Wednesday November 6, 2024
Keynotes
Get ready to be inspired by this year's highly-anticipated keynote presentations!
CONNECTION KEYNOTE
President & CEO
Henry Ford Health
President, ASHHRA Board of Directors, 2003
OPENING CEREMONY KEYNOTE
Monday, April 7, 2025
Sara Ross
Founder & Chief Vitality Officer
BrainAmped
Sara is on a mission to help organizations and their leaders reignite a sense of aliveness in both their work and at home. She and her company do this by using brain science-based strategies to teach people how to amplify their emotional intelligence, resilience, and well-being.
The Confidence to Get Knocked Down and the Resilience to Get Back Up
- Explaining the brain science of emotions under stress and sharing a strategy to address the three thieves of confidence: perfection, comparison, and the fear of judgment.
- Addressing common misconceptions about what confidence and resilience are and how each is built and maintained.
- Identifying where mindset shifts will help change the narrative of the story people tell themselves when it’s keeping them stuck, scared, discouraged, and overwhelmed.
- Building a “resilience resume” to highlight strengths and experiences to draw from when faced with obstacles and channel both into positive, momentum-creating action.
About Sara Ross
Sara Ross is an international keynote speaker, the founder and Chief Vitality Officer at BrainAmped—a leadership research firm—as well as the author of the book, Dear Work: Something Has to Change.
Sara is on a mission to help organizations and their leaders reignite a sense of aliveness in both their work and at home. She and her company do this by using brain science-based strategies to teach people how to amplify their emotional intelligence, resilience, and well-being.
As a leadership expert, Sara’s ideas and research have earned her a reputation as a fresh and thought-provoking voice in discussions focused on the future of work. As such, Sara is called on to work with clients such as Microsoft, PepsiCo., Cisco, Wells Fargo, T-Mobile, Rogers, Allstate, United Health, Fidelity, BMO, Stanford University, and as diversely as the U.S. Navy SEALs and the leadership team of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, among others. In addition, Sara has worked with numerous government agencies, foundations, and associations as well as guest lecturing in the executive leadership program at Smith College. This broad perspective and diverse experience help explain why Sara is called on to work with some of the most senior, technically sophisticated, and skeptical audiences.
You can count on Sara to bring her trademark energy with the integration of relevant, cutting-edge science and relatable stories of success and failures. Her approach is guaranteed to challenge the status quo, provide new insights and inspiration, and most importantly, leave audiences with a blueprint of actionable strategies.
Before founding BrainAmped, Sara spent a decade immersed in the neuroscience of Emotional Intelligence and Performance at a leadership development company where she served as their Vice President and Global Head of Leadership Innovation, Research and Education. As head of faculty, Sara and her team led the development and delivery of award-winning leadership programs, assessments, coaching and accreditation programs that helped leaders from across the globe to be their best, even in the most complex and stress-filled moments.
Sara has a Master of Science (MSc.) from the University of Waterloo. Outside of work, she is a coffee loving, meditation rookie who can’t help but slip in the occasional Canadian “eh” at the end of a sentence. Her husband describes her career as professional eavesdropping-people-watching. She argues that she is merely a dedicated street scientist doing her professional duty to better understand why people do what they do and why they don’t do what they know they should!
CONNECTION KEYNOTE
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Robert G. Riney
President & CEO
Henry Ford Health
President, ASHHRA Board of Directors, 2003
With more than 45 years of service at Henry Ford Health, Bob has played a pivotal role through many times of transformation, including the organization’s current era of unprecedented growth and expansion.
The Human Connection: Building a Culture of Belonging in Healthcare Leadership
Healthcare’s greatest asset is its people, and the ability to build a culture of belonging has never been more critical. In this thought-provoking keynote, Bob Riney, President & CEO of Henry Ford Health, will share his passion for creating inclusive, resilient healthcare teams that feel empowered, engaged, and aligned with a shared purpose. Drawing on more than 45 years of leadership experience, Bob will unpack the core elements of fostering a workplace culture where every team member feels valued, heard, and inspired to contribute their best.
