Pathways and Perspectives: Journey to HR Leadership
Seating Instructions: Seating is first-come, first-served. Reserved seating options are available for accessibility and accommodations. For detailed accessibility information, visit INFO > FAQs in the app.
SHRM Foundation's national and regional one-time virtual career mentoring events - HR Pathways & Perspectives will be brought to a live audience at SHRM24! This session is designed to increase HR professionals, emerging professionals and students' awareness of HR career pathways, gather HR career insights, and expand HR professional networks.
Learning Objectives:
- Hear how leaders have embraced strategies to transform workplaces across the globe leading with empathy and understanding.
- Attendees will receive guidance on career planning and what resources they need to develop leadership skills needed to progress.
- Take home skills on how to expand your professional networks and knowledge on how to build relationships that lead to transformative roles within companies across the globe.
Direct Link to Session Materials: If the speaker provides session materials, you can access them via the app, web format or at https://presentations.shrm.org/.
Live Streaming and Recording: Unless marked 'in person only,' all sessions are live-streamed on the app or web format and available for replay 30 days after the event.
Acknowledgment of Technical Issues: While rare, technical issues may occur during sessions. We appreciate your patience as we quickly address them.
Accessibility & Accommodations Information: For detailed accessibility & accommodations information, visit INFO > FAQs in the app.
Katrina Thornton
Katrina “KT” Thornton is Taco Bell’s Sr. Executive - HR and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Since joining Taco Bell in October 2021, KT has been energetically leading Taco Bell’s efforts in advancing Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (EI&B). She leads with the belief that EI&B needs to be woven into the business strategy and rooted in action. She is leading Taco Bell’s equity evolution with over 15 years of experience. Before her time at Taco Bell, KT spent her career with Kellogg’s, Sears Holdings Corporation, and Target Corporation in multiple HR leadership assignments.
Karen Bennett
Karen Bennett is the executive vice president and chief people officer for Cox Enterprises, a private, family-owned company based in Atlanta, Georgia, with more than $20 billion in annual revenues. In her role, she leads the people solutions, corporate affairs, inclusion & diversity, HR technology services, benefits, compensation, talent acquisition, and the brand, marketing, and creative departments.
Bennett brings more than 30 years of experience in leading teams that focus on maximizing talent potential and the total employee experience while addressing the needs of the business.
Before joining Cox Enterprises, Karen was EVP and chief people officer for Cox Communications. There she developed and executed talent strategies to align with Cox's operating principles and worked through the challenges of driving continual growth in the business.
Prior to that role, Karen was chief human resources officer for Cox Media Group. Before her time with Cox, Bennett was chief human resources officer for YP (formerly AT&T Ad Solutions). She is a cable veteran as well, having served as senior vice president of human resources for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. for nearly 14 years.
Bennett currently serves on the board of directors of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) Foundation, the board of directors for the Human Resources Leadership Forum of Atlanta, and the Georgia State University's HR Roundtable consortium.
Bennett is a graduate of Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia where she earned both her bachelor's and executive MBA degrees. Terry College recognized Bennett as a Distinguished Alumni in April 2023. She is also an ICF-certified executive coach.
Tracy Layney
Tracy Layney is the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Levi Strauss & Co. Tracy is responsible for LS&Co.’s people strategy on a global scale, including diversity, equity & inclusion, recruiting, employee engagement, talent management, compensation, and benefits, HR technology and HR communications.
Tracy brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources and organization strategy to her role. Prior to joining LS&Co., she served as senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Shutterfly, Inc., the leading retailer of personalized photo-based products. Before Shutterfly, Tracy spent 10 years at Gap Inc., where she held numerous senior leadership roles in HR, most recently serving as the senior vice president of Global Human Resources and Communications for Old Navy. Prior to Gap Inc., Tracy held positions at LS&Co. and PricewaterhouseCoopers/IBM Business Consulting Services where she worked with Fortune 500 clients in the high tech, financial services, retail, and healthcare industries on projects ranging from organization design and development to strategic change management.
Tracy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania where she graduated magna cum laude. She is active in the HR thought leader community and serves on the Board of Directors for the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Foundation. In her free time, Tracy loves to cook and share great food and wine with family and friends. She has a life-long love of dance, theater, and art, and is passionate about travel, visiting destinations near and far with her husband and son.
Daniel Horgan
At 18, Daniel pioneered the first youth-led America’s Promise effort in Pittsburgh under Retired General Colin Powell, landing him a seat on the national board of directors and recognition from President George W. Bush. Daniel has 20+ years of experience working in the business and nonprofit sectors, fueled by his commitment to increasing others’ access to relationships and growth opportunities.
At CoLabL, Daniel is working at the intersection of talent development and community building, creating and facilitating brand, relationship and skill-building experiences that support existing and future talent.
He has worked with brands including Starbucks, Nike, Apple and LinkedIn, schools, nonprofits and government agencies. Daniel has served on boards including City Year DC, Community Foundation of the National Capital Region, Team Kids, and Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership. Named one of Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40 Honorees, Daniel has facilitated hundreds of training experiences, published articles on Forbes.com, and authored Tell Me I Can’t…and I Will.