Join Us at ALIGN

Building employee development programs alone can be in-tents. Join your peers for a virtual journey focused on building effective programs that will drive growth in your organization. You’ll enjoy expert-led sessions, best practices, workshops, and (s)'more!

Bonus – you can earn HRCI, SHRM, ATD, and CPTM recertification credits for attending!

September 24, 2025, 9 AM to 3 PM CT
Register Now See Agenda

Why Attend ALIGN?

Fuel Your Program with Foundational HR and L&D Concepts

Whether you're at basecamp or trying to summit something new, you'll get new ideas for creating programs that will help your employees thrive.

Get Strategies to Stoke Engagement and Retention

You'll walk away with a backpack full of ideas for creating opportunities for learning and development so you'll have a whole lot of happy campers.

Craft a Culture of 
Continuous Improvement

Discover how to instill a mindset of growth
and adaptability within your teams, ensuring that everyone is equipped to face
future challenges.

Meet Our Keynote Speakers

Sarika Lamont
Chief People Officer
Sarika Lamont is a dynamic People/HR executive with over 20 years of experience leading talent strategy, organizational transformation, and high-growth scaling efforts. She has a distinguished track record of designing award-winning people strategies that drive both business success and employee experience. With a background spanning management consulting, client delivery, and operational infrastructure, Sarika seamlessly integrates people strategies with business priorities to create thriving, high-performance cultures. Currently, as Chief People Officer at Vidyard, she oversees all facets of HR—Talent Acquisition, People Operations, Total Rewards, and DEI—ensuring that people strategies fuel innovation and growth.
Dr. Dustin York
Associate Professor
Dr. Dustin York is an Associate Professor at Maryville University in St. Louis and a guest lecturer at the University of Florida and Stanford University. Prior to entering academia, Dr. York worked in branding for the 2008 Obama Presidential campaign, and agency clients like Pepsi Co., and Nike. Dr. York’s specialties include digital branding and leadership communication, which he now brings to life in the classroom. Beyond his primary passion for teaching, Dr. York is a subject matter expert for CNN, Entrepreneur.com, and Forbes, a contributor for Harvard Business Review, and serves as a national corporate trainer. Dr. York was awarded the 2024 St. Louis Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award, President’s Award for Strategic Leadership and Transformation Innovation, 2022 American Marketing Association 4 Under 40, and an Apple Distinguished Educator.

Explore the Agenda

AI at Work: It’s Not Just Tools, It’s a Mindset Shift
9:00am - 10:00am CT
Sarika Lamont
Chief People Officer at Vidyard

AI at Work: It’s Not Just Tools, It’s a Mindset Shift

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We talk a lot about AI tools - but what really drives change is how people think and work. In this keynote, Sarika Lamont, CPO of Vidyard, shares how she is leading a company-wide AI and automation transformation, not by chasing tech trends, but by helping teams shift their mindset. Expect real stories, a simple framework you can use right away, and practical tips to get your org (and yourself) leaning into AI with confidence, not fear.
Powerful Alone: Driving Strategy and Culture as a Team of One
10:15am - 11:00am CT
Adam Weber
Executive Coach

Powerful Alone: Driving Strategy and Culture as a Team of One

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HR and People Operations professionals often carry the weight of the entire employee experience—alone. In this candid panel conversation, you’ll hear from three dynamic HR leaders who are operating as teams of one yet finding powerful ways to influence culture, shape strategy, and drive real impact. Whether you're building systems from scratch or aligning leadership around your vision, this session will leave you with actionable insights, creative approaches, and the confidence to lead boldly—even when you're the only one in the room.
What Great Looks Like: Stories of Success, Scale, and Skill-Building Built to Last
10:15am - 11:00am CT
Alex Manolis
& Christian Elovsson
Director of Client Success Director of Customer Retention & Growth

What Great Looks Like: Stories of Success, Scale, and Skill-Building Built to Last

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Join us for an inspiring session where we explore what truly distinguishes great online training programs from the rest. Through real client success stories, you’ll learn how organizations have launched effectively, scaled learner engagement, and driven measurable business impact. Discover the key strategies, common themes, and pitfalls to avoid on the journey to building a sustainable learning culture. Walk away with practical tips and a framework to craft your own lasting success story.
Performance Reviews Aren't the Answer
11:15am - 12:00pm CT
Ash Coleman Hynie
Founder & CEO of ManageUp

