2025 Annual Conference Executive Summit

The three sessions that will be included are:

Build the Organization of the Future: Navigating AI with Depthfinding – In a world changing faster than our organizations can adapt, those that thrive will be shaped not only by what they produce, but by how deeply they understand themselves and their environment. This session introduces Depthfinding—a method for navigating complexity, identifying leverage points below the surface of organizational transformation, and unlocking coherent autonomy.

Featuring Rodney Evans, Partner, The Ready and Co-Host, Brave New Work

Deliberate calm: The Key to Adaptive Leadership and Sustained High Performance – Learn the keys to generating deliberate calm. This will equip leaders (and their organizations) with the capacity to remain calm, clear, and agile under pressure, allowing them to navigate uncertainty more effectively, optimize decision-making, and drive sustained organizational performance.

Featuring Chad McGehee, Meditation & Mental Performance Expert, Coach, and Researcher

The Old Way Doesn’t Work: Why Strategy Alone Isn’t Enough – Traditional, top-down approaches to strategy often fail to deliver meaningful results in today’s fast-changing environment. This session will challenge leaders to adopt a more human-centered, adaptive approach that drives real engagement and turns strategic vision into lasting impact.

Featuring Aric Wood, Chief Strategy Officer, Tigerhall

Rodney Evans

Partner, The Ready and Co-Host, Brave New Work
Rodney Evans is an organizational design visionary, executive coach, and transformative thought leader who challenges traditional paradigms of corporate structure and strategy. As Partner at The Ready and co-host of the acclaimed podcast “Brave New Work,” Rodney has guided global enterprises from chaos and bureaucracy toward agility and human-centric adaptability. Leveraging over two decades of experience—ranging from executive roles at Deutsche Bank to Chief Innovation Officer at McChrystal Group—Rodney’s depthfinding methodologies have helped organizations uncover profound insights into their complexities and potential. Her dynamic sessions offer executives powerful tools to navigate AI-driven change and unlock unprecedented organizational autonomy.

 

Chad McGehee

Meditation & Mental Performance Expert, Coach, and Researcher
Chad McGehee is a trailblazing performance coach and meditation expert who empowers leaders with the mental agility necessary to thrive in high-pressure environments. As the pioneering Director of Meditation Training for University of Wisconsin Athletics and co-founder of Inner Edge Meditation, Chad has redefined peak performance through scientifically rigorous mindfulness training. His influential methods have been embraced by elite athletes, FBI SWAT teams, Fortune 500 executives, and major educational institutions. Featured by ESPN, the Wall Street Journal, and NPR, Chad’s compelling approach equips leaders to sustain calm clarity, optimize decision-making under stress, and cultivate resilience for lasting organizational success.

 

Aric Wood

Chief Strategy Officer, Tigerhall
Aric Wood is a recognized expert in strategic activation, transformative leadership, and organizational engagement. As Chief Strategy Officer at Tigerhall and author of “The Strategy Activation Playbook,” Aric specializes in translating visionary strategy into actionable change that resonates throughout the enterprise. With a distinguished background at Bain & Company, Intuit, and as CEO of global consultancy XPLANE, Aric has spent two decades aligning complex organizations around unified visions. His pioneering approach integrates human-centered design with powerful digital platforms, equipping global brands like Adobe, HP, and American Express to activate meaningful, scalable transformation. Aric’s dynamic presentations challenge executives to transcend outdated strategic frameworks and ignite real, impactful engagement.

This summit is designed for senior leaders and executives with budgetary authority and strategic oversight within their organizations. Ideal participants include C-Suite, Vice Presidents, Directors of major business units, or individuals who are accountable for driving transformation, enabling innovation, and shaping organizational direction.

These leaders are responsible for navigating their companies through complex and rapidly evolving landscapes. They are seeking new ways to unleash the full potential of their teams, lead with clarity amid volatility, and create adaptive systems that go beyond conventional strategic planning.

