful change, strengthen connection, and create workplaces where people can thrive.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Angela Chee
Job Title
A former news anchor, media strategist, Keynote speaker, creator of "YOU Amplified".
Biography
Angela Chee is a keynote speaker, emcee, communication coach, podcast host, and 10x award-winning author of The Power of The Only-Own Your Voice, Thrive in Any Environment. A former TV news anchor/reporter with 20+years experience in the media, she’s worked with top TV stations from Los Angeles to San Diego, and hosted national shows from HGTV to E! She now helps leaders Own Your Only™ and become YOU, Amplified!® clear, confident, and connected on camera and off and step into their leadership. Trusted by Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, JPMorgan Chase, and more. Angela delivers high‑impact keynotes, facilitates transformative conversations, and emcees global conferences with polish, presence, and heart. She’s been featured as an expert on The Today Show, local morning shows, and served as a media mentor on Lifetime’s The Pop Game and even made an appearance in the film Blades of Glory.
10:20 AM - 11:00 AM
The New EVP Equation: Transformative Leadership for a Changing Global Workforce
Presented by Aon
In today’s rapidly shifting global landscape, transformative leadership is essential for organizations seeking to attract, engage, and retain top talent. The traditional Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is no longer enough—employees now expect a more holistic, personalized, and purpose-driven experience, while organizations must balance these expectations with evolving market realities.
This session explores how global leaders are reimagining TR/EVP as a strategic tool for transformation. We’ll examine how innovative organizations are:
- Driving Success via KPI’s
- Personalizing Total Rewards
- Aligning Purpose and Performance
- Adapting More Quickly to Market Disruption
- Driving Business Impact
Discover how transformative leaders are redefining the EVP equation—balancing workforce expectations with market realities to build resilient, future-ready organizations.
3 Key Learnings:
- How to Build a Globally Relevant and Locally Resonant TR/EVP
- Leveraging Data and Analytics to Drive EVP Innovation
- Generating More Value with the Same (or Less)
Speaker Details
Full Name
Serafina Miller
Job Title
Senior Vice President, Health Solutions Practice
Company
Aon
Biography
Serafina Miller, GBA, is a Senior Vice President in Aon’s Northern California Health Solutions Practice. In this role, she partners with employers to ensure their employee benefits programs integrate with total rewards strategies and business objectives, as well as aligning with organizations’ broader health equity, diversity and inclusion strategies, including accelerating inclusive benefits for the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.
Prior to joining Aon in 2025, Serafina was a Partner and served as a Health Lead Consultant at Mercer. She first began working in the industry in 1998.
With 26 years of industry experience, she has spent the last 13 years of her career with an increasing focus on multinational technology firms and healthcare clients.
Her health care expertise includes domestic utilization and steerage, healthcare reimbursement, network optimization, clinical outcomes management, ACO product design, and union support.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Savannah Burnett
Job Title
US Benefits Leader
Company
OpenAI
Biography
Savannah Burnett is a US benefits leader who has spent her career building inclusive, convenient, and family‑friendly programs for some of the world’s most innovative companies. Currently leading US Benefits at OpenAI, she previously served as Americas Benefits Leader at Zscaler and as a global benefits consultant at WTW, Sequoia, and the Silicon Valley Employers Forum, partnering with hyper‑growth, market‑leading organizations on multi‑country strategy and execution.
Known by colleagues as a calm “anchor” in complex global rollouts, Savannah blends strategic depth with pragmatic delivery—cutting through noise, anticipating risk, and leading with confidence and care. Her experience spans $100M+ portfolios, global governance, vendor transitions, and benefits innovation that keeps employees engaged and well supported. Savannah holds a B.S. in Health Science from Saint Mary’s College of California and is deeply passionate about wellness, modern financial benefits, and designing programs that work for every stage of employees’ lives.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Alice Vichaita
Job Title
Senior Director, Global Benefits
Company
Atlassian
Biography
Alice Vichaita is a global benefits leader who has spent her career designing programs that truly work for employees and their families at some of the world’s most admired companies. Currently Senior Director of Global Benefits at Atlassian, she previously led global benefits and mobility at Pinterest and held key benefits leadership roles at LinkedIn, Salesforce, Visa, and Siebel, where she helped pioneer modern, family‑friendly, and inclusive benefits—from enhanced parental leave and NICU support to transgender healthcare and expanded mental health offerings.
Recognized by colleagues as “the best benefits leader I’ve worked with,” Alice combines deep technical expertise with a calm, people‑first leadership style. She is known for crafting global strategies, managing vendors and operations to a high standard, and building strong, empowered teams. A trusted partner across HR and the business, Alice is passionate about creating benefits that drive belonging, support well‑being, and keep pace with how work and families are changing.
11:00 AM - 11:20 AM
Networking Break and Partner Showcase
11:25 AM - 12:05 PM
Beyond the Episode: Building a Lifespan of AI‑Enabled, High‑Touch Women’s Care
Presented by Progyny and Dell
Maternal health faces rising risks and fragmented care. This session explores the need to treat women’s health as a continuous, personalized journey at every stage. Blending AI-driven technology with high-touch support delivers improved outcomes, greater equity, and lower costs. This session illustrates transformative leadership by connecting two expert perspectives to discuss the paradigm shift in women’s health.
