We're delighted to offer two parallel agendas for your exploration. Please utilize the buttons below to access the details of each track.
Day 1 - May 14
BENEFITS CONFERENCE
8:15 AM - 9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Breakfast and Networking
Global Benefits Conference: The Future of Benefits Strategies – Day 1
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.
9:10 AM - 9:55 AM
Plenary: Embracing a Holistic Approach to Global Wellbeing
Explore Microsoft’s comprehensive strategy for fostering a culture of wellbeing that is inclusive, holistic, engaging, and data-driven. Microsoft will dive into the guiding principles that shape their global wellbeing initiatives, emphasizing the importance of integrating wellbeing into the everyday journey of their employees and their families.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Sonja Kellen, CEBS
Job Title
General Manager, Global Health and Wellbeing
Company
Microsoft Corporation
Biography
Sonja Kellen, CEBS, is the General Manager of Global Health and Wellbeing for Microsoft Corporation. She provides leadership in the design, governance and execution of Microsoft's health and wellness plans and programs around the world. Sonja has responsibility for ensuring Microsoft's global health and wellness benefits and occupational health and safety programs are aligned with the overall total rewards strategy and philosophy, as well as with broader business objectives, and strives to elevate wellbeing as key to corporate culture.
Sonja has more than 25 years of experience in the global benefits space and holds the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA). Sonja has a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Speech Communication and a Business degree from the University of Washington.
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Leveraging Data to Revolutionize Benefits Design: A Self-Funded Approach to Addressing SDoH, DEI, and Improved Health Outcomes
Discover how Elevance Health has used data analytics to revolutionize their benefits design, focusing on self-funded strategies to tackle Social Determinants of Health (SDoH), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and to boost health outcomes. Donna Gibson will guide you through the four key data areas they explored to develop their 3-year strategic roadmap and how they funded all of it.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Donna Gibson
Job Title
Staff VP of Benefits & Total Rewards
Company
Elevance Health
Biography
Donna leads the design of Anthem’s health and welfare, retirement and wellness benefits of the total rewards plans, where she responsible for ensuring the most innovative benefits are available for Anthem associates and is challenged with achieving the Healthiest House Account.
In her current role, Donna leads a team who focuses on optimizing efficiency and effectiveness in the area of Total Rewards that allow Anthem to attract and retain talent. Donna’s greatest strength is her ability to lead her team into unknown and ever-changing territory where business initiatives are met through innovative solutions and doing things differently. These strengths are reflected in Donna’s implementation and on-going refinement of the Total Rewards function. Equally as important, Donna enjoys boating, triathlon, traveling and spending time with her spouse and ‘the criminals’, also known as her dogs.
Donna earned her bachelor’s degree in business management at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and her MBA from Franklin University. She holds her SPHR from the human resource certification institute and is a certified styles and climates coach.
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Networking Break and Vendor Showcase
11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Solving for Disparities Across the Women’s Health Continuum
Having comprehensive women’s health benefits has become a pillar in DE&I strategies; however, access to the expert care needed to effectively deliver on this value for employees is still catching up. Join Dr. Janet Choi, Chief Medical Officer, and Julie Stadlbauer, Chief Business Development Officer at Progyny, as they discuss:
• Why specialty networks and concierge support impact experience and outcomes.
• How women’s health benefits have expanded beyond maternity.
• The critical areas to invest in now and into the future.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Julie Stadlbauer
Job Title
Chief Business Development Officer
Company
Progyny
Biography
Julie Stadlbauer, Chief Business Development Officer, has more than two decades of experience in the health benefits industry in various leadership, strategy, management and sales capacities. Julie leads Partnerships and Strategic Sales for Progyny. Her teams cultivate relationships with health plans, PBMs, large employers and consultants across the country, transforming employer sponsored fertility and family building solutions. Prior to joining Progyny, Julie held various national sales and leadership roles with Cigna, Health Net, Bloom Health, and ConsumerMedical.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Dr. Janet Choi
Job Title
Chief Medical Officer
Company
Progyny
Biography
Dr. Janet Choi is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and Progyny’s Chief Medical Officer, focused on ensuring Progyny provides the highest quality fertility, family building and women’s health services to members.