Participants should be:

• Decision-makers and change agents, responsible for aligning resources and talent with organizational goals.
• Forward-thinking and curious, open to exploring how emerging technologies like AI can enhance human potential.
• Invested in leadership development, both for themselves and their teams, to foster cultures of resilience, innovation, and adaptability.
• Eager to challenge the status quo, moving away from traditional, hierarchical strategy models toward more human-centered, agile approaches that deliver real-world impact.

Whether leading enterprise-wide transformation, scaling innovation, or stewarding high-performance cultures, this summit is for executives who want to not only keep up—but get ahead.

Monday, September 29, 2025 | 5:30–7:30 PM | Monona Terrace, Madison, WI

Join us for an inspiring evening of connection and conversation at the UWEBC Executive Reception—an exclusive gathering for senior leaders, steering committee members, Advisory Board members, keynote speakers, and UW–Madison leadership. Held the evening before our flagship Annual Conference, this event sets the tone for a day of learning, innovation, and executive-level insight.

This year’s Executive Conversation will feature a rich and engaging dialogue moderated by renowned journalist John Stofflet, alongside Doug Barton, Director of the UWEBC. Together, they’ll preview key ideas and frame the challenges and opportunities explored in Tuesday’s conference.

Featured Speakers

Nancy Giordano
Strategist, Futurist, and Author of LeaderING

Nancy Giordano is one of the world’s top futurists and a transformative voice for business leaders navigating a rapidly changing world. A seasoned keynote speaker and bestselling author of LeaderING, she helps organizations shift from outdated industrial models to inclusive, regenerative, and AI-era-ready systems. Nancy has advised two AI startups, produced immersive leadership summits, and her projects span topics from advanced tech to frozen food—all united by a desire to spark purposeful progress. All Executive Reception attendees will receive immediate access to her book.

 

Dart Lindsley
Advisor to Google’s People Experience Function and Author of “Reimagining Work as a Product”

Dart Lindsley offers a provocative, systems-oriented reimagining of how work is designed. As Head of Global Process Excellence in People Operations at Google and co-author of the HBR article Reimagining Work as a Product, Dart draws on his business architecture expertise to reframe work as an intentional product crafted for the employee experience. His top-ranked podcast, Work for Humans, explores this intersection of meaning, systems, and the future of work. With a unique perspective shaped by careers in both the literary arts and tech leadership, Dart challenges conventional HR models to help organizations better serve their people.

 

Executive Conversation Hosts

John Stofflet
Journalist, Annual Conference Master of Ceremonies

John Stofflet is a celebrated journalist and master storyteller with a career spanning 40 countries and all seven continents. With 25 Regional Emmy Awards and deep roots in Wisconsin, John has interviewed everyone from President Barack Obama to Hollywood icons like Julia Roberts and Robin Williams. A proud UW–Madison alumnus, he brings his signature blend of curiosity, warmth, and global insight to this year’s Executive Reception. He also serves his community through board roles with the Badger Childhood Cancer Network and the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin.

 

Doug Barton
UWEBC Director, Reception Host and Executive Conversation Contributor

As Director of the UW E-Business Consortium, Doug Barton leads one of the nation’s foremost university-industry partnerships, engaging over 80 companies across sectors in shared learning, innovation, and strategic growth. Doug brings decades of experience from a career in industry and global speaking experiences on AI, entrepreneurship, and innovation. His role at UWEBC includes guiding the Advisory Board, spearheading member strategy, and ensuring the organization’s impact aligns with the Wisconsin Idea. Doug holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and a BBA from UW–Madison’s Wisconsin School of Business.

What to Expect:

• A private, informal setting to engage with peers and thought leaders in the Monona Terrace’s Community Terrace space
• Early insights into Tuesday’s keynote themes and a glimpse into the future of our enterprises and lives
• Hors d’oeuvres, refreshments, and panoramic views of Lake Monona and Downtown Madison

Attire: Business casual

Audience: By invitation only – open to senior executives, conference speakers, Advisory Board members, and university leadership. Anyone attending the Executive Summit is also welcome to attend the Reception.