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Most ambitious women don’t feel stuck because they’re not doing enough—but because they’ve spent years doing what they thought they should. In this keynote, Erika Gerdes unpacks the hidden patterns, beliefs, and expectations that quietly hold even the most successful women back. With humor, vulnerability, and actionable insights, she’ll share how to break free from those internal blocks and step into the bold, fulfilling path that’s been waiting all along. You’ll walk away inspired, grounded, and ready to lead with more clarity, confidence, and impact.

Erika Gerdes helps leaders—predominantly women in tech—step into greater confidence, take bold action, and create meaningful impact. Combining deep insights with empathy, authenticity, and actionable tools, she drives lasting transformation.

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Through her leadership of the team at Oracle responsible not only for driving internal AI innovation, but also for empowering customer-facing sales teams to bring these cutting-edge strategies and solutions to their partners, Jody Clayton has deep expertise and practical experience to share on how to enable and build a culture of AI innovation on your team.

Jody Clayton is a Group Vice President, NAA Advanced Technology, and has over 28 years of experience in the enterprise software industry.

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As a salesperson, travel was a key requirement of the job.  As a result, Vallie was a passenger on US Airways Flight 1549 that landed in New York’s Hudson River on January 15, 2009.  Vallie will share the details of her experience during the flight and rescue of the event that has become known as the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’.  In addition, she will share key learnings from the experience that will hopefully inspire and motivate all to treasure each and every day because ‘every day is a lucky day’!

Vallie Smith Collins resides in Friendsville, Tennessee. She is married and has three children. She serves on the board of New Hope Children’s Advocacy Center, the Pellissippi State Community College Foundation, and is the board chair for Love One International which works to serve malnourished children in Uganda.

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Burns will showcase the latest research from the Social, Tactile, & Assistive Robotics and Intelligence Lab (STARI), at the University of Tennessee.  This will include her team’s work with the commercial humanoid robot NAO. Burns will introduce the audience to the field of human-robot interaction (HRI), its current developments, and prospective directions for the future. How “smart” are robots, really? How can they help us? Stop by to find out more!

Rachael Bevill Burns, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, performs research focusing on creating intelligent robots with touch perception and emotional expressiveness for therapy and care settings.

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What if your “WOW” factor—your ability to impress, inspire, and influence—was already within you, just waiting to be unlocked through well-being? In this dynamic and transformative session, Dr. Julie Wilkes takes you on a powerful journey to discover how your personal wellness can become the key to elevating every part of your life—from your performance at work to your relationships with family, friends, and even the way you treat yourself. Blending inspiring stories, scientific research, and practical tools, this session reveals how prioritizing your well-being isn’t selfish—it’s strategic. You’ll learn how small shifts in your daily habits, mindset, and self-care rituals can create ripple effects that ignite your energy, resilience, and creativity.

Julie Wilkes was born with a congenital heart defect, has experience two cardiac arrests in her life and is a proud heart disease survivor who believes she was given a second chance. This profound experience has shaped her perspective and ignited a deep passion for helping others live their healthiest lives.

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Through her experiences as Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President for Security, as well as her global presentations at Microsoft’s AI tour events, Aarti Borkar is well equipped to share her thoughts and ideas on AI use case opportunities.

Aarti Borkar is the Corporate Vice President for Security at Microsoft.

In this breakout session, Kim Payne will share current workforce trends and demographics. You will gain an understanding of the current challenges we face and explore how we are a part of the largest workforce age gap in history with several generations working side-by-side: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. This session discusses what motivates professionals of various backgrounds and lived experiences and how to understand those individuals with an empathic lens. You will walk away with tangible ways to be an engaged, supportive and collaborative team player while navigating your relationships at work. This session is for all career levels, from the soon-to-retire to brand new professionals.

Kim Payne, SHRM-SCP, has 20+ years experience in human resources, leadership, and organizational development. She has experience at a multinational corporation in the home improvement retail industry and senior level leadership in the manufacturing industry.

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As a Computer Scientist with the FBI, Jennifer Ward provides a variety of technical investigative support to case teams, including data analysis, digital forensics, programming, and malware analysis. This session will introduce fundamental digital forensics concepts, highlight its critical role in investigations, and demonstrate how individuals and organizations can effectively support law enforcement by recognizing, preserving, and documenting digital evidence effectively.

Jennifer Ward is a Computer Scientist in the FBI Nashville Division assigned to the Cyber Squad in Knoxville since 2021. Ward provides a variety of technical investigative support to the Knoxville office, including data analysis, digital forensics, programming, and malware analysis.

Through guided exercises, group reflection, and real-time coaching with Erika, you’ll uncover what’s been holding you back, reconnect with what you truly want, and take the first bold steps toward it. Whether you’re craving more confidence, clarity, or fulfillment, this session will help you move from insight to action—so you can lead in your work and life with power, purpose, and authenticity.

Erika Gerdes helps leaders—predominantly women in tech—step into greater confidence, take bold action, and create meaningful impact. Combining deep insights with empathy, authenticity, and actionable tools, she drives lasting transformation.

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