2026 SCHEDULE

*Schedule subject to change

CONFERENCE

IN-PERSON CONFERENCE ONLY

  • Date/Time:

    • Conference Day 1: Monday, September 21, 2026, 8:15 am – 4:00 pm
    • Conference Day 2: Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 8:15 am – 4:00 pm
    • Optional Networking Social: Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
    • Optional ERG Leadership Certificate: Wednesday, September 23, 2026: 9:00 am – 3:30 pm 

SCHEDULE 

DAY 1 – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2026

Note to conference attendees: Please refer to your one-week-out email for the final conference schedule.

8:15 – 9:00 am
Registration, optional continental breakfast, networking

9:00 am
Welcome and Table Exercise
Featured Speaker: Amber Maynard

9:30 am
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration and Discover Live Tour
Featured speakers: Discover Live team (local and abroad)

9:50 am
Creating Meaningful Engagement: Explore how Fidelity is addressing one of today’s biggest ERG challenges—building stronger engagement, participation, and connection among employees and members.
Fidelity Investment Speakers: Jared Haberman, Rick Adamson, Amy Baldwin (moderator)

10:30 am
Engagement Table Exercise

11:00 am
Break, Networking, Exhibitor Meet & Greet

11:20 am
General Session: What Drives ERG Success: The Keys to Thriving Together
Executive Panel Speakers: Calvin Crosslin (Lenovo), Creighton Blackwell (Coastal Credit Union), Dr. Torri Staton (Wake County Economic Development)

12:00 pm
Lunch, networking, exhibitor meet & greet

1:15 pm
Workshop 1 (sessions A and B are repeated at 2:45 pm)

  • Workshop A: Strengthen Engagement: Explore effective strategies for fostering engagement and participation, and learn how to create inclusive environments within ERGs that encourage active involvement.
    Featured Speakers: Jeff Despain (Advance Auto Parts), Sunny Myers (Fastly)
  • Workshop B: Shaping Workplace Culture through ERGs: Shape a more connected, inclusive, and high-performing workplace by exploring how ERGs can strengthen culture, foster belonging and collaboration, align with business goals, and build lasting impact through authentic leadership partnerships and proven best practices.
    Featured Speakers: Dr. Torri Staton (Raleigh Chamber), Tarkisha Poole (Coastal Credit Union)
  • Workshop C: ERG Advisor Roundtable: Join fellow ERG advisors for a collaborative discussion to share challenges, exchange best practices, explore emerging trends, and discover practical solutions that strengthen your impact and support the success of ERGs across your organization. This session is for ERG advisors only.
    Featured Speakers: Amber Maynard (Elanco), Amy Baldwin (United Partnerships)

2:45 pm
Workshop 2

  • Workshop A: Strengthen Engagement: Explore effective strategies for fostering engagement and participation, and learn how to create inclusive environments within ERGs that encourage active involvement.
    Featured Speakers: Jeff Despain (Advance Auto Parts), Sunny Myers (Fastly)
  • Workshop B: Shaping Workplace Culture through ERGs: Shape a more connected, inclusive, and high-performing workplace by exploring how ERGs can strengthen culture, foster belonging and collaboration, align with business goals, and build lasting impact through authentic leadership partnerships and proven best practices.
    Featured Speakers: Dr. Torri Staton (Raleigh Chamber), Tarkisha Poole (Coastal Credit Union)
  • Breakout C: How Engagement Leads to Professional Development: ERG membership provides an opportunity to develop new skills that strengthen performance in current roles, help prepare for future roles, and contribute to overall organizational success.
    Featured Speaker: Amber Maynard (Elanco)

4:00 – 4:30 pm
Optional, informal networking

CONFERENCE DAY 2 – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 

8:15 – 8:55 am
Optional continental breakfast and Idea Think Tank (participants are invited to share a challenge and the group will share solution ideas)

