Third wave of speakers to reveal how applied AI is helping leading employers hit 2026 hiring and retention targets

Phenom, the leader in applied AI that helps organizations hire faster, develop better and retain talent longer, today announced dozens of new additions to its rapidly expanding IAMPHENOM 2026 speaker lineup, taking place March 10-12 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

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Phenom today announced dozens of new additions to its rapidly expanding IAMPHENOM 2026 speaker lineup, taking place March 10-12 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

As organizations face uncertainty around advancing their workforces with AI, IAMPHENOM brings together HR and IT professionals for three days of immersive learning and networking.

The event will feature 100+ can’t-miss sessions on HR’s hottest topics, with more than 90% led by practitioners whose stories detail different levels of AI and automation maturity. The extensive agenda offers sessions tailored by industry, persona, experience level and use case across the complete talent lifecycle. Additional programming will spotlight sustainable technology deployments, evolving AI legislation, partner integrations, HR tech unveilings and live product demos.

The latest wave of distinguished speakers include:

• Jane Mehringer, Head of Global Talent Attraction at ABB
• Katie Feyes, Project Manager, Talent Acquisition at Acadia Health
• Madison Fox, TA Systems Strategist at American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
• Madeline Laurano, Founder of Aptitude Research
• Whitney Wallace, Talent Acquisition Marketing & Sourcing Manager at Baylor Scott & White Health
• Phil Kendzior, VP Talent Enablement at Baylor Scott & White Health
• Joel Kirk, Associate Director, Talent Engagement at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
• Amy Lane, Manager, Recruitment Marketing & Brand Strategy at Bon Secours Mercy Health
• Dr. Hilmar Kroat-Reder, Sr. Vice President, People & Culture at Borealis Group
• Kellee Widener, Global Talent Branding Sr. Manager at Boston Consulting Group
• Susie Billingsley, Director, Candidate Experience & Early Talent at Bright Horizons
• Darin Averill, Head of Global Talent Acquisition & Strategy at Circle K
• H. Louis Burrell IIII, Chief Human Resources Officer at Dallas College
• Danni Burkard, Talent Attraction Manager at Dutch Bros Coffee
• Andrew Nusca, Editorial Director of Brainstorm at Fortune
• Mary Jo Smith, Senior Vice President and Human Resources Officer at Franciscan Alliance
• Wayne Christian, Product Manager, Workday & People Systems at GE Aerospace
• Dawn Lecker, Sr Manager, HRIS / HR Technology at Giant Eagle
• Lindsay Mareau, Founder & Principal Consultant at Illumination Strategies
• Haley Engelhart, Team Lead - Digital HR at Kohl’s
• Chrissy Hunnell, Team Lead, Talent Acquisition Enablement at Kohl’s
• Mark Crompton, VP Talent Attraction at Leonardo
• Travis Windling, Sr. Director, Talent Acquisition Contingent, Operations & Strategy at Royal Bank of Canada
• Bradley Cooper, Associate Vice President, Technology at SASR Workforce Solutions
• Leah Merli, Co-Founder of ShiftDegree
• Mick Joneja, Sr. Director, Workforce Strategy & Talent Acquisition at Sleep Number Corporation
• Chris Walik, Recruitment Marketing | Talent Systems Consultant at Sutter Health
• Grant Smith, Global Recruitment Marketing Specialist at TD SYNNEX
• Hernan Mujica, Chief Technology Officer at Texas Roadhouse
• Jim Shultman, VP of Talent Acquisition, Americas & Global TA Operations at Thales
• Edward Amey, Chief Executive Officer at The Jay Nolan Family of Companies
• Kristin Sanchez, Sr. Talent Acquisition Specialist at Varsity Brands
• Stephanie McMilon, Supervisor, Talent Sourcing at Vituity
• Balázs Horvath, Executive Director Organization Effectiveness at Viking

IAMPHENOM extends far beyond its SHRM and HRCI-accredited programming with experiences built for connection and rejuvenation. Highlights include a private evening at the historic Reading Terminal Market, Philly’s famous Rocky Run, restorative yoga and meditation. Customers are also invited to attend the exclusive Phenom HR Awards gala.

“There’s no other conference like IAMPHENOM for HR and IT professionals,” said Danielle Dibner, Executive Director, Global Customer Value at Phenom. “Attendees will experience applied AI designed for their specific challenges, hear candid lessons from leaders doing this work right now and leave with actionable approaches for their organization.”

Register before February 28 and save 25% with Go Birds! pricing. Visit iamphenom.com to register and explore the agenda, speakers and other details.

About Phenom

Phenom is an applied AI company with the only AI infrastructure built specifically for HR. Powered by Engines that harmonize data, Ontologies that guide every decision, X AI that hyper-personalizes experiences, Agents that work alongside teams, Phenom’s platform uses industry and business context to automate workflows, eliminate busywork, and enhance every experience while remaining compliant. Driven by a purpose to help a billion people find the right work, no other company is as dedicated to helping organizations hire faster, develop better and retain longer.

Phenom has earned accolades including: Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing companies (6 consecutive years), Deloitte Technology's Fast 500 (5 years), 11 Brandon Hall ‘Excellence in Technology’ awards including Gold for ‘Best Advance in Generative AI for Business Impact,’ Business Intelligence Group’s Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards (3 consecutive years), The Cloud Awards 2025/2024, The A.I. Awards 2024, and a regional Timmy Award for launching and optimizing HelpOneBillion.com (2020).

Headquartered in Greater Philadelphia, Phenom also has offices in India, Israel, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.

For more information, please visit www.phenom.com. Connect with Phenom on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

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“There’s no other conference like IAMPHENOM,” said Danielle Dibner, Exec. Director, Global Customer Value, Phenom. “Attendees will experience applied AI designed for their specific challenges… and leave with actionable approaches for their organization.”