Summit 2025 Speakers

Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall are an Olympic power couple with a remarkable love story. Their journey of determination, love, and excellence has cemented them as one of the most iconic couples in sports today. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Tara made history by winning the Gold Medal in the long jump. Her celebration in the sand pit quickly became one of the Games’ most memorable moments as she sprinted to the stands to leap into Hunter’s arms. Weeks later, Hunter competed in the Paralympics, winning Gold in the 400m T62 and Bronze in the 4x100m Universal Relay, creating yet another viral moment in Paris. TARA DAVIS-WOODHALL (25) is the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist in the long jump and has remained undefeated for the past two years. She is a two-time Olympian, ranked #1 in the world, and has claimed the titles of 2024 World Champion, 2023 and 2024 US National Champion. Known as “America’s Cowgirl,” Tara’s iconic cowboy hats, boots, and infectious personality have made her a fan favorite both on and off the field. She is also the assistant track coach at Kansas State. As a former NCAA Division 1 athlete at the University of Texas, Tara became a four-time All-American, shattered two NCAA records, and earned the title of double-record breaker in the same week. Outside of competition, Tara and Hunter enjoy life with their two dogs, Milo and Winnie, and their cat, Azula. Tara is a passionate advocate for mental health, sharing her experiences with depression and anxiety to raise awareness and support others.

Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall are an Olympic power couple with a remarkable love story. Their journey of determination, love, and excellence has cemented them as one of the most iconic couples in sports today. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Tara made history by winning the Gold Medal in the long jump. Her celebration in the sand pit quickly became one of the Games’ most memorable moments as she sprinted to the stands to leap into Hunter’s arms. Weeks later, Hunter competed in the Paralympics, winning Gold in the 400m T62 and Bronze in the 4x100m Universal Relay, creating yet another viral moment in Paris. HUNTER WOODHALL (25) is a three-time Paralympian and 2024 Gold Medalist, redefining what it means to be an athlete and entrepreneur. Hunter has won 5x Paralympic Medals and holds the American record for the 100m and 400m (T62). Born with fibular hemimelia, Hunter had both legs amputated below the knees at 11 months old. Defying all odds, he became the first double amputee to earn an NCAA Division 1 scholarship, competing for the University of Arkansas and becoming a four-time All-American. Tara and Hunter’s inspiring story has been featured by top media outlets, including ESPN, Good Morning America, Forbes, New York Times, Ellen, Today.com, USA TODAY, Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stones, Travel & Leisure, CNN, LA Times, Associated Press and NBC. They have partnered with numerous global brands, including Lululemon, Celsius, NordicTrack, DoorDash, Lancome, Sephora, Raising Canes, Netflix, SunnyD, UGG, and Takis. Outside of competition, Tara and Hunter enjoy life with their two dogs, Milo and Winnie, and their cat, Azula. Hunter’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to drive him as he builds and scales businesses that reflect his values and passions, such as apparel, social media and real estate.

Alicia Rainwater is a Certified Keynote Speaker at The Center for Generational Kinetics (CGK). Her speaking clients range from Bayer and Ebby Halliday Realtors to The Federation of State Medical Boards. Alicia is a Millennial who has a reputation as a leader in her own generation. She has extensive experience working firsthand to bridge generations in a variety of organizations from hospitals to global non-profits. Alicia has received a tremendous response to her engaging delivery that combines CGK’s latest research and how-to with her unique experience working with clients. She has spoken to thousands of people across the United States. Alicia’s personal experiences working with multiple generations as a non-profit leader, school counselor, and licensed medical social worker make her a powerful and inspiring speaker that effectively demonstrates how to solve generational challenges with employees and customers.