9:00 am
Welcome, Discover Live Tour

9:15 am
Beyond the Event: Discover how live virtual experiences can deepen employee engagement, foster inclusion, enhance culture, and create meaningful business impact.
Featured speakers: Jay Wei (Discover Live), Tricia Norton (Discover Live), Tammara Sutton (formerly GEICO and Cornerstone)

10:00 am
Keynote: Leading with Intention
FDW Strategic Solutions will deliver a dynamic, interactive initiation into leadership designed to help leaders understand who they are, how they show up, and how to lead with brand clarity, trust and purpose. Participants will explore the importance of their personal and professional brand, identify their brand strengths, and learn practical strategies for leading effectively in today’s evolving workplace.
Keynote Speaker: Tamara Terry (FDW Strategic Solutions)

11:30 am
Breakout Sessions

  • Breakout A: Building a Community: Inspired by a successful network of Veteran ERG leaders from multiple companies, this session explores how they built an ongoing cross-company community to share ideas, solve challenges, and partner with local nonprofits. Participants will leave with practical strategies for creating peer networks and community partnerships that strengthen both their ERGs and their impact.
    Featured Speakers: Amber Fitzpatrick (Schneider Electric), Mike Patterson (Retired U.S. Navy and former Syneos Health), Craig Wymer (Veteran’s Bridge Home)
  • Breakout B: Executive Sponsor Partnerships: Learn how to build a strong, collaborative relationship with your executive sponsor that aligns goals, increases visibility, and amplifies your ERG’s impact across the organization.
    Featured Speakers: Jasmyne Ormond (Amplify), TBA (Amplify)
  • Workshop C: Elevate Your Leadership: Strengthen the leadership and professional skills that drive personal success and organizational impact by exploring effective communication, strategic influence, executive presence, collaboration, and practical approaches to leading with confidence in any workplace.
    Featured Speaker: Dave Laboy (Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC)

12:30 pm
Networking Lunch

1:30 pm

  • Breakout A: Building a Community: Inspired by a successful network of Veteran ERG leaders from multiple companies, this session explores how they built an ongoing cross-company community to share ideas, solve challenges, and partner with local nonprofits. Participants will leave with practical strategies for creating peer networks and community partnerships that strengthen both their ERGs and their impact.
    Featured Speakers: Amber Fitzpatrick (Schneider Electric), Mike Patterson (Retired U.S. Navy and former Syneos Health), Craig Wymer (Veteran’s Bridge Home)
  • Breakout B: Leveraging Executive Sponsor Partnerships: Learn how to build a strong, collaborative relationship with your executive sponsor that aligns goals, increases visibility, and amplifies your ERG’s impact across the organization.
    Featured Speakers: Jasmyne Ormond (Amplify), TBA (Amplify)
  • Breakout C: Elevate Your Leadership: Strengthen the leadership and professional skills that drive personal success and organizational impact by exploring effective communication, strategic influence, executive presence, collaboration, and practical approaches to leading with confidence in any workplace.
    Featured Speaker: Dave Laboy (Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC)

2:15 pm
Break

2:45 pm
Group Workshop: Thriving as Leaders

3:45 pm
Closing

OPTIONAL (registration required)
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Networking Social and Activity
Location: Offsite location TBA

ERG LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 23, 2026; 9:00 am – 3:30 pm ET

  • The ERG Leadership Certificate program is an optional add-on activity: $575 (a discounted rate that includes a $420 conference discount off the standard fee of $995)

Description: The ERG Leadership Certificate course components consist of the following:

  • Brief introduction to ERGs
  • ERG business case and business alignment
  • Structure: ERG charter, enterprise structure, group structure, ERG and Executive Sponsor roles and responsibilities
  • Internal partners: Communications, HR, DEI, IT, leadership
  • External partners: Community engagement
  • Management and operations: ERG launch, recruitment, programming, engagement, retention, growth
  • Evaluation: metrics, shared outcome

Format: Classroom and workshop, in person only