Speaker bio: Rebecca Haw Allensworth is a David Daniels Allen professor of law at Vanderbilt Law school where she studies antitrust and professional licensing. Her research on professional licensing explores how lawmakers should balance the need for expertise in regulating the professions with the problems that can arise from self-regulation. She is the author of The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work and Why It Goes Wrong (Harvard University Press, February 2025), a deep dive into the pathologies of professional licensing in America. Her work has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and has received the thirteenth annual Jerry S. Cohen Memorial Fund Writing Award for groundbreaking antitrust scholarship.

Professor Allensworth graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School before clerking for Judge Richard A. Posner of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. At Vanderbilt Law she has won six teaching prizes, held the Tarkington Chair of Teaching Excellence, and served as Associate Dean for Research from 2023 to 2025. She teaches Contracts and Antitrust Law.

Speaker bio: Sierra Hampton-Simmons, CPMAI+E, ICE-CCP is a seasoned executive with over two decades of expertise in digital product development, workforce transformation, and certification innovation. Renowned for her ability to lead high-performing teams and drive strategic growth, Sierra has a proven track record of developing lucrative, high-impact products and simulated work environments that enhance professional learning and certification. Currently serving as Vice President of Certifications at the Project Management Institute (PMI), Sierra oversees a diverse portfolio of globally recognized credentials, including the PMP® and the newly launched Construction Professional certification. Her leadership has contributed to more than 1.5 million professionals achieving certifications and advancing their careers.

Since joining PMI in 2013, Sierra has spearheaded groundbreaking innovations, such as the evolution of the PMP exam and the launch of PMI Study Hall—an advanced learning platform that leverages cutting-edge digital tools. Her passion lies in creating dynamic learning experiences through digital simulations, emulations, and interactive training environments, ensuring professionals are equipped with relevant, real-world skills. Recently, Credly recognized PMI as one of its top issuers of digital badges, and Sierra was honored for her role in this achievement.

Before her tenure at PMI, Sierra led Global Certifications at Cisco Systems, where she directed daily operations for a multinational development team responsible for industry-leading IT certification programs, including the prestigious CCNA and CCNP. She began her career at Citrix Education, where she managed the design and development of advanced curricula and certification programs that set new standards in IT education.

Beyond her corporate roles, Sierra is an influential voice in the certification and workforce development industries. She served as President of the Performance Testing Council, following a tenure on their Board of Directors, where she championed the adoption of performance-based assessments and best practices. She is routinely requested to serve as advisors to organizations seeking to adopt certification programs and define the future of work further cementing her position as a thought leader in workforce development for emerging industries.

Sierra holds a Bachelor of Science in Japanese with a concentration in International Business from Georgetown University and an MBA with a focus on Marketing from the University of Florida. Her unique blend of cultural fluency and business acumen has enabled her to lead diverse, global teams effectively.

A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Sierra is passionate about the intersection of workforce development and emerging industries such as AI, space, and high-tech fields. She regularly engages with professional audiences worldwide, sharing insights on the future of work, digital transformation, and innovations in certification.

Speaker bio: Guangming Ling, Ph. D., is a research director of global higher education and workforce at the ETS Research Institute. Dr. Ling’s pioneering research is at the forefront of developing and evaluating critical competencies within higher education and workforce environments, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the assessment of skills and interoperable learning and working experience records (LER), and factors related to validity, reliability, and fairness issues in educational and workforce settings. A recognized authority on the assessment and cultivation of durable skills, Dr. Ling’s research is featured in over 40 journal articles and more than 120 presentations at peer-reviewed conferences. Dr. Ling’s expertise encompasses essential areas, including critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving. His innovative contributions include holding a U.S. patent for technology that enhances the accuracy and efficiency of automated scoring systems for spoken English responses. and factors related to the validity, reliability, and fairness in educational and personnel selections. Dr. Ling’s research on assessment and durable skills is featured in more than 40 journal papers and 100+ presentations at various professional conferences. Dr. Ling’s expertise encompasses essential areas such as critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving. His innovative contributions include holding a U.S. patent for technology that enhances the accuracy and efficiency of automated scoring systems for speaking responses in English.

Speaker bio: Tyson Heath is the Director of Academic Standards and Policies at Western Governors University (WGU). In his role, he collaborates across the university to ensure the value, integrity, and relevance of WGU’s programming portfolio. He works to remove barriers for students while upholding academic integrity through establishing the university’s standards, practices, and policies regarding skills, competencies, assessments, pathways, and credentials.

Tyson is deeply passionate about the intersections of higher education policy, accreditation, and reform. He aims to create meaningful pathways to opportunities for all learners. Currently, he serves as a fellow with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Tyson is a trained and active accreditation peer reviewer, a 1EdTech Higher Education Executive Council member, and an engaged participant in the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Credential Lab, where he contributes to the Innovation Center Design Team.

Speaker bio: Shaun Mayo is the Chief People Officer for the Arizona Cardinals Football Club, where he oversees all aspects of human resources, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. With a distinguished career spanning retail, e-commerce, and professional sports, Shaun has a proven track record of developing and implementing HR strategies that drive organizational success and enhance workplace culture.

Shaun began his career in retail, holding leadership roles at JCPenney, Kohl’s, and Macy’s, where he gained extensive experience managing large teams and complex operations. His transition into human resources at Kohl’s ignited his passion for leveraging human capital to optimize business performance. He later held senior HR leadership positions at Amazon and Walmart, where he played a pivotal role in talent management, organizational development, and strategic workforce planning.

Shaun holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Texas Southern University and an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. He is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has earned a certificate in Executive Compensation from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, he has completed executive education programs at Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Speaker bio: Coming soon

Speaker bio: Dr. Scott Cawood currently serves as the CEO of WorldatWork, a global nonprofit association for HR professionals and Total Rewards practitioners, since 2015. With a career dedicated to improving the workplace, Cawood is known for his deep expertise in organizational effectiveness, employee engagement and workplace culture.

Before joining WorldatWork, he held senior leadership roles at W.L. Gore & Associates, where he led global organizational effectiveness strategies, and at Synygy, a global compensation and sales software company. He also contributed to workplace excellence initiatives at Revlon and the Great Place to Work Institute, which curates Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list.

Cawood holds multiple professional certifications, including:

• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP®)
• Global Remuneration Professional (GRP®)
• Certified Sales Compensation Professional (CSCP®)
• Certified Benefits Professional (CBP®)
• Work-Life Certified Professional (WLCP®)

His academic background includes:

• Ed.D. in Organization- and Work-Based Learning from the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School and Graduate School of Education)
• M.S. in Learning Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
• M.A. in Labor and Industrial Relations, Michigan State University
• B.A. in Organizational Communication, Michigan State University

A passionate advocate for employee-centric workplaces, Cawood is also a bestselling author. His 2023 book, The New Work Exchange: Embracing the Future by Putting Employees First, explores how organizations can thrive by prioritizing people.

Known as a “work nerd,” Cawood believes that treating employees as whole individuals—not just as workers—unlocks innovation, productivity and long-term success.