Prior to Progyny, Dr. Choi spent seven years as medical director of CCRM New York. She was also an assistant clinical professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center and served as the Director of Onco-fertility and Co-Director of the Fertility Preservation Program.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Maile Kusano, MS
Job Title
LivingWell Project Manager
Company
Bread Financial
Biography
Founded in 1996 Bread Financial (previously Alliance Data) is a tech-forward financial services company that provide simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions. Maile brings 25+ years of wellness experience to Bread Financial. She helps lead the LivingWell program for 7,000+ associates globally and is focused on creating a work culture centered-around holistic well-being. Prior to Bread Financial, Maile worked for EXOS as the Director of Field Operations. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Springfield College and obtained her Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Dayton. She is an avid Red Sox fan and loves to travel with her family to as many new places as possible!
11:35 AM - 12:05 PM
The Implications of AI on employee benefits design and delivery
The implications of AI on employee benefits design and delivery. Review the current application of AI in health benefits and the exciting emerging opportunities for plan sponsors to further harness the power of AI to revolutionize the management of their benefit programs.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jeff Levin-Scherz, MD MBA FACP
Job Title
Managing Director, Health & Benefits
Company
WTW
Biography
Jeff Levin-Scherz is a managing director and Population Health Leader at WTW, where he serves as a strategist and develops intellectual capital on health care delivery, medical management programs, and health policy. He has been
published widely, including in Harvard Business Review and JAMA. He previously served in senior physician executive roles in health care delivery and finance. Jeff received his MD from Boston University School of Medicine, and his MBA at Columbia Business School.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Megan Hood
Job Title
Director, Health & Benefits
Company
WTW
Biography
Megan Hood is a Director in WTW’s health and benefits practice. She serves as the lead consultant for her clients, managing projects for large, complex employers across the full array of benefit programs. Megan has 12 years experience integrating employer’s benefits strategies with the overall HR strategy in areas that include healthcare delivery, wellbeing, DEI, budgeting, artificial intelligence, and employee experience. Megan holds a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science from Temple University.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger
Job Title
Sr. Director Digital Member Experience
Company
Blue Shield
Biography
AGTM product leader and author on the forefront of AI and digital health. Served on COVID-19 vaccine task force for the state of California resulting in an estimated 20,000 saved lives and prevention of 1.5M COVID-19 cases. Shipped key ML products at Figure Eight, leading up to a $300M acquisition by Appen. Currently oversees the web and mobile apps for Blue Shield of California, which are accessed by 4.8M members. In her 2021 book “Real World AI: A Practical Guide for Responsible Machine Learning,” Alyssa shares advice and best practices on building ethical, scalable AI applications.
12:05 PM - 1:20 PM
Networking Lunch and Vendor Showcase
1:25 PM - 2:10 PM
A Strategic Imperative for Diverse Talent Development
Join the fireside chat moderated by Lisa Yee, President and CEO at Silicon Valley Employers Forum, with Dr. JaBaris D. Swain, MPH, Johnson & Johnson, and Dr. Ron Sinha, Silicon Valley Employers Forum as they share insights on the strategic framework of health equity, utilizing data to inform your strategy and how you can promote health equity in the workplace and the community.
Speaker Details
Full Name
JaBaris D. Swain, MD MPH
Job Title
Medical Executive, Health Systems Integration
Company
Johnson & Johnson
Biography
Dr. JaBaris Swain is a Medical Executive, leading health systems integration at Janssen Pharmaceuticals LLC of Johnson & Johnson. In this role, he provides expert medical support to internal partners within the Cardiovascular and Metabolism Therapeutic Area, where he engages with executive leadership at US healthcare systems in their efforts to achieve the quintuple aim (improving quality of care, reducing cost, enhancing patient and health care provider experiences and promote health equity).
Dr. Swain started his career in the pharmaceutical industry in July 2020 when he joined Janssen Pharmaceuticals as a clinical lead physician in Translational and Experimental Medicine in the Cardiovascular & Metabolism Therapeutic Area. In this role, JaBaris was responsible for developing and executing the program’s early clinical development strategy and completing two First-In-Human studies. Additionally, JaBaris designed and conducted a phase 0 study to examine a novel imaging technique for the non-invasive assessment of pulmonary hemodynamics, which has the potential to provide an early signal of pharmacodynamic effects and accelerate early clinical development of new compounds in Pulmonary Hypertension. Finally, JaBaris supported clinical pharmacology studies as the Study Responsible Physician for the two major pharmacology programs.
