Westwood & Wilshire Report on Highlights from LEAP Tech Talent Show
Described as “The definitive forum for tech’s most disruptive people leaders,” the LEAP Tech Talent show on June 7 and 8, 2022, brought together an impressive roster of HR and talent leaders from a host of future-focused tech firms, including Amazon, Cisco, Ericsson, GitLab, Netflix, Palo Alto Networks, SAP, Slack, Sony Pictures, ThoughtWorks, and Vonage. For the Westwood & Wilshire team, it was an effective conference: intimate, focused, and highly conducive for sharing ideas.
Highlights Included AccelPeople Presentation
Included on the first day of the show was a thoughtful and very well-received presentation by Jesyka Simpson, Managing Director of AccelPeople, a Westwood & Wilshire company. Speaking about “The Strategic Solution to the Inclusion Revolution,” Jesyka resonated with her background and expertise as she outlined key actions that HR leaders can take to align DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging) initiatives with organizational strategies. She emphasized that creating environments where individuals can bring their whole selves to work leads to improved business results and better talent retention.
“Not only has there been a collective realization that companies must take a human-centered approach to employee experience and wellbeing, but we’re also finally starting to acknowledge, in tangible ways, that we work with whole people whose lives and lived experiences outside of work aren’t simply packed in a suitcase and left at the door when they arrive at work,” Jesyka said during her presentation.
Jesyka also joined Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Chief Human Resources Officer for Cohesity, and Lauren Tropeano, Vice President Talent Management for DraftKings, in a panel discussion on “What More Can We Learn from the HR Leaders Transforming the Way We Support & Encourage Tech Employees.”
Interesting Speakers and Fruitful Networking
Other excellent speakers over the two-day conference presented insightful ideas for attracting and retaining top-performing tech talent; unlocking the full potential of tech employees; adapting to changes including today’s remote or hybrid workforces; and building inclusive, innovative cultures within tech organizations.
In between presentations was plenty of time for networking, which was made easy by the physical configuration of the conference: Everyone sat at different round tables, with different tablemates, throughout the show. This set-up made for an inclusive environment where attendees were able to ask and answer questions, share ideas, and make connections.
Also attending the show from Westwood & Wilshire, besides myself and Jesyka, were Porsche Williams, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for AccelPeople, and Maria Borda, Practice Lead for HR Search.
Find out more about Westwood & Wilshire’s Technology Practice and how we’re helping innovative, fast-growing tech companies find the executives they need to help them scale smoothly from seed to exit.