Join us virtually on May 16 for an enriching experience featuring industry leaders and special guests. Delve into crucial topics such as communicating to inspire tomorrow’s workforce, the power of stories vs. narratives, and other topics that are top of mind for internal communicators including DEI and GenAI.
Registration is now closed due to high demand. Please join us next year for VOICES 2025. Recordings will not be made available after VOICES so be sure to join us live.
11:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. ET
Welcome Address
This year’s VOICES boasts a dream team of speakers and panelists who will welcome communicators from all geographies, industries and sectors. Attendees can expect to leave the event energized & inspired. And there’s nobody better than our champion Staffbasers, Athena and Zeke, to guide you through the sessions.
Athena Koutsonikolas – VP of Marketing & Communications at Staffbase
Zeke Egbo – Partner Manager at Staffbase
11:10 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. ET
Aspire to Inspire: Unlocking Business Potential in a Polarized World
Business leaders and communicators have a job to do: motivate people to shared action with clear vision and strategies. But in today’s polarized world, that’s easier said than done. It seems impossible to find common ground. But is it? Join Staffbase CEO Martin Böhringer as he shows how inspiring people to achieve great things together creates common ground and unlocks business value. It’s not just possible to unleash inspiration, it’s imperative. And communicators are the ones for the job!
Martin Böhringer – CEO at Staffbase
11:40 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. ET
Guest Keynote: Uncovering Hidden Potential: Communicating to Inspire Tomorrow’s Workforce
Adam Grant, renowned organizational psychologist and New York Times bestselling author, will draw on his books “Think Again” and “Hidden Potential” to talk about the new landscape of internal communications and how it impacts the workforce. Adam will touch on the need to rethink communications strategies when it comes to change and culture. This is a dream session for any internal communicator, and will conclude with an interactive audience Q&A.
Adam Grant – Organizational Psychologist & Bestselling Author
12:40 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. ET
Break
12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. ET
Engaging 120K Employees Worldwide: DHL Express' Success Story
Gain valuable insights from Janine Langlotz, Global Head of Internal Communication at DHL Express, on how the company cultivates a dynamic culture, engages a workforce in 220 countries and territories on its social intranet, and thus strengthens employee retention. Explore actionable strategies to inspire your people and join the audience Q&A where you can delve deeper into the discussion.
Janine Langlotz – Global Head of IC at DHL Express
1:15 p.m. - 1:55 p.m. ET
CCO Perspectives on Career-Defining Moments and Campaigns That Mattered
What does it take to make it to the top as a communicator? In this exclusive panel discussion, industry leaders & communications veterans will highlight pivotal moments that shaped their careers and their impactful campaigns that left a mark. They will discuss strategies, challenges, and advice that have propelled their careers. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this session will offer a wealth of knowledge, inspiration, and actionable guidance on how to excel as a communicator.
Jeff Shafer – Chief Communications Officer and VP, Corporate Marketing Group at Lenovo
Kathy Krenger – Former Chief Communications Officer at The Kraft Heinz Company, Former Hyatt SVP
Jerilan Greene – Former SVP, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer, Yum! Brands
Ben Boyd – Chief Communications Officer at Chobani; Former CCO at Peloton, Lowe’s
David Hamilton – TV Host & Communications Lead, North America at Lenovo
1:55 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Break
2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET
Harnessing the Champion’s Mindset to Foster Employee Trust and Inclusivity
Chaunte Lowe will highlight the parallels between an athlete’s journey to success and a brand’s mission for triumph. Just as an athlete thrives with personal belief, a brand flourishes through trust and credibility. In this motivational session, Lowe will speak about the role that inspiration plays in shaping a successful brand by fostering diversity, inclusion, teamwork, and trust.
Chaunte Lowe – 4-time Olympian, Author, TEDx Speaker, and Breast Cancer Thriver
2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Change Communications: Separating from GE to Become Standalone Companies
When GE announced in 2021 its intention to separate into three distinct publicly traded companies, the internal communications community was wondering how this massive change was managed. To answer that question, Holly, Sarah and Taylor will come together to talk about the transition and how employee communications technology played a critical role in facilitating the exchange of information as well as enabled effective leadership communications.
Holly Roloff – Colleague Engagement at GE HealthCare
Sarah Sampson – Leader, Internal Channels and Operations at GE Vernova
Taylor Sullivan – Editorial Channels and Content Manager at GE Aerospace
Jeff Corbin – Principal Strategic Advisor at Staffbase
3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET
The Narrative Age Is Now
Can a simple narrative build trust and convey authenticity? Do narratives differ from stories? Can business leaders use the power of narratives to motivate change on a massive scale? These are some of the questions Frank Wolf has researched for over a year for his forthcoming book "The Narrative Age". In this highly anticipated session, Frank will break down what it means to have a powerful narrative and how it can reshape the world of Communications.
Frank Wolf – Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder of Staffbase
3:30 p.m. - 3:40 p.m. ET
VOICES AWARDS 2024
We asked Staffbase customers to showcase their team’s talents. After numerous applications and much deliberation, we will announce the winners for:
• Best Launch Strategy
• Best Content Format
• Best Inspiration Project
• Better Business Impact
3:40 p.m. - 4:20 p.m. ET
How Innovation At Staffbase Is Shaping The Future of CommsTech
The Staffbase commitment to innovation means that we’re always dreaming up cutting edge solutions to help inspire people to achieve great things together. Join Patrick Rudolph, Sarah Manes & Lara Dobson in VOICE's most popular and highly requested session as they discuss how new innovations at Staffbase are not only improving communications, but have the potential to revolutionize the communications profession as a whole.
Patrick Rudolph – Chief Product Officer at Staffbase
Lara Dobson – VP, Product Marketing at Staffbase
Sarah Manes – Senior Director of Product, Comms Management, Staffbase
4:20 p.m. - 4:50 p.m. ET
Inspiring Change Through Effective Leadership Communications
As the Campaign Manager for President Obama, David deeply understands the importance of resonating with an audience. David understood Obama’s core philosophy, and utilized data to figure out how to design a campaign that would land the message, while mobilizing grassroots movements for change. In this session, David will share his experience and break down the importance of strategic messaging and leadership communications - which when done well, can create historic changes.
David Plouffe – Obama Campaign Manager and White House Senior Advisor
4:50 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. ET
State of the Space: Expert Takes on CommsTech and Trends in 2024
In this session led by Lara Dobson, join a panel of industry experts as they examine the key developments in the communications sector over the past year, discuss current trends, and make predictions about the future. With topics ranging from how to inspire employees to the potential for GenAI beyond content writing to what makes a communicator strategic, you’ll gain valuable perspectives to enhance your internal communications strategy in a rapidly evolving professional environment.
Lara Dobson – VP Product Marketing at Staffbase
Frank Wolf – Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder of Staffbase
Sharn Kleiss – Strategy Partner, Employee Experience & Insights at Gallagher
Gene Phifer – President & CEO at TACLE Advisory
5:20 p.m. - 5:50 p.m. ET
Why Company Culture Is the Secret Sauce to Business Impact
Join Ginger Hardage, former SVP of Culture & Communications at Southwest Airlines for an exploration into how communications and culture can drive organizational success. Discover internal communications strategies that transcend employee engagement, aligning teams with deeper values that resonate with both employees and customers, to provide optimal shareholder value.
Ginger Hardage – Former SVP of Culture & Communications at Southwest Airlines
5:50 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Closing Remarks
To wrap things up, Athena and Zeke will summarize the key highlights from the day, and give you a quick sneak peak of what Staffbase has in store for the year.