From Vision to Venture: Black Women Entrepreneurs Transforming I/O

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Join us for an empowering and dynamic keynote panel featuring trailblazing Black women business owners in I/O! These entrepreneurial powerhouses will share their journeys, from their first steps into entrepreneurship to the challenges and triumphs they’ve faced along the way. They'll discuss the hardest parts of being a boss, the most rewarding moments, and how the future of work ties into their vision as leaders. Plus, they’ll dive into how I/O plays a role in shaping their businesses and offer invaluable advice for anyone looking to follow in their footsteps. Don’t miss this chance to be inspired by women who are not only making waves but rewriting the rules of success!

Angela R. Howard

Angela R. Howard is an organizational psychology expert who is passionate about conscious culture-building. As the CEO and founder of Call for Culture, she works with leading companies and convenes interdisciplinary changemakers across these social systems to drive meaningful and sustainable change. By stepping outside the traditional boundaries of HR, she takes a multidisciplinary approach to help companies hone the capabilities and strategies they need to future proof their organization and company culture. Angela has seen firsthand that the workplace is always on the tail end of shifts in society, and outdated, reactive strategies have run their course.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelarhowardconsulting/

Website: https://callforculture.com/

Gena Cox, PhD 

For over 25 years, Dr. Gena Cox, an organizational psychologist, has advised and coached business leaders about organizational culture, leader effectiveness, and employee experience. She helps leaders reduce the barriers to performance optimization that employees encounter as they interact within the organization’s ecosystem. Her R-E-S-P-E-C-T Ethos™ framework has helped many organizations focus on the critical outcome that powers connection, collaboration, and innovation: Respect. Before this, Gena held leadership and external consulting roles at large companies, including Raymond James Financial and IBM.

Gena works well cross-culturally, having lived and worked in the US, England, and the Caribbean and worked with clients in the US, UK, and Europe. Her insights have been featured in business media, including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Business Journals, and she is a Forbes.com contributor on the intersection of psychology and leadership. Gena holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s (SIOP) Professional Practice Editorial Board. She is the chair-elect of the American Psychological Association’s Committee for the Advancement of Applied and General Psychology (CAGAP). Gena is also an award-winning author of Leading Inclusion.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genacox/

Website: genacox.com

Buy Gena's book here.

Kalifa Oliver, PhD

Kalifa Oliver, Ph.D. is an international experience coach, executive advisor, keynote speaker, author, and expert on building brilliant experiences using people-centered design and analytics. She has consulted for several companies and industries including tech start-ups, non-profits, and Fortune 500 companies to help them reposition their culture and employer value proposition - with a focus on employee experience and people analytics. She is also a dynamic speaker who coaches leaders on reaching their leadership goals through taking control of their voice, space, and energy, and through walking into their Main Character Season. She is the author of I Think I Love My Job: Secrets to Designing a People-Centered Employer Value Proposition (That You Can Actually Boast About) a must read book for professionals and executives connected to the HR space. A native of Trinidad & Tobago, Dr. Oliver has her Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Clemson University, Certification in People Analytics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and is a proud graduate of Benedict College, an HBCU in Columbia, South Carolina.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalifaoliver/

Website: https://www.kalifaoliver.com/

Order Kalifa's Book here.

Dr. Stephanie Murphy

Dr. Stephanie Murphy is a seasoned People Analytics Leader and I/O Psychologist, currently serving as Vice President of People Experience at UnitedHealth Group. Her expertise lies in employee listening, research, and data-driven decision-making, with a strong background in organizational consulting. Stephanie has earned international recognition for her contributions to the field, regularly featuring in publications, webinars, and podcasts. Her previous roles at Dell Technologies, where she led talent analytics and people insights, have solidified her reputation as a key influencer in the industry. In addition to her corporate achievements, Stephanie is the Founder and Principal Consultant at MCS Consulting, where she continues to drive innovation in people analytics. She is also an Adjunct Faculty member at the McCombs School of Business, where she shares her knowledge on people analytics and diversity and inclusion. Stephanie serves on several boards and committees, and she is the recent Founder and Executive Director of the Society for People Analytics where she is dedicated to building a vibrant community and advancing the field of people analytics through collaboration and community building.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slmurphy4/

Website: https://societyforpeopleanalytics.org/