Two conversations for the work ahead.
Explore what it takes to lead through uncertainty, organize for change, and keep people at the center as the pace
of work accelerates.
Monday Opening Keynote
Leading Through Uncertainty
Simone Stolzoff
Author and Journalist
In a world that prizes certainty, how do we lead when the answers aren’t clear?
Author and TED speaker Simone Stolzoff challenges the instinct to treat uncertainty as something leaders must immediately solve.
Drawing from his forthcoming book How to Not Know, Simone explores how embracing the unknown can lead to wiser decisions, stronger leadership, and a deeper sense of purpose.
Created for anyone navigating change, this keynote offers research-backed ways to find clarity in ambiguity, make thoughtful decisions without perfect information, and lead with values while the path ahead continues to shift.
About Simone
Simone explores big questions about work, meaning, and identity. A former design lead at IDEO, he is the author of The Good Enough Job and How to Not Know. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and on the TED stage.
Monday Closing General Session
Adapt by Design: Building Teams That Meet the Moment of AI
How do we get our house in order on AI—and what does that mean for our people?
At the end of 2025, McCain Foods faced the question every enterprise is now asking. Janey Piroli led the people side of the answer.
In this session, Janey and August founding partner Mike Arauz share how McCain used a team-based operating model to mobilize small, empowered teams around its most important priorities, including building the company’s AI operating model.
Together, they offer a practical look at marrying culture and AI while addressing the uncertainty, fear, and questions employees bring to organizational change.
Janey Piroli
Former VP, Global Org Development and Talent Management
McCain Foods
Janey brings nearly 30 years of progressive HR and talent leadership experience at PepsiCo, Walmart, and McCain Foods.
Most recently serving as VP of global talent management, she has spent her career at the intersection of people development, organizational culture, and leadership effectiveness. A certified mindfulness facilitator and PCC-certified coach with more than 15 years of coaching experience, Janey combines strategic business credibility with a deeply human approach to leadership.
Mike Arauz
Founding Partner
August Public Inc.
Mike is a founding partner at August Public Inc., an organization transformation firm that helps leaders build high-performing teams.
He advises senior executives at global nonprofits, New York City government, and Fortune 500 companies on making faster decisions and organizing for change. Before August, Mike was a partner at Undercurrent and co-authored the Responsive Org Manifesto, a foundational text on modern ways of working.