Clinically, Dr. Swain is a finished cardiothoracic transplant surgeon-scientist and global health scholar with prior expertise in humanitarian cardiac surgery, cardiology education, and international public health. His work has focused on augmenting access to clinical education and care delivery for cardiovascular diseases within resource-limited settings such as Rwanda and Haiti. He has lived in these areas and supported several projects to strengthen healthcare infrastructures for critically vulnerable populations in resource-constrained settings. He has also provided surgery and critical care to patients in these regions.
JaBaris received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia (USA) and a master’s in public health with an emphasis on Clinical Effectiveness from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). He completed his clinical training in general surgery at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, followed by a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery and an advanced fellowship in cardiopulmonary transplantation & mechanical circulatory support at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). During his clinical training, JaBaris was involved with translational research, exploring gene therapy for heart failure in a large animal model within the lab of Dr. Charles R. Bridges. In addition to this training, JaBaris is currently enrolled in the Executive MBA Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
In his “free time,” JaBaris continues to mentor residents and fellows at the Pearlman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania as a clinical associate surgeon in the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery. He also currently volunteers as a medical director at the Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity in north Philadelphia—a grassroots health center established to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes for the most vulnerable populations of greater Philadelphia.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Ron Sinha MD
Job Title
Chief Medical Officer
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Dr. Ronesh Sinha, is an internal medicine physician and corporate health specialist who runs a metabolic lifestyle clinic in Silicon Valley. His groundbreaking work reversing diabetes in culturally diverse populations has received global attention with front-cover stories in Fortune Magazine and the LA Times. He authored The South Asian Health Solution, blogs actively on health at cultturalhealthsolutions.
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.
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Revolutionizing Healthcare: AI’s Impact on Care, Costs, and Equity
Learn more about emerging technologies such as AI, can help to advance health innovation and patient-centered care with purpose, driving towards a future of enhanced accessibility, affordability and equity.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Daniel Yang, MD
Job Title
VP of AI & Emerging Technologies
Company
Kaiser Permanente
Biography
Daniel Yang, M.D., currently the Vice President of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emerging Technologies at Kaiser Permanente, has been instrumental in fostering responsible AI use in healthcare. His background includes serving as a program director at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and establishing public-private partnerships. Dr. Yang, an internal medicine physician, holds degrees from the University of Illinois Chicago, completed his residency at University of California, San Francisco, and pursued a fellowship in health care systems design at Stanford University.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Todd A. Hesse
Job Title
Vice President, California Large Group Sales & Account Management
Company
Kaiser Permanente
Biography
Todd Hesse is the Vice President of Sales and Account Management for Kaiser Permanente’s Large Group business line in California. In his role, Todd leads the new sales and account management teams, along with the execution of market and business strategies that deliver substantial and sustainable growth in membership, revenue, and margin in the Large Group business segment. The Large Group segment includes both Public and Private Sector business with between 100 and 2,999 employees. Todd also plays a significant role in the development and execution of Kaiser Permanente’s Large Group Go-To-Market strategy.
Prior to coming to Kaiser Permanente, Todd held Sales and Account Management roles at Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, in addition to two Behavioral Health companies, Managed Health Network and PacificCare Behavioral.
2:50 PM - 3:35 PM
Plenary: Navigating the Tough Stuff: How to Help People When it Matters Most
Where to go for care. Taking time away when a loved one is sick. Dealing with the unexpected. This is when benefits matter most. Learn ways employers are tackling healthcare navigation, leaves financial wellbeing and more. Panel with Workday (Jeannie Franks) and Marvell (Sarah Gregory).
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jen Benz
Job Title
Senior Vice President
Company
Segal Benz
Biography
Jen and her team help leading employers engage their people and drive business results through effective communication. Their work spans all areas of benefits and HR and blends the best practices of consumer marketing, behavioral science and design.
Jen was named one of Workforce Magazine’s “Game Changers,” and HR Executive’s Top 100 HR tech influencers. She’s been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, appeared on CNBC, and testified several times before the Department of Labor’s ERISA Advisory Council.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jeannie Franks
Job Title
Senior Manager, Benefits
Company
Workday
Speaker Details
Full Name
Sarah Gregory
Job Title
Director, Global Benefits
Company
Marvell Technology
3:35 PM - 3:45 PM
Closing Remarks
Be sure to stay for the entire two-day conference to receive our coveted techy giveaway and to be entered into the raffle!