Minda Harts is a bestselling author, workplace consultant, award-winning filmmaker, and sought-after keynote speaker who helps organizations turn trust into their greatest competitive advantage. Through her Seven Trust Languages® framework, she equips leaders and teams with actionable strategies to build high-trust, high-performance workplaces. Minda is the author of The Memo, Right Within, and You Are More Than Magic. Her new book, Talk to Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages for a Better Workplace, will redefine how organizations harness trust as a measurable asset. Her storytelling extends beyond the page—Minda served as Executive Producer for The Memo and wrote, directed, and produced The Distance Between, which won Best Short Film. Both projects explore themes of resilience and human connection. Recognized as LinkedIn’s #1 Top Voice in the Workplace and one of Business Insider’s 100 People Transforming Business, Minda has been trusted by companies like Nike, Google, Best Buy, JPMorgan Chase, and the United Nations to help redefine leadership and workplace culture. She is also an assistant professor at NYU and the founder of The Memo LLC.

When companies want to increase workplace belonging, human connection, and hybrid team engagement, they call ADAM “SMILEY” POSWOLSKY. Smiley is an internationally renowned keynote speaker, workplace belonging expert, and bestselling author of three books that have been translated into multiple languages, including most recently, Friendship in the Age of Loneliness. Smiley shares industry-shaping insights and practical tools to attract and retain top talent across generations, create a culture of belonging, and engage hybrid teams, at world-class organizations like Apple, Google, Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, and the U.S. Navy. Smiley’s TED talk has been viewed 2 million times, and he has delivered 600 keynotes in front of 250,000 people in 25 countries. Smiley’s work has been featured in 100 media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, the Wall St. Journal, Fast Company, the New York Times, the New Yorker, and the World Economic Forum.

Hebba Youssef is the Chief People Officer at Workweek and founder and creator of “I Hate it Here.” Her weekly newsletter has over 169,000+ subscribers and focuses on how HR/People teams can build great work cultures. Hebba has led a global learning and development teams, ran talent management teams, and was most recently the Head of People at a fintech startup. She's built People Ops teams from the ground up, scaled companies, and gained a few white hairs along the way. Hebba has worked across several industries like tech, fintech and media and was most recently at Axios and Lithic. In her free time, you can find her reading sci-fiction or fantasy novels and playing board games with her family.

Mike Bechtel is a managing director and the chief futurist with Deloitte Consulting LLP. Mike helps clients develop strategies to thrive in the face of discontinuity and disruption. His team researches the novel and exponential technologies most likely to impact the future of business, and builds relationships with the startups, incumbents, and academic institutions creating them. Prior to joining Deloitte, Bechtel led Ringleader Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm he co-founded in 2013. Before Ringleader, he served as CTO of Start Early, a national not-for-profit focused on early childhood education for at-risk youth. Bechtel began his career in technology R&D at a global professional services firm where his dozen US patents helped result in him being named that firm’s global innovation director. He currently serves as professor of corporate innovation at the University of Notre Dame.

Amy Butler serves as the Vice President of People Operations at Awardco, where she leads the company’s human resources strategy with a people-first mindset and a deep understanding of what it takes to scale culture during rapid growth. With more than a decade of experience in HR and Total Rewards, Amy brings a unique blend of operational excellence, empathy, and innovation to the forefront of Awardco’s mission to transform how organizations recognize and engage their people. Before joining Awardco, Amy held leadership roles at several high-growth tech companies. She led the Global Benefits Team at Qualtrics, a leader in customer experience and experience management, and most recently served as Head of People Operations at Route, a company redefining the post-purchase experience. Across each role, Amy has built a reputation for developing strategic HR programs that drive business outcomes while fostering inclusive, connected workplaces. At Awardco, Amy plays a critical role in aligning recognition with organizational success, helping companies understand and leverage the powerful link between employee engagement and business performance. Amy earned her degree in Community Health and Administration from Utah Valley University and is passionate about creating better workplaces by putting people at the center of every initiative.

