The traditional education-to-workforce pipeline is outdated and misaligned with today’s economic realities. This interactive session explores bold, equity-driven strategies to redesign how communities prepare individuals for meaningful careers. Through a World Café, participants will engage with themes like modular credentials, employer-led learning, and the role of wraparound services in job readiness. Drawing from El Buen Samaritano’s C2C Collective strategy, attendees will co-create future-ready learning ecosystems tailored to diverse Central Texas personas. The session concludes with a collaborative pitch challenge, sparking dialogue around inclusion, scalability, and disruption. Ideal for leaders driving innovation in education, workforce, and community impact.

There are days when believing that it is possible to leave the next generation a world better than the one we found seems far fetched. This session is an invitation into the work of [Re]Claiming Wisdom & [Re]Connecting with Life in ways that kindle the hope and faith that such a world is possible. Not easy, not without sacrifice, and yet, more than possible, perhaps the most intense expression of life's longing for itself. More than that, it could be our moral, ethical, and human calling to usher in such a world.

Uncertainty is now a constant- economic shifts, technological disruption, organizational restructuring, political change. Leaders can’t eliminate volatility, but they can model steadiness that builds relational trust and personal and organizational resilience. This workshop introduces mental fitness as a leadership discipline- the skills of self-awareness, self-regulation, mindfulness, and cognitive discipline. Participants will learn practical techniques to manage stress, sharpen focus, and make clear decisions under pressure. By strengthening their own steadiness, leaders create a ripple effect that inspires confidence, fosters engagement, and equips teams to be ready for what’s next.

In a world defined by disruption and uncertainty, adaptive leadership is no longer optional—it’s essential. In this powerful and reflective session, attendees will learn how leaders can thrive amid constant flux.

Through the lens of the Arc of Learning framework, participants will explore how adversity, cultural complexity, and transformation can become catalysts for authentic leadership. Attendees will leave equipped with practical strategies to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose—even in the most unpredictable environments.

This session offers inspiration and a roadmap for turning personal growth into organizational impact, and for leading with belonging in times of change.

Today, empathy is under attack. But empathy, when expressed appropriately, has the power to create a world of compassionate, connected, and courageous leaders—not the opposite. 

Storytelling has been used throughout time and culture to connect us to each other. And amid divisions sown across our current culture, our stories hold the key to genuine human connection. In this interactive talk, we’ll learn how powerful our unique stories are and how they can build trust and openness among our teams and peers. 

 We’ll dive into the definitions of empathy—specifically, how to distinguish between cognitive and affective empathy—using each other's experiences as our text. We’ll then apply these insights to craft and share our own stories, walking away with new connections and the seeds to build a strong community of leaders.

Below every forest is the Wood Wide Web—an invisible network that serves as the system's core intelligence. Your organization, team, and community have this same hidden network, yet we often focus only on the surface, trying to fix "individual trees" while ignoring the roots.

This session moves beyond surface-level fixes. We will use powerful, hands-on activities to shift your perspective from personal position to the entire system's wisdom.

You will learn to be a System Steward, a leader who listens to this hidden network and creates the conditions for collective insight. You will leave with a clear framework for seeing the whole forest, resolving conflict systemically, and taking precise actions—like pruning, feeding, or watering—to foster sustainable growth and true re-connection.

As the pace of change accelerates, from AI and technology to shifting workforce expectations, the most effective leaders aren’t those who move fastest, but those who stay most human. This interactive session invites leaders to reimagine “success” not as doing more, but as leading with greater clarity, compassion, and connection.

Through guided reflection, real-world examples, and experiential practices, participants will explore five human capacities that fuel resilience and adaptability amid constant flux. Whether you lead a company, a team, or a community initiative, you’ll learn practical ways to stay grounded in your humanity while navigating complexity with courage and care.

Key Takeaways

- Discover five human capacities that strengthen your ability to lead effectively through change.

- Learn to harness these capacities to sustain energy, trust, and clarity in yourself and others during times of uncertainty.

- Apply actionable frameworks to lead in ways that elevate connection, dignity, and collective impact in your organization and community.

Austin’s rapid growth has created both opportunities and inequities. Brian Hall, Managing Partner of Traverse Legal and President of EO Austin, draws on two decades of advising startups, investors, and high-growth companies to explore how entrepreneurial principles can inform civic solutions. This session highlights how access to resources, inclusive governance, and intentional investment fuel both business success and regional equity. Attendees will gain a framework for recognizing systemic barriers, supporting affordability, and applying startup-inspired models to workforce and community development.