Maternal health in the U.S. is in crisis, with rising risks, widening care deserts, and fragmented systems driving poor outcomes and unsustainable costs. This session introduces a new model: one that treats women’s health as a continuous, personalized journey – not an isolated episode. It is a new kind of specialized women’s health plan: one that combines AI-driven technology with high-touch support and integrates seamlessly into the health plan ecosystem to offer a scalable, connected solution that reduces costs and improves outcomes through integrated care that starts early, addresses comorbidities, and spans preconception through menopause.
The future of women’s health demands more. It requires a smarter, stronger system for working families. 3 Key Learnings:
- Why a continuous, integrated model of women’s health is a needed shift
- How prioritizing equitable, scalable care models can transform outcomes and access
- Why investing in programs that intersect AI-technology with high-touch support moves the needles on member experience
Speaker Details
Full Name
Julie Stadlbauer
Job Title
Chief Business Development Officer
Company
Progyny
Biography
Julie brings over two decades of strategy and leadership in business development at notable healthcare start-ups and some of the world’s largest health insurance companies. She leads a diverse team focused on Progyny’s strategy and growth execution across key partnerships, industry groups, and employer sales. Julie is passionate about Progyny’s mission and pairs her experience with employers, benefit consultants, and health plans to ensure that everyone has access to a comprehensive and supported fertility and family building benefit. Julie has been with Progyny since 2017, prior to joining Progyny, Julie held various roles at Cigna, Bloom Health, and ConsumerMedical.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jessica Denshaw
Job Title
Consultant Global Benefits
Company
Dell
12:05 PM - 1:15 PM
Networking Lunch and Partner Showcase
1:20 PM - 1:55 PM
Healthy, High‑Impact Organizations: Building Systems That Respond to Stress Before It Becomes Burnout
Presented by Kaiser
High‑performance—especially in fast‑moving, always‑on environments—can mask early signs of employee strain. Many organizations are discovering that some of their strongest performers are still meeting expectations while quietly struggling beneath the surface, increasing long‑term risks to engagement, collaboration, productivity, and retention. In this session, Kaiser will share how an employer recognized these early warning signs, why traditional mental health approaches weren’t sufficient, and what they changed to better support employees before stress escalated into burnout or attrition. Through a facilitated conversation, we’ll explore how rethinking access to mental health wellbeing support, enabling managers, and designing more flexible pathways helped strengthen workforce resilience—without waiting for performance to decline.
Attendees will hear practical lessons from the employer’s experience and leave with insights they can apply within their own organizations to protect high‑performance talent and sustain a healthy, engaged culture.
3 Key Learnings:
- How early workforce strain shows up—before performance drops
Learn how one employer identified subtle but meaningful signals among high performers—such as shifts in connection, collaboration, and psychological safety—that indicated employees were struggling long before KPIs or productivity metrics changed. - What actually helped employees engage earlier with support
Understand how the employer rethought “access” to mental health support—not just speed to care, but offering the right types of support at the right time—and why flexibility and choice mattered more than adding another benefit. - What HR and benefits leaders can do differently tomorrow
Take away practical, employer‑tested considerations for enabling managers, reducing stigma, and designing support systems that respond to stress early—helping protect retention, resilience, and long‑term performance in high‑pressure work environments.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Dr. Todd Dray
Job Title
Head and Neck Surgeon and Assistant Physician-in-Chief of Santa Clara Medical Center
Company
Kaiser
Biography
Todd Dray, MD, is a board-certified Head and Neck Surgeon who has practiced Permanente Medicine at The Permanente Medical Group in Northern California for 25 years. Dr. Dray also has served as an affiliated faculty member at Stanford University Medical Center and is a researcher who has published multiple articles and book chapters in his field.
Dr. Dray has developed extensive leadership experience during his tenure at Kaiser Permanente. He currently serves as Assistant Physician-in-Chief of Santa Clara Medical Center with oversight over areas including Physician Human Resources, Health Promotion, Member Outreach, Lab and Pathology, as well as supporting national employer groups who select Kaiser Foundation Health Plan. Through these roles, Dr. Dray has collaborated across specialties to improve member experience and health outcomes.
As a Permanente Medicine Leader for National Accounts, Dr. Dray is an expert with personal experience in the benefits of Kaiser Permanente’s unique integrated care delivery model for his patients. In addition to maintaining an active clinical practice, he assists customers and consultants with understanding key health care market trends and Kaiser Permanente’s value proposition and with developing health strategies for employees supported by clinical data, reports and research results.
Dr. Dray, a native of Wyoming, completed his undergraduate degree in Human Biology at Stanford University, his medical degree at University of Utah School of Medicine, internship and residency at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont and Dartmouth, and completed a fellowship In Laryngology and Voice at the University of Washington Medical Center. Dr. Dray and his family like to fish, play tennis, bike, and ski.