Alison Levine has made a career out of breaking boundaries and inspiring others to achieve more than they ever thought possible. A history-making polar explorer and mountaineer, she served as team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition, climbed the highest peak on each continent, and skied to both the North and South Poles—a feat known as the Adventure Grand Slam— which only twenty people in the world have achieved. In January 2008, she made history as the first American to complete a 600-mile traverse across west Antarctica to the South Pole following the route of legendary explorer Reinhold Messner. Levine completed this arduous journey on skis while hauling 150 pounds of her gear and supplies in a sled harnessed to her waist. She made history again in 2016 when she completed two first ascents: Hall Peak in Antarctica and Khang Karpo in Nepal. Her success in extreme environments is noteworthy given she has had three heart surgeries and suffers from Raynaud’s disease, which causes the arteries that feed her fingers and toes to collapse in cold weather—leaving her at extreme risk for frostbite. In addition to climbing mountains, Levine has also spent time climbing the corporate ladder. She had a successful career in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries during which she worked for Allergan and for Carl Zeiss Medical, and also for a semiconductor-based medical laser company, Iridex, in Silicon Valley. She held positions in sales, marketing, and also did business development in Southeast Asia and lived in Singapore during that time. After earning her MBA she transitioned to finance and worked in various positions for Goldman Sachs. She left Wall Street in 2003 to serve as Deputy Finance Director for Arnold Schwarzenegger in his successful bid to become governor of California. When not challenging herself in the outdoors, Levine focuses on training others to become strong leaders. She spent four years as an adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point in the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership. In 2013 she transitioned from training cadets to working with corporate leaders and currently serves on the board and faculty of the Thayer Leader Development Group at West Point—one of the nation’s premiere executive leader development programs. She was a contributing author to the book Leadership in Dangerous Situations: A Handbook for the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and First Responders (Naval Institute Press). She also served as a board member and Senior Fellow at the Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics at Duke University. Levine is the founder of the Climb High Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of jobless women in western Uganda by training them to be trekking guides and porters in their local mountains, thus allowing them to earn a sustainable living wage through climbing-related tourism. Prior to her work in Uganda, women’s only avenue to earn money in this area of the country was through prostitution. Her efforts enabled the very first group of local women to climb Uganda’s highest peak—Mt Stanley. Her work to change the lives of women in Africa is the subject of the PBS documentary Living Courageously. Levine’s newest role is that of executive producer of the upcoming documentary film Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest, which chronicles the life of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa (1961-1993), the first female Sherpa to summit Mt. Everest. Levine was inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame in 2018. She holds a BA from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Duke University, where she currently serves on the Board of Visitors. She is the recipient of the 2019 Ellis Island Medal of Honor which recognizes individuals whose accomplishments in their field and inspired service to our nation are cause for celebration. The Medal has been officially recognized by both Houses of Congress as one of our nation’s most prestigious awards and is annually memorialized in the Congressional Record. A sought-after consultant and keynote speaker on the subject of leadership development, Levine has addressed audiences ranging from Fortune 500 companies to professional sports teams to the prestigious World Economic Forum at Davos. She is the author of the New York Times best-seller On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Mount Everest and other Extreme Environments. Having spent prolonged periods of time in some of the world's most dangerous and inhospitable places, she tackles the topics of creating cohesive teams, taking responsible risks, and developing no-nonsense leaders who can succeed in times of uncertainty. Levine’s life story was the inspiration for a craft beer called Conquer the Route Chocolate Stout which is distributed by Bold Missy Brewery and features her likeness on the label.

Sarah is a global lead on Awardco’s center of excellence team, advising organizations on managing and evolving their reward & recognition programs. As part of her work, Sarah designs and conducts research on the impact of recognition on employee behavior and subsequent organizational outcomes. Before joining Awardco, Sarah spent nine years at Qualtrics, leading EX solution design and delivery for some of their biggest global customers. As an organizational psychologist, Sarah understands the principles of successfully motivating people at work. As a business leader, she understands the challenges associated with putting these principles into practice. Her work attempts to bridge this gap through well-designed solutions that find a balance between science and practicality. Sarah has over 15 years of experience in organizational research, with employee insights roles at Tesco, Hay Group, and Kenexa. Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Work and Organizational Behavior from Dublin City University and is completing her doctoral thesis in Evidence-Based HR at Birkbeck University, London. She is a member of the British Psychological Society.

