Program Schedule

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Registration Opens

Walnut Street Entrance of Huntsman Hall (Ground Floor)

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Keynote: Failing Forward: The Science of Learning from Mistakes

In a world where innovation demands experimentation, failure is inevitable—but not all failures are created equal. Harvard’s Amy Edmondson, the leading voice on psychological safety, and Wharton’s Ingrid Nembhard, an expert in organizational learning, come together to explore how teams can fail well, learn fast, and drive performance. This fireside chat will challenge conventional thinking on failure and offer data-driven strategies to harness its power for innovation.

Amy Edmondson, PhD
Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School

Moderator: Ingrid M. Nembhard, PhD
Distinguished Professor; Professor of Health Care and Management, Professor of Management, The Wharton School

Case Competition Presentation

In today’s fast-changing job market, access to career growth and skill development has never been more critical. SkillUp.org, a leader in workforce advancement, is committed to helping workers navigate new opportunities through upskilling and career mobility.

In this special session, Haleigh Boulanger introduces the winner of this year’s People Analytics Conference Case Competition, A^2 Analytics. Join us as we celebrate the next generation of thinkers shaping the future of work.

Haleigh Boulanger, Analytics Manager, SkillUp
Andrew Mao and Annie Wang, A^2 Analytics

Workforce Transformation and a Data-Driven Approach

As organizations navigate workforce transformation and hybrid work models, how can leaders use AI and data to make informed decisions? As the former CEO of Humanyze, Ben Waber is an expert in people analytics. He will discuss the importance of asking the right questions, selecting the appropriate units of analysis, and determining the right frequency of measurement to move beyond surface-level insights and make evidence-based decisions that drive productivity, engagement, and business success.

Ben Waber, PhD
Visiting Scientist at MIT
Senior Visiting Researcher at Ritsumeikan University

Leading Change: Preparing Leaders for the Future of Work

In this keynote, we will explore the essential skills and mindsets leaders need to thrive in the rapidly evolving modern workplace. We will cover the importance of adaptability and continuous learning, the impact of emerging technologies like AI and automation, and the challenges and opportunities presented by shifting economic paradigms. Additionally, we will delve into the critical roles of emotional intelligence, resilience, and collaboration, providing practical strategies and real-world examples to help leaders build high-performing, innovative teams. By the end of this session, you will be equipped with the tools and insights needed to lead confidently and drive your organization forward in the future of work.

Karalee Close
Global Lead, Talent & Organization, Accenture

Closing Remarks

Ben Zhou
Wharton People Analytics Conference MBA Chair

Cocktail Reception

Friday, April 11, 2025

Registration + Breakfast

Registration: Walnut St Entrance of Huntsman Hall (Ground Floor)
Breakfast: The Forum (Forum Floor)

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Matthew Bidwell
Xingmei Zhang and Yongge Dai Professor; Professor of Management, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; Faculty Director, Wharton People Analytics

AI Governance Threads the Needle: Reduce Risk and Increase Innovation

AI technology is advancing rapidly, putting pressure on organizations to adopt these innovations quickly while managing business and regulatory risks. Guru Sethupathy, founder and CEO of FairNow, will discuss how companies can ensure their AI practices comply with regulations, while also building trust, fostering innovation, and generating business value. With expertise in AI-driven solutions across sectors like HR and financial services, he will explore the evolving AI landscape and how organizations can leverage smart AI governance to mitigate risks while accelerating innovation and adoption.

Guru Sethupathy, PhD
CEO & Co-Founder, FairNow

Making Work Fair: The Data-Driven Advantage for Organizations and Teams

Fairness isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s a competitive advantage. Siri Chilazi, a leading researcher on gender and organizational behavior, presents insights from Make Work Fair, showing how organizations can apply behavioral science and data-driven strategies to improve decision-making, boost performance, and create more effective teams. Backed by rigorous research and real-world case studies, this talk will explore the hidden forces that shape workplace dynamics, the small but powerful interventions that drive measurable change, and how leaders can build workplaces that attract and retain top talent while driving better business outcomes.

Siri Chilazi
Senior Researcher, Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School
Co-Author of Make Work Fair

Data, Decisions, and the Future of Work: Fireside Chat with DJ Patil and Eric Bradlow

From shaping national data strategy as the first U.S. Chief Data Scientist, to driving AI innovation in the private sector, DJ Patil has been at the forefront of using data to solve complex challenges. In this fireside chat, Eric Bradlow, Vice Dean of Wharton AI and Analytics, will join DJ for a candid conversation on how organizations can harness data science to navigate the future of work. They’ll explore the evolving relationship between AI and human collaboration, the promises and pitfalls of algorithmic management, and how leaders can build ethical, resilient, and high-performing organizations in an increasingly data-driven world.

