Alta Ray (she/her/hers) is an experienced employment attorney with broad expertise in employment litigation, employee relations, workplace investigations, and human resource policy development, compliance and training.
Alta is a Senior Employment Counsel at Greenhouse Software, Inc., where she guides and provides advice to internal stakeholders on a wide range of global employment issues. She works closely with the People (HR) team and outside legal counsel to ensure compliance with state, federal, and international employment laws and best practices. Additionally, Alta provides legal support for Greenhouse’s DEI efforts and handles employment-related litigation matters. Alta is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at American University’s Washington College of Law where she teaches Human Resources Compliance.

Previously, Alta has held legal and employee relations roles at Okta, AstraZeneca, the D.C. Office of Human Rights and Marriott International. Alta began her career as an employment attorney at the Federal Bureau of Prisons and then at two national law firms, where she advised employers on how to comply with local, state, and federal labor and employment laws and litigated employment and labor union cases.
Alta is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and Howard University School of Law. She resides in Washington, D.C. and loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends.

David Livermore, PhD (Michigan State University) is a social scientist devoted to the topics of cultural intelligence (CQ) and global leadership and the author of several award-winning books, including  Leading with Cultural Intelligence, Driven by Difference, and  Serving with Eyes Wide Open. His newest book, Digital, Diverse & Divided, addresses one of the most pressing issues of our day–how to overcome polarization in our personal and professional relationships.  

David is a founder of the Cultural Intelligence Center in East Lansing, Michigan, Research Professor at Questrom’s School of Business at Boston University, and a Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He consults with global organizations around the world, including the Harvard Business School, Google, Coca-Cola, the US Department of Defense, BMW, Qatar Airways, the United Nations, and dozens more. He has traveled to more than one hundred countries and is a frequent speaker at conferences. He also serves on several boards and is a Fellow with the Society of Leadership Fellows, Windsor Castle, a select leadership community that meets to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing us globally. 

David loves to make social science accessible to practitioners. He has been interviewed and referenced by myriad news sources, including The Atlantic , CBS News, Christian Science Monitor, The Economist, Forbes, NBC, the New York Times, USA Today,  the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal , and the South China Post.  

David and his wife, Linda, have two adult daughters, Emily and Grace. Emily is embarking on a career as a litigation lawyer, and Grace is a graphic designer. Some of their favorite family activities are traveling (fortunately!) and discovering new foods together. 

Maria is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Seramount. In this role, she supports organizations’ efforts to create more inclusive workplaces by providing valuable insights and resources via webinars, blogs, guides, infographics, and more. Prior to joining Seramount, Maria worked in enrollment marketing, diversity recruitment, college admissions, and K-12 case management.

Maria holds a degree in Social Work from Baylor University. She currently resides in Philadelphia, PA. In her free time, she loves trying new brunch spots, connecting with her women’s hiking club, and working on her indoor garden.

Colleen R. Billiot is a citizen of the United Houma Nation and serves as the Public Education Coordinator for the American Indian College Fund. She received a bachelor’s from Tulane University in international relations and master’s in conflict resolution from Georgetown University. Colleen had worked at every level of government before switching to the nonprofit sector and has been in the public relations field for 8 years. She served as the first Communications Specialist for the Administration for Native Americans. Colleen has also provided emergency communications and support during natural disasters and the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Louisiana and Texas. She leads several cultural preservation and reclamation projects for her people, notably the Houma Language Project and Tasso Time. Colleen occasionally participates in speaking engagements on a range of topics such as Houma history in Louisiana, Indigenous cultural revival, and the need to go beyond land acknowledgements.

Eric served in the Army National Guard for 19 years. During his time in service he spent 8 years as an enlisted Solider and 11 as an Officer. He rose to the rank of Captain finishing his career in November 2021 as an Airborne Logistics Commander where his unit was responsible for supporting special operations units in the field. Eric is a graduate from the following Army schools: Officer Candidate, Logistics Officer, Captain’s Career Course, Airborne, Air Assault, and Pathfinder. Eric is also a combat Veteran serving in the Operation Iraqi Freedom Campaign in 2006, where he worked with local Iraqi Police forces to fight against insurgency in the streets of Ramadi.