Steve Sonnenberg is the CEO and co-founder of Awardco. From an early age Steve learned from watching his father’s career in employee recognition with companies like McDonald’s and the Chicago Bulls. In 2015 Steve founded Awardco to use innovative technology to solve the pitfalls of traditional employee recognition programs: burdensome processes, exorbitant markups, and limited redemption options. Steve’s vision has resonated deeply within an industry in desperate need of change. Awardco has continued to grow and disrupt the employee recognition industry with its ability to build culture, incentivize performance, and power modern engagement strategies.

Paige Bennett is the Director of Experience Marketing at Awardco and the visionary leader behind the Recognize Summit. Since joining Awardco in January 2022, Paige has reimagined the Summit experience year over year, elevating it from a boutique gathering into a pivotal industry event that drives meaningful conversations, deep client engagement, and measurable go-to-market results. Her strategic vision and relentless focus on experience design have turned the Summit into a key growth lever for the business, blending creativity, community, and commerce in powerful, memorable ways. With a career rooted in high-impact event execution and brand storytelling, Paige has partnered with global leaders like AWS, Google, SAP, and Esri to build immersive experiences that move markets and strengthen relationships. Her expertise lies in designing events that not only reflect the soul of a brand but also serve as catalysts for connection, education, and action—especially within the HR space. Through countless interactions with HR and people leaders across industries, Paige has developed a unique ability to craft experiences that speak directly to the challenges and aspirations of today’s workforce. As a people-first leader, Paige oversees a growing team of event marketers and drives cross-functional alignment to ensure that every event serves a strategic purpose. Her leadership style is rooted in empowerment, innovation, and data-driven creativity, and her fingerprints are on every stage of the event lifecycle—from initial concepting to onsite execution to post-event optimization. Under her direction, Awardco’s event strategy has evolved into one of the company’s most valuable revenue-generating channels. Paige is passionate about building environments where relationships flourish, ideas thrive, and individuals feel seen and celebrated. When she’s not planning the next unforgettable experience, you can find her reading, hiking Utah’s scenic trails, cheering for the Minnesota Vikings, painting, puzzling, or weightlifting. Her combination of strategic leadership, creative energy, and passion for people make her a driving force behind the experiences that define Awardco’s brand and impact.

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DeAndre Sinette is a yoga teacher and lifelong student dedicated to making the practice accessible, inclusive, and transformative for all. He completed his teacher training at The Yoga Movement in Dallas, Texas, earning his E-RYT 200 certification in 2015. Since then, DeAndre has led classes, workshops, and communities that emphasize not only the physical aspects of yoga, but also its power to unlock emotional release and personal growth. DeAndre believes that through consistent practice — whether in a handstand or a seated meditation — we learn to align the body, mind, and spirit in ways that extend far beyond the mat. His teaching style blends mindfulness, strength, and compassion, helping students discover new dimensions of themselves physically, mentally, and spiritually. Despite his years of experience, he approaches yoga with humility and curiosity, always striving to remain present and to deepen his understanding of the practice.

Lindsay Cook is the Co-Founder and CEO of FitOn, the largest health and wellness platform with over 20 million members and 1 billion workout minutes completed. FitOn provides instant access to premium workouts, nutrition, mindfulness, sleep, and condition management programs led by world-class trainers, experts, and celebrities. Partnering with leading enterprise customers, FitOn delivers best-in-class engagement and an integrated preventive care solution through its digital platform and expansive network of fitness studios and gyms. Recognized as the #1 Fitness App by Forbes with 500,000+ 5-star reviews, FitOn is redefining how people stay healthy, active, and well. Prior to founding FitOn, Lindsay served as Head of Devices and VP of Product Marketing at Fitbit, where she led consumer insights, product strategy, and go-to-market for 12+ award-winning products. Her leadership contributed to Fitbit’s exponential growth and its rise as a globally recognized Top 20 brand. Lindsay holds a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Outside of work, she is passionate about travel and keeping fit with her husband and two daughters.

