Today’s leaders face a constant barrage of forces reshaping how work gets done. i4cp is at the forefront of understanding what HR leaders need to do to be ready for the future.
Future readiness is not a single initiative or a one-time transformation program. Nor is it primarily a technology problem. Organizations become future-ready when three capabilities operate together:
• A culture that embraces change rather than resists it
• A workforce whose skills evolve with strategy
• An enterprise capable of harnessing AI responsibly and at scale
This integrated capability set is referred to as The Future-Ready Framework™. Join Tom Stone of i4cp, Cindy Ballard of Universal Music Group, and Ellen Goldsmith of Deluxe Media on October 22nd for a research-backed discussion on how organizations are building and evolving these capabilities to future-proof HR and their organizations.
Cindy Ballard
Chief Future of Work – Universal Music Group
Cindy Ballard is an accomplished Human Resources executive who is an expert at leading media companies in designing, implementing, and accelerating their transformation and Human Resources strategies. Cindy is currently the Chief of the Future of Work at Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company. Cindy is responsible for driving the reimagination of how work will be done in the era of artificial intelligence.
Cindy has been a CHRO at Streamland Media, ICM Partners, and Tribune Publishing, where she partnered closely with the company’s executive leadership teams and was responsible for all facets of HR, including corporate culture, talent performance, planning and development, organizational design, HR analytics, health and welfare benefits, compensation, and more. Cindy’s specialty has been establishing HR as a strategic partner and building the function from the ground up. She has been instrumental in advancing the diversity and inclusion agenda, as well as promoting gender equity, within several organizations.
Before Tribune, Cindy was Senior Vice President of Global HR for 20th Century Fox, where she managed international and domestic activities for the company’s Worldwide Distribution Group in more than 31 countries. For 20th Century Fox, Cindy was instrumental in transforming the company from a legacy media business to a dominant digital content distributor.
Cindy earned a Master’s Degree from Pepperdine Law School-Strause Center for Dispute Resolution and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Northwood University. She belongs to numerous professional organizations, including the Organization of Women Executives, the National Human Resources Association, and the Society of Human Resource Management. She has received two outstanding achievements, including Top Human Resources Executive of Southern California from NHRA-LA & The Most Powerful and Influential Woman from the Diversity Council of Southern California.
Tom Stone
Senior Research Analyst – i4cp
Tom Stone is a Senior Research Analyst at the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp). He has led major research studies on workforce readiness, hybrid and remote work, HR technology, leadership behaviors, succession management, and the impact of automation and AI on the workforce. His research helps HR and business leaders translate workforce data into strategies that hold up at the executive level. Tom is the primary host of i4cp’s Next Practices Weekly event series, a forum for HR leaders to come together and share best and next practices in human capital. He is also heavily involved with i4cp’s Chief Learning and Talent Officer Board and i4cp’s Workforce Planning Exchange, giving him a direct line into how leading organizations are navigating change in real time.
Tom has 25+ years of experience in the Learning and Development and broader Human Capital industry. Prior to joining i4cp, Tom was Director, Technology Based Learning at Dale Carnegie Training, where he led the product development for their live online and other digital offerings. Earlier in his career Tom served as a Senior Research Analyst at Taleo and held various positions, including Product Design Architect and Content Development Manager at Element K.
Tom has spoken at over 150 regional, national, and international conferences on a wide range of topics. He is also co-author of the book “Interact and Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars” (ATD Press, Second Edition, 2022). In addition to his research and writing in the Human Capital industry, Tom is also an avid baseball fan and wrote the book “Now Taking the Field: Baseball’s All-Time Dream Teams for All 30 Franchises” (ACTA Sports, 2019).
Ellen Goldsmith
Global Chief People Officer – Deluxe Media
Ellen Goldsmith is the Global Chief People Officer at Deluxe Media. She oversees all aspects of people management and operations worldwide, including people strategy, organizational design, leadership development, and M&A people strategy. Her career includes leadership roles at Fox Entertainment, CBS, and Fremantle and various roles within the retail and hospitality management industries.
Ellen is known to be an influential People leader aligning people and operational strategies with business objectives, with a penchant for supporting high-change and growth cultures. With over 25 years of experience driving organizational transformation, Ellen is known for her ability to foster inclusive cultures, nurture talent, and implement strategies that fuel collaboration, creativity while accelerating business performance. An avid supporter of girl’s and women’s professional empowerment causes, Ellen thoroughly enjoys her executive sponsorship role for Deluxe’s Women’s ERG.
