How HR leaders turn advocacy into influence in the C-suite.
HR leaders have always been the voice of the employee, championing what people need to thrive at work. But getting executives to act on those needs can often feel like an uphill climb.
This session helps you build on the advocacy you already do and will give you the tools to make it resonate in the boardroom. You’ll hear from leaders across HR, marketing, and finance on how to connect people strategy to business outcomes like retention, growth, and culture—so your voice drives action, not just awareness.
You’ll take away:
- How to translate empathy into executive action
- Ways to tie employee needs to measurable business outcomes
- What the c-suite really listens for when HR makes a case
- Real-world stories of leaders who influenced change across their organizations
Walk away with the clarity and confidence to turn advocacy into influence that drives lasting business impact.
Meet the speakers
Meet the speakers
Amy has spent her career in marketing with 20 years of experience at companies like Microsoft, HPE, Smartsheet and BambooHR. Her passion is in storytelling from the perspective of the customer and creating messaging that connects with audiences in a unique way.
Azar is the CFO at Nava Benefits, a modern benefits brokerage on a mission to provide high-quality, affordable access to healthcare to all Americans. By melding cutting-edge tech solutions with deep industry expertise, Nava aims to fix healthcare, one benefits plan at a time.
A graduate of Brown University, Azar began his career in financial services (Lazard, Bridgewater Associates) before transitioning into finance and operations leadership roles helping scaling organizations leverage technology to drive meaningful change in large, service-oriented industries (Compass, RBC).
Outside of work, he can be found on playgrounds around Austin, Texas with his two young children.
Rachel Whiffin is a strategic HR leader with over 20 years of experience building and scaling HR functions across startups, global corporations, and post-merger environments. Known for balancing tactical execution with strategic vision, she specializes in creating people strategies that drive engagement, retention, and organizational growth. As Head of HR and People & Culture at SleepScore Labs/Sleep.ai, she led global HR initiatives spanning the U.S. and Ireland, achieving measurable improvements in efficiency and culture. Passionate about advancing the HR community, Passionate about advancing the HR profession, she also founded San Diego HR Mavens, a community that champions connection, collaboration, and growth among women HR executives.
Abby Wilson is the Vice President of Human Resources at rhode, where she leads the company’s people strategy and culture initiatives. She brings over a decade of experience guiding organizational growth, talent strategy, and cultural transformation across private equity, venture-backed, and high-growth consumer brands. Prior to rhode, Abby served as Vice President of People at Ruggable and Vice President of Portfolio Talent & Culture at Transom Capital Group, where she designed and executed leadership development, engagement, and organizational effectiveness programs across 10+ portfolio companies. She earned her Master’s degree in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University and is passionate about aligning people and business strategy to build high-performing, engaged teams.
See what Nava can do for you.