2:00 PM - 2:35 PM
The Trust Paradox: Leading with Transparency in a Benefits World
Presented by Segal Benz
As AI becomes the front door to employee benefits, transformational leaders must build trust through transparency, ethics, and empathy. This session explores how to lead AI adoption in ways that preserve human connection and confidence—aligning with SVEF’s mission to inspire strategic, progressive change.
AI is reshaping how employees engage with benefits—from chatbots to decision support tools. Yet only 26% of consumers trust organizations to use AI responsibly. This session challenges leaders to rethink automation not just as a tech upgrade, but as a trust-building opportunity. Drawing on behavioral science and real-world case studies, we’ll explore how to design AI-powered benefits experiences that are transparent, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent.
3 Key Takeaways
- Trust-building frameworks: Embed transparency and ethical oversight into AI-enabled benefits workflows
- Human + AI design: Balance automation with empathy—especially in high-stakes moments like leave, retirement, and health decisions
- Real-world wins: See how AI assistants have improved engagement and reduced HR load—without sacrificing trust
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jennifer Schuster
Job Title
SVP Communications Practice Leader
Company
Segal Benz
Biography
Jenny is a Senior Vice President and Communications Practice Leader for Segal Benz. She is affiliated with the San Francisco office.
Jenny and her team help leading organizations to inspire their people to improve their health, their finances and their futures. She has 25 years of experience in strategic communications planning and execution, and has led award-winning employee communication initiatives. She’s also an expert at leading employees through significant organization and program-related changes. She’s an experienced team leader and empathetic people manager.
Jenny leads some of the firm’s largest communications relationships. She advises Segal Benz’s corporate, multiemployer and public sector clients across industries, including healthcare, retail, technology, higher education, telecommunications, banking/financial services, defense, communications/media, manufacturing, food and hospitality, grocery and transportation.
Prior to joining Segal Benz, Jenny was the Director of Internal Communications for Level 3 Communications, where she led the team responsible for the organization’s employee engagement and communications strategy. She has also worked in consulting roles with Buck Consultants and Mercer.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Sarah Schutzberger
Job Title
Sr. Manager of Benefits and Wellness
Company
Samsung Semiconductor
Biography
Sarah Schutzberger is the Benefits Manager at Samsung Semiconductor, where she drives transformative health and wellness strategies to enhance workplace well-being. With a passion for inspiring others to be their best selves, Sarah builds data-driven programs that promote physical, social, emotional, and financial wellness. Her proactive approach and unwavering integrity are at the core of her efforts to design solutions that not only improve employee health but also reduce costs, attract top talent, and strengthen company culture.
2:35 PM - 2:55 PM
Networking Break and Partner Showcase
3:00 PM - 3:35 PM
Coming soon
Speaker Details
Full Name
Abby Hollingsworth
Job Title
Vice President, Global Employee Benefits
Company
Salesforce
3:40 PM - 4:15 PM
Outside the Benefits Box: Micron’s Integrated Wellbeing & People Experience Journey
Presented by Micron
As Micron’s wellbeing function has matured, it has continued to evolve — expanding its scope and deepening its impact to reflect a broader People Experience philosophy. Built on the belief that wellbeing has no boundaries — that work life and home life are deeply interconnected — Micron has moved beyond programs to actively shape a culture of sustainable, holistic wellbeing. Today, the team serves as a true strategic partner to the business, leading key functions including new employee onboarding, enterprise listening and insights, and inclusion — bringing a human-centered lens to the full employee experience.
3 Key Takeaways:
- Culture over programs — why the shift matters. Learn how Micron moved from a traditional benefits and wellness program mindset to building a culture of holistic wellbeing — and why that distinction is the foundation of a function that drives real, measurable business impact
- The power of a standalone wellbeing function. Discover how positioning wellbeing as an independent function — with dedicated focus on the whole employee experience across physical, mental, social, career, and financial dimensions — enables deeper integration, greater influence, and stronger outcomes than embedding it within traditional HR or benefits structures
- Wellbeing as a strategic business partner. Explore how Micron’s People Experience team expanded its mandate beyond wellbeing to lead new employee onboarding, enterprise listening and insights, and inclusion — and what it takes to earn and sustain a seat at the strategic table
Speaker Details
Full Name
Dr. Marni McDowell
Job Title
Vice President, Global Benefits, Wellbeing and Experience
Company
Micron Technology
Biography
Dr. Marni McDowell is Senior Director of People Experience at Micron Technology, where she leads teams focused on wellbeing, inclusion, team member advocacy, and listening. A Registered Dietitian, she holds a Master of Science in Wellness Promotion and a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She began her career in health care and has spent the past 18 years advancing corporate health and wellbeing at Micron. Marni is passionate about creating a work environment where people can thrive both at work and beyond. She lives in Boise with her husband, Matt, and enjoys exploring Idaho’s mountains in her free time.