Performance Reviews Aren't the Answer

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Performance reviews are a tradition of every leading organization — but what if we finally said the thing we all know? They're messy, they're expensive and they don't work! In this talk, we’ll explore why traditional performance management systems are failing, and what happens when we stop being polite about the tradition of performance reviews and start being real; it's a visibility issue. You'll find actionable insights for enabling your managers, supporting your people, and moving beyond outdated cycles toward a smarter, more continuous approach to performance in this talk. Join in!
Innovation in Action: Transforming Leadership Through Creative Solutions
11:15am - 12:00pm CT
Dorothy Enriquez
Founder & Principal Consultant at The Ellevate Collective

Innovation in Action: Transforming Leadership Through Creative Solutions

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This session is designed to equip leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to foster a culture of innovation within their teams. Join us as we explore the critical role of innovation in effective leadership and learn practical strategies to overcome barriers and encourage creative problem-solving.

Participants will leave the session with:
  • A deeper understanding of the importance of innovation in leadership.
  • Practical strategies for overcoming barriers to innovation.
  • Tools for creative problem-solving and collaboration.
  • A personalized action plan to implement innovative practices in their teams.
Fuel the Fire: Keeping Your Online Training Program Alive and Thriving
12:15pm - 1:00pm CT
Kaitlin McDonald
Client Account Executive at BizLibrary

Fuel the Fire: Keeping Your Online Training Program Alive and Thriving

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Keeping your online training program alive and thriving takes ongoing effort and smart strategies. In this session, you’ll learn how to fuel engagement by refreshing content regularly, linking learning to career growth, and creating accountability with manager support. We’ll explore gamification, social learning, leadership involvement, and data-driven insights to keep momentum strong. Plus, discover how continuous communication and learner feedback help evolve your program for lasting success.
Built to Last: How to Launch an Online Training Program the Right Way
12:15pm - 1:00pm CT
Jonathan Rutland
Client Account Executive at BizLibrary

Built to Last: How to Launch an Online Training Program the Right Way

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Learn how to design and launch a high-impact learning program that drives real business results. This session covers gaining leadership buy-in, setting clear goals aligned to your organization’s challenges, understanding learner needs, and delivering engaging content. You will discover best practices for piloting, internal branding, manager enablement, and data-driven optimization to ensure your program delivers lasting value and meaningful outcomes.
Micro-Moments, Macro-Culture: How Small Interactions Shape Big Outcomes
1:15pm - 2:00pm CT
Lee Rubin
Co-Founder & CEO of Confetti

Micro-Moments, Macro-Culture: How Small Interactions Shape Big Outcomes

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Every organizational transformation begins not with grand gestures, but with countless micro-moments: the brief exchange in the hallway, the way feedback is delivered, the split-second decision to include or exclude someone from a conversation. These seemingly insignificant interactions accumulate to create the cultural DNA that drives performance, innovation, and retention. In this highly interactive session, we'll explore how leaders can recognize and leverage these micro-moments to build stronger, more inclusive cultures. Drawing from proven frameworks and techniques, participants will experience firsthand how intentional design of small interactions creates profound cultural shifts.

What You'll Experience:
  • 5-Minute Culture Starters: Learn powerful ice breakers that build psychological safety from the first moment people connect
  • The SBI Model in Action: Transform feedback delivery using Situation-Behavior-Impact framework to make every correction a culture-building moment
  • WAIT Technique Mastery: Practice ""Why Am I Talking?"" to create space for authentic dialogue and inclusive participation
  • B=MAP Micro-Habits: Apply BJ Fogg's Behavior Model (Behavior = Motivation + Ability + Prompt) to design tiny interactions that create lasting cultural change
  • Micro-Moment Mapping: Identify the hidden interaction points in your organization where culture is actually made
Crafting Your Personal Brand: Elevating Leadership through Authenticity and Influence
2:15pm - 3:00pm CT
Dustin York
Associate Professor at Maryville University

Crafting Your Personal Brand: Elevating Leadership through Authenticity and Influence

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Unlock the keys to impactful leadership and personal branding in this high-energy and engaging session. Thousands have engaged with Dr. York in this immersive exploration into the art of cultivating a powerful personal brand that aligns with your values, leadership aspirations and your organization's goals. This session is designed for aspiring leaders, professionals, and individuals seeking to amplify their influence by honing their personal brand. Throughout the interactive session, participants will complete their own personal brand roadmap through a custom workbook. Participants will leave this session energized and equipped with practical strategies, actionable insights, and a deeper understanding of how personal branding intertwines with their leadership and empowers their organization.

Register for ALIGN

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