Impossible to Possible
Doors open at 3:15 PM.
Whether you need to set bigger goals or reach the ones you already have, Ben will help you get from “ambition” to “accomplishment”. Ben’s message of radical possibility combined with his ‘5 Steps to Make the Impossible Possible’ leaves audiences not only inspired but also equipped with tools to tackle the seemingly insurmountable. His system of achieving impossible goals demystifies daunting tasks by turning ‘dreams’ into ‘projects’ and creates inspiration through action and accountability. Ben reminds us that it’s never too late to start your list and leave your lasting impact on the world.
Ben Nemtin
Ben Nemtin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “What Do You Want to Do Before You Die?” and a star of MTV’s highest rated show on iTunes and Amazon called “The Buried Life.” As the co-founder of The Buried Life movement, Ben’s message of radical possibility has been featured on The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, FOX, and NBC News. President Obama called Ben and The Buried Life “inspiration for a new generation” and Oprah declared their mission “truly inspiring.” An acclaimed keynote speaker, Ben has headlined business conferences and Fortune 100 leadership teams around the world, garnering standing ovations from AIG, Anthem, Amazon, FedEx, Harvard, Microsoft, Verizon, and more. Ben is recognized as one of the World’s Top Organizational Culture Thought Leaders and was ranked 3rd Best Motivational Speaker in the world by Global Gurus in 2022.
In his first year of university, Ben was unexpectedly hit with a depression that forced him to drop out. In an attempt to feel more alive, he created the world’s greatest bucket list with his three best friends. They borrowed a rickety old RV and crisscrossed North America, achieving the unthinkable. And most importantly, every time they accomplished a dream, they helped a complete stranger cross something off their bucket list. From playing basketball with President Obama to having a beer with Prince Harry, from reuniting a father and son after seventeen years to surprising a young girl with a much-needed bionic arm—Ben’s bucket list quest has inspired millions to thrive personally and professionally.
Mike Aitken
Mike Aitken is Executive Vice President, HR Professional Solutions at SHRM, following 15 years of leading SHRM’s successful advocacy programs as Vice President of Government Affairs.
Mike is a leading authority on the issues important to the human resource profession and drives SHRM’s membership vision, ensuring excellent member experiences, and implementing the organization’s newly developed business strategy.
He applies his proven model of engagement to shape the future of work, workers, and workplaces. He is an expert relationship-builder across diverse constituencies and stakeholders, always seeking out the “win-win” in every situation.
As a member of SHRM’s executive team, Mike also plays a key role in setting the strategic direction of the organization, offering important counsel on SHRM’s educational programs and professional development opportunities.
Before joining SHRM in 2003, he spent 14 years with the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), which represents more than 23,000 HR professionals at over 1,900 higher education institutions.
In 2015 and 2016, Mike served as an employer representative on the U.S. delegation to the International Labour Conference.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of San Diego.
Wendi Safstrom
Wendi Safstrom is a senior non-profit leader committed to serving the public through philanthropic program management, cultivating strategic partnerships and managing and developing high performing teams. She has both association and nonprofit management experience including; national program development and administration, membership strategy, marketing and product development, grant management, development and donor stewardship, and leading cross functional teams. Safstrom currently serves as President for the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation (SHRM Foundation), where she leads the development and implementation of SHRM Foundation's programmatic, development, and marketing and communication strategies in support of SHRM Foundation's new mission and vision, creating growth plans and ensuring alignment with SHRM goals.
Prior to assuming the role at SHRM Foundation, Safstrom served as Vice President at the National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, where she led the development and implementation of their Foundation's most recent five-year strategic plan, and was responsible for all Foundation programming, including workforce development initiatives, scholarship and event management, community relations and engagement initiatives. The NRAEF's philanthropic programming supported a number of audiences including high school youth, veterans transitioning from service to civilian work and life, opportunity youth and incumbent workers. Of particular note, she led the implementation of the restaurant industry's premier high school career and technical education program, growing the program to over 2,000 public high schools, engaging over 150,000 students annually, nationwide. In 2016, she served as lead project director for the development of a $10 million contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to develop the hospitality industry's first apprenticeship program, and was instrumental in the Foundation's reorganization and relocation of operations from Chicago, Illinois to Washington, D.C., transforming the staff and culture.
Safstrom has also held human resource management roles with the Leo Burnett Company and Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. She has a BS in Business Administration from the Eli Broad School of Business at Michigan State University and was recognized as a member of the 2014 "Power 20" by Restaurant Business Magazine as a leader in philanthropy within the restaurant industry.
Melissa Anderson, SHRM-CP
Melissa Anderson serves as SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer for Albemarle Corporation. She is responsible for all facets of Human Resources, which includes leading the execution of the Human Resources strategic plan, partnering with Executive and Senior Leadership teams to establish and implement key HR initiatives, and achieving HR objectives and approaches with an emphasis on business partnerships, talent acquisition and development, compensation and benefits, inclusion and diversity programs, and HR operations.
Prior to joining Albemarle, Anderson served as executive vice president, administration and chief human resources officer for Duke Energy where she was responsible for human resources policy and strategy, talent management and diversity, employee and labor relations, total rewards strategies and programs, and delivery of business partner services. Her administrative responsibilities included the real estate, land services, aviation and support services organizations.
Melissa has over 30 years of experience in HR, including serving as vice president of human resources of global financing at IBM Corp. During her 17-year tenure with the Fortune 100 company, Anderson created and implemented talent strategies and led several successful cultural initiatives. She has also served as senior vice president of human resources and government relations for The Pantry Inc., from 2006 to 2010.
Anderson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial relations from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.
A native of Boone, N.C., Anderson has a son and a daughter.
