Responsive
Conference

Chancellor's professor, Department of Informatics at University of California, Irvine
Author, Attention Span

Gloria Mark, PhD, is Chancellor’s Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine and one of the world’s leading researchers on human attention in the digital age. For more than two decades, her research has explored how digital technologies affect focus, productivity, and well-being. Her work has been widely cited in both academic and business communities, and her insights have been featured in major publications and media outlets around the world.

She is the author of the bestselling book Attention Span, which examines how constant digital interaction is reshaping the way people concentrate and process information. Through extensive research on workplace behavior and technology use, Gloria has uncovered patterns in how people shift attention throughout the day and what those shifts mean for performance, stress, and creativity. Her work helps organizations better understand attention in modern work environments and offers practical strategies for maintaining focus in an age of constant interruption.

The Attention Economy, AI & Our Brains

Artificial intelligence is accelerating the pace of information and decision-making across nearly every industry. At the same time, many people feel their ability to focus slipping away. Notifications, digital tools, and constant streams of information compete for our attention throughout the workday.

In this session, Gloria Mark will explore how human attention is changing in the digital era and what the rise of AI means for how we concentrate, collaborate, and create. Drawing on decades of research into workplace attention patterns, she will explain how interruptions shape productivity and why our brains struggle in environments filled with competing demands. The talk will also explore practical strategies individuals and organizations can use to protect deep focus while still benefiting from the power of modern technology.

Organization Strategy
Alphabet

Jennifer Turner works in organizational strategy at Alphabet, where she advises leaders across the Alphabet family of companies on leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and strategic decision-making. Through coaching and mentorship, she supports leaders navigating complex challenges, rapid growth, and evolving organizational dynamics. Her work focuses on helping leaders develop the skills and systems needed to guide teams through uncertainty.

Working across a diverse ecosystem of companies within Alphabet, Jennifer helps leaders strengthen communication, refine strategy, and build cultures that support both performance and resilience. Her approach combines practical frameworks with real-world leadership experience, helping organizations build leadership capacity while remaining adaptable in fast-changing environments.

Leadership Amidst Uncertainty

Modern leaders are navigating an unprecedented level of uncertainty. Rapid technological change, shifting workforce expectations, and evolving markets are forcing organizations to adapt faster than ever before.

In this interactive workshop, Jennifer Turner will share frameworks and leadership tools she uses with leaders across Alphabet. The session will explore how leaders can make thoughtful decisions when the path forward is unclear, how to communicate during times of change, and how to create alignment across teams facing complex challenges. Participants will also reflect on their own leadership approaches and explore practical techniques for guiding teams through uncertainty while maintaining clarity and trust.

CEO at D'Artagnan Advisors, Co-Founder at Vibrancy
Author of The No-Limits Enterprise

Doug Kirkpatrick is a leadership advisor, author, and long-time advocate for self-management and organizational freedom. He spent more than two decades at Morning Star, the world’s largest tomato processing company, where he helped develop one of the most widely studied examples of a self-managed organization. At Morning Star, Doug helped pioneer systems that replaced traditional management hierarchies with peer commitments, personal responsibility, and distributed decision-making.

Today, Doug is CEO of D’Artagnan Advisors and co-founder of Vibrancy, where he works with organizations around the world to design workplaces rooted in trust, autonomy, and accountability. Through consulting, writing, and speaking, he helps leaders rethink traditional management practices and build organizations where individuals take ownership of their work. He is the author of The No-Limits Enterprise, which explores how organizations can thrive when unnecessary constraints are removed.

Leadership, Authority, and The Case for Self-Management

Many organizations rely on authority, hierarchy, and control to drive performance. But what if leadership worked differently? What if the most effective organizations were built not on coercion but on voluntary commitments between responsible individuals?

In this keynote, Doug Kirkpatrick will explore two deceptively simple principles that have guided his work in self-management for decades: don’t use force and keep your commitments. Drawing on stories from Morning Star and organizations around the world, Doug will examine how these principles shape healthy relationships, strong accountability, and resilient organizations. The session will challenge assumptions about management and offer a powerful alternative model for leadership rooted in trust and responsibility.

Organizational Designer
Airbnb

Tim Casasola is an organizational designer at Airbnb, where he works on large-scale initiatives focused on organizational structure, leadership systems, and change management. Over the course of his career, he has helped organizations rethink how teams are structured, how decisions are made, and how companies adapt during periods of growth and transformation. His work sits at the intersection of strategy, organizational development, and design.

A longtime member of the Responsive community, Tim has spent years exploring how organizations can move beyond traditional management models toward more adaptive and resilient structures. At Airbnb, he applies these ideas in practice by helping the company evolve its organizational systems while maintaining the flexibility required to operate in a rapidly changing global environment.

The Architecture of Organizations

Organizations today are constantly evolving. New technologies, shifting markets, and changing employee expectations require companies to rethink how they structure teams and make decisions.

In this session, Tim Casasola will share lessons from his work designing organizational systems at Airbnb. He will explore how companies can adapt structures without losing clarity, how leaders can guide teams through transformation, and how thoughtful organizational design can support innovation and resilience. Attendees will gain insight into how large organizations evolve over time and how leaders can approach structural change in ways that strengthen collaboration rather than disrupt it.