With healthcare leaders facing unprecedented workforce challenges, Bob will explore the transformational impact of belonging on engagement, innovation, and patient outcomes. Through real-world examples, practical strategies, and a deep commitment to human connection, Bob will demonstrate how to lead with authenticity and foster environments where trust and respect drive collaboration, creativity, and growth. He will also address the powerful link between culture, well-being and resilience, offering insights into how leaders can reimagine their organizations to thrive in today’s complex healthcare landscape.
Whether you’re navigating workforce shortages, addressing burnout, or simply seeking to elevate your leadership approach, this keynote will provide you with the tools and inspiration needed to cultivate a culture of belonging that empowers people and transforms healthcare. This keynote will leave you inspired and equipped to lead with purpose and build a culture that not only strengthens teams, but also elevates healthcare for all.
OBJECTIVES
- Redefine Leadership Through Belonging: Learn how to create a culture where every team member feels valued, respected, and connected to a shared purpose, unlocking higher levels of engagement and innovation.
- Empower Teams for Resilience and Growth: Gain actionable strategies to address workforce challenges, such as burnout and turnover, by fostering trust, collaboration, and a sense of psychological safety.
- Leverage Culture to Drive Organizational Success: Explore the link between a strong culture of belonging and improved patient outcomes, team performance, and organizational growth, with practical steps to lead transformative change.
About Bob Riney
Few leaders embody the spirit of resilience found at Henry Ford Health, across the state of Michigan, and throughout our region more deeply than Bob Riney.
With more than 45 years of service at Henry Ford Health, Bob has played a pivotal role through many times of transformation, including the organization’s current era of unprecedented growth and expansion. A proud graduate of Wayne State University and lifelong Detroiter, Bob’s career at Henry Ford began in 1978 and has given him a uniquely comprehensive understanding of the health system’s operations, organizational culture, and connection to the communities it serves.
Appointed CEO in 2022, Bob has been instrumental in spearheading some of Henry Ford Health’s most ambitious projects to date. His leadership is central to the groundbreaking joint venture with Ascension Michigan, which unites the two major health systems to enhance care delivery across the region. This joint venture has taken Henry Ford Health from five to 13 hospitals; approximately 33,000 to 50,000 team members; and 250 to 550+ sites of care, while expanding access to advanced clinical care and cutting-edge research for communities throughout Michigan and beyond.
Bob’s leadership has also been key to the Destination: Grand project, a complete re-imagination of Henry Ford Health’s Detroit campus that will include a new 20-story, 1.2M sq. ft. hospital tower with all private rooms for patients, a new Emergency Department more than double the size of the existing one, 28 operating rooms, and its own Central Energy Hub, making it one of the largest fully electric-capable hospitals in the country. This development is not only about improving healthcare infrastructure; it’s about reshaping the future of health for the city and region. Destination: Grand will serve as a beacon of medical innovation and a cornerstone for Detroit’s revitalization, creating lasting positive impacts for decades to come.
Before becoming CEO in 2022, Bob held numerous Henry Ford Health leadership positions including: President, Healthcare Operations and Chief Operating Officer (2017 – 2022); Chief Operating Officer (2003-2022); Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer (2002–2003); and Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (2000–2002).
Bob is a passionate contributor to the overall quality of the community as well as his profession, and he is often sought out for input on major strategic issues. His current board and community roles include: Trustee, Alfred I. duPont Charitable Trust; Board Member, Detroit Zoological Society; Board Member, M1 Rail Transit Authority; Board Chair, The Parade Company; Board Member, Hudson-Webber Foundation; Board Member, Caymich Insurance Company; Board Member, Detroit Regional Chamber; Board Member, Business Leaders for Michigan; Board Member, Downtown Detroit Partnership; Board Member, Detroit Regional Partnership; Board Member, The Detroit Economic Club (DEC); and Board Member, Motown Museum.
