Psych Safety Day 2024:

Jason Eisner is the Co-founder of Aristotle Performance and the creator of Psych Safety Day. A leader in psychological safety and team dynamics, Jason has dedicated his career to helping organizations foster environments of trust, innovation, and high performance. Through Aristotle Performance, he equips leaders with the tools and strategies needed for meaningful cultural transformation.

Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan, creator of The Outsider’s Edge™, empowers leaders and teams to leverage the value of being “different” to boost performance and human connection. With nearly 30 years of experience, including leadership roles at Microsoft and as CEO of The Infinite Impact Group, she has coached global leaders for over 12,000 hours. Drawing on her experience as an immigrant and woman of color, Lakshmi’s unique perspective helps others not just survive but thrive in high-pressure environments. Her approach transforms diversity and inclusion into practical strategies that drive success. Lakshmi has worked with companies like Amazon, Google, and Starbucks, and partnered with Dr. Brené Brown on Dare to Lead™. Known for her dynamic keynotes, she equips teams with actionable tools to excel in today’s ever-evolving workplaces.

Julie Diamond, PhD is an international speaker, author, and leadership consultant. She is founder and CEO at Diamond Leadership, which provides leadership and talent development services, including coaching, consulting, assessment, and training to clients worldwide. Julie is the author of Power: A User's Guide and the creator of the Diamond Power Index® -- a tool that helps leaders understand how they’re applying their power and how to do so with greater impact.

Michael is a Performance Consultant specializing in optimizing health, resilience, and performance for a wide range of clients, from executives and athletes to sports psychologists and creatives. He has certified numerous professionals worldwide in his Play Zone© methodology, which applies Polyvagal Theory, and is endorsed by Dr. Stephen Porges. He writes for Psychology Today on his platform, The Pressure Paradox, and consults for major sports organizations, including the ATP, WTA, MLB, NBA, FIFA, and NCAA. Michael is a keynote speaker and educational partner with the Polyvagal Institute, offering accredited programs and co-authoring influential works on Polyvagal Theory, including a book on parenting set to be published in 2025. A seasoned public speaker, he has presented at international conferences like Lithuania’s National HR Convention, Oxford University’s Master Series, International Psychological Safety Conference, and the Polyvagal Institute’s Annual Summits. Co-founder of Physical Focus Inc., a wellness center in California, Michael has over two decades of experience in health and fitness, where he developed accredited courses and led a diverse team of wellness professionals.

David R. Samson, Ph.D., is an esteemed evolutionary anthropologist and associate professor at the University of Toronto, with a focus on human and non-human primate sleep, cognition, and culture. He is renowned for his research on sleep ecology and its role in the evolution of human behavior, particularly in fostering trust and cooperation within social groups. Dr. Samson's interdisciplinary work bridges the gap between biology, anthropology, and psychology, offering valuable insights into how our evolutionary past shapes modern leadership, teamwork, and psychological safety. He is a sought-after speaker and thought leader in applying evolutionary principles to enhance human well-being and organizational culture.

Avish Parashar blends 30 years of improv comedy experience into teaching essential business skills like creativity, innovation, and adaptability. As a University of Pennsylvania grad and author of the Amazon best-seller Say ‘Yes, And!’, Avish's presentations are a mix of stories, audience interaction, and improv games, leaving audiences with a key message: Planning is important, but improvising is essential.

Adam Travis leads the company’s DEI strategy to create a diverse, innovative, and inclusive workplace. With a passion for fostering cultures that promote DEI, Adam has extensive experience across multiple industries, including technology, financial services, and energy, and has worked in Helsinki, Berlin, London, and Amsterdam.Before joining Logitech, Adam was the Head of Inclusion & Diversity at Elsevier B.V. He has also held key roles at Shell International, Aon Hewitt, Nokia, ABN AMRO Bank, and TNT. His diverse background in DEI, HR business partnering, and talent management drives his commitment to building inclusive workplaces that fuel business growth.

Kyle J. Emich (Ph.D., Cornell University) is a Professor of Business Administration at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. He is also a fellow of the Women's Leadership Institute and SWUFE/UD Joint Institute. His research explores the role of individual attributes, particularly perceptions and emotions, in team dynamics and multilevel systems. His 38 publications appear in a number of management and psychology journals including the Academy of Management Journal, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Organizational Research Methods, and Psychological Science. His work has also been cited in media outlets such as TIME Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Scientific American.

Manfred Koegl is a scientific director in Oncology Research at Boehringer Ingelheim in Vienna, working on the discovery and implementation of new therapeutic concepts in cancer. He has also taken over the role of an Empowerment Ambassador in 2019. His focus is the promotion of concepts around psychological safety to maximize team performance at Boehringer. He has worked at several biotech companies in Heidelberg, including Phenex Pharmaceuticals. Manfred studied biology in Vienna and received his PhD in cell biology at the EMBL, Heidelberg.

Uwe Westermann leads the empowerment of culture of innovation within the research and development function of Boehringer Ingelheim. In addition to Boehringer Ingelheim, he has worked at Sanofi and Abbvie. He holds a Master’s degree in Microbiology with experience in Molecular Genetics.

Jordan and Bobby are veteran sales leaders at Google with a proven track record of building high-performing teams and driving exceptional results. They are passionate about fostering psychological safety and creating a culture of performance. Together, they built and led one of the highest performing sales teams at Google. Their leadership philosophy centers on empowering individuals, encouraging collaboration, and embracing change. Jordan continues to drive sales excellence within the Accelerated Growth Team, while Bobby recently changed roles to lead Google's acquisition business for the Americas. They are excited to share their insights on cultivating psychological safety to unlock team potential and achieve breakthrough performance.

Jordan and Bobby are veteran sales leaders at Google with a proven track record of building high-performing teams and driving exceptional results. They are passionate about fostering psychological safety and creating a culture of performance. Together, they built and led one of the highest performing sales teams at Google. Their leadership philosophy centers on empowering individuals, encouraging collaboration, and embracing change. Jordan continues to drive sales excellence within the Accelerated Growth Team, while Bobby recently changed roles to lead Google's acquisition business for the Americas. They are excited to share their insights on cultivating psychological safety to unlock team potential and achieve breakthrough performance.

Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011, and most recently was ranked #1 in 2021 and 2023; she also received that organization’s Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019, and Talent Award in 2017.

Sander Hoeken is the co-founder of The Fearless Organization Scan and the CEO of Bright Instruments, delivering scalable tools to better the workplace. As an entrepreneur and innovator, he combines expertise in commerce and digital tools to empower organizations to build trust, encourage open dialogue, and drive performance.