Registration is open for Visionaries Summit 2025!
September 25-27, 2025 | Atlanta, GA
Join senior HR leaders at the Visionaries Summit to explore The Power of People, driving workplace transformation and fostering inclusive, innovative, and resilient environments.
The Visionaries Summit is a premier, member-only event designed exclusively for SHRM Executive Network (EN) members. This year’s focus, The Power of People: Reimagining Leadership and Community, centers on how leadership and community can drive workplace transformation, fostering environments that are inclusive, innovative, and resilient.
Held at the Signia by Hilton in Atlanta, GA, the Summit offers an unparalleled opportunity to collaborate with trailblazers in the HR field. Through strategic partnerships and shared purpose, attendees will examine critical workplace issues and gain forward-thinking insights tailored to today’s leaders.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this transformative experience!
Stay tuned for registration updates and be the first to secure your spot.
Visionaries Summit 2025 Hotel Information
Attendees can book accommodations at the new Signia by Hilton in downtown Atlanta. Summit room availability is limited and expected to sell out—please reserve your room by Wednesday, September 3.
Note: An Atlanta Falcons home game is scheduled for Sunday, September 28, which may impact hotel availability. We strongly encourage early booking.
Transform Your HR Leadership into an Experience
An Elevated Experience
Thought-provoking discussions and knowledge sharing
Exclusive data through exclusive programming
Valuable connections with like-level executives
Some events within the Executive Network Visionaries Summit may have capacity limits and will be offered to EN members on a first come, first serve basis. It is recommended members register as early as possible.
Visionaries Summit 2025 Agenda Overview
| 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm | Registration |
| 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm | Networking Reception |
| 7:00 pm | Dinner on own |
| 7:00 am – 4:30 pm | Registration |
| 9:00 am – 9:10 am | Visionaries Summit Welcome Mo Fathelbab, Moderator |
| 9:10 am – 10:00 am | From Comfort to Candor: The New Rules of Workplace Safety Psychological safety has become a buzzword in the workplace—but too often, it’s misunderstood. Safety doesn’t always mean comfort. Join Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and CEO of SHRM, and Jackson O. Lynch, Founder of the Talent Sherpa, for a fireside chat where they will unpack why true workplace safety isn’t about shielding people from discomfort, but about creating an environment where everyone can speak the truth, be challenged, and still belong; how leaders can set standards without stifling; why clarity is more compassionate than comfort; and how to build teams that rise under pressure rather than collapse under confusion. Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, President and CEO, SHRM |
| 10:05 am – 10:50 am | The Last All-Human Workforce: Designing for the Future of Work What if your next team member isn’t human—but your job is still to lead them? In this interactive session, discover how AI is reshaping jobs, teams, and talent—and why HR must lead the reinvention. Explore what stays human, what gets automated, and how to redesign your organization with people and agents working side by side. Claire MacIntyre, Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer, Sam’s Club |
| 10:50 am – 11:20 am | Networking Break |
| 11:20 am – 12:05 pm | Harmonizing High-Stakes Leadership: Strengthening CEO and Executive Team Dynamics (In Partnership with CEO Academy) This dynamic session focuses on proven strategies to support fast-paced, high-stamina CEOs, helping prevent burnout and ensure effective alignment of vision and direction. Explore actionable tactics for breaking down silos and building cohesive collaboration within the C-suite, while learning methods to navigate and reconcile conflicting directives from the Board and CEO for greater organizational unity. Gain practical insights into improving financial transparency and streamlining budgeting processes across senior executive teams. The session also covers approaches to foster effective communication and collaboration among senior leaders, empowering them to make decisive, impactful decisions. Adam Chamberlain, CEO, Mercedes-Benz USA and Head of Marketing and Sales, Mercedes-Benz Cars North America Lars Minns CHRO, Mercedes-Benz USA |
| 12:05 pm – 1:15 pm | Networking Lunch |
| 1:15 pm – 2:00 pm | Breakout Sessions |
| Blue Track | Reimagining How You Lead: Passion, Power, Purpose Sonia Aranza, CEO, Aranza Global Cross-Cultural Strategies |
| Blue Track | Peer-Derived HR Technology Trends & Insights Kenny Pyle, HR Technology Lead Analyst, SHRM |
| Silver Track | Future Proof Your Workforce Daniel Culbertson, Senior Economist, Indeed Hiring Lab |
| 2:10 pm – 2:55 pm | Breakout Sessions |
| Blue Track | EN:Assembly Groups (Mid-Market) Facilitated by EN Assembly |
| Blue Track | From Theory to Practice: Operationalizing Your AI Strategy Chris Courneen, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Human Resources, MS International, Inc. (MSI) |