Something fundamental is shifting in our world. The old playbook—built on productivity at all costs, endless urgency, and leadership through control—is cracking under the pressure of a rapidly changing society. Across Austin and beyond, leaders are feeling it: the rise in burnout, the erosion of trust, and the sense that our systems weren’t designed for the complexity we now face. But within this turbulence lies a rare opportunity—an opening to rethink leadership from the ground up.

In this provocative session, Rubén Cantú introduces a new paradigm for leading in times of transition, one rooted in interdependence, emotional wholeness, and regenerative impact. Participants will get a first glimpse into a framework that helps communities thrive rather than fracture, and leaders inspire rather than deplete. Through powerful stories and practical tools, Rubén offers a path forward for those who sense that how we have led is no longer enough—and something new must emerge now.

Have you ever asked a question that shut down a conversation when you meant to open it up? Do you find yourself giving answers when you wish your team would think more critically? What if the secret to influence and alignment was not in what you say, but in what you ask?

 In this session, you’ll discover how intentional questioning transforms the way leaders guide their teams. Drawing on her experience as a Gallup consultant, where she witnessed firsthand the impact of powerful questions through tools like Q12 and StrengthsFinder, Vaishali Jadhav brings practical insights and a proven framework for asking better questions. You’ll learn the difference between directive and exploratory questions, how to use questions to create accountability and clarity, and a repeatable process for crafting high-impact questions. Walk away ready to shift from telling to truly leading, unlocking clarity, engagement, and stronger decision-making across your team.

Our culture rewards certainty – but what if progress depends on our capacity to not know?

In this talk, licensed clinical social worker and educator Angela Montijo invites participants to unlearn the myth of the expert and embrace curiosity as a leadership skill. Drawing from her journey from “professional patient” to clinician to facilitator, she explores how the word expert has drifted from meaning one who is practiced to one who must never be wrong. The result? Disconnection, burnout, and missed opportunities for shared learning.

Through reflection and dialogue, participants will examine how performance-based knowledge limits collaboration, and how humility and relational awareness can restore trust and creativity in teams. Because the future doesn’t belong to those who know it all, it belongs to those willing to learn out loud.

What if your best candidates can't tell you why they're qualified? People who've navigated adversity and built real skills, but don't recognize those skills as something that belongs on a resume. When you're surviving - managing crisis, protecting your family, navigating systems - you're not thinking "I'm developing professional skills." You're just getting by. And "just getting by" doesn't get named, claimed, or hired.

I've seen this pattern for 20 years - survivors navigating systems that required them to prove capabilities while shame, fear, and trauma made those skills invisible.

Real Recognition is trauma-informed AI helping people see and name skills built through adversity - serving those reentering the workforce, neurodivergent individuals, veterans, unhoused community members, and more. Attendees learn to identify hidden skills, ask questions that uncover strengths, and apply practical tools for hiring and retention. Ready to see what you've been missing?

In today’s fast-paced world, leaders are constantly pulled in a dozen directions—leaving little time for presence, clarity, or connection. This session explores how mindful leadership can transform the way we lead and the culture we create. Through practical tools and real-world examples, attendees will learn how to manage stress, communicate with empathy, and foster calm amid chaos.

Led by Katy Lynch, Director of People & Culture with over a decade of HR and leadership coaching experience, this engaging session offers a fresh perspective on what it means to lead intentionally. Discover how a few mindful shifts can strengthen trust, boost morale, and inspire a more balanced, productive team. Walk away with actionable strategies to lead with greater awareness—and create a workplace where both leaders and teams thrive.

In an era of relentless change, effective leadership requires more than strategy and process; it demands a mindful, human-centric approach. This session explores how cultivating a deep-seated practice of gratitude is a powerful adaptive skill that builds resilience and strengthens emotional intelligence. Attendees will discover practical techniques to shift their focus from challenges to opportunities, transforming how they lead themselves and their teams through uncertainty. 

Moving beyond simple appreciation, participants will learn to foster a genuine culture of being grateful that enhances psychological safety and inspires innovative collaboration. Through engaging case studies and interactive exercises, you will leave with a clear, actionable roadmap for integrating gratitude into your daily leadership—not as a soft skill, but as a core competency for thriving in a complex world.