Ellen received an MBA from Loyola Marymount University and a BA in Psychology from UCLA. She is certified as a Wiley DiSC and Hermann HBDI provider and holds a GPHR and SCP designation. In her spare time, Ellen enjoys watching her son play baseball and being outdoors with her family and two wheaten terriers.
UCLA Extension is the continuing education division of UCLA. We offer courses and certificate programs online & campus.
UCLA Extension is the continuing education division of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). We offer over 5,000 open-enrollment courses and 180+ certificates in 80 fields of study. Courses are offered days, evenings, and weekends on the UCLA campus in Westwood and Downtown Los Angeles, and online. Courses range from business, arts, engineering, and IT to entertainment studies, public policy, public health, the humanities and more. Explore UCLA Extension at www.uclaextension.edu.
With more than 500 attorneys in 36 offices across the United States, Fisher Phillips is a national labor and employment firm providing practical business solutions for employers’ workplace legal problems. Labor and employment law is all the firm does, offering deep and broad knowledge and experience in the area of law the attorneys know best. Fisher Phillips attorneys help clients avoid legal problems, are dedicated to providing exceptional client service, and are there when you need them.
What Sets Us Apart
IMA
Employees want benefits, and businesses need to save while delivering value to hard-working teams. What if you had experts in health insurance, wellness programs and other benefits at your fingertips?
IMA offers a comprehensive suite of value-added services. We work closely with Human Resources Professionals to analyze current plans and identify coverage needs, then leverage relationships with underwriters to design terms and coverage for disability, vision, dental and health insurance.
IMA’s clientele represents annual premiums of more than $500 million, and we serve many sectors, with education, nonprofits and social services being best represented.
In every relationship, we rely on these fundamentals:
✔ People-first: Our style is consultative, and clients think of us as an extension of their team
✔ Beyond Insurance: We offer expertise in loss-control, ergonomics and more
✔ National and Global Resources: IMA is licensed in all 50 states
✔ A Culture of Engagement: A happy staff translates to happy clients
Our internal approach to your business is collaborative and allows us to be proactive, to stay on track and anticipate the needs of your growing business. IMA is unique in its approach to fielding client inquiries before and after plan implementation.
We’re honored that the Insurance and Brokers of the West (IABA) named IMA a top five broker and Agency of the Year.
If I can help you review coverage and create a custom employee benefits plan, reach out to me.
Nicole Ramirez
Associate Broker, Employee Benefits
(626) 507-1029 direct
(626) 922-7465 mobile
Specialties:
✔Employee benefits and HR support
✔Compliance services
✔Property and casualty insurance
✔Personal risk management
✔Alternative funding solutions
✔Talent acquisition services
✔Wellness programs
✔Industry specialists
✔Risk management and loss control
i4cp is the leading authority on next practices in human capital.
Discover next practice through a combination of global future of work research and a powerful peer community that allows you to make real-time, real-world decisions.
i4cp’s free Employer Resource Center helps thousands of CHROs and senior HR executives make better decisions on hybrid work, return to office, and more.
Nissin Foods
Creative, results-oriented Human Resources Leader with highly developed analytical and problem solving skills, proven strategic development abilities combined with the ability to collaborate with top organizational management to align organizations, culture and people to meet the needs of rapidly changing businesses, improve efficiency, productivity to achieve business objectives. Bilingual Spanish.
Specialties: Change agent, strategic partner, relationship builder, business alignment, shareholder focused, mentor, coach, leader, manager, and functional team-builder.
Employment Law Partner
As Partner at Fisher & Phillips, one of the largest US law firms representing management in labor and employment law, I have spent my career supporting business owners, companies, and employers in all aspects of employment law.
I help clients minimize regulatory and legal risk so they can focus on what really matters – their business. My experience includes working with small businesses to Fortune 500 companies with thousands of employees across a wide variety of industries from healthcare to manufacturing, construction, professional services, consumer goods, health care, food service, retail, non-profit and technology.
Employer Defense Partner
Hannah represents employers in all aspects of employment law, including advice and counsel.
Hannah’s focused areas include the defense of employers in class actions, PAGA claims and other wage and hour matters. Hannah also has experience in defending employers in employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination litigation.
HRL Laboratories, LLC
Paula is an energetic Human Resources Leader with in-depth, broad-based Human Resources and organization development experience in start-up companies, turnarounds and market leaders in telecommunications, financial services, technology and energy research industries. A member of the various Human Resources teams. Proven analytical, and negotiation skills and reputation of leadership, professional coaching, management acumen and operational execution.
