IOHRM

Here is a sneak peek at the world-class speakers presenting at the event. 

We are building a bit of suspense and assembling another fantastic cast of world-class experts and professionals.

Check back soon to see who will be presenting at the 2026 Appalachian People at Work Summit!

Co-Founder and Director of Research at the Vela Institute

Professor of Psychology at Appalachian State University

Dr. Shawn Bergman’s (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-bergman/) work reflects his dedication to use science, psychology, data, and technology to solve organizational problems, help individuals make positive changes, and improve peoples’ lives. He is a Professor of Psychology, the founder and director of the HR Science Research Team, and the co-founder the Center for Analytics Research and Education at Appalachian State University. Shawn is also the co-founder and Research Director at the Vela Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to using evaluation and data to increase educational outcomes. Dr. Bergman has published 46 academic articles, co-authored over 120 professional and technical reports, and given over 150 keynote addresses, invited talks, workshops, and conference presentations and has consulted a number of public and private sector organizations to address pressing issues using data, analytics, and evidence-based practices.

President and Founder at Ishtot, Inc.

Paul Carney's (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulcarneyworks/) life's work has been dedicated to helping hundreds of individuals find fulfillment in their career journeys. In various Human Resources and Leadership roles, he has coached many to success in their careers for more than three decades. His diverse career allowed him to build not only information technology solutions but successful companies, making him the perfect candidate to teach you how to find your dream job.

Paul developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing companies as they seek talented employees and workers as they attempt to gain the attention of company recruiters. After hearing so many disappointing stories on both sides, Paul stepped into action and compiled the information to produce his first book, Move Your Æ (ash). That book and the accompanying website, PaulCarneyWorks.com, are now the definitive source of how you can Know, Grow, and Show your Career Value for the greatest benefit.

Paul finds joy working with organizational leaders to show them how to realize the full value of their teams for the highest return on their Human Capital investment. The value equation works best when both parties understand the benefits each receives, and Paul is not satisfied until they understand how to apply these concepts for maximum business results.

Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Head of Corporate Engagement at Brighthouse Financial

Vonda Huss (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vonda-huss/) is executive vice president, chief human resources officer and head of corporate engagement at Brighthouse Financial, where she leads the company's human resources, communications, government relations, sustainability, real estate and community relations functions. She serves as a strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team and plays a key role in shaping the company's culture, workforce strategy, and corporate reputation.

With more than 30 years of leadership experience in financial services, Huss has led organizations through significant transformation, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, and large-scale culture change initiatives. Since joining Brighthouse Financial at its launch as an independent company in 2017, she has helped build the organization's human resources function and culture while guiding workforce and leadership strategies during a period of rapid change.

Prior to Brighthouse Financial, Huss served as executive vice president and co-head of human resources at Wells Fargo, where she led a global team of more than 2,000 HR professionals and helped support over 270,000 employees. Throughout her career, she has advised CEOs, boards of directors, executive teams, regulators, and shareholders on leadership, talent, culture, and organizational effectiveness.

Huss earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Appalachian State University and an MBA from Pfeiffer University. She serves as vice chair of the Brighthouse Scholars Foundation and has served on the boards of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte and the Novant Health Foundation. In recognition of her leadership, she was named one of "50 Women to Watch for Boards." 

As an Appalachian State alumna, Huss is passionate about helping leaders navigate uncertainty, embrace change, and remain grounded in their values while leading organizations and people through transformation.

Senior Director of Leadership Coaching at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits

Tracey Cammock (https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceycammock/) is the Senior Director of Leadership Coaching at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). With more than 15 years of experience as an executive, leadership, and team coach; leadership development consultant; human resources leader; career coach; and facilitator, she helps leaders unlock their potential and drive meaningful business results.

Leveraging deep corporate experience and expertise in Hogan and Emotional Intelligence assessments, Tracey designs customized development solutions that strengthen leadership effectiveness and accelerate growth. She brings a strategic, grounded, and solutions-focused approach to coaching leaders through executive presence, leadership transitions, difficult conversations, strategic thinking, culture and engagement, leader-as-coach development, and the creation of high-performing teams.

Senior People & Performance Specialist at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-costello/) is a Senior People & Performance Specialist at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., where she leads key talent initiatives, including leadership development, new-employee orientation, annual performance reviews, and workforce planning. She holds both a Master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management (IOHRM) and a Business Administration degree from Appalachian State University, earned in 2019.

Before moving into the corporate world, Hannah taught Organizational Behavior at the university level, beginning a career devoted to helping people better understand themselves, their work, and their relationships with others. Since then, she has designed and facilitated learning experiences for audiences ranging from college students and frontline employees to senior leaders and executives. At the heart of Hannah’s work is a simple belief: curiosity is one of the most powerful drivers of growth

For the Appalachian People at Work Summit, Hannah brings a passion for workforce and leadership research, practical business experience, and a genuine excitement to exchange ideas, learn from fellow professionals, and explore what helps people and organizations thrive.

