
Houston CHRO Community
Executive Summit
October 17, 2023 | Hyatt Regency Houston West
October 17, 2023
Hyatt Regency Houston West
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Houston's top CHROs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CHROs today:
Developing empathetic leaders for the new world of work
Fostering resiliency while supporting the workforce through change
Identifying, growing and retaining employees with the skills your business requires
Houston CHRO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CHROs, For CHROs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

Bill Ennis
Academy Sports + Outdoors
SVP, CHRO

Trish Moore
Shell USA
VP, Human Resources

Hilary Rota
Wood
Vice President, People & Organization

Shibu Varghese
MD Anderson Cancer Center
SVP, People, Culture, Infrastructure & CHRO
What to Expect
Agenda
7:45am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Unlocking Performance on Diverse Teams in Times of Uncertainty

Vijay Pendakur
Talent & Culture Thought Leader and Agility Coach
Guest Speaker
In a time of extraordinary disruption and rapid change, extended periods of uncertainty can often lead to diminished team outcomes. But, skillful leaders can harness specific tools to enable their teams to flourish in complex times. This interactive workshop will focus on the science and skills of psychological safety and team connection, two proven drivers of team performance in moments of disruption.
Join this session with Dr. Vijay Pendakur to learn how to:
- Leverage scientific evidence supporting the strong connection between diversity and business success
- Upskill managers to lead psychologically safe teams
- Harness the behavioral science of team connection to increase team resilience in extended periods of change
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
What Succession Planning Technology Can (and Can’t) Do

Laura Gardiner
Director Analyst
Gartner
As the demand for talent continues, organizations are increasingly focusing on ensuring that they have the internal talent to take on leadership roles. Join Gartner Analyst, Laura Gardiner, to understand trends in organizational succession planning and learn how current technology and future innovations can meet changing demands.
This session will explore:
- Where succession planning gets stuck
- What to expect from succession planning technology market today
- How innovations have the potential to impact scale, efficiency, and effectiveness
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
What the AI Revolution Means for CHROs
Hosted by ServiceNow

Paul Davies
SVP, HR Business & People Partners
ServiceNow

Chuck Kemper
CHRO
American Bureau of Shipping

Sue Netherton
SVP, People, Training & Development
Waste Connections
Gartner predicts that by 2025, 94% of businesses will have already deployed some form of artificial intelligence. HR and People Team leaders need to know how AI is already changing and will continue to affect the way their teams work daily. From new employee efficiencies and processes to potential flashpoints and dilemmas, this boardroom discussion will cover it all.
Join this session to discuss:
- Understanding common and emerging AI applications and their impact on employees and work
- Getting ahead of AI’s implications in HR technology and workflows across the employee lifecycle
- Leveraging the power of AI to safely transform hiring, reduce manual work, and focus on predictive actions
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Uncovering Friction – Addressing Organizational Design with Intention

Hilary Rota
Vice President, People & Organization
Wood

Rose Valenzuela
Chief Administration Officer
Unity National Bank

Michelle Byrd
VP, Human Resources
The Friedkin Group Inc
As the workforce evolves, CHROs are being called on to assess organizational design and move the needle forward on critical business priorities. That will require pinpointing design frictions employees face in the work environment to streamline their experience and increase productivity.
Join this session to discuss:
- Exploring where there is friction within your organizational design structure
- Understanding organizational design effectiveness beyond financial measurements
- Working with stakeholders to implement meaningful changes
10:25am - 11:00am Networking Break
10:30am - 10:55am Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:00am - 11:45am Breakout Session
Driving Purposeful Progress Through True Connection
Hosted by ADP

Amy Leschke-Kahle
VP Performance Acceleration
ADP
Economic headwinds have forced organizations to solve the challenge of running lean while also boosting productivity. Faced with an increasingly burnt out workforce, HR leaders that can connect their employees' unique strengths to meaningful work will unlock efficiency and engagement.
This session will explore how to:
- Help people contribute more of their best work
- Leverage people data and intelligence to individualize the employee experience
- Prioritize recognition, recruitment and retention in challenging times
11:00am - 11:45am Executive Boardroom
Reimagining an Evolving Culture
Hosted by Culture Partners

John Grover
Senior Partner
Culture Partners

Victor Nivens
VP of Human Resources
HEB Grocery

Shweta Kurvey-Mishra
SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer
MRC Global
Years into distributed work, employers are struggling to develop a cohesive culture across geographies, time zones, work locations and virtual platforms. How can CHROs identify culture weaknesses and implement a consistent organizational culture across the business?
Join this session to discuss:
- Barriers to understanding and improving culture
- How culture has evolved within the new world of work
- Integrating culture change throughout the organization
11:00am - 11:45am Executive Boardroom
Integrating ESG Across HR

Elizabeth Lieb Shuler
Director of Human Resources
Callon Petroleum

Edward McKissic
Senior Vice President, CHRO & Chief Diversity Officer
Group 1 Automotive
The CHROs main role in ESG has historically been collecting and reporting metrics. But with shifting priorities of the enterprise and calls for transparency among shareholders and employees; many CHROs are now managing communications and sustainability for the organization.
In this sessions, CHROs will learn:
- Linking CHRO priorities to ESG initiatives
- Emerging ESG trends
- Collecting information around existing practices
11:45am - 12:30pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Houston CHRO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Hyatt Regency Houston WestA block of rooms has been reserved at the Hyatt Regency Houston West at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling (281) 558 8338. Please mention G-LIND to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $149 USD (plus tax) is September 25, 2023.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.