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Reception and Networking
Join us as we celebrate our 30th anniversary during the networking reception.
Day 2 - May 15
8:15 AM - 9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Breakfast and Networking
Global Benefits Conference: The Future of Benefits Strategies – Day 2
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.
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
Speaker Details
Full Name
Samanntha DuBridge
Job Title
Vice President of Global Benefits, Culture, and People Experience
Company
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Biography
Samanntha DuBridge serves as Vice President of Global Benefits, Culture, and People Experience at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). In her role, she is responsible for driving strategy and execution in a variety of areas that directly support innovation, engagement and the HPE Human Resources strategy, including building the HPE culture, creating an engaging team member experience and enabling the workplace of the future. Through ongoing culture initiatives, team member campaigns, wellbeing programs and service delivery, Samanntha’s team plays a critical role in making HPE a great place to work and a destination for top talent.
Additionally, Samanntha leads the design, development and compliance of global benefit and mobility programs that support the needs of the business, team members and their families, navigating an ever-changing global political and regulatory landscape. She also manages people operations that include a range of important HR support services such as Labor and Employee Relations, Privacy and Compliance, HR service centers, along with Agile HR project and change management processes that are accelerating the pace of change throughout HPE.
Samanntha is passionate about creating programs and services that deliver a world-class experience for HPE team members and their families through effective integration and alignment to maximize the impact and value of all people experiences.
Prior to joining HPE, Samanntha held positions at HP, National Semiconductor, and various healthcare organizations. She holds a Master’s Degree from San Jose State University in Health Care Administration.
9:45 AM - 10:10 AM
Plenary: State of Employee Wellbeing in 2024
Companies are stepping-up to improve their employees’ wellness. Just think, financial stress alone is costing companies around $183 billion in lost productivity each year, and 78% of leaders saw it causing more turnover last year. Tackle these challenges head-on with Joelle Vail, Chief Revenue Officer at BrightPlan and Jennifer Pasqualini, Head of Total Rewards at Stripe, as they share key takeaways from the 2024 Wellness Barometer Survey and discuss how Stripe is uniting their organization to improve employee wellness.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Joelle Vail
Job Title
Chief Revenue Officer
Company
BrightPlan
Biography
Joelle leads the direct sales, partnership and client success teams for BrightPlan. Joelle has a track record of successfully scaling organizations from startup to enterprise, taking early-stage companies to over $100 million in revenue and enterprises from $100 million to $2 billion in revenue. Most recently, Joelle was Chief Operating Officer for Capital Factory and has also held senior level and executive positions at Paychex and Ascentis.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jennifer Pasqualini
Job Title
Head of Total Rewards
Company
Stripe
Biography
Jennifer is the Head of Total Rewards at Stripe and has nearly 20 years of experience in HR leadership. Prior to Stripe, Jennifer was the VP of Total Rewards at Autodesk and Workday, Jennifer also led the M & A, HR Operations and Global Mobility teams at Workday. In addition, Jennifer has held senior compensation and benefits leadership positions at Altera Corporation, Adobe and Plexus Corporation.
10:15 AM - 10:40 AM
Plenary: Employment Cost Analytics – Harnessing Data to Drive Organizational Results
Audience will gain an understanding of how the total global employment cost analytics project provides a multipurpose tool that achieves full global cost transparency essential for Benefits/HR, Finance and Procurement teams. A behind the scenes overview that describes the step by step process Alliant follows to collect, calibrate and compute the data output. Presenting with Snowflake.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Kim Passini-Akhtar
Job Title
Senior Director, Global Benefits
Company
Snowflake
Biography
Kim Passini-Akhtar is the Sr. Director of Global Benefits at Snowflake where over the past 5 years she has helped to build Snowflake’s global benefit program from start-up through its hypergrowth in over 26 international countries. Prior to joining Snowflake, Kim was the Sr. Director of Global Benefits at ServiceNow and Integrated Device Technologies.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Lauren O'Neill
Job Title
Global Benefits Consultant Lead
Company
Alliant Insurance Services
Biography
Lauren O’Neil is Vice President of Global Benefits at Alliant. Her role involves working with multinational clients to develop and implement global benefits and perquisite strategies. Lauren has over 15 years of experience in the industry. Having worked primarily in consulting, she also previously worked at a mid-sized multinational company where she was responsible for corporate rewards philosophy, harmonization, and local governance. Lauren is a graduate of UC Davis and holds a Global Benefits Management Certificate from IFEBP.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Sam Hussein
Job Title
Assistant VP, Global Benefits Consultant
Company
Alliant Insurance Services
Biography
Sam Hussein is a Global Benefits Consultant at Alliant, boasting 17 years of experience in employee benefits. His extensive expertise includes managing global benefit plan mergers and acquisitions, implementing global governance, analyzing global medical trends and data analytics, and conducting global compliance reviews. Sam is recognized as an accomplished public speaker and trainer on multinational benefits strategies and best practices. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Toronto.