4:20 PM - 4:30 PM
Close
Presented by Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Speaker Details
Full Name
Erik Kapelke
Job Title
Advisor Member and Partner Engagement
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Erik Kapelke, Advisor Member and Partner Engagement, based in Northern California, works with SVEF partners and Member companies. He has worked in Global Benefits, Client Management, and Market Development in the US and internationally for over 35 years. He enjoys spending time with family and staying active while playing golf, watching old movies and following the English Premier football league.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Networking Reception
Day 2 - September 16
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Registration and Networking
8:45 AM - 8:55 AM
Welcome
Presented by Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Speaker Details
Full Name
Barbara Thompson
Job Title
Director
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Barbara Thompson, Director, based in Northern California, leads SVEF's data analytics & insights and strategic planning. She has held various roles in global and US benefits. She enjoys time with family and friends, reading, exploring hiking trails in her hometown, and is an avid animal lover.
9:00 AM - 9:40 AM
Community Is the Competitive Advantage – How Connection Drives Engagement, Retention, and Resilience
Presented by Opening Keynote Speaker Scilla Andreen
In an era of AI acceleration, hybrid work, and rising burnout, organizations are searching for ways to help people stay engaged, resilient, and connected. Drawing from decades of listening to real human stories as an award-winning filmmaker, author, CEO, and mother of six, Scilla Andreen explores a simple truth: people perform better when they know they matter.
But how do we actually help people feel that they belong? How do we create cultures where people feel seen, valued, and supported before they reach burnout or crisis?
This session blends neuroscience, lived experience, and practical leadership tools to explore how meaningful human connection strengthens culture, improves decision-making, and ultimately impacts the bottom line.
3 Key Learnings:
- Why belonging drives performance – Understand the brain science behind connection and why people do their best work when they feel seen, valued, and psychologically safe.
- One simple leadership practice leaders can use immediately – A powerful “pause” moment that helps leaders respond instead of react, creating healthier teams and better decision-making.
- Practical tools for building connection at work – Attendees will leave with simple approaches to normalize help-seeking, strengthen team communication, and support emotional resilience.
Participants will receive two weeks of access to The Creative Coping Toolkit (CCT), a film and evidence-based mental health education program designed for individuals, teams, and families. The program addresses topics including anxiety, loneliness, digital citizenship, online safety, bullying, and belonging, and provides practical tools that help people better understand themselves, support one another, and build healthier communication patterns at work and at home.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Scilla Andreen
Job Title
CEO
Company
Impactful Networks
Biography
Scilla Andreen is the founder and CEO of Impactful Networks and a pioneering voice in mental health literacy, storytelling, and ethical AI. She created the Creative Coping Toolkit (CCT), a science-based, AI-augmented program blending film, neuroscience, and design to build emotional resilience across schools, families, and workplaces.
Her films—LIKE, Angst, The Upstanders, Race to Be Human—have reached millions and are used in thousands of schools and Fortune 500 companies. She’s also the Co-Founder of IndieFlix and founder of the Impactful Fund, a nonprofit making mental health education free for underserved communities and Title 1 schools.
Now through GiGi her multilingual, brain-science-based mental health coach at getgigi.org —Scilla is redefining how we access emotional support and self-regulation tools anytime, anywhere.
A popular speaker at CES, Cannes, Sundance, and major mental health and healthcare forums, she brings a cross-sector lens to the future of wellness, tech, and human connection. She lives in Seattle with her husband, two black labs, and six incredible kids and believes the future of mental health starts with the stories we tell and the connections we choose to nurture.
9:45 AM - 10:20 AM
Innovative Strategies for Global Benefits: Crafting the Future
Presented by Anthem Blue Cross
3 Key Learnings:
- Integration of Technology in Benefits: Attendees will learn how to leverage cutting-edge technology to deliver personalized benefit experiences on a global scale.
- Sustainable and Inclusive Benefits Design: Participants will gain insights into designing benefits that promote inclusivity and sustainability, aligning with the company’s values and employee expectations.
- Enhancing Employer-Employee Relationships: The session will provide strategies to foster stronger relationships between employers and their global workforce through innovative benefits practices.
10:25 AM - 10:40 AM
Networking Break and Partner Showcase
10:40 AM - 11:25 AM
2030 Starts Now: Predictive Plan Design for the Tech Workforce
Presented by Benifex
Benefits and wellbeing leaders can’t afford to design for today alone. In a landscape defined by rapid innovation, leaner teams and global competition for specialist talent, strategies must actively support performance – not just respond to change.
Workforce dynamics are shifting fast. Expectations are rising – over 70% of younger employees say benefits matter more than they did two years ago – while ageing populations and rising costs push health, protection and financial security to the top of the agenda.
In this forward-looking session, award-winning psychologist, bestselling HR author and Chief Advisory Officer at Benifex, Gethin Nadin will explore what today’s workforce signals reveal about the next five years. Drawing on global research with 7,000 employees, the session will examine how life stage, behavior and workforce insight enable predictive plan design for global organizations focused on resilience and growth.
Because future-ready benefits isn’t about offering more: it’s about designing smarter.
