Industry Influencers Bring “New Perspectives” to Connections 2018
March 6, 2018 By Ultimate Software
Every March, Ultimate Software hosts its annual customer conference, Connections. This year, in addition to dozens of workshops, breakout sessions, a full lineup of inspiring keynote speakers, and an intimate live music performance, we’ve partnered with a variety of world-class HR influencers and bloggers to share the latest research and trends with you. During the course of interactive sessions, panels, and hands-on workshops, these industry leaders will provide guests with “New Perspectives” while sharing their expert opinions on compliance, recruitment, talent, and leadership best practices.
While most of these sessions filled within days of registration, we’re thrilled to announce that each session will be Livestreamed on Twitter.
Kate Bischoff
Attorney, tHRive Law
Kate is an energetic and enthusiastic HR professional, employment/labor law attorney, and technology aficionado. She wants to make companies better – not just compliant. With both domestic and international HR experience, she helps organizations create, revamp and implement effective HR policies and practices to drive innovation and business.
Connections sessions:
- Compliance and Employee Communication
- Women in Leadership Panel
Matt Charney
Chief Content Officer, Allegis Global Solutions
Matt has over 10 years of experience in HR and recruiting, working at organizations like Warner Brothers, the Walt Disney Company, and Monster.com. In 2013, Matt founded Recruiting Daily and has been writing for the site and acting as Managing Editor ever since. His impact on the industry continues to grow as he speaks globally on HR technology, recruiting, and the future of work.
Connections sessions:
- Sentiment Analysis and the Future of Work
Ben Eubanks
Principal Analyst, Lighthouse Recovery and Advisory
Ben is an HCM industry analyst helping companies and vendors with strategy, content, and more. He has worked as an analyst for more than seven years, with five of those in an independent capacity. Ben specializes in HR technology, the future of work, recruiting, benefits, employee relations, and more. He also co-founded HRevolution.
Connections sessions:
- Innovation Sprints: Discover the Potency of Applying a “Hacking” Mindset to Your Work
Mary Faulkner
Director of Human Resources, Denver Water
Mary is a talent strategist and business leader with almost 15 years’ experience in helping organizations achieve their goals through operations, as well as learning and development, with extensive experience in leadership and organizational development, coaching, key talent planning, talent acquisition, performance management, business partnering, HRIS, process and policy creation, and instructional design. In addition to her work within companies, Mary authors survivingleadership.blog and co-chairs the Denver chapter of DisruptHR.
Connections sessions:
- Transforming Your HR Department: Implement Changes Today to Achieve Business and HR Results
- Women in Leadership Panel
Maren Hogan
Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Red Branch Media
Maren is the Founder and CEO of Red Branch Media, an agency offering marketing strategy and outreach as well as thought leadership to HR and recruiting technology and services organizations internationally. She is a consistent advocate of next generation marketing techniques with over 15 years of experience in the HR and recruitment space. She has built successful online communities, deployed brand strategies and been a thought leader in the global recruitment and talent space.
Connections sessions:
- 10 Ways to Draw Interest in Less Than Desirable Jobs and 50 Discrete Benefits
- Women in Leadership Panel
Jason Lauritsen
North American Advisor, The Employee Engagement Awards
Jason has dedicated his career to helping leaders build organizations that are good for both people and profits – first as an entrepreneur, then a corporate HR executive, then as a consultant, researcher, and speaker. He has over 10 years experience in HR and is passionate about employee engagement, culture, leadership, technology, and talent management.
Connections sessions:
- The Relationship Comes First: Discovering the True Path to Employee Engagement
- Women in Leadership Panel
Tim Sackett
President, HRU Technical Resources
Tim is the President of HRU Technical Resources, where he employs his 20 years of HR and recruiting experience to run his $40M IT and Engineering contract staffing firm and RPO. He resides in Lansing, Michigan and works to improve the local, national, and global HR communities. In his free time, Tim writes for popular HR blogs like The Tim Sackett Project and Fistful of Talent.
Connections sessions:
- When Your HR Metrics Fail to Connect with Your Organization
Janine Truitt
Chief Innovations Officer and Founder, Talent Think Innovations LLC
Janine is the Founder of Talent Think Innovations, LLC, a business strategy and management consulting firm. She has 10 years experience in talent management, technology, diversity and inclusion, and HR strategy that has taken her through staffing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and R&D.
Connections sessions:
- Women in Leadership Panel

Wow – fabulous cross section of #HRTech influencers!