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
Networking Break and Vendor Showcase
11:05 AM - 11:35 AM
Reimagining Pharmacy Care
Pharmacy costs are rising at unsustainable rates. 91% of employers are concerned about rising pharmacy costs and 50% of employees struggle with the decision of paying for prescriptions or paying for food. Join Alison Lum, VP Pharmacy Services at Blue Shield of California, to learn how we can build a future where patients have safe, equitable, and sustainably affordable access to needed medications while working within a complex system. This will take stakeholders working together – we all have a role in creating a better system.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Alison Lum, PharmD
Job Title
VP, Pharmacy Services
Company
Blue Shield of California
Biography
Alison Lum is a managed health care executive in California with experience in Medicaid, Medicare and Commercial populations. As the Vice President of Pharmacy Services at Blue Shield of California, Alison leads the team that sets the strategy and manages operations for prescription drugs. She holds a doctorate of pharmacy degree from the University of California, San Francisco and completed the California Healthcare Foundation Leadership Fellowship and the Stanford Executive Program.
11:40 AM - 12:10 PM
Disentangle the Maze of Employee Experience with AI and Human Guidance
Employees have more tools, technology and systems than ever before – hear how employers can disentangle the maze of employee experience with AI and human guidance to help their people thrive with Alight Solutions.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Colin Cook
Job Title
Enterprise Sales Executive
Company
Alight Solutions
Biography
Colin is a Sales Executive with Alight’s Health and Welfare Solutions Team. As a Sales Executive, Colin is responsible for driving awareness of our depth and breadth of capabilities in our Benefits space. Colin focusses on delivering system expertise to clients, HR professionals and brokers while building relationships. In addition to working with clients from a direct perspective he also provides education and awareness to the broker/consulting channel. Colin continues to provide education in the HR community with innovative tools that can help solve their client’s and employee’s biggest challenges.
12:10 PM - 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch and Vendor Showcase
1:35 PM - 2:00 PM
More with Less- How Cost Cutting & Investing in Your Employees Can Coexist
Rising healthcare costs are a hot topic, especially when employee wellbeing is a top concern. Despite spending big bucks on different solutions and employee assistance programs, organizations haven’t seen the desired results. That’s why CFOs are demanding cost-saving measures across the board. But how can you do more with less and still prioritize your employees? Join Dr. Jeff Jacques, Chief Medical Officer at Virgin Pulse, in the discussion on how cost cutting and investing in your employees can coexist.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jeff Jacques, MD
Job Title
Chief Medical Officer
Company
Virgin Pulse
Biography
Jeff Jacques, MD, is a physician executive leader and entrepreneur who has spent more than 20 years in digital health, building products and services that deliver personalized support for individuals experiencing
complex care journeys. As Chief Medical Officer at Virgin Pulse, he focuses on ensuring alignment with member and market needs, enhancing the company’s behavior science approach, and exploring additional ways its unique capabilities can further simplify and support the member journey. Jeff was a member of the Food and Drug Administration Safety Innovation Act (FDASIA) Workgroup and has held several non-profit board positions. He trained in Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, part of the Mount Sinai system in NYC.
2:05 PM - 2:50 PM
The Future Relies on Building Innovation & Communities Together
Sometimes the problems we try to solve may seem impossible and beyond our control. Are pharmacy, medicine and technology delivering the outcomes we need? How do we balance business needs with our obligation to care for employees and create a future where design works for us? Please join Jeni Chih, Senior Director of Global Health & Wellness, to learn about PepsiCo’s efforts to address these issues and to participate in a conversation about how strong communities foster innovation, leading to better communities.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jeni Chih
Job Title
Senior Director, Global Health & Wellness
Company
PepsiCo
Biography
Jeni Chih is a seasoned leader with a proven track record of driving innovation and transformation across diverse industries. With a career spanning diverse industries including manufacturing, investment banking, retail and technology at renowned companies such as Oracle, NetApp, and Gap Inc., Jeni has amassed a wealth of experience in strategic design and execution.