In this interactive session, you’ll explore:
- How rising employee expectations signal where strategies must evolve
- What an ageing, multi-generational workforce means for health, protection and cost strategy
- Why life course variables are more predictive than generational classifications
- How delivery and communication must adapt for next-generation workforces
- How to use consumer data and sentiment to design smarter plans
- How benefits leaders can stay ahead of C-suite expectations and shape strategic decisions in an AI-enabled future of work
Speaker Details
Full Name
Gethin Nadin
Job Title
Multi-Award-Winning Psychologist, two-times bestselling HR Author and Chief Advisory Officer
Company
Benifex
Biography
Gethin is an award-winning psychologist, bestselling HR author, and one of the world’s most influential HR thinkers. Gethin was awarded seven trophies in 2024 for his work in influencing the global HR industry, most recently awarded two prestigious Stevie’s awards in New York for HR Thought Leader of the Year and HR Professional of the Year. He was also awarded PwC’s ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Industry’ at the 2024 The Rewards in London. Gethin is also a Fellow at the historic King’s College London, King’s Business School - a business school in the top 1% globally.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Terry Tansill
Job Title
Executive Director of Total Rewards
Company
Baker Hughes
Biography
Mr. Tansill is responsible for the broad hybrid portfolio of Total Rewards activities, with a heavy focus on global benefits programs and infrastructure. He has direct ownership and accountability for overseeing the design, administration and compliance activities for global compensation and benefits programs, including Health and Welfare and retirement plans. In his previous role he was the Director of Total Rewards North America and Global Programs and been with Baker Hughes since 2018 in other total reward positions.
11:30 AM - 12:05 PM
From Benefits to Breakthroughs: Transformative Leadership in Global Financial Wellness
Presented by nudge
In an era where global HR and benefits leaders face unprecedented complexity, from cost pressures to diverse employee needs — global financial wellness programs have emerged as a powerful lever for both organizational performance and workforce resilience. This session explores how forward-thinking, transformative leaders are reimagining their programs to create holistic, locally relevant, and measurable strategy.
Global HR and benefits leaders are navigating rising costs, shifting needs and noisy point solutions. This session shares a leadership playbook for building a financially resilient workforce through a financial wellness program that is globally consistent, locally relevant and measurable. We will unpack real examples of how leaders move beyond traditional benefits delivery to create a financial wellness program that works in every market and proves impact on benefits utilization and improved employee financial health.
3 Key Learnings:
- What a best-practice, evidence-led strategy looks like when financial wellness is aligned with mental and physical health
- How to turn fragmented data into a single, actionable story leaders can use to improve employee financial health
- How to deliver a global approach, powered by AI, that increases benefit utilization and employee financial confidence without complexity
Speaker Details
Full Name
Chris Wakely
Job Title
CRO
Company
nudge
Biography
Chris Wakely brings 25 years of benefits technology experience to his role in nudge's multinational practice, where he helps large, complex organizations navigate financial health globally and locally. Previously Head of Sales at Thomsons Online Benefits (acquired by Mercer, now Darwin), he went on to lead international business at Benify ahead of its acquisition by Zellis Group to become Benifex in 2025. Chris understands the nuances of global and local benefits delivery, and how the right combination of technology and human intervention can drive meaningful engagement for employees, wherever they are in the world.
12:05 PM - 1:05 PM
Networking Lunch and Partner Showcase
1:10 PM - 1:45 PM
Rethinking Benefits: Personalization as a Leadership Strategy
Presented by bswift and Qualcomm
This session will challenge attendees to rethink their organization’s benefits strategy—and inspire them to lead with a new perspective. Transformative leadership starts with rethinking how we connect with employees. Personalization isn’t just a tool—it’s a leadership strategy that turns benefits into a driver of engagement, well-being, and organizational success. In this session, we’ll explore how data, behavioral science, and AI can equip leaders to meet employees where they are, driving measurable change and delivering clear ROI. Through real-world examples, we’ll show how personalization improves well-being, reduces absenteeism, and strengthens engagement. Most importantly, we’ll focus on the leadership mindset required to make personalization a cornerstone of strategic decision-making.
3 Key Learnings:
- Discover how understanding and addressing individual employee needs transforms benefits into a powerful leadership tool
- Learn how to leverage real-time insights to make smarter decisions and adapt to a rapidly changing workforce
- See how personalized benefits strategies deliver measurable results, improve health outcomes, reduce costs, and boost engagement
Speaker Details
Full Name
Trent York
Job Title
VP Product Portfolio Strategy
Company
bswift
Biography
Trent brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of benefits technology and human experience. As VP of Product Portfolio Strategy at bswift, he leads the teams building the platforms, data integrations, and administrative experiences that shape how millions of people interact with their benefits. What drives him is a conviction that benefits can — and should — feel personal: that the right combination of data, behavioral science, and AI can turn a traditionally transactional experience into one that genuinely meets people where they are. Before joining bswift, Trent held product and technology leadership roles in the Consumer Directed Health Accounts space, overseeing innovations in HSA, FSA, COBRA, and commuter benefit programs.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Melissa Real
Job Title
Director of America Benefits
Company
Qualcomm
Biography
Melissa Real leads Qualcomm’s Americas Region Employee Benefit Programs, including health and welfare and retirement programs. Melissa joined Qualcomm in July of 2016. In 2018, Melissa was instrumental in the successful launch of a custom Accountable Care Organization (ACO) for Qualcomm’s San Diego-based employees, which includes unique Qualcomm features focused on improving quality, value and patient experience. Melissa also serves on the Board of Purchasers Business Group on Health (PBGH) where she co-chairs a workgroup focused on improving maternity care and outcomes. Melissa holds SHRM-CP, PHR and CCP designations. She has over 20 years of Human Resources experience with the majority focused on helping organizations create and promote Total Reward programs that align with their strategic business objectives.