DJ Patil, PhD
Entrepreneur, Investor, Scientist, and Leader in Public Policy

Eric Bradlow
The K.P. Chao Professor
Professor of Marketing
Vice Dean of AI & Analytics at Wharton
Chairperson, Wharton Marketing Department
Professor of Economics, Education, and Statistics and Data Science

Measuring and Developing High Performance, On the Field and at Our Desks

What does it take to build and sustain high-performing teams? Professional sports organizations and corporations both rely on data-driven insights to optimize performance, but the environments in which they operate are fundamentally different. In this fireside chat, Wharton’s Cade Massey sits down with Dafna Aaronson, whose experience spans both professional sports teams and corporate people analytics, to explore the similarities and differences in talent development, team dynamics, and decision-making. Their conversation will reveal how lessons from elite sports can inform corporate strategy while recognizing the unique challenges of each environment.

Dafna Aaronson, PhD
People Insights & Innovation, Be Sports Minded LLC

Cade Massey
Practice Professor
Faculty Co-Director, Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative
Faculty Director, Wharton People Lab

White Paper Competition Presentation

The Narrative AI Advantage? A Field Experiment on Generative AI-Augmented Evaluations of Early-Stage Innovations

In this special session, Jennifer Kurkoski introduces the winner of this year’s People Analytics Conference White Paper Competition. Join us as we celebrate the next generation of thinkers shaping the future of work.

Jennifer Kurkoski, PhD, Director, People Analytics at Google
Team Members: Jacqueline N. Lane, Léonard Boussioux, Charles Ayoubi, Ying Hao Chen, Camila Lin, Rebecca Spens, Pooja Wagh, Pei-Hsin Wang

Unlocking the Power of Data: The Case for Analytics Democratization

In today’s data-driven world, the impact of data lies not just in its collection and analysis, but in ensuring the right people can access and apply the insights it provides. David Green, a leading expert in people analytics and Executive Director of Insight222, explores the critical role of data democratization and adoption in driving workforce insights, enhancing decision-making, and scaling HR’s strategic impact. This talk will share best practices for making people analytics accessible to leaders and employees alike, the challenges of adoption, and the key investments required to unlock the full potential of workforce data.

David Green
Managing Partner, Insight222

Keynote: Building the Workforce of the Future: Fireside Chat with Michael Fraccaro and Matthew Bidwell

As the workplace continues to evolve, how can organizations attract, develop, and retain talent in a competitive landscape? In this fireside chat, Michael Fraccaro, Chief People Officer of Mastercard, and Professor Matthew Bidwell will explore the strategies leaders can use to create dynamic workplaces where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow. From upskilling initiatives to the role of leadership in shaping workplace culture, they will discuss what it takes to build a workforce that is not just prepared for change but positioned to drive it.

Michael Fraccaro
Chief People Officer, Mastercard

Matthew Bidwell
Xingmei and Yongee Dai Professor
Professor of Management, The Wharton School
Faculty Director, Wharton People Analytics

GPTs are GPTs: Measuring AI Exposure in the Workforce

Generative Pretrained Transformers (GPTs) and other developing forms of generative AI are also general-purpose technologies. They can be applied in a pervasive set of areas, improve over time, and necessitate and create new directions for innovation. We will discuss how to systematically measure where generative AI might affect and reshape the workforce. We will also break down what “exposure” really means for different roles and firms, highlighting what might be most affect and discuss strategic implications for business leaders.

Daniel Rock
Assistant Professor of Operations Information and Decisions, The Wharton School

Tearing the Paper Ceiling: Why Employers are Moving to Skills-First Talent Practices

In the past two years, 26 states took actions to remove degree requirements from public sector job postings – and the private sector is following suit. In sum, these actions are opening up more than 500,000 jobs to workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes to a bachelor’s degree. Join Opportunity@Work’s Chief Impact Officer Papia Debroy to explore how tearing the paper ceiling benefits both employers and workers in building a more equitable, efficient labor market.

This session will reveal how degree requirements, biased algorithms, exclusive networks, and misperceptions have created a “paper ceiling” that has cost STARs access to 7.4 million middle- and high-wage jobs over two decades. Drawing from five years of comprehensive research and previewing findings from their forthcoming “State of the Paper Ceiling” report, Papia will demonstrate how skills-first hiring practices are gaining momentum across sectors. For talent leaders facing hiring challenges, this session offers practical insights on implementing skills-based approaches that can help organizations access a massive pool of diverse talent while creating pathways to economic mobility for millions of workers.

Papia Debroy
Chief Impact Officer, Opportunity@Work

Keynote: Reimagining Work: Building Skills-Powered Organizations for the Future 

As work rapidly evolves, how can organizations move beyond traditional job structures to create agile, skills-powered ecosystems? In this talk, Ravin Jesuthasan —future of work expert and co-author of The Skills-Powered Organization— will share data-driven insights, frameworks, and case studies to explore how businesses can unlock workforce potential by prioritizing skills over job titles, leveraging AI and automation, and designing more dynamic and resilient talent models. Through real-world examples, he will illustrate how companies can future-proof their workforces, create equitable career pathways, and drive business success in an era of rapid change.

Ravin Jesuthasan
Bestselling Author, The Skills-Powered Organization
Global Leader for Work, Skills, and Workforce Transformation

Closing Remarks

Matthew Bidwell
Xingmei Zhang and Yongge Dai Professor
Professor of Management, the Wharton School
Faculty Director, Wharton People Analytics

Ben Zhou, Wharton People Analytics Conference MBA Chair