Founder & General Partner
1517 Fund

Danielle Strachman is the founder and general partner of 1517 Fund, a venture capital firm that backs ambitious founders building transformative companies. Before launching the fund, she co-founded the Thiel Fellowship, a program that supports young entrepreneurs pursuing unconventional paths outside traditional educational systems. Her work has focused on identifying bold thinkers early and helping them develop ideas that challenge established industries.

Through 1517 Fund, Danielle invests in founders working across deep technology, science, and frontier innovation. She is known for championing unconventional talent and supporting individuals willing to take risks on big ideas. Her work sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, education, and venture investing, and she continues to explore how new generations of founders are building companies in an increasingly uncertain and rapidly changing world.

How to Build Unreasonable Companies in Uncertain Times

Innovation rarely follows a predictable path. Many of the most transformative companies begin as ideas that seem unconventional, risky, or even impossible.

In this fishbowl, Danielle Strachman will explore what it takes to build bold companies in uncertain times. Drawing on her experience backing early-stage founders, she will discuss how entrepreneurs identify overlooked opportunities, take calculated risks, and pursue ambitious ideas. The conversation will also examine how younger generations of founders are approaching education, experimentation, and long-term impact differently. With space for audience participation, the session invites attendees to join the discussion about how innovation actually happens.

Founder & CEO
Late Nite Art

Adam Rosendahl is the founder of Late Nite Art, an immersive creative experience that blends art, storytelling, music, and audience participation. His events transform traditional art viewing into a shared creative experience, inviting audiences to become active participants rather than passive observers. Late Nite Art has been performed for audiences across the United States and internationally.

At the Responsive Conference, Late Nite Art has become a beloved tradition and is often described by attendees as one of the most memorable parts of the gathering. Adam’s work explores how creativity can bring people together, spark new perspectives, and create moments of connection that extend beyond traditional conference formats.

Late Nite Art

Late Nite Art returns to Responsive Conference as one of the gathering’s most memorable experiences. Created by Adam Rosendahl, this immersive event invites participants to step into the creative process and collaborate on a shared artwork.

Throughout the event, music, storytelling, and live performance unfold as attendees contribute to a large-scale collaborative painting. The experience is designed to spark creativity, curiosity, and play—reminding participants that creativity is not limited to artists alone. By the end of the session, the room will have created something that could only exist through collective participation.

Lead Singer, Sons of Serendip

Micah Christian is the lead vocalist of Sons of Serendip, a musical ensemble known for blending classical training with contemporary musical styles. The group first gained national attention as finalists on America’s Got Talent, where their emotional performances and distinctive sound captivated audiences. Since then, they have performed across the United States and internationally.

As the voice of the ensemble, Micah brings warmth and emotional depth to each performance, combining powerful vocals with storytelling through music. Sons of Serendip’s work blends classical instrumentation, modern arrangements, and heartfelt interpretation, creating performances that resonate deeply with audiences.

Pianist
Sons of Serendip

Cordaro Rodriguez is a pianist and founding member of Sons of Serendip, a musical group known for their unique fusion of classical, contemporary, and cinematic music. With a background in classical training, Cordaro brings expressive musicianship and thoughtful arrangement to the ensemble’s performances, helping shape the group’s signature sound.

Together with the group, Cordaro has performed for audiences around the world, creating powerful musical experiences that blend technical precision with emotional storytelling. Sons of Serendip’s performances emphasize connection, creativity, and the shared emotional power of music.

Partner and Managing Director
IDEO’s Play Lab

Michelle Lee is Partner and Managing Director of IDEO’s Play Lab, where she explores how play can unlock creativity, collaboration, and innovation within organizations. Her work focuses on designing experiences that help individuals and teams approach challenges with curiosity, experimentation, and openness. Through the Play Lab, she studies how playful thinking can transform learning and leadership.

Michelle has spent her career designing experiences that help people break out of rigid thinking patterns and explore new ways of solving complex problems. By combining design thinking, behavioral insight, and experiential learning, she helps organizations cultivate environments where creativity and experimentation can thrive.

The Power of Play at Work

Play is often seen as something separate from serious work. Yet research and practice increasingly show that play can unlock creativity, experimentation, and collaboration.

In this session, Michelle Lee will share insights from IDEO’s Play Lab about how playful thinking can transform how organizations approach innovation and learning. Participants will explore how play helps individuals break out of rigid thinking patterns, generate new ideas, and approach complex challenges with fresh perspective. The session will also examine how leaders can create environments that encourage experimentation and curiosity while still driving meaningful outcomes.

Head of the Work AI Institute, Glean
Author, Your Best Meeting Ever

Rebecca Hinds, PhD, leads the Work AI Institute at Glean, where she studies how artificial intelligence is transforming the way people work. Her research focuses on collaboration, productivity, and how emerging technologies reshape workplace behavior. She is also the author of Your Best Meeting Ever, a book that explores how organizations can design more effective and meaningful meetings.