1:50 PM - 2:50 PM
A Multi-Generational Workplace: It’s (Really!) A Good Thing
Presented by Closing Keynote Speaker Cam Marston
Speaker Details
Full Name
Cam Marston
Job Title
Founder
Company
Generational Insights
Biography
Cam Marston is an author, talk show host, and top-rated keynote speaker on the trends shaping the workplace and marketplace. His original focus was on generational differences and their impact on the workplace and marketplace. Cam and his firm, Generational Insights, have provided research and consultation to hundreds of organizations, ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations, as well as to major professional associations. Cam’s books and articles describe and analyze the major generations of our time, explaining how generational workplace and marketplace preferences affect every aspect of business, including recruiting and retention, management and motivation, and sales and marketing.
In 2018, Cam began a podcast/radio titled What’s Working with Cam Marston. Cam interviews a wide range of expert guests to learn about the trends influencing their workplace, workforce, and marketplace, and how they are successfully reacting to them. He has now broadcast over 300 episodes and released his fifth book, What Works: The Ten Best Ideas from the First 200 Episodes.
Cam also records commentaries for Alabama Public Radio called Keepin’ It Real. They’re his humorous and inspirational observations of the world around him and have won both statewide and national awards. The commentaries have been converted into short, subscription-based videos to be used as weekly training content for the workplace.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University and is a native and resident of Mobile, Alabama.
2:50 PM - 3:00 PM
- Certificates
- Raffle
- Closing remarks
Speaker Details
Full Name
Lisa Yee
Job Title
President and CEO
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Lisa Yee is the President and CEO of SVEF, based in Northern California, leads and engages with employers and partners to drive change in global benefits. She enjoys spending time with her family and two rescue dogs, Daisy & Gryffin, volunteering with animal rescue organizations, traveling, and baking.
Learning Practice
Day 1 - September 15
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Registration and Networking
2026 Employee Benefits Conference: Transformative Leadership
Welcome!
Speaker Details
Full Name
Lisa Yee
Job Title
President and CEO
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Lisa Yee is the President and CEO of SVEF, based in Northern California, leads and engages with employers and partners to drive change in global benefits. She enjoys spending time with her family and two rescue dogs, Daisy & Gryffin, volunteering with animal rescue organizations, traveling, and baking.
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Own Your Only™: Step Into Your Leadership. Amplify Your Impact.
Presented by Opening Keynote Speaker Angela Chee
You have more influence than you think. As benefits leaders help organizations navigate well-being, workforce transformation, and an increasingly complex future, the opportunity to lead has never been greater. Drawing from her Own Your Only™ and YOU, Amplified!® leadership and communication frameworks, Angela Chee inspires attendees to own their voice, leverage their unique strengths, and lead with greater impact. Through powerful stories, research based insights, and actionable takeaways, participants will leave energized and equipped to lead meaningful change, strengthen connection, and create workplaces where people can thrive.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Angela Chee
Job Title
A media and communication coach, keynote speaker, creator of “YOU, Amplified!®,” podcast host, and author of The Power Of The Only: Own Your Voice, Thrive in Any Environment
10:20 AM - 11:00 AM
Learning Practice: Why You Are Here
Presented by Silicon Valley Employers Forum
- Introductions and participant goals
- What to expect over the two days
- How the learning track works
- Questions, participation, and breakout teams
This opening session will set the stage for the two-day learning experience and explain how the training track fits within the broader conference program. Attendees will meet one another, review the syllabus, understand how the sessions build on each other, and learn what will be expected throughout the course—including participation in the final team breakout exercise.
The goal is to create an interactive, collegial, and practical learning environment where attendees can ask questions, compare approaches, and learn not only from the faculty, but from one another. By the end of this session, participants will understand the roadmap ahead and how the course will help them become more effective global benefits leaders.
11:00 AM - 11:20 AM
Networking Break and Partner Showcase
11:25 AM - 12:05 PM
Learning Practice: Primer for Some; Refresh for Others
- ABC’s of International Employee Benefits (IEB)
- Types of employees and benefit approaches
- Global benefits fundamentals in high-tech organizations
This session covers the fundamentals of international employee benefits and provides a practical foundation for the rest of the course. Attendees will learn what makes high-tech and globally mobile workforces distinct, how benefits differ across employee groups, and why global plans often require different strategies for local nationals, expatriates, and third-country nationals.
The session will also introduce core concepts such as social programs, retirement trends, plan financing, and the role of employer-sponsored benefits around the world. Whether this material is brand new or simply in need of a refresh, participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the language, structure, and moving parts of global benefits.