Eric currently serves as the National Co-Chair for Valor, Liberty Mutual’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) dedicated to Veterans, current service members, spouse/partners, and allies. Eric’s work on this team has included supporting Veteran/Current Service member hiring initiatives, creating a robust mentorship program, elevating current service member benefits, and being a trusted advisor to Senior Leadership on military current events. Eric has been featured on “Veteran on the Move” podcast, Worklife.com news article on how remote work impacts Veterans, Benefitsnews.com on how Liberty Mutual’s ERG is supporting Veterans, and more. Eric began his insurance career with a degree in Risk Management & Insurance from Ball State University in 2006.

Upon returning from Combat in 2007, Eric began selling insurance with Nationwide and later State Farm. After obtaining his MBA, Eric went on to work for Liberty Mutual Insurance in 2011, where he continues to work today! Eric has held 8 roles during tenure at Liberty Mutual from front line adjuster and manager, to a more home office Director type of role that he currently holds today. Eric contributes his longevity with the company to not only his career progression and infinity for the work he does for the company and our policyholders, but the ability to help create and lead our Valor ERG.

Andrea Bighead is the project integrator for the System Integration, Test & Evaluation team for the Future Air Dominance Family of Systems program. She is a tribal member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

Andrea supports the Future Air Dominance Family of Systems, System Test, Integration, & Evaluation (SIT&E) team by organizing teamwork loads and working with leadership to ensure the team goals are met. She is the Virtual Native American Caucus (NAC) chair, one of Northrop Grumman’s Employee Resource Groups (ERG).

Andrea started her career at the Northrop Grumman Corporation as an administrative assistant in 2016. She joined the program integration team (PIT) in 2019 and has supported multiple programs. Most recently she supports the Future Air Dominance Family of Systems program where she continues to be a pivotal force with the team integration.

Prairie Bighorn-Blount, an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Sioux Tribe and raised on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana, has forged an impressive path of leadership and community service. Her journey began with a bachelor’s degree in business from Rocky Mountain College, followed by a master’s in business administration from the University of Montana. Post-education, Prairie served at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC. There, she administered contracts for Native American communities across the U.S., securing over $5 million for indigenous economic development and contributing to federal review panels. Returning to her roots, Prairie served as the Comptroller for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, managing $34 million in federal funding and ensuring timely audits. Recognized for her leadership, Prairie received the 2011 National Center for American Indian Economic Development’s 40 Under 40 Award. She now sits on the board of directors for the Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology and contributes as a panelist for MIT Solve’s Indigenous Communities Fellowship program. Currently, Prairie serves as the Executive Director of the American Indigenous Business Leader’s organization, championing the cause of increased American Indian representation in business and entrepreneurship, and continuing her legacy of community development.

Haley Kalmbach is a Senior Software Engineer at Liberty Mutual Insurance. She has been an employee at Liberty Mutual for over 4 years, where she has worked on different internally facing applications. Most recently, she has worked on the creation of the Digital Accessibility Center as part of the DEI initiative.

As the work becomes increasingly more digital, this application was created to provide technical support for ALL employees to ensure they can be successful in their roles. The application was built to be completely accessible, so everyone would be able to use the site.

Haley has a passion for designing and developing applications with an “accessible first” mindset. She believes inclusive design is something that all engineers can incorporate into their development process. It is important to spread awareness around this issue and make sure other engineers know what tools exist to improve the digital accessibility for all.

As a Software Engineer with Liberty Mutual, Jamie has just completed two years with the company. She considers herself fortunate to have begun her career working on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) technology, as it allowed her to develop meaningful work from the get go, and learn early on how impactful to ALL users it is to develop with accessibility as a top priority. Earlier this year Jamie worked as a Product Owner, partnering with stakeholders on DEI initiatives. She and her team have recently inherited several large internally facing applications, impacting over 40,000 users, which has enabled them to apply their accessibility knowledge in a large scale way – shifting these applications to better align with the core values of Liberty Mutual.

AJ Eckstein is a passionate and influential Gen Z advocate, renowned for his insightful contributions to workplace discourse, particularly centered on Gen Z.

AJ’s expertise lies in challenging stereotypes surrounding Gen Z, notably the misconception of their work preferences. His background is impressive:

1. He holds the title of “Gen Z Career Expert,” highlighted by his contributions to major publications and partnerships with LinkedIn Learning and UCLA.
2. As a Gen Z representative, AJ offers a unique and authentic perspective on our generation’s needs and behaviors.
3. With a wealth of experience in both writing and speaking, he has established himself as a go-to authority on Gen Z and the future of work.