Top CHROs to Headline SHRM BLUEPRINT 2025 Session on Inclusion as a Strategic Growth Plan

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today, SHRM – the trusted authority on all things work, workers, and the workplace – announced prominent Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) to its SHRM BLUEPRINT 2025 event lineup, taking place from October 26-29 in Louisville, Kentucky. Rocki Rockingham, CHRO of GE Appliances, Jackson Lynch, Founder and CHRO of Talent Sherpa, and Sean Woodroffe, SHRM-SCP, Executive Vice President, Chief People, Culture and Communications Officer at Lincoln Financial Group, will lead a plenary session focused on implementing inclusion as a strategic growth plan.

In an exclusive conversation with Betty Thompson, SHRM-SCP, Chair of the SHRM Board of Directors, the session will move beyond theoretical discussions to demonstrate how a disciplined approach to inclusion and diversity (I&D) can become a measurable, business-accretive strategy. The panel will address the pressing challenges HR leaders face amidst evolving Supreme Court decisions, executive orders, and intense public scrutiny, providing actionable strategies that are legally compliant, workforce unifying, and business accretive.

The discussion, scheduled for Wednesday, October 29th at 9:30am ET will feature powerful stories and real-world examples from these leaders who have successfully implemented I&D strategies that fuel performance, resilience, and long-term sustainability. Attendees will gain insights on holding leaders accountable, leveraging data, and anticipating workforce trends to weave inclusion into their organization's DNA. This approach is designed to spark innovation, accelerate profitability, and deepen customer loyalty, establishing inclusion as a powerful driver of competitive advantage.

"The exclusive conversations happening at SHRM BLUEPRINT 2025 are exactly what our profession needs right now. When top CHROs share real challenges and solutions behind building inclusive workplaces, it elevates our collective understanding,” said Jim Link, SHRM-SCP, Chief Human Resources Officer for SHRM. “These insights go far beyond theory — they offer practical, data-backed strategies HR leaders can immediately apply to drive growth, unify teams, and ensure compliance. This is how we move inclusion from aspiration to action, creating workplaces where people and businesses thrive together."

Rocki Rockingham is the CHRO for GE Appliances, a Haier company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. With over 30 years of domestic and international business experience, Rocki also served as the Senior VP of Human Resources for Newell Brands, Appliances and Cookware Division. 

Jackson Lynch is a business-first, people-always CHRO, Founder, and President of Talent Sherpa – a multi-channel platform where senior leaders, CHROs, and boards go to rethink how human capital really works. Previously, he served as the Executive VP and CHRO for Sunnova Energy. 

Sean Woodroffe, SHRM-SCP, is the Chief People, Culture and Communications Officer at Lincoln Financial, responsible for all aspects of human resources (HR), including talent management and development, employee experience, and much more. With more than 35 years of experience in HR for financial services institutions, he previously served as Senior Executive VP and Chief People Officer at TIAA.

SHRM BLUEPRINT 2025 is a hands-on event designed for HR professionals, CHROs, in-house counsel, and I&D leaders to build legally sound I&D strategies ready for real-world implementation. The addition of these distinguished speakers reinforces the event’s commitment to providing attendees with exclusive access to experts who have successfully navigated the complexities of modern I&D initiatives.

BLUEPRINT emphasizes the need for corporate I&D strategy to be: legally compliant, workplace unifying, and business accretive. Attendees will have access to comprehensive working sessions to help senior HR, legal, and I&D leaders design the next era of inclusive cultures for a diverse workforce.

Registration for SHRM BLUEPRINT 2025 is now available on the SHRM website for in-person attendance October 26-29 in Louisville, KY at the Kentucky International Convention Center.

Journalists and media are invited to attend BLUEPRINT. Press registration is required. For interview requests and press credentials, please contact: press@shrm.org.

About SHRM BLUEPRINT   
SHRM BLUEPRINT is an inclusion & diversity-focused event designed to provide HR professionals, CHROs, in-house legal counsel, and I&D leaders with the tools and insights needed to design actionable organizational strategies. Rooted in the core pillars of legally compliant diversity, workplace unifying diversity, and business accretive diversity, SHRM BLUEPRINT equips attendees with tangible solutions and practical knowledge. Through thoughtful programming and hands-on, small working sessions, SHRM BLUEPRINT empowers business leaders to create workplaces that are not only legally sound but also inclusive and dynamic, driving long-term value for their organizations. 

About SHRM

SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Discover more at SHRM.org.