| Blue Track | Reimagining How You Lead: Passion, Power, Purpose Sonia Aranza, CEO, Aranza Global Cross-Cultural Strategies |
| Blue Track | Peer-Derived HR Technology Trends & Insights Kenny Pyle, HR Technology Lead Analyst, SHRM |
| Silver Track | Future Proof Your Workforce Daniel Culbertson, Senior Economist, Indeed Hiring Lab |
| Silver Track | Reimagining How You Lead: Passion, Power, Purpose Sonia Aranza, CEO, Aranza Global Cross-Cultural Strategies |
| 2:55 pm – 3:30 pm | Networking Break |
| 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm | Breakout Session |
| Blue Track | EN:Assembly Groups (Mid-Market) Facilitated by EN Assembly |
| Blue Track | Strategic Succession Planning for Enterprise Leadership |
| Silver Track | Global Workforce Perspectives James Atkinson, Vice President, Thought Leadership, SHRM |
| 4:25 pm – 5:15 pm | Lessons from Washington Shaping the Future of Leadership & Community As difficult as the present may be, American history is marked by challenges overcome, crises resolved, and progress achieved. Drawing on lessons from Washington and other pivotal moments in our nation’s past, this session offers insights for leaders on how to endure and prevail when everything appears hopeless. Through anecdotally rich reflections and forward-looking guidance, participants will explore constructive habits of citizenship and leadership essential for shaping the future of organizations and communities. |
| 7:00 am – 12:00 pm | Registration |
| 7:30 am – 8:30 am | Breakfast |
| 8:30 am – 9:30 am | Financial Wellness at an Inflection Point: What the Next Era Demands of Employers Join Raymond James for a panel session imagining tomorrow’s financial wellness offerings. This engaging conversation will focus on a new era of supporting every employee through instability and change to build financial wellness. Jim Link, SHRM-SCP, CHRO, SHRM |
| 9:30 am – 10:00 am | Networking Break |
| 10:00 am – 10:45 am | Breakout Sessions |
| Blue Track | EN:Assembly Groups (HR Leader) Facilitated by EN Assembly |
| Blue Track | Design Thinking for HR – A Game-Changer Justin Ferrell, Strategic Partnerships, Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, Stanford University (d.school) |
| Silver Track | HRs Role in Mental Health & Building Community Panel |
| 10:55 am – 11:40 am | Breakout Sessions |
| Blue Track | HRs Role in Mental Health & Building Community Panel |
| Blue Track | Design Thinking for HR – A Game-Changer for the C-Suite Justin Ferrell, Strategic Partnerships, Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, Stanford University (d.school) |
| Silver Track | EN:Assembly Groups (CHRO) Facilitated by EN Assembly |
| 11:45 am – 12:45 pm | Networking Lunch & Reflection Conversations |
| 1:00 pm – 1:50 pm | A Conversation Around Community, Mental Health and Loneliness A conversation around community, mental health, and loneliness invites participants to explore how the challenges of loneliness and isolation can become opportunities for deeper connection. Through inspiring approaches, discover ways to build a supportive and engaged environment where individuals flourish together, enhancing well-being and collective success. Vivek Murthy, 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States |
| 1:50 pm – 2:00 pm | Closing Remarks Mo Fathelbab, Moderator Mike Aitken, EVP, HR Professional Solutions, SHRM |
| 2:00 pm | Conference Adjourned |
What to Expect at Visionaries Summit
Last September, SHRM Executive Network members gathered in Austin, Texas for an exclusive two-day summit focused on navigating disruption in today’s workplace. From shifting workforce dynamics to emerging technologies, HR and business leaders explored how to lead through uncertainty while fostering resilient, people-centered cultures. See how forward-thinking organizations are turning disruption into opportunity.
Visionaries Summit 2025 Speakers
2025 speakers will be announced as they are confirmed within the program.
Mike Aitken
Executive Vice President, HR Professional Solutions Division
SHRM
Sonia Aranza
President & CEO
Aranza Global Cross-Cultural Strategies
James Atkinson, PhD
Vice President, Thought Leadership
SHRM
Chris Courneen
Senior Vice President and Global Head of Human Resources
MS International, Inc. (MSI)
Daniel Culbertson
Senior Economist
Indeed Hiring Lab
Mo Fathelbab
Moderator
International Facilitators Organization
Justin Ferrell
Strategic Partnerships
Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, Stanford (d.school)
Jim Link
CHRO
SHRM
Jackson O. Lynch
Founder
The Talent Sherpa
Claire MacIntyre
Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer
Sam's Club
Vivek Murthy
19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States
Wendi Safstrom
President
SHRM Foundation
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP
President and CEO
SHRM
Shereen Thor
Facilitator
Peer Forum
Sponsorship Opportunities
Thank you to our 2025 Visionaries Sponsors
For more information on becoming a sponsor, please contact us at sponsorships@shrm.org.
Contact Us
For information on the Visionaries Summit contact:
ExecutiveNetwork@shrm.org
888.602.3270