Before joining Glean, Rebecca spent years researching workplace collaboration and leadership practices, helping organizations better understand how people interact and make decisions. Her work bridges academic research and practical application, helping leaders rethink how work happens in the age of intelligent tools.

Collaboration in the Era of AI

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how work happens—from how information is accessed to how teams collaborate and make decisions.

In this session, Rebecca Hinds will explore what these changes mean for leaders and organizations. Drawing on research and real-world examples, she will examine how AI tools are influencing workplace dynamics, productivity patterns, and knowledge sharing. The talk will also address how leaders can thoughtfully integrate AI while maintaining human judgment, collaboration, and trust.

Chief People Officer
Virta Health

Lucia Guillory, PhD, is Chief People Officer at Virta Health, where she leads people strategy for a rapidly growing healthcare technology company. Previously, she served as Head of People at Patreon, helping guide the company through periods of growth while building a strong culture and leadership development systems.

Lucia’s work focuses on designing organizations where people can thrive while companies scale. With experience leading talent strategy in high-growth technology environments, she brings a thoughtful perspective on leadership development, culture building, and how people teams can support both performance and well-being.

Rethinking Talent Strategy in the Age of AI

As artificial intelligence transforms how work happens, people leaders are facing new questions about skills, talent development, and organizational culture.

In this fishbowl session, Lucia Guillory will join fellow Chief People Officers to explore how talent strategy is evolving in response to emerging technologies. The conversation will examine how companies are preparing employees for changing roles, how leadership expectations are shifting, and what organizations must do to support both performance and well-being in an AI-enabled workplace.

CEO & Founder
Forshay

Sally Thornton is the founder and CEO of Forshay, a talent advisory firm that helps organizations find and develop exceptional leaders. With decades of experience in executive search and leadership advisory, she works with companies navigating growth, transformation, and leadership change.

Sally is known for her ability to facilitate thoughtful and candid conversations with senior leaders. Her work focuses on helping organizations understand what effective leadership looks like in rapidly evolving business environments and how companies can build leadership teams capable of navigating uncertainty.

Leadership at Work: A CPO Fishbowl

Leadership conversations are often filtered through presentations and panels. But what happens when leaders interview each other directly?

In this session, Sally Thornton will facilitate an “interview in the round” conversation with several Chief People Officers. Each participant will interview another leader on stage, rotating through a series of candid conversations about leadership, talent strategy, and the future of work. The format is designed to surface honest insights and real experiences from leaders shaping modern organizations.

Founder & CEO
Slate

Michelle Vitus is the founder and CEO of Slate, where she advises organizations on leadership, culture, and talent strategy. Her work focuses on helping companies design leadership systems and organizational practices that support both strong performance and long-term resilience.

Michelle works closely with founders, executives, and people leaders navigating growth and transformation. By combining leadership development with organizational design, she helps teams rethink how leadership works in modern organizations and how companies can create environments where people and ideas can thrive.

Rethinking Talent Strategy in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is changing not only how work gets done but also how organizations think about talent, leadership, and capability. Roles are evolving, skill requirements are shifting, and traditional career paths are being reconsidered across industries.

In this fishbowl-style discussion, Michelle Vitus will join fellow people leaders to explore how talent strategy is adapting to these changes. The conversation will examine how organizations are preparing employees for new types of work, how leadership expectations are evolving, and what companies must do to support both performance and human development in an AI-enabled workplace. By sharing real experiences from inside growing organizations, the session will provide insight into how people teams are navigating one of the most significant shifts in the future of work.

Founder
The Primary Shift

Jenny Sauer-Klein is the founder of The Primary Shift, where she designs transformational learning experiences that combine leadership development, embodiment practices, and experiential learning. Her work helps leaders reconnect with creativity, presence, and deeper forms of awareness in both personal and professional contexts.

Through workshops, retreats, and immersive learning environments, Jenny has worked with leaders and organizations around the world to explore how embodied practices can deepen collaboration, strengthen leadership, and unlock new forms of insight. Her approach blends movement, reflection, and dialogue to create powerful learning experiences.

Founding Faculty, Head of Fellow Program
Leaders in Tech

Tony Levitan is a founding faculty member and head of the Fellows Program at Leaders in Tech, where he works with emerging technology leaders to develop stronger leadership capabilities and more thoughtful organizational practices. A former Chief People Officer and leadership advisor, Tony has spent years helping organizations navigate growth, culture change, and leadership development.

Through his work in leadership education and consulting, Tony focuses on helping leaders build organizations that support learning, adaptability, and long-term human development. His approach blends practical leadership tools with deeper exploration of how people learn, collaborate, and grow within complex organizations.

How To Develop the Next Generation of Leaders

The pace of technological change is reshaping what leadership requires. Technical expertise alone is no longer enough; leaders must also cultivate emotional intelligence, adaptability, and the ability to guide teams through complexity.

In this session, Tony Levitan will share insights from his work developing emerging leaders in the technology industry. The conversation will explore how leadership development programs can support both professional growth and personal transformation. Tony will also discuss the skills and mindsets future leaders will need to build organizations that are resilient, thoughtful, and capable of thriving in rapidly changing environments.