Currently serving as the Senior Director of Health & Wellness for design and strategy at PepsiCo, Jeni leverages her diverse background to drive impactful change at the intersection of employee well-being and organizational strategy. In this role, she leads initiatives to design and implement comprehensive health and wellness programs that prioritize the holistic needs of employees.
With her extensive experience, strategic mindset, and commitment to making a positive impact, Jeni Chih continues to drive meaningful change in the realm of health and wellness, setting the standard for excellence in design and strategy across industries.
2:55 PM - 3:10 PM
Raffle & Survey
Be sure to stay for the entire two-day conference to receive our coveted techy giveaway and to be entered into the raffle!
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Recognition, Closing Remarks
NOTE: All times noted are in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
The agenda may be subject to change.
Day 1 - May 14
LEARNING PRACTICE
8:15 AM - 9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Breakfast and Networking
Global Benefits Conference: The Future of Benefits Strategies – Day 1
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.
9:10 AM - 9:55 AM
Plenary: Embracing a Holistic Approach to Global Wellbeing
Explore Microsoft’s comprehensive strategy for fostering a culture of wellbeing that is inclusive, holistic, engaging, and data-driven. Microsoft will dive into the guiding principles that shape their global wellbeing initiatives, emphasizing the importance of integrating wellbeing into the everyday journey of their employees and their families.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Sonja Kellen, CEBS
Job Title
General Manager, Global Health and Wellbeing
Company
Microsoft Corporation
Biography
Sonja Kellen, CEBS, is the General Manager of Global Health and Wellbeing for Microsoft Corporation. She provides leadership in the design, governance and execution of Microsoft's health and wellness plans and programs around the world. Sonja has responsibility for ensuring Microsoft's global health and wellness benefits and occupational health and safety programs are aligned with the overall total rewards strategy and philosophy, as well as with broader business objectives, and strives to elevate wellbeing as key to corporate culture.
Sonja has more than 25 years of experience in the global benefits space and holds the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA). Sonja has a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Speech Communication and a Business degree from the University of Washington.
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Why You Are Here
In this introductory session, Richard Polak will present the overall goals and expectations you will receive from completing this course. This will set the pace for an interactive experience; a collegial atmosphere; a safe place where everybody can participate and contribute. In fact, participation is encouraged…and will even be required at the end where you will be asked to present as part of a team in breakout groups. This is all in the spirit of “we can all learn from each other.”
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Networking Break and Vendor Showcase
11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Employers must consider not only the local laws of their international employees but also the culture and expectations employees have from their high-tech employers in each country. This session will review how social and cultural expectations will affect the supplemental employer-provided benefits within high-tech companies. As an example, while there is a National Health System (NHS) in the UK, how will this integrate with private employer-sponsored medical plans (PMI), which virtually all high-tech companies provide? This session will address the different requirements from country-to-country, financing, taxation, and labor and environmental regulations.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Alison Main
Job Title
Associate Director
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Alison Main, Associate Director, based in France, focuses on enabling SVEF's international expansion and developing member communications. She has held various roles in International Benefits and Rewards and has a particular passion for well-being. In her spare time she enjoys the Great Outdoors and entertaining friends with French and Asian cuisine.
11:35 AM - 12:05 PM
What Do the Typical High-Tech Employers Provide?
Benchmarking is a practice that gives high-tech companies an accurate idea of how they measure up against the competition. When you understand how your benefits stack up against other companies, you can better market your business. This session explores the benchmarking process, the differences in each company and country, how to differentiate yourselves amongst the competition, and where you could be wasting money and where you can save.
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, and insights team, 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.
12:05 PM - 1:20 PM
Networking Lunch and Vendor Showcase
1:25 PM - 2:10 PM
What About Our Expats?
This session will provide you with all the areas of managing an expat’s expectations and how these benefits differ from local nationals and home country benefits. In addition, you’ll understand the reasoning behind offering an expat package and what is generally included in a high-tech environment.