Senior Manager at The National Inventors Hall of Fame

Ian Head (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-head-shrm-scp-b17340116/) is a Senior Manager at The National Inventors Hall of Fame where he leverages his HR background to lead a team of 16 employees. His work focuses on employee relations, business optimization, data analytics, training and development, and effective hiring practices to enable his team to achieve organizational goals. He is passionate about developing people, creating opportunities for growth, and helping his team of early-career professionals build meaningful and successful careers. Before transitioning into leadership, Ian spent over three years in direct HR roles, gaining valuable experience that helped shape his approach to leading people. He believes that an HR-oriented leadership philosophy is the foundation of organizational success and strives to apply that approach throughout his career.

 Ian has earned a M.A. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resources Management from Appalachian State University in 2014, a B.A. in Psychology from The University of Akron in 2012, and his SHRM-SCP certification in July 2025. He currently lives in North Canton, Ohio with his wife and their two cats. 

Safety Specialist at Elevate Textiles

Firzana Syazania (https://www.linkedin.com/in/firzana-syazania/) is a Safety Specialist at Elevate Textiles, where she leads global initiatives focused on behavior-based safety implementation, safety culture development, and data-driven risk reduction strategies across U.S. and international manufacturing facilities. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science from Western Michigan University and graduate degrees in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Human Resource Management, and Applied Data Analytics from Appalachian State University, Firzana leverages the intersection of behavioral science, leadership, and data analytics to help organizations strengthen safety culture and achieve measurable performance improvements. Her experience includes designing safety assessment tools, developing executive-level EH&S reporting, analyzing workforce engagement trends, and leading cross-functional safety initiatives. Passionate about creating safer and more effective workplaces, she combines data-driven insights, leadership engagement, and behavioral science principles to drive sustainable organizational change.

Director of People at Lonely Planet

Cody Rusher (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rcodyrusher/) is the Director of People at Lonely Planet, a trusted travel brand that's helped people explore the world with confidence for more than 50 years.

Since graduating from the IOHRM program in 2018, Cody has worked across higher education, manufacturing, and global media, growing from an entry-level HR specialist into his current role leading people strategy for a global workforce. Cody is passionate about unraveling organizational chaos and creating the kind of structure and clarity that lets people do their best work, whether that means better data to make informed decisions, clearer processes, or just genuinely getting to know the humans behind the org chart.

Outside of work, Cody resides in Rock Hill, SC with his husband, Dalton, and their fur babies, Leo, Tank, and Turtle.

Founder & President at East Park Avenue

Mark Wojcik (www.linkedin.com/in/markwojcik) is a professional recruiting expert and trainer with over 15 years of experience in executive search and corporate talent acquisition.

Mark is the Founder & President of East Park Avenue, a new age recruiting practice offering agency-level services to budget-conscious businesses. Having grown up in 3^rd party recruiting, Mark heard the cries for hiring support besides the outdated, percentage-based fee-for-hire staffing model. For the past 6 years, Mark and his team at East Park Avenue have helped to grow over 100 small to mid-sized companies through employee training, consulting, and “rent-a-recruiter” fractional services. Mark is the author of the SmartHire Recruiting Manual and has trained 500+ talent acquisition, department managers, and HR leaders nationwide.

Mark is a graduate of the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. He lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife Paloma and 3-year-old daughter, Lucia.

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Human Resources at North Carolina State University

Beth Buck (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbuckhr/) is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and human resources leader with more than 20 years’ experience in employee relations, talent acquisition, organizational development, and HR leadership.  More than half of her career has been dedicated to higher education, serving in both public and private institutions.  Prior to joining NC State University, Beth served as Employment Manager at the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Before transitioning to higher education, Beth held HR leadership roles in the transportation and manufacturing industries, including serving as a Field Human Resources Manager for Bridgestone Americas, Inc. 

Beth earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from Florida State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Florida.  As a first-generation college graduate, she is deeply connected to the mission of higher education and passionate about creating workplace cultures where employees can thrive.  Her professional interests include strengths-based leadership, leadership coaching, employee engagement, organizational culture, and work-life integration.  

Senior Corporate Counsel of Labor and Employment for Mission Critical Interior Solutions, Inc.  

Michael Morrison (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-morrison-ii-3b760886/) is the Senior Corporate Counsel of Labor and Employment for Mission Critical Interior Solutions, Inc. Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, with a double minor in History and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE), from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He later obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Before joining FordHarrison, Michael practiced management-side labor and employment law in the U.S. Virgin Islands and represented employees in North Carolina and South Carolina. His diverse experience on both sides of employment matters allows him to take a holistic, proactive, and practical approach to addressing the evolving challenges of today’s workplace.