12:05 PM - 1:15 PM
Networking Lunch and Partner Showcase
1:20 PM - 1:55 PM
Learning Practice: Social Security and Mandatory Programs
- Social systems around the world
- Mandatory programs and local requirements
- How employer-sponsored benefits fit on top
Global benefits do not begin with the employer—they begin with the country. This session examines how national social systems, mandatory programs, and local cultural expectations shape what employers must provide, what they may choose to enhance, and what employees expect from a competitive high-tech employer.
Using examples from different markets, attendees will explore how government-provided benefits interact with supplemental employer-sponsored plans, as well as how taxation, financing, labor rules, and local practice influence plan design. By the end of the session, participants will be better equipped to distinguish between mandatory obligations and strategic benefit choices.
2:00 PM - 2:35 PM
Learning Practice: What Do the Typical High-Tech Employers Provide?
- Benchmarking across countries and peer groups
- Occupational plans and wellbeing offerings
- Differentiation, competitiveness, and cost awareness
This session looks at what high-tech employers typically provide around the world—and why “typical” can still vary quite a bit by country, culture, company stage, and talent strategy. Attendees will review common benefit offerings, occupational plans, wellbeing programs, and benchmarking approaches used to evaluate competitiveness in the market.
The discussion will also focus on the real value of benchmarking: identifying where your organization is differentiating effectively, where it may be overspending, and where gaps may exist. Participants will leave with a more practical framework for evaluating benefits strategy against peers without simply copying what everyone else is doing.
2:35 PM - 2:55 PM
Networking Break and Partner Showcase
3:00 PM - 3:35 PM
Learning Practice: What About Our Expats, RTW, WFA?
- Expatriates, local nationals, and different assignment types
- Return to work and work-from-anywhere models
- Legal, compensation, and benefit challenges
This two-part session explores one of the most complicated areas in global benefits: supporting a workforce that no longer fits neatly into one location, one employment model, or one benefits structure. The first part focuses on expatriates—why expat packages exist, what they commonly include, how they differ from local arrangements, and when companies may consider transitioning employees to local terms.
The second part examines return-to-work and work-from-anywhere arrangements, including the legal, compensation, tax, and benefits issues that can emerge when flexibility outpaces policy. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how peers are approaching these challenges and how to think through them more strategically inside their own organizations.
3:40 PM - 4:15 PM
Learning Practice: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
- Pre-close and post-close benefits issues
- Due diligence and integration risks
- Case-study approach
Benefits issues can create major surprises in a merger or acquisition if they are not identified early and managed carefully. This session will walk attendees through the benefits implications of M&A activity, with a focus on due diligence, integration planning, hidden liabilities, and the practical realities of combining programs across companies and countries.
Using a case-study format, the session will cover both pre-transaction and post-transaction phases so participants can better understand what to look for, what questions to ask, and where the biggest risks often sit. By the end, attendees should feel far more confident participating in M&A conversations instead of hoping someone else has it covered.
4:20 PM - 4:30 PM
Close
Presented by Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Speaker Details
Full Name
Erik Kapelke
Job Title
Advisor Member and Partner Engagement
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Erik Kapelke, Advisor Member and Partner Engagement, based in Northern California, works with SVEF partners and Member companies. He has worked in Global Benefits, Client Management, and Market Development in the US and internationally for over 35 years. He enjoys spending time with family and staying active while playing golf, watching old movies and following the English Premier football league.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Networking Reception
Day 2 - September 16
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Registration and Networking
8:45 AM - 8:55 AM
Welcome
Presented by Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Speaker Details
Full Name
Barbara Thompson
Job Title
Director
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Barbara Thompson, Director, based in Northern California, leads SVEF's data analytics & insights and strategic planning. She has held various roles in global and US benefits.
She enjoys time with family and friends, reading, exploring hiking trails in her hometown, and is an avid animal lover.
9:00 AM - 9:40 AM
Community Is the Competitive Advantage – How Connection Drives Engagement, Retention, and Resilience
Presented by Opening Keynote Speaker Scilla Andreen
In an era of AI acceleration, hybrid work, and rising burnout, organizations are searching for ways to help people stay engaged, resilient, and connected. Drawing from decades of listening to real human stories as an award-winning filmmaker, author, CEO, and mother of six, Scilla Andreen explores a simple truth: people perform better when they know they matter.
But how do we actually help people feel that they belong? How do we create cultures where people feel seen, valued, and supported before they reach burnout or crisis?
This session blends neuroscience, lived experience, and practical leadership tools to explore how meaningful human connection strengthens culture, improves decision-making, and ultimately impacts the bottom line.
3 Key Learnings:
- Why belonging drives performance – Understand the brain science behind connection and why people do their best work when they feel seen, valued, and psychologically safe.
- One simple leadership practice leaders can use immediately – A powerful “pause” moment that helps leaders respond instead of react, creating healthier teams and better decision-making.
- Practical tools for building connection at work – Attendees will leave with simple approaches to normalize help-seeking, strengthen team communication, and support emotional resilience.
