Speakers

Keynote Speaker

 

Alex Sheen is the founder of because I said I would, a global social movement and nonprofit dedicated to bettering humanity through promises made and kept, created in memory of his father, whose word was his bond. To help others remember the importance of their goals and commitments, Alex and his organization send “promise cards” to anyone anywhere in the world at no cost. With a belief that every individual has the power to keep a promise, he shares insights and actionable, character-building strategies for becoming a person of your word. He draws on inspiring, real-life examples and messages from the because I said I would movement to encourage others to fulfill their commitment.

Advocacy Track Speakers

John Hatton is NARFE’s staff vice president for policy and programs. In this position, Hatton directs the association’s public policy activities, leading NARFE’s advocacy to defend and advance the earned rights and benefits of America’s active and retired federal workers. John holds a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law, and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations with a concentration in Economics from Cornell University.

Federal Benefits Track Speakers

Tammy Flanagan has been providing retirement planning assistance to federal employees since 1985. Her extensive knowledge of the federal benefits systems and her ability to explain difficult concepts in an easy-to-understand manner has made her a sought-after speaker and presenter at pre-retirement seminars, training conferences and online training events. She is a featured presenter for NARFE Federal Benefits Institute webinars.

Mark Keen has published articles in a variety of local and national publications and he is currently writing the monthly financial column “Managing Money” for the NARFE Magazine. Mark earned his certification as a Certified Financial Planner® practitioner from Oglethorpe University in 2001. Mark is also an active member in the Washington DC Chapter of the Financial Planning Association.

 

Active Federal Employee Track Speakers

 

Mika Cross

Mika Cross is best known as a transformational workplace expert who has dedicated over 25 years of her career to making the world of work, work better. She works with government agencies, private and public sector leaders, and the workforce to help them adapt to the changing needs and demands of the modern work environment. She is driven by a vision of fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and inclusion for high-performing teams, working in a mix of on-site, remote or hybrid work environments.  

Treva Smith is a human resources, diversity and inclusion, and business operations professional, with over 34-years helping individuals navigate their career paths through challenges and failures to success. She specializes in career planning and personal branding, and is certified to instruct Business Etiquette through the distinguished Protocol School of Washington.  Additionally,  Treva is a certified Global Career Development Facilitator through National Employment Counseling Association, and licensed and certified to administer Myers Briggs assessments.

Sheryl Vogt has a passion for improving organizations to serve customers better and make them a better place to work.  She has been applying that passion in quality and process improvement programs since her first job as a quality Intern at an aerospace defense contractor. Sheryl was introduced to Six Sigma at GE where she was trained as one of the first Black Belts.  In 2002, Sheryl started Vogt Consulting, Inc. As a consultant, Sheryl has assisted numerous organizations in all aspects of their continuous improvement efforts. She has developed and delivered Lean Six Sigma programs for manufacturing, service, healthcare, and government organizations and has trained and mentored hundreds of Black and Green Belts to certification.

 

Amita Sherwood

Amita Sherwood is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with over 22 years of performance improvement and organizational effectiveness experience in various industries, including insurance, federal (DoD and civilian), health care, higher education, financial services, and information technology. Amita has spent over 18 years partnering with private and public organizations in the areas of: 

• Strategic planning 
• Large-scale Lean Six Sigma deployment strategy and execution 
• Development and delivery of Lean Six Sigma training (all levels) 
• Project and team facilitation and coaching 
• Leadership development and coaching 
• Change management strategy planning and execution 
• Performance metric development, reporting, and monitoring 
• Risk management deployment planning and execution 

 

Kenneth Bailey

Kenneth Bailey is a retired federal employee and Army combat veteran, whose distinguished career spans across four federal agencies including the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General. Transitioning from his esteemed civil service roles, he founded ASB Solutions LLC, a strategic business consulting group aimed at optimizing employee productivity and business success. Mr. Bailey is renowned as an organizational strategist in various domains including Organizational Development, Talent Management, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA), and more. As an executive coach, he leverages his expertise to provide strategic guidance to senior executives, facilitating transformative change and enhancing organizational capacity. Recognized for his expertise, Mr. Bailey has been invited as a guest lecturer or keynote speaker at numerous prestigious events and has received multiple awards, including military Combat Campaign Medals and Diversity and Inclusion Awards. He holds academic credentials from renowned institutions such as the Harvard School of Government, Strayer University, and the University of Maryland University College, underscoring his commitment to excellence and continuous learning.

Lifestyle Track Speakers

“Dorothy The Organizer” is America’s Most Innovative Professional Organizer. Known to millions as the fearless-yet-endearing problem solver on the Emmy-nominated TV show on Netflix and A&E, “Hoarders,” She is the author of seven books, including her latest Stuff Your Face or Face Your Stuff.  Owner of three companies, Dorothy trains and certifies motivated people to become Professional “Boss” Organizers. Dorothy is a highly sought-after international speaker who energizes and inspires her audiences to produce results and take immediate action. She is featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Today Show, The Dr. Phil Show, The View, The Doctors, Oprah, and PBS.

Brooke Huber is a registered and licensed dietitian with Aging Ahead, where she finds public education, recipe building, and nutrition counseling to be most fulfilling. She holds a master’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Central Arkansas and has experience in inpatient care, outpatient counseling, and community nutrition. She has presented at the American Society on Aging as well as MA4 for the past two years. She currently resides in St. Louis and looks forward to continuing to help clients find satisfying solutions to nutrition concerns.

 

 

Ilene Murray

Ilene Murray was a middle school language arts/writing instructor in University City, a suburb of St. Louis. She ran a writing center and taught computer classes to adults and children. For the past forty years, she has been searching her own family roots. Since her retirement in 2000, Ilene has been the publications director at the St. Louis Genealogical Society (StLGS), where she produces most of the society’s handouts, writes articles and helps to edit the Quarterly journal, works on the society’s website, lectures, and teaches classes. She is also the co-leader of their yearly research trip to Salt Lake City and of the society’s Jewish Special Interest Group.