Elisa Garn is the SVP of Talent Management & Sustainability at Blood Cancer United (formerly The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). A seasoned senior HR leader with 20+ years transforming HR across industries, she leads enterprise sustainability, workforce planning and development, talent acquisition, internal mobility, and learning—designing skills-first, human- centric systems that make talent strategy clear, actionable, and agile. Renowned for strategic insight and values-aligned employee experience design, she is a respected thought leader known for sparking progressive conversations that challenge traditional HR thinking. Beyond HR, she founded and bootstrapped an HR tech company; led brand strategy for Utah’s largest employee insurance broker, and built a personal brand consulting agency. Her work advances scalable people strategies and a better human experience at work.

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Cali Hyde is Awardco’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, where she plays a pivotal role in accelerating business outcomes with strategic clients and driving global expansion initiatives. As a founding member of Awardco’s Center of Excellence, Cali leverages over a decade of experience to help organizations worldwide reimagine their rewards and recognition strategies—delivering measurable impact through scalable SaaS solutions and streamlined operations. Having lived and worked internationally, Cali brings a global perspective and a deep understanding of diverse markets—from blue chip enterprises and global agencies to government and financial institutions. Her work is rooted in connection, innovation, and a passion for creating long-term value. A fierce advocate for purposeful leadership, Cali is setting a new standard for what it means to lead as a woman in business—empowering future generations to think boldly, act intentionally, and lead with heart. When she’s not building business strategy, Cali is adventuring, traveling, and pouring love into her family, friends, and animals.

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Ryan Hanna is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sworkit Health, one of the most recognized digital wellness platforms, used by over 30 million people and boasting more than 500,000 5-star reviews. Sworkit delivers a unified solution for fitness, mental health, MSK care, and nutrition—backed by measurable engagement and outcomes for employers, health systems, and health plans. Recognized globally as a top fitness and wellbeing app, Sworkit also leads the way in rewards + wellness integration, offering unmatched flexibility and engagement in connecting wellbeing with incentive programs. The platform is trusted by enterprise clients and government programs alike to deliver high-impact preventive care across diverse populations. Ryan is a product visionary and certified group fitness instructor who leads with empathy, data, and a relentless drive to remove the barriers to better health.

Tori Davis Boysel is the Head of Client Success at Sworkit Health, where she supports clients through thoughtful onboarding, wellbeing content development, and strong stakeholder relationships. Since 2021, she has helped grow the client base by 300% and significantly improved renewal rates, all while maintaining high satisfaction scores. Starting her career as a music agent assistant, Tori has always loved working with people and building meaningful connections. A natural problem-solver and creative thinker, she is known for her adaptability and dedication to achieving meaningful results. Tori is an author and award-winning NBC-HWC Board Certified Health Coach and NASM Certified Personal Trainer, with over 10,000 coaching sessions and 500 wellbeing presentations to her name. In her spare time, she educates future health coaches, teaches mat Pilates, learns new languages, plays music and video games, hikes, travels, and enjoys cosplaying at festivals with her husband and two corgis.

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ShaNae McCleskey is the Director of Technical Account Services at Awardco, where she leads teams focused on delivering exceptional support to Awardco’s largest clients across the globe. Passionate about the intersection of people-first initiatives and technology, ShaNae excels at creating meaningful, sustainable solutions for companies seeking tech solutions to improve employee satisfaction. She is an active participant in Awardco’s Women’s ERG, Pride ERG, and a proud member of the company’s Center of Excellence. Outside of work, ShaNae enjoys gardening and home DIY projects, spoiling her nieces and nephews, and watching documentaries with her 3 old dogs.

As a Senior Director of Customer Success, Tyler Coggins oversees all customer success managers and global support teams at Awardco. Drawing on his experience working with global organizations, Tyler is passionate about developing strong partnerships with clients to help them achieve their employee recognition and engagement goals. Outside of his professional life, Tyler is an avid endurance sports competitor, volunteering at Hiring Heroes, and enjoys his downtime by watching college football.

Morgan Hobbs is a certified yoga instructor and software engineer at Sworkit Health. She completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Sampoorna Yoga in Goa, India, in 2019. Morgan's teaching style is inclusive, focusing on beginners while offering options to challenge more experienced yogis. Morgan plays a key role in developing Sworkit's inclusive and engaging wellness experiences, helping users of all levels feel confident in their movement journey.

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