2023 Annual Meeting & Conference (DEAMcon23)

April 12 – 14, 2023 • Chicago, IL

Take a look back at DEAMcon23 highlights, videos, and behind-the-scenes photos. Review the event to see what makes DEAMcon so impactful.

Photos on Flickr

Presentations

DEAMcon23 Recap

Venue

Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel
1 W Wacker Dr
Chicago, IL 60601

DEAMcon23 took place at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel located in the Theater District near many famous attractions. Guests enjoyed a first-class stay in the Windy City at this contemporary hotel and conference venue, with fantastic amenities and panoramic views of the Chicago River and the surrounding downtown cityscape.

Program

Pre • Tuesday, April 11, 2023

12:00 pm • Board of Directors Meeting

4:00 pm • Early Check-in

4:00 pm • Underwriter Move-in

Day 1 • Wednesday, April 12, 2023

7:00 am • Check-in

7:00 am • Networking Opportunity

Breakfast

8:00 am • General Session

Welcome & Opening Ceremony (G1)

8:30 am • General Session

Annual Meeting: 2022 Accomplishments & Roadmap for 2023 (G2)

9:00 am • General Session

A Conversation With EEOC Commissioners (G3)

10:00 am • Networking Opportunity

Demo Hall Break

10:30 am • General Session

Recent Significant OFCCP Developments (G4)

11:30 am • General Session

Managing Outreach: Three Exemplary PRM Use-Cases, Straight from HR Pros (G5)

12:00 pm • Networking Opportunity

Lunch

1:00 pm • Concurrent Sessions

Workforce Accommodations: Supporting Veterans with PTSD & TBI (C1A)
Back to the Basics with New & Improved TA Technology (C1B)

2:00 pm • Concurrent Sessions

Leveraging Military Veterans to Win the War on Talent (C2A)
How Innovators with Disabilities are Transforming the Hiring Process (C2B)

3:00 pm • Networking Opportunity

Demo Hall Break

3:30 pm • General Session

Building an Inclusive Workplace: Where Do You Truly Stand? (G6)

4:30 pm • General Session

KEYNOTE | Unstoppable Resilience: The Keys to Staying Strong During Any Challenge (G7)

6:00 pm • Networking Opportunity

Offsite Event at AceBounce sponsored by Recruit Rooster

Day 2 • Thursday, April 13, 2023

7:00 am • Networking Opportunity

Breakfast

8:00 am • General Session

Attract, Engage, & Nurture Top-Tier Job Seekers with the Power of Video (G8)

9:00 am • General Session

A Fireside Chat on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (G9)

10:00 am • Networking Opportunity

Demo Hall Break

10:30 am • Concurrent Sessions

Changing the Narrative: AAPs that Drive Your Organization’s DEI Journey (C3A)
Harnessing the Power of Your CRM: 5 Key Steps to Successful Candidate Relationship Management (C3B)
Reach Out for Happy Hour Live (C3C)

11:30 am • Concurrent Sessions

Partnering with HBCUs: Knowing the Lock and Understanding the Key in the George Floyd Era (C4A)
Recruiting at Lightning Speed: How Reid Health Reduced Interview Time by 44% (C4B)

12:30 pm • Networking Opportunity

Lunch

1:30 pm • Concurrent Sessions

From Diversity Metrics to Analytics: A Creative & Analytical Approach to Driving Impactful DEI Outcomes (C5A)
Innovative and Creative Business Solutions for Future-focused Hiring (C5B)
Reach Out for Happy Hour Live (C5C)

2:30 pm • Concurrent Sessions

The Newest Litigation Pitfalls in the Application Process (C6A)
Early Talent Recruiting in 2023 & Beyond: An Important Strategy for Uncertain Times (C6B)

3:30 pm • Networking Opportunity

Demo Hall Break

4:00 pm • General Session

An Insider’s Guide to the Public Workforce System (G10)

14:30 pm • General Session

KEYNOTE | Be Vulnerable, Be Courageous, Be Heard (G11)

5:30 pm • Networking Opportunity

Underwriter Reception

Day 3 • Friday, April 14, 2023

7:00 am • Networking Opportunity

Breakfast

8:00 am • General Session

ADA Update: Fast-Breaking Developments on “Reasonable Accommodation” (G12)

9:00 am • General Session

A Conversation with ODEP Assistant Secretary Taryn Mackenzie Williams (G13)

10:00 am • Networking Opportunity

Demo Hall Break

10:15 am • General Session

Using the Ombuds to Assist with OFCCP Conflict (G14)

11:15 am • General Session

Increasing Applicants with Disabilities: How Career Pages Design Can Make a Difference (G15)

12:15 pm • Conference Adjourns

Presenters

Keynote Speakers

Shola Richards
Samantha Smith

Featured Speakers

Errin Braddock, VP & Chief Diversity Officer at Enterprise Holdings
Torin Ellis, Diversity strategist at t ellis brand
David Fram, ADA Speaker, Director of ADA Services at National Employment Law Institute (NELI)
The Honorable Jocelyn Samuels, Vice Chair at U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Keith E. Sonderling, Commissioner at U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Taryn Mackenzie Williams, Assistant Secretary at U.S. Department of Labor Office for Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)

Member Speakers

Timothy Branner, Associate Director, Affirmative Action Programs at Raytheon Technologies
Carolyn Broderick, Sr. Business Intelligence and Compliance Analyst at The Mount Sinai Health System
Dana Deason, Senior Manager, People Compliance at J.B. Hunt
Heather Fountaine, HR Compliance Specialist at Progress Rail
Diego Gonzales, Sr. Director, HR Compliance at Raytheon Technologies
Mark Jostad, Senior Director, Compliance at J.B. Hunt
Francene Taylor, Director Talent Acquisition, The Honey Baked Ham Company LLC
Denise Wydra, Sr. HR Compliance Manager at Reyes Holdings

Guest Speakers

Lori Adams, Director, Veterans Policy and Senior Advisor, National Labor Exchange at NASWA
Rob Arndt, CEO + Founder at BufferSprings
Sarah Bernard, Co-founder and COO at Inclusively
Jessica Burton, HR Generalist at Reid Health
John C. Fox, Esq., Partner at Fox, Wang, Morgan P.C.
Amber Gaither, Director, National Labor Exchange at NASWA
Tara Gunderson, Rehabilitation Counselor/Business Services Representative at Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Zaigen Halcomb, HR Generalist at Reid Health
Alexa Huth, Director of Communications at PEAT
Jonathan Paul Katz, Policy Advisor at Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
Michelle Krefft, Business and Community Engagement Manager at Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Stephen Lewis, General Manager Diversity & Inclusion at Toyota North America
Aaron Makkar, Senior Recruiter at NANA & NMS
Darrian Mikell, CEO, Co-Founder at Qualifi
Sandra Mosqueira Caminada, Research Support Specialist at Yang-Tan Institute on Employment
David Muir, Jr., SVP, Veteran Staffing Network at Easterseals DC MD VA
Chris Powell, CEO, Talmetrix
Stephanie Renno, Sr. Director, Clinical Practice and Training at Cohen Veterans Network
Jason Rubel, Rehabilitation Supervisor at Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Vickie Sible, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Matt Small, President & CEO at Symplicity
Marcus Stergio, Ombuds at Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
Jay Wang, Partner at Fox, Wang & Morgan