Tech Talent IMPACT! Talks:  New Ideas and Disruptive Thinking Tackling the Technical Talent Challenge
Fast paced, IMPACT! Talks feature three compelling speakers sharing powerful ideas in the space of 60 minutes. These brief high impact talks are designed to disrupt ordinary thinking and inspire you to reimagine what is possible.

Moderator: Daniel Reynolds – CEO, Talon Professional Services     

"She'll be Ready. Will you?"

Speakers:

• Sandy Marshall - Founder/CEO, Project Scientist

Diversity of thought drives innovation. Achieving gender equality is important for workplaces not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it is fundamental to our nation’s economic performance. Organizations such as Project Scientist are preparing a powerful new generation of young women to be STEM leaders. Are you positioned to attract and retain the next generation of female STEM innovators? 

The Journey of the Athlete
Speaker:

• Ryan Drummond - VP of Employer Partnerships, Game Plan

The scarcity of tech talent has pushed the concept of hiring for skills and potential rather than just educational background or degree to the forefront. There’s no doubt that athletes possess highly desirable workplace skills, honed on and off the field, like critical thinking and strong communication. But with all that time spent training and competing, it is challenging to reach and recruit them when they are ready to transition to the workforce.    

Ryan Drummond, VP of Employer Partnerships at Game Plan, focuses on life after athletics for about 150,000 athletes and works with employers who want to establish a talent pipeline from college and professional athletics. In this session, Ryan will share his personal story to illustrate the mutual value both companies and athletes receive when they engage with one another.    

Minus The Illusion    
Speaker:

• Torin Ellis – Corporate Diversity Strategist

Minus The Illusion is a mashup of all things corporate from EEOC statements and press releases to employee engagement and vanity metrics that some refer to as people analytics.  Truth is far too many have fallen short and this comes back to leadership.  This conversation is about high expectations and trust - neither of which are nebulous.  Minus The Illusion is the one talk that will change your relationship with power.