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Work from Anywhere
Remote work is a working style that allows professionals to work outside of a traditional office environment and is becoming more and more common. This is a new challenge for HR. The opportunities and challenges with remote work are still being fleshed out. Each company is different. This session will not only examine flexible working arrangements and the implications for employees and employers, but the common misconceptions. We’ll discuss what others in the high-tech space have done to solve this complex issue and present studies that show the most optimal result.
2:50 PM - 3:35 PM
Plenary: Navigating the Tough Stuff: How to Help People When it Matters Most
Where to go for care. Taking time away when a loved one is sick. Dealing with the unexpected. This is when benefits matter most. Learn ways employers are tackling healthcare navigation, leaves financial wellbeing and more. Panel with Workday (Jeannie Franks) and Marvell (Sarah Gregory).
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jen Benz
Job Title
Senior Vice President
Company
Segal Benz
Biography
Jen and her team help leading employers engage their people and drive business results through effective communication. Their work spans all areas of benefits and HR and blends the best practices of consumer marketing, behavioral science and design.
Jen was named one of Workforce Magazine’s “Game Changers,” and HR Executive’s Top 100 HR tech influencers. She’s been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, appeared on CNBC, and testified several times before the Department of Labor’s ERISA Advisory Council.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Sarah Gregory
Job Title
Director, Global Benefits
Company
Marvell Technology
3:35 PM - 3:45 PM
Closing Remarks
Be sure to stay for the entire two-day conference to receive our coveted techy giveaway and to be entered into the raffle!
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Reception and Networking
Join us as we celebrate our 30th anniversary during the networking reception.
Day 2 - May 15
8:15 AM - 9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Breakfast and Networking
Global Benefits Conference: The Future of Benefits Strategies – Day 2
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.
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
Speaker Details
Full Name
Samanntha DuBridge
Job Title
Vice President of Global Benefits, Culture, and People Experience
Company
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Biography
Samanntha DuBridge serves as Vice President of Global Benefits, Culture, and People Experience at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). In her role, she is responsible for driving strategy and execution in a variety of areas that directly support innovation, engagement and the HPE Human Resources strategy, including building the HPE culture, creating an engaging team member experience and enabling the workplace of the future. Through ongoing culture initiatives, team member campaigns, wellbeing programs and service delivery, Samanntha’s team plays a critical role in making HPE a great place to work and a destination for top talent.
Additionally, Samanntha leads the design, development and compliance of global benefit and mobility programs that support the needs of the business, team members and their families, navigating an ever-changing global political and regulatory landscape. She also manages people operations that include a range of important HR support services such as Labor and Employee Relations, Privacy and Compliance, HR service centers, along with Agile HR project and change management processes that are accelerating the pace of change throughout HPE.
Samanntha is passionate about creating programs and services that deliver a world-class experience for HPE team members and their families through effective integration and alignment to maximize the impact and value of all people experiences.
Prior to joining HPE, Samanntha held positions at HP, National Semiconductor, and various healthcare organizations. She holds a Master’s Degree from San Jose State University in Health Care Administration.
9:45 AM - 10:10 AM
Plenary: State of Employee Wellbeing in 2024
Companies are stepping-up to improve their employees’ wellness. Just think, financial stress alone is costing companies around $183 billion in lost productivity each year, and 78% of leaders saw it causing more turnover last year. Tackle these challenges head-on with Joelle Vail, Chief Revenue Officer at BrightPlan and Jennifer Pasqualini, Head of Total Rewards at Stripe, as they share key takeaways from the 2024 Wellness Barometer Survey and discuss how Stripe is uniting their organization to improve employee wellness.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Jennifer Pasqualini
Job Title
Head of Total Rewards
Company
Stripe
Biography
Jennifer is the Head of Total Rewards at Stripe and has nearly 20 years of experience in HR leadership. Prior to Stripe, Jennifer was the VP of Total Rewards at Autodesk and Workday, Jennifer also led the M & A, HR Operations and Global Mobility teams at Workday. In addition, Jennifer has held senior compensation and benefits leadership positions at Altera Corporation, Adobe and Plexus Corporation.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Joelle Vail
Job Title
Chief Revenue Officer
Company
BrightPlan
Biography
Joelle leads the direct sales, partnership and client success teams for BrightPlan. Joelle has a track record of successfully scaling organizations from startup to enterprise, taking early-stage companies to over $100 million in revenue and enterprises from $100 million to $2 billion in revenue. Most recently, Joelle was Chief Operating Officer for Capital Factory and has also held senior level and executive positions at Paychex and Ascentis.
