Cecile Alper-Leroux is the VP of Human Capital Management (HCM) Innovation at Ultimate Software and an internationally sought speaker, thought leader, and visionary on HCM trends, hot topics, and global strategies. An economic anthropologist with more than 20 years of experience worldwide, Cecile has dedicated her life to helping companies design experiences that enable all people to achieve highly purposeful and productive jobs. She is passionate about the extraordinary transformation of the work environment and the vastly more human-centered ways of building meaningful careers. A recognized voice in the HCM industry, Cecile has been featured in Forbes, HuffPost, HR Magazine, HRD Canada TV, and The Wall Street Journal.
The world’s largest event dedicated to HR technology will once again break records with unprecedented attendance and a sold-out exposition floor. Next week’s HR Technology Conference & Exposition® – being held September 11 - 14 at The Venetian in Las Vegas – will also be the launchpad for more than 80 new products in the category.
Tom Hammond assumed the role of vice president of corporate strategy and product management in January 2017 with more than 25 years of experience at Paychex. He leads an organization that develops strong, intuitive, and relevant HCM solutions for small and mid-size businesses, embracing the challenge of remaining cutting-edge in an increasingly competitive market. He also shapes and directs the execution of the company’s strategic vision. Earlier in his Paychex career, Hammond spent six years as the senior director of product and program management, putting his stamp on Paychex software development initiatives. He oversaw the creation of Paychex’s first payroll application, CORE Advanced, and has since played an integral role in its evolution into what is now Paychex Flex, the company’s full suite of HCM solutions. A graduate of St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y., Hammond earned his Bachelor of Science degree in marketing in 1990.
Kristy Wallace is the President at Ellevate Network, and is responsible for executing Ellevate Network’s mission to close the gender achievement gap in business by providing professional women with a global community to lean on and learn from. She directs the Network’s staff, is responsible for business growth and strategy, and works closely with Ellevate's Chapter Leaders, Business Partners, and Champions to further Ellevate's impact. Kristy obtained her BA in English/Sociology from Villanova University and began her career as a financial analyst at KeyBank.
Katharine Mobley is an award-winning marketer who is blazing a trail for the next generation of women in technology. With over 20 years’ experience in her field, she has witnessed drastic changes in marketing and advertising and the impact they’ve had on technology companies. She is a highly regarded marketing maven, as well as a self-proclaimed data geek and social media addict. Prior to joining First Advantage as Global CMO, she served as CMO at Crescerance and WeCareCard Mastercard®. Earlier in her career, she managed brands such as Coca-Cola, Bank of America, Michelin and Dodge Automotive for global agencies: BBDO, Millward Brown and Allison+Partners. Katharine is a proud graduate of The University of Georgia with a BA in Marketing from the Terry College of Business (1998). She resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two sons.
Yessica Cancel is the Chief Operating Officer serving PACE Center for Girls, Inc. based out of Jacksonville, FL. She joined PACE in 2011 in an organizational development capacity. Prior to joining PACE, Yessica spent a significant part of her career in the for-profit sector working with an ocean transportation carrier as Vice President of Organizational Development. The move to PACE was a convening of experience and passion as Yessica began her career as a high school teacher working with at risk populations. Yessica has a B.A. in Multilingual/Multicultural Education from Florida State University and a Master’s Human Resource Management from the University of North Florida. She is a Certified Compensation Professional, as well as achieved the SHRM-SCP and SPHR designations.
Alex leads product marketing for ADP DataCloud, ADP’s industry-leading portfolio of reporting, analytics and Big Data solutions, named “Top HR Product of 2016” by Human Resource Executiveâ and a multiple-time Awesome New Technologies winner from the HR Technology Conference. Drawing on nearly 20 years of marketing experience, Alex is responsible for go-to-market strategy for ADP DataCloud, achieving double-digit revenue growth following its launch in 2015. He has spoken at SHRM and been quoted in numerous publications, including HR Professionals Magazine, TalentCulture and TechTarget. Prior to joining ADP, Alex led global marketing for IBM Interactive Experience, where we helped grow the digital consulting agency into an industry leader cited by Ad Age and industry analysts, and has also spent time in consulting and higher education administration. Alex has an MBA from Emory University's Goizueta Business School and an undergraduate degree from Tufts University.
Tracie Sponenberg SHRM-SCP, SPHR is SVP, HR for The Granite Group, a full-service wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating, cooling, water and propane supplies based in Concord, NH. Responsible for leading all HR functions for 34 locations and nearly 500 employees, throughout New England, she has gained a broad HR background across a wide range of industries in more than 20 years in HR, with much of her career focused on working with CEOs to develop strategic people strategies to help the organizations grow. She began her career in HR while in college, interning with a global public transportation company but found she could have the most impact on the business in smaller, private companies. Tracie has a BA in Psychology from Holy Cross, and a MA in Human Resources from Framingham State University. She is SPHR and SHRM-SCP certified, teaches the SHRM certification course at SNHU, is a member of the SHRM Special Expertise Panel and is Co-Organizer of DisruptHR NH.