Partner at Fisher Phillips at Fisher-Phillips

Bryan Holbrook (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanholbrookemploymentesqva/) is a partner in Fisher Phillips’ Charlotte and McLean offices, where he focuses his practice on employment litigation and counseling. His practice includes representing employers in state and federal courts, as well as those with charges pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Justice, and parallel state agencies.

With almost 600 attorneys in 41 offices across the United States and Mexico, Fisher Phillips is an international labor and employment firm providing practical business solutions for employers’ workplace legal problems.  Bryan advises and counsels clients on issues surrounding wage and hour, employment discrimination and harassment, litigation, workplace safety, immigration, trade secrets and non-competes, and more. 

Associate Dean for Governance and Faculty Success and a Professor of Management in the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University

Jacqui Bergman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-bergman-1701284/) is the Associate Dean for Governance and Faculty Success and a Professor of Management in the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University. She received her M.S. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from The University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and her Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In her 20+ year career at Appalachian State, Jacqui has served in multiple leadership roles, including as Chair of the Department of Management, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, and Chair of the Faculty Senate. She has regularly taught undergraduate and graduate courses in organizational behavior, leadership, and employment law.

Safety Researcher, Consultant, and Speaker at Safety-Doc.com

Professor of Psychology at Appalachian State University

Timothy Ludwig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-ludwig-ba247b1/) earned his Ph.D. at Virginia Tech researching the benefits of employee-driven behavioral safety programs under E. Scott Geller continuing his post-doctoral work in industrial engineering studying applications of W. Edwards Deming to quality and safety improvement. His popular website Safety-Doc.com is a content-rich resource of safety culture stories, blogs, research, videos, and services. Dr. Ludwig was cited in Industrial Safety and Hygiene News (ISHN) “50 Leaders for Today and Tomorrow”. Dr. Ludwig serves on the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies’ Behavioral Safety Accreditation Commission that reviews best-in-industry safety practices and offers objective feedback on safety programs.

Dr. Ludwig is the author of dozens of scholarly articles that empirically document the successes of methods to improve safety and quality in industry through behavior-based solutions. His books include Intervening to Improve the Safety of Occupational Driving (2001), Behavioral Systems: Understanding Complexity in Organizations (2010), Behavioral Science Approaches to Process Safety: A Response to Industry’s Call (2018), Dysfunctional Practices that Kill your Safety Culture (2018) and, The Science and Best-Practices of Behavioral Safety: The Source for Reducing Injuries on the Front Line (2023).

Dr. Ludwig has over 30 years experience in research and practice in behavioral safety where he integrates empirical findings into his safety consulting. Within his consulting practice Dr. Ludwig has helped assess, design, and implement safety and quality improvement programs in over 50 companies. Dr. Ludwig has delivered over 50 of his popular keynote presentations in 15 countries worldwide.

President of InfluenceHR Consulting

Leslie Speas (https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-speas/) is a senior-level Human Resources leader who has extensive experience in HR and organizational development over a thirty-plus-year career. She is currently President of InfluenceHR Consulting, a consulting firm that helps busy leaders and HR attract, retain, and develop talented employees. 

Leslie is a past graduate of the IOHRM program at Appalachian State. She holds senior HR designations and certifications including coaching, the Working Genius, the Enneagram assessment, and Talent Management/Succession Planning. She is passionate about helping people meet their full potential and helping organizations facilitate cultures of engagement and well-being. 

Leslie is the author of 7 Habits of High-Retention Managers. She and her husband, Tracy, reside in Winston-Salem, N.C.

IOHRM and MSADA Graduate Student at Appalachian State

Jamie Da Costa (www.linkedin.com/in/jamiedacosta) is a second-year graduate student in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management (IOHRM) program at Appalachian State University. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Western Carolina University, where her passion for research led to a gap semester of non-profit grant writing to support social determinants of health within the Appalachian communities post-Hurricane Helene.

Jamie contributes to HR Science's Foundations of Career Understanding for Psychology Students (FOCUS) Team, where she supports the development of Eugene, a KSA career-matching platform, including hands-on AI agent building and testing the underlying methodology. She has also had the opportunity to facilitate a workshop on meaningfully integrating GenAI into HR and I-O practice with Dr. Shawn Bergman. Most recently, she co-authored a forthcoming article in Creative Nursing, "Beyond Tradition: Building the Organizational Infrastructure for Nursing Innovation," alongside her mother, Dr. Da Costa, exploring how psychological safety and organizational infrastructure can be intentionally designed to support innovation in nursing workplaces.

Through her recent HR internship experience at Swire Coca-Cola Inc., Jamie has explored HR compliance and policy development. Her project work involved extensive research in the most evolving legal landscape of employment law. She believes I-O and HR professionals are uniquely positioned to lead this next wave of workplace change, and she's excited to bring that perspective to the Summit alongside a community focused on supporting employees through it.