10:15 AM - 10:40 AM
Plenary: Employment Cost Analytics – Harnessing Data to Drive Organizational Results
Speaker Details
Full Name
Kim Passini-Akhtar
Job Title
Senior Director, Global Benefits
Company
Snowflake
Biography
Kim Passini-Akhtar is the Sr. Director of Global Benefits at Snowflake where over the past 5 years she has helped to build Snowflake’s global benefit program from start-up through its hypergrowth in over 26 international countries. Prior to joining Snowflake, Kim was the Sr. Director of Global Benefits at ServiceNow and Integrated Device Technologies.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Lauren O'Neill
Job Title
Global Benefits Consultant Lead
Company
Alliant Insurance Services
Biography
Lauren O’Neil is Vice President of Global Benefits at Alliant. Her role involves working with multinational clients to develop and implement global benefits and perquisite strategies. Lauren has over 15 years of experience in the industry. Having worked primarily in consulting, she also previously worked at a mid-sized multinational company where she was responsible for corporate rewards philosophy, harmonization, and local governance. Lauren is a graduate of UC Davis and holds a Global Benefits Management Certificate from IFEBP.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Sam Hussein
Job Title
Assistant VP, Global Benefits Consultant
Company
Alliant Insurance Services
Biography
Sam Hussein is a Global Benefits Consultant at Alliant, boasting 17 years of experience in employee benefits. His extensive expertise includes managing global benefit plan mergers and acquisitions, implementing global governance, analyzing global medical trends and data analytics, and conducting global compliance reviews. Sam is recognized as an accomplished public speaker and trainer on multinational benefits strategies and best practices. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Toronto.
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
Networking Break and Vendor Showcase
11:05 AM - 11:35 AM
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
Due diligence is often overlooked as an important part of acquiring a company. Understanding the possible risks of mergers and acquisitions beforehand can increase confidence and deal success. By acquiring these skills, you’ll be a great asset to your organization. We’ll use a case study to review the pre and post phases of M&A. By the end of this session, you’ll feel like you’ve just been through a merger!
11:40 AM - 12:10 PM
Yes, Some People Do Want to Retire
In some parts of the world, most employees rank retirement as among the most important type of benefit an employer can offer. Most, if not all, of the legacy defined benefit plans in the high-tech world have been wound-up and grandfathered. The world of defined contribution plans has many variations and certain governments are requiring auto enrollment to be provided by employers. There are several types of schemes that are necessary to complete a competitive benefit package for your employees. We will discuss all of them and help you prepare what’s best for your company.
Speaker Details
Full Name
Alison Main
Job Title
Associate Director
Company
Silicon Valley Employers Forum
Biography
Alison Main, Associate Director, based in France, focuses on enabling SVEF's international expansion and developing member communications. She has held various roles in International Benefits and Rewards and has a particular passion for well-being. In her spare time she enjoys the Great Outdoors and entertaining friends with French and Asian cuisine.
12:10 PM - 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch and Vendor Showcase
1:35 PM - 2:00 PM
How Do I Pay For This?
- Financing the benefits
- Fully insured, Pooling and Captives, Self-Insurance
The most efficient means of financing and funding your benefit plans are critical. This session will help you with all the alternatives available for each bracketed organization (size and risk). In this session, you’ll learn how to optimize your spending through alternative financial vehicles. At the end of the session, you’ll understand each option and a direction of what will be best for your company.
2:05 PM - 2:35 PM
Help Please
With all the information online, how do you know if you’re using a reliable source? How do you know what sources you can trust and where to find them? This session will give you information to trusted, reliable, and credible resources to take with you on your job.
2:35 PM - 3:05 PM
A Day in The Life/Team Breakout
We will conclude our course by reviewing what you have learned and how to apply this knowledge to your company. With these skills, you will be able to impact productivity, financial responsibility and help your organization attract and retain talent. The final assignment will be a team’s approach to real life cases based on what you learned in the past two days.
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Certificates Awarded, Closing Remarks
Be sure to stay for the entire two-day conference to receive our coveted techy giveaway and to be entered into the raffle!