Participants will receive two weeks of access to The Creative Coping Toolkit (CCT), a film and evidence-based mental health education program designed for individuals, teams, and families. The program addresses topics including anxiety, loneliness, digital citizenship, online safety, bullying, and belonging, and provides practical tools that help people better understand themselves, support one another, and build healthier communication patterns at work and at home.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Scilla Andreen
Job Title
CEO
Company
Impactful Networks
Biography
Scilla Andreen is the founder and CEO of Impactful Networks and a pioneering voice in mental health literacy, storytelling, and ethical AI. She created the Creative Coping Toolkit (CCT), a science-based, AI-augmented program blending film, neuroscience, and design to build emotional resilience across schools, families, and workplaces.
Her films—LIKE, Angst, The Upstanders, Race to Be Human—have reached millions and are used in thousands of schools and Fortune 500 companies. She’s also the Co-Founder of IndieFlix and founder of the Impactful Fund, a nonprofit making mental health education free for underserved communities and Title 1 schools.
Now through GiGi her multilingual, brain-science-based mental health coach at getgigi.org —Scilla is redefining how we access emotional support and self-regulation tools anytime, anywhere.
A popular speaker at CES, Cannes, Sundance, and major mental health and healthcare forums, she brings a cross-sector lens to the future of wellness, tech, and human connection. She lives in Seattle with her husband, two black labs, and six incredible kids and believes the future of mental health starts with the stories we tell and the connections we choose to nurture.
9:45 AM - 10:20 AM
Learning Practice: Yes, Some People Do Want to Retire
- Saving for the future
- Defined benefit and defined contribution realities
- Global best practices in retirement design
Retirement may not always get top billing in high-tech benefits conversations, but in many countries it remains one of the most important benefits an employer can offer. This session reviews the global retirement landscape, including the decline of legacy defined benefit plans, the wide variation in defined contribution approaches, and the growing importance of auto-enrollment and related savings structures in some markets.
Attendees will explore what makes a retirement offering competitive, practical, and sustainable in different parts of the world. The session is designed to help participants better understand the choices available and think more strategically about how retirement fits into the broader employee value proposition.
10:25 AM - 10:40 AM
Networking Break and Partner Showcase
10:40 AM - 11:25 AM
Learning Practice: Help Please
- Trusted information sources
- Consultants, advisors, and external partners
- How to evaluate vendors and support resources
When you work in global benefits, there is no shortage of information—only a shortage of time, consistency, and reliable sources. This session is designed to help attendees understand where to go for credible information, when to bring in outside expertise, and how to assess whether a consultant, broker, or vendor is truly adding value.
Participants will leave with a better sense of how to build a dependable support network and avoid the common trap of making decisions based on incomplete, outdated, or overly polished information. In other words: not all help is helpful, and this session is about learning the difference.
11:30 AM - 12:05 PM
Learning Practice: How Do I Pay for This?
- Financing benefit programs
- Fully insured, pooling, captives, and self-insurance
- Choosing approaches by size, risk, and strategy
A good benefits strategy still needs a financing strategy. This session reviews the main approaches organizations use to fund their benefit programs, including fully insured arrangements, pooling, captives, and self-insurance, while explaining how those options may vary depending on company size, risk tolerance, and geographic footprint.
The discussion will focus on helping attendees understand the trade-offs behind each approach rather than simply memorizing terminology. By the end of the session, participants should have a clearer sense of which financing structures may be most appropriate for different organizational profiles and how to discuss those choices more effectively with finance and leadership.
12:05 PM - 1:05 PM
Networking Lunch and Partner Showcase
1:10 PM - 1:45 PM
Learning Practice: A Day in the Life plus a Team/Breakout Session
- Real-life scenarios and practical application
- Data privacy, works councils, travel, and security
- Team exercise and final synthesis
This closing session brings the full course together by asking participants to apply what they have learned to realistic workplace scenarios. Through a team-based breakout exercise, attendees will work through the kinds of challenges that global benefits leaders actually face, including issues involving data privacy, works councils, travel, mobility, employee communications, and the practical balancing of business needs with employee expectations.
The goal is not simply to review content, but to help participants think across issues, connect concepts, and build confidence in using what they have learned back on the job. It is the final proof that the material has moved from theory into application.
1:50 PM - 2:50 PM
A Multi-Generational Workplace: It’s (Really!) A Good Thing
Presented by Closing Keynote Speaker Cam Marston
Speaker Details
Full Name
Cam Marston
Job Title
Founder
Company
Generational Insights
Biography
Cam founded Generational Insights in Charlotte, North Carolina when he was facilitating focus groups and conducting exit surveys for his local clients. He noticed a new trend in the reasons people were accepting jobs and quitting jobs. This was the beginning of Gen X entering the workplace and they were quickly making their generational preferences known and the Boomers struggled with them. He presented his findings to a local HR audience and the business was begun.
2:50 PM - 3:00 PM
- Certificates
- Raffle
- Closing remarks
Speaker Details
Full Name
Lisa Yee
Job Title
President and CEO
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Lisa Yee is the President and CEO of SVEF, based in Northern California, leads and engages with employers and partners to drive change in global benefits. She enjoys spending time with her family and two rescue dogs, Daisy & Gryffin, volunteering with animal rescue organizations, traveling, and baking.